Child-resistant gas lighter
A lighter that includes a hard-spring piezoelectric unit for preventing children from to operate lighter. A piezoelectric ignition unit has a plunger that is movable into a main casing to generate sparks for igniting a stream of flammable fuel. A hard-spring piezoelectric unit includes a plunger which includes auxiliary spring surrounding the plunger for increasing a force needed to actuate the piezoelectric unit and a blocking means for fixing the auxiliary spring with respect to the piezoelectric unit therefore enhancing an assembly efficiency of the gas lighter in manufacturing.
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly, to a lighter that includes a hard-spring piezoelectric unit for preventing ignition of lighter. A piezoelectric ignition unit has a plunger that is movable into a main casing to generate sparks for igniting a stream of flammable fuel. A hard-spring piezoelectric unit has a plunger which includes auxiliary spring surrounding the plunger for increasing a force needed to actuate the piezoelectric unit and a blocking means for fixing the auxiliary spring with respect to the piezoelectric unit therefor enhancing an assembly efficiency of the gas lighter in manufacturing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gas lighter is a common utility for ignition. A conventional gas lighter usually has a fuel-storage chamber for containing flammable fuel, an upliftable gas release nozzle mounted on the fuel-storage chamber, a piezoelectric unit having a main casing and movable plunger which when pressed downward, is able to generate sparks for ignition, an ignition trigger, and a linking lever pivotally mounted on the fuel-storage chamber which when the ignition trigger is depressed, is able to uplift the gas release nozzle to release the gaseous fuel and at the same time depress the plunger of the piezoelectric unit to generate sparks. The gas release nozzle is so positioned that the gaseous fuel being released is easily able to be ignited by the spark generated from the piezoelectric unit. Some lighters may have housing for containing the fuel-storage chamber.
As set forth by 16 C.F.R., Part 1210, such gas lighters shall have a capability of child resistance. One way to impart child resistance to a gas lighter is to provide additional spring for the piezoelectric unit, as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,582. For example, the additional spring is a helical spring surrounding the plunger of the piezoelectric unit and contributes to the force needed to ignite. By this way, the force to depress the ignition trigger usually can be increase to no less 4.1 kilogram, which is beyond an amount reachable by a thumb of a child.
However, such deployment has a drawback. In assembly, the helical auxiliary spring may be put onto the piezoelectric unit surrounding the plunger thereof in a former working procedure, and then conveyed to a next worker for a next procedure. It also may be installed onto the plunger of the piezoelectric unit which has already been installed in the lighter in a former working procedure and then conveyed to a next worker for a next procedure. In either process, the helical auxiliary spring is very liable to fall off from the plunger of the piezoelectric unit in both conveyance and all other working procedures with the additional spring being surrounding.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe main object of the invention is to provide a lighter thereof has a hard-spring piezoelectric unit includes a plunger which includes auxiliary spring surrounding the plunger for increasing a force needed to actuate the piezoelectric unit and a blocking means for fixing the auxiliary spring with respect to the piezoelectric unit. The blocking means is able to prevent the auxiliary spring from falling off from a plunger of the piezoelectric unit in assembly procedures therefor enhancing an assembly efficiency of the gas lighter in manufacturing.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a safe lighter having a fuel-storage chamber for containing flammable fuel, a piezoelectric unit which is re-enforced with an auxiliary spring surrounding the plunger that is movable into the main casing and a blocking means fixed to a top end of the plunger, an ignition trigger, and, a linking lever which when the ignition trigger is depressed, is able to uplift the gas release nozzle to release the gaseous fuel and at the same time depress the plunger of the piezoelectric unit to generate sparks.
These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
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As specifically shown in the enlarged view in
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From above description, it is seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. Embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from the invention's principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A lighter comprising:
- a fuel-storage chamber for containing flammable fuel,
- a piezoelectric unit mounted on said fuel-storage chamber, having a main casing, a plunger which is movable into said main casing when pressed downward, is able to actuate said piezoelectric unit to generate sparks for ignition, an auxiliary spring surrounding said plunger, and a blocking means fixed to a top end of said plunger,
- an ignition trigger, when depressed, is able to release said flammable fuel and at the same time depress said plunger of said piezoelectric unit to generate sparks.
2. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blocking means has a shank inserted in a hole defined in said top end of said plunger and a cap a diameter of which is at lest larger than an inner diameter of said auxiliary spring.
3. The lighter as claimed in claim 2, wherein a plurality of flanges are formed on said blocking means around said shank.
4. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blocking means is an elastic ring covering on a pillar formed on said top end of said piezoelectric button.
5. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blocking means is made of plastic.
6. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blocking means is made of metal.
7. The lighter as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pillar has a head.
8. The lighter as claimed in claim 4, wherein said head has a tapering top surface.
9. A lighter comprising:
- a fuel-storage chamber for containing flammable fuel,
- a piezoelectric unit mounted on said fuel-storage chamber, having a main casing, a plunger which is movable into said main casing when pressed downward, is able to actuate said piezoelectric unit to generate sparks for ignition, an auxiliary spring located inside of said main casing,
- an ignition trigger, when depressed, is able to release said flammable fuel and at the same time depress said plunger of said piezoelectric unit to generate sparks.
10. A lighter comprising:
- a housing,
- a fuel-storage chamber for containing flammable fuel,
- a piezoelectric unit disposed within said housing, having a main casing, a plunger which is movable into said main casing when pressed downward, is able to actuate said piezoelectric unit to generate sparks for ignition, an auxiliary spring surrounding said plunger, and a blocking means fixed to a top end of said plunger,
- an ignition trigger, when depressed, is able to release said flammable fuel and at the same time depress said plunger of said piezoelectric unit to generate sparks.
11. The lighter as claimed in claim 10, wherein said blocking means has a shank inserted in a hole defined in said top end of said plunger and a cap a diameter of which is larger than an inner diameter of said auxiliary spring.
12. The lighter as claimed in claim 11, wherein a plurality of flanges are formed on said blocking means around said shank.
13. The lighter as claimed in claim 10, wherein said blocking means is an elastic ring covering on a pillar formed on said top end of said piezoelectric button.
14. The lighter as claimed in claim 10, wherein said blocking means is made of plastic.
15. The lighter as claimed in claim 10, wherein said blocking means is made of metal.
16. The lighter as claimed in claim 12, wherein said pillar has a head.
17. The lighter as claimed in claim 13, wherein said head has a tapering top surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 17, 2008
Publication Date: Apr 2, 2009
Applicant:
Inventors: Yangqun Tao (Ningbo), Jin Ki Kim (Fullerton, CA)
Application Number: 12/213,224
International Classification: F23D 11/36 (20060101);