Utility Lighter

Abstract

A utility lighter includes a housing having an elongated tube portion, an actuation button depressibly mounted at a housing portion of the housing, a safety wheel rotated and mounted at the actuation button, and a blocker driven to move by a rotational movement of the safety wheel between an inoperative configuration and an operative configuration. In the inoperative configuration, the blocker is retained in the housing portion of the housing to prevent a depressible head of a piezoelectric element from being depressed by the actuation button for ignition. In the operative configuration, the safety wheel is rotated at the actuation button to drive the blocker to diminish undesirable position, so that the actuation button is depressed to depress the depressible head of the piezoelectric element and to actuate the valve actuator for ignition.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a general purpose of a utility lighter for ignition of barbecue grills, fireplaces or candle lights. More particularly, the utility lighter with a safety feature for preventing the utility lighter from being actuated unintentionally.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Cigarette lighters have developed over a number of years and are considered as one of the common tools for igniting cigarette, cigars and pipes. The conventional cigarette lighter generally includes a hand-held casing receiving a piezoelectric element to generate a spark in proximity to a nozzle emitting gas from a gas container by a depression of an actuation button. The conventional cigarette lighter further contains a safety device to block the depression of the actuation button. The user must actuate the safety device at the operative configuration in order to depress the actuation button for ignition. The safety device can be a locking mechanism to lock up the actuation button at the inoperative configuration or a gas control mechanism to block the gas flowing to the flame outlet of the nozzle. However, the conventional cigarette lighter is not commonly used for igniting barbecue grills, fireplaces or candle lights because the actuation button is close to the flame outlet of the nozzle.

A utility lighter generally contains an elongated housing to prolong the flame outlet from the actuation button so that the user is able to point flame outlet for igniting barbecue grills, fireplaces or candle lights. Since the structural configuration of the utility lighter is different from that of the cigarette lighter, the safety device cannot be configured as it is used in the cigarette lighter. In order to incorporate the safety device with the utility lighter, the safety device must be re-designed to fit the structural configuration of the utility lighter.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks and limitation by configuring the components of the utility lighter to incorporate with the safety mechanism.

The primary objective of the present invention is that the utility lighter comprises a safety mechanism to prevent the utility lighter from being ignited. In one aspect, the safety mechanism blocks the depression of the actuation button to prevent the utility lighter from being ignited. In another aspect, the safety mechanism prevents the depression of the piezoelectric element to prevent the ignition of the utility light.

Another objective of the present invention is that the safety mechanism provides a safety wheel rotated and mounted at the actuation button of the utility lighter so that the utility lighter requires two different actions to complete the ignition. The user must rotate the safety wheel at the operative configuration and depress the actuation button. In one aspect, the safety wheel is rotated at the operative configuration to unlock the blocker in order to depress the actuation button for ignition. In another aspect, the safety wheel is rotated at the operative configuration to align the blocker with the piezoelectric element in order to depress the actuation button for ignition.

The present invention also provides another objective of incorporating the safety wheel with the actuation button. Therefore, the user is able to ignite the utility lighter by one-finger operation. The user can use the finger thereof to rotate the safety button and depress the actuation button.

The present invention provides a safety mechanism for prevent an unintentional ignition of the utility. The safety mechanism comprises an actuation button depressibly mounted at the housing, a safety wheel rotated and mounted at the actuation button, and a blocker driven to move by a rotational movement of the safety wheel between an inoperative configuration and an operative configuration.

In the inoperative configuration, the blocker is retained in the housing portion of the housing to prevent the depressible head of the piezoelectric element from being depressed by the actuation button for ignition.

In the operative configuration, the safety wheel is rotated at the actuation button to drive the blocker to diminish undesirable position, so that the actuation button is depressed to depress the depressible head of the piezoelectric element and to actuate the valve actuator for ignition

In one embodiment, the blocking end of the blocker is extended through the actuation button to engage with the housing portion of the housing so that the actuation button is blocked to be depressed. Therefore, the depressible head of the piezoelectric element cannot be depressed by the actuation button. For ignition operation, the safety wheel is rotate to move the blocking end of the blocker to disengage with the housing portion of the housing so that the actuation is free to be depressed.

In another embodiment, the depression slot of the blocker is aligned with the depressible head of the piezoelectric element so that when the actuation button is depressed, the depressible head of the piezoelectric element passes through the depression slot of the blocker to prevent the depression of the piezoelectric element. For ignition operation, the safety wheel is rotated to move the blocker to mis-align the depression slot with the depressible head of the piezoelectric element so that when the actuation button is depressed, the depressible head of the piezoelectric element is depressed by the blocker for ignition.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention with its objectives and distinctive features and advantages, reference is now made to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the utility lighter in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a lateral sectional view of the utility lighter in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a lateral sectional view of the utility lighter showing the safety mechanism at the inoperative configuration.

FIG. 4 a lateral sectional view of the utility lighter showing the safety mechanism at the operative configuration.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the safety mechanism of the utility lighter, showing the alternative embodiment of the blocker.

FIG. 6 is a lateral sectional view of the utility lighter showing the safety mechanism of the alternative embodiment at the inoperative configuration.

FIG. 7 a lateral sectional view of the utility lighter showing the safety mechanism of the alternative embodiment at the operative configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a utility lighter in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The utility lighter comprises a housing 100, a fuel supply 200, a nozzle unit 300, a piezoelectric element 400, a valve actuator 500, and a safety mechanism which comprises an actuation button 600, a safety wheel 700, and a blocker 800.

As it is illustrated in FIG. 2, the housing 100 has an elongated tube portion 101 extending from a housing portion 102, wherein the tube portion 101 has a flame outlet 103 extending away from the housing portion 102. The housing 100 further has two guiding sidewalls 105 guiding the movement of the actuation button 600.

The fuel supply 200 is received in the housing portion 102 of the housing 100, wherein the fuel supply 200 contains a predetermined amount of fuel as the lighter fuel for being ignited.

The nozzle unit 300 comprises a nozzle 301 extended to the flame outlet 103 of the tube portion 101 and a fuel tube 302 extended from the fuel supply 200 to the nozzle 301 within the tube portion 101 of the housing 100 for fuel communication with the fuel supply 200.

The piezoelectric element 400 is supported in the housing portion 102 of the housing 100, wherein the piezoelectric element 400 has a depressible head 401 and an electrode 402 extended along the tube portion 101 of the housing 100 proximate to the nozzle 301 to generate a spark thereto when the depressible head 401 is depressed.

The valve actuator 500 is coupled with the fuel supply 200 to release the fuel from the fuel supply 200 to the nozzle 301. The valve actuator 500 comprises a gas releasing lifter 501 coupling with a valve of the fuel supply 200 to release the fuel therefrom when the gas releasing lifter 501 lifts up the valve of the fuel supply 200.

The actuation button 600 is depressibly mounted at the housing portion 102 of the housing 100, wherein the actuation button 600 has a finger depression surface 601 for the finger of the user to depress the actuation button 600 for ignition and a guiding slot 603 to guide the movement of the blocker 800. The actuation button 600 is positioned above the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 so that when the actuation button 600 is depressed, the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 is driven to be depressed to generate the spark at the electrode 402. The gas releasing lifter 501 is positioned below the actuation button 600 so that when the actuation button 600 is depressed, the gas releasing lifter 501 is actuated by the actuation button 600 to lift up the valve of the fuel supply 200 for releasing the fuel. Therefore, the fuel emitting at the nozzle 301 is ignited by the spark to produce the flame at the flame outlet 103 of the housing 100.

Referring to FIG. 3, two button sidewalls 602 of the actuation button 600 are slid and mounted to the guiding sidewalls 105 of the housing 100 respectively so that the button sidewalls 602 of the actuation button 600 are slid at the guiding sidewalls 105 of the housing 100 respectively when the actuation button 600 is depressed.

The safety wheel 700 is rotated and mounted at the finger depression surface 601 of the actuation button 600. A pin is mounted at the actuation button 600 through a center of the safety wheel 700 so that the safety wheel 70 is rotated about the actuation button 600. In particularly, a first portion of the safety wheel 700 is protruded from the finger depression surface 601 of the actuation button 600 and a second portion of the safety wheel 700 is received in the actuation button 600. A circumferential surface of the safety wheel is a gear-teeth surface 701 for the finger of the user to rotate. In particularly, the gear-teeth surface 701 is formed at the first portion of the safety wheel 700. Referring to FIG. 3, the second portion of the safety wheel 700 is extended within the actuation button 600 to engage with the blocker 800. The safety wheel 700 further has a driving shoulder 702 protruded from the circumferential surface at the second portion to engage with a shoulder portion 801 of the blocker 800.

The blocker 800 is transversely (preferably horizontally) supported in the housing portion 102 of the housing and is driven to move by the rotational movement of the safety wheel 700 between an inoperative configuration and an operative configuration. Referring to FIG. 3, the blocker 800 is an elongated member and is coupled with the guiding slot 603 of the actuation button 600 so that the blocker 800 is slid in the actuation button 600 between the inoperative configuration and the operative configuration. Referring to FIG. 3, in the inoperative configuration, the blocker 800 is retained in the housing portion 102 of the housing 100 to prevent the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 from being depressed by the actuation button 600 for ignition. Referring to FIG. 4, in the operative configuration, the safety wheel 700 is rotated at the actuation button 600 to drive the blocker 800 to diminish undesirable position, so that the actuation button 600 is depressed to depress the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 and to actuate the valve actuator 500 for ignition.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the blocker 800 further has a blocking end 802 extended through the actuation button 600 to engage with the housing portion 102 of the housing 100 so that the actuation button 600 is blocked to be depressed. In order to move the blocker 800 from the inoperative configuration to the operative configuration, the safety wheel 700 is rotate to move the blocking end 802 of the blocker 800 to disengage with the housing portion 102 of the housing 100 so that the actuation button 600 is free to be depressed.

The blocker 800 further has an opposed sliding end 803 slid and mounted to the actuation button 600 to retain the blocker 800 within the actuation button 600. The shoulder portion 801 is formed between the blocking end 802 and the sliding end 803 to engage with the driving shoulder 702 of the safety wheel 700.

In particularly, a blocking slot 106 is formed at one of the guiding sidewalls 105 of the housing 100 wherein the size of the blocking slot 106 must be larger than the size of the blocking end 802 of the blocker 800. The guiding slot 603 is formed adjacent to the corresponding button sidewall 602 of the actuation button 600 to normally align with the blocking slot 106. Therefore, at the inoperative configuration, the guiding slot 603 is aligned with the blocking slot 106. The blocking end 802 of the blocker 800 is extended to the blocking slot 106 through the guiding slot 603 to block the depression of the actuation button 600. Therefore, once the blocking end 802 of the blocker 800 is extended to the blocking slot 106, the button sidewall 602 of the actuation button 600 is locked with the corresponding guiding sidewall 105 of the housing 100 to lock the depression of the actuation button 600. Once the blocking end 802 of the blocker 800 is slid away from the blocking slot 106 of the guiding sidewall 105 to unlock the button sidewall 602 with the corresponding guiding sidewall 105, the actuation button 600 is free to be depressed.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the blocking slot 106 has a slanted opening edge 107 for guiding the blocking end 802 of the blocker 800 to slide in and out of the blocking slot 106. In particularly, the opening of the blocking slot 106 is gradually reducing towards the actuation button 600. Therefore, when the blocker 800 is slid to lock with the housing 100, the blocking end 802 of the blocker 800 is guided to slide at the slanted opening edge 107 to ensure the blocking end 802 of the blocker 800 sliding into the blocking slot 106. When the blocker 800 is slid to unlock with the housing 100, the blocking end 802 of the blocker 800 is guided to slide at the slanted opening edge 107 to ensure the blocking end 802 of the blocker 800 sliding out the blocking slot 106.

Referring to the present invention, the safety mechanism further comprises a resilient member 900 mounted at the blocker 800 to ensure the blocker 800 remaining at the inoperative configuration. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the resilient member 900 is a compression spring coaxially mounted at the blocker 800 between the shoulder portion 801 and the sliding end 803. The resilient member 900 is supported to bias against the actuation button 600 to normally push the blocker 800 and the safety wheel 700 at the inoperative configuration. Accordingly, when the safety wheel 700 is rotated to drive the blocker 800 to slide to its operative configuration, the resilient member 900 will be compressed. Once the rotational force of the safety wheel 700 is released, the compressed resilient member 900 will push the blocker 800 back to its inoperative configuration and thus push the safety wheel 700 back to its position via the shoulder portion 801 of the blocker 800. A ring holder 810 is slid and mounted at the blocker 800 proximate to the sliding end 803 of the blocker 800 to retain the resilient member 900 at the blocker 800 between the shoulder portion 801 and the ring holder 810.

For completing the ignition operation of the utility lighter, the user must put the finger on the finger depression surface 601 of the actuation button 600. Then, a rotational force is applied to rotate the safety wheel 700 to drive the blocker 800 from the inoperative configuration to the operative configuration. Therefore, a depression force can be applied on the actuation button 600 to depress the actuation button 600 for depressing the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 and for releasing the fuel from the fuel supply 200. After completing the ignition operation of the utility lighter, the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 pushes the actuation button 600 to its original position and the blocker 800 returns to its inoperative configuration.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, the utility lighter provides an alternative embodiment. Throughout the FIGS. 2 to 4, the blocker 800 is used for blocking the depression of the actuation button 600. Throughout the FIGS. 5 to 7, the blocker 800A is used for preventing the depression of the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400. The structure of the alternative embodiment is the same as that of the above embodiment except the structure of the blocker 800A.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the blocker 800A has a depression slot 804A aligned with the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 so that when the actuation button 600 is depressed, the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 passes through the depression slot 804A of the blocker 800A to prevent the depression of the piezoelectric element 400. The depression slot 804A is formed between two sliding ends 805A of the blocker 800A. In particularly, the depression slot 804A is formed adjacent to the shoulder portion 801A of the blocker 800A.

Referring to FIG. 7, the safety wheel 700 is rotated to move the blocker 800A to mis-align the depression slot 804A with the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 so that when the actuation button 600 is depressed, the depressible head 401 of the piezoelectric element 400 is depressed by the blocker 800A for ignition.

While the embodiments and alternatives of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A utility lighter, comprising:

a housing having an elongated tube portion extending from a housing portion, wherein said tube portion has a flame outlet extending away from said housing portion;

a fuel supply received in said housing portion of said housing;

a nozzle unit which comprises a nozzle extended to said flame outlet of said tube portion and a fuel tube extended from said fuel supply to said nozzle within said tube portion of said housing for fuel communication with said fuel supply;

a piezoelectric element supported in said housing portion of said housing, wherein said piezoelectric element has a depressible head and an electrode extended along said tube portion of said housing proximate to said nozzle to generate a spark thereto when said depressible head is depressed;

a valve actuator coupling with said fuel supply to release said fuel from said fuel supply to said nozzle; and

a safety mechanism, comprising an actuation button depressibly mounted at said housing portion of said housing, a safety wheel rotated and mounted at said actuation button, and a blocker driven to move by a rotational movement of said safety wheel between an inoperative configuration and an operative configuration;

wherein in said inoperative configuration, said blocker is retained in said housing portion of said housing to prevent said depressible head of said piezoelectric element from being depressed by said actuation button for ignition;

wherein in said operative configuration, said safety wheel is rotated at said actuation button to drive said blocker to diminish undesirable position, so that said actuation button is depressed to depress said depressible head of said piezoelectric element and to actuate said valve actuator for ignition.

2. The utility lighter of claim 1 wherein said safety wheel has a driving shoulder protruded from a circumferential surface to engage with a shoulder portion of said blocker to drive said blocker to move from said inoperative configuration to said operative configuration.

3. The utility lighter of claim 2 wherein said circumferential surface of said safety wheel is a gear-teeth surface for a finger of a user to rotate.

4. The utility lighter of claim 1 wherein said blocker is an elongated member horizontally supported at said housing portion of said housing that said blocker is slid thereinwithin between said inoperative configuration to said operative configuration.

5. The utility lighter of claim 3 wherein said blocker is an elongated member horizontally supported at said housing portion of said housing that said blocker is slid thereinwithin between said inoperative configuration to said operative configuration.

6. The utility lighter of claim 4, wherein said actuation button has a guider track engaging with said blocker to support said blocker in said actuation button and to guide a sliding movement of said blocker between said inoperative configuration to said operative configuration.

7. The utility lighter of claim 5, wherein said actuation button has a guider track engaging with said blocker to support said blocker in said actuation button and to guide a sliding movement of said blocker between said inoperative configuration to said operative configuration.

8. The utility lighter of claim 4 wherein said blocker has a blocking end extended through said actuation button to engage with said housing portion of said housing so that said actuation button is blocked to be depressed, wherein said safety wheel is rotate to move said blocking end of said blocker to disengage with said housing portion of said housing so that said actuation button is free to be depressed.

9. The utility lighter of claim 5 wherein said blocker has a blocking end extended through said actuation button to engage with said housing portion of said housing so that said actuation button is blocked to be depressed, wherein said safety wheel is rotate to move said blocking end of said blocker to disengage with said housing portion of said housing so that said actuation button is free to be depressed.

10. The utility lighter of claim 7 wherein said blocker has a blocking end extended through said actuation button to engage with said housing portion of said housing so that said actuation button is blocked to be depressed, wherein said safety wheel is rotate to move said blocking end of said blocker to disengage with said housing portion of said housing so that said actuation is free to be depressed.

11. The utility lighter of claim 8 wherein two button sidewalls of said actuation button are slid and mounted at two guiding sidewalls of said housing respectively to guide said depression of said actuation button, wherein a blocking slot is formed at one of said guiding sidewalls, wherein a guiding slot is formed at said corresponding button sidewall to normally align with said blocking slot, wherein said blocking end of said blocker is extended to said blocking slot through said guiding slot to block said depression of said actuation button, wherein when said blocking end of said blocker is slid away from said blocking slot of said guiding sidewall, said actuation button is free to be depressed.

12. The utility lighter of claim 9 wherein two button sidewalls of said actuation button are slid and mounted at two guiding sidewalls of said housing respectively to guide said depression of said actuation button, wherein a blocking slot is formed at one of said guiding sidewalls, wherein a guiding slot is formed at said corresponding button sidewall to normally align with said blocking slot, wherein said blocking end of said blocker is extended to said blocking slot through said guiding slot to block said depression of said actuation button, wherein when said blocking end of said blocker is slid away from said blocking slot of said guiding sidewall, said actuation button is free to be depressed.

13. The utility lighter of claim 10 wherein two button sidewalls of said actuation button are slid and mounted at two guiding sidewalls of said housing respectively to guide said depression of said actuation button, wherein a blocking slot is formed at one of said guiding sidewalls, wherein a guiding slot is formed at said corresponding button sidewall to normally align with said blocking slot, wherein said blocking end of said blocker is extended to said blocking slot through said guiding slot to block said depression of said actuation button, wherein when said blocking end of said blocker is slid away from said blocking slot of said guiding sidewall, said actuation button is free to be depressed.

14. The utility lighter of claim 11 wherein said blocking slot has a slanted opening edge for guiding said blocking end of said blocker to slide in and out of said blocking slot.

15. The utility lighter of claim 12 wherein said blocking slot has a slanted opening edge for guiding said blocking end of said blocker to slide in and out of said blocking slot.

16. The utility lighter of claim 13 wherein said blocking slot has a slanted opening edge for guiding said blocking end of said blocker to slide in and out of said blocking slot.

17. The utility lighter of claim 1 wherein said safety mechanism further comprises a resilient member mounted at said blocker to ensure said blocker remaining at said inoperative configuration.

18. The utility lighter of claim 8 wherein said safety mechanism further comprises a resilient member mounted at said blocker to ensure said blocker remaining at said inoperative configuration.

19. The utility lighter of claim 16 wherein said safety mechanism further comprises a resilient member mounted at said blocker to ensure said blocker remaining at said inoperative configuration.

20. The utility lighter of claim 17 wherein said resilient member is a compression spring mounted at said blocker to bias against said actuation button to normally push said blocker and said safety wheel at said inoperative configuration.

21. The utility lighter of claim 18 wherein said resilient member is a compression spring mounted at said blocker to bias against said actuation button to normally push said blocker and said safety wheel at said inoperative configuration.

22. The utility lighter of claim 19 wherein said resilient member is a compression spring mounted at said blocker to bias against said actuation button to normally push said blocker and said safety wheel at said inoperative configuration.

23. The utility lighter of claim 4 wherein said blocker has a depression slot aligned with said depressible head of said piezoelectric element so that when said actuation button is depressed, said depressible head of said piezoelectric element passes through said depression slot of said blocker to prevent said depression of said piezoelectric element, wherein said safety wheel is rotated to move said blocker to mis-align said depression slot with said depressible head of said piezoelectric element so that when said actuation button is depressed, said depressible head of said piezoelectric element is depressed by said blocker for ignition.

24. The utility lighter of claim 5 wherein said blocker has a depression slot aligned with said depressible head of said piezoelectric element so that when said actuation button is depressed, said depressible head of said piezoelectric element passes through said depression slot of said blocker to prevent said depression of said piezoelectric element, wherein said safety wheel is rotated to move said blocker to misalign said depression slot with said depressible head of said piezoelectric element so that when said actuation button is depressed, said depressible head of said piezoelectric element is depressed by said blocker for ignition.

25. The utility lighter of claim 7 wherein said blocker has a depression slot aligned with said depressible head of said piezoelectric element so that when said actuation button is depressed, said depressible head of said piezoelectric element passes through said depression slot of said blocker to prevent said depression of said piezoelectric element, wherein said safety wheel is rotated to move said blocker to misalign said depression slot with said depressible head of said piezoelectric element so that when said actuation button is depressed, said depressible head of said piezoelectric element is depressed by said blocker for ignition.

26. The utility lighter of claim 23 wherein said safety mechanism further comprises a resilient member mounted at said blocker to ensure said blocker remaining at said inoperative configuration.

27. The utility lighter of claim 24 wherein said safety mechanism further comprises a resilient member mounted at said blocker to ensure said blocker remaining at said inoperative configuration.

28. The utility lighter of claim 25 wherein said safety mechanism further comprises a resilient member mounted at said blocker to ensure said blocker remaining at said inoperative configuration.

29. The utility lighter of claim 26 wherein said resilient member is a compression spring mounted at said blocker to bias against said actuation button to normally push said blocker and said safety wheel at said inoperative configuration.

30. The utility lighter of claim 27 wherein said resilient member is a compression spring mounted at said blocker to bias against said actuation button to normally push said blocker and said safety wheel at said inoperative configuration.

31. The utility lighter of claim 28 wherein said resilient member is a compression spring mounted at said blocker to bias against said actuation button to normally push said blocker and said safety wheel at said inoperative configuration.