Claims
- 1. A utility lighter comprising:
a housing having a main body portion and a rod-like portion extending from the main body portion, the rod-like portion having a nozzle at its end; a fuel supply container disposed within the main body portion; a conduit for conducting fuel from the fuel supply container to the nozzle; a valve mechanism for controlling release of fuel to the nozzle; a piezoelectric unit for generating a spark near the nozzle to ignite the fuel; a trigger having a first portion that extends from the housing and is accessible by a user, and a second portion operatively associated with the piezoelectric unit; a release member exposed to the outside of the housing so that it is actuatable by a user to release fuel to the nozzle; and a blocking member associated with the release member and movable between a first position where it interferes with movement of the trigger and a second position where it permits the trigger to move sufficiently to operate the piezoelectric unit; wherein the blocking member is normally located in the first position, and actuation of the release member to release fuel moves the blocking member to the second position, and when the user releases the release member, the blocking member automatically returns to the first position to interfere with movement of the trigger.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/347,393, filed Jan. 21, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/312,609, filed May 17, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,546, which is a continuation-in-part of both U.S. application Ser. No. 08/787,399, filed Jan. 22, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,895, and U.S. application Ser. No. 08/917,134, filed Aug. 25, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,360, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10347393 |
Jan 2003 |
US |
Child |
10860904 |
Jun 2004 |
US |
Parent |
09312609 |
May 1999 |
US |
Child |
10347393 |
Jan 2003 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08787399 |
Jan 1997 |
US |
Child |
09312609 |
May 1999 |
US |
Parent |
08917134 |
Aug 1997 |
US |
Child |
09312609 |
May 1999 |
US |