Combustion – Correlation of fuel or power supply with component movements...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-29
2001-09-11
Yeung, James C. (Department: 3743)
Combustion
Correlation of fuel or power supply with component movements...
C431S255000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287109
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for a lighter, particularly a piezoelectric lighter, which locking mechanism assures that children are prevented from producing a flame while playing with the lighter.
2. Related Arts
A gas lighter is responsive to depression of its flame-producing unit for allowing the gas fuel nozzle to eject the combustible gas, and at the same time allowing the sparking unit to produce spark, thereby producing a flame.
One example of sparking unit uses a flint for making small flashes of flame when rubbed with an associated file. Another example of sparking unit uses a piezoelectric device which can generate a voltage high enough to cause electric sparks to appear between opposite electrodes for ignition when struck with a striker (hereinafter referred to as “piezoelectric lighter”).
The piezoelectric lighter is responsive to depression of its flame-producing unit for allowing the gas fuel nozzle to eject the combustible gas, and at the same time allowing the sparking unit to produce electric sparks for ignition. Thus, a flame can be produced very quickly. There is, therefore, a fear of causing a fire to break out or a child to get burnt in the hand if the child is allowed to play with the piezoelectric lighter. In the hope of preventing such an accident the piezoelectric lighter is equipped with lock means for preventing the producing of undesired flame.
Lock means for use in a flint type of gas lighters is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model 54-44176(A). This lock means is designed for use in a gas lighter whose flame-producing unit is responsive to depression for opening an associated gas nozzle to eject the combustible gas for ignition. Specifically the lock means comprises a spring-biased rotary lever rotatable about its pivot axle under the flame-producing unit. The rotary lever can be rotated with thumb to its locking position in which it is caught by the upper edge of the lighter body to prevent the overlying flame-producing unit from descending. Also, the rotary lever can be rotated to its unlocking position in which it is made free from the upper edge to stay above a slot, which is made in the upper edge of the lighter body. The overlying flame-producing unit is depressed, and accordingly the rotary lever is lowered in the slot, thus allowing the flame-producing unit to open the gas nozzle for ignition.
The rotary lever partly projects from the lighter body, and therefore, if the rotary lever should be caught by fingers or something like that in one's pocket or bag, it is possible that the gas lighter be unlocked.
The rotary lever is spring-biased and raised toward the overlying thumb-push button of the flame-producing unit, so that it may be responsive to a gentle push for turning toward its unlocking position, and is apt to turn more than required (180 or more degree-wide angular distance).
The rotary lever is partly exposed, and the associated slot is visible at the upper edge of the lighter body. The gas lighter, therefore, is less pleasing in appearance. This is disadvantageous to merchandising.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, one object of the present invention is to provide a child-proof locking mechanism for lighters, which mechanism facilitates the locking of the lighter, still assuring that undesired unlocking be prevented.
To attain this object a locking mechanism for a lighter comprising, in its body, a flame-producing unit which can be depressed by thumb, a piezoelectric unit responsive to depression of the flame-producing unit for generating a high-voltage between an associated electrode and the nozzle of a fuel valve, a valve lever responsive to depression of the flame-producing unit for opening the fuel valve, and lock means for preventing the flame-producing unit from being operated, is improved according to the present invention in that said lock means comprises a slider piece slidably attached to the top of said flame-producing unit, said slider piece having a lock spacer integrally connected to its lower surface, and a latch member responsive to said slider piece put in one position for preventing the opening of said fuel valve and/or the striking of the piezoelectric unit, and responsive to said slider put in the other position for permitting the opening of said fuel valve and/or the striking of the piezoelectric unit.
The latch member may comprise a support-and-guide for supporting the slider piece above the top of the piezoelectric unit, and an abutment spaced apart from but integrally connected to the support-and-guide for abutting on the bottom of said lock spacer only when said slider piece is put in one position, said abutment being spaced apart from the support-and-guide to define a slot wide and deep enough to allow said lock spacer to fall down in the slot.
The slot may be deep enough to make useless the push stroke required for striking said piezoelectric unit.
The enclosure of the body may have a shelf-like projection formed on its inner wall in the vicinity of said piezoelectric unit to limit the push stroke required for striking said piezoelectric unit.
The slider piece may be spring-biased upward so as to be coplanar with the top of said flame-producing unit, allowing said lock spacer to stay above the slot. The upward resilient force has a rearward component to drive and retain the slider piece in its locking position. When it is desired that a flame is produced, the slider piece is pushed forward with thumb against the rearward component of resilient force. Removal of thumb from the slider piece allows the flame to be extinguished, and at the same time, the slider piece returns automatically to its initial locking position, thus assuring that the lighter is prevented from remaining in unlocking condition.
The latch member may comprise a support-and-guide for holding and supporting the slider piece above the top of the piezoelectric unit, and a guide extension descending downward from the inner side of the support-and-guide, the descendent guide extension being urged by an associated resilient member, thereby putting the slider piece in the one position, and at the same time, pushing and inclining the piezoelectric unit to allow its outer casing to be caught by the descending bottom end of the flame-producing unit.
The resilient member may be a leaf spring formed on the skirt of said flame-producing unit by cutting parallel slots therein. Advantageously this requires no extra separate spring.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description of child-proof locking mechanisms for gas lighters according to preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are shown in accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5145358 (1992-09-01), Shike et al.
patent: 5462432 (1995-10-01), Kim
patent: 5829963 (1998-11-01), Ichikawa
patent: 5839892 (1998-11-01), Hwang
Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn
Hirota & Co., Ltd.
Yeung James C.
LandOfFree
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