U.S. patent application number 09/728915 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-30 for gas igniter with flexible extension.
Invention is credited to Tse, Robert W..
Application Number | 20020064744 09/728915 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24928783 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020064744 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tse, Robert W. |
May 30, 2002 |
Gas igniter with flexible extension
Abstract
A gas igniter comprises a casing detachably connected to a
container, which holds a inserted disposable gas lighter cartridge
as a gas reservoir. A flexible extension that can be freely curved
at any angle and retained to the given shape to perform ignition
even in a tight spot area and the flexible extension can be snap
back in the casing for easy storage.
Inventors: |
Tse, Robert W.; (Rowland
Hts, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROBERT W. TSE
19417 , E. Windrose Dr.,
Rowland Hts.
CA
91748
US
|
Family ID: |
24928783 |
Appl. No.: |
09/728915 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
431/344 ;
431/153; 431/255; 431/266; 431/345 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23Q 2/16 20130101; F23Q
2/163 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
431/344 ;
431/345; 431/255; 431/153; 431/266 |
International
Class: |
F23D 011/36 |
Claims
1. A gas igniter comprising: a casing detachably connected to the
container, which hold an inserted disposable lighter for the gas
reservoir. A safety switch, a push-button, a trigger and a piezo
electric unit are incorporated into said casing. A flexible member
in the form of a pipe extended from the said casing with one end
and connected to a front pipe with the opposite end. A flame nozzle
for ignition mounted in the said front pipe and a flexible gas pipe
connected between said flame nozzle and said gas reservoir.
2. The gas igniter as set in claim 1, wherein, said flexible member
comprises an elastic pipe, a spine constructed by one or more
strands of metal wire disposed interiorly of the elastic pipe that
can be easily bent and retained to a given shape.
3. The gas igniter as set in claim 1, wherein, said flexible member
as comprises a flexible pipe formed by spirally winding molded
ribbon plate member.
4. The gas igniter as set in claim 1, the said flexible member with
a stud constructed on said front pipe can be snap back into a
retaining hole of an elastic member for easy storage.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Gas igniter on the market today is structured with a main
body and a long rigid extension. It is so hard to perform an
ignition for some tight spot area. It can be improved by a flexible
extension that can be freely curved at any angle and retained to
the given shape. This type of igniter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,369,556 in which the extend arms protrude on the casing. The user
will found that is not comfortable to use. In addition, the bottle
gas used for refill is not conveniently found everywhere. Instead
of bottle gas, using a disposable lighter as fuel source for refill
which can be easily found and inexpensive would be ideal.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0002] The present invention has been accomplished to provide an
orthopedically engineered trigger-controlled igniter that is
comfortable and convenient to use. It uses a disposable lighter as
an insert cartridge for the fuel source, the advantage is
disposable lighter cost less, more safe and easy to find in
compared with bottle gas.
[0003] According to one aspect of the present invention the gas
igniter comprising a casing detachably connected to the container
which hold a disposable lighter as a gas reservoir, a safety switch
which disposed within the sliding track with locking and unlocking
position. A push-button and a trigger are disposed for controlling
gas supply from the reservoir, an elastic gas flow connector and a
piezo electric unit are incorporated into the casing portion
assembly. A hollow flexible member extends from the casing with one
end and the opposite end connected to a front pipe, the front pipe
which mounted with flame nozzle that connected with gas pipe and
ground electrode.
[0004] In order to actuate the igniter, first, slide the safety
switch to unlock position, then push the push-button upward to move
the rocking lever to unlock the trigger, and then pull down the
trigger, the trigger controlled to depress the gas lever of the
disposable gas lighter cartridge and the piezo electric
simultaneously causing a flame produced at the flame nozzle that
shoot out from the flame port of the front pipe, the trigger will
recess back to locking position automatically when the user
released the trigger after each use.
[0005] Another aspect of the present invention, three elastic
members are disposed on the curved side of the igniter provided a
comfortable soft grip for the user.
[0006] Still another aspect of the invention, the flexible member
with a stud which construct on the front pipe can snap into the
retaining hole of the elastic member on the casing for easy
storage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0007] FIG. 1 is a prospect view of the igniter with the flexible
member snap on
[0008] FIG. 2 is a prospect view of the igniter with the flexible
member expanded
[0009] FIG. 3 is a part-sectioned view of the igniter in compact
storage position
[0010] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectioned view of the igniter
[0011] FIG. 4a is an enlarged cross-sectioned view of flexible
member and front pipe
[0012] FIG. 4b is an enlarged cross-sectioned view of casing and
container
[0013] FIG. 5 is a prospect view of a second example of the
flexible member
[0014] FIG. 6 is a part-sectioned view of the flexible member shown
in FIG. 5
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1. a trigger-controlled gas igniter in
accordance with present invention is generally comprised of a
casing 1, formed by two half, a container 2 detachably connected to
the casing 1. A flexible member 3 disposed between the casing 1 and
the front pipe 4.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 4, partition walls 26 are made inside the
casing 1 to hold an elastic gas flow connector 28 which one end
connected to the fuel nozzle 27 of the inserted disposable gas
lighter cartridge 6 and the opposite end connected to the flame
nozzle 14 by a flexible gas pipe 9. A piezo electric unit 11 is
mounted within the partition 37, the electrode 21 is connected with
the spine 19 by a screw 20. The spine is formed by one or more
strands of metal wire, which can be bent easily and retained a
given shape and it is a conductive material. The spine 19 connected
with the electrode 21 at one end and the opposite end connected to
the tubular metal member 13 of the front pipe 4 by a screw 18
secured at the cylindrical nozzle holder 12. A ground electrode 10
of the piezo electric unit is connected to the flame nozzle 14. The
spine 19, the ground electrode 10 and the flexible gas pipe 9 are
disposed interiorly of the hollow flexible member 3. The
cylindrical nozzle holder 12 accommodated the flame nozzle 14 with
one end is inserted into the tubular metal member 13, and the other
end is inserted to the flexible member 3.
[0017] The tubular metal member 13 has a front-end wall and a flame
port 16 through which flame is injected outward is formed in the
central portion of the front-end wall. Air intake ports 15 are
formed in the upper side portion of the tubular metal member 13
behind the flame port 16. Further, part of the front-end wall is
bent inward to form a spark point 17.
[0018] Thus, the piezo electric unit 11 is electrically connected
from the spark point 17 through the hollow flexible member 3 to
electrode 21 via tubular metal member 13, screw 18, spine 19, and
the flame nozzle 14 is connected to the ground electrode 10.
[0019] A safety switch 8 is mounted within the sliding track with
locking and unlocking positions, and part of the safety switch 8
traverses the casing 1. Trigger 5 is constructed with three
projections 5A, 5B and 5C. Projection 5B extend to stop at the top
of the piezo electric unit 111 and the top of a rocking lever 22 at
the locking position. Projection 5A extend to stop above the gas
lever 7 of the inserted disposable gas lighter cartridge 6.
Projection 5C extend to stop at the top of the traverse part of the
safety switch 8 inside the casing 1.
[0020] A push-button 24 is disposed in the sliding track (not
shown) at the curved side of the casing 1 and connected to tension
spring 25. The rocking lever 22 is supported to rotate about a
pivot 29 and connected to spring 23.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 2 the casing 1 constructed with two rolled
edges 1A and 1B on the curved side from the top and ended at area
1C and 1D, an elastic member 30 is mounted between the two rolled
edges at the top of casing 1, an elastic member 31 constructed with
a retaining hole 34 for catching stud 33 of front pipe 4 is mounted
at the lower part of casing 1. Another elastic member 32 is mounted
at the container adjacent to elastic member 31. Thus, these three
elastic members 30, 31 and 32 mounted on the curved side formed a
soft grip for the comfort of the user.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 3, the flexible member 3 with the stud 33
constructed on front pipe 4 is snapped into the retaining hole 34.
At the same time, the flexibility of the elastic member 31 enables
the flexible member 3 to be withdrawn from the retaining hole 34 by
pulling the front pipe 4 from the casing 1.
[0023] A first example of the flexible member 3 is shown in FIGS.
1, 2 and 3. The flexible member 3 comprises a flexible pipe formed
by elastic material, the spine 19 constructed with one or more
strands of metal wire is disposed interiorly of the elastic pipe.
Thus, the flexible member 3 can be bent freely and retain a given
shape.
[0024] A second example of the flexible member 3 is shown in FIG.
5, the flexible member 3 formed with a plurality of projections in
the form of a spiral. This flexible member 3 is formed by spirally
winding molded ribbon plate member 36, which consists of long
strips of steel molded to a wave shape, so that they closed overlap
one another.
[0025] The sectional configuration of the molded ribbon plate
member 36, as shown in FIG. 5. has a curved portion 36A extending
outwardly in the form of a semicircle, a flat portion 36B extending
axially from the curved portion 36A and a rising potion 36C with
its outer end portion curved outwardly. The members 36 are formed
into a pipe shape by spirally winding them so that the rising
portion 36C is inserted inside the curved portion 36A. Thus, the
flexible member 3 can be bent and deformed in a range where the
outer end of the rising portion 36C can move within the curve
portion 36A. The engagement of the rising portion 36C with the
inner surface of the curved portion 36A defines the expandable
limit and the bendable limit. Thus, with this, better stability is
obtained. Note that on the opposite end portions of the flexible
member 3 there maybe formed flat cylindrical connection portions
which are inserted and fixed to the casing 1 and inserted by
cylindrical nozzle holder 12.
[0026] The operation of the gas igniter of this embodiment will be
described, herein below, this orthopedically engineered igniter fit
in the palm of the user very comfortably with the push-button 24
positioned underneath the thumb and the finger through the casing
opening 35 to pull the trigger 5. First, slide the safety switch 8
to unlock position, then slide the push-button 24 upwardly causing
the rocking lever 22 moved to the unlock position, projections 5B
and 5C are free to move without the blocking of safety switch 8 and
rocking lever 22, when the trigger 5 is depressed, the gas lever 7
of the inserted disposable gas lighter cartridge 6 and the piezo
electric unit 11 are pressed simultaneously by projections 5A and
5B, the fuel gas is released from the gas reservoir to the flame
nozzle 14 through the flexible gas pipe 9, and the piezo electric
unit 11 produces an alternating discharge voltage which is applied
between the spark point 17 and the flame nozzle 14, whereby the
fuel gas injected from the flame nozzle 14 is ignited. When the
trigger 5 is released, the rocking lever retreat back to locking
position by a spring 23 and the fuel supply is cut off when gas
lever 7 is released from projection 5A.
* * * * *