Assembly and insert for evenly heating a smokable substance

Abstract

Assemblies and inserts are provided for evenly heating a smokable substance. A hookah bowl insert is provided for heating a smokable substance. The insert has a central core having at least one passageway extending therethrough. The insert further has a plurality of radial extensions extending in a radial direction from the central core. The radial extensions may be for gripping the smokable substance therebetween, and each radial extension has a vertical extension extending in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction. The insert is formed from a heat conductive material, such that heat is distributed across the insert, and within the individual radial and vertical extensions. Each vertical extension has a thickness larger than a thickness of the insert at the central core. As such, the vertical extensions can maintain stable temperatures and transfer heat to and from the smokable substance located therebetween.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hookah bowl insert for evenly heating a smokable substance, the insert comprising:
 a central core having at least one passageway extending therethrough;   a plurality of radial extensions extending in a radial direction from the central core for gripping the smokable substance therebetween, each radial extension comprising a vertical extension extending in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction;   wherein the insert is formed from a heat conductive material, and   wherein each vertical extension has a thickness larger than a thickness of the insert at the central core.   
     
     
         2 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the central core is substantially planar, and the radial extensions are sloped relative to a first plane of the central core, such that the radial extensions extend to a second plane different than the first plane, and wherein the vertical extensions extend from the second plane to the first plane. 
     
     
         3 . The insert of  claim 2 , wherein a top of the vertical extensions extends above the first plane, such that a heat source having a planar lower surface rested on top of the vertical extensions would be suspended above the central core and would not contact the central core. 
     
     
         4 . The insert of  claim 2 , further comprising a connection segment circumferentially surrounding a planar segment of the central core and sloping from the first plane to the second plane. 
     
     
         5 . The insert of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one fixation element for fixing the connection segment to an interior surface of a hookah bowl. 
     
     
         6 . The insert of  claim 5  wherein the at least one fixation element is a plurality of protrusions for bracing the insert against a protruding pipe opening of the hookah bowl. 
     
     
         7 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the central core is configured to be located above a pipe opening in a hookah bowl, such that the at least one passageway extending therethrough is aligned with the pipe opening. 
     
     
         8 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein each of the vertical extensions has a horizontal section with a bulging profile, such that the profile of each vertical extension bulges towards an adjacent vertical extension of an adjacent radial extension such that the smokable substance, when inserted, is gripped between the vertical extension bulges of adjacent vertical extensions. 
     
     
         9 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the insert is formed from a single piece. 
     
     
         10 . A hookah bowl assembly for evenly heating a smokable substance, the hookah bowl assembly comprising:
 a bowl head comprising:
 an interior space defined by an inner surface; 
 a hollow central pipe; and 
 a stalk below the central pipe, the stalk enclosing an extension of the central pipe for transmitting smoke from the interior space; 
   a bowl insert comprising:
 a central core having at least one passageway extending therethrough; 
 a plurality of radial extensions extending in a radial direction from the central core for gripping the smokable substance therebetween, each radial extension comprising a vertical extension extending in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction; 
 wherein the insert is formed from a heat conductive material, and 
 wherein each vertical extension has a thickness larger than a thickness of the insert at the central core. 
   
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the central core is substantially planar, and the radial extensions are sloped relative to a first plane of the central core, such that the radial extensions extend to a second plane different than the first plane, and wherein the vertical extensions extend from the second plane to the first plane. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a top of the vertical extensions extends above the first plane, such that a heat source having a planar lower surface rested on top of the vertical extensions would be suspended above the central core and would not contact the central core. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a connection segment circumferentially surrounding the central core and sloping from the first plane to the second plane. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the hollow central pipe protrudes into the interior space of the bowl head, and the insert further comprises a plurality of protrusions for bracing the insert against the protruding hollow pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the central core is configured to be located above the hollow central pipe when inserted into the bowl head, such that the at least one passageway extending therethrough is aligned with the hollow central pipe. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein each of the vertical extensions has a horizontal section with a bulging profile, such that the profile of each vertical extension bulges towards an adjacent vertical extension of an adjacent radial extension such that the smokable substance, when inserted, is gripped between the vertical extension bulges of adjacent vertical extensions. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the insert is permanently fixed to the inner surface of the bowl head. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the insert is formed from a single piece. 
     
     
         19 . A hookah bowl assembly for evenly heating a smokable substance, the hookah bowl assembly comprising:
 a bowl head comprising:
 an interior space defined by an inner surface; 
 a hollow central pipe; and 
 a stalk below the central pipe, the stalk enclosing an extension of the central pipe for transmitting smoke from the interior space; 
   a plurality of vertical extensions extending from the inner surface, the vertical extensions arranged radially about the hollow central pipe, wherein each vertical extension is formed from a heat conductive material.   
     
     
         20 . The hookah bowl assembly of  claim 19 , wherein each of the vertical extensions has a horizontal section with a bulging profile, such that the profile of each vertical extension bulges towards an adjacent vertical extension such that the smokable substance, when inserted, is gripped between the vertical extension bulges of adjacent vertical extensions. 
     
     
         21 . The hookah bowl assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the hollow central pipe protrudes into the interior space of the bowl head, and a top of the hollow central pipe defines a first plane, and wherein a top of at least a subset of the plurality of the vertical extensions extends above the first plane, such that a heat source having a substantially planar lower surface rested on top of the vertical extensions would be suspended above the hollow central pipe and would not contact the hollow central pipe.