WO1997006388A1

WO1997006388A1 - Lighter with position-adjustable flame nozzle

Info

Publication number: WO1997006388A1
Application number: PCT/KR1995/000100
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jin-Wan Koo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-08-04
Filing date: 1995-08-04
Publication date: 1997-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 1998-02-04

Abstract

A lighter with a position-adjustable flame nozzle selectively used for either igniting a gas or oil stove, feeding a fire with firewood or lighting a cigarette is disclosed. The lighter has a retractable hollow pipe (1) having a fixed flame nozzle (2) at its top end. The pipe (1) is movably received in a lighter body (3) such that the pipe (1) can freely selectively protrudes out of or retracts into the lighter body (3). Both a gas supply hose (5) and a high voltage spark wire (6) extend from the top end of the pipe (1) end to a liquid fuel tank (8b) and to a piezo-electric element (11) respectively. The lighter body (3) has a cavity defining a space sufficient enough to not only receive both the hose (5) and wire (6) protruding out of the pipe, but also allow the hose (5) and wire (6) to freely move in the cavity while the pipe moves relative to the lighter body (3).

Description

LIGHTER WITH POSITION-ADJUSTABLE FLAME NOZZLE

Technical Field

The present invention relates in general to lighters and, more particularly, to a structural improvement in such lighters for freely adjusting the flame nozzle's position of a lighter relative to a lighter body and thereby rendering the lighter be selectively used for either igniting a cooking stove, feeding a fire with firewood or lighting a cigarette.

Background Art

As well known to those skilled in the art, conventional small-sized lighters including disposable gas lighters have been designed to be exclusively used for lighting cigarettes. When lighting a cigarette using a conventional lighter, the lighter is ignited and vertically positioned relative to the cigarette such that the flame nozzle is directed upwards to make the flame reach the cigarette. In order to maintain the flame of a gas lighter for a time sufficient enough to completely light the cigarette, the press button placed about the flame nozzle of the gas lighter should be continuously pressed down until the cigarette is completely lighted. In this case, the flame vertically comes out of the nozzle so that there is no problem in continuously pressing down the press button for a time sufficient to light the cigarette. That is, the flame vertically coming out of the nozzle causes no danger of burning the hand when using the lighter for lighting the cigarette. However, the conventional small-sized lighters may be often used for either igniting gas or oil stoves or feeding a campfire with firewood in disregard of the fact that the above lighters are designed to be exclusively used for lighting cigarettes. When using a conventional small-sized lighter for either igniting a gas or oil stove or feeding a campfire with firewood, the flame nozzle of the lighter will be directed horizontally or downwardly. When the lighter in this state is ignited, the flame coming out of the nozzle rises up to make a user get burnt in the thumb pressing down the press button. Additionally, especially when igniting a gas stove using the above lighter, a flame suddenly flares up from the stove at the same time of ignition and this may cause the user to get burnt in the hand.

Disclosure of the Invention

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a lighter with a position-adjustable flame nozzle which can be selectively used for either igniting a gas or oil stove, feeding a fire with firewood or lighting a cigarette without causing the aforementioned problems.

In the lighter of this invention, a retractable hollow pipe having a fixed flame nozzle at its top end is movably received in a lighter body such that the pipe can freely selectively protrudes out of or retracts into the lighter body. A gas supply hose is connected to the flame nozzle at one end thereof and in turn longitudinally extends in the internal space of the pipe to protrude out of the bottom end of the pipe. A high voltage spark wire is fixed about the flame nozzle at one end thereof and in turn longitudinally extends in the internal space of the pipe to protrude out of the bottom end of the pipe. The lighter body has a cavity communicating with the internal space of the pipe. This cavity defines a space sufficient enough to not only receive both the hose and wire protruding out of the pipe, but also allow the hose and wire to freely move in the cavity while the pipe moves relative to the lighter body. A liquid fuel tank is provided in the lighter body and connected to the other end of the gas supply hose with a valve interposed between the hose and the tank. A piezo-electric element is placed beside the fuel tank in the lighter body and connected to the other end of the high voltage spark wire. The retractable pipe may be movably received in a cylindrical holder which in turn is fixed to the lighter body. The lower portion of the holder has a longitudinal opening for letting the internal space of the pipe communicate with the cavity of the lighter body and passing both the hose and wire.

Both the gas supply hose and high voltage spark wire are flexible hose and wire respectively. Either the hose or the wire has a length sufficient enough to prevent the hose or the wire from being tensioned regardless of a position of the retractable pipe relative to the lighter body. When the above retractable pipe fully protrudes out of the lighter body, the flame nozzle is spaced apart from the lighter body by a distance sufficient enough to prevent the flame from reaching the user's hand when the lighter is ignited under the condition that the nozzle is directed to either horizontally or downwardly to either ignite a cooking stove or feed a fire with firewood. Therefore, the user does not get burnt in the hand gripping the lighter body. Additionally, the user is free from a danger of getting burnt in the hand when a flame suddenly flares up from a stove at the same time of igniting the stove. Furthermore, as either the gas supply hose or the spark wire has a length sufficient enough to prevent the hose or the wire from being tensioned regardless of a position of the pipe relative to the lighter body, there will be no problem in both supplying the gas and igniting the lighter. Brief Description of Drawings

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partially broken sectional view showing the construction of a lighter with a position-adjustable flame nozzle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the lighter taken along the section line A-A of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of the above lighter.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Fig. 1 to 3 show a lighter with a position-adjustable flame nozzle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, the lighter of this invention includes a retractable hollow pipe represented by the numeral 1. This retractable pipe 1 is provided with a flame nozzle unit 2 at its top end and movably received in the lighter body 3 such that the pipe 1 performs a sliding motion relative to the body 3. That is, the above pipe 1 can freely selectively protrudes out of the lighter body 3 as shown in the solid line of Fig.

1 or fully retracts into the body 3 as shown in the phantom line of the same drawing. The flame nozzle unit

2 is provided with a fixed flame nozzle 4 which in turn is connected to a gas supply hose 5. The lighter also includes a high voltage spark wire represented by the numeral 6. One end of the spark wire 6 is fixed about the flame nozzle 4 in the unit 2. Both the gas supply hose 5 and the spark wire 6 longitudinally extend in the internal space 8a of the pipe 1 and protrude out of the bottom end 7 of the pipe 1. The lighter body 3 is provided with a cavity 8b communicating with the internal space 8a of the pipe 1. The cavity 8b defines a space sufficient enough to not only receive both the hose 5 and wire 6 protruding out of the bottom end 7 of the pipe 1, but also allow them to freely move in the cavity 8b while the pipe 1 moves relative to the lighter body 3. The gas supply hose 5 in turn is connected to the top of a liquid fuel tank 9 in the body 3 with a valve 10 interposed between the hose 5 and the tank 9. On the other hand, the high voltage spark wire 6 in turn is connected to a piezo- electric element 11 placed beside the fuel tank 9 in the lighter body 3.

In the primary embodiment, the retractable pipe 1 is movably received in a cylindrical holder 12 which in turn is fixedly mounted to the lighter body 3. Of course, it should be understood that the pipe 1 may be directly received in the lighter body 3. When using the cylindrical holder 12 for movably mounting the pipe 1 to the body 3, the lower portion of the holder 12 is provided with a longitudinal opening 13 for passing both the hose 5 and wire 6 protruding out of the bottom end 7 of the pipe 1. Both the gas supply hose 5 and high voltage spark wire 6 are flexible hose and wire respectively. The gas supply hose 5 extending between the flame nozzle 4 and the top of the fuel tank 9 has a length sufficient enough to prevent the hose 5 from being tensioned regardless of the position of the retractable pipe 1. In the same manner, the high voltage spark wire 6 extending between the flame nozzle unit 2 and the piezo-electric element 11 has a length sufficient enough to prevent the wire 6 from being tensioned regardless of the position of the retractable pipe 1.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 14 denotes a press button for igniting the lighter, the numeral 15 denotes a housing wall of the lighter body 3, and the numeral 16 denotes a switch for operating the piezo- electric element in response to a pressing motion of the button 14.

The operational effect of the above lighter will be described hereinafter. The retractable pipe 1 is normally in the fully retracted position represented in the phantom line of Fig. 1. The lighter with the fully retracted pipe 1 has an outer appearance similar to that of a conventional lighter. The lighter in this state may be preferably used for lighting a cigarette. However, a user protrudes the pipe 1 out of the holder 12 when the lighter is necessary to be used for either igniting a cooking stove or feeding a fire with firewood. When the pipe 1 fully protrudes out of the holder 12, the flame nozzle 4 is spaced apart from the lighter body 3 by a predetermined distance defined by the pipe 1. The lighter in this state will be ignited under the condition that the flame nozzle 4 is directed horizontally or downwardly when it is necessary to either ignite a cooking stove or feed a fire with firewood. In this case, the flame coming out of the nozzle 4 can not reach the user's hand and thereby scarcely makes the user get burnt in the hand gripping the lighter body 3. Additionally, as the flame nozzle 4 is spaced apart from the lighter body 3 as described above, the user is free from a danger of getting burnt in the hand when a flame suddenly flares up from a stove at the same time of igniting the stove.

Industrial Applicability

As described above, the present invention provides a lighter with a position-adjustable flame nozzle. In the above lighter, the flame nozzle is mounted to the top portion of a retractable pipe which in turn is movably received in the lighter body such that the pipe can freely selectively protrudes out of or retracts into the lighter body. When the pipe fully protrudes out of the lighter body, the nozzle is spaced apart from the lighter body by a predetermined distance defined by the pipe. That is, the flame nozzle of the lighter of this invention may be either in the highest position or in the lowest position. When the retractable pipe fully protrudes out of the lighter body to make the flame nozzle be in the highest position, the lighter can be preferably used for igniting a cooking stove or feed a fire with firewood. In this case, the flame coming out of the nozzle can not reach the user's hand and thereby scarcely makes the user get burnt in the hand gripping the lighter body. As the flame nozzle is spaced apart from the lighter body when the retractable pipe fully protrudes out of the body, the user is free from a danger of getting burnt in the hand when a flame suddenly flares up from a stove at the same time of igniting the stove. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A lighter with a position-adjustable flame nozzle comprising: a retractable hollow pipe movably received in a lighter body such that said pipe selectively protrudes out of or retracts into the lighter body, the top end of said pipe having a fixed flame nozzle; a gas supply hose connected to the flame nozzle at one end thereof, said hose longitudinally extending in the internal space of said pipe to protrude out of the bottom end of said pipe; a high voltage spark wire fixed about the flame nozzle at one end thereof, said spark wire longitudinally extending in the internal space of said pipe to protrude out of the bottom end of said pipe; the lighter body having a cavity communicating with the internal space of said pipe, said cavity defining a space sufficient enough to not only receive both the hose and wire protruding out of the pipe, but also allow the hose and wire to freely move in the cavity while the pipe moves relative to the lighter body; a liquid fuel tank provided in said lighter body and connected to the other end of said gas supply hose with a valve interposed between the hose and the tank; and a piezo-electric element placed beside the fuel tank in the lighter body and connected to the other end of said high voltage spark wire.

2. The lighter according to claim 1, further comprising: a cylindrical holder fixed to said lighter body and movably receiving said retractable pipe, the lower portion of said holder having a longitudinal opening for letting the internal space of said pipe communicate with the cavity of said lighter body and passing both the hose and wire protruding out of the pipe.

3. The lighter according to claim 1, wherein both the gas supply hose and high voltage spark wire are flexible hose and wire respectively, either the hose or the wire having a length sufficient enough to prevent the hose or the wire from being tensioned regardless of a position of said retractable pipe relative to the lighter body.