Magnetically-biased cigar/cigarette holder

Abstract

In contrast to spring-biased cigar/cigarette clips, the magnetically-biased clip device has two repelling magnetic poles aligned in its rear lever arm and base rear. The resulting repulsive magnetic force biases the front lever arm of the clip toward a closed position in relation to the base front of the clip, thereby fully enclosing a median slot between them, which firmly holds the cigar/cigarette without crushing or tearing it. Since the biasing repulsive magnetic force decreases as the inverse-square of the distance between the repelling magnetic poles—as compared to the linear force decrease for spring-loaded clips—the holding force on the cigar/cigarette is much less damaging.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A magnetically-biased clip device adapted to hold a cigar or a cigarette, comprising:
 a lever, a base, and a pivot between the lever and the base;   wherein the lever comprises a front lever arm, located forward of the pivot, and a rear lever arm, located rearward of the pivot;   wherein the base comprises a base front, located forward of the pivot, and a base rear, located rearward of the pivot;   wherein the rear lever arm has a rear arm underside that contains a first magnet, and the base rear has a rear base underside that contains a second magnet, and wherein the second magnet is adapted to magnetically attach the clip device to one or more metallic surfaces;   wherein the first magnet has a first north pole and a first south pole, and wherein the second magnet has a second north pole and a second south pole, and wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are aligned so that either the first north pole faces the second north pole, or the first south pole faces the second south pole, thereby causing the first magnet and the second magnet to repel one another with a repulsive magnetic force that is inversely proportional to the square of a separation distance between the first magnet and the second magnet;   wherein the front lever arm forms an upward transverse arch, which aligns with a downward transverse arch in the base front, so to form a median slot configured to hold a cigar or a cigarette; and   wherein the repulsive magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet biases the clip device toward a closed position, in which a proximal underside of the front lever arm engages a proximal upperside of the base front, such that, in the closed position, the median slot is fully enclosed so as to hold the cigar or the cigarette.   
     
     
         2 . The clip device according to  claim 1 , wherein the base front has a front base underside that contains a third magnet, and wherein the third magnet is adapted to cooperate with the second magnet to magnetically attach the clip device to the one or more metallic surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The clip device according to  claim 1 , wherein the proximal underside of the front lever arm and the proximal upper side of the base front have aligned longitudinal grooves which together form a longitudinal forward channel, which is adapted to hold a cigarette. 
     
     
         4 . The clip device according to  claim 2 , wherein the proximal underside of the front lever arm and the proximal upper side of the base front have aligned longitudinal grooves which together form a longitudinal forward channel, which is adapted to hold a cigarette.