SET FOR PROTECTING A WATER PIPE

The invention relates to a set for protecting a water pipe against breakage and/or damage in the event of overturning, which water pipe has a mouthpiece and a chillum.

The invention furthermore relates to a water pipe having a mouthpiece and a chillum as well as to a set for protecting the water pipe against breakage and/or damage in the event of overturning.

Additionally, the invention relates to a use of a set for protecting a water pipe against breakage and/or damage in the event of overturning.

From the prior art, multiple devices for protecting a water pipe can be derived which are primarily limited to preventing an overturning of the water pipe. For this purpose, materials are ordinarily used which exhibit elastic properties and are formed from a softer material than the water pipe itself, To achieve a protective effect, these devices are usually arranged in a lower region or even on the underside of the water pipe, and extend beyond the dimensions of the water pipe. These devices can also be operatively connected to the subsurface, for example by suction cups, whereby the overturning of the water pipe can be prevented. A disadvantage of these devices is that they either have too large of a space requirement, or that the effect of said devices is highly dependent on the nature of the subsurface.

Alternatively, devices can also be derived from the prior art which are formed from an elastic material and partially or completely cover the surface of the water pipe. Accordingly, devices of this type are embodied such that they can at least partially absorb forces occurring when the water pipe overturns. In these devices, however, a most exact adaptation possible to the shape of the water pipe is required in order to attain the necessary protective effect. In addition, the devices that only partially cover the surface of the water pipe often also require a fastening means in order to enable a secure accommodation of the water pipe in the device. Devices for protecting a water pipe that cover nearly the entire surface of the water pipe are ordinarily formed from a material that is applied to the surface of the water pipe in a liquid aggregate state.

A solid protective layer adhering to the surface is then formed by the solidification of the material. Though this layer does protect the entire water pipe, it usually cannot be easily removed from the water pipe and reattached to a different water pipe.

Therefore, a disadvantage of the devices for protecting a water pipe that are known from the prior art is that they can only be effective either when a subsurface of a certain nature is present, or as a result of an irreversible attachment to the water pipe or an attachment over a large area.

Accordingly, the object of the invention can be seen in that a set of the type named at the outset is to be specified, which set avoids the aforementioned disadvantages, has a smaller space requirement, and enables a simple attachment to and removal from differently shaped water pipes.

Furthermore, the use of a set of this type shall also be specified.

The first object is attained according to the invention by a set of the type named at the outset which comprises a mouthpiece element and a chillum element which are, at least in some regions, formed from a more elastic material than glass, and which each comprise an opening and can be releasably attached to the water pipe in that the mouthpiece is introduced into the opening of the mouthpiece element and the chillum is introduced into the opening of the chillum element.

According to the invention, this results in the advantage that water pipes of the most varying materials and shapes can be efficiently protected, in particular against mechanical damage. For this purpose, both the mouthpiece element and the chillum element are formed, at least in some regions, from a more elastic material than the water pipe itself. Accordingly, the mouthpiece element and chillum element can also be formed from a more elastic material than glass only in some regions, so that said regions have an elastic modulus of less than 70,000 N/mm, preferably less than 1,000 N/mm², in particular less than 5 N/mm².

The elasticity of the material can thereby also be conducive to the releasable attachment of the set to a water pipe if the opening is elastic. Accordingly, the openings can be sized such that an interference fit can be produced between the mouthpiece element and mouthpiece, and between the chillum element and chillum. For this purpose, the opening of the respective element is preferably widened during attachment, whereby a tight fit of the respective element on the respective component of the water pipe results and a force-fitting connection forms, which fit and connection prevent a slipping of the chillum element and mouthpiece element on the water pipe in a simple manner.

In addition, a chillum element can also be attached to a chillum connection, whereby the chillum element is only indirectly connected to the chillum. Because the chillum element is normally attached perpendicularly to the center axis of the chillum or of the chillum connection, a lateral protrusion of the chillum element typically critically depends on the attachment angle of the chillum connection to a reservoir or main body of the water pipe. The attachment angle of the chillum connection thereby results from an angle that a center axis of the chillum connection forms with a center axis of the main body. This angle is typically less than 90°. Alternatively, the chillum element can also be embodied such that, in the attached state, it forms an angle greater than 90° with the center axis of the chillum or of the chillum connection. Therefore, for the purposes of this application, chillum shall be understood as meaning both a water pipe chillum that can be, possibly releasably, attached in a chillum connection, and a chillum connection of the water pipe, and also a chillum formed in one piece with the water pipe.

Through the attachment of the chillum element and of the mouthpiece element to the water pipe, the breakage and/or damaging of said water pipe in the event of overturning can be prevented.

It has proven effective that the elastic material is formed from one or more plastics, preferably at least one elastomer. As a result, a simple processing of the elastic material to form a mouthpiece element and/or chillum element on the one hand and a particularly easy attachment to and removal from the water pipe on the other hand are achieved. If the set is formed from plastics, an individual shaping can be achieved not only by mechanically working the elastic material; rather, the possibility of creating the molded parts by mold casting processes is also introduced. Because of their mostly high deformability and low Shore hardness, elastomers offer in this field of use the advantage that the opening of the mouthpiece element or of the chillum element can be widened particularly easily. An attachment to the mouthpiece or chillum can thus take place in a particularly simple manner.

In order to design the shaping to be particularly simple, fast, and reproducible, it can be provided that the mouthpiece element and/or the chillum element is punched out of a plastic sheet. For this purpose, a mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic punch press is preferably used. The punch press can thereby be provided with an exchangeable punch, whereby the shaping of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element can be altered in a simple manner. Thus, one punch press is already sufficient to produce the most diverse shapes of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element in a cost-effective manner, though production can, of course, also take place using a different tool.

The use of a digitally controlled punch machine, in particular a CNC punch machine, can preferably be provided in order to be able to produce the mouthpiece element and/or the chillum element in an at least partially automated manner.

In addition, with the use of plastics, there results the possibility of producing the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element using a 31) printing process. Here, all features of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element, such as size, shape, and an arrangement of the opening, can easily be digitally defined and precisely realized. With modern 3D printing processes, elastomers with a comparatively low Shore hardness of 30 A to 90 A, for which silicones normally serve as a reference, can also be printed in a precise manner.

Advantageously, the opening of the chillum element and/or the opening of the mouthpiece element has a round cross section. As a result, both the chillum element and the mouthpiece element can be used directly and in a precisely fitting manner with a large range of water pipes, and a manual finishing can be omitted. This aspect can in particular be attributed to the fact that, in a large portion of common water pipe models, mouthpieces and chillums are designed with a round cross section. A size of the opening can thereby be in direct relation to the respective elasticity of the material from which the chillum element and/or the mouthpiece element, or the opening regions thereof, are formed. Thus, with the use of materials that are more elastic, the opening can have a smaller cross section than with the use of materials that are less elastic. If the chillum element and/or mouthpiece element are formed from particularly elastic material, the openings of said elements can also enclose much larger cross sections than are actually intended. Accordingly, in terms of the shape of the water pipe being protected, mouthpiece elements and chillum elements formed from such materials are more flexible than those formed from material that is less elastic.

It has proven effective that a clear circular cross section of the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element is modifiable. This ensures a simple attachment of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element to water pipes with the most diverse shapes and dimensions. Clear circular cross section shall thereby be understood as meaning the cross section of the opening of the mouthpiece and/or chillum element that is available for introducing a mouthpiece or chillum. Ordinarily, said cross section is clearly recognizable as an opening and has a circular base shape. Put differently, the clear circular cross section corresponds to a diameter of a maximum circle that can be arranged inside of the cross section, that is, an inscribed circle.

Preferably, the clear circular cross section of the opening of the mouthpiece element has a diameter of 0 mm to 150 mm, preferably 10 mm to 50 mm, and that of the chillum element has a diameter of 0 mm to 80 mm, preferably 5 mm to 30 mm. The diameter of the clear circular cross section of the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element can thereby essentially correspond to a diameter of the opening.

If the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element is attached to a first water pipe in which a diameter of the mouthpiece and/or chillum is greater than the clear circular cross section of the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element, the clear circular cross section of the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element adapts to the diameter of the mouthpiece and/or chillum. As a result, a force-fitting attachment of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element on the first water pipe is achieved. After a removal of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element from the first water pipe, the clear circular cross section of the opening can reduce itself again to its original size. The same mouthpiece element and/or chillum element can therefore be attached at a later point in time in a precisely fitting manner to a second water pipe, the mouthpiece and/or chillum of which has a smaller diameter than that of the first water pipe.

In order to achieve a most universal possible use of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element, at least one predetermined breaking site is preferably provided on the mouthpiece element and/or on the chillum element, which predetermined breaking site is adjacent to the opening or encloses the opening so that the opening can be manually enlarged as needed. The predetermined breaking site is thereby preferably created by a perforation, a material weakening, in particular a partial punching, or an embossing of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element. Normally, this is embodied as a border around a base shape which corresponds to the base shape of the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element, for example circular. However, the base shape of the predetermined breaking site is preferably scaled to 1.1 to 4 times the size, preferably 1.2 to 2 times the size, of the opening. Additionally, the base shape of the predetermined breaking site is normally arranged such that it is centered relative to the base shape of the opening. If multiple predetermined breaking sites are provided, these normally have a graduated scaling. A graduated scaling of 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6 times the size of the opening of the mouthpiece element has thereby proven particularly suitable for ensuring the attachment to a large range of water pipes. Preferably, multiple predetermined breaking sites are arranged as concentric circles around the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element. Here, spacings of 1 mm to 25 mm, particularly preferably 2 mm to 10 mm, are provided between the predetermined breaking sites. By a simple breaking-off or pressing-out, the material of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element can be removed along the predetermined breaking site, and an enlarged opening can be created in the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element. The mouthpiece element or chillum element can thus be easily adapted to water pipes of different sizes.

However, the predetermined breaking site can alternatively also be embodied as a border around a different base shape, for example an angular base shape, and can therefore be embodied differently from the base shape of the opening. As a result, mouthpieces and/or chillums or chillum connections of water pipes with angular cross sections could also be enclosed in a precisely fitting manner.

Additionally, the base shape of the predetermined breaking site could also be positioned eccentrically from the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element, in order to be able to obtain an increased protective effect in one direction. The latter can be advantageous for water pipes that are particularly elaborately designed, in particular those with curved mouthpieces. Furthermore, perforations or material weakening's can be provided at a lower end and/or upper end of the chillum element in order to increase a flexibility of the chillum element in said regions. These perforations or material weakenings can also constitute a predetermined breaking site, so that the chillum element can be manually made smaller as needed. In particular, a length of the chillum element can thereby be decreased. Accordingly, a spacing between the main body of the water pipe and the chillum element and/or between the subsurface and the chillum element can be adapted to the respective dimensions of the water pipe, and can thus be variable.

Preferably, the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element can be at least partially bounded by one or more, preferably two to ten, elastic projections, so that the clear circular cross section of the opening can be modified by a deformation of the elastic projection. In this manner, a mouthpiece element and/or chillum element can be attached to any desired water pipe with equal speed and precision of fit. For water pipes with a round mouthpiece and/or chillum, it has proven effective that the clear circular cross section, in a top view of a plane spanning a length and a width of the mouthpiece element or chillum element, is positioned centrally in the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element. The clear circular cross section is thereby at least partially bounded by the elastic projections in such a manner that said projections extend from an outer edge of the opening to the clear circular cross section of the opening, which is preferably centrally positioned in the opening. The elastic projections therefore form, as it were, a boundary or a border of the clear circular cross section. The projections are thereby embodied to be elastic such that the clear circular cross section of the opening is enlarged during the attachment to a water pipe and, after the removal of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element from the water pipe, is reduced again, preferably to its original size.

Alternatively, the clear circular cross section can also be positioned eccentrically in the opening, that is, such that it is displaced towards the outer edge of the opening, and can be bounded by the elastic projections, whereby, in the case of elaborately designed water pipes, a simplified attachment can be produced or a protection of the water pipe in one direction can be improved.

It has proven advantageous that the clear circular cross section is bounded by multiple, in particular two to ten, elastic projections. A mouthpiece element and/or chillum element embodied in this manner can be easily attached to a water pipe with a uniform modification of the clear circular cross section. During the attachment of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element, the projections deform elastically, wherein a clear circular cross section of the opening is adapted to the dimensions of the mouthpiece and/or chillum of the water pipe, in order to produce a force-fitting connection between the water pipe and mouthpiece element and/or chillum element. Accordingly, a tight fit of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element is ensured. It is thereby advantageous if the elastic projections deform in the direction of a height of the mouthpiece element or chillum element that is essentially perpendicular to the plane spanning the length and width of the mouthpiece element or chillum element. Through such a deformation of the elastic projections, an additional stabilization of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element on the mouthpiece and/or chillum of the water pipe can also occur.

In addition, it is advantageous if the elastic projections extend over 50% to 90% of the cross section of the opening. Accordingly, the clear circular cross section of the opening comprises only 10% to 50% of the cross section of the opening without a deformation of the elastic projections. However, the clear circular cross section can be enlarged to 80% to 100% of the cross section of the opening via the deformation of the elastic projections. If the mouthpiece or chillum of a water pipe has a larger cross section than the opening of the mouthpiece element or chillum element, the elastic properties of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element can, after the deformation of the elastic projections, also be used to produce an interference fit.

It is expedient that the elastic projection is embodied such that it is integrated with the mouthpiece element or the chillum element, and comprises a base and a tip. As a result, the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element can be produced in a particularly time-efficient manner. For example, the elastic projection can be created at the same time in the production of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element by punching, so that there is no additional effort compared to the production of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element without an elastic projection. Here, the elastic projection is connected to the mouthpiece element or chillum element via the base. Accordingly, the base of the elastic projection is positioned at the outer edge of the opening. From this base, the elastic projection preferably extends to the center of the opening, wherein the tip of the elastic projection can, at least in some regions, bound the clear circular cross section. If multiple elastic projections are provided, the clear circular cross section can also be bounded solely by tips of the elastic projections.

In addition, multiple elastic projections can be connected to one another such that they form a unit which can be inserted into the opening of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element. This unit can then be secured in the opening via a force-fitting, form-fitting, or materially-bonded connection, in order to achieve the same effect as with an integrated embodiment of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element and elastic projections.

It is preferably provided that a width of the elastic projection decreases, in particular uniformly, from the base to the tip. There thus results, in comparison with projections having a constant width, an improved elasticity, for which reason the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element can be easily attached to a water pipe. Expediently, multiple elastic projections are provided, and each elastic projection is connected to the mouthpiece element or the chillum element via the base, wherein the base can be positioned at the outer edge of the opening. It is advantageous if the bases of all elastic projections of the mouthpiece element and/or of the chillum element have the same width. The bases of two elastic projections can thereby be positioned such that they are spaced far enough apart from one another that there is space for at least one base of equal width between said two bases. However, it has proven effective that a spacing between the bases of two elastic projections is greater than the width of one base. A width of the tip is normally 1% to 20%, preferably 1% to 10%, particularly preferably 1% to 5%, of the width of the base, which is why a width of the elastic projection decreases from the base to the tip. It was found that the mouthpiece element and/or the chillum element can be attached to a water pipe with particular ease if a width of the elastic projection decreases uniformly from the base to the tip.

Preferably, a width of the base of the elastic projection is equal to 1% to 30%, in particular 5% to 20%, of the width of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element. In a preferred variant, the base of the elastic projection of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element has a width of 2 mm to 20 mm, in particular 3 mm to 15 mm. The elastic projections can also be embodied as lamellae.

It has proven effective that the mouthpiece element and/or the chillum element comprises multiple elastic projections which are embodied to be spiral-shaped in a top view of the opening. With the elastic projections embodied to be spiral-shaped, the attachment of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element to a water pipe is made significantly easier, in particular if the respective element is rotated during attachment. For the purposes of this application, spiral-shaped shall be understood as meaning that the projections do not run in a straight line from the outer edge to the center of the opening, in particular from the base of said projections to the tip thereof, but rather extend to the center of the opening in the form of a curved line. In this case, however, it is not necessary that the elastic projections run around the center of the opening in multiple windings at a constantly increasing width. Normally, all elastic projections provided on the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element have the same rotation direction, that is, electively in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. If both the mouthpiece element and chillum element comprise elastic projections, it can be provided that the rotation direction of the elastic projections of the mouthpiece element differs from that of the elastic projections of the chillum element. If the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element are embodied to be planar, the rotation direction of the elastic projections plays only a secondary role, since said element can simply be flipped over in order to change the rotation direction. In other words, a change in the rotation direction can be very easily realized in that a top side of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element is used as a bottom side.

Preferably, the mouthpiece element and/or the chillum element comprises multiple elastic projections, wherein the opening is embodied to be star-shaped in a top view. The mouthpiece element and/or chillum element can thus be attached to the water pipe with a particularly small expenditure of force and in a particularly even manner at the same time. The elastic projections of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element extend from the outer edge of the opening to the clear circular cross section, wherein the tips of the elastic projections bound the clear circular cross section. To achieve an opening that is embodied to be star-shaped, it is advantageous if at least four elastic projections are provided, and that the width of the elastic projections decreases, in particular uniformly, from the bases thereof to the tips thereof. Particularly preferably, more than four, in particular ten to thirty, elastic projections are provided. Additionally, the bases and the tips of the different elastic projections can each have the same width. Consequently, elastic projections of this type can be embodied to be identical, and can differ solely in terms of their orientation. Normally, the bases of the elastic projections are embodied to be integrated with the mouthpiece element or chillum element and form the outer edge of the opening. At that location, the bases of the elastic projections are spaced only slightly apart from one another, wherein a spacing can essentially correspond to the width of the tips of the elastic projections. Preferably, the bases of the elastic projections can also be arranged to be directly adjacent to one another.

It is advantageously provided that the mouthpiece element comprises a receptacle for inserting a lighter, it has thereby proven effective that said receptacle has a circular or approximately circular base shape with a diameter of 10 mm to 25 mm, but preferably 10 mm to 17 mm. In this manner, lighters with an approximately round cross section can be very easily accommodated.

Alternatively, a lighter with an angular cross section can also be inserted into the receptacle, and can thus be secured to the mouthpiece element. For the securing, the direction of insertion and the cross section of the lighter play a secondary role, for which reason the lighter can be inserted into the receptacle both from above and from below and can still be optimally secured. Accordingly, the lighter can be stored in a receptacle of this type in a secure and highly visible manner, and in direct proximity to the water pipe, whereby a time savings results during the use of the water pipe, since the lighter is readily at hand and does not need to be searched for first.

Typically, the mouthpiece element and chillum element are embodied to be plate-shaped, whereby a simple producibility is ensured. A plate-shaped embodiment shall thereby be understood as meaning that the length and width of the mouthpiece element or chillum element span a plane, and that the mouthpiece element or chillum element extends along a height positioned perpendicularly to said plane.

Expediently, the mouthpiece element and/or the chillum element is embodied with a height of 5 mm to 30 mm, preferably of 10 mm to 20 mm. As a result, an easy slipping of the respective element during the attachment to the mouthpiece or chillum can be prevented. Additionally, it can thus be ensured that even chillum elements and/or mouthpiece elements formed from particularly elastic materials exhibit a dimensional stability that is especially advantageous to the protection of a water pipe. In addition to the dimensional stability, mouthpiece elements and/or chillum elements fabricated to the preferred height have a beneficial rigidity, in order to be able to at least partially absorb the forces occurring when the water pipe overturns. In principle, the rigidity of the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element depends on the dimensions of said elements on the one hand and on the elasticity modulus of the material used for production on the other hand.

If the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element are embodied with one or more elastic projections, it is advantageous if said projections have the same height as the mouthpiece element or chillum element. In this manner, the mouthpiece element and/or chillum element can be easily provided with one or more elastic projections, for example by punching. Alternatively, the height of the elastic projection can also decrease, in particular uniformly, from the base thereof towards the tip, whereby the deformation of the elastic projection in the direction of the tip is facilitated.

It is expedient if the chillum element has a length of 50 mm to 300 mm, preferably of 60 mm to 200 mm, particularly preferably of 80 mm to 140 mm. As a result, an impact of the chillum and/or chillum connection on the subsurface is prevented in the event of overturning of the water pipe. Such a length of the chillum element has proven particularly effective insofar as it can be prevented in a particularly efficient manner the impact of the chillum on the ground on commercially available water pipes in the event of an overturning. A sufficiently long chillum element can thereby also produce a timely redirection in a different direction during an overturning of the water pipe, whereby the water pipe does not fall on the chillum. In the case of a particularly large attachment angle of the chillum connection to the main body, in particular between 60° and 90°, a chillum element that is embodied to be particularly short can prove expedient. As a result, at a constant angle of 90° between the chillum and chillum element, it is efficiently prevented that the chillum element touches the subsurface when the water pipe is in an upright position, yet the functioning of the chillum element is not impaired.

To achieve the same effect, the chillum element can alternatively also have a different length, and the opening thereof can be embodied such that the chillum element and the center axis of the chillum form an angle of more than 90°. Such an arrangement of the chillum element can be identified in that the chillum element protrudes away from the main body of the water pipe at a flatter angle and a greater distance. A chillum element of this length also does not impair a handling of the water pipe at all, or only to a very slight extent, in particular during use.

Advantageously, the chillum element has a width of 30 mm to 240 mm, preferably of 60 mm to 120 mm, particularly preferably of 80 mm to 100 mm. As a result, a lateral rolling-over of the water pipe during overturning is achieved and possible damage to the chillum and/or the chillum receptacle is prevented. The chillum element is, as a rule, therefore embodied to be narrower than a reservoir and/or a main body of the water pipe and thus only interferes to a slight extent with both the smoking experience of the user and the visual appearance of the water pipe. Additionally, a width chosen in such a manner has the advantage that the handling of the water pipe is not impaired. Furthermore, it has been shown that the above-stated width can also provide protection against a lateral damaging of the chillum and/or of the cilium connection.

It is preferably provided that the opening of the chillum element is arranged to be eccentric. The field of application of the chillum element can thus be expanded to include a particularly large range of water pipe shapes. The eccentric arrangement of the opening on the chillum element is especially recommended for water pipes with a particularly small spacing between the chillum or chillum connection and the main body of the water pipe. Here, the opening is preferably offset in the direction of the part of the chillum element facing the main body. Despite such an eccentric arrangement of the opening, all protective effects of the chillum element, but specifically the property thereof of redirecting a tipping movement of the water pipe, are preserved. Instead, through an eccentric attachment of the chillum element in interaction with the subsurface, a springing effect can be obtained, so that the redirection of the tipping movement can occur more gently.

Advantageously, the opening of the chillum element has a diameter of 5 mm to 80 mm, preferably of 12 mm to 40 mm. It can thus be ensured that the chillum element is suitable for attachment to differently sized chillums or chillum connections. It is thereby advantageous if the opening of the chillum element has a smaller diameter than the chillum and/or the chillum connection, so that an interference fit can be produced. Here, particular emphasis is placed on the interference fit on standard ground glass joints of the chillum or of the chillum connection, specifically in the sizes 14.5/23, 18,8/26, and 19.2/32, for which reason a chillum element particularly suitable for this purpose preferably has an opening with a diameter of 13 mm, 17 mm, or 28 mm, respectively.

The mouthpiece element is preferably likewise embodied to be plate-shaped, and can have a round or angular cross section in a top view. In a preferred variant, the mouthpiece element has an oval or ellipsoidal cross section.

The mouthpiece element is preferably embodied with a length of 100 rum to 300 mm, preferably of 130 mm to 250 mm, particularly preferably of 140 mm to 180 mm. It is thus ensured that the mouthpiece element protrudes past the main body of the water pipe at least far enough that forces occurring during an overturning of the water pipe can be appropriately absorbed. In addition, a mouthpiece element of this type can, in the event of an overturning of the water pipe, also prevent the impact of the chillum connection on the subsurface.

It is expedient that the mouthpiece element has a width of 50 mm to 250 mm, preferably of 100 mm to 140 mm. As a result, the laterally occurring forces during an overturning of the water pipe can be directly absorbed by the mouthpiece element. In addition, the dimensions of the mouthpiece element, in particular the length and width thereof, result in the preferred spatial orientation of the mouthpiece element on the mouthpiece of the water pipe, in order to obtain a most comprehensive possible protective effect of the set.

It has proven effective that the opening of the mouthpiece element has a diameter of 20 mm to 150 mm, preferably of 30 mm to 80 mm. The mouthpiece element can thus be attached to differently shaped water pipes. Analogously to the attachment of the chillum element to the chillum or chillum connection, an interference fit is preferably also provided for the connection between the mouthpiece and mouthpiece element. The mouthpiece element therefore ordinarily has a diameter that is a few millimeters smaller than the mouthpiece itself. However, the opening of the mouthpiece element, if said element is formed from a correspondingly elastic material, can also have a considerably smaller diameter than the mouthpiece itself. In this case, the opening of the mouthpiece element merely needs to be stretched to a greater degree in order to be able to accommodate the mouthpiece of the water pipe and produce a force-fitting connection therewith.

Expediently, the opening of the mouthpiece element has a larger cross section than the opening of the chillum element. As a result, it is directly possible to visually distinguish the mouthpiece element and chillum element and thus simplify the attachment. The same thing can also apply to the clear circular cross sections of the openings of the mouthpiece element and of the chillum element. Accordingly, the attachment position of the components of the set can be evident at first glance, and can thus contribute to a simple usability of the set.

Advantageously, the chillum element has a smaller footprint than the mouthpiece element. As a result, both the attachment positions of the individual elements and a completeness of the set can be easily ascertained. In order to enable an even easier differentiation between the chillum element and mouthpiece element, the shape of the chillum element can, in some cases, markedly differ from that of the mouthpiece element. Additionally, such a difference in the shaping of the chillum element and mouthpiece element can be used to the effect that a particular movement sequence is achieved during an overturning of the water pipe. The protective effect of the set can thus be further improved or adapted to specific fields of use.

Alternatively, the mouthpiece element can also have a smaller footprint than the chillum element. As a result, the chillum and/or the chillum connection would be particularly well protected, and a handling of the water pipe would be facilitated by the smaller footprint of the mouthpiece element.

The set according to the invention is typically used in combination with a water pipe having a mouthpiece and a chillum, wherein the mouthpiece element is releasably connected to the mouthpiece in a force fit and the chillum element is releasably connected to the chillum in a force fit. Here, a force-fitting, releasable connection between the mouthpiece element and mouthpiece and between the chillum element and chillum is preferably achieved by an interference fit.

The other object is attained according to the invention in that, in the use of a set according to the invention to protect a water pipe having a mouthpiece and a chillum, the mouthpiece element is attached to the water pipe via the mouthpiece and a chillum element is attached to the water pipe via the chillum. For this purpose, the mouthpiece element is fitted onto the mouthpiece in that the mouthpiece is inserted into the opening of the mouthpiece element. Analogously, the chillum element is fitted onto the chillum or a chillum connection in that the chillum or the chillum connection is inserted into the opening of the chillum element.

Additional features, advantages, and effects of the invention follow from the exemplary embodiments described below. In the drawings which are thereby referenced:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a set for protecting a water pipe in an attached state;

FIG. 2 shows a front view of a set for protecting a water pipe in an attached state;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a set for protecting a water pipe in an attached state;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of a set for protecting a water pipe;

FIG. 5 shows a top view of a mouthpiece element;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective illustration of a further exemplary embodiment of the set for protecting a water pipe;

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the set from the further exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7a shows a top view of the mouthpiece element from the further exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows a top view of a further exemplary embodiment of the set for protecting a water pipe.

In FIG. 1, a perspective view of a set for protecting a water pipe 1 in an attached state is illustrated, wherein not only the attachment position of the set, but also a basic form of a commercially available water pipe 1 is evident from said view. In an upper region of the water pipe 1, a mouthpiece 3 can be seen at one end of a main body 2 embodied in a pipe-like manner, wherein a mouthpiece element 4 is attached in direct proximity to said mouthpiece 3. The mouthpiece element 4 has a drop-shaped to ellipsoidal form and is attached via the opening thereof to the mouthpiece 3 of the water pipe 1, for which reason the opening of the mouthpiece element 4 can also be referred to as the mouthpiece element opening Sa. In addition, the mouthpiece element 4 comprises a receptacle 12 for inserting a lighter, which is preferably shaped to be approximately cylindrical. Said lighter can easily be placed into the receptacle 12 from above or below.

The main body 2 of the water pipe 1 extends from the mouthpiece element 4 to the lower end, which main body 2 comprises a hole that is also referred to as a kick hole 6 in a region of a lower end. In addition, the water pipe 1 shown comprises at the lower end of the main body 2 a reservoir 7, out of which a chillum connection 8 protrudes, to which chillum connection 8 a chillum element 9 is attached. For this purpose, the chillum connection 8 is guided through an opening of the chillum element 9 so that the chillum element 9 is secured to the chillum connection 8 in a force fit and a chillum 10 can still be inserted into the chillum connection 8. This opening of the chillum element 9 can also be referred to as the chillum element opening 5b. In the present illustration, the chillum 10 has also already been inserted into the chillum connection 8. The chillum element 9 extends from the main body 2 past the reservoir 7 of the water pipe 1 and can thus achieve a protective effect in the event of an overturning of the water pipe 1. Here, the chillum element 9 is embodied in the shape of a cross, but it could also be embodied in any desired angular or round shape to obtain the same effect.

As can be seen, the chillum element 9 and mouthpiece element 4 are in this case embodied to be plate-shaped, even though a different shape is also possible.

In FIG. 2, a front view of a set for protecting a water pipe 1 in an attached state is illustrated. Most notably, a lateral extension of the mouthpiece element 4, in particular the width B thereof, and the base shape of the chillum element 9 follow in a clear manner from this depiction. Additionally, the lighter illustrated in the middle of the mouthpiece element 4 indicates the position of the receptacle 12. In order to be able to more precisely depict the attachment region of the chillum element 9 on the chillum connection 8, an illustration of the chillum 10 has been omitted in this case. Additionally, with the aid of the proportions of the chillum element 9, it is also possible to discern that said chillum element 9 does not touch the subsurface when the water pipe 1 is standing upright. Accordingly, an interaction between the chillum element 9 and the subsurface can only be achieved when the water pipe 1 overturns.

In FIG. 3, the side view of a set for protecting a water pipe 1 in an attached state is illustrated, so that the lateral extension of the mouthpiece element 4, in particular the length L thereof, in proportion to the main body 2 and reservoir 7 of the water pipe 1 is also visible in this case. A lateral distance of the receptacle 12 also follows in a clear manner from this depiction, and is made even clearer by the inserted lighter. In addition, a center axis of the main body 2 and a center axis of the chillum connection 8 are illustrated as dot-dashed lines, so that an attachment angle β of the chillum connection 8 to the reservoir 7 can easily be deduced. An angle α has also been drawn, which angle α is formed by the center axis of the chillum connection 8 and the chillum element 9. Thus, both the proportions of the chillum element 9 and reservoir 7 and the relation of the lateral extension of the chillum element 9 to the angle α and the attachment angle β, which angles are approximately 90° and 45°, respectively, in the present case, can easily be identified. Here, the width B of the chillum element 9, which as a rule corresponds to at least the width 13 of the main body 2, also follows in a clear manner.

In FIG. 4, a perspective illustration of a set for protecting a water pipe 1 is depicted. Here, both the chillum element 9 and the mouthpiece element 4 are completely formed from rubber, so that they to comprise an elasticity that is advantageous for attachment to a water pipe 1. Additionally, the mouthpiece element 4 has a length L of 180 mm and a width 13 of 100 mm, and the chillum element 9 has a length L of 120 mm and a width B of 80 mm. The chillum element 9 and mouthpiece element 4 thereby have heights H of 10 mm and 15 mm, respectively. Aside from the dimensions, the chillum element 9 and mouthpiece element 4 also differ in terms of their shape in the present embodiment. In addition, a different diameter of the openings of the chillum element 9 and mouthpiece element 4 also follows from this depiction. Furthermore, the predetermined breaking sites 11 arranged as concentric circles enclose both the opening of the mouthpiece element 4 and the opening of the chillum element 9 at uniform intervals. These predetermined breaking sites can, for example, be formed by material weakenings, in particular by notches which do not fully penetrate a thickness of the mouthpiece element 4, so that a corresponding ring can be broken off by a breaking force that can be easily applied manually, in order to enlarge the opening so that it fits a larger water pipe. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, three rings can be broken off, wherein a ring can have a wall thickness of 2 mm, for example.

The receptacle 12 spaced apart from the opening of the mouthpiece element in a longitudinal direction can also be seen.

In FIG. 5, a top view of a mouthpiece element 4 is illustrated. Here, the dimensions of the mouthpiece element 4, in particular the length L and width B thereof as well as the preferred positioning of the receptacle 12 and of the opening from the edge of the mouthpiece element 4, are clearly visible. Additionally, the concentric arrangement of the circular predetermined breaking sites 11 around the circular opening of the mouthpiece element 4 also follows from this illustration. Analogously, the opening of the chillum element 9, which is not contained in this illustration, however, is also embodied to be circular.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, a further exemplary embodiment of the set for protecting a water pipe 1 is illustrated. The mouthpiece element 4 and the chillum element 9 thereby essentially have the shaping and dimensions of the set from the first exemplary embodiment. In contrast thereto, multiple perforations 17 are provided at a lower end and an upper end of the chillum element 9, in order to increase a flexibility of the chillum element 9 in said regions. Additionally, the chillum element 9 can, if required, also be made smaller by the perforations 17, so that the dimensions of said chillum element 9 can be adapted to the water pipe 1. The openings of the mouthpiece element 4 and chillum element 9 of this exemplary embodiment are also not embodied to be circular, but rather essentially spiral-shaped. In addition, the openings of the mouthpiece element 4 and of the chillum element 9 of this exemplary embodiment are, in comparison with the openings of the first exemplary embodiment, embodied to be larger and have a clear circular cross section 13 which can be modified. In order to achieve this, both the mouthpiece element 4 and the chillum element 9 are provided with multiple elastic projections 14. The elastic projections 14 of the chillum element 9 can thereby differ in shape and number from the elastic projections 14 of the mouthpiece element 4. In this specific exemplary embodiment, the chillum element 9 is embodied with eight and the mouthpiece element 4 with ten elastic projections 14.

As can easily be discerned, in the top view from FIG. 7, the elastic projections 14 are embodied to be integrated with the mouthpiece element 4 or chillum element 9, for which reason a height of the elastic projections 14 essentially corresponds to the height H of the mouthpiece element 4 and of the chillum element 9, respectively.

Furthermore, the elastic projections 14 of the mouthpiece element 4 and chillum element 9 each comprise a base 15 and a tip 16. A width By of the elastic projections 14 thereby decreases in a uniform manner from the base 15 to the tip 16. As a result, a proportionality between a change in the clear circular cross section 13 of the opening and an expenditure of force necessary therefor is established, A boundary of the clear circular cross section 13 by the elastic projections 14 is illustrated by a dashed line.

Additionally, in the top view from FIG. 7, a spiral-shaped embodiment of the elastic projections 14 of the mouthpiece element 4 and of the chillum element 9 catches the eye as an especially striking feature of this exemplary embodiment. With a defined rotation direction of the elastic projections 14, a simplified attachment of the set to the water pipe 1 can result from an embodiment of this type. In the second exemplary embodiment illustrated, the elastic projections 14, embodied to be spiral-shaped, of the chillum element 9 run counterclockwise, whereas the elastic projections 14, embodied to be spiral-shaped, of the mouthpiece element 4 run clockwise. However, the elastic projections 14, embodied to be spiral-shaped, of the mouthpiece element 4 and of the chillum element 9 can alternatively also have the same rotation direction. With elastic projections 14 embodied in such a manner, the set can be attached with particular ease to water pipes 1 with mouthpieces 3 and chillums 10 of the most diverse shapes and dimensions.

In FIG. 7a, the mouthpiece element 4 from FIG. 7 is illustrated, in which the elastic projections 14 embodied to be spiral-shaped have been deformed, however, such that the clear circular cross section 13 has been enlarged by a factor of 1.7. This enlargement of the clear circular cross section 13 can be identified at a glance by observing the dashed line.

The top view shown in FIG. 8 of a further exemplary embodiment of a set for protecting a water pipe 1 depicts both the mouthpiece element 4 and the chillum element 9. The dimensions and shaping of the mouthpiece element 4 and of the chillum element 9, in particular the length L, width 13, and height H thereof, essentially correspond to the preceding exemplary embodiments.

The chillum element 9 also comprises multiple perforations 17 at the upper and lower end, which perforations 17 increase the flexibility of the chillum element 9 in said regions or enable an adaptation of the length L of the chillum element 9 to the water pipe 1. In contrast to the preceding exemplary embodiments, however, the mouthpiece element 4 and the chillum element 9 from FIG. 8 comprise star-shaped openings. Said openings are formed by elastic projections 14, the widths By of which are uniformly reduced from the bases 15 to the tips 16. Additionally, the bases 15 of the elastic projections 14 of the mouthpiece element 4 and chillum element 9 are spaced less far apart from one another than is the case for the exemplary embodiment from FIGS. 6 through 7a. Specifically, a spacing of the bases 15 of the elastic projections 14 of the mouthpiece element 4 and of the chillum element 9 roughly corresponds to the width Bv of the tips 16 of the respective elastic projections 14. The bases 15 of the elastic projections 14 of the mouthpiece element 4 and/or chillum element 9 can thereby also be arranged to be directly adjacent to one another. The chillum element 9 illustrated here comprises 16 elastic projections 14, whereas the mouthpiece element 4 comprises 24 elastic projections 14. Alternatively, both the mouthpiece element 4 and the chillum element 9 can comprise the same number of elastic projections 14. Analogously to the exemplary embodiment from FIGS. 6 through 7a, the clear circular cross sections 13 of the openings of the mouthpiece element 4 and chillum element 9 can also be enlarged by deforming the elastic projections 14.

With a set according to the invention, it is easily possible to protect, in the event of overturning, differently shaped water pipes 1 by releasably attaching the set such that both a breakage and a damaging of the water pipe 1 are efficiently prevented.

SET FOR PROTECTING A WATER PIPE

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CPC

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