JPH0459178B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a cigarette lighter for automobiles.
More specifically, if the passenger wishes to use the cigarette lighter, by removing the plug from the socket, the plug's heater will immediately become red-hot due to the discharge from the capacitor built into the plug, allowing it to be used. At the same time, if another passenger subsequently wishes to use the plug, by reinserting the plug into the socket, the plug can be immediately heated to red by energizing it from the car's power source. Therefore, it can be removed from the socket and used without any waiting time.

That is, the present invention relates to an automobile cigarette lighter that can be used continuously and repeatedly as desired with virtually no waiting time.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, as is generally known, in a car cigarette lighter, by pushing the plug inserted into the OFF position of the socket deeper into the ON position, the electrode on the socket side connected to the power supply of the car is connected to the OFF position of the socket. The plug is connected to a heater provided at the tip of the plug, and when the heater of the plug is made red hot for about 10-odd seconds, the plug is automatically returned to its original off position. Alternatively, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-155117, by removing the plug from the socket,
There has been known a configuration in which a heater provided at the tip of the plug is made red hot by a discharge current from a capacitor built into the plug.

Problems to be Solved by the Present Invention Regarding the conventional automobile cigarette lighter, for example, in the former case, the heater, which has a relatively large heat capacity, generates heat for a predetermined period of time in the socket, so The thermal effect on the device is large, and sometimes for some reason the energized state is maintained for longer than a predetermined time, leading to overheating. For this reason, it was necessary to install a temperature fuse to prevent the heater from overheating, and to add a mechanism that shuts off the power when the heater is overheated to a predetermined temperature or higher. In addition, the automatic return mechanism that automatically returns the plug to the off position after a predetermined period of time after pushing the plug from the off position to the on position is not only relatively complicated, but also when the cigarette lighter is not used as desired. , there were problems such as having to wait about 10 seconds. In the latter case, once the plug is removed from the socket and used once, the heater will not become red hot even if it is inserted into the socket again, and the heater will wait for the charging time required to charge the capacitor installed inside the plug. Otherwise, there was a problem that it could not be reused and could not be used repeatedly.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention was devised in view of the above-mentioned problems. That is, a pair of electrodes each connected to both poles of the car's power source are provided in the socket, and one electrode is connected to the plug side. When the plug is inserted into the socket, a pair of movable electrodes are provided which are respectively connected to the pair of electrodes of the socket, and one movable electrode connected to the positive side of the socket is connected when the plug is inserted. The heater is connected through one contact of a changeover switch that turns on when the switch is turned on, and a capacitor is connected between the other side of the heater and the negative movable electrode. . When the plug is inserted into the socket, the plug is connected from the positive terminal of the car's power source to the electrode of the socket, the movable electrode on the plug side that is connected to the electrode, and then the on contact of one of the reversed changeover switches. The electrical circuit is constructed in such a way that the heater, condenser, movable electrode, and the negative electrode of the socket are connected in series to the negative terminal of the power supply, and when the plug is removed from the socket, the changeover switch The heater is configured so that a closed circuit is formed between the heater and the capacitor by switching the other OFF contact of the heater to the ON state upon return operation.

Effect of the present invention The automobile cigarette lighter of the present invention constructed as described above operates as follows.

First, when the plug is inserted into the socket, the power source of the vehicle is connected in series with the heater and capacitor of the plug via the electrode of the socket, the movable electrode of the plug, and the changeover switch, as described above. Therefore, immediately after the plug is inserted into the socket, a current approximately determined by the resistance value of the heater flows, causing the heater to become red-hot and charging the capacitor. However, the current is applied only for a time determined by a time constant that is the product of the capacitor capacity and the resistance value of the heater, and after that, the current is stopped when the capacitor is fully charged, so that the heater gradually It is then cooled and held in the socket in a cooled state. Next, when the occupant of the car pulls out the plug as desired, the changeover switch is activated and a closed circuit is formed between the plug heater and the capacitor, so a discharge current flows from the charged capacitor to the heater, causing the heater to makes it red hot and allows the cigarette to be ignited. Furthermore, if another passenger wishes to light a cigarette in succession, the plug, whose heater has cooled down due to the former use, is reinserted into the socket. Since the electric circuit is closed by connecting the power supply and the capacitor in series, the product becomes red hot immediately without any waiting time, and the plug can be removed and used.
That is, the automobile cigarette lighter according to the present invention includes:
When the plug is removed from the socket, the heater can be made red hot by the discharge from the capacitor.Furthermore, when reusing the plug immediately after it has been used, by inserting the plug into the socket, the heater can be heated without waiting time. Since it is heated red-hot by a power source, it can be removed and used again.

Embodiments of the present invention A preferred embodiment of the automobile cigarette lighter according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a socket into which a plug 2 is inserted. The socket 1 has an opening 1e into which the plug 2 is inserted.
For example, it is formed in the shape of a cylinder with a bottom, and a pair of electrodes 1a and 1b connected to both poles of the power source 5 of the automobile are arranged at predetermined positions on the inner peripheral surface of the opening 1e in a ring shape, for example. They are installed along the surface and at predetermined intervals from each other. 1c and 1d are terminals provided at the outer ends of the socket, and the electrodes 1a and 1b
is connected to the power supply 5 via the terminals 1c and 1d. 2 is a plug. The plug 2 is formed to fit the opening 1e of the socket 1 to be inserted into the socket 1, and has a knob portion 2a formed on the front side for attaching and detaching the plug to the socket 1, and a knob portion 2a on the front side for attaching and detaching the plug to the socket 1. is equipped with a heater 2b for lighting cigarettes. Further, the plug 2 has movable electrodes 2c and 2d attached to its outer circumferential portion, which are connected to the electrodes 1a and 1b of the socket 1 so as to be movable forward and backward.

Furthermore, there is a capacitor 3 inside the plug 2.
and a changeover switch 4 are built in. Here, the positive terminal 3a of the capacitor 3 is connected to one of the heaters 2b, the other negative terminal 3b is connected to the movable electrode 2c, and further connected to the negative terminal of the power source 5 via the electrode 1a of the socket and the terminal 1c. ing. The changeover switch 4 also includes an operating pin 4 that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the plug 2 and is attached to the switch so that it can move forward and backward.
When the plug 2 is inserted into the opening 1e of the socket 1, the operating pin 4a engages with the protrusion 1f in the opening 1e. When the plug 2 is removed from the socket 1, the original connection state is restored. However, the connection configuration of the changeover switch 4 is such that when the plug 2 is inserted into the socket 1, the common terminal 4b is connected to the other side of the heater 2b, and the common terminal 4b is connected to the other side of the heater 2b, which is in the ON operation. The contact 4c is connected to the positive electrode of the power source 5 via the movable electrode 2d of the plug 2 and the electrode 1b of the socket 1. That is, the changeover switch 4 is the heater 2b.
and capacitor 3 are connected to power supply 5 in series.

The other contact 4d, which is open when the plug 2 is inserted into the socket 1, is connected to the negative terminal 3b of the capacitor 3, and when the plug 2 is removed from the socket 1, The common contact 4b is turned on, and the heater 2b and the capacitor 3 form a closed circuit. 5 is a power source installed in the car.

Next, the operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the plug 2 is inserted into the socket 1, the power from the positive terminal of the power supply 5 to the socket
Terminal 1d, electrode 1b, movable electrode 2 of plug 2
d, contact 4c of changeover switch 4, common contact 4b,
Heater 2b, positive terminal 3a of condenser 3,
It is connected to the negative terminal of the power source 5 through the negative terminal 3b of the capacitor 3, the movable electrode 2c of the plug 2, the electrode 1a of the socket 1, and the terminal 1c, forming an electric circuit as shown in FIG. Therefore, immediately after the plug 2 is inserted into the socket 1, a charging current flows from the positive electrode of the power source 5 to the capacitor 3 via the heater 2b. The charging current is approximately determined by the resistance value of the heater 2b. According to the embodiment, it is preferable that the resistance value is 10 ohms and the current value is approximately 1 A. Thus, the charging current is applied until the capacitor 3 is completely charged. Further, according to the embodiment, the capacitance value of the capacitor 3 is preferably about 1 (F). In this way, the heater 2b rapidly becomes red hot almost at the same time as the plug 2 is inserted into the socket 1, and continues for a predetermined period of time, but as the charging of the capacitor 3 progresses, the charging current gradually decreases until the capacitor 3 is fully charged. At the same time, power supply is stopped and the heater is cooled down. (In the example, the time constant
10 seconds).

As described above, when the plug 2 held in the socket 1 is removed from the socket 1 as desired, the changeover switch 4 is switched to the other side, and the heater 2b and the condenser 3 are connected via the changeover switch 4, as shown in FIG. A closed circuit is formed. However,
The capacitor 3 discharges the accumulated charge, and the heater 2b becomes red hot for a predetermined period of time without any waiting time.

As explained above, in the automobile cigarette lighter according to the present invention, when the plug 2 is inserted into the socket 1, the capacitor 3 built in the plug 2
Since the plug 2 is connected to the power source of the vehicle so as to be charged via the heater 2b of the plug 2, the heater 2b can be made red hot at the same time as the plug 2 is inserted into the socket 1.
It has a function that allows the inserted plug to be pulled out again without waiting time and ignites the cigarette continuously and repeatedly, and furthermore, if the plug is inserted into the socket 1 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. When the plug 2 is removed, a closed circuit is formed between the built-in capacitor 3 and the heater 2b by the switching operation of the changeover switch 4, and the discharge current from the capacitor 3 causes the heater 2b to become red hot.

Effects of the present invention (a) Since the capacitor built into the plug is charged and discharged via the plug's heater, it can be used continuously and repeatedly without waiting time, and the component parts are To provide a practically effective automobile cigarette lighter with a small and simple configuration.

(b) Since the heat capacity of the heater is small, the occurrence of thermal troubles due to overheating etc. is eliminated, making it possible to provide an automobile cigarette lighter with excellent safety.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an automobile cigarette lighter according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an electrical circuit diagram when the plug of the automobile cigarette lighter according to the present invention is inserted into the socket. FIG. 3 is an electrical circuit diagram when the plug of the automobile cigarette lighter according to the present invention is removed from the socket. 1...Socket, 1a, 1b...Electrode, 2...
Plug, 2b...heater, 2c, 2d...movable electrode, 3...condenser, 4...changeover switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A socket having a pair of electrodes on its inner circumferential surface each connected to a power source of an automobile, a movable electrode attached to the socket so that it can be attached to and detached from the pair of electrodes when inserted into or removed from the socket, and a reversible electrode. In addition to providing a changeover switch to operate the
When inserted into the socket, the plug is connected in series to the power source of the automobile via the movable electrode and the reversed changeover switch, and when removed from the socket, it is connected via the changeover switch to form a series connected closed circuit, with a built-in heater and capacitor. An automobile cigarette lighter characterized by the following configuration.