US20080142026A1

US20080142026A1 - Lighter holder with retractable pipe poker

Info

Publication number: US20080142026A1
Application number: US11/588,138
Authority: US
Inventors: Ken Chou
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-10-26
Filing date: 2006-10-26
Publication date: 2008-06-19

Abstract

An apparatus for attaching a retractable poker to a cigarette lighter holder for unclogging tobacco pipes. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises an inner geometric profile conforming to an outer shape of a cigarette lighter, a hollow chamber within the cigarette lighter holder for holding a retractable rod, and said retractable rod is longitudinally movable to extend along a vertical profile of the cigarette lighter holder to allow the rod to be physically extruded from the cigarette lighter holder.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cigarette lighter holder with a retractable poker that enables the user to unclog a tobacco pipe. The invention allows users of tobacco pipes to always have a poker in hand because it will always be attached to the cigarette lighter holder, that will be attached to the lighter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tobacco pipes generally tend to get clogged with resin, ashes and the like during normal use. Every user of a tobacco pipe consistently runs into the problem of a clogged pipe which disables the pipe from normal operations. Because of the inherent property of burning tobacco, no solution exists to create a pipe that does not clog from general use.
The only solution to the problem of a clogged pipe was to use a slim rod to unclog the pipe. Many smoke stores sell “pokers” which is simply a slim rod with a handle attached to the rod. Alternatively, users of pipes would make such “pokers” at home out of paper clips, metal clothes hanger, tooth picks to unclog their pipes. However, store bought “pokers” are expensive, and home made “pokers” often require materials that are not readily available in a smoking environment.
Only one invention has addressed the need to have a “poker” easily accessible with their pipes and other smoking utensils. U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,921 (referred to hereinafter as “the 921 patent”) discloses a smoking apparatus which was simply a wallet to store smoking accessories such as their pipe, poker, and tobacco. This invention is bulky in size, and is not convenient in carrying around between smoking environments. Additionally, users of pipes generally do not need such a pouch to carry such an extensive array of accessories, thus making a pouch impractical. Finally, this invention is related to the carrying of smoking accessories, and not directed at the need of a poker.
It can be seen, then, that there is a need for a “poker” apparatus that is not bulky, portable, and easily accessible. Consequently, there is a need for a “poker” apparatus that addresses the needs of a smoker that needs to have such a “poker” handy and ready at all times.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To minimize the limitation in the prior art, the present invention discloses an apparatus for having a retractable poker fixed to a lighter. In almost every case, a smoker who has ever come across a clogged pipe was holding a lighter in their hands since a pipe is useless without fire. By attaching a poker to the lighter, the smoker can easily unclog their pipe. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises an inner geometric profile conforming to an outer shape of a cigarette lighter, a hollow chamber within the cigarette lighter holder for holding a retractable rod, and the retractable rod is longitudinally movable to extend along a vertical profile of the cigarette lighter holder to allow the rod to be physically extruded from the cigarette lighter holder.
It is an object of the present invention to have such a “poker” accessory attached to an apparatus that all smokers will need, such as a lighter.
It is another object of the present invention to incorporate the “poker's” inherent shape into that of a smoking apparatus such as a lighter to allow ease of transportability.
It is still another object of the present invention to make the item reusable since the cigarette lighter holder can be easily interchanged between lighters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled lighter holder with the rod retracted within the lighter holder;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled lighter holder similar to FIG. 1 but showing the retractable rod protruded out

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the retractable rod assembly system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description of the preferred embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, a specific embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiment may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

SPECIFICS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an overall prospective view of the present invention.
The cigarette lighter holder 1 of FIG. 1 of the present invention includes a sleeve 2 having a tubular body portion 3, an upper open end portion 4, and a closed bottom portion 5.
Sleeve 2 having a tubular body portion 3, is used to securely hold a lighter in place. A lighter is inserted into the upper open end 4, and securely held in place by the tubular body portion 3 and bottom closed end 5.
In the current embodiment close bottom portion 5 is used to serve as a traveling limit of the cigarette lighter. However, closed bottom portion 5 can also be an opening gap allowing the current invention to slide all the way through a cigarette lighter without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In the current embodiment, tubular body portion 3 generally conforms to a shape of a cylinder; however, tubular body portion 3 can also take the shape of a rectangle, square, or any other shape that conforms to the shape of a lighter without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Sleeve 2 may be made out of plastic; however, sleeve 2 may also be made out of metal, wood, or any other material that is capable of snugly fitting around a cigarette lighter without departing from the scope of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates the cigarette lighter holder of FIG. 1 with the rod extruded from the housing chamber.
As shown in FIG. 2, the tubular body portion 3 has a chamber 7 along the longitudinal axis to house a rod 8. The rod 8 is the “poking” device used to unclog the pipe. Once the rod 8 is extruded from the housing chamber 7, the rod 8 can be inserted into the clogged hole of a pipe.
The rod 8 is typically made from stainless steel. However, the rod 8 can be made out of aluminum, plastic, or other materials that will not buckle under the pressure of poking a clogged pipe without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The rod 8 typically has a slim cylindrical profile. However, the rod 8 can be rectangular or any other elongated shape without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the rod is typically slim with a diameter of less than 0.1 inches. However the rod can be any size small enough to fit inside the hole of pipes without departing from the scope of the invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of the rod 8 and chamber 7 assembly of the cigarette lighter holder in FIG. 1.
For the purposes of physically extruding the rod 8 from the chamber 7, the chamber 7 will have indentations or rectangular shaped openings or stops 9 on both sides of the chamber spaced incrementally. The rod 8 will be attached to a slider 10 contained inside the chamber 7 with a finger gripper 11 connected to the slider 10 which will be outside the chamber 7. The slider 10 will have a catch 12 inversely shaped to engage the stops 9 and to be disengaged there from by downward pressure upon the finger gripper 11.
The stops 9 combined with the catch 12 are used to secure the rod 8 during use. Once the catch 12 engages the stops 9, the rod is locked in place from retracting back into the chamber 7. The rod 8 may be retracted back into the chamber 7 by exerting downward pressure on the finger gripper 11. Once pressure is exerted onto the finger gripper 11, this will cause the catch 12 to disengage the stops 9 by slightly tucking below the catch 12.
In the current embodiment stops 9 and catch 12 are rectangular in shape. However the stops 9 and catch 12 can be triangular or any other shape without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Various changes can be made to the rod 8 extrusion method without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a spring action mechanism where a wedge shaped prow used by many ballpoint pens can be used.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the present invention provides a cigarette lighter holder with a retractable poker to unclog pipes. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises of an inner geometric profile conforming to an outer shape of a cigarette lighter, a hollow chamber attached to the cigarette lighter holder for housing a retractable rod, wherein said rod is longitudinally movable to extend along a vertical profile of the cigarette lighter holder to allow the rod to be physically extruded from the cigarette lighter holder.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to restrict the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching above. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A cigarette lighter holder comprising:

an inner geometric profile conforming to an outer shape of a cigarette lighter;

a hollow chamber within said cigarette lighter holder for holding a retractable rod; and

said retractable rod is longitudinally movable to extend along a vertical profile of said cigarette lighter holder to allow said rod to be physically extruded from said cigarette lighter holder

2. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 1, wherein said retractable rod protrudes out from said cigarette lighter holder in an incrementally increasing fashion.

3. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 2, wherein said incrementally increasing fashion is achieved by a slider attached to said retractable rod.

4. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 3, wherein said slider movement is controlled by a set of predetermined slots on said cigarette lighter holder

5. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 4, wherein said slider contains an anchor to anchor said slider within each of said set of predetermined slots

6. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 5, wherein said anchor can be disengaged to allow free movement between said set of predetermined slots upon exerting pressure on said gripper