Self-lighting cigarette having a protective cap

Abstract

A self-lighting cigarette is disclosed having a protective or preventive cap enclosing the lip end of the cigarette to prevent the inhalation of the irritating fumes produced by the ignition means. Also disclosed is a means for attaching the self-lighting device to the preventive cap to prevent premature removal of the preventive cap.

I claim: 
     
       1. A self-lighting cigarette, which comprises: a cigarette having a tobacco filler surrounded by a wrapper;   means located at one end of the cigarette for igniting the cigarette by striking it on a surface; and   means located at the opposite, lip end of the cigarette for enclosing the lip end during ignition to prevent inhalation of the irritating fumes produced when the cigarette is ignited, said means being removable from the cigarette after ignition to permit normal inhalation during smoking of the cigarette.   
     
     
       2. The cigarette of claim 1, wherein the enclosing means comprises a plastic cap. 
     
     
       3. The cigarette of claim 1, further comprising a means for attaching the ignition means to the enclosing means. 
     
     
       4. The cigarette of claim 3, wherein the ignition means is not directly attached to the cigarette filler or paper, but to the attaching means. 
     
     
       5. The cigarette of claim 3, wherein the attaching means comprises at least one strap. 
     
     
       6. An improved self-lighting .[.cigarette.]. .Iadd.smoking article .Iaddend.having a combustible ignition cap located at one end, wherein the improvement comprises enclosing the opposite, lip end of the .[.cigarette.]. .Iadd.smoking article .Iaddend.with a cover having means for removal thereof after completion of combustion of the ignition cap to prevent the inhalation of the noxious fumes generated by the combustion of the ignition cap. 
     
     
       7. The .[.cigarette.]. .Iadd.smoking article .Iaddend.of claim 6, wherein the improvement further comprises a means for attaching the cover to the ignition cap. 
     
     
       8. The .[.cigarette.]. .Iadd.smoking article .Iaddend.of claim 7 wherein the attaching means comprises a plurality of straps. 
     
     
       9. The .[.cigarette.]. .Iadd.smoking article .Iaddend.of claim 7, wherein the attaching means comprises at least one strap. 
     
     
       10. The .[.cigarette.]. .Iadd.smoking article .Iaddend.of claim 6, wherein the cover is plastic. 
     
     
       11. A self-lighting cigarette, which comprises: a cigarette having a tobacco filler surrounded by a wrapper;   means located at one end of the cigarette for igniting the cigarette by striking it on a surface;   means located at the opposite, lip end of the cigarette for enclosing the lip end during ignition to prevent inhalation of the irritating fumes produced when the cigarette is ignited; and   a plurality of straps for attaching the ignition means to the enclosing means.   
     
     
       12. The cigarette of claim 11, wherein the ignition means is attached to the straps and at least one of the straps is normally not severable by the ignition of the ignition means so that the ignition means can be removed from the cigarette along with the enclosing means. .Iadd. 
     
     
       13.  A cigarette with a protective cap, which comprises: a cigarette having a tobacco filler encircled by a wrapper;   means located at one end of the cigarette for enclosing the end during the lighting of the cigarette to prevent inhalation of fumes produced during lighting; and   an attachment means for fastening the enclosing means to the cigarette by connecting the enclosing means to the opposite end of the cigarette;   whereby the lighting of the end not enclosed by the enclosing means severs the attachment means, permitting the removal of the enclosing means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The cigarette of claim 13, wherein the enclosing means comprises a cap. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The cigarette of claim 13, wherein the attachment means comprises at least one strap extending from the enclosing means to the opposite end of the cigarette, said strap being fastened to the opposite end of the cigarette. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The cigarette of claim 13, wherein the enclosing means comprises a plastic cap and the attachment means comprises a plurality of plastic straps extending from the cap to the opposite end of the cigarette, said straps being fastened to the opposite end of the cigarette. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The cigarette of claim 13, wherein the cigarette further comprises a filter at one end of the tobacco filler and the enclosing means is a cap which fits   
     
     
        over the filter end of the cigarette. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18.  The cigarette of claim 17, wherein the attachment means comprises at least one plastic strap extending from the end of the cap to the non-filter end of the cigarette, said strap being fastened to the non-filter end of the cigarette. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. An improved smoking article having a cylindrical tobacco filler encircled by a wrapper, wherein the improvement comprises a cap at one end of the smoking article to enclose said end during lighting and at least one strap extending between the cap and the opposite end of the smoking article, said strap being fastened to the smoking article at said opposite end, to fasten the cap to the smoking article and to permit the severing of the strap when the non-capped end of the smoking article is lit, so that the cap may be removed from the smoking article to permit smoking.