Water Pipe

Abstract

A smoking apparatus or water pipe comprised of one or more hollow or tubular section openings connected by a butt seal. The butt seal is formed by affixing a ring magnet to the exit opening of one section and affixing a second ring magnet the entrance opening of a second section. When the sections are joined, the ring magnets form a watertight and airtight seal between the two openings such that the need for a flange or other similar structure and or additional seal is unnecessary to maintain the integrity of the joint.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a smoking apparatus or water pipe.

BACKGROUND ART

Water pipes are commonly used to smoke substances such as tobacco, cannabis, or other herbs. Typically, a water pipe includes combustion chamber or bowl to hold the combustible material, a downstem that permits smoke to travel from the combustion chamber to a main body of the pipe, and a mouthpiece where the user can inhale the smoke. The body is often filled with water such that the smoke exiting the downstem percolates through the water and is filtered and cooled. Water pipes need to be both airtight and water tight such that smoke from the combustion chamber can be drawn down through the downstem, percolate through the water, and be inhaled at the mouthpiece. Often, water pipes are made from glass and are formed in ornate shapes. This results in a water pipe that is fragile and prone to breakage.

Previous water pipes have utilized removable connections to join sections of the water pipe to one another. Such designs have utilized a flange connection with a magnet and a seal to prevent leakage of smoke or water. This particular arrangement is not conducive to the use of sections made from glass.

Therefore, what is needed is a water pipe that can be formed from glass with removablely connected sections that when connected form a watertight and airtight seal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a water pipe with removably connected sections. The water pipe includes numerous sections such as a combustion chamber or bowl that holds the combustible material, a downstem in the form of a tube that permits smoke to travel from the combustion chamber to a main body of the pipe, and a mouthpiece where the user can inhale the smoke. The combustion chamber is configured to hold combustible material that when lit begins to smoke. The body of the water pipe is filled with water. Smoke from a lit pipe is drawn down through the downstem and then percolates through the water in the body to filter the smoke. The smoke is then inhaled through the mouthpiece. It is therefore important that the water pipe is both watertight and airtight.

The water pipe of the present invention is preferably made from glass, although it may be made of other known materials as well. Typically, glass water pipes are ornate glass works that may include extensions from the body of the water pipe. For example, the combustion chamber may be of a size and shape that makes its extension from the body and connection to the downstem fragile. Likewise, the mouthpiece may extend from the body in a precarious configuration. Thus, although a one-piece continuous glass structure achieves the goal of being watertight and airtight, the structure is prone to catastrophic breakage of one or more sections.

The present invention utilizes ring magnets to create a butt seal between sections of the water pipe. For example, the combustion chamber of a water pipe typically extends well beyond the side of the body making it a fragile section. In one embodiment of the present invention, the exit opening of the combustion chamber and the entrance to the downstem are both fitted with ring magnets such that the connection between the combustion chamber and the downstem is an airtight butt seal. The butt seal is a watertight and airtight sealed connection between the exit opening of one section of the water pipe and the entrance opening of an adjoining section without the use of a flange, male female connection, or additional sealing element such as an O-ring. The butt seal of the present invention is created by the magnetic forces generated between the two ring magnets attached to the respective sections. The strength of the magnets is sufficient to form a secure watertight and airtight connection between the sections that can be disconnected for any reason or if the connection experiences a force that would have otherwise broken a standard glass connection.

This invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings described herein below, and wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the water pipe of the present invention showing the combustion chamber and the mouthpiece connected with a butt seal;

FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment the invention with both the combustion chamber and the mouthpiece shown removed;

FIG. 3 is an end view of an embodiment the invention with both the combustion chamber and the mouthpiece shown removed; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment the invention with both the combustion chamber and the mouthpiece shown removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The following detailed description is of exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is defined by the claims. Various inventive features are described below that can be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention is a water pipe 10 with removably connected sections. The water pipe 10 includes a combustion chamber 20 connected to a tubular downstem 40 by a watertight and airtight butt seal 100 that permits smoke to travel from the combustion chamber to a main body 60 of the pipe 10, and a mouthpiece 70 where the user can inhale the smoke from the body 60. The combustion chamber 20 is configured to hold combustible material that when lit begins to smoke. The body 60 of the water pipe is filled with water. Smoke from a lit pipe is drawn down through the downstem 40 and then percolates through the water in the body to filter the smoke. The smoke is then inhaled through the mouthpiece. It is therefore important that the entirety water pipe is both watertight and airtight such that neither smoke escapes when the pipe is in use nor water leaks from the pipe.

The water pipe 10 of the present invention is preferably made from glass, although it may be made of other known materials as well. Often, glass water pipes are glass works that include ornate appendages extending precariously from the body 60 of the water pipe 10. Such a configuration creates fragile sections of the water pipe 10 that tend to break or need repair. Once a section of glass breaks from the water pipe, the pipe is inoperable. For example, typically the combustion chamber 20 may be of a size and shape that makes it project from the body and create a fragile connection to the downstem 40. The butt seal connection between the combustion chamber and the downstem eliminates the concern of breakage. Likewise, the mouthpiece may extend from the body in a perilous configuration. A one-piece continuous glass structure achieves the goal of being watertight and airtight but is prone to catastrophic breakage of one or more sections. A butt seal eliminates the possibility of breakage but achieves the goal of being watertight and airtight

The present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, overcomes the limitations of a one-piece continuous glass structure by utilizing a desired number of ring magnets 110 to create the butt seal 100 between sections of the water pipe 10. The butt seal 100 is a watertight and airtight sealed connection between the exit opening of one section and the entrance opening of an adjoining section without the use of a flange, male/female joint configuration, and or additional sealing element such as an O-ring. Both the exit opening of a first section and the entrance opening of a second section are affixed with ring magnets 110. The ring magnets create an attractive force sufficient to form a secure watertight and airtight connection between the sections that can be disconnected for any reason or if the connection experiences a force that would have otherwise broken a standard glass connection.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the combustion chamber 20. The combustion chamber 20 may be bowel shaped to contain material such as herbs, tobacco, or cannabis that is lit by the user. As shown in FIG. 3, the combustion chamber has an exit opening 22 that permits the smoke from the lit material to be drawn into the pipe. In an alternative embodiment, the combustion chamber 20 is in the form of a bucket configured to hold liquid combustible material. This embodiment similarly includes the exit opening 22 that permits the smoke from the lit material to be drawn into the pipe.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the downstem 40 of the present invention, the downstem 40 is a tubular section of a water pipe 10 that transports smoke from the combustion chamber 20 into water held in the body of the water pipe. The entrance of the downstem 40 may protrude from the body 60 of the water pipe 10 or it may be is formed flush with the wall of the body 10. The down stem has a entrance opening 42 and an exit opening 44. The entrance opening 42 communicates with the exit opening of the combustion chamber 22. The exit opening 44 of the downstem 40 permits smoke to enter the body 60. One of skill in the art would recognize that many configurations would permit the combustion chamber 20 to connect to the downstem 40 with a butt seal 100.

One embodiment of the body 60 of the water pipe 10 is a straight walled flask shaped vessel with an opening at the top. The lower portion of the body 60 bulges outwardly then necks down toward the upper portion of the body 60 as shown in FIGS. 1-4. When in use, the body 60 is filled with water. The downstem 40 extends into the body and into the water. During use, smoke exits the combustion chamber, travels through the downstem 40 and out the exit opening 44 of the downstem into the water held in the body 60. The water held in the body 60 filters the smoke prior to it being inhaled by the user. In one embodiment, the upper portion of the body 60 is relatively a narrow opening that may be used as a mouthpiece 70. In another the mouthpiece is a separate section of the body 60. In such an embodiment, the mouthpiece has an entrance opening 72 that communicates with a mating exit opening of the body. In still a further embodiment, the mouthpiece 70 extends from the body in an ornate manner.

FIGS. 1-4, show a detailed view of the butt seal between the combustion chamber 20 and the downstem 40. A ring magnet 110a is affixed to the exit opening of the combustion chamber 22. The ring magnet 110a may be secured with an adhesive or it may be configured such that it can be molded in place utilizing the material of the combustion chamber 20. One of skill in the art would recognize numerous method of securing the ring magnet 110a to the exit opening of the combustion chamber. Magnetic material may be transferred to the glass to make a ring magnet 110a fixed to the combustion chamber exit opening 22. The size of the ring magnet 110a is generally the size of the opening of the combustion chamber, but larger or smaller magnets may be utilized. The strength of the magnet it sufficient to release from the seal in the event of an overloading situation, yet also sufficient to hold the sections of the water pipe in place. The ring magnet 110a is fixed substantially concentric to the opening. A second ring magnet 110b is affixed to the entrance opening 42 of the downstem 40. Similarly, the second ring magnet 110b may be secured in any manner suitable to maintain sufficient attachment and sized and located similar to the first ring magnet 110a. The magnets are attracted to each other to create the butt seal 100 to join the exit opening 22 of the combustion chamber 20 and the entrance opening 42 of the downstem 40 together without an additional seal such as an O-ring and without additional sealing and alignment features such as flanges or a male female connection.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the mouthpiece 70 of the body 60 of the water pipe is connected to the body using additional ring magnets 110 to create a butt seal 100. In this embodiment, the body 60 is configured such that it necks down to an exit opening 62. The exit opening 62 is fitted with a ring magnet 110c. Similarly the entrance opening 72 to the mouthpiece 70 is fitted with a mating, similar sized ring magnet 110d. When the two sections are connected, the ring magnets form a butt seal 100 between the body and the mouthpiece. The butt seal 100 is watertight and airtight, and it eliminates a need for a flange or additional sealing member.

It will be understood that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. Any section of the water pipe may be connected to another using the butt seal of the present invention including sub-sections of an individual section.

Claims

1. A water pipe comprising:

a glass body having a mouthpiece;

a glass downstem coupled to the body having a first opening located inside the body, a second opening exiting from the body, and a first ring magnet fixed to the second opening;

a glass combustion chamber configured for the combustion of material, the combustion chamber having a first opening and an exit opening and including a second ring magnet fixed to the exit opening;

wherein the first ring magnet and the second ring magnet form a substantially watertight and airtight butt seal between the combustion chamber and the downstem such that gases formed in the combustion chamber may flow into the downstem.

2. The water pipe of claim 1, wherein the base, the downstem, and the combustion chamber are formed from glass.

3. The water pipe of claim 1, wherein the first ring magnet is fixed to the second opening of the downstem with an adhesive and the second ring magnet is fixed to the exit opening with adhesive.

4. The water pipe of claim 1, wherein the second opening of the downstem extends from the base.

5. The water pipe of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece is removable.

6. The water pipe of claim 5, wherein the mouthpiece is removably attached to the base by means of a third ring magnet fixed to the base and a fourth ring magnet fixed to the mouthpiece, wherein the third ring magnet and the fourth ring magnet form a substantially watertight and airtight butt-seal between the mouthpiece and the body.