JP3865380B2 - Ignition device such as smoking lighter with safety lock mechanism - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ignition device having a safety lock mechanism such as a smoking lighter or a desktop burner that ignites and burns liquefied gas fuel with a discharge spark.
[0002]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In smoking lighters and desktop burners that use liquefied gas as fuel and a high-voltage electricity generator with a piezoelectric element as an ignition source, high-voltage electricity generated by the impact of the piezoelectric element is discharged between the electrodes near the nozzle, The liquefied gas ejected from the nozzle is ignited and burned by the spark generated in
[0003]
For ignition operation, it is only necessary to hold the lighter body that also serves as a fuel tank, place the thumb on the operation cap, press the thumb with the force applied to the thumb, and open the combustion valve and generate high-pressure electricity. Both the power generation operations of the apparatus are performed almost simultaneously, and a flame is generated from the crater provided in the upper combustion section of the lighter body.
[0004]
In this way, a lighter for smoking, etc. that can be ignited and burned simply by pressing the pusher with finger pressure, is good in that it can achieve its purpose with one hand, but it does not push the pusher much. Since there is no need for strong finger pressure, there is a risk of unexpected ignition and burning when the pusher is pressed with some beat when carrying. Also, because it does not require strong gripping force or finger pressure, even a weak child can often perform an ignition operation, and in a home where a lighter for smoking is used normally, a curious child is on a table or the like. In many cases, lighters that have been left unattended are ignited and burned in a place that is out of the reach of adults, and this has the extremely dangerous problem of causing burns and sometimes fires.
[0005]
In the United States, it is obliged to add a safety mechanism that cannot be ignited by children in order to prevent dangers such as lighters for smoking by children (child resistance). Tend to be adopted.
[0006]
What is usually considered as a safety mechanism is to make the operation more complicated than before, with the ignition operation as a two-action and further as a three-action. However, when the number of operations increases, ignition combustion becomes troublesome, and it becomes difficult to use for smoking especially in a structure using both hands.
In addition, children's observation power is sharp, and in the operation with clear steps from the infant's eyes, when adults casually use it, they memorize and remember the procedure, and if the lighter is left unattended, It can be seen that the safety device is released by operating it with the help of memory and ignition combustion is performed.
[0007]
For this reason, even if the release of the lock mechanism and the ignition operation are performed by two-action, the operation of the lock mechanism is not visible from the outside because the operation is by a button and the pusher is immovable. The release can be performed by adopting elastic deformation of the pusher by resin integrally engaged with the unlocking member, which prevents it from being released by the child's finger pressure and gripping force, ensuring safety. An ignition operating device having a safety lock mechanism for a new smoking lighter has been previously invented.
[0008]
FIG. 8 and the following show a safety locking mechanism for a smoking lighter according to the previous invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-099425 (US Pat. No. 6,234,784).
This safety lock mechanism is formed with a locking step 2a on the inner surface of the casing 2 of the lighter body 1, and a fixing member 3a is vertically accommodated in the casing 2 to generate high-voltage electricity generated from the casing 2. At the top of the movable member 3b of the device 3, a pusher 4 and a leaf spring locking foot 5 whose lower end is located on the locking step 2a are attached, the upper part 6a is fitted to the three side surfaces of the pusher 4, and the lower part 6b The unlocking member 6 having a U-shaped flat cross section that fits with the inner side surface of the casing and the boundary between the upper and lower portions becomes the support step portion 7 of the pusher 4 is moved from the locking step portion 2a to the locking foot 5 by the lower end. So that the movable member 4b can be unlocked by pushing it back into the gap 8, and the lock release member 6 and the pusher 4 are formed of resin so that the movable member 4b can be unlocked. The engaging groove 9 is engaged and disengaged by elastic deformation on the pusher side. Provided engagement portions for restraining by the locking projection 10, is that formed by binding on both each other.
[0009]
In such a structure, a thumb is placed on the upper edge of the upper opening of the unlocking member 8, and the unlocking member 8 is pressed and pushed down with finger pressure as it is, so that the unlocking member 8 of the pusher 4 shown in FIG. The engagement portion must be elastically displaced inward by the pressing force to release the engagement, and the lock release member 8 released from the pusher 4 is pushed down by the thumb to be seen from the state of FIG. In the state of (B), the lower end portion of the locking foot 9 must be pushed back into the gap 8 and the movable member 3b must be freed from the downward movement. Therefore, it becomes very difficult to release the lock release member 8. However, even a structure that requires such a strong pressing force is not perfect, and further safety is required.
[0010]
The present invention has been newly conceived in view of such circumstances, and the purpose of this invention is to release a lock member by operating a slide case in a casing, even if a leaf spring is used for locking a pusher. It is extremely difficult for children to unlock the safety lock, and it is possible to lock the slide case, so that a new operation can be required to unlock the safety lock. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ignition device having a safety lock mechanism.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the present invention according to the above object, a casing having an open upper portion is integrally provided in a side portion of an apparatus main body provided with a combustion section on a fuel tank, and a fixing member of a high voltage electricity generator is inserted and fixed in the casing. In an ignition device in which a cap-like pusher is attached to a movable member protruding to the side of the combustion part and a lower edge is fitted into a casing, an unlocking operation window opened on the side wall of the casing, A slide case for unlocking that fits up and down inside the three side walls except the main unit side, a working space formed between the side wall on the window side of the slide case and the fixing member, and a lower end with high voltage electric A locking member in a working space by a vertically long leaf spring that is fixed to the generator side and elastically contacted with the slide case and whose upper end reaches the lower edge of the ignition pusher, and the locking member The lower protrusion inside the slide case in contact with the inclined part, the click stop protrusion formed elastically on the vertical edge of the open surface facing the apparatus main body of the slide case, and the apparatus main body engaged with the protrusion That is, a safety lock mechanism is formed from the uneven portions on the side surface.
[0012]
Further, the present invention provides an operation in which an inner block is slidably fitted in a lateral direction on a side surface of a window-side slide case that is elastically contacted with the lock member, and attached to a casing side surface by a stop plate that is fitted into the block. A lock button in the window, a spring member that is located in a space between the convex edge projecting on one side of the block and the inner surface of the casing, and constantly presses the lock button in one direction together with the block, and the convex edge It is also provided with a slide case locking mechanism that is recessed at the side edge of the lock member adjacent to the inner side and includes a recess that engages with the convex edge by the elastic force of the spring member.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The illustrated ignition device according to the present invention is a smoking lighter. FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment, and FIGS. 4 to 7 show a second embodiment.
[0014]
In the figure, 11 is a resin lighter body that also serves as a fuel tank, and is provided with a combustion section 12 having a crater lid 12a at the top thereof. Although the internal structure of the combustion section 12 is omitted, a combustion valve provided with a nozzle on a liquefied gas fuel tank, an electrode base, a combustion valve opening / closing member, and the like are provided as in the conventional case shown in FIG.
[0015]
Reference numeral 13 denotes a casing of the high-voltage electricity generator 16 that is integrally arranged on the side of the lighter body 11. An upper portion of the casing 13 is opened, and an unlocking operation window 14 is opened on the side wall opposite to the lighter body 11.
[0016]
Further, an unlocking slide case 15 that goes up and down along the three side walls excluding the lighter body side is fitted inside the casing 13, and the high voltage electricity generator 16, the lock member 17, Is inserted.
[0017]
The slide case 15 has a step portion 15a for receiving the lower edge of the presser 19 formed in a cap shape on the upper inner surface of the side wall on the window side, and a lower portion in contact with the inclined portion of the lower portion of the lock member 17 on the lower inner surface. It has a protrusion 15b. Further, on the upper part of the vertical edge of the open surface facing the lighter main body 11, there is a click stop projection 15d having a semicircular tip formed elastically by a vertical slit 15c.
[0018]
The high-voltage electricity generator 16 has a normal structure, and although the internal structure is omitted in the figure, a rectangular parallelepiped fixing member 16a including a piezoelectric element and an impact hammer thereabove, and a hollow energizing coil The movable member 16b is slidably fitted to the fixed member 16a with a spring interposed between the hammer and the top plate. A lead wire 16c is led out to the side of the fixing member 16a, and the fixing member 16a is inserted into the casing 13 with the lead wire 16c facing the writer body. Due to the insertion of the fixed member 16a, the movable member 16b protrudes from the opening of the casing 13 and is positioned on the side portion of the combustion section 12.
[0019]
Further, a required working space 18 is formed between the window side wall of the slide case 15 and the fixing member 16 a, and the lock member 17 is located in the working space 18. The lock member 17 has a length in which the upper end is located above the stepped portion 15a, and is composed of a vertically long elastic plate formed on the inclined surface by bending the upper side of the lower end portion 17a horizontally bent. The lower end portion 17a is sandwiched between the case bottom surface and the fixing member 16a together with the seat piece 16d, and is elastically contacted with the slide case. The slide case 15 is pressed against the case side wall around the operation window by the elastic contact of the lock member 17. For this reason, in combination with the frictional resistance of the lower protrusion 15b in contact with the inclined portion of the lock member 17, the slide case 15 is in a state where it cannot easily slide upward with a weak finger pressure.
[0020]
The above-mentioned pusher 19 made of resin is attached to the top of the movable member 16b, and the lower part of the pusher 19 is formed in a skirt portion 19a loosely fitted on the inner surface of the three side walls of the slide case 15. The skirt portion 19a is inserted into the casing until it comes into contact with the upper end of the lock member 17, and the upper end of the skirt portion 19a becomes an obstacle to pushing the movable member 16b by the pusher 19 and is locked so that the ignition operation cannot be performed.
[0021]
On the side surface of the lighter main body 11 where the click stop protrusion 15d of the slide case 15 is located, an uneven portion 21a that engages and disengages with the protrusion 15d is provided on the lower side of the saddle member 20 that is built in the combustion section 12. It is formed and formed on the side surface of the column 21 extending to the front. As a result, the projecting piece 15d is fitted into the recess on the upper side of the concavo-convex portion 21a so that an operating force is required for the upper slide of the slide case 15.
[0022]
In order to perform the ignition operation in the smoking lighter having the above-described configuration, the skirt portion 19a of the pusher is received at the upper end of the lock member 17 and is locked so that it cannot be pushed. A thumb is applied to the case 15 and the slide case 15 is moved upward by strong finger pressure. Accordingly, the lower protrusion 15b slides on the plate surface while pressing the lock member 17 inward.
[0023]
As a result, as shown in FIG. 3A, the upper end of the lock member 17 is pushed into the inner side of the skirt portion 19a of the pusher 19 and deviates from the lower edge. Further, the engagement between the protrusion 15d and the uneven portion 21a on the lighter main body side is changed to the upper side, the slide case 15 is hooked at the upper position, and the lower obstacle of the presser 19 due to the upper end of the lock member 17 is eliminated. At the same time, the movable member 16b can be pushed down. Due to the pressing force, the movable member 16b compresses an internal hammer biasing spring member (not shown) to operate the piezoelectric generator 16, and at the same time, the pusher 19 opens the inner valve opening / closing lever 22 to release the valve. Ignition combustion of the gas to be ejected.
[0024]
In the push-down process, the lower end of the skirt portion 19a is in contact with the receiving step portion 15a of the slide case 15 and is pushed down together with the slide case 15 in the pusher 19 as shown in FIG. As a result, the slide case 15 is returned to its original position, the skirt portion 19a is interposed between the slide case 15 and the lock member 17, and the projecting piece 15d is fitted in the recess below the uneven portion 21a. The slide case 15 is fixed at a position before the operation. Therefore, the slide case 15 automatically returns to the state before the operation by the ignition operation.
[0025]
When the pressing force on the pusher 19 is removed, the movable member 16b is pushed back by the compressed spring member inside, and the skirt portion 19aa is pushed back to the original position. At the same time, the lock member 17 also returns to a position where it comes into contact with the slide case 15 by its own elastic force, and the upper end is again positioned below the lower edge of the skirt portion 19a, thereby preventing the pusher 19 from being pushed in.
[0026]
In this way, in the safety lock device that releases the lock member 17 by the elastic plate by operating the slide case 15, the upward slide operation of the slide case 15 can be performed on the lower protrusion 15 b provided on the slide case 15 and the lighter body. Since it can be configured so that a large finger pressure is required by the projecting piece 15d formed elastically on the vertical edge of the open surface that faces, it is highly safe that unlocking is extremely difficult with a child's finger pressure. Become.
[0027]
4 to 7, the lock mechanism of the slide case 15 is configured by the lock member 17 and the horizontal slide lock button 23 attached to the slide case 15 on the wall surface located on the operation window 14 of the slide case 15. Thus, an embodiment in which the function of the safety lock mechanism is further enhanced is shown.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 5, the lock button 23 has a quadrilateral block 23a integrally on the back side of the surface plate, and one side surface of the block 23a is formed as a convex edge 23b. It has a quadrilateral shape having a dovetail groove 23c provided vertically. The lock button 23 is configured such that a block 23a is slidably fitted in a slide hole 26 formed in the slide case 15 on the window side, and a stop plate 25 is inserted into the dovetail groove 23c exposed to the inside. It is installed in the operation window.
[0029]
In a space 27 between the convex edge 23b of the block 23a and the inner surface of the slide cover 15, a plate-like spring member 24 that constantly presses the lock button 23 in one direction together with the block 23a is provided. Further, a concave portion 28 into which the convex edge 23b is fitted by elastic pressure is formed in the side edge adjacent to the inner side of the convex edge 23b of the lock member 17, and the upper edge 28a and the convex edge of the concave portion 28 are provided. Due to the contact with the upper surface, the movement of the slide case 15 is blocked by the lock member 17 so that the slide case 15 cannot be slid upward.
[0030]
In the slide case 15 having such a lock mechanism, as shown in FIG. 7 (A), the convex edge 23b is pressed against the recess 28 by the spring member 24 and is engaged with the lock member 17. Since the upper slide cannot be performed as it is, the lock 19 cannot be unlocked by the lock member 17 unless it is released.
[0031]
As shown in FIG. 7B, the slide case 15 is unlocked by pressing the lock button 23 in the spring direction by finger pressure to compress the spring member 24, and the convex edge 23b moves out of the recess 28 and moves. Slide horizontally until clearance S occurs. As a result, the restriction of the slide case 15 by the lock member 17 is released, and the slide case 15 can be moved upward. Therefore, the slide case 15 can be pushed up as it is to release the lock of the pusher 19. The upper edge of the stop plate 25 performs the same function as the receiving step portion 15a of the slide case 15 of the above embodiment.
[0032]
When the pressing force is removed from the horizontally slid lock button 23, the lock button 23 is pushed back by the compressed spring member 24. Therefore, the lock button 23 requires a pressing force in the lateral direction and an upward pressing force to release the lock. Will be. For this reason, the operation becomes more complicated than the unlocking by only the operation of the slide case 15, and the unlocking cannot be performed in the child, and the safety is further improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a main part of a smoking lighter provided with a safety lock mechanism of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the above.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view of a main part showing a lock release operation (A) and an ignition operation (B).
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a smoking lighter equipped with a safety lock mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a member that locks the slide case.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a longitudinal side surface (A) and a flat cross section (B) of a slide case and a lock member.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram when the slide case is locked (A) and when it is released (B).
FIG. 8 is a side view of a part of a smoking lighter provided with a conventional safety lock mechanism.
FIG. 9 is a longitudinal side view of the main part showing the above-described locked state (A) and unlocked state (B).
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Lighter main body 12 Combustion part 13 Casing 14 Operation window 15 Slide case 15a Receiving step part 15b Lower protrusion 15c Slit 15d Click stop protrusion 16 Piezoelectric generator 16a Fixed member 16b Movable member 17 Lock member 18 Working space 19 Cap shape Pusher 19a Skirt part 21a Uneven part for click stop 23 Lock button 23a Block 23b Convex edge 24 Plate-like spring member 25 Stop plate 26 Slide hole

Claims (2)

A casing having an open top is integrally arranged on the side of the apparatus main body having a combustion unit on the fuel tank, and a fixing member of the high-voltage electricity generator is inserted and fixed in the casing, In an ignition device such as a smoking lighter in which a cap-like pusher is attached to the protruding movable member and the lower edge is inserted into the casing,
An operation window for unlocking established on the side wall of the casing, and a slide case for unlocking fitted inside the three side walls excluding the device main body side of the casing so as to freely move up and down,
A working space formed between the window side wall of the slide case and the fixing member;
A locking member in the working space by a vertically long leaf spring that is fixed to the high voltage electricity generator side and elastically contacted with the slide case, and the upper end reaches the lower edge of the pusher;
A lower protrusion inside the slide case that is in contact with the inclined portion of the lock member;
A click-stop protrusion formed elastically on the vertical edge of the open surface facing the device body of the slide case,
An igniter such as a smoking lighter provided with a safety lock mechanism, wherein a safety lock mechanism is formed from the concavo-convex portion on the side surface of the apparatus main body engaged with the protruding piece. The inside block is slidably fitted in the side of the slide case on the window side where the lock member is elastically contacted, and the lock in the operation window attached to the side of the casing by the stop plate fitted into the block is released. A spring member that is located in a space between the button and a convex edge projecting on one side of the block and the inner surface of the casing, and that constantly presses the lock button in one direction together with the block;
A slide case locking mechanism comprising a recess that is recessed in a side edge of the lock member adjacent to the inner side of the convex edge and that engages with the convex edge by elastic force of the spring member. An ignition device having the safety lock mechanism according to 1.

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