Special receptacle or package – For pocket or personal use
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-15
2001-03-06
Fidei, David T. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For pocket or personal use
C206S038000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196382
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to cigarette lighter holders, and in particular, to a lighter holder which securely holds a cigarette lighter and can be clipped to one's clothing to avoid loss of the cigarette lighter.
Cigarette lighters are generally small. They are typically sized to fit in a shirt or pants pocket. When a cigarette lighter is in a pocket, it is generally loose in the pocket, and the lighter can work its way out of the pocket. This is especially true when the lighter is in a shirt pocket. When a person bends over, the lighter is apt to slide out of the pocket and are lost. Lighters are also often dropped, for example, in a crowd, when the user is jostled. When lighters are lost, the must be replaced.
Lighter holders have been designed. However, many do not securely hold the lighter, and the lighter can slide out of the holder. Additionally, many are not attachable to clothing. These lighter holders to not guard against loss of the lighter. Therefore, even when the lighter is in the holder, the lighter and its holder can be easily lost.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the cigarette lighter holder of the present invention is made from a shell having a side wall and a bottom wall defining an upwardly opening chamber sized to slidably receive a cigarette lighter and frictionally hold the lighter. A cord is mounted to the bottom of the shell, for example, by an eyelet secured to the shell bottom. The eyelet can be mounted to the shell bottom so that it can rotate relative to the shell. The cord can be secured to an article of clothing or a purse, for example by a clip at the end of the cord. Thus, if the user should accidentally drop the holder, with the lighter in it, the holder and lighter will not be lost. By attaching the cord to the bottom of the shell, rather than the side of the shell, the cord, and the eyelet to which the cord is attached, will not interfere with the user's grasp of the lighter holder and operation of the lighter.
To frictionally grip the lighter in the holder, the holder has at least one rib in the chamber. The chamber has a circumference larger than the circumference of the lighter and the rib has a circumference at least slightly smaller than the circumference of the lighter. Thus, the lighter will wipe against, and compress, the rib as the lighter is inserted in the lighter holder. The rib is made from a material, such as rubber or soft plastic, which will frictionally grip the lighter when the lighter is inserted in the lighter holder. Preferably, the rib is flexible so that as the lighter wipes against the rib, the rib bends downwardly. To facilitate this bending of the rib, the rib is triangular in cross-section and has a height which is greater than its base. The lighter holder has a sleeve which is received in the shell. The rib is formed or molded on the sleeve. Alternatively, the rib can be made as an O-ring which is received in a groove in the shell.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 259063 (1981-04-01), Manikas
patent: D. 376871 (1996-12-01), Sanchez et al.
patent: D. 378440 (1997-03-01), Collette
patent: 3057464 (1962-10-01), Baggott, Sr.
patent: 4176773 (1979-12-01), Wilkinson
patent: 4833902 (1989-05-01), Mori
patent: 4854856 (1989-08-01), Steiger, Jr. H. M. et al.
patent: 5289915 (1994-03-01), Queen
patent: 5740905 (1998-04-01), Kilfoy
patent: 5794767 (1998-08-01), Wilson
patent: 5819917 (1998-10-01), Nicholson
Fidei David T.
Polster Lieder Woodruff & Lucchesi
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