Patent Application
20180031235
The disclosure generally relates to liquid fuel lighters and more particularly relates to water-resistant/waterproof and/or wind-resistant/windproof liquid fuel lighters.
Lighters are commonly carried and used for various purposes, including, among other things, smoking, lighting barbeques, and starting campfires. Liquid fuel lighters (such as a Zippo®) do not create a water tight seal when closed, which allows water to seep into and lighter fluid to leak out the lighter. In such instances, the lighter may become unusable if the lighting mechanism becomes wet or damaged. It is also possible for the lighting mechanism to corrode if exposed to moisture for a period of time. A lighter may also lose its lighter fluid to evaporation even when not in use due to the lack of a seal.
Lighters that are typically used outdoors generally include some type of wind guard to allow lighting in windy conditions. It is common for these lighters to be difficult and messy to service.
Some or all of the above needs and/or problems may be addressed by certain embodiments of the lighter disclosed herein. The lighter may include a container that is configured to hold a liquid fuel, a cap attachable to a top portion of the container, a fuel cap attachable to a bottom portion of the container, a first watertight seal formed by a first sealing element between the cap and the container, and a second watertight seal formed by a second sealing element between the fuel cap and the container.
Other features and aspects of the disclosure will be apparent or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and the detailed description. All other features and aspects, as well as other system, method, and assembly embodiments, are intended to be included within the description and are intended to be within the scope of the accompanying claims.
The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and/or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and/or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably.
The present disclosure is directed to a liquid fuel lighter that may create a watertight seal. The seal may prevent water from reaching the wick, lighting mechanism, and/or fuel storage. The seal also may prevent the liquid fuel and fuel vapor from leaking out of the lighter. For example, a seal may be created between the body of the lighter and the fuel cap using an O-ring. Likewise, a seal may be created between the body of the lighter and the top cap using another O-ring. The lighter disclosed herein may be much easier to service than traditional lighters and may prevent users from having to change the flint through the fuel compartment, which can result in the user getting liquid fuel on their fingers and hands.
In some instances, the body of the lighter may be broken into two parts: (1) the top assembly, which may include the wind guard and lighting mechanism; and (2) the bottom assembly, which may hold the fuel and wick. The flint and spring may be housed in-between the top and bottom assemblies, which may be held together by a removable pin that passes through both parts. In some instances, the flint can be changed through the removal of the pin and separation of the top and bottom assemblies.
The area around the hole in the fuel container that enables the wick to protrude may be cut away to allow air to flow up from underneath the wick from holes in the outer wind guard. This may allow the flame to get sufficient oxygen to burn while preventing the air from flowing too fast and blowing the flame out. In addition, the top cap may be attached to the body of the lighter, which may prevent both water from reaching the lighting mechanism and fuel drawn up from the wick from evaporating. The top cap also can include a hole through the top, which may allow the user to attach a lanyard or keychain.
Turning now to the drawings,
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The wind guard 16 may be attached to the container 12 by an assembly pin 18 that passes through a hole 29 in the wind guard 16 and a hole 31 in the container 12. The assembly pin 18 may be removable for removing the wind guard 16 from the container 12 and replacing the flint 24.
A wick 28 may pass from inside of the container 12, through a hole 39 in a protrusion 33 in a top portion of the container 12, and through a hole in the bottom of the wind guard 16. In this manner, a bottom portion of the wick 28 may be positioned within the container 12, while a top portion of the wick 28 may sit inside of the wind guard 16 adjacent to the friction wheel 20 and flint 24. For example, the flint 24 and the friction wheel 20 may be positioned about the wick 28 such that when the friction wheel 20 is spun, sparks are created, which are directed at the wick 28.
The wind guard 16 may surround the wick 28 and include multiple oxygen holes 34. The oxygen holes 34 may be any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The oxygen holes 34 may be configured to allow oxygen to reach the flame but prevent wind from blowing the flame out. In some instances, the oxygen holes 34 may be located below a plane where the wick 28 protrudes from the container 12 to increase the flow of oxygen without increasing the risk of wind being able to blow the flame out. For example, the area around the protrusion 33 in the top portion of the container 12 that enables the wick 28 to protrude into the wing guard 16 may be cut away to form a void 35 to allow air to flow up from underneath the wick 28 from the oxygen holes 34 in the wind guard 16. This may allow the flame to get sufficient oxygen to burn, while preventing the air from flowing too fast and blowing the flame out.
In addition to the oxygen holes 34, the wing guard 16 may include a number of flame guard slots 37. Like the oxygen holes 34, the flame guard slots 37 may provide protection from the wind while still enabling oxygen to reach the flame. The flame guard slots 37 may be any suitable size, shape, or configuration. In some instances, the flame guard slots 37 may be omitted.
The cap 10, container 12, fuel cap 14, wind guard 16, friction wheel pin 22, and assembly pin 18 may be made of metal or other non-flammable, heat resistant, durable materials. In some instances, the fuel cap O-ring 36 and cap O-ring 30 may be made of an elastic plastic material, which is resilient enough to create a seal when compressed between two hard bodies but durable enough for many uses. The O-rings should also be resistant to degradation in the presence of liquid fuel. Any suitable material may be used for any of the components.
The advantages of the lighter disclosed herein include, without limitation, the ability to carry the lighter without the liquid fuel evaporating when not in use. In addition, the lighter may prevent water or moisture from entering the cavity containing the liquid fuel and lighting mechanism. The lighter also may keep the components of the lighter in a water tight enclosure. In this manner, the lighter components, which may be susceptible to corrosion, may be kept free from moisture and humidity in the air. In addition, the components of the lighter may be kept dry in the case where the lighter may become wet while in a pocket or backpack. An additional benefit of the lighter includes the ability to attach the lighter to a keychain or lanyard for easier transportation. Moreover, the lighter may be easier to service than traditional lighters when replacing the flint. Furthermore, the lighter provides improved wind resistance via the location and positioning of the oxygen holes in the wind guard. In this manner, the lighter is a waterproof lighter that protects all important components from moisture and damage, keeps the liquid fuel from escaping when not in use, and allows for improved serviceability and wind resistance.
Although specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described, numerous other modifications and alternative embodiments are within the scope of the disclosure. For example, any of the functionality described with respect to a particular device or component may be performed by another device or component. Further, while specific device characteristics have been described, embodiments of the disclosure may relate to numerous other device characteristics. Further, although embodiments have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the embodiments. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments.
The disclosure claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/369,426, filed Aug. 1, 2016, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62369426 | Aug 2016 | US |
