CA2501765A1

CA2501765A1 - Lighter with spark-wheel slip ring

Info

Publication number: CA2501765A1
Application number: CA002501765A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Michel Doucet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: BIC Corp
Priority date: 1996-03-01
Filing date: 1997-02-27
Publication date: 1997-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 2017-02-27
Also published as: CA2501765C

Abstract

The lighter (10) of the present invention provides a slip ring (60) which is concentrically mounted about the striking wheel assembly (50) of a conventional lighter. To operate the lighter, digital pressure is applied to frictionally couple the slip ring (60) and the striking wheel assembly (50) together to move in concert to create a spark, The slip ring (60) has disposed along its circumference an elongated slot (70). The ends (72, 74) of the slot engage the flint housing (15) to halt the movement of the ring, and, hence, the motion of the striking wheel assembly (50). Lastly, the slip ring (60) includes protrusions (80) which hold the slip ring (60) in a neutral position until force is applied in a backward direction to disengage the slip ring (60).

Claims

1. ~A lighter comprising:
a lighter body containing a fuel reservoir with a valve for releasing fuel therefrom;
a spark producing element rotatable by a user to produce a spark directed toward said valve, wherein said element is mounted on the lighter body and comprises a rotary sparker and an axle to which the sparker is mounted;
a valve actuator depressible to actuate said valve and release said fuel; and an annular member slideably mounted around at least a portion of said spark producing element and defining an inner surface, said inner surface being frictionally engageable with an outer surface of at least a portion of said spark producing element in response to pressure applied to said annular member, wherein application of sufficient digital pressure by a user to said annular member permits the user to rotate the spark producing element to produce a spark for igniting fuel.

2. ~The lighter as set forth in claim 1, wherein an outer surface of said annular member is serrated.

3. ~The lighter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the annular member is mounted around said axle.

4. ~The lighter as set forth in claim 3, wherein the~
inner surface of said annular member is circular.

5. ~The lighter as set forth in claim 4, wherein the outer surface of said axle is circular.

6. ~A method of preventing unintended use of a lighter comprising the steps of:
providing a lighter having a lighter body containing a fuel reservoir with a valve for releasing fuel therefrom, a spark producing element rotatable by a user to produce a spark directed toward said valve wherein said element is mounted on the lighter body and comprises a rotary sparker and an axle to which the sparker is mounted, a valve actuator depressible to actuate said valve and release said fuel, and an annular member slideably mounted around at least a portion of said spark producing element and defining an inner surface, said inner surface being fractionally engageable with an outer surface of at least a portion of said spark producing element in response to pressure applied to said annular member;
applying sufficient digital pressure to said annular member to rotate the spark producing element to produce a spark for igniting fuel.

7. ~The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein an outer surface of said annular member is serrated.

8. ~The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the annular member is mounted around said axle.

9. ~The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the inner surface of said annular member is circular.

10. ~The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the outer surface of said axle is circular.