FLINT GAS LIGHTER WITH IGNITION RESISTANT MECHANISM

BRIQUET A GAZ ET A PIERRE PRESENTANT UN MECANISME RESISTANT A L'ALLUMAGE

English Abstract

A child resistant lighter comprising a standard lighter
construction, the improvement. comprising an ignition
resistance button (B), whereby the ignition resistance button
(B) hinders a child's ability too engage the nozzle lever (8)
needed to operate the lighter.

French Abstract

Ce briquet sécurité-enfants comprend un agencement classique de briquet dont l'amélioration consiste en un bouton (B) de résistance à l'allumage, lequel bouton empêche un enfant de pouvoir accéder au levier (8) de la buse, nécessaire au fonctionnement du briquet.

Claims

6
Claims:
1. ~A child-resistant lighter having a gas tank (1) for
containing a combustible fuel, a gas release means in
communication with said gas tank (1), including a burner
assembly (7) and a nozzle (6) cooperating with a nozzle
release lever (8) for selective actuation between a normally
closed nozzle position, which prevents exit of combustible
fuel from said gas tank (1), and an open position which
permits exit of combustible fuel from said gas tank (1)
through said nozzle, said nozzle lever (8) including a finger
pad (8A) for actuation of said nozzle lever (8) by a user, a
side wheel (11) having a radius and attached to a spark wheel
(10) for interacting with a flint (9) biased against said
spark wheel (10), the improvement comprising:
an ignition resistance button (B) positioned in a cavity
(2A) and biased upward by spring (S) to traverse through the
nozzle release lever (8) and is surrounded by an air way (8B)
to permit the ignition resistance button (B) to move
independent of the nozzle release lever (8) and wherein said
ignition resistance button (B) acts to interfere with
depression of the nozzle release lever (8) when said nozzle
release lever (8) is depressed independently of said ignition
resistance button (B).
2. ~A lighter having a fuel tank connected to a fuel release
nozzle, a nozzle release lever that engages said nozzle,
wherein said release lever is normally biased in a closed
position and includes a finger pad for actuation of said
lever by a user to open said nozzle, a spark wheel for

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interacting with a flint biased against said spark wheel, the
improvement comprising:
an ignition resistance button biased upward to traverse
through said nozzle lever, said ignition button and said
nozzle lever capable of moving independently of each other
and wherein said ignition resistance button acts to interfere
with depression of the nozzle release lever when said nozzle
release lever is depressed independently of said ignition
resistance button.
3. ~A lighter having a tank for holding fuel, a fuel release
nozzle connected to said tank, a nozzle release lever that
engages said nozzle, wherein said release lever is normally
biased in a closed position and includes a finger pad having
a top surface for actuation of said lever to move said nozzle
into an open position to release gas, a spark wheel for
interacting with a flint biased against said spark wheel to
ignite said gas, the improvement comprising:
an ignition resistance button having a top end, said
button biased so that said top end is at a higher elevation
than said top surface of said finger pad when said release
lever is in a closed position, said ignition resistance
button capable of being depressed independently of said
nozzle lever whereby said ignition resistance button acts to
interfere with depression of said nozzle lever when the
nozzle lever is depressed independently of the ignition
resistance button.
4. ~The lighter as claimed in claim 3 wherein said button
passes through said finger pad.

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5. A lighter having a tank for holding fuel, a fuel release
nozzle connected to said tank, a nozzle release lever that
engages said nozzle, wherein said release lever is normally
biased in a closed position and includes a finger pad having
a top surface for actuation of said lever to move said nozzle
into an open position to release gas, a spark wheel for
interacting with a flint biased against said spark wheel to
ignite said gas, the improvement comprising:
an ignition resistance button having a top end, said
button biased so that said top end is at a higher elevation
than said top surface of said finger pad when said release
lever is in a closed position, said top end of said button
positioned so as to interfere with depression of said nozzle
lever.
6. The lighter as claimed in claim 5 wherein said button
passes through said finger pad.

Description

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WO 99/46539 PCT/US99/05050
DESCRIPTION
FLINT GAS LIGHTER WTfFI IGNTITON RESISTANT MECHANISM
1. TECHNICAL FIELD:
This invention relates to child-resistant lighters.
2, BACKGROUND ART:
The simplicity and ease in operating a standard lighter
poses a potential fire hazard when it falls in the hands of
children. As an alternative, a number of lighters have been
introduced to consumers with various ignition resistance
devices to prevent use by children. Figure 6 is an example
of an alternative lighter with an ignition resistance
device. The ignition resistance device depicted on Figure 6
utilizes a protuded ledge, stopper, and compression lever to
deter the movement of the nozzle lever. During operation,
the com ression lever is
p pushed down pressing the stopper
inward causing the protuded lever to be wedged against the
nozzle lever and preventing the nozzle lever to move
downward. The benefit of using this type of lighter
equipped with a compression lever as an ignition-deterrent
device is its effectiveness in preventing children's use.
The downside, however, is the inconvenience of having to
move the compression lever upward each time when a user
needs to ignite the lighter. In addition, the complicated
structure increases the cost of manufacture.
In an effort to solve the problems above, other types
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CA 02324021 2002-02-19
of lighters were introduced that contained ignition
resistance devices but were simplier (One Touch) in
operation. Figure 7 illustrates an example of such a One
Touch Lighter. Tlie Once Touch Lighter depicted in Figure 7
util.i_zes an elastpc wheel located on top of the spark wheel
and connected to the metal cap. During operation, a user
must: apply enough Force to the elastic wheel tc> turn the side
wheel. t:o create a :;park.
The advantage of using a C>n.e Touch lighter is that the
user can produce an ignition with one-touch operation.
However, it is inconvenient t.o use in the sense that a user
has t:c apply more Force to the side wheels than he would with
the standard lighter. Fur thermo:re, given that t:ze metal cap
and ~f.e elastic wl~ee_1_ Gre positioned at: t::le point where the
flame is emitted, there is a potential for the user's thumb
and f=fingers to be burned .
3. DISCLOSURE; OF INVENTION:
The present invention is a cigarette-lighr~er with an
ignit=ion resistance mechanism. The lighter has an ignition
resi_stanc:e button ,which must be dE~pressed :simultaneously with
the release levee which make ignition of the 1=fighter
difficult: by incr~asinc~ the reduisite amount of force and
manual dexterity naeded r.o igni.te the lighter. Additionally,
the : nvention ac!ds additional. analytical steps to the
operat~_on of the i_i.ght~~r to f:uvt;her hinder the ability of
small children to zse tl-.e lighter.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a lighter having a fuel tank cc>nnecae:~ too a fuel
release nozzle, a nozzle release 1_ever normally biased in a
closed position, a nozzle lever that enc7ages :>aid nozzle,
said nozzle lever including <~ Finger pad for ,ctuation of
said ever by a u~e:r t:<> open :>a:id nozzle, a spark wheel for
interacting with a fl in°~ biased against sa_i_d spark wheel, the
improvement oompr_ising an ignitic~n resistance button biased

CA 02324021 2002-06-20
2a
upward to traverse through said nozzle lever, said ignition
resistance button and said nozzle lever capable of moving
independently of each other.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a lighter having a tank for holding fuel, a fuel
release nozzle connected to said tank, a nozzle release lever
normally biased in a closed position, a nozzle lever that
engages said nozzle, said nozzle lever including a finger pad
having a top surface for actuation of said lever to move said
nozzle into an open position to release gas, a spark wheel
for interacting with a flint biased against said spark wheel
to ignite said gas, the improvement comprising an ignition
resistance button having a top end, said button biased so
that said top end is at a higher elevation than said top
surface of said finger pad when said release lever is in a
closed position, said ignition resistance button capable of
being depressed independently of said nozzle lever whereby
said ignition resistance button acts to interfere with
depression of said nozzle lever.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there
is provided a lighter having a tank for holding fuel, a fuel
release nozzle connected to said tank, a nozzle release lever
normally biased in a closed position, a nozzle lever that
engages said nozzle, said nozzle lever including a finger pad
having a top surface for actuation of said lever to move said
nozzle into an open position to release gas, a spark wheel
for interacting with a flint biased against said spark wheel
to ignite said gas, the improvement comprising an ignition
resistance button having a top end, said button biased so
that said top end is at a higher elevation than said top
surface of said finger pad when said release lever is in a
closed position, said top end of said button positioned so as
to interfere with depression of said nozzle lever.
These and other objects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed

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3
description of the preferred embodiment of the invention
without intending to limit the scope of the invention which
is set forth in the appended claims.
4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRA4JINGS:
The advantages of the invention can be more clearly
understood by reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the area
specified as 2-2 in the Figure 1
Figure 2A is a magnified cross-sectional view of the
ignition resistance button as specified as area 2A in the
Figure 2
Figure 3 is a profile view of the invention while in
use
figure 4 is a perspective view of a conventional gas
lighter
Figure 5 is a profile view of a conventional gas
lighter illustrating the internal mechanical structure
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a prior art lighter
with an ignition resistance device
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a prior art lighter
with a one touch ignition resistance device
Figure 8 is a profile view of a prior art lighter with
a one touch ignition resistance device illustrating the
internal mechanical structure
5. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION AND
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY:
Figures 1 through 3 generally illustrate the present
invention, a child resistant lighter, in one of its
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4
preferred embodiments. The lighter is constructed of a tank
cap (2) connected upward to a gas tank (1) and is securely
fastened to the gas tank (2) by a bracket (3). The tank cap
(2) includes a gas supply pipe (5) encompassed by the gas
tank (1) and attached to the burner assembly (7). A nozzle
(6) protudes from the burner assembly (7) and is engaged by
a nozzle lever (8) to open and close the nozzle (6). A
flint (9) is located within a vacuum area of the tank cap
(2) and biased upward by a flint spring (9A). A spark wheel
(10) is in contact with the flint (9) and is connected to a
side wheel (11). During operation, the user rotates the
side wheel (11) with his thumb and simultaneously, depresses
the nozzle lever (8) causing the side wheel (11) to rotate
the spark wheel (10) against the flint (9) producing sparks
which eventually result in ignition with the gas emitted
from the nozzle (6) that opens up from the depression of the
nozzle lever (8). A metal cap (4) encloses the nozzle (6)
and burner assembl (7) to
y protect the flame.
The new and novel improvement of the present invention
includes the addition of an ignition resistance button (B).
The ignition resistance button (B) is contained within a
vacuum area (2A) and is biased upward by an elastic spring
(S) to traverse through the nozzle lever (8). An air way
(8B) surrounds the ignition resistance button (B) at the
point that the ignition resistance button (B) traverses
through the nozzle lever (8) to permit the ignition
resistance button (B) to move independent of the nozzle
lever (8). During operation, the ignition resistance
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button (8) is depressed to the finger pad (8A) wherein the
ignition resistance button (B) and the nozzle lever (8) are
5 depressed simultaneously to open the nozzle (6) and
emitting gas to be ignited.
The lighter is difficult for a yound child to operate
by increasing the requisite amount of force and manual
dexterity needed to ignite the lighter. A child's thumb is
not sufficiently strong to depress the ignition resistance
button (B) to the finger pad (8A) and thereby prevents
engagement of the nozzle lever (8). Moreover, because the
nozzle lever ( 8 ) is not depressed, the nozzle ( 6 ) is not
engaged and gas is not released. Additionally, the
invention adds additional analytical steps to the process of
understanding the operation of the lighter to further hinder
the ability of small children to use the lighter.
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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 2fi)

Representative Drawing