Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~- 202~066
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INYENTION :
The invention relates to lighter devices of ths
well-known type ~herein on actuation thsreof a jet of a
suitable fuel such as pressurized liquid butane gas will
burst out from a nozzle-valve aggregate and will be met by
ignition sparks simultaneously generatsd by an associated
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ignition system whereby to provide a burning flame, e.g. for ;
lighting tobacco products such as cigarettes or cigars.
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Presently, there are essentially two main types of ; ;
such butane gas lighter, namely low standard disposable
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butane lighters (one way gas lighters), and high quality
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wind-proof butane lighters.
Of these, the former type (10N standard
disposable butane lighters) substantially have the following
two main deficiencies: In the actuated condition the flame is
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burning direotly on top of the nozzle from which the fuel
bursts out, thereby directly heating the nozzle Parts and
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tending to impair and ultimately destroy the rubber O-ring ~ i ;
!' ' and rubber nail inside the nozzle-~alve aggregate for
Cont'd/3
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controlling the butane gas flow. While this impairment of the
nozzle parts may be tolerable to a certain degree in a
desposable (one way~ cheap lighter, it would obviously unduly
limit the useful life of a better quality lighter devioe.
Even in the low cost disposable devices this direct heating
of the nczzle by the flame unduly limits the admissible
strength of the flame to a very weak flame. This in turn
causes the second deficiency of this type of lighter, namely
its inherent lack of wind-proff characteristics inasmuch the
weak flame is undesirably subiect to extinction by even
light ambient wind impact. ~;
As regards the other main type, namely high
quality wind-proof butane lighters, they suffer
substantially from three deficiencies. While in this type a
speclal burning chamber in the form of a short metal tube is ~-~
provided distant from the nozzle, this short metal tube is
directly connected with the nozzle through a long pipe to
guide the butane from the the nozzle to the short metal tube
serving as the burning space. Inside said long connecting
" ~ 20 tubeithere is a rubber layer for providing flexibilitY to the
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arrangem~nt whereby to maintain the connection between the
burning space and the nozzle. Further connection parts are
required for providing connection between the burning space
(short metal tube), the long connection pipe and the no~zle
and valve aggregate. On actuation of the lighter the flame
will burn right on top of the long connection pipe. Thus, the
long pipe will be directlY heated by the flams burning on top
of it which tends to impair and hurt the rubber cladding on
the inside of the connector pipe and other assembled parts.
The long connector pipQ also provides dirct heat transfer
between th0 flame and the nozzle, with a tendency of the
latter also becoming (indirectly) heated by the lighter
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flaDe, with concomitant damage to the nozzle parts. These
effects of undesired direct and indirect heating of the long
pipe and th0 nozzle combine to unduly limit the useful
opsrativ~ life of the device. Further, the constituent parts
of this burninng system: short metal tube, long pipe,
connection parts, noz21~ and its controlling vlave, had to be
precision-assembled; precision assembly may be impaired by
shock impact in use of the device, whereby the device might
become inoperative, such as if the movable long pipe would
Cont'd/5
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loose its contact with the nozzle. Finally the larger number
of constituent parts of this known burning system and the
criticality of precisely assembling these parts obviousl
tend to undesirably increase the production cost of these
devices.
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The present invention relates to a lighter device
of the general type comprising
-a lower housing portion housing a fuel tanh
containing fuel under pressure, preferably pressurized butane
fiquid gas fuel, ' ~.-a nozzle-and-valve agregate connected with said
fuel tank and arranged to project form said lower housing ~ :
portion towards a burning space provided in the upper portion
of the lighter, .
-a burning system comprising a tube-like burner
member associated with and arranged above said nozzle-and-
vlave aggregate,
-an ignition system preferably mounted on the
upper portion of the lighter and arranged to provide, on
actuation thereof, ignition sparks to said burning space,
Cont'd/6 : -
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-actuating means for said valve of said nozzle-
and-valve aggregate, for switching said valve from its ~ ~
normally closed condition into its open condition, in ----
dependence on and coordination with actuation of said --
S ignition system, whereby to permmit a jet of said ~ :
pressurized fuel to burst out from said nozzle towards said ~ n~
burning space.
It IS and object of the present invention tio ~`
provide a lighter device of the forementioned general type
which will avoid the deficlencies~of the known devices of .
the prior art;~particularly, the devica should be of a more . ~
ruggad constructlon~ and~ hence~ aasy to manufacture~ at~ ~r''"'~''''
relativelY ~low cost,~should have incre-sed ~rsliability of
operatlcn~over an sxtended~period~of~useful life, ind should
~ Provlde ~a~st~ron~ f~lane and~have ~particular wind-Proof
capabilities. To this purpose, in a lighter~device of the ~ s - --
;foreDentioned ~trpe provision ls made~in accordance with the
resent~lnvent1on;that:
-sald burning ~system comprises a coubined tube
; 2l llka vaPcrlzer-anl-bu mer untt ~lall~ allgned with thr
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nDzzle-and-valve aggregate,
-said tube-like vaporizer-and-burner unit is
vertically Positioned with its lower end at a predetermined
free distance above said nozzle-and-vlave aggregate and
cleared thersfrom bY said free distance,
-the lower end of said tubs-like vaporizer-and-
burner unit has a diameter larger than the diameter of said
nozzls.
Thus, in accordance with one basic feature of hte :~
present invention, the short tube vaporizsr and burner unit ~.
is Provided as a separate member mounted separately and in-
dependent from the nozzle valve; thus there is no direct
mechanical connection and correspondingly no direct heat ~ h~
conduction or heat transfer between the burner unit and the
nozzle and valve aggregate, uhereby impairment Df the latter
by heat form the burner unit is affectively avoided or ~ ~:
diminished. At the same time, there will be no undue
limitation on the size and temperature admissible for the
flame which therefore can be a strong, hot, blue-colour
flame which in itself has a substantial wind-proof
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202~66
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capability. The strong flame is al~o enaoled by the feature
that the lower end of the vaporizer-and-burner unit arranged
in a predetermented distance above the nozzle has a larger
diameter than the nozzle wherebY the jet stream bursting out
from the nozzle ~ill be substantially completely received in ~ -~
the lower end of the vaporizer unit and simultaneously Nill
darw ambient air into the vaporizer-and-burning unit NherebY
to intensely mixing and vapori2ing the butane gas/air : :
mixture.
In accordance uith a further important feature
of the present invention, said combined tube-like vaporizer-
and-burnsr unit is partitioned into two axially aligned
compartments by a horizontally extending perforated partition
wall, preferably a piece of perforated metal sheet. This
15 perforated metal sheet effectively contributes to further
intensely mix and vaporize the butane/air mixture, thus ;,
providing for a particularly efficient type of "turbo :
burning". : -
In accordance with a further important feature of
Cont'd/9
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the present invention, a catalyzer wire is prnvided within ~ ~ ;
said tube-like combined vaporizer-and-burner unit in the ~ -
upper section thereof. Thereby, In case the lighter flame '-
previously ignited would become extinguished by a strong
wind-blow or some other cause, the heated catalyzer Nire will
automatically re-ignite fresh vaProized butane/air-mixture
which continues to be fed into the ~aporizer-and-burner unit - ;
as long as the actuating member of the nozzle vlave is kept -
pressed in its actuated state.
Generally thus the invention provides for a sinple
to manufacture lighter which will provide reliable operation ~;
over an extended long useful life, andhas improved wind-proof ;
characteristics by an automatic re-igniting capability.
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BRIEF DESCRIPT~ON OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1. through 3 are side elevational views of
a first embodiment of a lighter in accordance with the
invention, with Figure 2 and 3 being partially sectioned to
show details of the inner structure of the device. ~ ;
Figure 4. shows a top end view of the lighter ~ ~
Cont'd/10 ~ ;
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device of Figure 1 through 3, partiallY sectioned.
Figure 5. shoNs the same lightar device in a
partially sectioned top end view similar to Figure 4, with
the ignition wheel and parts of the burning system being `~
omitted to show the parts beneath.
Figure 6. is a sectional top view of the wind ~ -
shield showing the mounting or holding member for the burning
system.
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Figure 7. is a partially sectioned top end YieW -~
similar to Figure 4, with the catalyzer wire in the upper ~;
section o~ the burning unit being omitted whereby to show the
perforated partition wall with holes therein.
Figure a shows the same embodiment of the lightar ; '
in a partially sectioned elevational side view similar to `
Flgure 3i with the actuator for the vlave being in its
actuated or depressed position and with the flame burning on
top of the vaproizer-and-burner unit.
Figuro 9~ IS a ~partlally sectioned elevationed
~~ side-view of another embodiment of the invention using a
piezo electric ignition unit instead of the flint stone
ignition uni~t in the embodiment Figure 1 throuh 8. 1 ` ',-,','`,"''.'',~-''`'`',L'
Cont'd/ll
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20280~6 :
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI~ENT
In the preferrad embodiments described the lighter
of the present invention comprises, in a manner general
known, a lower partion generally designated at 1 and an upper
portion generally designated at 2. Lower portion 1 in
conventional manner forms, or contains, the tank for the fuel
used, preferably liquid butane gas under pressure, or some
other conventional lighter fuel. The lighter upper portion 2
comprises upper seat member 3 mounting the (conventional)
ignition and actuation mechanisms and the nozzle and valve
mechanism to be described further below, and uind shield 4
mounting and enclosing the specific vaporizer and burner
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members of the present invention to be described hereinafter.
The vaporizer and burner unit of the prasent
invention is the form of a short metal tube member generally
designated at 5. Vaporiz~r and burner unit 5 in the preferred
e~bodiment as shown and described consists of two relatively
short tube sections 6,7 arranged coaxially with one another
one above the other along the cammon axis. Prefarably, the
two sections 6,7 form a unitary structure.
Cont'd/12
The forementioned unitary vaporizer and burner
structure 5 is mounted on wind-shield 4, by means of a horse-
shoe-shaped mounting or holding member 8 which as is best -~
seen from Figure 6 horizontallY extends inwardlY from the
inner wall of wind-shield 4, and accommodates, with its ;~
horse-shoe-shaped portion, the vaporizsr and burning unit 5
at a predehereinafter described. In the preferred embodiement
shown the two tube sections 6,7 of the short metal tube
aggregate 5 have different diameters, the upper tube sectio;n
7 having a larger diameter than the lower tube section 6,
whereby a step 9 is formed at the junction of the two tube
sections. Horizontal step 9 thus formed provides a convenient -- -
mounting face which rests upon, and is affixed to, the horse-
shoe-shaped Portion of mounting and holding member 8. .-~
The (substantially conventional) nozzle and vlave
aggregate 10 is arranged in the upper portion of the portion
of the ieft Part (as~sbowD in the draw m g) of uppe~r seat - ~;
member 3, wi~th nozzlé I~O~projecting from and above the upper
and of said left portion of upper seat member 3. A
conventional flow regulator 11 for controlling the flow
Cont'd/13 , -
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volume of liquid butane gas passing through nozzle 10 in its
open condition and thus regulating the size of the flame, is
associated with the nozzle and valve aggregate 10 and
prcjects horizontally from the side wall of the lighter
casing, for actuation by the user to control the flow
volume and thereby the size of the flame.
The (substanially conventional) ignition and
actuation mechanisms are mounted on the right hand portion
(as shown in the drauings) of upper seat member 3. In the
embodiment shown in Figure 1 through 8, the ignition
mechanism is of the well-known mechanical tYPe comprising a
hand-actuated ignition wheel or drum 11 and flint 12 arranged
for cooperation therewith. As can be seen more clearly from
the top view shown in Figure 4 ignition wheel or drum 11
comprises two knurled and sections 12, 13 of slightly larger
diameter for actuation by the user, and a main section 14 of
slightly smaller diameter and having a suitably roughened
surface wherebY to struck Ignition sparks from a flint stone
lS arranged to cooperate with the ignition wheel, on
actuation thereof. Ignition wheel or drum 11 slightly
Cont'd/14
projects from the upPer end of wind-shield 4, for actuation
by the user, and flint stone 15 is preferably arranged below
the horizontally mounted ignition wheel or durm 11 in a ~
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manner that ignition sparks when generated on actuation of
wheel or drum 11 will be directed towards the upper end of
vaporizer and burner unit S within wind-shield 4. -~
The (substantially conventional) actuating ..
mechanism for nozzls and valve aggregate 10, in the
embodiment dacribed comprises an actuating lever 16 swivable .`~
mounted below ignition wheel/flint stone aggregate 11, 15 and
substanially extending horizontallY. At its right end (as
shown In the figures) actuating lsver 16 is providad with a ,,,,j,'.~","'!~,"."
larger actuating portion 17 suitably assocated with ignition ;~
wheel or drum 11 in a anner that if the user actuates, with .
the thumb of the hand bolding the lighter, lighter, ignition
wheel 11, the thumb will come to prsss upon actuating ;
portion 17 of lsvsr 16 whsrsby to prsss lever 7 to swivel
from the substantially horizontal normal or rest position
r, I , I shown in Figure 1, 2 and 3, into the actuated position shown - .
in Figure 8 where actuating lever 16 is shown swivellsd in
Cont'd/15 .
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the clock-wise direction abou~ its pivot 18. At its end
opposite actuation portion 17, actuation lever 16 pivotably
engages with the upper end l9a on the vertical arm Df a
sub~tantially L-shaped bracked 19, the lower substantiallY -
horizontal arm 20 of which engages with the nozzle and valve
aggregate 10 for actuation thereof between a closed valve .
condition as shown in Figure 1 through 3 and an open valve ; ;
condition as shown in Figure 8. ~.
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In accordance with one basic feature of the
present invention, the short-tube vapori~er and burner unit :
5, with its vertical longitudinal axis aligned with nozzle .~
and valve aggregate 10, is arranged vertically such that the ~ :-
lower end of unit 5 (i.e. the lower end of the lower .
tube section 6 of unit 5) will be in a predetermined free
height above nozzle 10. Thus there will be no direct
nechanical connection between the nDzzle and valve aggregate
10 and (the lower end of) vaPorizer and burning unit 5, and
correspondingly no direct heat conduction or heat transfer
between burner unit 5 and nozzle and valve aggregate 10. . :
Cont'd/16 ~: .
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In accordance with another important feature of ~ ~
tha present invention, the diameter Df the lower end 6 Df ~ :
vaporizer and burner unit 5 will be larger than the diameter
of nozzle 10 of the butane gas tank wherebY the (liquid)
butane gas jet eiected from nozzle 10 (in the actuated open
valve condition thereof) on its way upward into vaporizing
and burner unit 5 will draw a stream of ambient air into unit
5, for intensive mixing with, and vaporizing of, the butane - ;
gas stream in the lower part of unit 5. .-~.
In this connection, in accordance with a further ,-~
important feature of the present invention, a piece of -
perforated metal sheet is provided horizontally at the
junction between the upper and lower sectins 7, 6 of unit 5.
~ This perforated metal sheet 21 is best shown in the enlarged
~ 15 scale top viaw of Flgure 7. This perforated metal sheet
effectively contributes to further intensely mix and `~
vaporize the butane-air mlxture, thus providing for a
particularly efficlent:type off "turbo"-burning.
, l , Further, in connection uith and additional basic
Cont'd/17 `.
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202~066
feature of the present inventian, a catalyzer wir~ 23 is
provided centrally in the upper section 7 of burner unit 5.
The catalyzer wire 23 may be in the form of a wire spring as
shown at 23 in Figure 3, or as a wire net or in some other
S similar equivalsnt form admitting of substantially admittin~ :
of substantially uninhibited flow of ths vaporized gas/air
mixture while providing for a distributed contact with such
stream. Thereby, in case the lightar flame previously ignited
would become extinguishsd by wind ar some ather cause, the
flame wauld autamatically be re-ignited by the cantact ~-
batween the (hot) wire or net 23 getting into contact with -
the fresh vaporized gas/air mixture continuing to stream
upwards, as long as actuating member 17 is maintained in its
depressed pasition corresponding to the open-valve-condition .
of nozzle aggregate 10.
As mentioned, in accordance with a basic feature of ~ - p
the pressnt invention vaporizer and burner unit 5 is arranged
vsrtically in a prsdetermined vsrtical distance above nozzle :~
10. On the othsr hand, vaporizer and burning unit 5 is
ao vsrtically positioned such that its upper end is in the
Cont'd/18 ~ :
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vicinity of the ignition sparks travelling in a substantiallY
horizontal tangential direction from the point of contact
between flint stone 15 and ignition wheel or drum 11, 14.
Thus, in the lighter of the present invention, the
burning space substanially will be between the upper end 7 of
unit 5, and thus will be as far removed as possible from the
delicate nozzle and valve aggrsgate 10. AdditiDnallY~ as
there is no direct heat conducting mechanical connection ;~~
between vaporizer and burner unit 5 and the nozzle valve ;~`
aggregate 10, the latter will be effectively protected
against hsat from the burner or the flame. .
The operation of the lighter device of the present
invention uill be obvious from the description above and can
be summarized as follows
Actuation of ignition wheel or drum 11 will cause
the generation of ignition sparks form flint stone 15
cooperating with uheel or drum 11, said ignition sparks being -~ :
! ' I . direçted towards the (upper end of)vaporizer and burner unit
Cont'd~l9 " ~
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5. The simultaneous actuation, by the user, of actuating
lever 17 will cause nozzle valve 10 to opisn whereby a jet of
liquid butane will burst out from nozzle 10, and on its
further high velocity stream upward will draN surrounding
ambient air (oxygen) into the lower part 6 of vaporizer and
burner unit 5. Vaporization of the butane liquid gas and
mixing thereDf with the air sucked into the lower end 6 of
unit 5 will continue within the lower part 6 of unit 5 and
will be further intensified and continued during the passage
of the mixture through the holes 22 of perforated metal sheet
21 and during further passage of the mixture through the
upper part 7 of unit 5. On reaching the upper end 7 of unit
5, the fully and intenselY mixed vaporized butane/air
(ozygen) mixture will be ignited by the ignition sparks from
flint 15 and will burn in a strong, stable, hot blue-cDlor
flame 24, as indicated in Figure 8.
If flame 24 should happen to be extinguished by a
strong wind bloN or some similar exterior cause, the heated
wire catalyzer 2~ provided in the upper part 7 of unit 5 will
automatically re-ignite fresh vaporized butane/air-mixture
Cont'd/20
which continues to be fed from the nozzle at the lower part
of unit 5, as long as actuating member 7 is kept in its
pressed actuated state. -
The invention thus provides for a simple to
manufacture lighter uhich will provide reliable operation ~
aver an extended long useful life, and with improved wind~ P
proof characteristics by an automatic re-igniting capability.
The embodiment described thus far in connection
with Figure 1 through 8 utilizes a conventional ignition
drum/flint stone-ignition system. Howevsr, the present
invention lends itself equally for utilization in connection
with lighter devices employing other ignition systems, such ~ `
as a piezo unit ignition system known per se. An embodiment
of this type is shown in Figurs 9, wherein the same or
similar parts are designated with the same reference numerals ~:
as in Figure 1 through 8. The Figure 9 embodiment differs
from the Figure 1 through 8 embodiment by the utilization of
piezo type ignition system instead of the flint stone ,
ignition system. As shown in Figure 9, a suitable piezo unit
Cont'd/21 `~
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25 is mounted in the right-hand part (as shown in Figure 9)
of the upper seat member 3, below and suitably aligned with
actuating laver 16, 17. ~n actuating member 26 for ths piezo
unit 25 is associated with actuating lever 16, 17 wherreb
piezo unit 25 will be actuated if actuating lever 16, 17 is ;~
pressed down for actuation of the lighter.
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The electrical output lines 27 of the piezo unit
25 are suitably connected with parts in the vaporizer-and-
burner unit 5, whereby a spark will be generated within unit
5 on actuation of piezo unit 25, and the gas/air mixture
passing through unit 5 will be ignited to form a strong flame
burning on top of section 7 of unit 5.
Cont'd~22
