Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6520658
-
Patent Number
6,520,658
-
Date Filed
Friday, July 6, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, February 18, 200322 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
- Chan; Raymond Y.
- David & Raymond Patent Group
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 362 101
- 362 109
- 362 96
- 362 84
- 362 124
- 362 253
- 362 254
- 362 808
- 431 353
- 431 252
- 431 255
- 431 125
- 431 126
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A glow in dark lighter includes a luminous casing having a receiving cavity for receiving a liquefied gas storage therein and at least a luminous area adapted to be visible in the dark, a gas emitting nozzle disposed in the luminous casing and communicating with the liquefied gas storage for control a flow of gas, and an ignition system comprising an ignition button for igniting the lighter. Therefore, the glow in dark lighter of the present invention is capable self-illuminating in the dark.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly to a glow in dark lighter which is adapted to be self-illuminated in the dark so as to facilitate for a user to look for the lighter especially in a dim condition.
2. Description of Related Arts
Lighters have been know and sold throughout the United States. Almost every smoker is used to carry a lighter for lighting a cigarette or a cigar. However, they always have a common problem when they look for a lighter in the dark. For example, when the user is in a bar in which the light is dim, it is hard to look to the lighter in such dim condition to light a cigarette. Or, when the user is in the bedroom in when the lamp is switched off, it is extremely difficult to find the lighter unless the user impatiently to turn on the lamp. Besides, the user may easily loss his or her lighter in the dark since the lighter has no significant illuminating feature to attract the user's attention.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a glow in dark lighter which is visible in the dark so as to facilitate for a user to look for the lighter especially in a dim condition.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a glow in dark lighter which is adapted to be self-illuminated without using electrical power so as to minimize the cost of the lighter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a glow in dark lighter, wherein no expensive or complicate mechanical structure is required to employ in the present invention in order to achieve the mentioned objects. Therefore, the present invention successfully provides an economic and efficient solution for attracting users' attention in the dark.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a glow in dark lighter which comprises a signlight arrangement adapted for emitting light when the lighter is ignited, so as to provide an ignition alert of the lighter.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a glow in dark lighter, which comprises a luminous casing having a receiving cavity for receiving a liquefied gas storage therein and at least a luminous area adapted to be visible in the dark, a gas emitting nozzle disposed in the luminous casing and communicating with the liquefied gas storage for control a flow of gas, and an ignition system comprising an ignition button for igniting the lighter. Therefore, the glow in dark lighter of the present invention is capable self-illuminating in the dark.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a glow in dark lighter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is an exploded perspective view of the glow in dark lighter according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3
is a partially sectional view of the glow in dark lighter according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIG. 1
of the drawings, a glow in dark lighter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the glow in dark lighter comprises a luminous casing
10
, having a receiving cavity
11
for receiving a liquefied gas storage
12
therein and at least a luminous area
101
adapted to be visible in the dark, a gas emitting nozzle
20
disposed in the luminous casing
10
and communicating with the liquefied gas storage
12
for control a flow of gas, and an ignition system
30
comprising a ignition button
31
for igniting the lighter.
The luminous casing
10
has an exterior surface
102
wherein the luminous area
101
is provided thereon such that the luminous casing
10
is capable of self-illuminating in the dark. Moreover, the luminous casing
10
further has at least a through slot
13
provided thereon for communicating the receiving cavity
11
with an exterior of the luminous casing
10
.
The ignition system
30
, such as a standard piezoelectric lighter, comprises piezoelectric unit
32
, which is disposed in the luminous casing
10
for generating piezoelectricity, comprising a movable operating part
321
extended upwardly and an ignition tip
322
extended to a position close to the gas emitting nozzle
20
, wherein the movable operating part
321
is depressed downwardly, the ignition tip
322
generates sparks to ignite the gas emitted from the gas emitting nozzle
20
at the same time.
A rear portion of the ignition button
31
is positioned above a top end of the movable operating part
321
of the piezoelectric unit
32
and arranged in such a manner when the ignition button
31
is pushed downwardly, the movable operating part
321
of the piezoelectric unit
32
is depressed to ignite the glow in dark lighter.
According to the preferred embodiment, the luminous casing
10
, which is preferably made of plastic, comprises a fluorescent element
12
attached on the exterior surface
102
of the luminous casing
10
to define the luminous area
101
thereof. In other words, the entire exterior surface
102
of the luminous casing
10
, which is the luminous area
101
thereof, is capable of self-illuminating in the dark.
The fluorescent element
12
, which is preferably a fluorescent paint, is permanently coated on the exterior surface
102
of the luminous casing
10
such that the luminous casing
10
can be visible in the dark. Alternatively, the fluorescent element
12
can be a fluorescent powder attached by adhering to the exterior surface
102
of the luminous casing
10
to achieve the luminosity purpose.
It is worth to mention that a flint type lighter can also be employed the luminous casing
10
such that the flint type lighter can be visible in the dark.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, the glow in dark lighter further comprises a signlight arrangement
40
disposed in the receiving cavity
11
for illuminating light when the glow in dark lighter is ignited. The signlight arrangement
40
comprises an illuminator
41
, a power supply
42
electrically connected to the illuminator
41
, and a motion switch
43
electrically extended from the illuminator
41
and arranged to detect a motion of the ignition button
31
so as to emitting light from the illuminator
412
. Therefore, the emitting light from the illuminator
41
can be seen when the glow in dark lighter is ignited.
The motion switch
43
comprises a conductive wire
431
having a connecting end
431
a
electrically connected to the illuminator
41
and a detecting end
431
b
extended to a position close to the ignition button
31
for detecting the downward motion of the ignition button
31
.
According to the preferred embodiment, the illuminator
41
comprises an IC board
411
and at least a LED
412
electrically mounted thereon wherein a head portion of the LED
412
is extended to the exterior of the luminous casing
10
through the through slot
13
. As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, there are two LEDs
412
mounted the IC board
411
and passing through two through slots
13
respectively so as to extend to the exterior of the luminous casing
10
.
The illuminator
41
further comprises an illuminating unit
413
electrically provided on the IC board
411
in such a manner that when the illuminator
41
is switched on, the light from the illuminating unit
413
is adapted for passing through the luminous casing
10
to the exterior thereof.
The IC board
411
comprises a control means
4111
for orderly controlling the lights from the LED
412
and the illuminating unit
413
in a cycle manner. In other words, when the illuminator
41
is switched on, both the LED
412
and the illuminating unit
413
emit lights orderly in predetermined cycles.
The power supply
42
comprises at least a replaceable battery
421
securely disposed in the receiving cavity
11
of the luminous casing
10
wherein the replaceable battery
421
is electrically connected to the IC board
411
via a pair of wires. In order to hold the replaceable battery
421
in the luminous casing
10
, the luminous casing
10
further comprises a pair of parallel holding members
14
inwardly and integrally protruded from the luminous casing
10
and an opening
15
is formed on a rear side of the luminous casing
10
in such a manner that the replaceable battery
421
is securely mounted between the two holding members
14
and adapted to be replaced through the opening
15
of the luminous casing
10
without disassembling the glow in dark lighter.
It is worth to mention that the signlight arrangement
40
can be incorporated the slide-down type piezoelectric lighter wherein the ignition button is depressed downwardly and sidewardly to ignite the piezoelectric lighter. In other words, the motion switch
43
of the signlight arrangement
40
can detect not only the downward motion of the ignition button
31
but also the slid-down motion of the ignition button.
Claims
- 1. A glow in dark lighter, comprising:a luminous casing having a receiving cavity for receiving a liquefied gas storage therein and at least a luminous area adapted to be visible in the dark; a gas emitting nozzle disposed in said luminous casing and communicating with said liquefied gas storage for control a flow of gas; and an ignition system comprising an ignition button for igniting said lighter.
- 2. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 1, wherein said casing comprises a fluorescent element attached on an exterior surface of said luminous casing to define said luminous area thereof such that said exterior surface of said luminous casing is capable of self-illuminating in the dark.
- 3. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 2, wherein said fluorescent element is a fluorescent paint permanently coated on said exterior surface of said luminous casing.
- 4. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 1, wherein said ignition system further comprises a piezoelectric unit, which is disposed in said luminous casing for generating piezoelectricity, comprising a movable operating part extended upwardly and an ignition tip extended to a position close to said gas emitting nozzle, wherein said movable operating part is depressed downwardly, said ignition tip generates sparks to ignite said gas emitted from said gas emitting nozzle at the same time, a rear portion of said ignition button being positioned above a top end of said movable operating part of said piezoelectric unit and arranged in such a manner when said ignition button is pushed downwardly, said movable operating part of said piezoelectric unit is depressed to ignite said glow in dark lighter.
- 5. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 2, wherein said ignition system further comprises a piezoelectric unit, which is disposed in said luminous casing for generating piezoelectricity, comprising a movable operating part extended upwardly and an ignition tip extended to a position close to said gas emitting nozzle, wherein said movable operating part is depressed downwardly, said ignition tip generates sparks to ignite said gas emitted from said gas emitting nozzle at the same time, a rear portion of said ignition button being positioned above a top end of said movable operating part of said piezoelectric unit and arranged in such a manner when said ignition button is pushed downwardly, said movable operating part of said piezoelectric unit is depressed to ignite said glow in dark lighter.
- 6. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a signlight arrangement disposed in said receiving cavity for illuminating light when said glow in dark lighter is ignited, wherein said signlight arrangement comprises an illuminator, a power supply electrically connected to said illuminator, and a motion switch electrically extended from said illuminator and arranged to detect a motion of said ignition button so as to emitting light from said illuminator.
- 7. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 6, wherein said motion switch comprises a conductive wire having a connecting end electrically connected to said illuminator and a detecting end extended to a position close to said ignition button for detecting said motion thereof.
- 8. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 6, wherein said illuminator comprises an IC board, at least a LED electrically mounted thereon, and an illuminating unit electrically provided on said IC board wherein said IC board comprises a control means for orderly controlling lights emitted from said LED and said illuminating unit respectively in predetermined cycles when said illuminator is switched on.
- 9. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 7, wherein said illuminator comprises an IC board, at least a LED electrically mounted thereon, and an illuminating unit electrically provided on said IC board wherein said IC board comprises a control means for orderly controlling lights emitted from said LED and said illuminating unit respectively in predetermined cycles when said illuminator is switched on.
- 10. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 9, wherein said luminous casing further comprises a pair of parallel holding members inwardly and integrally protruded from said luminous casing and an opening formed on a rear side of said luminous casing in such a manner that said power supply which comprises at least a replaceable battery is securely mounted between said two holding members and adapted to be replaced through said opening of said luminous casing.
- 11. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 2, further comprising a signlight arrangement disposed in said receiving cavity for illuminating light when said glow in dark lighter is ignited, wherein said signlight arrangement comprises an illuminator, a power supply electrically connected to said illuminator, and a motion switch electrically extended from said illuminator and arranged to detect a motion of said ignition button so as to emitting light from said illuminator.
- 12. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 11, wherein said motion switch comprises a conductive wire having a connecting end electrically connected to said illuminator and a detecting end extended to a position close to said ignition button for detecting said motion thereof.
- 13. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 11, wherein said illuminator comprises an IC board, at least a LED electrically mounted thereon, and an illuminating unit electrically provided on said IC board wherein said IC board comprises a control means for orderly controlling lights emitted from said LED and said illuminating unit respectively in predetermined cycles when said illuminator is switched on.
- 14. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 12, wherein said illuminator comprises an IC board, at least a LED electrically mounted thereon, and an illuminating unit electrically provided on said IC board wherein said IC board comprises a control means for orderly controlling lights emitted from said LED and said illuminating unit respectively in predetermined cycles when said illuminator is switched on.
- 15. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 14, wherein said luminous casing further comprises a pair of parallel holding members inwardly and integrally protruded from said luminous casing and an opening formed on a rear side of said luminous casing in such a manner that said power supply which comprises at least a replaceable battery is securely mounted between said two holding members and adapted to be replaced through said opening of said luminous casing.
- 16. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 5, further comprising a signlight arrangement disposed in said receiving cavity for illuminating light when said glow in dark lighter is ignited, wherein said signlight arrangement comprises an illuminator, a power supply electrically connected to said illuminator, and a motion switch electrically extended from said illuminator and arranged to detect a motion of said ignition button so as to emitting light from said illuminator.
- 17. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 16, wherein said motion switch comprises a conductive wire having a connecting end electrically connected to said illuminator and a detecting end extended to a position close to said ignition button for detecting said motion thereof.
- 18. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 16, wherein said illuminator comprises an IC board, at least a LED electrically mounted thereon, and an illuminating unit electrically provided on said IC board wherein said IC board comprises a control means for orderly controlling lights emitted from said LED and said illuminating unit respectively in predetermined cycles when said illuminator is switched on.
- 19. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 17, wherein said illuminator comprises an IC board, at least a LED electrically mounted thereon, and an illuminating unit electrically provided on said IC board wherein said IC board comprises a control means for orderly controlling lights emitted from said LED and said illuminating unit respectively in predetermined cycles when said illuminator is switched on.
- 20. A glow in dark lighter, as recited in claim 19, wherein said luminous casing further comprises a pair of parallel holding members inwardly and integrally protruded from said luminous casing and an opening formed on a rear side of said luminous casing in such a manner that said power supply which comprises at least a replaceable battery is securely mounted between said two holding members and adapted to be replaced through said opening of said luminous casing.
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Kind |
1110100 |
Ambash et al. |
Sep 1914 |
A |
2198234 |
Stratton |
Apr 1940 |
A |
3205350 |
Roszkowski et al. |
Sep 1965 |
A |
6093016 |
Lin |
Jul 2000 |
A |