WO1999034986A1

WO1999034986A1 - Combination pen and cigar cutter

Info

Publication number: WO1999034986A1
Application number: PCT/US1998/027900
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael P. Reynolds
Original assignee: Colibri Corp
Current assignee: Colibri Corp
Priority date: 1998-01-02
Filing date: 1998-12-31
Publication date: 1999-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2000-07-02

Abstract

A combination pen and cigar cutter (10) includes a bottom barrel portion of a writing instrument (14) for receiving an ink cartridge (20) therein, and a barrel-like cigar cutter (16) threadably connected thereto having a sharpened annular top edge for cutting the end of a cigar. A cap (18) is releasably received over the cigar cutter and is rotatably moveable between a first position where the tip of the ink cartridge is in a writing mode, and a second position where the tip of the ink cartridge is retraced within the barrel of the writing instrument. The cap (18) may be removed revealing the cigar cutter, which has a plunger (32) mounted therein which is moved to a retractable position before cutting the end of a cigar and is then moved to an extended position after the cigar has been cut for ejecting the plug of tobacco from the cutter. The arrangement is such that the rotary movement of the cap and cutter in one direction simultaneously moves the ink cartridge to its writing mode and the cutter plunger to its retracted position, and rotary movement in the opposite direction simultaneously retracts the ink cartridge and extends the cutter plunger.

Description

COMBINATION PEN AND CIGAR CUTTER Background and Summary of Invention This invention relates generally to writing instruments and cigar paraphernalia and more particularly to a combination mechanical pen and cigar cutter which is operable as both a conventional writing instrument and a cigar core puncher. The device includes a barrelized cigar cutter threadably connected to the barrel of the writing instrument . The cigar cutter has a sharpened annular cutting edge for piercing the end of a cigar. The barrelized cutter further has a mechanical plunging mechanism mounted therein for ejecting the plug of tobacco from the interior of the cutter after the cigar has been punched. The popularity of cigar smoking m this country has greatly risen over the past couple of years. A typical cigar includes filler tobacco at its center, a binder in the form of a leaf which holds the filler together, and an outer wrapper which is rolled around the binder. This configuration includes all but the thinnest cigars. In a handmade cigar, the filler, and wrapper are combined manually to create the cigar. Such handmade cigars have a closed end or head portion which is received in the smoker' s mouth and an open end or foot portion which is lighted by the smoker. The proper tools for cutting and lighting cigars are accessories that enhance the cigar smoking experience . More specifically, an experienced cigar smoker will leave the head portion of the cigar in its finished, pre-smoked state until the cigar is smoked. This serves to maximize flavor and freshness of the cigar. Before smoking, the smoker cuts the finished head portion with a tool to provide a neat, clean cut. There are a number of different tools presently available for cutting off the finished head portion of the cigar. For example, there are V-shaped cutters, core punchers, and slicers, all of which provide a clean cut to ensure proper air circulation through the body of the cigar when it is smoked.

In general, the present invention is directed to a combination cigar cutter and writing instrument which is operable for core punching an end of a cigar before lighting same. The device includes a bottom barrel portion of a pen for receiving an ink cartridge therein. A barrel-like cigar puncher is threadably received along a collar of the pen barrel and extends upwardly therefrom m mating relation thereto. The barrelized puncher had a sharpened circular top edge for piercing an end of a cigar, when pressed against same, and has a reciprocating plunger mounted therein for extracting the plug of tobacco from the interior of the cutter after the cigar has been punched. Lastly, the device includes a cap which is releasably received over the cigar puncher providing a top for the pen. The arrangement is such that when the cap of the pen is received over the cigar puncher, the device is operable as a conventional writing instrument, and when the cap is removed from the cigar puncher, the device is operable for punching the end of a cigar. Specifically, movement of the top portion of the pen, when it is received over the cutter, between a first and second position moves the plunger between a retractable and ejecting position within the barrel of the cutter. Before the cigar is to be punched, the top of the pen is removed and placed over the opposite end of the writing instrument so that it covers the point of the instrument. The plunger mounted within the cutter is then retracted within the barrel of the cutter by turning same until the plunger is retracted. At this point, the sharpened circular edge of the cutter is used to manually pierce the end of the cigar, and the plunger is then turned to the ejecting position for removing the plug of tobacco from the interior of the cutter.

Accordingly, among the several objects of the instant invention are: the provision of a combination pen and cigar cutter that is operable as both a writing instrument and a cigar cutter; the provision of such a device that conveniently performs each of these two functions; the provision of such a device having a core puncher style cutting device; the provision of such a device that is neat and attractive in appearance; the provision of such a device that is simple m construction and easy to use; and the provision of such a device that is cost effective to manufacture. Other object, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings .

Brief Description of the Drawing

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the combination pen and cigar cutter of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded front elevational view of the combination pen and cigar cutter of the instant invention, showing the cap separated from the barrel;

FIG. 3 is an exploded front elevational view of the plunging mechanism of the instant invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4 --4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a similar view to that shown in FIG. 4 showing the plunger in a retracted position;

FIG. 7 is a similar view to that shown m FIG. 6 showing the cutter portion of the instant invention piercing and end of a cigar; FIG. 8 is a similar view to that shown m FIG. 7 showing a plug of tobacco removed from the end of the cigar and received within the interior of the cutting device; and

FIG. 9 is a similar view to that shown in FIG. 4 showing the plunger in an ejecting position removing the plug of tobacco from the interior of the cutting device.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the combination pen and cigar cutter of the instant invention is shown and generally indicated at 10. As will hereinafter be more fully described, the instant invention is operable as a conventional writing instrument as well as a cigar cutter for punching the end of a cigar before lighting same .

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the combination pen and cigar cutter 10 has a body generally indicated at 12. The body 12 generally includes a bottom barrel of a writing instrument 14, a barrelized cigar cutter 16, and a top portion or cap 18 which is received over the cigar cutter 16. An ink cartridge 20 is received within the bottom barrel of the writing instrument 14 and is moveable between a non-writing position wherein the writing point (not shown) of the ink cartridge 20 is concealed within the bottom barrel of the writing instrument 14 and a writing position wherein the point extends from the tip 22 of the bottom barrel of the writing instrument 14. The ink cartridge 20 is spring biased, to its non-writing position, but is selectively movable to its writing position by means hereinafter described. The cigar cutter 16 is threadably attached as at 23 to a collar 24 which is secured to and extends upwardly from the bottom barrel of the writing instrument 14, and the cap 18 is slidably received over the cigar cutter 16 providing for the pen and cigar cutter of the instant invention 10. The top portion or cap 18 of the writing instrument has a conventional pen clip 26 mounted thereon, having a cigar shaped design signifying the cigar cutter 16 mounted thereunder. The top portion 18 makes a snug friction fit over the cigar cutter 16 and may be slidably removed therefrom revealing same, and rendering the device 10 operable as a cigar cutter 16 for cutting the end of a cigar before lighting same. Specifically, the cigar cutter 16 has a sharpened annular top edge 28 which is pressed into the end of the cigar for cutting same, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Referring now to FIG 3, the instant invention 10 further includes a mechanical plunger mechanism, generally indicated at 30, fixedly mounted within the barrel of the cutter 16. Specifically, the plunger mechanism 30 includes a plunger 32 having a plunger shaft 34 and plunger head 36; a beaded barrel 38 having a cavity 40 formed therein and bead 42 protruding therefrom; a fixed guide sleeve 44; and a driver sleeve 46 having a spiral groove 48 formed therein. The arrangement is such that the plunger shaft 34 is force fit within the cavity 40 of the bead barrel 38. The cavity 40 has a greater length than the shaft 34 of the plunger 32, thus leaving extra space 50 between the bottom of the plunger shaft 34 and the bottom of the cavity 40, when the plunger shaft 34 is received therein. The plunger mechanism 30 is in communication with the ink cartridge 20 so that when the cutter 16 is rotated in a first direction, the ink cartridge 20 is moved to a writing position and the plunger 32 is retracted within the barrel of the cutter 16 defining a cutting recess 52 therein, and when the cutter 16 is rotated in a second direction, the ink cartridge 20 is moved to a non-writing position, and the plunder head 36 moves out from the barrel of the cutter 16, eliminating the cutting recess 52 and forcing out any plug of tobacco received therein. Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, the arrangement and operation of the plunger mechanism 30 of the instant invention 10 is more clearly depicted. As shown in the drawings, the cutter 16 is threadably connected to the collar 24 which extends from the barrel of the writing instrument 14. Specifically, the cutter 16 is threaded along the collar 24 in a clockwise direction until it becomes flush with a connector ring 54 located at the top of the barrel 14 and is in a mating relation thereto. Further rotation of the cutter 16 (achieved by rotating cap 18) in a clockwise direction begins operation of the plunger mechanism 30. Specifically, the spiral groove 48 formed in the driver sleeve 46 receives the bead 42 protruding from the barrel 38. The arrangement is such that, upon rotation of the cutter 16, driver sleeve 46 rotates, causing the bead 42 to ride in the spiral groove 48, thus effecting longitudinal movement of the barrel 38 within the fixed guide sleeve 44, said guide sleeve having means, not shown, which prevent relative rotation between said sleeve and said barrel 38, but which permits relative longitudinal movement therebetween.

Since the cartridge 20 is spring loaded to its non-writing position, reduced end 21 of cartridge 20 is always making resilient engagement with barrel 38 so that when the latter moves longitudinally pursuant to the interaction between bead 42 and spiral groove 48, the writing point of cartridge 20 is forced against its spring bias to its operative or writing position, and at the same time, plunger head 36 is retracted within cutter 16, as shown in FIGS. 6-8, to expose the cutting edge 28 of the cutter. As will be seen most clearly in FIG. 9, the terminal end of groove 48 is lightly notched, as at 56, so that bead 42 will snap-seat therein to releasably retain the writing point of cartridge 20 in its operative writing position. Rotation of cap 18 in the opposite direction permits cartridge 20 to move by its spring bias to its inoperative position, and at the same time, barrel 38 and plunger 32 are moved to the extended position shown in FIGS. 4 and 9.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-9, the instant invention 10 is shown in cutting operation removing a plug of tobacco 58 from the end of a cigar 60. Specifically, FIG> 7 depicts the cap 18 of the writing instrument removed from the cigar cutter 16 revealing same. Before starting the cutting operation, the plunger 32 is retracted within the barrel of the cutter 16 defining the cutting recess 52 therein as shown in FIGS. 608, and the sharpened annular top edge 28 of the cutter 16 is then pressed against the end of the cigar 60 which is desired to be cut, as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 depicts a plug of tobacco 58 removed from an end of the cigar 60 and received within the cutting recess 52 formed in the barrel of the cutter 16, and FIG. 9 depicts the plug of tobacco 58 extracted from the cutting recess 52 in the barrel of the cutter 16.

In use, the cap 18 is rotated to retract plunger 32, it being understood that this same rotation of cap 18 will move the cartridge 20 to its operative writing position. At this time, the cap 18 is removed and placed on the opposite end of the writing instrument to cover the writing point thereof.

At this point, the device 10 is operable for piercing the cup of the cigar 60. The cutter is then turned in an opposite direction to extend the plunger head 36 and eject excess tobacco or the tobacco plug 58 from the cutting recess 52. The top portion 18 of the device may then be fitted over the cigar cutter 16 and the instant invention is then operable as a conventional writing instrument. It can therefore be seen, that the instant invention provides for an effective device that is operable as both a writing instrument and a cigar cutter. The instrument is compact in size which allows for the device to be conveniently carried and accessed for performing each of the two above- identified functions. Specifically, the device has a mechanical plunging mechanism mounted in the barrel of the cutter for extracting the plug of tobacco from the recess of the cutter after the cigar cup has been pierced. For these reasons, the instant invention is believed to represent a significant advancement in the art which has substantial commercial merit.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept, and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A combination writing instrument and cigar cutter comprising : a barrel for receiving therein an ink cartridge having a writing point, said barrel having a proximate end, and a distal end wherein a port is located for protrusion of said writing point therefrom, and a threaded collar extending from said proximate end; an annular cigar cutter threadably mounted on said collar at the proximate end of said barrel, so as to be in mating relation thereto and extending upwardly therefrom, said cigar cutter having a sharpened annular top edge for cutting and end of a cigar; a plunger mechanism mounted within said cigar cutter, said mechanism comprising a plunger mounted for movement between a retraced recessed position and an extended plug ejecting position; and a releasable cap frictionally mounted on said cigar cutter, whereby when said cap is received over said cigar cutter, the device is operable as a conventional writing instrument, and when said cap is removed from said cigar cutter, the device is operable for cutting the end of a cigar.

2. A combination pen and cigar cutter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plunger is in communication with said ink cartridge so that rotation of said cap to a first position moves said ink cartridge and writing point to a writing mode and simultaneously retracts the plunger mounted within the barrel of the cigar cutter, and movement of said cap to a second position retracts the writing point of the ink cartridge and simultaneously moves the plunger to an extended ejecting position within the barrel of the cigar cutter.

3. A combination pen and cigar cutter as set forth in claim 2, wherein the plunger is moved to its retraced position before the tope edge of the cutter is used to cut the end of a cigar.

4. A combination pen and cigar cutter as set forth in claim 3, wherein the plunger is moved to its extended position after the end of the cigar has been cut, for removing the plug of tobacco from the recess of the cigar cutter.

5. A combination writing instrument and cigar cutter comprising : a writing barrel for receiving an ink cartridge therein; a barrel -like cigar cutter threadably connected to said writing barrel, and in communication with said ink cartridge, moveable between a first position whereby the ink cartridge is in a writing position and a second position whereby the ink cartridge is in a non-writing position; a cap portion releasably and frictionally mounted on said cigar cutter, whereby, when said cap portion is mounted on said cigar cutter, the device is operable as a writing instrument, and when said cap portion is removed from said cigar cutter, the device is operably as a cigar cutter; and a plunger mechanism retained within the barrel of the cigar cutter operable for moving said ink cartridge between said first writing position and simultaneously moving said plunger mechanism to a retraced position within the barrel of the cigar cutter defining a cutting recess therein, and said second non-writing position simultaneously moving said plunger mechanism to an extending position for ejection any tobacco or tobacco plug received within the cutting recess.

6. A combination writing instrument and cigar cutter as set forth in claim 5, wherein said cigar has a sharpened annular top edge for piercing the cap of a cigar.

7. A combination writing instrument and cigar cutter as set forth in claim 6, said plunger mechanism comprising a plunger barrel which slides longitudinally within a fixed guide sleeve, said plunger barrel having a bead protruding therefrom which rides in a spiral groove formed in a driver sleeve, whereby rotation of said driver sleeve imparts longitudinal movement to said plunger barrel to effect simultaneous movement of said ink cartridge and said plunger mechanism between said first and said second positions.

8. A combination writing instrument and cigar cutter as set forth in claim 7, said plunger mechanism further comprising a plunger fixedly mounted in said barrel and extending therefrom, wherein movement of said cutter between said first and said second positions activates said plunging mechanism and said plunger between a retracted position and an extended position.