Lighter having safety device

A lighter includes a gas tank, a piezoelectric ignition device having a piezoelectric contact disposed in a housing, a hammer slidably received in the housing, an actuating member slidably received in the housing and depressible by a user to move and to selectively actuate the hammer to strike onto the piezoelectric contact and to generate sparks, a spring member is engaged between the actuating member and the hammer, a safety device is disposed close to the actuating member for being selectively depressed by the actuating member to resist the final movement of the actuating member and for preventing the lighter from being actuated or ignited by small children inadvertently.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly to a piezoelectric lighter including a greatly simplified structure or configuration for preventing the lighter from being actuated or ignited by small children inadvertently.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical lighters comprise an actuating or igniting button slidably attached to a body casing or housing for being depressed or actuated by the users to actuate or to operate an igniting device of the lighter. The typical lighters may be easily depressed or actuated by small children.

For preventing the lighters from being depressed or actuated by small children inadvertently, various kinds of safety locking devices have been developed and provided for attaching to the body casing or housing and for engaging with the actuating or igniting button, in order to prevent the actuating or igniting button from being depressed or actuated or operated by small children inadvertently.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,751 to Lee discloses one of the typical lighters comprising a coil spring and a resilient member serially arranged inside an actuation button and arranged to resist actuation unless the coil spring is fully compressed.

However, both the coil spring and the resilient member are flexible and may have a good chance to be distorted and thus may not be effectively depressed or actuated by the users. In addition, the typical lighter have to provide a specifically designed receiving guider to receive the coil spring and the resilient member, and the coil spring and the resilient member may not be attached to the other lighters.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,979,190 to Ichikawa et al. discloses another typical lighter also comprising a first elastic member to resist the movement of the manual actuator, and a second elastic member is further required and positioned to also resist the movement of the manual actuator.

However, a specifically designed supporting or holder member and/or a specifically designed actuation button is required to be provided to mold or to support the specifically designed cantilevered leaf springs, such that the cantilevered leaf springs and the holder member and the actuation button also may not be attached to the other lighters.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional safety devices for the lighters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectric lighter including a greatly simplified configuration having a safety device for preventing the lighter from being actuated or ignited by small children inadvertently and for allowing the lighter to be easily and quickly and readily made without changing the configuration or structure thereof.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a lighter comprising a gas tank including a chamber formed therein for storing fuel gas, and including a compartment formed therein, a gas supply tube disposed in the chamber of the gas tank and including an end portion extended out of the gas tank for supplying the fuel gas out of the gas tank, a housing disposed in the compartment of the gas tank and having a space formed therein, a piezoelectric contact disposed in the housing, a hammer slidably received in the space of the housing, an actuating member slidably received in the space of the housing and depressible by a user to move to engage with the hammer and to selectively actuate the hammer to strike onto the piezoelectric contact and to generate sparks, a spring member engaged between the actuating member and the hammer for spacing the hammer from the actuating member and for being selectively compressed by the actuating member, and a safety device disposed in the compartment of the gas tank and disposed close to the actuating member for being selectively depressed by the actuating member. The actuating member is depressible and movable relative to the hammer for a first moving distance to compress the spring member onto the hammer before contacting with the safety device, and then engageable with the safety device and depressible and movable relative to the hammer for a second moving distance to compress the safety device before actuating the hammer to strike onto the piezoelectric contact.

The safety device includes a bore formed therein for slidably receiving the actuating member. The actuating member includes an enlarged head provided thereon for engaging with and for compressing the safety device.

A thumb-push cap may further be provided and slidably attached to the gas tank and may be engaged with the actuating member for depressing the actuating member against the spring member.

The housing includes at least one guide groove formed therein, the hammer includes at least one projection extended therefrom and slidably received in the guide groove of the housing for guiding the hammer to strike onto the piezoelectric contact.

The guide groove of the housing includes a lateral groove segment and a vertical groove segment formed therein, the lateral groove segment of the housing receives and supports the projection the hammer when the actuating member compress the spring member onto the hammer.

The actuating member includes at least one inclined actuating groove formed therein for slidably receiving the projection of the hammer and arranged for allowing the actuating member to be moved relative to the hammer and the housing before the actuating member is engaged with the projection of the hammer.

A recovering spring may further be provided and received in the space of the housing and engaged with the hammer for spacing the hammer from the piezoelectric contact.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a piezoelectric lighter in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the operation of the piezoelectric lighter;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the piezoelectric lighter;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view of the piezoelectric lighter taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan schematic view illustrating a piezoelectric ignition device of the piezoelectric lighter;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the piezoelectric ignition device of the piezoelectric lighter;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view of the piezoelectric lighter taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8, 9 are partial cross sectional views similar to FIG. 7, illustrating the operation of the piezoelectric lighter;

FIG. 10 is a plan schematic view illustrating the other arrangement of the piezoelectric lighter;

FIG. 11 is a plan schematic view illustrating the further arrangement of the piezoelectric lighter;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view similar to FIGS. 7-9, illustrating the further application of the piezoelectric lighter; and

FIG. 13 is a partial cross sectional view similar to FIGS. 7-9, illustrating the still further application of the piezoelectric lighter.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a piezoelectric lighter in accordance with the present invention comprises a gas tank 10 including a chamber 11 formed therein (FIG. 4) and defined by an outer peripheral wall 12 and/or an upper panel 13 for receiving or storing fuel gas such as butane gas inside the chamber 11 of the gas tank 10, and including a compartment 14 formed or provided therein, such as formed in one side of the upper portion 15 of the gas tank 10 and sealingly spaced from the chamber 11 of the gas tank 10 by the upper panel 13 for receiving a piezoelectric ignition firing rod or device 20 therein.

As shown in FIG. 4, a gas supply tube 16 is longitudinally or vertically disposed within the chamber 11 of the gas tank 10 and includes one end, such as an upper portion or upper port 17 extended through the upper panel 13 of the gas tank 10 and extended outward of the gas tank 10 for supplying the fuel gas out of the gas tank 10. An actuator device 18 may be attached or coupled to the upper portion 17 of the gas supply tube 16 for controlling the gas to flow out of the gas supply tube 16. For example, the actuator device 18 may be coupled to the piezoelectric ignition device 20 for being operated or actuated by the piezoelectric ignition device 20. The above-described structure is typical and will not be described in further details.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5-9, the piezoelectric ignition device 20 includes a housing 21 disposed or secured in the compartment 14 of the gas tank 10 and having a space 22 formed therein, a piezoelectric crystal or contact 23 disposed in the inner or bottom portion of the housing 21 for generating striking sparks and coupled to an igniting electrode 24 which is directed toward the upper portion 17 of the gas supply tube 16 for supplying the sparks toward and to ignite the gas flowing out of the upper portion 17 of the gas supply tube 16. The housing 21 further includes one or more, such as two opposite L-shaped guide grooves 25 formed therein, each guide groove 25 includes a lateral or horizontal groove segment 26 and a vertical groove segment 27 formed therein.

A hammer 30 is slidably received in the space 22 of the housing 21 and includes one or more, such as two projections 31 extended outwardly therefrom and slidably received in the guide grooves 25 of the housing 21 respectively, a recovering spring member 32 may also be received in the space 22 of the housing 21 and engaged between the housing 21 or the piezoelectric contact 23 and the hammer 30 for suitably spacing the hammer 30 from the piezoelectric contact 23 for a predetermined distance “d”. In addition, the projections 31 of the hammer 30 may also be engaged with and supported in the lateral or horizontal groove segments 26 of the guide grooves 25 of the housing 21 respectively for further stably supporting and spacing the hammer 30 from the piezoelectric contact 23.

A casing or actuating member 33 is also slidably received in the space 22 of the housing 21 and includes an enlarged head 34 formed or provided on top thereof for engaging with the housing 21 and for preventing the actuating member 33 from being completely engaged into the housing 21, or for limiting the actuating member 33 to move relative to the housing 21. The actuating member 33 further includes one or more, such as two opposite oblong or inclined actuating means or grooves 35 formed therein (FIG. 3) for slidably receiving the projections 31 of the hammer 30 and for allowing the actuating member 33 to be moved relative to the hammer 30 and the housing 21 before the actuating member 33 is moved to be contacted or engaged with the projections 31 of the hammer 30.

Another spring member 36 may be engaged between the actuating member 33 and the hammer 30 for suitably spacing the hammer 30 from the actuating member 33, and for being compressed or depressed by the actuating member 33, and the compressed spring member 36 may bias or force the hammer 30 to hit or to strike onto or against the piezoelectric contact 23 when the projections 31 of the hammer 30 are relatively moved toward the upper portion of the inclined actuating grooves 35 of the actuating member 33 and when the projections 31 of the hammer 30 are moved laterally or sidewise toward the vertical groove segments 27 of the guide grooves 25 of the housing 21 respectively by the actuating member 33. A thumb-push cap 37 may be slidably attached to the gas tank 10 and engaged with the actuating member 33 for depressing the actuating member 33 against the spring member 36.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 7, before actuating or operating, the hammer 30 may be spaced from the piezoelectric contact 23 by the spring member 32 and/or by the engagement of the projections 31 of the hammer 30 in the lateral or horizontal groove segments 26 of the guide grooves 25 of the housing 21 respectively, and the head 34 of the actuating member 33 may also be spaced from the hammer 30 by the other spring member 36. When the cap 37 and the actuating member 33 are depressed and moved relative to the gas tank 10 and the housing 21 against the spring member 36 (FIG. 8), the spring member 36 may be compressed or depressed by the actuating member 33 to accumulate a spring biasing or striking force.

When the actuating member 33 is further compressed or depressed toward the housing 21 and engaged with the projections 31 of the hammer 30, the actuating member 33 may move the projections 31 of the hammer 30 laterally or sidewise toward the vertical groove segments 27 of the guide grooves 25 respectively, and the compressed spring member 36 may then bias or force the hammer 30 to hit or to strike onto the piezoelectric contact 23 (FIG. 9) in order to generate striking sparks and to supply the striking sparks to the igniting electrode 24 and thus to ignite the gas flowing out of the upper portion 17 of the gas supply tube 16.

The piezoelectric lighter in accordance with the present invention is to further provide a safety means or device 40 disposed in the compartment 14 of the gas tank 10 and disposed or located close to the actuating member 33 and made of soft or resilient rubber materials or synthetic materials for resisting the final movement of the actuating member 33 relative to the gas tank 10 and the housing 21 before the actuating member 33 is forced to engage with and to move the projections 31 of the hammer 30 laterally or sidewise toward the vertical groove segments 27 of the guide grooves 25 respectively. The final movement of the actuating member 33 before engaging with and moving the projections 31 of the hammer 30 laterally or sidewise is preferably designed or arranged for about 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm.

As shown in FIGS. 1-9, the safety device 40 includes a loop or peripheral structure having a bore 41 formed therein for slidably receiving the actuating member 33 or for allowing the actuating member 33 to be slidably engaged into the bore 41 of the safety device 40. The safety device 40 may be engaged with or positioned on the upper portion 15 of the gas tank 10 and arranged for being engaged with and compressed or depressed by the head 34 of the actuating member 33. It is to be noted that, without the safety device 40, the actuating member 33 may also be compressed or depressed to actuate the hammer 30 to hit or strike onto or against the piezoelectric contact 23.

The safety device 40 in accordance with the present invention may thus be easily engaged onto various typical piezoelectric lighters for resisting the final movement of the actuating member 33 of the piezoelectric ignition firing rod or device 20 without changing the configuration of the typical piezoelectric lighters. It is to be noted that the actuating member 33 may first be depressed and moved relative to the hammer 30 for a first moving distance or stroke and will compress the spring member 36 onto the hammer 30 before contacting with the safety device 40, and may then be engaged with the safety device 40 and moved relative to the hammer 30 for a second moving distance or stroke to compress the safety device 40 before engaging with and moving the projections 31 of the hammer 30 laterally or sidewise. The safety device 40 may be provided for resisting the final movement of the actuating member 33 and for preventing the lighter from being actuated or ignited by small children inadvertently.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10, the safety device 40 may also be disposed or engaged in the lower portion of the actuating member 33 for being depressed or actuated by the actuating member 33. As shown in FIG. 11, the safety device 40 may also be disposed or engaged in the lower portion of the actuating member 33 of a lighting rod or lighting gun. As shown in FIG. 12, the safety device 40 may also be disposed or engaged in the compartment 14 of the gas tank 10 and arranged for being depressed or actuated by the thumb-push cap 37.

As shown in FIG. 13, the piezoelectric ignition device 20 may include a piezoelectric crystal or contact 50 disposed in a casing 5 1, a hammer 52 slidably disposed in a container 53 and/or engaged with a spring member 54, and another spring member 55 engaged between the piezoelectric crystal or contact 50 or the casing 51 and the hammer 52 or the container 53 for allowing the hammer 52 to be biased to strike onto the piezoelectric crystal or contact 50 when the casing 51 is depressed against the spring member 55.

Accordingly, the piezoelectric lighter in accordance with the present invention includes a greatly simplified configuration having a safety device for preventing the lighter from being actuated or ignited by small children inadvertently and for allowing the lighter to be easily and quickly and readily made without changing the configuration or structure thereof.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A lighter comprising:

a gas tank including a chamber formed therein for storing fuel gas, and including a compartment formed therein,
a gas supply tube disposed in said chamber of said gas tank and including an end portion extended out of said gas tank for supplying the fuel gas out of said gas tank,
a housing disposed in said compartment of said gas tank and having a space formed therein,
a piezoelectric contact disposed in said housing,
a hammer slidably received in said space of said housing,
an actuating member slidably received in said space of said housing and depressible by a user to move and to engage with said hammer and to selectively actuate said hammer to strike onto said piezoelectric contact and to generate sparks,
a spring member engaged between said actuating member and said hammer for spacing said hammer from said actuating member and for being selectively compressed by said actuating member, and
a safety device disposed in said compartment of said gas tank and disposed close to said actuating member for being selectively depressed by said actuating member, and
said actuating member being depressible and movable relative to said hammer for a first moving distance to compress said spring member onto said hammer before contacting with said safety device, and then engageable with said safety device and depressible and movable relative to said hammer for a second moving distance to compress said safety device before actuating said hammer to strike onto said piezoelectric contact.

2. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said safety device includes a bore formed therein for slidably receiving said actuating member.

3. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuating member includes an enlarged head provided thereon for engaging with and for compressing said safety device.

4. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thumb-push cap is slidably attached to said gas tank and engaged with said actuating member for depressing said actuating member against said spring member.

5. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes at least one guide groove formed therein, said hammer includes at least one projection extended therefrom and slidably received in said at least one guide groove of said housing for guiding said hammer to strike onto said piezoelectric contact.

6. The lighter as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least one guide groove of said housing includes a lateral groove segment and a vertical groove segment formed therein, said lateral groove segment of said housing receives and supports said at least one projection said hammer when said actuating member compress said spring member onto said hammer.

7. The lighter as claimed in claim 5, wherein said actuating member includes at least one inclined actuating groove formed therein for slidably receiving said at least one projection of said hammer and arranged for allowing said actuating member to be moved relative to said hammer and said housing before said actuating member is engaged with said at least one projection of said hammer.

8. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein a recovering spring is received in said space of said housing and engaged with said hammer for spacing said hammer from said piezoelectric contact.

Patent History
Publication number: 20070287114
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 13, 2006
Publication Date: Dec 13, 2007
Inventor: Ying Fang Huang (Taichung)
Application Number: 11/452,020
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Correlation Of Fuel Or Power Supply With Component Movements In A Disabling And Enabling Sequence (431/153); Having Electric Current Producer (431/255)
International Classification: F23D 11/36 (20060101); F23Q 7/12 (20060101);