GB2046419A - Automobile cigarette lighter - Google Patents

Abstract

A cigarette lighter 1 for insertion into a conventional socket in a motor vehicle is provided with a heating element 19 located at the end of an axial bore 27 extending through the knob 25 of the lighter so that a cigarette may be, introduced into the bore in the knob to engage the heating element so that the lighter may be used without removing it in the normal way from its socket. A further heating element 2 may be provided at the end of the lighter opposite from the knob for use in the normal way, the two heating elements being connected by an electrically-conductive rod 3. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to a vehicle accessory This invention relates to a vehicle accessory and more particularly to a cigarette lighter suitable for installaion in a conventional socket provided, for example, in the dashboard of a vehicle.

At the present time many vehicles are provided with cigarette lighters which are normally engaged within a socket in the dashboard of the vehicle.

When it is desired to light a cigarette the lighter must be pressed forwardly to an advanced position so that a metal coil at the forward end of the lighter completes an electrical circuit. Electricity passes round the coil and the coil is heated until red hot.

When the coil has reached a suitable temperature the lighter is automatically retracted from its advanced position to cut off the current flowing round the coil. A user can then withdraw the lighter from its socket and may light a cigarette by applying the end of the cigarette to the heated coil.

It will be appreciated that the use of such a conventional cigarette lighter by the driver of a vehicle can provide an undesirable distraction to the driver since a relatively high degree of concentration is required in removing the lighter from its socket, lighting a cigarette using the lighter and returning the lighter to its socket, and the driver will probably have to take his eyes from the road to perform this procedure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle cigarette lighter in which the above mentioned disadvantages are at least partially obviated.

According to this invention there is provided a cigarette lighter for co-operation with an appropriate socket mounted in a vehicle, said lighter comprising a heating element, electrically conductive means connected to said heating element and adapted to be connected in circuit with terminal means in said socket to permit passage of a current through said heating element, and a knob having a bore therethrough providing access between the exterior of the lighter and the heating element whereby a cigarette may be introduced to said bore from the exterior and may be positioned with one end engaged with or in close proximity to said heating element.

Advantageously the heating element is mounted at one end of an electrically conductive shaft, the other end of which is positioned such that it may engage terminal means in a lighter socket. Suitably a second heating element may be mounted at the other end of the shaft.

Advantageously the heating element or elements are arranged in a coiled configuration, the inner end or end of the coil or coils being attached to the shaft.

Conveniently the shaft may extend through a heating element support body, the shaft being fixed relative to the support body. Preferably the support body is formed of porcelain, rock wool, fibre glass or asbestos.

Advantageously the or each heating element is received within and contacts an electrically conductive dish shaped portion mounted in a recess formed at one end of the support body, the or each dish shaped portion being adapted to be connected in circuit with the terminal means in said socket.

Advantageously annular rim means forming part of said conductive means are provided in the vicinity of the other end of the shaft, said annular rim means being adapted to be engaged with clip means, forming part of said terminal means.

Advantageously the support body is movably received against the bias of a spring in a sleeve portion whereby the lighter may be inserted into a socket and the knob may be pressed to urge the support body forwardly against the bias of the spring to connect the electrically conductive means with said terminal means.

Advantageously at the end of the knob adjacent the heating element there are provided a plurality of apertures serving as air vents between the first heating element and the exterior of the lighter.

Conveniently the bore through the knob is provided with a series of longitudinal channels which also serve as air vents when a cigarette is inserted in the bore.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross setional view of a cigarette lighter in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of one end of the lighter of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the other end of the lighter of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a cigarette lighter, generally designated 1, for use in a motor vehicle, which is adapted to be inserted into a conventional socket for example as often provided on a dashboard of a vehicle. The cigarette lighter 1 will be described in the orientation in which it is shown in Figure 1.

At its left hand end the lighter 1 is provided with a coiled heating element 2 which is attached at its centre to an axially extending electrically conductive cylindrical shaft 3. Co-axially mounted on the shaft 3 directly adjacent the heating element 2 is a first insulating disc 4. A nut 5 and a second insulating disc 6 of smaller diameter than the first insulating disc are co-axially mounted on the shaft 3 adjacent the first insulating disc 4.

The heating element 2, the two insulating discs 4, 6 and the nut 5 are received within an inverted dish shaped housing 7, the housing 7 having a vertical wall 8which bears against the second insulating disc 6 and an annular stepped wall portion 9 which bears against the first insulating disc 4. The housing 7 has an outer rim 10 which is slightly curved to facilitate satisfactory engagement thereof with the clip means provided in a conventional dashboard lighter socket.

The housing 7 is received in a mating portion of a generally cylindrical body 11 which may be made of porcelain, rock wool, fibre glass, asbestos or even sheet metal. The body 11 has a left hand portion 12 of increased diameter and a central bore 13 through which the shaft 3 extends. A recess 14 formed in the right hand end of the body 11 receives a dish shaped housing portion 15 in which are received a third insulating disc 16, a nut 17, a fourth insulating disc 18 and a coiled heating element 19, all of which elements are respectively co-axially mounted on the other end of the shaft 3.

Extending radially outwardly from the right hand edge of the housing portion 15 is an annular flange 20 which serves to trap a spring retaining collar 21 (the function of which will be described hereinafter) against the upper end of the body 1 1. A cylindrical wall portion 22 extends to the right from the outer edge of the flange 20, and is provided at its right hand edge with a radially inwardly extending flange 23 which engages in a circumferential channel 24 formed in a knob 25 which extends to the right.

Adjacent its left hand end the knob 25 is provided with a series of radially outwardly extending apertures 26 which serve as air vents between the exterior of the knob 25 and the upper heating element 19. The apertures 26 extend through the wall 22.

A central bore 27 for receiving a cigarette runs through the knob 25, the inner surface of the knob 25 which defines the bore being provided with a series of longitudinal channels 28 to provide further air vents between the upper heating elements 19 and the exterior of the knob 25 when a cigarette is positioned in the bore 27. The upper end of the bore 27 is widened or bell shaped to facilitate the introduction of a cigarette to the bore. The right hand end 30 of the knob 24 itself is outwardly flared to enable a user readily to grip the knob 24 to remove it from a dashboard socket. An annular groove 32 is formed in the right hand end of the knob 25.

The body 11 is movably received within a sleeve 33, the sleeve 33 having a radially inwardly extending indentation 34 which engages the portion 12 of the body 11 of increased diameterto prevent the body being withdrawn from the sleeve. A helical spring 35 extending round the body 11 is trapped between the indentation 34 and the spring retaining collar 21. Thus the body 11 may be moved forwardly by pressing the knob 25 to a position in which the helical spring 35 is fully compressed. However, normally the body 11 is biased by the spring 35 to a position in which the increased diameter portion 12 of the body 11 engages the indentation 34.

In use the lighter 1 is introduced to the lighter socket of a vehicle, the sleeve 33 engaging with a corresponding receiving sleeve portion of the socket. The knob 25 will protrude from the dashboard of the vehicle. To heat the heating elements 2, 19 the knob 25 is pressed so that the body 11 moves forwardly against the bias of spring 35 until the curved rim 10 of the housing 8 is received by a clip within the socket. The clip holds the body 11 in position with the inner end of the shaft 3 in contact with an electrical terminal. Electricity is then passed via the shaft 3 through both of the heating elements 2,19 and through the sleeve 33 and the correspond ing portion of the socket to heat the elements. When the elements have reached a suitable temperature the clip automatically releases the rim 10 and the body 11 springs back under the influence of spring 35.

It will be appreciated that the lighter 1 may be used to light a cigarette by inserting a cigarette in the bore 27 with the end of the cigarette in contact with the heating element 19, and pressing the knob 25 in so that the heating element is heated. When the knob springs out the cigarette may be removed in a lighted condition. It will be apparentthat, when used in this fashion, the lighter need not be removed from the socket. Of course the cigarette may be introduced to the bore afterthe knob has been pushed in, or even when the knob has sprung out while the heating element is still red hot.

It will also be appreciated that the lighter may be used in the conventional way when desired by removing the lighter from the socket. In this case the larger diameter heating element 2 at the left hand end of the lighter would be used. The lighter 1 may be used in this way when it is desired to light, for example, a cigar which would not fit into the bore 29.

It should be mentioned that if the lighter is intended only to be used for lighting cigarettes, the larger diameter heating element 2 need not be provided.

Claims (14)

1. A cigarette lighter for co-operation with an appropriate socket mounted in a vehicle, said lighter comprising a heating element, electrically conductive means connected to said heating element and adapted to be connected in circuit with terminal means in said socket to permit passage of a current through said heating element, and a knob having a bore therethrough providing access between the exterior of the lighter and the heating element whereby a cigarette may be introduced to said bore from the exterior and may be positioned with one end engaged with or in close proximity to said heating element.

2. A lighter according to claim 1 wherein the heating element is mounted at one end of an electrically conductive shaft, the other end of which is positioned such that it may engage terminal means in a lighter socket.

3. A lighter according to claim 2 wherein a second heating element is mounted at the other end of the shaft.

4. A lighter according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the heating element or elements are arranged in a coiled configuration, the inner end or ends of the coil or coils being attached to the shaft.

5. A lighter according to claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the shaft extends through a heating element support body, the shaft being fixed relative to the support body.

6. A lighter according to claim 5 wherein the support body is formed of porcelain, rock wood, fibre glass or asbestos.

7. A lighter according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the or each heating element is received within and contacts an electrically conductive dish shaped portion mounted in a recess formed at one end of the support body, the or each dish shaped portion being adapted to be connected in circuit with the terminal means in a socket.

8. A lighter according to any of claims 2 to 7 wherein annular rim means forming part of said conductive means are provided in the vicinity of the other end of the shaft, said annular rim means being adapted to be engaged with clip means, forming part of said terminal means.

9. A lighter according to claim 5 or any claim dependent thereon wherein the support body is movably received against the bias of a spring in a sleeve portion whereby the lighter may be inserted into a socket and the knob may be pressed to urge the support body forwardly against the bias of the spring to connect the electrically conductive means with said terminal means.

10. A lighter according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at the end of the knob adjacent the heating element there are provided a plurality of apertures serving as air vents between the first heating element and the exterior of the lighter.

11. A lighter according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bore through the knob is provided with a series of longitudinal channels which serve as air vents between the first heating element and the exterior of the lighter when a cigarette is inserted in the bore.

12. A lighter substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

13. A lighter according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with an appropriate lighter socket.

14. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.