1. Technical Field
The present application is directed to a lighter and method of use and, in particular, to a lighter with a safety device to prevent inadvertent ignition of the lighter and a method of using the lighter.
2. Related Art
Many safety devices have been proposed to prevent inadvertent lighting of lighters, in particular by children. One such lighter is described in Korean Utility Model Registration 239686, which discloses an igniting lighter with a safety device provided at one side of an ignition button. In order to ignite the lighter, the safety device first must be unlocked, followed by depressing the ignition button. However, the safety device can be unlocked only by an intentional manipulation when carrying out the ignition. Further, after the ignition, the safety device has to be locked by an intentional manipulation. This can be inconvenient and more importantly, easily forgotten when a user is busy, defeating the purpose of having a safety lock.
Thus, there is need in the art for a lighter with an automatic safety feature to further decrease the possibility of inadvertent lighting, providing increased safety to users, especially children.
The present disclosure is directed to an ignition lighter particularly adapted as a barbecue-style lighter, in which the safety device is naturally unlocked by the fingers of the igniting person during an ignition of the barbecue preparation apparatus, and the safety device is automatically locked after the ignition.
According to the disclosure, the ignition lighter includes a safety device such that in use, the index finger supports the rear part of the lighter, and the safety button is disposed correspondingly to the index finger. Thus, when the ignition button is pushed by a user's thumb, the safety button is easily and naturally pressed in order to unlock the safety device, rendering ignition easier.
In one embodiment, the lighter includes a housing, and an ignition button and a safety button extending through and supported by the housing. The lighter also includes a biasing member operatively connected to the safety button and to a fuel source, and an actuating member operatively connected to the ignition button and to an ignition source. When a force is exerted on both the ignition button and the safety button, the fuel source is opened and the ignition source is activated to light the lighter, and when the force on the ignition and safety buttons is released, the fuel source is closed, the ignition source is de-activated, and the safety button automatically returns to a locked or off position.
In some embodiments, the actuation member includes a first actuating arm and a second actuating arm disposed angularly to the first, which is interlocked to the ignition button and constructed and arranged to be engaged to or disengaged from an engaging shaft of the safety button. The second arm is constructed and arranged to actuate the piezoelectric unit.
In some embodiments the engaging shaft of the safety button extends to an up and downwardly sliding movable shaft, and a biasing member is disposed under the engaging shaft, while a projecting shaft is formed under the engaging shaft for an accurate functioning of the biasing member.
Some embodiments includes a separating wall to ensure that the engaging shaft moves vertically so that the biasing member is accurately seated.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the disclosure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosure. The principles and features of this disclosure may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
The above object and other advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent by describing in detail the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to the attached drawings in which:
As shown in
Still referring to
In operation, as shown in
Upon release of ignition button 14, the force on safety button 16 is also released simultaneously or shortly thereafter, causing biasing member 24 to be restored to a biased position (as shown in
While this disclosure has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.