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US 5,966,500 AGranted
Household smoke generator
OwnerRyan M. Wollaminventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A smoke generating system is provided for making a household appear inhabited. The household is equipped with an outlet. Next provided is a smoke generator for generating smoke and expelling the same from the outlet of the household.
Claims19
A smoke generating device for making a household to appear inhabited comprising, in combination:
- a tubular stove pipe having an interior end situated within a household and an exterior end extending from the household for excreting smoke upon the receipt thereof from the interior end;
- an ash can having a vertically oriented cylindrical configuration with a circular aperture formed on a top face thereof;
- a central housing including a front extent with a rectangular configuration formed of a front face, a rear face, a top face and a pair of side faces defining an open bottom, the central housing further including a bottom extent with a peripheral side wall having a top edge mounted to a periphery of the open bottom of the front extent and extending downwardly with a rear wall and a pair of side walls that taper inwardly, the peripheral side wall of the bottom extent terminating in a vertically oriented cylindrical sleeve for being removably inserted within the aperture of the ash can, the central housing further including a rear extent with a rectangular configuration with a width 1/3 that of the front extent, a front face mounted to a central extent of the front extent, and a top face which extends above the front extent of the housing a predetermined height and has a circular aperture formed therein for releasably receiving the interior end of the stove pipe;
- a pellet hopper including a planar rear face having a bottom edge mounted to a top edge of the front face of the front extent of the housing in coplanar relationship therewith, a pair of side faces and a tapering front face for defining an open top extended above the front extent of the housing the predetermined height with a lid hingably mounted thereon and an open bottom in communication with a horizontally oriented elongated slot formed in the front face of the front extent of the housing, the pellet hopper adapted to contain a plurality of pellets adapted to generate smoke upon being heated;
- a heater plate with a planar rectangular configuration mounted to a periphery of the open bottom of the front extent of the housing, the heater plate having a matrix of apertures formed therein, wherein the heater plate is adapted to generate heat during the receipt of power;
- a fan mounted within a hole formed between the rear face of the front extent and the front face of the rear extent of the housing, the fan adapted to circulate air from the front extent of the housing to the rear extent thereof during the receipt of power;
- a planar rectangular door slidably mounted in front of the slot between the front extent of the housing and the pellet hopper, the door having a solenoid connected thereto with an unbiased orientation for maintaining the door over the slot to preclude the passage of the pellets to the front extent of the housing, the solenoid further having a biased orientation upon the receipt of an activation signal for lowering the door below the slot to allow the passage of the pellets to the front extent of the housing;
- and
- a timer mechanism connected to the heater plate, fan, and solenoid for transmitting the activation signal to the solenoid and thereafter supplying power to the heater plate and fan for a predetermined amount of time, thereby generating smoke which is circulated to the exterior end of the stove pipe.
6 more elements
A smoke generating system for making a household appear inhabited comprising:
- a household with an outlet;
- a housing in communication with the outlet;
- and
- a smoke generator located in the housing for generating smoke, the housing being adapted for directing the smoke generated by the smoke generator to the outlet of the household;
- wherein the outlet of the household is a component of a chimney of the household.
2 more elements
A smoke generating device for generating smoke to be expelled from a chimney of a house, the smoke generating device comprising:
- a housing including a conduit adapted for connection to the chimney of a house such that the conduit is in communication with the chimney;
- and
- a smoke generator located in the housing for generating smoke, the smoke generator being in communication with the conduit of the housing such that smoke generated by the smoke generator may be directed to the chimney of the house.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.