ONE-HITTER SMOKING KIT

Description

BACKGROUND

Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with smoking pipes and accessories. More particularly, the invention describes improvements to a one-hitter kit for smoking tobacco, cannabis, or other dried plant smoking blends.

Smoking of dried plants for medicine, recreation, or religious purposes has a long history. One way of smoking such dried plants (hereinafter “smoking product”) is with a pipe. One type of a pipe is a “one-hitter”, also known as a “oney,” a “bat,” a “tay,” or a “taster.” A one-hitter smoking pipe is a small, discreet, and portable pipe designed to hold just enough herb for a single inhale, or “hit.” Shaped like a slim, straight tube, it is usually made from materials such as metal, glass, or ceramic. A conventional pipe has two open ends: one side functions as a mouthpiece, while the opposite side holds a small bowl where the herb is packed. One-hitters are designed for quick, efficient smoking sessions, often appealing to users who want to limit their consumption or smoke without attracting attention. Their compact size, often resembling a cigarette for additional discretion, makes them convenient for on-the-go use. The simplicity of the one-hitter's design—no moving parts, minimal cleaning requirements, and ease of use—makes it a popular choice for both casual and seasoned smokers. Because it only holds a small amount of smoking product, a one-hitter conserves material, encouraging users to take measured, controlled hits. It's often carried together with a “dugout,” a container that stores both the one-hitter and a pre-ground supply of the smoking material for easy packing and smoking. Traditional national varieties of one-hitter pipes have included the Native American calumet (a “peace pipe”), the kiseru of Japan, the midwakh of the Middle East, the sebsi of Morocco, and some narrow chillums of Nepal, India, and Jamaica.

A one-hitter pipe, while convenient and discreet, comes with several disadvantages and limitations that can impact the overall smoking experience. One of the primary drawbacks is the need to frequently handle the smoking product, especially when packing the small bowl. Users must often touch the dry plants with their fingers, which can lead to messiness and wasted material. This process can also be inconvenient in public settings where discreet handling is important. Additionally, because the bowl of a one-hitter is so small, it requires frequent re-packing, which can interrupt the flow of a smoking session and make the process feel tedious over time.

Another significant limitation is the smell that lingers on the pipe after use. Even after just one hit, the pipe tends to retain the odor of burnt smoking products, which can be noticeable and difficult to mask. This smell can transfer to hands, clothing, or the container in which the pipe is stored. Cleaning the one-hitter is another challenge, as resin quickly builds up inside the narrow tube, leading to clogged airways and reduced airflow if not regularly maintained.

Furthermore, unlike larger pipes or bongs, which can provide smoother and cooler hits, a one-hitter tends to produce harsher smoke due to its compact size, causing potential discomfort in the throat and lungs. Finally, because the bowl holds only a minimal amount of herb, users may find it less suitable for group smoking or for those who prefer longer, more relaxed sessions.

The need exists therefore for an improved one-hitter smoking pipe that can address these limitations and improve the smoking experience.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome these and other drawbacks of the prior art by providing a novel one-hitter kit configured to facilitate smoking without the need to directly touch the smoking material throughout use.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel one-hitter kit configured to seal off various components thereof, including those containing the smoking material in between uses, thereby reducing the smell associated with exposure of the smoking material or smoking components of the kit to the atmosphere.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a one-hitter smoking kit facilitating multiple smoking sessions without the need to replace or reload the smoking material for each smoking session.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a novel one-hitter smoking kit configured for compact storage and convenient for travel purposes.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a smoking kit that is watertight when closed.

The one-hitter smoking kit of the invention includes three main elements: a plurality of smoking bowls, a smoking pipe, and a container to store everything together. The plurality of smoking bows may include between two and seven individual smoking bowls, such as five smoking bowls illustrated in the drawings. Each smoking bowl may feature a smoking chamber in communication with a pipe attachment end. The smoking chamber may have an opening located away from the pipe attachment end and configured to accept and store a small amount of smoking material therein, which is sufficient for one or several “hits” or acts of inhaling the smoke produced by the slow burning of the smoking material.

The smoking pipe may be hollow and define a smoke passage between a mouth end and a smoking end thereof. The smoking pipe may be configured to removably accept the smoking end of the smoking bowl for attachment thereto. In some embodiments, the smoking pipe may include a filter cartridge positioned inside thereof and configured to filter the smoke passing therethrough.

The container of the one-hitter smoking kit may include a pipe compartment configured to sealingly store the smoking pipe and an elastic bowl compartment configured to sealingly store the plurality of smoking bowls. Each compartment may have a dedicated elastic cover configured to seal off the corresponding component of the smoking kit. Each of the plurality of the smoking bowls may be retained within a corresponding well of the elastic container such that it can be attached to and detached from the smoking pipe without the need to touch it directly, thereby avoiding the deposit of the smoking material on the user's hands and fingers. In some embodiments, the entire container may be made from an elastic material, such as silicone. In other embodiments, the container may be rigid and include a cavity for placement of the elastic bowl compartment insert.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Subject matter is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the one-hitter smoking kit of the first embodiment of the invention in its assembled state with all covers closed,

FIG. 2 is a back view of the same,

FIG. 3 is a top view of the same,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the one-hitter smoking kit in its assembled state with the bowl compartment cover open,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the one-hitter smoking kit in its assembled state with the pipe compartment cover open,

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the one-hitter smoking kit of the present invention,

FIG. 7 is a first exploded perspective view of the same,

FIG. 8 is a second exploded perspective view of the same,

FIG. 9 is a side view of the smoking pipe,

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of the same,

FIG. 11 is a first perspective view of the same,

FIG. 12 is a front view of the same from the smoking end,

FIG. 13 is a second perspective view of the same,

FIG. 14 is a side view of the mouthpiece,

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view of the mouthpiece,

FIG. 16 is a front view of the same,

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the same,

FIG. 18 is a side view of the smoking bowl,

FIG. 19 is a front view of the same,

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the same,

FIG. 21 is a side view of the filter cartridge,

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional side view of the same,

FIG. 23 is a front view of the same,

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the same,

FIG. 25 is a top view of the elastic container,

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional side view of the same,

FIG. 27 is a side view of the same,

FIG. 28 is a front view of the same,

FIG. 29 is a bottom view of the same,

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the same,

FIG. 31 is a top view of the pipe compartment cover,

FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional side view of the same,

FIG. 33 is a side view of the same,

FIG. 34 is a bottom view of the same,

FIG. 35 is a front view of the same,

FIG. 36 is a rear view of the same,

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the same,

FIG. 38 is a top view of the bowl compartment cover,

FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional side view of the same,

FIG. 40 is a side view of the same,

FIG. 41 is a rear view of the same,

FIG. 42 is a bottom view of the same,

FIG. 43 is a front view of the same,

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of the same,

FIG. 45 illustrates exemplary dimensions and materials for the smoking kit of the first embodiment of the invention

FIG. 46 is a side view of the one-hitter smoking kit of the second embodiment of the invention in its assembled state with all covers closed,

FIG. 47 is a front view of the same,

FIG. 48 is a top view of the same,

FIG. 49 is a first perspective view of the same,

FIG. 50 is a second perspective view of the same,

FIG. 51 is a first exploded perspective view with the bowl compartment cover open,

FIG. 52 is a second exploded perspective view of the same as in FIG. 51,

FIG. 53 is an exploded perspective view with the elastic bowl compartment insert removed from the container cavity,

FIG. 54 is an exploded perspective view of the one-hitter smoking kit of the second embodiment with both covers open,

FIG. 55 is a cross-sectional side view of the fully assembled one-hitter smoking kit of the second embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 56 is a close-up cross-sectional view of the closure end of the bowl compartment cover interacting with the elastic bowl compartment insert.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The following description sets forth various examples along with specific details to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that claimed subject matter may be practiced without one or more of the specific details disclosed herein. Further, in some circumstances, well-known methods, procedures, systems, components and/or circuits have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the claimed subject matter. In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure.

FIGS. 1-45 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention, while FIGS. 45-56 depict the second embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 1 through 8 illustrate the novel one-hitter smoking kit 300 of the first embodiment shown in its fully assembled state. All elements of the smoking kit 300 may be placed into the elastic container 250, which can be sized and shaped to individually house the smoking pipe 100 and a plurality of the smoking bowls 50. The main advantage of the smoking kit 300 is that it allows the storage of a plurality of smoking bowls 50, each containing a prefilled amount of the smoking material inside thereof. The smoking kit 300 makes it convenient to attach one of the smoking bowls 51 to 55 to the smoking pipe 100 to facilitate a short smoking session, designed to include just one or a few smoke inhalations, or “hits.” The smoking kit 300 may be designed to allow the user to attach one smoking bowl 50 at a time, conduct the smoking session, and replace the used smoking bowl with an unused one which may be filled with a fresh amount of the smoking material. FIGS. 1-3 show the smoking kit 300 with both compartment covers closed, while FIGS. 4 and 5 show the smoking kit 300 with one of the compartment covers open.

This approach allows a more complete use of the smoking material, as only a small volume thereof is used during a smoking session, thereby increasing the likelihood of a full use of the smoking material with no part thereof remaining in the smoking bowl to be discarded.

Retention of the individual smoking bowls 50 in their dedicated storage wells along with the shape of the elastic container 250 and the elastic cover 280 of the bowl compartment allow for a replacement of one smoking bowl for another without the need to directly touch the smoking bowl, as described below in greater detail. This design facilitates the use of the smoking kit 300 without the risk of contaminating the user's hands and fingers with smoking residue, which solves one of the well-known problems for smokers.

The elastic smoking container 250 provides individual compartments for storing the smoking pipe 100 and for storing individual smoking bowls 50. This approach allows to seal off each component of the smoking kit 300 in between uses, which facilitates avoidance of the smell of the smoking material permeating the ambient environment nearby, solving another well-known problem.

Individual components of the one-hitter smoking kit 300 are now described in greater detail. The smoking pipe 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 13 and may include an elongated smoking pipe housing 111, made from a suitable rigid material such as brass or another metal. The smoking pipe 100 may be round in cross-section, although other cross-sectional shapes are also contemplated, for example, an oval or a rectangular cross-sectional shape, as the invention is not limited in this regard. The elongated smoking pipe housing 111 may define a smoking end 114 on one end of the housing 111 and a mouthpiece end 112 on the opposite end thereof. A cavity 116 may be formed to define a smoke passage inside the hollow smoking pipe housing 111 between the mouthpiece end 112 and the smoking end 114. The smoking end 114 may be equipped with a thread 115 to allow a removable quick-connect attachment to the threaded end 64 of the smoking end of the smoking bowl 50, as described below in greater detail. The manner of a removable attachment of the smoking bowl 50 to the smoking pipe 100 is not limited to a threaded-type attachment but can also include other quick-connect arrangements, such as a bayonet-style attachment, a press-fit attachment, etc., as the invention is not limited in this regard. Importantly, the quick-connect attachment may have an opening therethrough to allow for smoke passage from the smoking bowl 50 to the smoking pipe 100.

The mouthpiece 150 is individually illustrated in FIGS. 14 to 17 and may include a round housing 154 with a pipe insertion portion 152 on one end and the mouth portion 156 on the opposite end thereof. The pipe insertion portion 152 may be made to fit inside the smoking end 112 of the smoking pipe housing 111. It may feature one or more grooves 153 individually sized to place an O-ring 159 inside thereof. The presence of one or several O-rings 159 positioned in series along the pipe insertion portion 152 may be helpful to seal the mouthpiece 150 inside the smoking end 112 and to removably retain the mouthpiece 150 together with the smoking pipe housing 111. To define the extent of insertion of the mouthpiece 150 into the smoking end 112, a shoulder 155 may be provided at the end of the pipe insertion portion 152. An internal passage 158 may be formed inside the mouthpiece 150 to allow for smoke passage from the smoking bowl 50 through the smoking pipe housing 111 and through the mouthpiece 150. Although the mouthpiece 150 is shown as round in the drawings, its shape is not limited thereto. It may have any desirable shape and may follow the shape of the smoking pipe 100, as the invention is not limited in this regard. The mouthpiece 150 may be also made of metal, such as brass, in a manner similar to that of the smoking pipe housing 111.

An individual smoking bowl of the plurality of smoking bowls 50 is illustrated in FIGS. 18 to 20. It may have a round housing 60 defining a pipe attachment end 64 in communication with a smoking chamber 66. The smoking chamber 66 may have an internal volume sized to accept a small amount of the smoking material, which is sufficient for one or two puffs or “hits”, such as for example about 0.1 to 0.2 g of the finely shredded herb. The smoking chamber 66 may have an opening 62 located away from the pipe attachment end 64. In embodiments, the opening 62 may have a sharp edge 63 configured to cut through the smoking material, which may be advantageous during the filling process of placing and compacting the smoking material into the smoking chamber 66. The pipe attachment end 64 may have a thread 65 corresponding to thread 115 of the smoking pipe housing 111, thereby facilitating a removable threaded attachment thereto. The smoking bowl 50 may be made from a suitable metal such as brass. Although the drawings show the smoking bowl 50 oriented along the length of the smoking pipe 100, the invention may not be limited in this regard. In alternative embodiments, the opening 62 may be positioned toward a side of the smoking pipe 100, or may have shapes other than round, as may be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

For convenience of use, all smoking bowls of the plurality of the smoking bowls 50 may be made identical to each other. However, in other embodiments contemplated herein, some smoking bowls may be made smaller or larger or shaped differently from other smoking bowls. Importantly, the pipe attachment ends 64 of all smoking bowls 50 may still be identical so as to facilitate interchangeable use of more than one smoking bowl of the smoking kit 300 and their attachment to the smoking end 112 of the smoking pipe 100. In case the external shape of individual smoking bowls 50 differs from each other, the storage wells of the elastic container 250 may need to be made in accordance with these differences so as to allow storage of the individual smoking bowls 50 within the elastic container 250.

An optional filter cartridge 130 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 21 to 24. It may have a cylindrical body 132 with one or both ends 134 and 136 featuring a cap with multiple pores 137 configured to allow for smoke to pass therethrough. The size of the filter cartridge 130 may be selected to fit inside the hollow cavity 116 of the smoking pipe housing 111. The filter cartridge 130 may occupy a portion of the length or the entire cavity 116. Various filtering materials may be used for the body of the filter cartridge 130, as is known in the art. When it comes to disposable filter materials suitable for use in smoking pipes used for tobacco or cannabis, several options are commonly employed to reduce tar, toxins, and particulates while maintaining airflow. Activated carbon filters may be used for their ability to absorb impurities, making the smoke smoother without drastically affecting flavor. Cotton filters may be another option, valued for their simplicity and natural composition; they trap large particles and moisture, resulting in cleaner smoke. Cellulose acetate filters, often found in pre-rolled cigarettes, can also be used in smoking pipes. These filters are effective at reducing tar and nicotine, though they may slightly impact the flavor profile. Additionally, ceramic filters, while slightly more robust, can be used for one-time sessions and discarded afterward, providing a clean and efficient filtration method. Selection of each of these materials may be made based on a balance between filtration effectiveness and maintaining the smoking experience.

Elastic container 250 is now described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 25 to 30. It may be manufactured as a single-piece component, for example, using a molding manufacturing process. Silicone material may be used for this purpose. The elastic container 250 may have container body 251 made with a generally elongated shape and includes a smoking pipe compartment 252 and a smoking bowl compartment 256. The smoking pipe compartment 252 may, in turn, include an elongated pipe cavity 254 terminating with a hollow connector 257 having a barbed rim 258 sized to accept the elastic pipe compartment cover 210, as described below in greater detail. In one example, the internal diameter of the elongated pipe cavity 254 may be 0.43 inches, while the external diameter of the smoking pipe 100 may be 0.39 inches—see FIG. 45. A slightly oversized pipe cavity 254 may facilitate easy storage and removal of the smoking pipe 100 without interference with the cavity walls. The elongated pipe cavity 254 may be sized to accept the smoking pipe 100, optionally with one smoking bowl 50 attached thereto, as seen in the cross-sectional view in FIG. 6. The wall thickness of the hollow connector 257 may be made to be lower than the main wall thickness of the elastic housing 250, for example along the rest of the smoking pipe compartment 252. This design may be made to allow the hollow connector 257 to compress and accept the pipe compartment cover 210 when pressed over the connector 257. At the same time, the thicker wall of the remaining portion of the elastic container 250 would prevent any distortion to its general shape.

The smoking bowl compartment 256 may be positioned to be generally parallel to the smoking pipe compartment 252 and located adjacent thereto. The smoking bowl compartment 256 may include a number of individual wells 271-275, each with a side opening sized to accept the corresponding smoking well 51-55 therein. The internal diameter of the individual wells 271-275 may be selected to be slightly smaller than the external diameter of the corresponding smoking well 51-55. In one example seen in FIG. 45, the outer diameter of the smoking bowl may be 0.394 inches, while the internal diameter of the corresponding well may be 0.378 inches. This may be done to ensure a tight yet removable press-fit of individual smoking wells 51-55 into the corresponding individual wells 271-275 of the elastic container 250. One advantage of this design is that the tight fit of the smoking well assures a good seal of the smoking material placed into the smoking chamber thereof. A tight seal is advantageous to avoid propagation of the smoking material smell outside the smoking kit 300 when not in use. Another advantage of the tight fit of each smoking bowl 51-55 within the corresponding wells 271-275 is that each smoking well is retained in the elastic container body 251 and does not need to be held by hand when attaching to the smoking end 112 of the smoking pipe housing 111.

To further facilitate such touch-free attachment, the depth and the shape of the individual wells 271-275 may be made to only retain the smoking chamber portion of each individual smoking well 51-55, with the pipe attachment ends 64 of all smoking wells 51-55 protruding away from the individual wells 271-275 of the smoking well compartment 256. Opening and removal of the bowl compartment cover 280 exposes the pipe attachment ends of the available smoking bowls 50 protruding from the smoking well compartment 256 as seen in FIG. 4.

A bowl rim 276 may surround the side openings of the individual wells 271-275 and may be shaped to extend outward to facilitate a sealing attachment of the bowl compartment cover 280, as described in detail below. The elastic container body 251 may further feature a first bulbous opening 264 and a second bulbous opening 262 located and configured to facilitate attachment of the first bulbous anchor 218 of the pipe compartment cover 210 and the second bulbous anchor 288 of the bowl compartment cover 280, as described below in greater detail. The second bulbous opening 262 may be positioned at the end of the groove 261, in turn, sized to accept a corresponding strip 289 of the bowl compartment cover 280.

The single-piece elastic pipe compartment cover 210 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 31 to 37 and has a pipe cover portion 211 hingedly transitioning to the base portion 212 via a flexible portion 216. The thicknesses of the pipe cover portion 211 and the base portion 212 as well as the elasticity of elastic material of the pipe compartment cover 210 may be selected to preserve the general shape of these components while facilitating the bending of the thinner flexible portion 216. A thumb tab 214 may be shaped to extend from the pipe cover portion 211 to facilitate lifting of the cover portion 211 from the elastic container 250.

The pipe cover portion 211, in turn, features a pipe cover cavity 220 shaped and sized to accept the top of the smoking pipe 100 therein. The pipe cover cavity 220 may feature a closure rim 222 sized to retain the pipe cover portion 211 once placed in its closed position over the barb 258 of the elastic container 250. The base portion 212 may feature a first bulbous anchor 218 configured to continuously retain the pipe compartment cover 210 attached to the elastic container 250. The first bulbous anchor 218 may be sized to fit inside the suitably shaped cavity 264 of the elastic container 250.

Making the pipe compartment cover 210 as a single piece component is not the only contemplated design solution as other designs of the cover 210 are also plausible for use in the present invention. However, it is advantageous in a number of ways. One manufacturing advantage of combining several functional elements together in one part, is the simplicity and speed of manufacturing, for example, using a molding process. Additionally, making the cover 210 as a single piece makes it a better seal once the pipe compartment cover 210 is closed over the elastic container 210, thereby sealing off the smell of the smoking material associated with the smoking pipe 100. Furthermore, making this and other elastic components of the smoking kit 300 from silicone allows for easy washing and cleaning of the smoke and particulate residue therefrom using soap and water. In addition, when all covers are closed, the smoking kit is watertight to keep the internal components dry and ready for a smoking session.

Finally, a single-piece bowl compartment cover 280 is illustrated in FIGS. 38 to 44 and is now described in greater detail. It may be made as a single-piece component with the bowl cover body 281 featuring an internal sealing surface 284 made with a shape complementing the corresponding contact surface 277 of the elastic container 250. A number of indents 282 extend further into the depth of the bowl cover body 281, which are shaped and sized to accept a plurality of pipe attachment ends 64 of the plurality of the smoking bowls 50 protruding from the bowl compartment 256 of the elastic container 250. The indents 282 may be sized to cover the openings of the pipe attachment ends 64 so as to further seal thereof and prevent the smoking smell from escaping the internal volume of the smoking kit 300. A sealing rim 283 may be provided to retain the bowl compartment cover 280 in place when pressed over the bowl rim 276 of the elastic container 250 and, in addition, to provide yet another redundant seal to prevent the smoking smell from leaving the elastic container 250. To secure the bowl compartment cover 280 to the elastic container 250, a flexible strip 289 is provided with the second bulbous anchor 288 at the end thereof. The second bulbous anchor 288 is designed to fit into the corresponding second bulbous opening 262 of the elastic container 250.

In use, the smoking bowls 50 may be first filled with a compacted smoking material. All the smoking bowls may then be firmly placed by pushing into the individual wells 271-274. This action may result not only in the retention of the smoking wells 50 in the elastic container 250, but also in the sealing of the smoking material inside the corresponding smoking chambers 66. One of the smoking bowls, such as a smoking bowl 51 may be left attached to the smoking pipe 100. The smoking pipe 100 and all smoking bowls 50 may be stored in the corresponding compartments of the elastic container 250. The covers 210 and 280 may then be placed in their closed positions and the smoking kit 300 may be ready for use.

When the user decides to conduct a short smoking session, the smoking kit 300 may be operated in the following manner. The smoking pipe 100 may be retrieved from the smoking pipe compartment 252 of the elastic container 250 by opening the pipe compartment cover 210. If a smoking bowl is already attached to the smoking pipe 100, the user can conduct a short smoking session. At the end of the smoking session, the user may open the bowl compartment cover 280 and insert the spent smoking well 51 in one available well 271 by holding the smoking pipe 100 in their hand. Pushing the smoking well 51 into well 271 allows the user to retain the smoking well 51 and turn off the remaining portion of the smoking pipe 100. The user may then attach the next smoking well 52 to the smoking pipe 100 by turning the smoking end 112 and securing the pipe attachment end 64 thereto. The smoking pipe 100 with the second smoking well prefilled with the smoking material may then be placed into pipe cavity 254. The pipe compartment cover 210 and the bowl compartment cover 280 may then be both closed. In this position, the smoking kit 300 may be stored away until the next smoking session. This process may be accomplished without ever directly touching the smoking material, thereby avoiding deposits of smoking residue on the hands and fingers of the user.

Cleaning the burnt smoking material and refilling the smoking wells 50 with new loads of the smoking material may be conducted once in a while for all smoking bowls 50 of the plurality of smoking bowls-and not after every smoking session.

The second embodiment 400 of the invention is now described with reference to FIGS. 46-56. As compared to the first embodiment, container 450 may be made from a rigid material, such as metal. FIGS. 46-50 show several views of the smoking kit 400 of the second embodiment in its fully assembled state. The pipe compartment of container 450 may be made to have a similarly shaped and sized elongated pipe cavity 454 as described above for elongated pipe cavity 254 of the first embodiment of the invention. the top opening of the pipe cavity may be sealingly covered and closed by a cover 410, which may be equipped with a gasket 412 (see FIG. 55) to seal the smoking pipe 420 inside thereof.

The elastic bowl compartment is formed in this embodiment by placing an elastic bowl compartment 470 into cavity 460 of container 450. Cavity 460 may be made with a side opening 462 sized to allow full access to the plurality of smoking bows placed along one side of the elastic bowl compartment insert 470. Such placement may be made into individual wells 471 spaced apart along the elastic bowl compartment insert 470. As described above, the internal diameter of the individual wells 471 may be selected to be slightly smaller than the external diameter of the corresponding smoking well 451. In this manner, the elastic bowl compartment insert 470 may be configured to compressibly retain and sealingly store the plurality of individual smoking bowls 451 in the corresponding individual wells thereof. Once placed inside cavity 460, the elastic bowl compartment 470 is closed off by the bowl compartment cover 480, which may be rotatably attached on one end to the container 450 forming a pivot 484. The bowl compartment cover 480 may contain a plurality of indents 482 extending into the depth thereof, Indents 482 may be shaped and sized to accept a plurality of pipe attachment ends of the plurality of the smoking bowls 451 protruding from the elastic bowl compartment wells 471 of the elastic bowl compartment insert 470. The indents 482 may be sized to cover the openings of the pipe attachment ends so as to further seal thereof and prevent the smoking smell from escaping the internal volume of the smoking kit 400.

The other end of the bowl compartment cover 480 may have a protrusion 482 sized to cooperate with the corresponding indent 472 in the adjacent portion of the elastic bowl compartment insert 470. Upon closure of the bowl compartment cover 480, the protrusion 482 is positioned in the indent 472 so as to retain the bowl compartment cover 480 in the closed position.

It is contemplated that any embodiment discussed in this specification can be implemented with respect to any method of the invention, and vice versa. It will be also understood that particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention can be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.

All publications and patent applications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Incorporation by reference is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein, no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein, and any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein.

The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.” The use of the term “or” in the claims is used to mean “and/or” unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternatives are mutually exclusive, although the disclosure supports a definition that refers to only alternatives and “and/or.” Throughout this application, the term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes the inherent variation of error for the device, the method being employed to determine the value, or the variation that exists among the study subjects.

As used in this specification and claim(s), the words “comprising” (and any form of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having” (and any form of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and any form of including, such as “includes” and “include”) or “containing” (and any form of containing, such as “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. In embodiments of any of the compositions and methods provided herein, “comprising” may be replaced with “consisting essentially of” or “consisting of”. As used herein, the phrase “consisting essentially of” requires the specified integer(s) or steps as well as those that do not materially affect the character or function of the claimed invention. As used herein, the term “consisting” is used to indicate the presence of the recited integer (e.g., a feature, an element, a characteristic, a property, a method/process step or a limitation) or group of integers (e.g., feature(s), element(s), characteristic(s), propertie(s), method/process steps or limitation(s)) only.

The term “or combinations thereof” as used herein refers to all permutations and combinations of the listed items preceding the term. For example, “A, B, C, or combinations thereof” is intended to include at least one of: A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and if order is important in a particular context, also BA, CA, CB, CBA, BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB. Continuing with this example, expressly included are combinations that contain repeats of one or more item or term, such as BB, AAA, AB, BBC, AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, and so forth. The skilled artisan will understand that typically there is no limit on the number of items or terms in any combination, unless otherwise apparent from the context.

As used herein, words of approximation such as, without limitation, “about”, “substantial” or “substantially” refers to a condition that when so modified is understood to not necessarily be absolute or perfect but would be considered close enough to those of ordinary skill in the art to warrant designating the condition as being present. The extent to which the description may vary will depend on how great a change can be instituted and still have one of ordinary skilled in the art recognize the modified feature as still having the required characteristics and capabilities of the unmodified feature. In general, but subject to the preceding discussion, a numerical value herein that is modified by a word of approximation such as “about” may vary from the stated value by at least ±1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20 or 25%.

All of the devices and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the devices and methods of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the devices and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.