Smoking deterrentIn 1972, a smoking deterrent - a pseudo-cigarette package that produces simulated coughing sounds when the package is picked up - was issued a US patent to its inventor, Lewis R Toppel of Chicago, Illinois (No. 3,655,325). According to the patent abstract, "The simulated coughing noises are produced from a battery-driven disk recording played through a minature loudspeaker in the package. A unique actuating lever arrangement enables the almost instantaneous replaying of the record each time the package is moved." The patent described the production of the sound using a miniaturized record player - a disk, turntable with electric motor and tone arm to ride in the grooves of the disk and pick up vibrations from the disk. The invention was also suggested for use as an advertising novelty.« |
