U.S. patent application number 13/186927 was filed with the patent office on 2013-01-24 for cigarette lighter cover with bottle opener.
The applicant listed for this patent is Richard L. Beard. Invention is credited to Richard L. Beard.
Application Number | 20130022933 13/186927 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47556008 |
Filed Date | 2013-01-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130022933 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Beard; Richard L. |
January 24, 2013 |
Cigarette Lighter Cover with Bottle Opener
Abstract
The invention is a lighter cover for use with a cigarette
lighter, the cover including a bottle opener for removing crimped
crown-type caps from bottles and a pull-tab opener for lifting a
pull-tab on a beverage can.
Inventors: |
Beard; Richard L.;
(Portland, ME) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Beard; Richard L. |
Portland |
ME |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
47556008 |
Appl. No.: |
13/186927 |
Filed: |
July 20, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
431/253 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23Q 2/32 20130101; F23Q
2/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
431/253 |
International
Class: |
F23Q 2/32 20060101
F23Q002/32 |
Claims
1: A cover for use with a cigarette lighter, the cover comprising:
a cover body having a side wall; and a bottle opener incorporated
into the side wall, the bottle opener including a cap pry embedded
into the side wall and a magnet that serves as the leverage surface
against a bottle cap when the bottle opener is operated to remove
the bottle cap from a bottle.
2: The cover of claim 1, further comprising a first recess in the
side wall, and wherein the bottle opener is disposed in the first
recess.
3: The cover of claim 2, further comprising a shield in the side
wall that extends over a portion of the first recess, so as to
shield a protrusion on which the magnet is mounted.
4: The cover of claim 1, further comprising an additional element
incorporated into the side wall.
5: The cover of claim 4, wherein the additional element is a
golf-ball-marker retainer for holding a golf-ball marker, the
golf-ball-marker retainer comprising a second recess and a magnet
in the second recess for attracting and holding the golf-ball
marker.
6: The cover of claim 5, wherein the second recess is contoured to
allow a person to push against a first edge of the golf-ball marker
in the second recess, in order to force a second edge of the
golf-ball marker out of the second recess.
7: The cover of claim 1, the cover body further comprising a bottom
that includes a pull-tab lifter for lifting the pull tab on a
beverage can.
8: The cover of claim 1, further comprising a tether means.
9: The cover of claim 8, the tether means comprising a through-hole
formed in the bottom of the body and a ring that is captured in the
through-hole.
Description
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a cover for cigarette lighters.
More particularly, the invention relates to such a cover that
includes a bottle opener.
[0003] 2. Discussion of the Prior Art
[0004] Persons who smoke commonly carry on their person a lighter
for cigarettes or cigars. Regardless of the intended use of the
lighter, it will be referred to hereinafter as a cigarette lighter.
Hikers and campers also use lighters to start campfires. Because of
this, the cigarette lighter lends itself as a carrier for some
other item that a person may frequently use, such as a bottle
opener. A lighter cover that includes a bottle opener is one that
is called the MANTIS bottle opener lighter cover. This lighter
cover is designed to receive the BIC.RTM. lighter. A pry-type
bottle opener for opening crimped crown bottle caps is provided on
the bottom of the lighter cover.
[0005] The crown bottle cap is used, of course, only on bottles.
Beverages are also commonly provided in aluminum cans that have a
pull-tab for opening the can. To open these pull tabs, one must
insert a fingernail under the tab and lift up. Many people,
particularly women with manicured and polished fingernails, do not
like to do this, because the action frequently damages the nail
polish or breaks the nail.
[0006] What is needed, therefore, is a cover lighter that includes
a bottle opener and pull-tab opener.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention is a lighter cover for a conventional
cigarette lighter, the lighter cover including a bottle opener and
a pull-tab opener. The lighter cover is a molded component,
dimensioned to receive a cigarette lighter, such that the cigarette
lighter remains usable while in the cover. Incorporated into the
cover is a pry-type bottle opener for opening crimped crown bottle
caps and also a pull-tab opener to lift the pull-tab on a beverage
can.
[0008] The bottle opener is provided on the side and the pull-tab
opener on the bottom of the lighter cover. Additional elements,
such as a golf-ball marker, a clock, a compass, etc. may also be
incorporated into the lighter cover.
[0009] The lighter cover is molded from a strong, durable material,
such as ABS plastic or stainless steel. The cover may be lined with
an overmold of a softer, compressible material, so as to provide a
secure frictional grip on the cigarette lighter, to prevent it from
falling out of the lighter cover. An overmold of softer material
may also be provided on the outer surface of the lighter cover, to
aesthetic reasons, and also to provide a softer grip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention is described with reference to the
accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers
indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The drawings
are not drawn to scale.
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lighter cover according
to the invention, showing a first face having the bottle opener
with magnet and the pull-tab opener.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lighter cover, showing a
second face having a retainer for an additional element, this case,
a magnet for holding a golf-ball marker.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the body, showing details of
the bottle opener.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a first side plan view.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a rear plan view, showing the retainer for an
additional element.
[0016] FIG. 6 is second side plan view.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a top plan view.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the lighter cover.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the lighter cover,
showing a friction-fit liner on the inside of the body.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the lighter cover according
to the invention, showing a partial shield over the bottle
opener.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The present invention will now be described more fully in
detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the
preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention
should not, however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set
forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure
will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention
to those skilled in the art.
[0022] FIGS. 1-9 illustrate a lighter cover 100 according to the
invention, the lighter cover comprising a cover body 10, a bottle
opener 30 and a pull-tab opener 40. It is understood that the shape
and dimensions of the lighter cover 100 may be selected to fit a
specific lighter, such as the BIC.RTM., as shown in the figures, or
the ZIPPO.RTM. cigarette lighter, or any other type or brand of
lighter. FIG. 1 is a perspective view, showing a front face 16A of
the sidewall 16 and the top, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view,
showing a rear face 16B and the bottom of the lighter cover. FIG. 3
is a plan view of the cover lighter 100 and FIG. 4 a first side
view. FIG. 5 is a rear plan view and FIG. 6 a second side view.
FIGS. 7 and 8 are top and bottom plan views, respectively, FIG. 9
is a cross-sectional view of the lighter cover 100, and FIG. 10 a
perspective view of a second embodiment of the cover lighter that
has a shield over a portion of the bottle opener 30.
[0023] Ideally, the lighter cover 100 has a shape and dimensions
that provide a form-fit for a cigarette lighter. In the embodiments
shown, the lighter cover is constructed to receive a cigarette
lighter that has straight sides and is oval in shape. The cover
body 10 has an open top 12, a bottom 14, and a side wall 16. The
side wall has a front face 16A, a rear face 16B, a first end face
16C, and a second end face 16D. It is understood that the cover
body 10 can be rectangular in shape, with four plane faces 16A-16D
or round with four portions 16A-16D. The cover body 10 is
constructed of a durable material, such as ABS plastic or stainless
steel.
[0024] The bottle opener 30 is provided in the front face 16A and
is defined by a recess 32 that is deep enough to accommodate an
edge of a bottle cap. A metal plate or bar is embedded in the lower
part of the cover body 10, such that a pry edge 34 for lifting a
bottle cap from a bottle extends into the area of the recess 32.
Also provided in the recess 32 is a magnet 36. This magnet 36 also
serves as the leverage surface against the bottle cap, in the
process of lifting it from the bottle. The purpose of the magnet is
to attract and hold the cap, so that it may be properly disposed
of, rather than fall to the ground. FIG. 10 illustrates a shield 38
that may be integrated into the cover body 10. The shield is
essentially a thickening of the cover body in the area above the
recess and may have a slightly out-ward rounded contour. The
rounded contour is desirable for reasons of comfort and aesthetics.
Also, thicker material of the cover body in this area increases the
strength of the leverage surface. The lower face of the shield
provides a surface into which the magnet 36 may be embedded, such
that the magnet still serves as the leverage surface against the
bottle cap.
[0025] Optional elements of the lighter cover 100 include a
retainer for an additional element 50, a tether means 60, and a
friction-fit liner 20. The additional element 50 may be a
golf-ball-marker retainer, a clock, a compass, etc. In the
embodiment shown, the additional element 50 is a golf-ball-marker.
A recess 52 that is dimensioned to hold a golf-ball marker is
formed in the side wall 16. The recess 52 is contoured to enable
one to press an edge of the golf-ball marker into it, so as to
force an opposite edge out of the recess, to facilitate removing
the golf-bail marker from the recess. A magnet 56 is embedded into
or adhesively bonded to the recess 52 to hold the metal golf-ball
marker 54 in place. It is understood that the additional element
may be any instrument or device that can be magnetically attached
to the recess 52 or adhesively or otherwise affixed thereto. It is
also within the scope of the invention to provide a lip around the
perimeter of the recess, 52, so that the additional element may be
snapped into place, rather than held by a magnet.
[0026] In the embodiment shown, the tether means 60 is provided in
the bottom of the body 10. In this embodiment, the tether means 60
includes a through-bore 62 through the cover body 10 to which a key
ring 64, a tether strap, etc may be attached. The user may then
attach a strap, chain, cord, or other device to the tether means
60.
[0027] The bottom 14 includes an intermediate bottom 46, a lifter
42, and a gap 44 formed therebetween. The lifter 42 is thin enough
to slip under and the gap large enough to receive the pull-tab on a
conventional beverage can. Once the lifter 42 is inserted under the
pull-tab, the lighter cover is moved at an angle relative to the
place of the lid of the can, to lift the pull-tab sufficiently to
open the can.
[0028] The inside of the body may be filled with a friction-fit
liner 20 that is soft and compressible and provides a secure
friction fit against the cigarette lighter. FIG. 9 shows the liner
20 lining the inside wall of the body extending only part way down
the inside wall. It is also possible, of course, to provide the
friction-fit liner 20 down the entire length of the inner wall. A
suitable material for the friction-fit liner is silicone. Depending
on the geometry of the cigarette lighter and the material used for
the cover body 10, use of the friction-fit liner 20 may be
unnecessary. The amount of friction-fit liner 20 that is needed to
securely hold the cigarette lighter is also a function of the type
of material used for the friction-fit liner and the geometry of the
cigarette lighter.
[0029] Although not shown in the drawings, it is understood that an
overmold of a soft material may be applied to the outer surface, or
a portion thereof, to provide a comfortable feel and grip for the
user.
[0030] It is understood that the embodiments described herein are
merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the
construction of the lighter cover may be contemplated by one
skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the
invention herein disclosed and as defined by the following
claims.
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