Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PORTABLE RECHARGEABLE BATTERY POWERED
FLAMELESS CIGAR LIGHTER
Related Application
The application claims the benefit of 35 USC 119(e) to United States
Provisional
Application Serial No. 61/363,651 filed 13 July 2010 (12.07.2010).
Scope of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable lighter, and more particularly to
a
battery powered flameless lighter. More specifically, the present invention
relates to a
rechargeable battery powered cigar lighter which includes a resistance heating
element
having a planar contact surface.
Background of the Invention
Most conventional battery powered portable lighters are designed for lighting
cigarettes and mainly use double A or triple A batteries as their power
source. Typically,
the batteries are housed in an enclosure and are connected in series in an
electrical circuit
to pass current through a resistance wire heating element to generate heat.
The wire
heating element has a predetermined length dependent on the power source, and
typically
is wound into a tight spiral coil having an effective diameter sized to
contact an abutting
end of a cigarette.
For example, Figure 1 illustrates a conventional wire heating element 500
having a
first terminal connecting end 501, a second terminal connecting end 502, and
an effective
diameter D. In use, electrical current is passed through the wire heating
element 500 from
the first terminal connecting end 501 to the second terminal connecting end
502 to
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generate heat, and an abutting end of a cigarette is brought into contact with
the heating
element 500, which serves as an ignition source.
United States Patent 5,235,157 published August 10, 1993 discloses a typical
battery powered cigarette lighter known in the art. The lighter includes two
AA penlight
batteries housed in a hollow plastic housing. The batteries are connected to
one another in
series to provide current to a spirally-wound Nichrome wire heating element.
The lighter
includes a pivotally mounted switch actuator to open and close a switch means
to allow
current to pass through the wire heating element to generate heat. The heating
element is
positioned within a cavity formed in a sidewall of the housing in recessed
relation to the
sidewall to provide access to the wire heating element.
Battery powered lighters generally have not found widespread use or acceptance
in
the market place. This is because in comparison with gas lighters, in which
fuel gas is
ignited to generate a high temperature flame, the amount of energy at the
resistance wire
heating element is low, resulting in difficulties in igniting cigarettes and
the like.
Difficulties in ignition are further compounded due to the fact that the
abutting end of the
cigarette or the like only make contact with a portion of the outer
circumferential surface
of the wire heating element, which results in a majority of the heat generated
in the wire
heating element being dissipated radially outwardly to the surrounding
atmosphere.
Additionally, due to the current and voltage requirements of the batteries to
generate
sufficient heat in the wire heating element, conventional battery powered
lighters are
larger, heavier and more expensive to manufacture then conventional gas based
lighters.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a battery powered lighter which is
inexpensive, light weight and which provides sufficient heat ignition
properties.
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Summary of Invention
The present invention has been developed in view of the difficulties in the
art
noted and described above. To at least partially overcome these disadvantages,
in a first
aspect, the present invention provides a resistance heating element for a
battery powered
lighter, the heating element comprising: a first terminal for connecting the
heating element
to a first contact of an electrical circuit; a second terminal for connecting
the heating
element to a second contact of the electrical circuit; a heat generating body
arranged
between the first terminal and the second terminal, the heat generating body
comprises an
electrical resistance current path located between the first terminal and the
second terminal
for generating heat when current is applied between the first terminal and the
second
terminal, wherein the heat generating body comprises a planar contact surface
along said
path, whereby a width of said contact surface in said plane is substantially
greater then a
thickness of the heat generating body.
In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a resistance heating
element
for a battery powered lighter, the heating element comprising: a first
terminal for
connecting the heating element to a first contact of an electrical circuit; a
second terminal
for connecting the heating element to a second contact of the electrical
circuit; and a heat
generating body arranged between the first terminal and the second terminal,
the heat
generating body providing an electrical current path between the first
terminal and the
second terminal, wherein the heat generating body comprises a planar contact
surface
along said path, whereby a width of said contact surface in said plane is
substantially
greater then a thickness of the heat generating body.
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In a further aspect of the invention, the resistance current path comprises a
spiral
winding.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the first terminal and the second
terminal
are longitudinally aligned in the plane at opposing sides of the heat
generating body.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the first terminal, the second
terminal and
the heat generating body are integrally made.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the resistance heating element is
formed
from a single piece of sheet metal.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the sheet metal is selected from the
group
consisting of a nickel chromium based alloy and a tungsten based alloy.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a battery powered
lighter
comprising a battery, switch actuating means, and a switch to open and close
the electric
circuit, wherein the improvement resides in the lighter comprising a planar
sheet-like
resistance heating element, the heating element comprising: a first terminal
for connecting
the heating element to a first contact of an electrical circuit; a second
terminal for
connecting the heating element to a second contact of the electrical circuit;
and a heat
generating body arranged between the first terminal and the second terminal,
the heat
generating body providing an electrical current path between the first
terminal and the
second terminal, wherein the heat generating body comprises a planar contact
surface
along said path, whereby a width of said contact surface in said plane is
substantially
greater then a thickness of the heat generating body
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Further aspects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the
following
detailed description and drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of
this
invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Reference may now be had to the following detailed description taken together
with
the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a conventional wire heating element known in the art.
Figure 2 shows a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a
lighter
in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 3 shows a front elevation view of the lighter shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows a back elevation view of the lighter shown in Figure 1.
Figure 5 shows a side elevation view of the lighter shown in Figure 1.
Figure 6 shows a front perspective view of a lighter cover in accordance with
the
present invention.
Figure 7 shows a schematic illustration of the internal electronic circuitry
of the
lighter shown in Figure 1.
Figure 8 shows a front elevated view of the heating element of the lighter
shown in
Figure 1.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Reference may now be made to Figure 2 which illustrates a preferred embodiment
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of the lighter 10 of the present invention. The lighter 10 includes a
rectangular shaped
enclosure 12 which houses the electrical circuitry of the lighter 10. The
enclosure 12 is
made from two mating enclosure halves 11, 13, as indicated by parting line 15
in Figure
2.
The enclosure 12 includes a front wall 14, a back wall 16, side walls 18 and
20,
top wall 22 and a bottom wall 24. The front wall 14 includes an actuating
button 32
which is positioned in an opening 30 in the front wall 14. Preferably, to
avoid accidental
activation of the lighter, the button 32 is recessed from the surface of the
front wall 14 for
added safety.
To activate the lighter, the actuating button 32 is pressed into contact with
a
tactile switch 400 to close the electrical circuit of the lighter so that
current flows from
the battery 100 through the resistance heating element 80 to generate heat, as
more fully
detailed below. When the lighter 10 is not being used, the actuating button 32
is biased
away from the tactile switch 400 so that the electrical circuit is normally
open so no
current may flow from the battery 100 through the heating element 80.
The bottom wall 24 includes a charging interface 40 which is positioned within
an
opening 42 in the bottom wall 24. Preferably, the charging interface 40 is a
micro USB
connector. This common connector will allow for charging from many different
sources.
For example, desktop computers, laptops, wall units, cell phone chargers and
solar panel
units are all power sources that often have USB ports available and could all
be used as a
charging means to connect to the charging interface 40.
It is to be noted that the shape, size and material selection of the enclosure
is not
particularly limiting, but preferably is selected to be slim and lightweight
to fit
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comfortably in the pocket of a user. Preferably the enclosure 12 is made from
aluminium, and is dimensioned to have a width preferably between 30mm to 50
mm, a
height preferably between 80 mm to 100 mm, a thickness preferably between 6 mm
to 10
mm, and a weight preferably between 20 g to 25 g. Larger enclosures may be
used,
which would allow for larger battery capacity. Similarly, the enclosure may
have a
cylindrical shape, or any other physical shape.
As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4, the front wall 14 and back wall 16 include
axially aligned circular openings 34a and 34b, respectively. The heating
element 80 is
axially aligned and positioned within the cavity formed by the openings 34a
and 34b in
recessed relation to the front wall 14 and back wall 16, respectively. In this
manner, a
cigar or the like may be ignited by axially inserting a leading end of the
cigar through
either the front opening 34a or back opening 34b into abutting contact with
the contact
surface of the heating element 80.
As shown in Figure 6, the lighter 10 is provided with a rectangular cover 600
sized to be slidably received about a top portion of the enclosure 12 and to
cover the
heating element 80 and the actuating button 32. A bottom half of the enclosure
12 is
provided with an outwardly extending flange 602 which abuts a bottom portion
604 of
the cover 600 so that with the cover installed, the outer faces of the cover
600 lay flush
with the bottom portion of the enclosure 12. Preferably, the cover includes a
thermally
insulating material so that with the cover installed, the lighter may be
placed in the pocket
of a user after using the lighter 10.
Figure 7 shows a simplified schematic of the internal electrical circuitry of
the
lighter 10 housed within the enclosure 12. The circuitry includes a battery
100 having a
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positive battery terminal (B+) and a negative battery terminal (B-). A printed
circuit
board ("PCB") 200 which includes the charging interface 40; a Mosfet 300
having a
Mosfet drain (Md), a Mosfet source (Ms) and a Mosfet gate (Mg); and a tactile
switch
400 having a tactile switch connection (Ta) and a tactile switch connection
(Tb).
The following details the component connections relevant to powering the
heating
element 80. The positive battery terminal (B+) is connected directly to the
second
connecting terminal 84 of the heating element 80. The battery terminal (B+) is
also
connected to one side of the tactile switch connection (Ta). The other side of
the tactile
switch connection (Tb) is connected to the Mosfet gate (Mg). This provides a
switch
controlled positive charge to the Mosfet gate (Mg). When the tactile switch
400 is
activated, there will be a positive charge between the Mosfet gate (Mg) and
the Mosfet
source (Ms) which is connected directly to the negative battery terminal (B-).
This
positive charge to the Mosfet gate (Mg) allows the current to flow through the
Mosfet
source (Ms) to the Mosfet drain (Md) and then through the connection of the
Mosfet
drain (Md) to the first connecting terminal 82 of the heating element 80. The
current will
then flow through the heating element 80, back to the battery 100 through the
positive
battery terminal (B+). The selected Mosfet 300 preferably has low resistance
at load
voltage in order to maximize power to the heating element 80. The Mosfet 300
also
preferably has a high resistance at low voltage, so that the battery 100 does
not over
discharge.
In an alternative embodiment, a simpler PCB may be designed without a
MOSFET if a high current switch is used. Additionally, with a PCB mounted
tactile
switch, the user actuating button 32 can be designed as part of the enclosure
12 or cover
600, with any material and any shape, so long as the actuating button 32 comes
into
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contact with the tactile switch 400.
As a further alternative to the PCB herein described, a battery with simple
recharge characteristics (such as standard AA NiCads) and a switch of high
current
capacity would allow for direct wire connections between all components. This
would
eliminate the need for a PCB altogether. However, this would result in a
larger overall
unit size, fewer uses per charge, and reduced element heat output depending on
the
number of batteries used.
The battery 100 is the sole energy source for the resistance heating element
80
and therefore is required to drive sufficient current through the heating
element 80 to
overcome the element's resistance. In selecting the battery 100, appropriate
considerations has to be given to the requirements, including but not limited
to the power
of the battery to drive sufficient current at the required voltages; recharge
capability and
total number of useful charges over its lifetime; the physical size of the
battery; and the
energy storage capacity of the battery. Given that the heating element 80 must
be of a
certain length and cross section to provide ignition heating over a certain
contact surface
area, and that the heating element must be of a certain resistance to generate
sufficient
ignition heat at the contact surface of the heating element 80, there is a
minimum
determinable requirement for power.
Preferably, the selected battery 100 is a single lithium ion polymer cell.
Lithium
ion polymer batteries have a small volume and high power output. They are
small
physical size, reasonable voltage, and excellent current capacity. Lithium ion
polymer
batteries also have good recharging characteristics, but require a specific
charging
pattern. This charging logic may be provided by an integrated circuit on the
PCB.
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Preferably, the cell can be discharged at twenty times its energy storage
capacity (20C)
and measures 30 mm wide, 50 mm tall, and 6 mm in thickness and has a storage
capacity
of 600 mAh.
Alternatively, rather than a single cell, multiple cells could be used to
power the
heating element 80. This would allow for a larger heating surface and faster
heat up time.
It could also provide longer use between charges and higher overall heating
capability.
In addition to the above mentioned components required for powering the
heating
element 80, the PCB 200 also includes an integrated circuit to provide the
charging logic
for the battery. The charging integrated circuit was selected for its small
size, ease of
assembly, and simple functionality. The additional supporting components
included are
more fully described in the documentation provided with the charging
integrated circuit,
which is incorporated herein by reference.
Reference may now be had to Figure 8 which illustrates the heating element 80
of
the invention. The heating element 80 includes a first terminal 82 for
connecting the
heating element 80 to the Mosfet 300 and a second terminal 84 for connecting
the heating
element 80 to the positive battery terminal (B+). Each terminal 82 and 84 are
provided
with an aperture 90A and 90B, respectively, to position and/or secure the
heating element
80 within the enclosure 12 by the use of internal locating pins (not shown)
protruding
from the enclosure 12.
Arranged between the first terminal 82 and the second terminal 84 is a heat
generating body 86 having an articulate shape, resembling a wound spiral coil
configuration. The heat generating body 86 provides an electrical resistance
current path
(P), indicated by the solid arrows, between the first terminal 82 and the
second terminal
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84. Due to the electrical resistance characteristics of the heat generating
body 86, as
current flows through the body 86, resistance heat is generated by the body
86.
The heat generating body 86 has a sheet like construction having planar
contact
surfaces on opposing top and bottom faces of the body 86 (only top face
contact surface
88 shown). The in plane width (W) across the path (P) of the contact surface
88 is
substantially greater then a thickness of the heat generating body 86 due to
the sheet like
planar construction of the body 86. Accordingly, the effective heating area
diameter (D)
of the heating element 80 would be equivalent to the total width (W) of each
of the spiral
loops plus the spacing provided between each loop, which is preferably as
small as
possible.
Preferably, the first terminal 82, the second terminal 84 and the heat
generating
body 86 are integrally made. More preferably, the heating element 80 is cut
from a flat
sheet metal into its desired shape, as for example using laser cutting.
Preferably the
heating element 80 has an effective heating area diameter D between 20 mm to
30 mm,
and more preferably 25 mm.
The heating element 80 of the present invention provides a greater contact
surface
88 area for an abutting end of a cigar when compared to similar constructions
made from
a standard round wire heating element 500 of similar length and cross-
sectional area.
The greater contact surface 88 area results in improved ignition properties of
the heating
element 80. Furthermore, the planar contact surface 88 provides directional
heating,
dissipating a majority of the heat orthogonally away from the contact surface
88.
The material selection of the heating element 80 is not particularly limiting.
However, consideration must be given to the melting point, temperature
deformation, and
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corrosion properties of the selected material. In addition, internal
resistance is a critical
factor in selecting the appropriate material in consideration of power
restrictions.
Preferably, the heating element 80 is made from a Nickel and Chromium based
alloy.
These alloys have high resistance properties and excellent heating
characteristics, do not
change shape significantly when heated, resist corrosion very well, and are
highly
efficient in converting electrical current into heat.
The shape of the heating element 80 is also not particularly limiting, so long
as
the overall resistance allows for a reasonable heat output. However, when
investigating
standard round wire, the manufacturability of a finely wound wire in a flat
shape with no
terminal ending in the centre of the shape was determined to be impossible or
cost
prohibitive. This difficulty is directly overcome with the heating element of
the present
invention in accordance with the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 8.
Various thicknesses for the heating element were also tested. In selecting the
thickness, the heat output is optimized against the overall resistance. For
the given power
output of the battery, the highest resistance possible would reduce overall
current use and
allow for more uses per charge. However, a resistance that is too high would
result in too
little heat output given the limited power output of the battery. A compromise
is required
and this was determined experimentally. However, there is a wide range of
thicknesses
that would still allow for functionality of the unit recognizing the trade off
in component
lifespan, battery lifespan, uses per charge, heat dissipation into the
enclosure, and useful
element heat output. Preferably the overall length of the heating element is
between 190
mm to 150 mm, and more preferably about 170 mm. T width (w) is preferably
between 2
mm and lmm, and more preferably about 1.85 mm, and the thickness is preferably
less
then 0.3 mm, and more preferably about 0.2 mm. Heating elements having the
preferred
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construction were tested to reach red hot temperature in less then ten
seconds.
Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred
embodiments of the present invention, it is also to be understood that the
invention is not
restricted to these particular embodiments. For example, in an alternative
embodiment,
the back wall 16 of the enclosure 12 may be provided with a highly reflective
surface
positioned directly behind the heating element 80. The reflective surface
would reflect
heat emanating from the back face surface 88 of the heating element 80 towards
the front.
This reflective surface may be flat, or curved to direct the generated heat to
the center or
edges of the heating plane.
Additionally, the enclosure 12 may be provided with internal contact pressure
protrusions arranged for mating the internal components of the electric
circuit. For
example, this would be an alternative to soldering or crimping for internal
connections
between the battery 100, PCB 200, and heating element 80. In this case, rather
than wire
conductors, pre-cut sheet metal conductors in the required shapes could be
used to join the
components. The sheet metal conductors would be placed into grooves within the
bottom
enclosure half 13, and pressure would be applied from the top enclosure half
11 to form a
connection between sheet metal conductors. The enclosure halves 11 ,13 may be
screwed
together at several points so that pressure is maintained as required to keep
the conducting
metal nodes firmly mated to one another.
To the extent that a patentee may act as its own lexicographer under
applicable
law, it is hereby further directed that all words appearing in the claims
section, except for
the above defined words, shall take on their ordinary, plain and accustomed
meanings (as
generally evidenced, inter alia, by dictionaries and/or technical lexicons),
and shall not be
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considered to be specially defined in this specification. Notwithstanding this
limitation on
the inference of "special definitions," the specification may be used to
evidence the
appropriate, ordinary, plain and accustomed meanings (as generally evidenced,
inter alia,
by dictionaries and/or technical lexicons), in the situation where a word or
term used in the
claims has more than one pre-established meaning and the specification is
helpful in
choosing between the alternatives.
It will be understood that, although various features of the invention have
been
described with respect to one or another of the embodiments of the invention,
the various
features and embodiments of the invention may be combined or used in
conjunction with
other features and embodiments of the invention as described and illustrated
herein.
Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred
embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not
restricted to
these particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments,
which are
functional, electrical or mechanical equivalents of the specific embodiments
and features
that have been described and illustrated herein.
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