US2604982A - Combined cigarette case and lighter - Google Patents

Description

July 29, 1952 P. clBlE COMBINED CIGARETTE CASE AND LIGHTER Filed Aug. 5, 1948 INVENTOR. PIERRE CIBI Patented July 29, V:1952

An object of the invention is to eiect improvements in cigarette cases and cigarette lighters combined of the type described in my U. S. A. patent'application 694,588 of Septemberf, 1946, now .the opposite .parallel largeffaces of the .case a l*lens .system allowing a directmlightinggof:the :cigarette by av .concentrationzof the sunirays 1" ?Ehepurpose `of. vthese .improvements is to: -make device` less bulky, morezmractical zand-.more lsthetic'at. the .same time. AThey. consist-.essentially in housing the cigarettes in a single row in two opposite drawers sliding within the body of the case and suitably maintained in the latter by means of suitable stops. A device allowing a convenient hold for ngers may preferably be provided on each drawer so that the drawers may be operated easily.

The body of the case is made of a transparent material such as Plexiglas or, more advantageously of a material with a base of synthetic resin such as polystyrene or the like making it possible to obtain this body directly by moulding, for instance by injection. The drawers may be made of the same material, but, preferably suitably colored with a view to improving the esthetical aspect of the device.

The appended drawing shows, by Way of eX- ample, a type of embodiment of the improved cigarette case and lighter which is an object of the present invention.

Figure 1 of this'drawing is a perspective view of the device, the drawers containing the cigarettes being shown closed.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the drawers open.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section along the broken line 3 3 of Figure 1.

As can be seen on this drawing, the device comprises a prismatic body case a, comprising, on its two large opposite faces, planoconvex lenses b. This body a is made of a transparent material such as Plexiglas, polystyrene or the like ensuring good optical qualities for the lenses.

Within this body a can slide two lateral drawers c, closed at their bases by a bottom part and open at their upper portion as can be seen on Figure 2. These drawers comprise, at their inner ends, increased thicknesses c1 (see Figure 3) forming stops which, when the drawer is completely pulled out are stopped by stops g formed on the inner face of the rims of the apertures of the body a, so as to avoid a complete removal of the drawer. The cigarettes d are housed in these drawers c, in a single row.

abandoned, comprising in f lce sists---ef "'.fafeots'sr COMBINED CIGARETTE Aiy Pierre cibi, Paris-France Application August 5,

v In France February', llt/ 11i 2 claims. (Grace 41st)V hef-bod one of `the bottoms fail .offthis1bndy after-'the introductionvof theidrawe'rs. L 2 The drawers c which may compriseftanywrecesses u'factfured'outfofmoulded material which may bethe salme as-that of the body .brut which for an-estheticajlpurpese,v Ina-y conveniently hezcol- Or'ed'. J` ,ffy m Vx The drawers comprise, in the middle of their rounded outer edge a projecting part f, forming a finger piece suitably striated, knurled or worked which will allow an easy hold with the fingers for the working of the drawer. Recesses e, provided in the edges of the apertures of the body a allow the housing of these projecting parts f when the drawers are pushed home inside the body a.

To use the device, one of the drawers is pulled out by an amount equal to the thickness of a cigarette in such a manner that the latter will come out by itself by a simple .tipping or placing upside down of the case. For lighting the cigarette drawn from the case, the two drawers c are pulled sideways so as to completely disengage the lens system from the body and it will then only be necessary to bring the end of the cigarette to be lit at the focus of the optical system to cause its ignition by the concentration of the sun rays collected by the lenses.

It will be understood that when the drawers are back into the body, the case, which contains a single row of cigarettes offers a relatively small thickness which allows an easy placing in the pocket.

It will be obvious that details of embodiment which have been described and represented have been given only by way of nonlimitative examples of embodiment of the invention. Particularly the devices for catching hold of the drawers (f) and their receiving notches' (e) can be replaced by any other device fullling the same purpose and allowing an easy hold and working of the drawers; these devices for catching hold could also be made into closing clasps.

The double lens system (b) provided on the opposite large faces of the case could also be replaced by a suitable optical system provided only on one of these opposite main faces. Further, the lenses provided on one of both the main faces of the case could be distant from these faces and brought on the latter the body then troduction of `the ydrawers uit-on apart which is placed inppf si-tion -a d-"joined tothe-'body byf cementng 'only or other arrangements yusefulv for lining `the cigarettes d -a single row :will alsofbe inanadjacent, each drawer being made of a material, transparent or not, other than that oi the lenses.

Finally the drawers themselves can be made of the same material as the body, colored or not, or of any other material, transparent, transluscent or not.

What I claim is:

1. A cigarette case, including a generally prismatic box which has two major parallel sides and is open at two opposite ends; a pair of corresponding optical lenses individually formed in the intermediate portions of the major parallel sides of the box and disposed in effective positions to allow rays of light to pass through both lenses and focus exteriorly of said box; a pair of opposed drawers slidably disposed in the two opposite ends of said box with the inner ends thereof visible through the intermediate portions of said major sides when the drawers are fully inserted into said box with the inner ends thereof mutually having an open upper end and adapted to receive a row of opstanding cigarettes side by side therein; and means for guiding and limiting said drawers to predetermined ranges of sliding movement into and outwardly from said box.

2. A cigarette case including a generally prismatic box oi transparent material having two major parallel sides and two opposite ends thereof open; a pair of corresponding optical lenses Y individually formed in the intermediate portions of the major parallel sides of the box and disposed in eiective positions to allow rays of light to pass through both lenses and focus exteriorly of said box; a pair of opposed drawers slidably disposed in the two opposite ends of said box with the inner ends thereof visible through the intermediate portions of said major sides when the drawers are fully inserted into said box with the inner ends thereof mutually adjacent, each drawer having an open upper end and'adapted to receive a row of upstanding cigarettes side by side therein; and means for guiding and limiting said drawers to predetermined ranges of sliding movement into and outwardly from said box.

PIERRE omni.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Aug. 2, 1933

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