Double-lock control safety electronic lighter

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6343928
  • Patent Number
    6,343,928
  • Date Filed
    Friday, September 8, 2000
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 5, 2002
    24 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Lazarus; Ira S.
    • Cocks; Josiah C.
    Agents
    • Rosenberg, Klein & Lee
Abstract
A safety electronic lighter includes an ignition control switch, which is operated to drive a high voltage coil, causing it to discharge sparks, the ignition control switch being rotatable between the operative position and the non-operative position, a safety lock, which is operated to lock the ignition control switch, prohibiting the ignition control switch from operation, a first power control switch, which is operated to switch on/off the power supply circuit of the electronic lighter, a second power control switch connected in series to the first power control switch, the second power control switch being mounted inside the housing of the electronic lighter and kept from sight and accessible by a rod member through a hole at the housing of the electronic lighter, and a latch control device controlled by a combination of numbers to control the connection of the battery to the ignition control switch and the power control switch.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to electronic lighters, and more particularly to a safety electronic lighter which has first lock means adapted to lock the ignition control switch, prohibiting the electronic lighter from being operated, and second lock means adapted to control the connection of battery power supply to the ignition switch and power switch means of the electronic lighter.




U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,916 discloses a safety electronic lighter, which comprises an ignition control switch, which is operated to drive a high voltage coil, causing it to discharge sparks, the ignition control switch being rotatable between the operative position and the non-operative position, a safety lock, which is operated to lock the ignition control switch, preventing the ignition control switch from operation, a first power control switch, which is operated to switch on/off the power supply circuit of the electronic lighter, a second power control switch connected in series to the first power control switch, the second power control switch being mounted inside the housing of the electronic lighter and kept from sight and accessible by a rod member through a hole at the housing of the electronic lighter. This structure of electronic lighter is functional, and safe in use.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention is based on the aforesaid safety electronic lighter. According to the present invention, a latch control device is provided and adapted to control the connection of the battery to the ignition control switch and the power control switches.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1A

is an exploded view of a safety electronic lighter according to a first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 1B

is a circuit block diagram of the latch control device according to the present invention.





FIG. 1C

is a circuit block diagram of an alternate form of the latch control device according to the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a sectional assembly view of the safety electronic lighter shown in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a cross sectional view of

FIG. 1

, showing the stop rod of the safety lock stopped below the control bar.





FIG. 4

is an exploded view in an enlarged scale of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the ignition control switch.





FIG. 5

is a sectional assembly view of a safety electronic lighter according to a second embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 6A

is a sectional view in an enlarged scale showing the positioning of the control knob in the grooves at the housing of the outer shells.





FIG. 6B

is a schematic drawing showing the control knob of the ignition control switch rotated in counter-clockwise direction.





FIG. 6C

is a schematic drawing showing the control knob of the ignition control switch rotated in clock-wise direction.





FIG. 7

is an exploded view of a safety electronic lighter according to a third embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 8

is a sectional assembly view of the electronic lighter shown in FIG.


7


.





FIG. 9

is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of a part of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing the structure of the ignition control switch.





FIG. 10

is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of a part of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing the relationship between the ignition control switch and the safety lock.





FIG. 11

is a sectional assembly view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to FIGS. from


1


through


4


, a safety electronic lighter in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a housing, which is formed of two outer shells


1


and


1


′, and an ignition control switch


2


mounted in a hole


11


at the top side of the housing of the outer shells


1


and


1


′ on the middle. The ignition control switch


2


is comprised of a control knob


21


, a driving element


22


, and a control bar


23


. The control bar


23


is mounted in an opening


121


at a projecting frame


12


at one outer shell


1


, having a bottom pin


234


downwardly extended from its bottom side, a top pin


231


raised from its top side, a plurality of bevel steps


232


at its top side around the root of the top pin


231


, an extension


233


, and a metal strip


2331


at the end of the extension


233


. A spring


2341


is mounted on a substantially U-shaped holder plate


13


at one outer shell


1


around the bottom pin


234


below the projecting frame


12


. The spring


2341


supports the control bar


23


on the holder plate


13


. The driving element


22


comprises a center hole


222


, which receives the top pin


231


of the control bar


23


, and two sets of bevel steps


221


respectively disposed at its top and bottom sides around the center hole


222


. The bevel steps


221


at the bottom side of the driving element


22


are meshed with the bevel steps


232


at the control bar


23


. The control knob


21


is covered on a part of the control bar


23


, having a bottom chamber


213


, which receives the driving element


22


, a plurality of bevel steps


212


disposed inside the bottom chamber


213


and meshed with the bevel steps


221


at the top side of the driving element


22


, and two projecting rods


211


raised from the periphery at two opposite sides and respectively inserted in respective grooves


111


at the bottom side of the hole


11


for enabling the control knob


21


to be rotated clockwise/counter-clockwise within 90° angle. Stop strips


112


are provided in the grooves


111


to limit the angle of rotation of the control knob


21


within 90° angles, i.e., the control knob


21


is permitted to rotate through 90° angles in clockwise as well as counter-clockwise direction (see also FIGS. from


6


A through


6


C). Two metal contacts


141


are respectively mounted on a respective lug


14


at one outer shell


1


, and connected to power supply by a respective conductor. When the ignition control switch


2


is pressed down, the metal strip


2331


is forced into contact with the metal contacts


141


, thereby causing the electric circuit to be closed. On the contrary, when the ignition control switch


2


is released, the control bar


23


is pushed upwardly back to its former position, and the metal strip


2331


is moved with the control bar


23


from the metal contacts


141


to disconnect the electric circuit.




A high voltage coil


26


is provided in the housing of the outer shells


1


and


1


′ near the front side, and connected to a control circuit


18


and a battery


181


. The control circuit


18


controls the high voltage coil


26


to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks for igniting fuel gas. A first power control switch


151


is mounted in a switch holder


15


at one outer shell


1


, and operated to close/open the power circuit. A second power control switch


162


is mounted in a switch holder


16


near the front side of one outer shell


1


on the inside. The second power control switch


162


has a press button


163


aimed at a hole


161


at the bottom side of the housing of the outer shells


1


and


1


′. When operating the second power control switch


162


, a rod member


164


or the like is inserted through the hole


161


and pressed on the press button


163


to switch on/off the second power control switch


162


. When igniting fuel gas, the control knob


21


is rotated to such a position that the projecting rods


211


are aimed at respective notches


113


at the housing of the outer shells


1


and


1


′, then the rod member


164


is inserted through the hole


161


to switch on the second power control switch


162


, and then the control knob


21


of the ignition control switch


2


and the first power control switch


151


are simultaneously depressed to close the circuit of the high voltage coil


26


, the control circuit


18


and the battery


181


, enabling the high voltage coil


26


to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks.




A safety lock


171


is moved in a sliding slot


17


at one lateral side of the housing of the outer shells


1


and


1


′ to lock/unlock the ignition control switch


2


. The safety lock


171


has a stop rod


172


. When the safety lock


171


is shifted to the locking position, the stop rod


172


is stopped below the control bar


23


to prohibit the ignition control switch


2


from downward movement, and at the same time the control knob


21


is prohibited from rotary motion. On the contrary, when the safety lock


171


is shifted to the unlocking position, the stop rod


172


is moved away from the control bar


23


, enabling the ignition control switch


2


to be depressed. When the ignition control switch


2


is depressed, the valve


251


of the gas tank, referenced by


25


, is pulled open by a pull rod


24


of the control bar


23


, enabling fuel gas to flow out of the gas tank


25


through a gas tube


252


to a flame tube


27


at the front side of the housing of the outer shells


1


and


1


′.





FIG. 5

shows a safety electronic lighter according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment eliminates the aforesaid second power control switch


162


. When in use, the control knob


21


is rotated to the operative position (where the ignition control switch


2


is allowed to be depressed), then the safety lock


171


is moved to the unlocking position, and then the ignition control switch


2


and the power control switch


151


are simultaneously depressed, enabling sparks to be produced, and fuel gas to be discharged out of the gas tank


25


and ignited by sparks at the flame tube


27


.




FIGS. from


7


through


10


illustrate a safety electronic lighter according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The housing


3


of this third embodiment is shaped like a pistol, and formed of two symmetrical shells. The ignition control switch


2


is mounted in a hole


31


at the handgrip


382


of the housing


3


. The ignition control switch


2


is comprised of a control knob


21


, a driving element


22


, and a control bar


23


. The control bar


23


is mounted in an opening


321


at a projecting frame


32


inside the housing


3


, having a bottom pin


234


downwardly extended from its bottom side, a top pin


231


raised from its top side, and a plurality of bevel steps


232


at its top side around the root of the top pin


231


. The driving element


22


comprises a center hole


222


, which receives the top pin


231


of the control bar


23


, and two sets of bevel steps


221


respectively disposed at its top and bottom sides around the center hole


222


. The bevel steps


221


at the bottom side of the driving element


22


are meshed with the bevel steps


232


at the control bar


23


. The control knob


21


is covered on a part of the control bar


23


, having a bottom chamber


213


, which receives the driving element


22


, a plurality of bevel steps


212


disposed inside the bottom chamber


213


and meshed with the bevel steps


221


at the top side of the driving element


22


, and two projecting rods


211


raised from the periphery at two opposite sides and respectively inserted in respective grooves


311


in the hole


31


for enabling the control knob


21


to be rotated clockwise/counter-clockwise within 90° angle. Stop strips (not shown) are provided in the grooves


311


to limit the angle of rotation of the control knob


21


within 90° angles, i.e., the control knob


21


is permitted to rotate through 90° angles in clockwise as well as counter-clockwise direction (see also FIGS. from


6


A through


6


C).




A power switch


331


is mounted in a switch holder


33


inside the housing


3


adjacent to the bottom pin


234


of the control bar


23


. When the ignition control switch


2


is pressed down, the power switch


331


is triggered by the bottom pin


234


of the control bar


23


, causing sparks to be produced, and at the same time a pull lever


34


is driven by the control bar


23


to pull open the valve


351


of a gas tank


35


, enabling fuel gas to flow out of the gas tank


35


through a gas tube


352


to the front side of the lighter for combustion.




A high voltage coil


36


is provided in the housing


3


near the front side, and connected to a control circuit


38


and a battery


381


, which is received in the handgrip


382


. The control circuit


38


controls the high voltage coil


36


to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks for igniting fuel gas. Supporting members


391


are provided inside the housing


3


to hold a lamp holder


392


, which holds a lamp bulb


393


, which extends out of a hole (not shown) on the housing


3


. A multi-step control switch


4


is mounted in a bottom hole


39


at the bottom side of the housing


3


, and operated to turn off the circuit of the lighter, to turn on the circuit of the lighter, or to turn on the lamp bulb


393


.




A safety lock


371


is moved in a sliding slot


37


at one lateral side of the housing


3


adjacent to the ignition control switch


2


, and operated to lock/unlock the ignition control switch


2


. The safety lock


371


has a stop rod


372


. When the safety lock


371


is shifted to the locking position, the stop rod


372


is stopped below the control bar


23


to prohibit the ignition control switch


2


from downward movement, and at the same time the control knob


21


is prohibited from rotary motion. On the contrary, when the safety lock


371


is shifted to the unlocking position, the stop rod


372


is moved away from the control bar


23


, enabling the ignition control switch


2


to be depressed. The ignition control switch


2


is allowed to be depressed only when the control knob


21


is rotated to the position where the projecting rods


211


are aimed at respective notches


312


at the housing


3


(see FIGS.


9


and


10


). When the ignition control switch


2


is depressed, the pull lever


34


is driven to pull open the valve


351


, enabling fuel gas to flow out of the gas tank


35


through the gas tube


352


to the flame tube


354


for combustion, and at the same time the switch


331


is triggered, causing sparks to be produced between a central electrode


353


and the front end of the flame tube


354


(the flame tube


354


is a metal tube used as a side electrode), and therefore discharged fuel gas is burned up.





FIG. 11

illustrates a safety electronic lighter according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, a power control switch


333


is mounted in a switch holder


332


inside the housing


3


. The power control switch


333


has a press button


334


aimed at a hole


335


at the bottom side of the housing


3


. When operating the power control switch


333


, a rod member


164


or the like is inserted through the hole


335


and pressed on the press button


334


to switch on/off the power control switch


333


. Another power control switch


337


is mounted in a switch holder


336


inside the handgrip


382


. When igniting fuel gas, the control knob


21


is rotated to such a position that the projecting rods


211


are aimed at respective notches


312


at the housing


3


, then the rod member


164


is inserted through the hole


335


to switch on the power control switch


333


, and then the control knob


21


of the ignition control switch


2


and the power control switch


337


are simultaneously depressed to close the circuit of the high voltage coil


36


, the control circuit


38


and the battery


381


, enabling the high voltage coil


36


to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks.




The safety electronic lighter further comprises a latch control device. The latch control device comprises a control circuit assembly


19


adapted to control the connection of the battery


181


to the ignition control switch


2


and the power control switch


333


. The control circuit assembly


19


is comprised of a latch control IC


191


and a set of number entry keys


192


. When inputting a combination of numbers through the number entry keys


192


into the latch control IC


191


, the latch control IC


191


is driven to cut off power supply from the ignition control switch


2


and the power control switch


333


. At this time, pressing the ignition control switch


2


and the power control switch


333


does not cause the high voltage coil


36


to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks. When inputting the correct combination of numbers through the number entry keys


192


into the latch control IC


191


, the latch control IC


191


electrically connects the battery


181


to the ignition control switch


2


and the power control switch


333


, enabling the high voltage coil


36


to be driven to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks by pressing the ignition control switch


2


and the power control switch


333


. Alternatively, the latch control IC


191


of the control circuit assembly


19


can be set to control the ignition control switch


2


only.




It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed.



Claims
  • 1. A safety electronic lighter comprising a housing formed of two symmetrical shells, a gas tank mounted in said housing, a flame tube at a front side of said housing, a gas tank having a valve, a gas tube connected between said valve of said gas tank and said flame tube, a battery power supply circuit, a control circuit, a high voltage coil connected to said battery power supply circuit through said control circuit and controlled to discharge sparks, an ignition control switch operated to open said valve and drive said control circuit in controlling said high voltage coil to discharge sparks at said flame tube, and a safety lock controlled to lock said ignition control switch, said housing comprising a top hole at a top side thereof on the middle, which receives said ignition control switch, two smoothly arched grooves disposed at a bottom side of said top hole, two notches bilaterally disposed between said grooves, a sliding slot at one lateral side thereof on the middle, a bottom hole at a bottom side thereof, and a switch holder on the inside adjacent to said bottom hole, said ignition control switch comprising a control knob, a driving element, a control bar, and a spring, said control bar having a bottom pin downwardly extended from a bottom side thereof, a top pin raised from a top side thereof, a plurality of bevel steps at the top side around said top pin, an extension, and a metal strip at said extension, said spring being mounted inside said housing around said bottom pin of said control bar to support said control bar, said driving element comprising a center hole, which receives said top pin of said control bar and two sets of bevel steps respectively disposed at top and bottom sides thereof around the center hole, the bevel steps at the bottom side of said driving element being meshed with the bevel steps at said control bar, said control knob being covered on a part of said control bar, said control knob having a bottom chamber, which receives said driving element, a plurality of bevel steps disposed inside said bottom chamber and meshed with the bevel steps at the top side of said driving element, and two projecting rods raised from the periphery thereof at two opposite sides and respectively inserted in grooves at said housing for enabling said control knob to be rotated clockwise/counter-clockwise within 90° angle between the operative position where said projecting rods are aimed at the notches at said housing for enabling said control knob to be depressed to lower said control bar in triggering said control circuit, and the non-operative position where said projecting rods are moved away from said notches into said grooves to stop said control knob from downward movement, said safety lock being moved in said sliding slot at said housing to lock/unlock said ignition control switch, said safety lock having a stop rod, and being shifted between the locking position where said stop rod is stopped below said control bar to prohibit said ignition control switch from downward movement, and at the same time prohibit said control knob from rotary motion, said battery power supply circuit comprising a battery set connected to said control circuit and said high voltage coil, a power control switch mounted in said switch holder and extended out of said housing through said bottom hole for operation by hand to close/open the circuit of said battery power supply circuit, wherein a latch control device is installed in said housing and adapted to control the connection of said battery set to said ignition control switch and said power control switch, said latch control device comprising a control circuit assembly formed of a latch control IC controlled by a combination of numbers to control the connection of said battery set to said ignition control switch and said power control switch, and a set of number entry keys for entry of said combination of numbers.
  • 2. The safety electronic lighter of claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises a second switch holder and a second bottom hole; said battery power supply circuit further comprises a second power control switch mounted in said second switch holder inside said housing and connected in series to said first power control switch, said second power control switch comprising a switching control button aimed at said second bottom hole for operation by an external rod member being inserted through said second bottom hole to close/open the circuit of said battery power supply circuit.
  • 3. A safety electronic lighter comprising a housing, a gas tank mounted in said housing, a flame tube at a front side of said housing, a gas tank having a valve, a lever coupled to said valve and driven to open said valve, a gas tube connected between said valve of said gas tank and said flame tube, a battery power supply circuit, a control circuit, a high voltage coil connected to said battery power supply circuit through said control circuit and controlled to discharge sparks, an ignition control switch operated to open said valve and drive said control circuit in controlling said high voltage coil to discharge sparks at said flame tube, and a safety lock controlled to lock said ignition control switch, said housing being shaped like a pistol, comprising a hand grip at one end, a switch hole at said hand grip which receives said ignition control switch, a projecting frame inside said hand grip, said projecting frame having an opening, two smoothly arched grooves disposed at a bottom side of said hole, two notches bilaterally disposed between said grooves, a sliding slot at one lateral side thereof, a switch holder inside said hand grip, an insertion hole at a bottom side thereof, a lamp hole at a front side thereof, a second switch holder on the inside adjacent to said insertion hole, a bottom hole at a bottom side thereof, and lamp support means at a front side thereof behind said lamp hole, said ignition control switch being mounted in the switch hole at the hand grip of said housing, said ignition control switch comprised of a control knob, a driving element, and a control bar, said control bar being mounted in the opening at the projecting frame inside said hand grip of said housing and coupled to said lever for enabling said lever to be driven to open said valve when said ignition control switch is depressed, said control bar comprising a bottom pin downwardly extended from a bottom side thereof, a top pin raised from a top side thereof, and a plurality of bevel steps at the top side around said top pin, said driving element comprising a center hole, which receives the top pin of said control bar, and two sets of bevel steps respectively disposed at top and bottom sides thereof around the center hole, the bevel steps at the bottom side of said driving element being meshed with the bevel steps at said control bar, said control knob being covered on a part of said control bar, said control knob comprising a bottom chamber, which receives said driving clement, a plurality of bevel steps disposed inside said bottom chamber and meshed with the bevel steps at the top side of said driving element, and two projecting rods raised from the periphery thereof at two opposite sides and respectively inserted in the grooves in the switch hole at said hand grip for enabling said control knob to be rotated clockwise/counter-clockwise within 90° angle between the operative position where said projecting rods are aimed at the notches at said hand grip for enabling said control knob to be depressed to lower said control bar in triggering said control circuit, and the non-operative position where said projecting rods are moved away from said notches into said grooves to stop said control knob from downward movement, said battery power supply circuit comprising a battery set, a first power switch mounted in the first switch holder inside said hand grip of said housing adjacent to the bottom pin of said control bar and triggered by the bottom pin of said control bar to close the circuit of said battery power supply circuit when said ignition control switch is pressed down, a second power control switch mounted in said second switch holder inside said housing and connected in series to said first power control switch, said second power control switch comprising a switching control button aimed at said insertion hole for triggering by an external rod member, a lamp holder mounted in said lamp support means and holding a lamp bulb in said lamp hole, and a multi-step control switch mounted in the bottom hole at the bottom side of said housing and operated to turn off the circuit of said battery power supply circuit, to turn on the circuit of said battery power supply circuit, or to turn on said lamp bulb, said safety lock being moved in said sliding slot to lock/unlock said ignition control switch, said safety lock having a stop rod, and being shifted between the locking position where said stop rod is stopped below said control bar to prohibit said ignition control switch from downward movement, and at the same time prohibit said control knob from rotary motion, wherein a latch control device is installed in said housing and adapted to control the connection of said battery set to said ignition control switch and said power control switch, said latch control device comprising a control circuit assembly formed of a latch control IC controlled by a combination of numbers to control the connection of said battery set to said ignition control switch and said power control switch, and a set of number entry keys for entry of said combination of numbers.
  • 4. A safety electronic lighter comprising: a housing, a gas tank mounted in said housing in fluid communication with a flame tube for emitting a flame from said housing, electrical power supply means for generating electrical sparks at one end of said flame tube; said electrical power supply means including a battery, a high voltage coil, and a battery power supply circuit coupled to said battery, an ignition control switch mounted on said housing and displaceable for electrical contact to said power supply means; and, a first power control switch mounted to said housing at a location on said housing remote from said ignition control switch and electrically coupled to said electrical power supply means whereby simultaneous actuation of said ignition control switch and said first power control switch discharges said electrical sparks, wherein a latch control device is installed in said housing and adapted to control the connection of said battery set to said ignition control switch and said first power control switch, said latch control device comprising a control circuit assembly formed of a latch control IC controlled by a combination of numbers to control the connection of said battery set to said ignition control switch and said power control switch, and a set of number entry keys for entry of said combination of numbers.
  • 5. The safety electronic lights as recited in claim 4 where said ignition control switch is mounted on an upper surface of said housing and said first power control switch in mounted on a lower surface of said housing.
  • 6. The safety electronic lights as recited in claim 5 where said ignition control switch comprises a control knob, a driving element, a control bar, and a spring, said control bar having a bottom pin downwardly extended from a bottom side thereof, a top pin raised from a top side thereof, a plurality of bevel steps at the top side around said top pin, an extension, and a metal strip at said extension, said spring being mounted inside said housing around said bottom pin of said control bar to support said control bar, said driving element comprising a center hole, which receives said top pin of said control bar and two sets of bevel steps respectively disposed at top and bottom sides thereof around the center hole, the bevel steps at the bottom side of said driving element being meshed with the bevel steps at said control bar, said control knob being covered on a part of said control bar, said control knob having a bottom chamber, which receives said driving element, a plurality of bevel steps disposed inside said bottom chamber and meshed with the bevel steps at the top side of said driving element, and two projecting rods raised from the periphery thereof at two opposite sides and respectively inserted in grooves at said housing for enabling said control knob to be rotated clockwise/counter-clockwise within 90° angle between the operative position where said projecting rods are aimed at the notches at said housing for enabling said control knob to be depressed to lower said control bar in triggering said control circuit, and the non-operative position where said projecting rods are moved away from said notches into said grooves to stop said control knob from downward movement.
  • 7. The safety electronic lighter as recited in claim 4 including:a second power control switch mounted within said housing and electrically coupled to said electrical power supply means whereby simultaneous actuation of said ignition control switch, said first power control switch and said second power control switch discharges said electrical sparks.
  • 8. The safety electronic lighter as recited in claim 7 where said second power control switch is positionally aligned with an opening formed through said housing for insert of a rod member to actuate said second power control switch.
  • 9. The safety electronic lighter as recited in claim 4 including:a safety lock member insertable through a housing opening for contacting said ignition control switch and electrically decoupling said ignition control from said electrical power supply means and preventing actuation of said ignition control switch.
  • 10. A safety electronic lighter comprising: a pistol grip housing having a main section and a handle section, a gas tank mounted in said housing main section in fluid communication with a flame tube through a gas line for emitting a flame from said pistol grip housing, electrical power supply means for generating electrical sparks at one end of said flame tube, said electrical power supply means including a battery, a high voltage coil, and a battery power supply circuit coupled to said battery, a displaceable ignition control switch mounted on said housing handle section, a power control switch mounted within said housing handle section being electrically coupled to said power supply means responsive to a displacement of said displaceable control switch, and, lever means coupled to said displaceable ignition control switch on one end thereof and to said gas line on an opposing end for opening said gas line responsive to a displacement of said displaceable ignition control switch, wherein a latch control device is installed in said housing and adapted to control the connection of said battery set to said ignition control switch and said power control switch, said latch control device comprising a control circuit assembly formed of a latch control IC controlled by a combination of numbers to control the connection of said battery set to said ignition control switch and said power control switch, and a set of number entry keys for entry of said combination of numbers.
  • 11. The safety electronic lighter as recited in claim 10 including a safety lock member insertable through a housing opening for interrupting a displacement path of said ignition control switch and preventing contact of said ignition control switch with said power control switch.
  • 12. The safety electronic lighter of claim 11 further comprising a latch control device adapted to control the connection of said battery to said ignition control switch and said power control switch, said latch control device comprising a control circuit assembly formed of a latch control IC controlled by a combination of numbers to control the connection of said battery set to said ignition control switch and said power control switch, and a set of number entry keys for entry of said combination of numbers.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Number Name Date Kind
3711240 Warshaw Jan 1973 A
3822395 Cobarg et al. Jul 1974 A
4391265 Chen Jul 1983 A
5496169 Chen Mar 1996 A
5865614 Hsu Feb 1999 A
6012916 Liang Jan 2000 A
6059563 Hsu May 2000 A