U.S. patent application number 09/904650 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-16 for lighter.
Invention is credited to Sher, Tak Chi.
Application Number | 20030013058 09/904650 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25419508 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030013058 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sher, Tak Chi |
January 16, 2003 |
Lighter
Abstract
A lighter includes a housing and ignition means for the lighter.
The ignition means includes a member manually moveable with respect
to the housing. A lock member is provided between the manually
moveable member and the housing. Release means manually operable to
move the lock member from a first position in engagement with both
the housing and the manually moveable member to a second position
wherein the lock member is released from the housing to allow the
manually moveable member to move relative to the housing to allow
or cause ignition of the lighter is provided. The release means
require manual movement to release the lock in a direction
different to both the direction of movement of the manually
moveable member to allow or cause ignition, and the direction of
movement of the lock member into or out of engagement with the
housing.
Inventors: |
Sher, Tak Chi; (Quarry Bay,
HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NATH & ASSOCIATES
1030 15th STREET
6TH FLOOR
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
25419508 |
Appl. No.: |
09/904650 |
Filed: |
July 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
431/153 ;
431/132; 431/255 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23Q 2/287 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
431/153 ;
431/132; 431/255 |
International
Class: |
F23Q 002/08; F23D
011/36 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A lighter including a housing, ignition means for the lighter,
the ignition means including a member manually moveable with
respect to the housing, a lock member between the manually moveable
member and the housing, and release means manually operable to move
the lock member from a first position in engagement with both the
housing and the manually moveable member to a second position
wherein the lock member is released from the housing to allow the
manually moveable member to move relative to the housing to allow
or cause ignition of the lighter, the release means requiring
manual movement to release the lock in a direction different to
both the direction of movement of the manually moveable member to
allow or cause ignition, and the direction of movement of the lock
member into or out of engagement with the housing.
2. A lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manually moveable
member comprises a cap rotatably mounted on the lighter and the
lock member is mounted in the cap.
3. A lighter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cap is hollow and
the lock member is moveable in the cap, the housing and cap having
apertures therein substantially in alignment with the cap in a rest
position relative to the housing the lock member being biased to a
position wherein the lock member engages in the apertures in the
cap and housing to substantially prevent movement of the cap
relative to the housing.
4. A lighter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the release means
includes a release member slideably mounted on the cap, the release
member having a part extending from the cap to receive, in use,
manual pressure and having a part engaging or engageable with the
lock member so that upon movement of the lock member against the
biasing force, the lock member is removed from at least the
aperture in the housing.
5. A lighter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the angle of movement
between the direction of movement of the release member to cause
release of the cap from the housing is substantially opposite to
the direction of the movement of the cap relative to the housing to
affect the ignition of the lighter and is substantially at right
angles to the direction of movement of the lock member.
6. A lighter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lock member is
biased by a spring within the cap.
7. A lighter as claimed in claim 6, wherein the spring is a
compression spring.
8. A lighter as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lock member has a
pair of lugs extending outwardly on opposite sides thereof able to
be engaged by the release member, and substantially limiting
movement of the lock member into the aperture in the housing.
9. A lighter as claimed in claim 8, wherein the end of the release
member is bifurcated, one arm passing each side of the lock member,
each arm being engageable with one of the lugs.
10. A lighter as claimed in claim 9, wherein the leading edge of
each bifurcated arm of the release member presents a sloped face to
the adjacent lug so as to lift the lock member from the aperture in
the housing by engagement of the sloped face with the lug.
11. A lighter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cap includes a
channel in which the lock member moves, the channel being shaped to
constrain movement of the lock member to movements into or out of
the aperture in the housing.
12. A lighter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cap includes a
pair of spaced apart block members to form said channel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a lighter, particularly a small
portable lighter of the type used to light cigarettes, cigars and
other small combustible items.
[0002] With lighters presently available, such as with the prior
art lighter hereinafter described, it is possible, in particular
children, to cause the lighter to ignite by operating an ignition
device by relatively simply manual manipulation. Such ignition
could also occur accidentally with the lighter contained in a
pocket, handbag or similar container. It will of course be apparent
that such a situation where the lighter can be ignited by children
or accidentally is undesirable and dangerous.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a lighter that will obviate or minimise the foregoing
disadvantages in a simple yet effective manner or which will at
least provide the public useful choice.
STATEMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Accordingly the invention consists in a lighter including a
housing, ignition means for the lighter, the ignition means
including a member manually moveable with respect to the housing, a
lock member between the manually moveable member and the housing,
and release means manually operable to move the lock member from a
first position in engagement with both the housing and the manually
moveable member to a second position wherein the lock member is
released from the housing to allow the manually moveable member to
move relative to the housing to allow or cause ignition of the
lighter, the release means requiring manual movement to release the
lock in a direction different to both the direction of movement of
the manually moveable member to allow or cause ignition, and the
direction of movement of the lock member into or out of engagement
with the housing.
[0005] Preferably the manually moveable member comprises a cap
rotatably mounted on the lighter and the lock member is mounted in
the cap.
[0006] Preferably the cap is hollow and the lock member is moveable
in the cap, the housing and cap having apertures therein
substantially in alignment with the cap in a rest position relative
to the housing, the lock member being biased to a position wherein
the lock member engages in the apertures in the cap and housing to
substantially prevent movement of the cap relative to the
housing.
[0007] Preferably the release means includes a release member
slideably mounted on the cap, the release member having a part
extending from the cap to receive, in use, manual pressure and
having a part engaging or engageable with the lock member so that
upon movement of the lock member against the biasing force, the
lock member is removed from at least the aperture in the
housing.
[0008] Preferably the angle of movement between the direction of
movement of the release member to cause release of the cap from the
housing is substantially opposite to the direction of the movement
of the cap relative to the housing to affect the ignition of the
lighter and is substantially at right angles to the direction of
movement of the lock member.
[0009] Preferably the lock member is biased by a spring within the
cap.
[0010] Preferably the spring is a compression spring.
[0011] Preferably the lock member has a pair of lugs extending
outwardly on opposite sides thereof able to be engaged by the
release member, and substantially limiting movement of the lock
member into the aperture in the housing.
[0012] Preferably the end of the release member is bifurcated, one
arm passing each side of the lock member, each arm being engageable
with one of the lugs.
[0013] Preferably the leading edge of each bifurcated arm of the
release member presents a sloped face to the adjacent lug so as to
lift the lock member from the aperture in the housing by engagement
of the sloped face with the lug.
[0014] To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates,
many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and
applications of the invention will suggest themselves without
departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the
appended claims. The disclosures and the description herein are
purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense
limiting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0015] One preferred form of the invention will now be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a prior art lighter,
[0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lighter of FIG.
1,
[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the manually operable cap unit
of the prior art lighter of FIG. 1, the cap unit being manually
moveable to cause the lighter to light,
[0019] FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of the prior art
lighter in the "off" position and in a position where ignition can
occur of the prior art lighter of FIG. 1 respectively,
[0020] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a lighter in a preferred form
of the present invention,
[0021] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lighter of FIG.
5,
[0022] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the actuating manually
moveable cap member, partially broken away, of the lighter of FIG.
5,
[0023] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the lighter of FIG. 5
with the safety catch mechanism engaged,
[0024] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the lighter of FIG. 5
with the safety catch mechanism in an "off" position,
[0025] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the lighter of FIG. 5
in a configuration where ignition can occur.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 the prior art lighter includes a
flame guard 1 and an insulating unit 2. An actuating lever 3 is
provided along with a lighting spring 4 on a nozzle 5. The nozzle 5
is assembled near the top of housing 6. The nozzle 5 has a part of
reduced diameter 7 which is engageable by a recessed portion 8
between bifurcated arms 9 of the lever 3. The lever 3 includes
pivot pins 10 at each side thereof The pins 10 pass into a channel
11 in the housing body resting on a ledge 12 at the bottom of the
channel 11 so that the pins 10 provide a fork about which the lever
3 may rotate.
[0027] To cause ignition of the lighter a manually movable member
is provided. This preferably comprises an actuating unit 20. In
conventional leverage operated lighters this comprises a manually
operable cap member or press button 21, a cover 22 and a fireproof
cap 23. The cover 22 fits into a depression 24 in the top of the
cap member 21, for example, by being a press fit or by glueing or
otherwise fixing as desired. The fireproof cap 23 has inwardly
extending arms 25 each with downward tongue 26 thereon which
engages into receiving apertures 27 in the cover 22. The fireproof
cap 23 is made of a metal, such as a metal film, and is assembled
or positioned at front end 28 of the cap member 21 to protect the
actuating unit 20 from damage which could be caused by the flame
when the lighter is lit.
[0028] The cap member 21 has a peripheral downwardly depending wall
29 and a downwardly depending arm 30 comprising a stem 31 and a
base unit 32. The base unit 32 is shaped to provide a slot 33 to
receive a pressure rocker 34. The front end 35 of the pressure
rocker 34 engages the rear end 36 of the lever 3 and the rear
downwardly extending end 37 of the rocker unit 34 is able to engage
the top surface 38 of a piezo electric unit 39. When lever 3 is
raised nozzle 5 is also raised so that gas is ejected. At the same
time the rear end 37 of the pressure unit 34 presses the surface 38
of the piezo unit 39 until it strikes to give out electrons at end
40 of conducting wire 41.
[0029] Pivot pins 42 are provided towards the lower end of the stem
31 so that the actuating unit 20 is rotatable along the axis
provided by the pivot pins 42 when the lighter is assembled with
pins 42 sitting on surface 43 in the housing 6.
[0030] The lighter is operated by holding the lighter in the hand
and using the thumb to push the cover 22 of the actuating unit 20
rearwardly. The actuating unit 20 will rotate at 42 and 43 until it
reaches an angle to strike the piezo unit 39 and emit electrons to
create a potential difference where one pole goes from the top of
the piezo unit 39 to the top of the lighting spring 4 via pressure
unit 34, lever 3 and nozzle 5. The other pole travels from the
bottom end of the piezo unit 29 to the end of the conducting wire
41 of the piezo unit 34. The two poles will strike through the air
to give out sparks to light the gas ejected by nozzle 5 and a flame
is obtained.
[0031] When the thumb is released, lever 3 will return to its
original position and nozzle 5 will also return to the original
position and stop ejecting gas.
[0032] The construction of FIG. 5 utilizes the same basic
construction except as hereinafter described.
[0033] The central area of the manually operable cap member 21
includes therein a stop block 50. An aperture 51 is provided in the
bottom 52 of the depression 24. A further block 54 is provided on
the opposite side of the aperture 51 from the block 50 so that in
effect a channel is provided between the blocks 50 and 54, the
purpose of which will be described further hereinafter. A safety
switch is added as follows. A release means comprising a release
member 60 is provided and a slot 61 is provided at the rear of the
peripheral wall 29. The release member has a base 62 from which
extend a pair of bifurcated arms 63. A protrusion comprising, for
example, a knob 64 is provided which may be ribbed at 65 on its
upper surface. The cover 22 also has a cut out at 66. Thus the
release member 60 is positionable between the base 52 of the
depression 24 and the under surface of the cover 22. The knob 64
extends outwardly through the aperture 61 and the aperture 66. The
bifurcated arms 63 move one each side of the block 50.
[0034] The forwardly pointing faces 70 of each arm 63 are sloped so
that the arms 63 have the greatest length closest to the bottom 52
of the depression 24.
[0035] The release member 60 is biased, for example, by means of a
spring 75 which may comprise a compression spring engaged between
the block 50 and the face 76 of the member 60 between the
bifurcated arms 63.
[0036] A lock member 80 is provided which may take the form of a
pin preferably of the same cross-sectional shape as the aperture
51. The upper part of the lock member 80 has an outwardly extending
lug 81 which is able to run against the adjacent surface of the
block 50 and a pair of outwardly extending arms 84 on opposite
sides of the lock member. The arms 84 preferably also present a
sloped face to the faces 70 of the bifurcated arm 63 and this may
be achieved by making the arm semi-circular towards the bottom 52.
The lock member is biased downwardly into the aperture 51, for
example, by compression spring 90 positionable between an aperture
91 in the upper surface of the lock member and engageable against
the underside of the cover 22.
[0037] Also provided in the flame guard 1 is an aperture 97, which
with the manually moveable actuating unit 20 in the position shown
in FIG. 6, for example, is positioned to be substantially
coincident with the aperture 51. The aperture 97 is most usefully
the flame aperture of the lighter.
[0038] The spring 90 pushes the pin normally through the aperture
51 and into the aperture 97 with the arms or pins 84 limiting the
extent of the downward movement of the pin 80 into the aperture
97.
[0039] In order to operate the lighter of FIGS. 5 to 10 the release
member 60 must be pushed inwardly against the biasing pressure of
the spring 75. This will cause the bifurcated arms 63 to move
towards the lock member 80. The forwardly sloped faces of the arm
63 will engage the lugs or pins 84 causing the lock member 80 to be
lifted from the aperture 97 substantially as shown in FIG. 9. This
will occur because the lock member 80 is constrained against
translational and rotational movement by the blocks 50 and 54. Once
the lock member 80 is clear of the aperture 97 the manually
moveable actuating unit 20 can be moved to the position shown in
FIG. 10 where ignition of the lighter can take place in the manner
previously described. Once the pressure on the manually moveable
actuating unit 20 is removed it will return to the position shown,
for example, in FIG. 2 and the biasing springs will cause the lock
member 80 to become repositioned in the apertures 51 and 97 as the
biasing spring 75 pushes the slide release member 60 rearwardly and
away from the lock member so that the lock is again applied.
[0040] Thus it can be seen that in at least the preferred form of
the invention a lighter is provided which has a further safety
feature in that the manually moveable cap cannot be manually
manipulated until the lock member has been removed from the
aperture in the housing in which it is normally positioned. It is
believed that it would be difficult, for children in particular, to
complete both the sliding, pressing movement required to cause the
lock member to be lifted from the aperture in the housing and to
move the manually moveable member in substantially the opposite
direction. It is also believed that it would be difficult for these
movements to occur accidentally. Accordingly a safety device is
provided to the lighter.
* * * * *