Smoking Instrument Personal Air Filter

Abstract

As an accessory and in combination to a smoking instrument such as a traditional cigarette, a personal air filter filtering exhale and intermittent smoke emissions, is disclosed. The device is broadly a housing providing a semi-enclosure having a mouthpiece coupled thereto, the mouthpiece including dual check valve technology for an inhale and a reverse exhale function. Separate or multi-directional filters are provided for the exhale function, and also for filtering intermittent emissions occurring between user intakes. The configuration and filter technology herein, seeks to improve air quality in enclosed spaces, additionally further by minimizing or eliminating second hand smoke.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A smoking instrument filter assembly comprising:
 a smoking instrument capable of emitting smoke or vapor;   a main housing having a longitudinal axis at least partially containing the smoking instrument;   a filter contained within the main housing, the filter comprising a filter stream in a direction substantially tangential to the main housing longitudinal axis, the filter for filtering potentially harmful pollutants for the smoke or vapor;   an inlet plenum in fluid communication with the filter, the inlet plenum for gathering and directing smoke to the filter; and   a vent approximately a top surface of the main housing for exiting said filter stream in the direction substantially tangential to the main housing longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The smoking instrument filter assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a mouthpiece, wherein the filter is a first filter and further comprising a second filter, wherein the mouthpiece is in fluid communication with the second filter, also further wherein the filter stream is a first filter stream and further comprising a second filter stream wherein the second filter stream further comprises the mouthpiece and the second filter. 
     
     
         3 . A smoking instrument filter assembly comprising:
 a cylindrical smoking instrument capable of emitting smoke or vapor;   a cylindrical main housing at least partially containing the cylindrical smoking instrument, wherein a portion of the cylindrical smoking instrument remains exposed;   a mouthpiece coupled to the cylindrical main housing, the mouthpiece in fluid communication with the cylindrical smoking instrument;   an air filter system in fluid communication with the mouthpiece;   an intermittent smoke intake system further in fluid communication with the air filter system, the smoking instrument thereby capable of reducing or eliminating second hand smoke.   
     
     
         4 . The smoking instrument filter assembly of  claim 3 , the intermittent smoke intake system comprising:
 an inlet plenum having a funnel configuration including a wide area converging toward a narrow area thereby drawing a volume of air toward the narrow area;   a vent positioned at the narrow area, the vent in fluid communication with the air filter system, the funnel configuration further comprising a copper diverter plate at an upper portion thereof, the copper diverter plate for funneling smoke and air toward the vent and for providing heat protection to the air filter system, wherein the air filter system further comprises:
 a filter plenum including a plurality of veins providing turbulence to the volume of air; 
 a first air filter layer contained within the cylindrical main housing for filtering harmful particulate from the volume of air; and 
 a second filter layer juxtaposed to the first filter layer, the first and second filter layers together providing air filtering in a direction substantially tangential to a lengthwise axis of the cylindrical smoking instrument and the cylindrical lengthwise housing. 
   
     
     
         5 . The smoking instrument filter assembly of  claim 4 , the vent positioned at the narrow area further comprising a venturi nozzle increasing a velocity to the volume of air. 
     
     
         6 . The smoking instrument filter assembly of  claim 4 , the funnel configuration further comprising an A-frame with the vent positioned at the A-frame, the A-frame having a lower portion and the copper diverter plate at the upper portion. 
     
     
         7 . The smoking instrument filter assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a check valve insert coupled to the mouthpiece, the check valve assembly including an inhale function check valve and an exhale function check valve. 
     
     
         8 . The smoking instrument filter assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising a filter housing containing the air filter system, the filter housing snuggly configured to a top of the cylindrical main housing having a snap-in and a snap-out relationship wherein the first filter layer and the second filter layer can be removed from the from the filter housing and replaced or cleaned. 
     
     
         9 . The smoking instrument filter assembly of  claim 4 , the filter system further comprising:
 a first filter stream in a direction substantially tangential to the lengthwise axis;   a second filter stream in a direction substantially parallel to the lengthwise axis, the second filter stream further comprising:   an carbon filter including a plurality of filter channels provided therethrough;   a duct in fluid communication with the carbon filter for reversing direction of the second filter stream; and   an elongated tubular HEPA filter in fluid communication with the duct for filtering the second filter stream.   
     
     
         10 . A smoking instrument filter assembly comprising:
 a main housing about a longitudinal axis;   a mouthpiece coupled to the cylindrical main housing;   a check valve permitting flow in a first direction and diverting air flow in a second reverse direction;   an air filter system in fluid communication with the mouthpiece;   an intermittent smoke intake system comprising an inlet plenum further in fluid communication with the air filter system thereby the smoking instrument filter assembly capable of reducing or eliminating second hand smoke.   
     
     
         11 . The smoking instrument filter assembly of  claim 10  further comprising;
 a cylindrical smoking instrument, wherein the smoking instrument is coupled to the main housing; 
 a cylindrical smoking instrument mouthpiece port configured to the main housing for coupling to the smoking instrument; and 
 a cut out relief in the main housing, the cut out relief for placing the cylindrical smoking instrument in the cylindrical smoking instrument mouthpiece port.