JP2003042448A - Ignition mechanism of lighter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ignition mechanism of a lighter, in which even if side rings run idly, ignition is not caused, but when the rings are pressingly rotated, a striker wheel rotates together to start ignition, and operability and assembly are improved, and unusual noise is not caused. SOLUTION: A flint ignition mechanism 6 comprises an axial supporting member 61 held rotatably on a lighter body 2, a striker wheel 62 rotatable together with the member 61, a polygonal wheel 64 having apexes 64a fixed to the member 61, and annular side-rings 63 made of a resilient spring material and mounted on the periphery of the wheel 64 in a manner to be capable of running idly. When the rings 63 are not deformed, they run idly. When the rings are rotated by being pressed and elastically deformed along the wheel 64, the wheel 64 rotates to start ignition.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ignition mechanism of a lighter that uses a flint to fly a spark by rotating a file wheel, and more particularly to a mechanism in which a transverse wheel ring spins and cannot ignite. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a horizontal car is installed separately from a file car so as to be idle, and the file car does not rotate by simply rotating the horizontal car so that ignition cannot be performed and a flame is not generated carelessly. Various ignition mechanisms have been proposed.

As the ignition mechanism of these lighters, US Pat. Nos. 5,547,370 and 5,759,023 have been used.
Issue No. 5,868,561, Issue No. 5,913,674
No. 5,971,749, No. 5,997,281
No. 6,053,727, and No. 6,074,198. In these products, when the horizontal wheel is pressed and turned, the two surfaces engage with each other and the rotational force of the horizontal wheel is transmitted to the file car to ignite, while the horizontal vehicle does not ignite unless the horizontal wheel is pressed. It has a free-running structure, and various meshing forms have been proposed.

US Pat. No. 5,104,313 discloses an elastic member which controls the rotation of a horizontal wheel and the meshing connection of a file wheel.

[0005]

However, the ignition mechanism of the lighter of the prior art as described above has the following problems in operability or assembly, and further improvement is desired for practical use. Be done.

First, regarding the operability, in each of the former examples of the former, the two parts are engaged with each other by a fixed shape,
Or, depending on friction, the mechanism operates in an ignitable state in which sparks are generated by the rotation of the file wheel and in a non-ignitable state in which the file wheel does not rotate. Be stable. For example, in the meshing form, if the engagement is not reliably disengaged in the ignition impossible state,
It is not possible to recognize that the vehicle has entered the ignitable state due to the pushing operation of the horizontal vehicle, and the operation in the ignitable state is repeated. Also, in the case of relying only on friction, the pressing operation force required changes due to the effect of the sharpening of the file, the hardness of the igniting stone, etc., and the transition to the ignitable state is not clear, and there is a similar difficulty in operability. is there. On the other hand, in the latter prior example, the clutch is connected by the elastic member, but since it is the operation of sliding the transverse wheel on the shaft, it becomes unnatural unlike the normal ignition operation, and there is a difficulty in operability. is there.

[0007] Next, regarding the assembling point, in each of the former examples of the former, since the lateral wheel and the file wheel rotate integrally due to the pressing engagement of different size shapes, they are not engaged in the normal idling state. Due to the size setting, there is a gap in the support of the horizontal car to allow its movement, the rattling is large and the assembly is unstable. Is low. Further, in general, the file wheel, the support shaft, and the horizontal wheel are made of metal from the viewpoint of strength and heat resistance, and when the gap is large when not in use, the metals collide with each other during idling to generate abnormal noise, There is also a drawback that impairs the product's impression.

In view of this point, the present invention provides an ignition mechanism for a lighter which has a high merchandise quality, which is excellent in securing an inoperable state and excellent in ignition operability, has little rattling, and is well assembled and does not generate abnormal noise when idling. It is intended to be provided.

[0009]

The ignition mechanism of a lighter of the present invention is rotatably supported by a lighter body in an ignition mechanism of a lighter in which a spark stone is pressed against a file wheel and a spark is generated by the rotation of the file wheel. A shaft-shaped fulcrum member, a file wheel that can rotate integrally with the fulcrum member, a polygonal wheel that is fixed to the fulcrum members on both sides of the filer wheel, and has a plurality of apex portions on the outer periphery, and the polygonal wheel. An annular transverse wheel made of an elastically deformable spring material is provided on the outer periphery of the wheel so that the transverse wheel ring is in a non-deformed state. It is characterized in that the polygonal wheel is rotated to be ignitable by a rotating operation of pressing and elastically deforming along the polygonal wheel.

The polygonal wheel is preferably formed in a polygonal shape having apex portions at equal intervals on the outer peripheral portion. Further, the fulcrum member has a fitting portion that is fitted and fixed to a center portion of the file wheel, and has a boss portion that is adjacent to the fitting portion and to which the polygonal wheel is fixed on an outer periphery. Is preferred.
It is preferable that the polygonal wheel is integrally formed with the fulcrum member. Further, it is preferable that the lateral wheel ring is provided with a locking piece for preventing displacement.

[0011]

As described above, according to the present invention, a lateral wheel ring that is idly and elastically deformable is provided on the outer periphery of a polygonal wheel provided on a fulcrum member that can rotate integrally with a file wheel. By pushing and deforming the car ring, a polygonal wheel is provided so as to be rotatable integrally with the cross car ring, and when the cross car ring is in a non-deformed state, it will be in an idling state, and the cross car ring is pressed as the initial operation of the ignition operation. Since the polygon wheel is rotated elastically along the polygon wheel and the polygon wheel is rotated by the rotation operation of the transverse wheel to enable ignition, even if the transverse wheel is simply rotated like a general ignition operation, the transverse wheel is rotated. The ring spins idle, the file wheel does not rotate and ignition is not possible, and the desired function is obtained. Also, the operation for ignition is the pushing and turning operation of the horizontal wheel, and the polygon wheel is directly rotated by the deformation of the horizontal wheel to rotate the file wheel. The ignition rotation can be divided, and when the finger is released, the lateral wheel ring returns to the original ring shape due to its spring property, and the operability is improved.

Also, the interposition of the polygonal wheel reduces rattling between parts and stabilizes the assembly. Furthermore, since the transmission structure is not the engagement due to the concavo-convex shape, no noise is generated due to the collision of the engaging portions when the horizontal wheel ring idles, and the ring rotates smoothly, so that the product is not considered to be defective and the product is improved.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of an ignition mechanism of a lighter according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a gas lighter having an ignition mechanism according to one embodiment in a non-operating state, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ignition mechanism, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the ignition mechanism of FIG. 2, and FIG.
And FIG. 5 is a side view showing the operating state.

The gas lighter 1 comprises a lighter body 2 in which fuel gas is stored, a fuel supply means 4 having a nozzle 3 for ejecting fuel gas and a valve mechanism 41, and a nozzle 3 of the fuel supply means 4 is pulled up to form a valve. An operating lever 5 for opening and closing the mechanism 41 and a flint type (file type) ignition mechanism 6 are provided.

In the lighter body 2, an upper lid 22 is airtightly fixed to an upper surface of a bottomed cylindrical tank body 21 made of synthetic resin, and a tank portion for storing a fuel gas such as butane gas is formed therein. At the same time, the intermediate case 23 is fitted to the upper portion of the tank portion separately from the tank portion.

On the upper lid 22 of the lighter body 2, a known valve mechanism 4 for controlling the ejection amount of the stored fuel gas is provided.
1 is provided with the fuel supply means 4 and the valve mechanism 41
The nozzle 3 provided in the center of the above protrudes above the intermediate case 23. The nozzle 3 includes the operating lever 5
The nozzle engaging portion 51 formed at one end of the is engaged.
Further, a cap 8 is mounted on the upper periphery of the nozzle 3, and a flame length adjusting ring 42 for adjusting the amount of gas ejected from the nozzle 3 is installed.

The ignition mechanism 6, as shown in FIGS.
Shaft-shaped fulcrum members 61, 61 at both ends and the fulcrum member 6
A file wheel 62 whose peripheral surface fixedly supported by 1, 1 is a file surface, ring-shaped horizontal wheel rings 63, 63 that are arranged on both sides of the file wheel 62 so as to be idle, and a horizontal wheel ring. Polygonal wheels 64, 64 fixed to the outer circumferences of the fulcrum members 61, 61 on the inner circumference side of the 63, 63 and integrally rotated, and a stone pushing spring 67 (see FIG. 1) on the bottom peripheral surface of the file wheel 62. Firing stone 68 (flint) that is pressed and pressed
Consists of. The ignition stone 68 and the stone pushing spring 67 are housed in the tubular portion 24 of the intermediate case 23.

The fulcrum members 61 on both sides are provided with a rotating shaft 61a protruding outward, a shaft-like fitting portion 61b protruding inward, and a boss portion 61c between the rotating shaft 61a and the shaft-like fitting portion 61b. It becomes. The fitting portion 61b of the fulcrum member 61 has a concave and convex knurl formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof and extends in the axial direction. The fitting portion 61b is fitted into the central hole 62a of the cylindrical file wheel 62 from both sides to be integrally rotated. .

A polygonal wheel 64 is integrally formed on the boss portion 61c of the fulcrum member 61 on both sides, and the outer peripheral portion of the polygonal wheel 64 has a pentagonal shape (polygonal shape) having a plurality of top portions 64a at equal intervals. It is provided in. Each top 64a
The peripheral surface portion between is provided with a linear flat surface or with a concave or convex shape from this flat surface, and a gap is formed between the peripheral surface portion and the inner peripheral surface of the annular transverse wheel ring 63 arranged outside thereof. It is formed and is provided in a shape that can be rotated. The number of tops 64a of the polygonal wheel 64 is 5
In addition to one (pentagon), the design can be appropriately changed to three or more, but it is preferably 4 to 8 (quadrangle to octagon), particularly 5 or 6 (pentagon or hexagon).

The illustrated polygonal wheel 64 has a side plate 64b at an outer position, and a polygonal ring-shaped outer peripheral portion is provided along the outer peripheral pentagon in the axial direction, and the inner surface of the top portion 64a and the boss portion 61c are formed. Are connected by radial ribs 64c.

Further, the rotary shafts 6 on both sides of the fulcrum member 61.
1a projects outward from the center of the side plate 64b of the polygonal wheel 64, and the rotation shaft 61a is a bearing hole (not shown) opened in a support column 25 arranged upward on the left and right sides of the intermediate case 23. The file wheel 62 and the polygonal wheel 64 are integrally and rotatably held. Then, by rotating the file wheel 62, the igniting stone 68 is scraped to generate a spark.

The polygonal wheel 64 may be formed separately from the fulcrum member 61 so as to be fixedly integrated therewith. Further, the fulcrum member 61 penetrates the file wheel 62 from one side, and the polygonal wheel 64 is attached to the boss portion 61c of the penetrating portion.
May be fixed.

The lateral wheel ring 63 is formed of an annular metal ring made of an elastically deformable spring material, and is arranged so as to be idle around the polygonal wheel 64. The cross wheel ring 63 is provided on the outer edge portion on the side opposite to the file wheel 62.
Three locking pieces 63a, which are bent in the shape of a claw in the central direction and are for preventing positional deviation, are provided at equal intervals. This locking piece 63
The a is locked to the outer end surface of the polygonal wheel 64 to prevent the lateral wheel ring 63 from moving toward the file wheel 62 on the inner side. The lateral wheel ring 63 is prevented from moving in the opposite direction (outside) by the inner surface of the support column 25 that supports the rotating shaft 61a. The number of the locking pieces 63a installed is arbitrary.

The transverse wheel ring 63 has an annular shape as a whole in a free state, and is elastically deformed along the polygonal shape of the outer peripheral portion of the polygonal wheel 64 when pressed in the central direction during the ignition operation described later. When the pressing force is released (see FIG. 5), it has a characteristic of returning to a ring shape due to its spring property.

To assemble the ignition mechanism 6, the fulcrum member 61 is fitted to the file wheel 62 from both sides, and the lateral wheel ring 63 is attached to the outer periphery of the polygonal wheel 64 of the fulcrum member 61.
Assembled as shown, the pillar 25 of the lighter body 2
Attach to.

As shown in FIG. 1, the operating lever 5 is
It is arranged so as to extend in the front-rear direction on the intermediate case 23 of the lighter body 2 passing between the columns 25. The operating lever 5 is made of synthetic resin and has a nozzle engaging portion 51 formed by a slit groove into which the tip of the nozzle 3 is inserted and a nozzle neck portion is engaged, and a pressing portion 52 is formed on the upper surface of the other end. .
The nozzle engaging portion 51 is always engaged with the nozzle. The upper end of the tubular portion 24 is inserted through an intermediate portion between the nozzle engaging portion 51 and the pressing portion 52, and the igniting stone 68 is pressed against the outer periphery of the bottom portion of the file wheel 62.

The operation of the ignition mechanism 6 having the above structure will be described. First, in the non-use state shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the lateral wheel ring 63 is in an annular non-deformed state due to its spring property. In this state, when a finger is put on the outer circumference of the horizontal wheel ring 63 and simply rotated or operated with a weak pressing force, the horizontal wheel ring 63 does not engage with the outer peripheral portion of the polygonal wheel 64 at all. The horizontal wheel ring 63 runs idle. Then, the polygonal wheel 64 does not receive the rotational force, the fulcrum member 61 and the file wheel 62 do not rotate, no spark is generated, and even if the actuating lever 5 is pushed down and gas is ejected, the ignition is impossible. .

Next, in the ignition operation, as shown in FIG. 5, first, a finger F is applied to the outer peripheral portion of the cross wheel ring 63 and is pressed with a strong force toward the center as indicated by an arrow. Along with this, the pressing portion of the horizontal wheel ring 63 is deformed along the polygonal shape of the polygonal wheel 64, and the ignition is possible such that the finger F directly operates the polygonal wheel 64. When the rotary operation is performed as indicated by the arrow in this state, a rotational force acts on the polygonal wheel 64 via the lateral wheel ring 63, the file wheel 62 rotates together with the fulcrum member 61, and a spark is generated. By the subsequent swing of the operating lever 5, the nozzle engaging portion 51 raises the nozzle 3 to eject the fuel gas, and the spark is ignited.

When the finger is released from the pressing portion 52 of the actuating lever 5 for extinguishing the fire, the nozzle 3 descends due to the returning force of the spring arranged in the fuel supply means 4, and the ejection of fuel gas is stopped. Further, as the finger is released from the lateral wheel ring 63, the lateral wheel ring 63 whose pressure is released is restored to the ring shape by its spring property, and is automatically returned to the idling-incapable state.

Although FIG. 5 shows the optimum state, when the horizontal wheel ring 63 and the polygonal wheel 64 are out of the stopped state, the position of the finger F is shifted or the horizontal wheel ring 63 is moved. By slightly idling and pressing it from an oblique direction, the top 64 of the polygonal wheel 64
It becomes possible to ignite by deforming the cross wheel ring 63 between a.

According to the present embodiment, when the lateral wheel ring 63 is rotated with a weak pressing force, the lateral wheel ring 63 has a function of idling and cannot be ignited. The operation is a pressing operation of the horizontal wheel ring 63, which is linked to a series of operations and has excellent operability. Further, when idling, the horizontal wheel ring 63 is annular and has no engaging portion with the polygonal wheel 64, so that no abnormal noise is generated, and the clearance between the top portion 64a of the polygonal wheel 64 and the horizontal wheel ring 63 is small. The rattling of the horizontal wheel ring 63 is also small.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a gas lighter having an ignition mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention in a non-operating state.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an ignition mechanism.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an ignition mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the operating state.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 gas lighter 2 lighter body 3 nozzles 4 Fuel supply means 5 Operating lever 6 Ignition mechanism 21 Tank body 51 Nozzle engaging part 52 Pressing part 61 Support member 61a rotating shaft 61b Mating part 61c Boss 62 file car 62a Center hole 63 Horizontal wheel ring 63a locking piece 64 polygon wheel 64a top 64b side plate 67 stone push spring 68 flint

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An ignition mechanism of a lighter in which a flint is pressed against a file wheel and a spark is generated by the rotation of the file wheel, in a lighter body, a shaft-shaped fulcrum member rotatably supported by the writer body, and the fulcrum member. An integrally rotatable file wheel, a polygonal wheel fixed to fulcrum members on both sides of the filer and having a plurality of apexes on the outer periphery, and an elastically deformable wheel arranged on the outer periphery of the polygonal wheel. An annular transverse wheel ring made of a possible spring material, and when the transverse wheel ring is in a non-deformed state, the transverse wheel ring is in an idling state, and the lateral wheel ring is pressed to elastically deform along the polygonal wheel. An ignition mechanism for a lighter, characterized in that the polygonal wheel is rotated by the rotating operation to be ignitable. 2. The ignition mechanism for a lighter according to claim 1, wherein the polygonal wheel is formed in a polygonal shape having apex portions at equal intervals on an outer peripheral portion. 3. The fulcrum member has a fitting portion that is fitted and fixed to a central portion of the file wheel, and a boss portion that is adjacent to the fitting portion and to which the polygonal wheel is fixed on an outer periphery thereof. The ignition mechanism for a lighter according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: 4. The ignition mechanism for a lighter according to claim 1, wherein the polygonal wheel is integrally formed with the fulcrum member. 5. The ignition mechanism for a lighter according to claim 1, wherein the transverse wheel ring includes a locking piece for preventing displacement.