Apparatus for conditioning gas carrying a chemical released from a smoker's mouth

Abstract

An apparatus for conditioning gas carrying a chemical which is released from a mouth of a smoker after being inhaled from a smoking device comprises a housing with a fluidic passageway from an inlet arranged to receive the gas from the smoker's mouth to an outlet arranged to release the gas to an ambient environment. Along the fluidic passageway the apparatus features a chemical recapture stage, which is arranged to permit the gas to flow therethrough, and which is arranged to removably receive a substrate adapted to substantially retain the chemical carried by the gas, so that the gas exiting the chemical recapture stage is substantially devoid of the chemical, which can be reused upon removal of the substrate from the housing.

1 . An apparatus for conditioning gas carrying a chemical which is released from a mouth of a smoker after being inhaled from a smoking device, comprising:
 a housing having:
 an inlet arranged for receiving the gas released from the smoker's mouth; 
 a fluidic passageway in fluidic communication with the inlet and defining a path for the gas to flow through the housing; and 
 an outlet in fluidic communication with the fluidic passageway and located downstream of the inlet in relation to the path of gas flow, wherein the outlet is arranged for releasing the gas to an external environment of the housing; 
   a chemical recapture stage within the housing along the fluidic passageway so as to receive the gas flowing along the path of gas flow from the inlet to the outlet;   wherein the chemical recapture stage is arranged so that the gas can flow therethrough from a stage inlet arranged to receive the gas to a downstream stage outlet arranged for releasing the gas for flow towards the outlet;   wherein the chemical recapture stage is arranged to removably receive between the stage inlet and the stage outlet a substrate adapted to substantially retain the chemical carried by the gas on the path of gas flow through the chemical recapture stage, so that the gas exiting the chemical recapture stage at the stage outlet is substantially devoid of the chemical which can be reused upon removal of the substrate from the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in combination with the substrate, wherein the substrate is edible so that the chemical is reusable by a human user by consuming the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the chemical recapture stage comprises a receptacle configured to removably receive the substrate and to be removably mounted in the housing along the fluidic passageway at said location downstream of the inlet and upstream of the outlet so as to receive the gas flowing along the path of gas flow from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the receptacle comprises first and second end walls defining the stage inlet and the stage outlet, respectively, which are fluidically permeable but adapted to retain the substrate therebetween. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the receptacle has a peripheral flange arranged to be matably received in a groove formed in the housing so as to removably mount the receptacle in fixed location within the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a first portion of the fluidic passageway between the inlet of the housing and the stage inlet of the chemical recapture stage is enlarged relative to a size of the stage inlet of the chemical recapture stage in a crosswise direction to the path of gas flow, so as to reduce back pressure exerted on the mouth of the smoker when releasing the gas to the inlet. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the housing has an access opening intercommunicating the fluidic passageway with the external environment and wherein there is provided an openable panel which is movable relative to the access opening between a closed position in which the access opening is fluidically closed by the panel so that the gas flows along the path of gas flow through the fluidic passageway and an open position in which the access opening is uncovered for accessing the substrate for removal from the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including a deodorizing stage within the housing disposed along the fluidic passageway at a location downstream of the chemical recapture stage so as to receive the gas which has exited the chemical recapture stage, and is thus substantially devoid of the chemical, before the gas exits the housing through the outlet, wherein the deodorizing stage is arranged so that the gas can flow therethrough from a stage inlet arranged to receive the gas flowing from the stage outlet of the chemical recapture stage to a downstream stage outlet of the deodorizing stage arranged for releasing the gas, wherein the deodorizing stage is arranged to receive a replaceable smell-absorbent material which is adapted to remove a smell of the gas devoid of the chemical flowing through the deodorizing stage. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the deodorizing stage is arranged to receive an aromatic substance which emits a scent to be carried out of the deodorizing stage with the gas flowing therethrough so as to conceal the smell of the gas when released to the external environment through the outlet of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the deodorizing stage comprises a removable cartridge adapted to removably receive at least one of the smell-absorbent material and the aromatic substance for replacement once consumed. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the smell-absorbent material comprises a plurality of alternating layers of activated carbon and textile arranged in alternation fashion from the stage inlet of the deodorizing stage to the stage outlet thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein a first one and a last one of the alternating layers are activated carbon. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein a second portion of the fluidic passageway between the stage outlet of the chemical recapture stage and the stage inlet of the deodorizing stage is enlarged relative to a size of the stage inlet of the deodorizing stage in a crosswise direction to the path of gas flow so as to reduce pressure of the gas as it flows from the chemical recapture stage to the deodorizing stage. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus is arranged to fit in a hand of the smoker and the housing has a receptacle which is open at an exterior of the housing and arranged to insertably receive an electronic cigarette, defining the smoking device, in a stowed condition within the receptacle in which a mouthpiece of the electronic cigarette for inhaling the gas emitted thereby is located externally of the housing, and wherein the apparatus further includes at least one depressible button supported at a location on the housing which is arranged to register with a switch of the electronic cigarette when in the stowed position and presented at the exterior of the housing so that the electronic cigarette is operable for emitting the gas for subsequent inhalation by the smoker while in the stowed condition. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein, when the apparatus further includes a deodorizing stage within the housing disposed along the fluidic passageway at a location downstream of the chemical recapture stage and configured to remove a smell of the gas devoid of the chemical flowing through the deodorizing stage, the deodorizing stage is in fluidic communication with the receptacle to enable gas emitted by the electronic cigarette to pass through the deodorizing stage to the outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the at least one button is translucent so as to illuminate when the electronic cigarette is in an operating “on” state. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including an outer shell defining a substantially uninterrupted exterior surface and arranged to be removably received over the housing for disguising the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the outer shell carries a detachable receptacle adapted for storage of a smoking medium to be consumed using the smoking device. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in combination with the substrate, wherein the substrate is adapted for preparation of a consumable product. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in combination with the substrate, wherein the substrate is adapted to release the retained chemical to a consumable liquid medium in which the substrate is suspended. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in combination with the substrate, wherein the substrate is adapted to release the retained chemical by heating of the substrate to convert the retained chemical to a gas.