US20060281038A1

US20060281038A1 - Piezoelectric lighter with pivot nozzle head

Info

Publication number: US20060281038A1
Application number: US11/150,633
Authority: US
Inventors: Wen Xu
Original assignee: Zreative Product Inc
Current assignee: Zreative Product Inc
Priority date: 2005-06-09
Filing date: 2005-06-09
Publication date: 2006-12-14

Abstract

A piezoelectric lighter includes a lighter body, a nozzle head including a nozzle seat and a gas emitting nozzle supported on the nozzle seat in a stationary manner for controlling gas ejecting at the gas emitting nozzle, and a nozzle joint movably coupling the nozzle head with the lighter body, wherein the nozzle joint has a guiding slot allowing a gas tube extending to the gas emitting nozzle and an ignition tip of a piezoelectric unit extending to a position closed to the gas emitting nozzle, wherein the nozzle seat is adapted to be selectively turned with respect to the lighter body via the nozzle joint to selectively adjust an orientation of the gas emitting nozzle so as to adjust an gas ejecting angle of the nozzle head with respect to the lighter body.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly to a piezoelectric lighter with a pivot nozzle head, wherein the nozzle head is adapted to turn with respect to a lighter body so as to selectively adjust an ignition angle of the nozzle head.
2. Description of Related Arts
A lighter is a common tool that replaces matches for igniting cigarettes and cigars. Generally, a conventional lighter, such as a piezoelectric lighter, comprises a lighter casing having a liquefied fuel storage, a gas nozzle extended to a ceiling of the lighter casing and communicating with the liquefied fuel storage for controlling a flow of gas, a piezoelectric unit disposed in the lighter casing for generating sparks when the piezoelectric unit is depressed, and a pusher button slidably mounted on the lighter casing and arranged when the pusher button is depressed downwardly, the piezoelectric unit is depressed while the gas is released from the liquefied fuel storage to the gas nozzle and is ignited by the sparks.
However, such piezoelectric lighter has a major drawback that such piezoelectric lighter can provide a single ignition angle. Since the gas nozzle is fixed to the lighter casing in an upright manner, the gas can only upwardly ejected from the gas nozzle to form the flame when the lighter is ignited. For example, when the user wants to lighten up a candle, he or she may merely put the lighter at a slanted position that the gas nozzle is pointing at the top of the wick such that the flame can directly lighten the wick. Since the gas is upwardly ejected from the gas nozzle, the lighter cannot effectively lighten the candle when the lighter is in such slanted position.
In order to solve the above problem, the lighter manufacturer can make the piezoelectric lighter that the gas nozzle is inclinedly supported at the lighter casing such that the gas nozzle is adapted to directly pointing at the wick of the candle while the lighter casing is at an upright manner. However, such lighter is not practical use for lightening a cigarette. In addition, most users would like to use a utility lighter having an elongated gas nozzle tube to lighten up the candle. However, the utility lighter is bulky that the user is unable to carry the utility lighter in his or her pocket.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectric lighter, which comprises a nozzle head adapted to turn with respect to a lighter body so as to selectively adjust an ignition angle of the nozzle head.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectric lighter, wherein the nozzle head is pivotally mounted on the lighter body such that the user is able to pivotally turn the nozzle head to select the gas ejecting either at an upright manner or at an inclined manner from the nozzle head so as to enhance the practical use of the piezoelectric lighter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectric lighter, wherein the nozzle head comprises a nozzle seat pivotally mounted to the lighter body and a gas emitting nozzle mounted on the nozzle seat in a stationary manner such that when the nozzle seat is turned with respect to the lighter body, the gas emitting nozzle is correspondingly supported by the nozzle seat so as to ensure the gas ejecting at the gas emitting nozzle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectric lighter, which does not require to alter the original structural design of the lighter so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the lighter incorporating with the nozzle head.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectric lighter, wherein no expensive or complicated mechanism is required to employ in the piezoelectric lighter, so that the present invention successfully provides an economic and efficient solution not only for allowing the nozzle head to be turned to adjust the ignition angle of the lighter but also for facilitating the practical use of the lighter.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a piezoelectric lighter, comprising:
a lighter body having a liquefied gas storage and a gas tube communicatively extending therefrom;
a piezoelectric unit, which is disposed in the lighter body for generating piezoelectricity, comprising a movable operating part extended upwardly and an ignition tip, wherein when the movable operating part is depressed downwardly, sparks are generated from the ignition tip;
a pusher button slidably mounted to the lighter body to depress the movable operating part of the piezoelectric unit and to release a flow of gas from the liquefied gas storage through the gas tube at the same time;
a nozzle head comprising a nozzle seat and a gas emitting nozzle supported on the nozzle seat in a stationary manner for controlling the gas ejecting at the gas emitting nozzle; and
a nozzle joint, which is movably coupling the nozzle head with the lighter body, having a guiding slot allowing the gas tube extending to the gas emitting nozzle and the ignition tip of the piezoelectric unit extending to a position closed to the gas emitting nozzle, wherein the nozzle seat is adapted to be selectively turned with respect to the lighter body via the nozzle joint to selectively adjust an orientation of the gas emitting nozzle so as to adjust an gas ejecting angle of the nozzle head with respect to the lighter body.
These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a piezoelectric lighter with a pivot nozzle head according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the piezoelectric lighter with the pivot nozzle head according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pivot nozzle head of the piezoelectric lighter according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a piezoelectric lighter with a pivot nozzle head according to second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pivot nozzle head of the piezoelectric lighter according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings, a piezoelectric lighter according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the piezoelectric lighter comprises a lighter body 10 having a liquefied gas storage 11 and a gas tube 12 communicatively extending therefrom, a piezoelectric unit 20, and a pusher button 30.
The piezoelectric unit 20, which is disposed in the lighter body 10 for generating piezoelectricity, comprises a movable operating part 21 extended upwardly and an ignition tip 22, wherein when the movable operating part 21 is depressed downwardly, sparks are generated from the ignition tip 22.
The pusher button 30 is slidably mounted to the lighter body 10 to depress the movable operating part 21 of the piezoelectric unit 20 and to release a flow of gas from the liquefied gas storage 11 through the gas tube 12 at the same time.
The piezoelectric lighter further comprises a nozzle head 40 and a nozzle joint 50 movably coupling the nozzle head 40 with the lighter body 10.
The nozzle head 40 comprises a nozzle seat 41 and a gas emitting nozzle 42 supported on the nozzle seat 41 in a stationary manner for controlling the gas ejecting at the gas emitting nozzle 42.
The nozzle joint 50 has a guiding slot 501 allowing the gas tube 12 extending to the gas emitting nozzle 42 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 extending to a position closed to the gas emitting nozzle 42, wherein the nozzle seat 41 is adapted to be selectively turned with respect to the lighter body 10 via the nozzle joint 50 to selectively adjust an orientation of the gas emitting nozzle 42 so as to adjust an gas ejecting angle of the nozzle head 40 with respect to the lighter body 10.
According to the preferred embodiment, the lighter body 10 has a U-shaped top portion defining two inner sidewalls 101 and a top ceiling wall 102 to receive the nozzle head 40 between the two inner sidewalls 101 on top of the tope ceiling wall 102. The lighter body 10 further has a pusher slot 13 formed on a sidewall to guide the pusher button 30 sliding on the lighter body 10.
The gas tube 12 is made of flexible material such as plastic adapted to flexibly extend from the liquefied gas storage 11 to the gas emitting nozzle 42 to guide the gas flowing thereto.
The lighter body 10 further comprises a gas releasable valve 14 operatively mounted on the liquefied gas storage 11 for controlling the gas flowing therefrom and a gas lever 15, which is disposed in the lighter body 10 in a pivotal movable manner, having an engaging end 151 engaged with the gas releasable valve 14 and a depressible end 152 arranged in such a manner that when the depressible end 152 of the gas lever 15 is depressed downwardly, the engaging end 151 of the gas lever 15 lifts up the gas releasable valve 14 for releasing gas from the liquefied gas storage 11.
As shown in FIG. 2, the pusher button 30, which is slidably mounted on the sidewall of the lighter body 10 along the pusher slot 13, has a depressing arm 31 extended into the lighter body 10 to rest on top of the movable operating part 21 of the piezoelectric unit 20 and arranged in such a manner that when the pusher button 30 is depressed downwardly, the movable operating part 21 of the piezoelectric unit 20 and the depressible end 152 of the gas lever 15 are respectively depressed at the same time to generate the sparks and to release the gas so as to ignite the piezoelectric lighter.
The nozzle seat 41 comprises a supporting platform 411 substantially supporting the gas emitting nozzle 42 in a stationary manner to retain the gas tube 12 connecting to the gas emitting nozzle 42 in a gas communicating manner, wherein the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 is securely mounted to the nozzle seat 41 to retain the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 at a position closed to the gas emitting nozzle 42 such that when the nozzle seat 41 is driven to turn, the gas tube 12 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 are retained in position for allowing the gas flowing towards the gas emitting nozzle 42 and the sparks generated at the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 towards the gas emitting nozzle 42 respectively.
The nozzle head 40 further comprises a windshield 43, having a top flame opening 431, securely mounted to the nozzle seat 41 to enclose the gas emitting nozzle 42 at a position that the gas emitting nozzle 42 is aligned with the top flame opening 431. The windshield 43 further has two opposing side stopper surfaces 432 adapted to bias against the top ceiling wall 102 of the lighter body 10 so as to limit a pivot movement of the nozzle head 40. Accordingly, the nozzle head 40 is adapted to pivotally turn 180° between the two inner sidewalls 101 of the lighter body 10. Therefore, the two side stopper surfaces 432 of the windshield 43 prevent the over-turning of the nozzle head 40.
As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle joint 50 comprises two pivot shafts 51 outwardly and integrally extended from two sides of the nozzle seat 41 to rotatably mount to the inner sidewalls 101 of the lighter body 10 respectively so as to allow the nozzle head 40 pivotally turning therebetween, wherein the guiding slot 501 is formed on each of the pivot shafts 51 as a guiding through channel such that the gas tube 12 is extended through one of the pivot shafts 51 to communicatively connect to the gas emitting tube 42 while the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 is extended through another pivot shaft 51 to a position closed to the gas emitting nozzle 42.
According to the present invention, the nozzle head 40 can be normally turned at a position that the gas emitting nozzle 42 is in an upright manner as a regular piezoelectric lighter such that when the pusher button 30 is depressed downwardly, the gas ejecting from the gas emitting nozzle 42 is ignited at the orientation of the gas emitting nozzle 42. When the nozzle head 40 is pivotally turned to adjust the orientation of the gas emitting nozzle 42 with respect to the lighter body 10, the gas is ejected correspondingly to adjust the igniting angle of the piezoelectric lighter. It is worth to mention that when the nozzle head 40 is pivotally turned, the nozzle seat 41 retains the gas tube 12 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 in position so as to ensure the gas ejecting at the gas emitting nozzle 42 and being ignited properly.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a piezoelectric lighter of a second embodiment illustrates an alternative mode of the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the nozzle head 40′ is adapted to turn in different direction via the nozzle joint 50′ in comparison with the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 4, the piezoelectric lighter of the second embodiment has a structural configuration same as the structure of the piezoelectric lighter of the first embodiment, expect the shape of the lighter body 10′, the nozzle head 40′ and the nozzle 50′, wherein the lighter body 10′ has a top ceiling wall 102′ pivotally supporting the nozzle head 40′ via the nozzle joint 50′, as shown in FIG. 5.
The nozzle seat 41′ comprises a supporting platform 411′ substantially supporting the gas emitting nozzle 42′ in a stationary manner to retain the gas tube 12 connecting to the gas emitting nozzle 42′ in a gas communicating manner, wherein the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 is securely mounted to the nozzle seat 41′ to retain the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 at a position closed to the gas emitting nozzle 42′ such that when the nozzle seat 41′ is driven to turn, the gas tube 12 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 are retained in position for allowing the gas flowing towards the gas emitting nozzle 42′ and the sparks generated at the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 towards the gas emitting nozzle 42′ respectively. As shown in FIG. 4, the gas emitting nozzle 42′ is supported by the nozzle seat 41′ at a position transversely above the top ceiling wall 102′ of the lighter body 10′.
The nozzle head 40′ further comprises a windshield 43′, having a side flame opening 431′, securely mounted to the nozzle seat 41′ to enclose the gas emitting nozzle 42′ at a position that the gas emitting nozzle 42′ is aligned with the side flame opening 431′. Accordingly, the windshield 43′ has a tubular structure that the nozzle seat 41′ is securely mounted within the windshield 43′.
As shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle joint 50′ comprises a pivot shaft 51′ downwardly extended from the nozzle seat 41′ to rotatably mount to the top ceiling wall 102′ of the lighter body 10′ so as to allow the nozzle head 40′ pivotally turning thereon, wherein the guiding slot 501′ is formed at the pivot shaft 51′ as a guiding through channel such that the gas tube 12 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 are respectively extended through the pivot shaft 51′ to communicatively connect to the gas emitting nozzle 42′ and to a position closed to the gas emitting nozzle 42′. Accordingly, the pivot shaft 51′ is integrally and downwardly extended from the windshield 43′ wherein the gas tube 12 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 are extended through the windshield 43′ to communicate with the gas emitting nozzle 42′.
The pivot shaft 51′ has a stopper edge 511′ adapted to bias against the top ceiling wall 102′ of the lighter body 10′ so as to limit a pivot movement of the nozzle head 40′. Accordingly, the nozzle head 40 is adapted to pivotally turn more than 180° on the top ceiling wall 102′ of the lighter body 10′. A blocking edge 512′ is formed in the lighter body 10′ at the pivot shaft 51′ to block the pivot movement of the nozzle head 40′ when the stopper edge 511′ of the pivot shaft 51′ reaches the blocking edge 512′ of the lighter body 10′. Therefore, the stopper edge 511′ of the pivot shaft 51′ prevents the over-turning of the nozzle head 40′.
One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.
It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric lighter, comprising:

a lighter body having a liquefied gas storage and a gas tube communicatively extending therefrom;

a piezoelectric unit, which is disposed in said lighter body for generating piezoelectricity, comprising a movable operating part extended upwardly and an ignition tip, wherein when said movable operating part is depressed downwardly, sparks are generated from said ignition tip;

a pusher button slidably mounted to said lighter body to depress said movable operating part of said piezoelectric unit and to release a flow of gas from said liquefied gas storage through said gas tube at the same time;

a nozzle head comprising a nozzle seat and a gas emitting nozzle supported on said nozzle seat in a stationary manner for controlling said gas ejecting at said gas emitting nozzle; and

a nozzle joint, which is movably coupling said nozzle head with said lighter body, having a guiding slot allowing said gas tube extending to said gas emitting nozzle and said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit extending to a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle, wherein said nozzle seat is adapted to be selectively turned with respect to said lighter body via said nozzle joint to selectively adjust an orientation of said gas emitting nozzle so as to adjust an gas ejecting angle of said nozzle head with respect to said lighter body.

2. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighter body has a U-shaped top portion defining two inner sidewalls and a top ceiling wall to receive said nozzle head between said two inner sidewalls on top of said tope ceiling wall, wherein said nozzle joint comprises two pivot shafts outwardly and integrally extended from two sides of said nozzle seat to rotatably mount to said inner sidewalls of said lighter body respectively so as to allow said nozzle head pivotally turning therebetween.

3. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 2, wherein said guiding slot is formed on each of said pivot shafts as a guiding through channel such that said gas tube is extended through one of said pivot shafts to communicatively connect to said gas emitting tube while said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit is extended through another said pivot shaft to a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle.

4. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 1, wherein said nozzle seat comprises a supporting platform substantially supporting said gas emitting nozzle in a stationary manner to retain said gas tube connecting to said gas emitting nozzle in a gas communicating manner, wherein said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit is securely mounted to said nozzle seat to retain said ignition tip of the piezoelectric unit at a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle such that when said nozzle seat is driven to turn, said gas tube and said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit are retained in position for allowing said gas flowing towards said gas emitting nozzle and said sparks generated at said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit towards said gas emitting nozzle respectively.

5. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 2, wherein said nozzle seat comprises a supporting platform substantially supporting said gas emitting nozzle in a stationary manner to retain said gas tube connecting to said gas emitting nozzle in a gas communicating manner, wherein said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit is securely mounted to said nozzle seat to retain said ignition tip of the piezoelectric unit at a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle such that when said nozzle seat is driven to turn, said gas tube and said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit are retained in position for allowing said gas flowing towards said gas emitting nozzle and said sparks generated at said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit towards said gas emitting nozzle respectively.

6. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 3, wherein said nozzle seat comprises a supporting platform substantially supporting said gas emitting nozzle in a stationary manner to retain said gas tube connecting to said gas emitting nozzle in a gas communicating manner, wherein said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit is securely mounted to said nozzle seat to retain said ignition tip of the piezoelectric unit at a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle such that when said nozzle seat is driven to turn, said gas tube and said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit are retained in position for allowing said gas flowing towards said gas emitting nozzle and said sparks generated at said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit towards said gas emitting nozzle respectively.

7. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 2, wherein said nozzle head further comprises a windshield, having a top flame opening, securely mounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at a position that said gas emitting nozzle is aligned with said top flame opening.

8. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 5, wherein said nozzle head further comprises a windshield, having a top flame opening, securely mounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at a position that said gas emitting nozzle is aligned with said top flame opening.

9. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 6, wherein said nozzle head further comprises a windshield, having a top flame opening, securely mounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at a position that said gas emitting nozzle is aligned with said top flame opening.

10. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 7, wherein said windshield further has two opposing side stopper surfaces adapted to bias against said top ceiling wall of said lighter body so as to limit a pivot movement of said nozzle head.

11. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 8, wherein said windshield further has two opposing side stopper surfaces adapted to bias against said top ceiling wall of said lighter body so as to limit a pivot movement of said nozzle head.

12. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 9, wherein said windshield further has two opposing side stopper surfaces adapted to bias against said top ceiling wall of said lighter body so as to limit a pivot movement of said nozzle head.

13. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighter body has a top ceiling wall supporting said nozzle head thereon, wherein said nozzle joint comprises a pivot shaft downwardly extended from said nozzle seat to rotatably mount to said top ceiling wall of said lighter body so as to allow said nozzle head pivotally turning thereon.

14. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 13, wherein said guiding slot is formed at said pivot shaft as a guiding through channel such that said gas tube and said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit are respectively extended through said pivot shaft to communicatively connect to said gas emitting nozzle and to a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle.

15. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 14, wherein said pivot shaft has a stopper edge adapted to bias against said top ceiling wall of said lighter body so as to limit a pivot movement of said nozzle head.

16. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 13, wherein said nozzle seat comprises a supporting platform substantially supporting said gas emitting nozzle in a stationary manner to retain said gas tube connecting to said gas emitting nozzle in a gas communicating manner, wherein said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit is securely mounted to said nozzle seat to retain said ignition tip of the piezoelectric unit at a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle such that when said nozzle seat is driven to turn, said gas tube and said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit are retained in position for allowing said gas flowing towards said gas emitting nozzle and said sparks generated at said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit towards said gas emitting nozzle respectively.

17. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 15, wherein said nozzle seat comprises a supporting platform substantially supporting said gas emitting nozzle in a stationary manner to retain said gas tube connecting to said gas emitting nozzle in a gas communicating manner, wherein said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit is securely mounted to said nozzle seat to retain said ignition tip of the piezoelectric unit at a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle such that when said nozzle seat is driven to turn, said gas tube and said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit are retained in position for allowing said gas flowing towards said gas emitting nozzle and said sparks generated at said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit towards said gas emitting nozzle respectively.

18. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 13, wherein said nozzle head further comprises a windshield, having a side flame opening, securely mounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at a position that said gas emitting nozzle is transversely supported on said top ceiling wall to align with said side flame opening.

19. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 15, wherein said nozzle head further comprises a windshield, having a side flame opening, securely mounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at a position that said gas emitting nozzle is transversely supported on said top ceiling wall to align with said side flame opening.

20. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 17, wherein said nozzle head further comprises a windshield, having a side flame opening, securely mounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at a position that said gas emitting nozzle is transversely supported on said top ceiling wall to align with said side flame opening.