Patents by Inventor James M. McDonough

James M. McDonough has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5431558
    Abstract: A selectively actuatable lighter device is disclosed which includes a body defining reservoir for containing a combustible gaseous medium such as butane, and having a valve arranged to be selectively actuated between a normally closed position and an open position which permits the exit of the gaseous medium. Such lighter can selectively produce sparks at a location proximate to the gaseous medium exit to ignite the gaseous medium. Such lighter device embodies a resiliently releasable valve actuator which normally prevents actuation of the valve. The valve actuator includes an interfering portion which is selectively movable to a position out of interference with an interfering portion of the lighter body, so that the gaseous medium may be released and ignited by the sparks. Once the valve actuator is depressed and released, it returns to its closed or latched position to prevent actuation of the valve to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Bic Corporation
    Inventors: James M. McDonough, Floyd B. Fairbanks, Jean-Michel Monnier
  • Patent number: 5427522
    Abstract: A selectively actuatable lighter device is disclosed which includes a body defining reservoir for containing a combustible gaseous medium such as butane, and having a valve arranged to be selectively actuated between a normally closed position and an open position which permits the exit of the gaseous medium. Such lighter can selectively produce sparks at a location proximate to the gaseous medium exit to ignite the gaseous medium. Such lighter device embodies a resiliently releasable latch means which normally prevents actuation of a valve actuator to the open position thereby preventing actuation of the valve. The latch means includes a latch which is selectively movable to a position out of interference with the valve actuator, so that the gaseous medium may be released and ignited by the sparks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Bic Corporation
    Inventors: James M. McDonough, Michel Doucet
  • Patent number: 5125829
    Abstract: A selectively actuatable child resistant lighter device is disclosed which includes a body defining reservoir for containing a combustible gaseous medium such as butane, and having a valve arranged to be selectively actuated between a normally closed position and an open position which permits the exit of the gaseous medium. Such child resistant lighter can selectively produce sparks at a location proximate to the gaseous medium exit to ignite the gaseous medium. A safety mechanism normally prevents actuation of the valve to the open position. Such child resistant lighter device embodies a resiliently releasable safety latch which prevents the actuation of the valve actuator to the open position. The safety latch is selectively movable to a plurality of positions out of interference with the valve actuator, so that the gaseous medium may be released and ignited by the sparks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: BIC Corporation
    Inventors: James M. McDonough, Floyd B. Fairbanks
  • Patent number: 5092764
    Abstract: An improved selectively actuatable child resistant lighter device is disclosed which includes a body defining reservoir for containing a combustible gaseous medium such as butane, and having a valve arranged to be selectively actuated between a normally closed position and an open position which permits the exit of the gaseous medium. A locking mechanism normally prevents actuation of the valve to the open position. Such child resistant lighter device embodies a resiliently releasable locking latch which prevents movement of a fuel nozzle from a first, or fuel cutoff, position to a second, or fuel flow, position. The locking latch is selectively movable to an unlocked position in which depression of a valve actuator causes the fuel nozzle to move from the fuel cutoff position to the fuel flow position, so that the gaseous medium may be released and ignited by the sparks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: Bic Corporation
    Inventors: James M. McDonough, James M. Fairbanks
  • Patent number: 5002482
    Abstract: A child resistant lighter device is disclosed which includes a body defining reservoir for containing a combustible gaseous medium such as butane, and having a valve arranged to be selectively actuated between a normally closed position and an open position which permits the exit of the gaseous medium. Such child resistant lighter can selectively produce sparks at a location proximate to the gaseous medium exit to ignite the gaseous medium, and a safety mechanism prevents actuation of the valve to the open position when sparks are produced. Such child resistant lighter device embodies a resiliently releasable safety latch which prevents the actuation of the valve actuator to the open position. The safety latch is selectively movable to a position out of interference with the valve actuator, so that the gaseous medium may be released and ignited by the sparks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: BIC Corporation
    Inventors: Floyd B. Fairbanks, Thomas G. Snell, James M. McDonough