Lighting wand

Abstract

A lighting wand has a fuel reservoir with an outlet controlled by a valve and a spark generator. A first member, such as a thumb slide provided on the body of the wand, is operable to open the valve of the fuel reservoir. A second member, such as a trigger, is operable to actuate the spark generator. The second member is operable independently of said first member. In consequence, both the first and second members must be operated simultaneously to initiate a flame; this makes the wand child resistant.

Description

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a lighting wand.

Variously designed lighting wands exist. These wands typically have a valved reservoir for lighting fluid and a spark generator housed within a main body. A conduit extends from the reservoir along the inside of a barrel of the wand to proximate the outer end of the barrel. A pair of electrodes may extend from the spark generator along the inside of the barrel and terminate adjacent one another at the end of the conduit. When the valve of the reservoir is opened and the spark generator actuated, fuel flows through the conduit and is lit by sparks generated at the tip of the electrodes.

Because of the inherent danger of a lighting wand, various safety mechanisms have been employed to avoid accidental operation of the wand. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,367 to Saito et al. the trigger controlling the opening of the reservoir valve and actuation of the spark generator is blocked by a locking member. Consequently, the trigger may only be pulled after the locking member has been first displaced. While this arrangement may avoid accidental lighting of the wand, it might not preclude operation by a young child.

Therefore, a need remains for a lighting wand which is more resistant to use by a young child.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A lighting wand has a fuel reservoir with an outlet controlled by a valve and a spark generator. A first member, such as a thumb slide provided on the body of the wand, is operable to open the valve of the fuel reservoir. A second member, such as a trigger, is operable to actuate the spark generator. The second member is operable independently of said first member. In consequence, both the first and second members must be operated simultaneously to initiate a flame; this makes the wand child resistant.

Accordingly, the present invention comprises a lighting wand having a fuel reservoir having an outlet controlled by a valve; a spark generator; a first member operable to open the valve of the fuel reservoir; a second member operable to actuate the spark generator; the second member operable independently of the first member.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a review of the following description in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the figures which illustrate an example embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lighting wand made in accordance with this invention,

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side views of a portion of the lighting wand of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the area marked 4 in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning to FIG. 1, a lighting wand 10 may have a metal barrel 12 and a body 14. The body 14 may have two body halves 16 and 18 which sandwich an end of the barrel and may be held together by screws 20 and a sleeve 22 received on the barrel. A trigger 24 may extend into an opening 26 defined by the body. A thumb slide 30, which may have a knurled outer surface, may be provided on an outside surface of the body.

Turning to FIG. 2, which illustrates the wand with body half 16 removed, along with FIG. 4, the wand may have a fuel reservoir 34 with an outlet 36 controlled by a valve 38. As is typical, the fuel may be a volatile fuel, such as butane, so that when the valve is opened, fuel vaporizes when outlet 36 is opened. Also as is typical, a flow controller 32 may be provided such that by adjusting the flow controller, the maximum flow rate of fuel from reservoir 34 may be set. A conduit 40 may extend from the outlet 36 into barrel 12, terminating at the perforated end 44 of the barrel. A flange 46 may be provided on the valve to allow it to be opened. Thumb slide 30 may be supported within a channel 48 of the body 14 for sliding movement. A depending leg 50 of the thumb slide may bifurcate to extend around either side of valve stem 52 behind flange 46 such that the leg 50 of thumb slide 30 forces valve 38 open when the thumb slide 30 is slid in the direction D1 indicated in FIG. 2. A spring 54 may be provided between the body 14 and thumb slide 30 to urge the thumb slide in a direction (opposite direction D1) which closes valve 38.

The wand may also have a spark generator 60 which may be a piezo-electric spark generator with a pair of electrodes 62, 64 extending therefrom. The electrodes 62 and 64 may each be insulated along their length, except at their tip. The electrode 62 may extend through barrel 12 to the perforated end 44 of the barrel, terminating at its uninsulated tip adjacent the end of conduit 40. The other electrode 64 may extend to barrel 12 having its uninsulated tip abutting the metal barrel 12, so as to be electrically connected to it. When the piezo-electric spark generator is compressed, it generates a discharge voltage across the electrodes 62, 64. This results in an arcing at between the tip of electrode 62 and barrel 12.

The trigger 24 may have keys 70 supported in keyways 72 of the body such that the trigger may slide within the body. The trigger may be pulled in direction D2 against the natural resistance of the piezo-electric generator 60 in order to operate the generator 60.

FIG. 2 illustrates thumb slide 30 and trigger 24 in their relaxed positions such that valve 38 is closed and the piezo-electric generator 60 is quiescent. FIG. 3 illustrates the thumb slide in its extended position, opening valve 38, and trigger 24 in its compressed position, operating the piezo-electric generator 60. It will be apparent from FIG. 3 that, due to the physical spacing of the trigger and thumb slide, each of the thumb slide and trigger may be operated independently without interference from the other of the thumb slide and trigger. Thus, trigger 24 may be pulled to operate the piezo-electric generator 60 regardless of the position of the thumb slide 30 and, similarly, the thumb slide 30 may be extended against the urging of spring 54 regardless of the position of the trigger.

If the trigger is pulled while the thumb slide is not being operated so that valve 38 remains closed, sparks will be generated at the perforated end 44 of the barrel 12 but, in the absence of fuel, these sparks will not ignite a flame. Similarly, if the thumb slide is operated to open valve 38, fuel will pass along the conduit 40 to the perforated end 44 of the barrel but, if trigger 24 is not being pulled, then in the absence of sparks generated by generator 60, this fuel will not ignite.

It will be noted that sliding direction D1 for the thumb slide and sliding direction D2 for the trigger do not intersect. Indeed, directions D1 and D2 are parallel, but opposite, directions.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, an adult may operate the wand by grasping body 14 with their thumb atop thumb slide 30 and their index finger around trigger 24. The user's thumb may then slide the thumb slide 30 in direction D1 to open valve 38 and the user's index finger may pull trigger 24 in direction D2 to generate sparks from the generator 60 which will ignite the fuel. After a flame has been ignited, if the user releases the trigger, the flame will persist provided the thumb slide is maintained in an extended position to keep valve 38 open. Once the thumb slide has been released, the flame will be extinguished and the wand can only be lit again by again operating both the thumb slide and trigger.

Because of the independent operation of the trigger and thumb slide, they must both be operated simultaneously to initiate a flame. Simultaneous operation is something that would be very difficult for a young child to manage (more difficult than would be a requirement for consecutive operations). Further, moving the thumb slide in one direction while moving the trigger in the opposite direction is a relatively complicated operation. As such, this operation is one unlikely to be managed by a young child. Yet further, due to the independent operation of the trigger and thumb slide, these two components may be physically spaced a significant distance apart making one-handed operation by a young child less likely. Finally, the force of spring 54 may be chosen such that it would generally require a young child to use both hands to provide a sufficient force to open valve 38. This would then preclude the child simultaneously operating the trigger 24.

The thumb slide 30 could be replaced with any member that operates valve 38 independently of the trigger. For example, the thumb slide could be replaced with a first pivoting lever that acts against a second lever, such that pushing the top of the first lever in direction D1 causes the second lever to open valve 38. Similarly, trigger 24 could be replaced with any member that operates generator 60 independently of the thumb slide. For example, sliding trigger 24 could be replaced with a pivoting trigger having a cam surface which would compress the generator 60 when the trigger is pulled.

Typically valve 38 of reservoir 34 has a spring of its own to urge it to a closed position. In some instances, the spring of valve 38 may be considered to provide a sufficient biasing force such that spring 54 is unnecessary.

Optionally, the two electrodes 62, 64 of generator 60 could both extend into barrel 12 and be insulated along their lengths, expect at their tips. With this arrangement, and the tips adjacent one another, operating the generator 60 would cause arcing between the electrode tips. With this arrangement the barrel need not be electrically conductive. However, likely the barrel would still be fabricated of metal so that its perforated end could resist the heat of the flame. While generator 60 has been described as a piezo-electric generator, equally any other suitable spark generator may be provided. For example, the spark generator could simply comprise a battery and a switch that was closed when the trigger was pulled to apply a discharge voltage across the electrodes.

Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, therefore, the invention is defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A lighting wand comprising:

a fuel reservoir having an outlet controlled by a valve;

a spark generator;

a first member operable to open said valve of said fuel reservoir;

a second member operable to actuate said spark generator;

said second member operable independently of said first member.

2. The wand of claim 1 wherein said second member is a trigger.

3. The wand of claim 2 wherein said trigger is a sliding trigger.

4. The wand of claim 3 wherein said first member is a sliding member.

5. The wand of claim 4 wherein said sliding member slides in a first direction to open said valve and said sliding trigger slides in a second direction to actuate said spark generator, said first direction and said second direction being non-intersecting.

6. The wand of claim 5 wherein said first direction and said second direction are parallel.

7. The wand of claim 6 wherein said first direction is opposite to said second direction.

8. The wand of claim 7 further comprising a spring, separate from said valve, opposing sliding of said sliding member in said first direction.

9. A lighting wand comprising:

a main body;

a barrel extending from said body;

a reservoir of lighter fluid housed within said body, said reservoir having an outlet controlled by a valve;

a spark generator housed within said body, said generator having a pair of electrodes extending to said barrel;

a thumb slide mounted for sliding along an outer face of said body, said thumb slide coupled to said valve for opening said valve;

a trigger mounted for sliding movement so as to actuate said spark generator;

said thumb slide spaced from said trigger such that each one of said thumb slide and said trigger slide without interference from another of said thumb slide and said trigger.