Patent Application
20250198622
The present invention generally relates to a lighter housing and, more particularly, to a lighter housing for use with detachable surface accessories.
Cigarette lighters have maintained their popularity as convenient tools for igniting tobacco and various smokable herbs. The enduring appeal of lighters lies in their portability and reliability, as they offer a simple and efficient means of producing a flame. Traditional lighters, which have been in use for decades, follow a familiar design paradigm. They are engineered with a robust housing structure that serves the dual purpose of housing and safeguarding the fuel reservoir component. These traditional lighters have long been mass-produced to meet the needs of a broad consumer base. As a result, their housings tend to be uniform and have a plain appearance.
In order to overcome the disadvantages associated with the aforementioned lighters, a lighter housing is disclosed. The lighter housing for a lighter unit includes a bottom housing and a top housing. The bottom housing defines an interior chamber for accommodating the lighter unit. The top housing is above the lighter unit and connected to the bottom housing. A plurality of convex elements are periodically arranged on and extending from an exterior face of the lighter housing, and a plurality of concave cells are defined among the plurality of the convex elements.
The lighter housing may be configured such that a pitch between two of the convex elements is between 6 mm and 10 mm.
The lighter housing may be configured such that the convex elements have a width of between 4 mm and 5 mm along the external face.
The lighter housing may be configured such that the convex elements have a height of between 1 mm and 3 mm extending from the exterior face.
The lighter housing may be configured such that the convex elements have a symmetrical shape.
The lighter housing may be configured such that the convex elements are arranged in a rectangular matrix.
The lighter housing may be configured such that the exterior face includes a top face on the top housing.
The lighter housing may be configured such that the exterior face includes a side face on the bottom housing.
The lighter housing may further include a locking accessory that can be detachably secured to both the top housing and the bottom housing by the convex element and the concave cell, wherein the locking accessory can lock and prevent the top housing from moving.
The lighter housing may further include a pivoting mechanism secured to the bottom housing and the top housing such that the top housing can pivot about the bottom housing when the locking accessory is removed.
The drawings illustrate examples. They do not illustrate all embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead. Details that may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all of the components or steps that are illustrated. When the same numeral appears in different drawings, it refers to the same or like components or steps.
Illustrative embodiments are now described. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead. Details that may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for a more effective presentation. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all of the components or steps that are described.
Referring to
The bottom housing 13 defines an interior chamber 131 for accommodating the lighter unit A. The interior chamber 131 can be sized to hold the lighter unit A. In one embodiment, the lighter unit A can be easily loaded and unload to the interior chamber 131, when it needs to be refueled or replaced with another one.
Referring to
Referring to
One or more surface accessories B, including but not limited to a Lego brick, mirror, compass, ashtray, stash box, puzzle, maze, or personal logo, have corresponding connectors consisting of convex and concave surfaces on their bottom face. Thus, they can be removably attached to the convex elements 351 and the concave cells on any exterior face 35. This allows users to customize the lighter case to suit their preferences and needs with detachable surface accessories B.
Referring to
In one embodiment, the width of a convex element 151 is between 4 mm and 5 mm when viewed along the external face 15; for example, it can be 4.6 mm or 4.8 mm.
In one embodiment, the height of a convex element 151 is between 1 mm and 3 mm when viewed perpendicular to the exterior face 15; for example, it can be 1.2 mm, 1.6 mm, or 1.8 mm.
In one embodiment, the convex elements 151 have a symmetrical shape. For example, it is in, but not limited to, a cylindrical shape. In another embodiment, the convex elements 153 have a non-symmetrical shape. For example, it is in the shape of a triangle.
Referring to
Referring to
The structural features and advantages of the convex elements 451 and concave cells 453 exhibit similarities with the aforementioned embodiments and thus will not be reiterated here.
A locking accessory 47 is detachably secured to both the top housing 41 and the bottom housing 43. The locking accessory 47 has corresponding connectors consisting of convex and concave surfaces on their bottom face. Thus, it can be removably attached to the convex elements 451 and the concave cells 453 on the side face 45.
The locking accessory 47 ensures closure of the top housing 41 and prevents the top housing 41 from being accidentally removed. For instance, it prevents unintentional opening during transport or by children. When the locking accessory 47 is removed, the top housing 41 can pivot about the bottom housing 43 to the open position to expose the lighter unit A to produce a flame.
While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning accorded to such terms and expressions in their respective areas, except where specific meanings have been set forth. Relational terms such as “top” and “bottom” and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another, without necessarily requiring or implying any actual relationship or order between them. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” and any other variation thereof when used in connection with a list of elements in the specification or claims are intended to indicate that the list is not exclusive and that other elements may be included. Similarly, an element proceeded by “a” or “an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional elements of the identical type.
