Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
  • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
  • F23Q2/00—Lighters containing fuel, e.g. for cigarettes
  • F23Q2/16—Lighters with gaseous fuel, e.g. the gas being stored in liquid phase
  • F23Q2/164—Arrangements for preventing undesired ignition
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
  • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
  • F23Q2/00—Lighters containing fuel, e.g. for cigarettes
  • F23Q2/34—Component parts or accessories
  • F23Q2/46—Friction wheels; Arrangement of friction wheels

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a child-resistant gas lighter of the type comprising, on its body in which is formed a tank containing the gas in liquid phase, a head comprising, in addition to the valve burner, in connection with the tank through a pressure reducer, an ignition mechanism comprising means for controlling the opening of the valve burner and means for producing sparks.
• lighters in which, with the ignition mechanism, are associated means for neutralizing this mechanism. , movable between an active neutralization position in which they prevent actuation of the ignition mechanism, and an erased position in which they allow this actuation, these movable means being manually displaceable by the user from their active position of neutralization in their erased position.
• the present invention aims to remedy all the aforementioned drawbacks.
• the means for neutralizing the ignition mechanism are normally maintained in the neutralization position and are, moreover, arranged to be automatically brought back to the position of neutralization, at the end the ignition mechanism.
• the ignition mechanism generally comprises means for controlling the opening of the valve burner and means for producing sparks arranged to be actuated simultaneously or the latter immediately after the first or Conversely. These means can therefore be mechanically independent of each other or be associated with the same control member.
• the neutralization means act on at least one of the aforementioned means, that is to say on the means for controlling the opening of the valve or on the means for producing sparks.
• ____ push-in against the force of a helical return spring and via a connecting piece acting as a ratchet, in which the connecting piece consists of a straight extension of the upper end of the return spring of the control key and in which the means for controlling the opening of the valve consist of a lever actuable by the control key, at the end of insertion.
• the helical return spring of the control button is mounted to rotate freely about its axis of revolution and its straight end is curved to form an elbow whose median axis is located in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the button and the end of the free branch of which, projecting outside through a slot in the side wall of the control button, is freely movable in this slot, each of its displacements corresponding to a rotation of the helical return spring of the key, the other branch of this elbow being able, by maneuvering in one direction of the aforementioned end of the free branch, to be brought into engagement with a tooth of the toothing lateral of the trainer, the exhaust ramps of the teeth of this toothing causing the displacement, in the opposite direction, of the elbow, as far as in its erased position, when the control key returns to the high rest position under the action of its return spring.
• the slot in the side wall of the control button is delimited by two opposite rows of alternating slots. This arrangement considerably facilitates the molding of the control button, without affecting the movement of the loop.
• the means for controlling the opening of the valve consist of a rocking lever articulated on a fixed axis orthogonal to the axis of the valve burner, one end of which, in the form of a fork or elastic crown, is engaged under a flange of the valve burner and the other end or actuation end of which is intended to be actuated by the user by being pushed towards the body of the lighter, against the force of a return spring, the means for producing sparks being themselves independent or associated with the lever for controlling the opening of the valve.
• the means for neutralizing the ignition mechanism are associated with the rocking lever constituting the means for controlling the opening of the valve burner and these means for neutralizing the rocking lever for controlling the opening of the valve burner are constituted by a lever pivoting around an axis parallel 'to that of the burner valve, between two extreme positions, respectively active neutralization by blocking and erased, arranged under the actuation end of the tilting lever.
• this pivoting lever is associated with a return spring in the active position and carrying at least one first projection, non-axial, directed towards the underside of the actuating end of the tilting lever and arranged, angularly, to so as to coincide with a complementary projection or second projection of the aforementioned end of the locking lever, when the locking lever is in the active position, so that, in this position, this first projection, being located just below the complementary projection, opposes any actuation of the rocking lever, means being provided to allow the locking lever to pivot in the inactive position and, simultaneously , neutralize its return spring as long as the tilting lever has not been actuated to control the opening of the valve, other means being provided to release it as soon as the tilting lever has been actuated.
• the return spring of the pivoting locking lever is constituted by a radial extension of the end, in contact with the body of the lighter, of the helical spring ⁇ l ⁇ return of the rocking lever and of which the other end is immobilized in rotation by its support against the underside of the actuating end of this rocking lever, this extension being constantly engaged in a longitudinal notch provided for this purpose, in a skirt sector cylindrical carried by the locking lever concentrically with its axis of rotation, while the body of the lighter carries a cam-shaped projection disposed on the path of the aforementioned radial extension of this spring and having a ramp capable of allowing the passage of this extension when the locking lever is maneuvered towards its erased position and to retain it after passing this ramp, means being provided for to allow the release of the radial extension of the spring p @ r relative to the cam-shaped projection when the rocking lever is actuated.
• the means making it possible to release the return spring of the pivoting locking lever by disengaging it from the cam-shaped projection essentially comprise a boss carried by the hub of the locking lever disposed under the actuating end of the tilting lever, at a point diametral ⁇ opposite to the notch housing the radial extension of the return spring and intended to allow the tilting of the locking lever upon actuation of the tilting lever and thus causing the lifting of the radial extension of the return spring of the locking lever above the maximum level of the ramp of the cam-shaped projection, which allows, by its release, the return of the locking lever in position active after releasing the tilting lever for opening the valve.
• the control means of which the valve opening consists of a rocking lever with which the means for neutralizing the ignition mechanism are associated, these means are constituted by a pusher, disposed under the actuating end of the rocking lever, movable parallel to the longitudinal axis of this rocking lever, between an active position in which it projects from the actuating end of the lever and a retracted position in which it is pushed back towards the other end of the rocking lever, this pusher , provided with guide means relative to the body of the lighter, having the shape of a horseshoe, each branch of elastic material carrying a boss normally located under a skirt bordering the actuating end of the rocking lever so to prevent this tilting in the direction of opening of the valve burner, complementary converging ramps being provided on the internal faces of the side walls ales of the body of the lighter and on the external faces of the branches of the pusher to cause a reduction in the spacing of their bosses when the pusher is
• the means for guiding the pusher in the body of the lighter are constituted by a central central branch provided with a longitudinal slot engaged on a shoulder of the same width as it, provided on a pin carried by the body of the lighter.
• the aforementioned pin is that which is used for centering the return spring of the rocking lever, the diameter of the aforementioned shoulder being greater than that of the bore of this spring so as to serve as a stop.
• the spring is not in abutment against the central central branch of the pusher, the operation of which it cannot hinder.
• Figure 1 is a plan view from above, with cutaway of the cover covering the head, of a first embodiment of this lighter;
• Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the upper part of the lighter of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a particular embodiment of the lighter of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a partial sectional view along IV-IV of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a side elevation view, partially in section, of a second embodiment of this lighter;
• Figure 6 is a partial plan view over the lighter of Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a partial view, with cutaway, of the lighter of Figure 5, seen in the direction of the arrow VII of Figure 5;
• Figure 8 is a partial perspective view with cutaway of the portion of the lighter of Figures 5 to 7, comprising the means for neutralizing the ignition mechanism;
• Figure 9 is a cutaway perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the lighter of Figures 5 to 8;
• Figure 10 is a plan view from above of the object of Figure 9, with the rocking lever removed and the pusher in the active neutralization position;
• Figure 11 is a sectional view along XI-XI of Figure 10.
• Figure 12 is a sectional view along XII-XII of Figure 10;
• Figure 13 is a plan view from above similar to Figure 10, the pusher being in the retracted position;
• Figure 1 is a sectional view similar to Figure 11, according to
• Figure 15 is a sectional view along XV-XV of Figure 13;
• Figure 16 is a plan view from above similar to Figures 10 and 13, with the pusher in the flame ignition position;
• Figure 17 is a sectional view, similar to Figures 1 1 and 14, along XVII-XVII of Figure 16;
• FIG 18 is a sectional view along XVIII-XVIII of Figure 16.
• the lighter illustrated in Figures 1 to the drawing is a gas lighter whose ignition mechanism is of the type pyrophoric stone 2 and wheel 3.
• the mechanism d ignition of this lighter is more precisely of the type described in patent FR-2 169 724, in which the rotation entrainment of the wheel 3 is obtained by pressing a key control 4 against the force of a helical return spring 5 which is associated with it and by means of a connecting piece between the key 4 and the drive member or wheel drive 3.
• This spring 5 surrounds a vertical rod 6 secured to the underside of the button 4 and serving as a guide member relative to the body 7 of the lighter. Pressing the button 4 simultaneously causes the opening of the gas flow control valve, the control rod of which is generally constituted by the burner 10.
• the button 4 acts on the valve burner 10 by means of an operating lever, not shown in the drawing.
• the upper end of the helical spring 5 is provided with a horizontal rectilinear extension, normally kept engaged on one of the teeth of the lateral toothing of a ratchet constituting the drive of the wheel. 3.
• the helical spring 3 is immobilized in rotation by engagement of its other end in a recess formed to receive it in the body of the lighter, so that the above-mentioned upper extension is still engaged with the teeth of the ratchet and that any depression of the key 4 causes the generation of a jet of sparks by driving the wheel 3 in contact with the pyrophoric stone 2 and, simultaneously, the opening of the gas flow control valve.
• the helical spring 5 is mounted to rotate freely around the guide rod 6 of the button 4 and, on the other hand, the extension horizontal straight line 8 of the upper end of the spring 5 curved to form an elbow, the free branch 8a of which has a free end 8 'projecting outside through a slot 9 made in the side wall of the control button 4
• This free end 8'a of the branch 8a of the elbow 8 can be moved manually from one end to the other of the slot 9, the freedom of rotation of the helical spring 5 around the rod 6 allowing these movements.
• Figure 1 shows the end 8'a of the branch 8a of the elbow 8 in three positions, namely its two extreme positions B and C and an intermediate position A.
• the end 8'a of the free branch 8a of the elbow 8 is in position B
• the other branch 8B of the elbow 8 is then engaged on one of the teeth of the lateral teeth ia of the ratchet formed by the driver II of the wheel 3.
• pressing the key 4 inevitably causes ignition of the lighter by driving the ratchet 11 and the wheel on one hand, and by the burner opening valve 10 on the other.
• the branch 8b is erased, that is to say outside the trajectory of the teeth l ia ratchet 11.
• the slot 9 has a length such that it allows the free end 8'a to be brought of branch 8a of elbow 8 in an extreme position C again farther from position B than position A.
• FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an interesting embodiment of this slot 9, embodiment according to which this slot is delimited along its two longitudinal edges by two opposite rows of slots, respectively 12 and 13, the reason for which is to facilitate the release of the button 4 which is generally made of injected plastic. To this end, it suffices, in order to eliminate any demolding problem, to have the slots 12 of the upper row staggered with respect to the slots 13 of the lower row.
• this lighter requires the use of only one hand because, with the thumb, the user can move the end 8'a of the elbow 8 into its position B and, immediately after, press the control button 4.
• the lighter illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 5 is of the type in which the means for controlling the opening of the valve burner 14 are constituted by a rocking lever 15 articulated on a fixed axis 16 orthogonal to the axis of the valve burner 14 by l 'intermediate of two pins 17 which it carries laterally in its middle part and which are engaged in IS hubs formed in a yoke whose wings 19 are integral with the body 21 of the lighter.
• One end in the form of an elastic crown 15a of this lever 15 is engaged under a flange 14a of the valve burner 14 so as to be able to control, by lifting the valve burner 14, the opening of the valve when the other end or end of actuation 15b of the lever 15 is pushed towards the body 21 of the lighter, as illustrated by the arrow 22.
• the means of producing sparks have not been shown. These means can simply be of the pyrophoric stone and wheel type, the wheel and its coaches being able to be carried by an axis coaxial with the tilting axis 16 of the lever 15 so that at the end of actuation of the wheel, the user's thumb falls on the actuating end of the lever 15b, causing, immediately after Ja production of sparks, opening of the valve burner 14.
• the means for blocking the ignition mechanism are arranged to oppose the actuation of the rocking lever 15 intended for controlling the opening of the valve burner 14. It is easily understood that, if this lever 15 is blocked, even if the means for producing sparks can be actuated freely, this is of no consequence since the valve burner 14 cannot be brought into the open position.
• the means for neutralizing the ignition mechanism consist of a lever 24 whose normal role is to block the lever 15 in the closed position of the valve burner 14.
• This blocking lever 24 is formed by an arm radially integral with a washer 25 engaged on the pin 26 for guiding the end of the spring 23 bearing against the body 21 of the lighter.
• the washer 25 constitutes the hub of the locking lever 24 and the pin 26 constitutes the pivot axis parallel to the axis of the valve burner 14.
• the locking lever 24 is associated with a return spring which, in the example illustrated in the drawing, consists of a radial extension 23a of the end of the spring 23 bearing against the body 21 of the lighter. So that it can play its return role in the locking position of the lever 24, the helical spring 23 is immobilized in rotation by studs 27 provided for this purpose under the underside of the actuating end 15b of the lever 15 against which the other end of the spring 23 is supported.
• the radial extension 23a of the spring 23 is engaged in a longitudinal notch 28 provided for this purpose in a sector of cylindrical skirt 29 carried by the hub 25 of the locking lever 24, concentrically to its pivot axis 26.
• the free end 24a of the locking lever 24 is arranged so that it can be actuated from outside the body 21 of the lighter. As is particularly visible in FIG. 7, this end 24a projects laterally on the body 21 of the lighter, between the body of the latter and the actuating end 15b of the rocking lever 15.
• the spring 23 undergoes a prestress such that it constantly acts on the locking lever 24, in the direction of the arrow 30 in FIGS. 6 and 8, so that it constantly tends to bring back the lever 24 in this direction.
• the hub 25 of the locking lever 24 carries a first non-axial projection 31 which is angularly wedged on the hub 25 so as to be located, when the lever 24 is in the normal locking position, in the position A of FIG. 6.
• this projection 31 which is directed towards the lower face of the actuating end 15B of the lever 15, coincides with a complementary projection 32 directed towards it, carried by the lower face of the actuation end 15b of the lever 15.
• this position of the projection 31 shown in dashed lines in FIG.
• the body 21 of the lighter carries, as particularly shown in FIGS.
• means are provided for liberating the spring 23a for returning the locking lever 24 after actuation of the rocking lever 15.
• These means are simply constituted by a boss 35 carried by the hub 25 of the locking lever 24 at a point diametrically opposite the attachment of the lever 24.
• the underside of the hub 25 is bevelled 23a in line with the boss 35.
• the return spring 23a of the locking lever 24 is raised by the bottom of the notch 28 in which it is housed up to a level higher than that of the corresponding end of the projection 34.
• the spring 23a thus released tends to return the locking lever 24 to its active position by acting on it in the direction of the arrow 30.
• the action of the return spring 23a of the locking lever 24 will be limited since will be stopped in its travel by the projection 32 of the rocking lever 15.
• the ignition mechanism of this lighter is normally neutralized by the locking lever 24 and putting it into operational position requires, as in the previous example illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, a special operation of the free end 24a lever 24, a maneuver that is not obvious to a child.
• Figures 9 to 18 show an alternative embodiment of the gas lighter according to the invention, variant resulting from the same type of lighter as that illustrated by Figures 5 to 8.
• the means for controlling the opening of the valve burner consist of a rocking lever 15, articulated on a fixed axis 16, orthogonal to the axis of the valve burner, by means of two pins 17 which it carries laterally in its median part and which are engaged in hubs 18 formed in a yoke whose wings 19 are integral with the body 21 of this lighter.
• a tilting of the lever 15 in the direction corresponding to a thrust exerted in the direction of the arrow 22 on its actuating end or rear end 15b has the effect of opening the valve burner.
• a helical spring 23 constantly tends to keep the lever 15 in the closed position of the valve burner as a result of the action it exerts on the actuating end 15b of this lever in the opposite direction. to that of arrow 22.
• the end of the spring 23 opposite the actuating end 15b of the rocking lever 15 is engaged on a guide and centering pin 26.
• the means for neutralizing the ignition mechanism are arranged to oppose the actuation of the rocking lever 15 in the direction of the arrow 22.
• these means of neutralization consist of a pusher 36, movable in both directions illustrated by arrow 37, that is to say in the direction of the valve burner and in the opposite direction, between two extreme positions, one of which illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 12, is its active neutralization position of the ignition mechanism, that is to say its position in which it opposes any operation of the rocking lever 15, while its other extreme position, illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 15 corresponds to its erased position in which the operation of the rocking lever 15 is made possible.
• this push button 36 is placed under the actuating end 15b of the rocking lever 15.
• This push button 36 has substantially the shape of a horseshoe whose lateral branches of elastic material 36a normally occupy the spacing position illustrated in FIG. 10, position in which their free ends are in abutment against the internal faces of the upper ends of the side walls of the body 21 of this lighter.
• Each lateral branch 36a of the pusher 36 carries, on its upper face, a boss 36b oriented in the direction of the actuating end 15b of the rocking lever 15 and, in the normal position illustrated by Figures 10 to 12, the pins 36b are just below a skirt 15'b which borders the underside of the actuating end 15b of the rocking lever 15. In this position of the pusher 36, any operation of the rocking lever 15 in the direction of arrow 22 is therefore made impossible.
• the transverse branch 36c of the pusher 36 carries a projection 36d oriented towards the rear of the lighter body and which is normally projecting below the actuating end 15b of the rocking lever 15, as illustrated in the figure. 10.
• This same transverse branch 36c of the pusher 36 carries, moreover, oriented in the direction opposite to that of the projection 36d, a central central branch 36e having a longitudinal lumen 36f intended to be engaged on the pin 26 for guiding the spring 23 , below the latter, as can be seen, in particular in FIG. 11. It may be noted on this subject that, to prevent the pressure of the spring 23 from hampering the movements of the pusher 36 in the direction of the arrow 37, the pin 26 has, at its base, a shoulder 26a at least partially whose width corresponds to that of the light 36f of the central central branch 36e of the pusher 36 but is less than the bore of the spring 23.
• the height of the shoulder 26a is at least equal to the thickness of the central central branch 36e of the pusher 36.
• the free ends of the lateral branches 36a of the pusher 36 are cut in a bevel so as to present converging ramps 36'a while the internal faces opposite the upper ends of the side walls of the body 21 of the lighter have complementary ramps 21a against which the ramps 36'a of lateral branches 36a of the pusher 36 are normally in support as illustrated in FIG. 10.
• this arrangement comprises, on the one hand, a ramp 36g oriented from bottom to top and rearward on the transverse branch 36c of the pusher 36 and an additional ramp 15 "b formed on the rear and lower edge of the skirt 15′b which borders the lower face of the actuating end 15b of the lever 15.
• the ramp 36g of the pusher 36 is arranged on the front edge of the operating projection 36d of the pusher 36 As shown more particularly in FIG.
• the displacement of the pusher 36 in the direction of the arrow 39 as a result of the action of the ramp 15 "b of the skirt 15'b on the ramp 36g of the pusher 36 is not necessarily sufficient to obtain a displacement of the pusher 36 into its active neutralization position illustrated in FIG. 10.
• this displacement allows the ramps 36 ′ a formed at the free ends of these lateral branches 36 a to engage on the ramps 21a of the walls of the body 21 of the lighter so that the reciprocal action of these ramps 36'a and 21a ensures the end of travel of the pusher 36 in the direction of the arrow 39.
• this latter embodiment presents, on those previously mentioned ment described, the important advantage of requiring only one additional piece compared to a lighter not equipped with this security system for children.
• this last embodiment of this lighter has the advantage of not interfering with the operations of automatic control of the lighters at the end of manufacture such as flame control, operation control and control of flame extinction.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Lighters Containing Fuel (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Family Cites Families (8)

• 1989
  • 1989-04-07 FR FR8904870A patent/FR2645626B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1990
  • 1990-04-05 JP JP2506622A patent/JP2833860B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-04-05 DE DE69006999T patent/DE69006999T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1990-04-05 US US07/651,332 patent/US5090893A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-04-05 WO PCT/FR1990/000244 patent/WO1990012254A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1990-04-05 EP EP90907105A patent/EP0420970B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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