US20110132889A1

US20110132889A1 - Cigar lighter plug

Info

Publication number: US20110132889A1
Application number: US12/868,404
Authority: US
Inventors: Won Young BAE
Original assignee: Hyundai Motor Co
Current assignee: Hyundai Motor Co
Priority date: 2009-12-03
Filing date: 2010-08-25
Publication date: 2011-06-09
Also published as: KR20110062434A; KR101047751B1

Abstract

A cigar lighter plug apparatus may include a case for surrounding a heating element which is equipped to a lower side thereof and including a groove therein, a cover fixing the case therein, a knob selectively engaged into the groove of the case through an upper side of the case, a lighting lamp formed to the knob, and a switching member formed on an inner wall of the groove and being selectively connected to the lightening member to turn on the lighting lamp according to a temperature of the case.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application Number 10-2009-119155, filed on Dec. 3, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cigar lighter plug, and more particularly to a cigar lighter plug, wherein, by means of a lighting member arranged in the cigar lighter plug, it is capable of easily deciding whether a heating element including in the cigar lighter plug is used or not, and of easily confirming a temperature of the heating element.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, various electric devices are arranged in an instrument panel for a vehicle. That is, a dashboard is arranged in the instrument panel so that a driver may recognize to cope with various current states of the vehicle while the driver runs the vehicle, and an audio apparatus as well as a radio is arranged in the instrument panel in order to play a tape or a CD.
In addition, a cigar lighter assembly is arranged in the instrument panel in order to light a cigar, wherein the cigar lighter assembly has a structure that it is heated by an inner electric source of the vehicle.
FIG. 1 is a view for illustrating a cigar lighter assembly according to the prior art.
As shown in FIG. 1, the cigar lighter assembly according to the prior art may include a cigar lighter plug 10 for providing a heat source of hot temperature when an electric source is applied, and a cigar lighter socket 20 which is equipped to an instrument panel, wherein the cigar lighter socket 20 includes a socket body 21 for applying an electric source into the cigar lighter plug 10 when the cigar lighter plug 10 is inserted.
Here, the cigar lighter plug 10 may include a heating element 11 for emitting heat when an electric source is applied, a case 12 for surrounding the heating element 11 equipped to one side of the case 12, a cover 13 for embedding the case 12, and a knob 14 equipped to another side of the case 12.
On the other hand, the socket body 21 of the cigar lighter socket 20 includes a bi-metal 22, wherein the bi-metal 22 fixes the cigar lighter plug 10 which is inserted into the cigar lighter socket 20, and the bi-metal 22 is expanded to burst open by a heat source of the heating element 11 when the heating element 11 of the cigar lighter socket 20 is heated to a high temperature, and accordingly, the cigar lighter plug 10 may spring to draw out by a certain distance.
That is, a user is possible to easily confirm by the bi-metal 22 whether the heating element of the cigar lighter plug 10 is heated or not.
In more detail, when an electric source is applied to the heating element 11 of the cigar lighter plug 10 by means of the bi-metal 22 or the socket body 21, the heating element 11 is heated to be reddish after 10-15 seconds, and the temperature of the bi-metal 22 increases at the same time, wherein a gap of the bi-metal 22 is split open, and the cigar lighter plug 10 protrudes from the cigar lighter socket 20 by a certain distance.
But, in case of the cigar lighter assembly according to the prior art, the bi-metal 22 may be deformed according as the process is repeated that the cigar lighter plug 10 is protruded after it is equipped to the bi-metal 22. Accordingly, there was a problem that the cigar lighter plug 10 may be protruded even when the heating element 11 of the cigar lighter plug 10 is incompletely heated not to be reddish.
Furthermore, in case where another person except a user touches the cigar lighter plug 10 in a state that the heating element 11 of the cigar lighter plug 10 is heated and protruded from, there was a problem that another person may be injured since he cannot confirm the temperature of the heating element 11 with the naked eye.
In addition, according as the heating element 11 of the cigar lighter plug 10 is heated to be reddish, there was a problem that a noise such as a sound of ‘clatter’ occurs when the cigar lighter plug 10 is protruded from the cigar lighter socket 20.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the above-described problems, various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide a cigar lighter plug, wherein, it include a lighting member which is lighted when a heating element is heated up to be reddish, and accordingly, anyone can confirm whether the cigar lighter plug is used or not, and can confirm the temperature of the heating element.
In an aspect of the present invention, the cigar lighter plug apparatus may include a case for surrounding a heating element which is equipped to a lower side thereof and including a groove therein, a cover fixing the case therein, a knob selectively engaged into the groove of the case through an upper side of the case, a lighting lamp formed to the knob, and a switching member formed on an inner wall of the groove and being selectively connected to the lightening member to turn on the lighting lamp according to a temperature of the case.
The knob may include a through hole formed through a longitudinal direction of the knob and the lighting lamp is arranged at a lower side of the through hole such that a light beam of the lighting lamp is selectively irradiated through the through hole in accordance with operation of the switching member.
The switching member may be a bi-metal formed on an inner wall of the case and disposed with a predetermined distance from the lightening lamp when the knob is coupled to the case, and contacts to the lighting lamp to supply an electricity to the lighting lamp and turn on the lighting lamp when the temperature of the case is increased by heat applied from the heating element beyond a predetermined temperature.
A closing cover may be combined into an upper side of the through hole, wherein the closing cover is made up of a transparent material or a semi-transparent material.
The switching member may be turned on when the temperature of the case is beyond a predetermined temperature and the switching member may be turned off when the temperature of the case is below the predetermined temperature.
In another aspect of the present invention, the cigar lighter plug apparatus may include a case for surrounding a heating element which is equipped to a lower side thereof and including a groove therein, a cover fixing the case therein, a knob selectively engaged into the groove of the case through an upper side of the case and including a through hole formed through the knob, a lighting lamp arranged at a lower side of the through hole, and a bi-metal formed on an inner wall of the case and disposed with a predetermined distance from the lightening lamp when the knob is coupled to the case, and contacts to the lighting lamp to turn on the lighting lamp and thus illuminate a light beam through the through hole of the knob when the temperature of the case is increased by heat applied from the heating element beyond a predetermined temperature.
According the to the present invention, by arranging the lighting member which is lighted corresponding to the temperature of the heating element in the cigar lighter plug, it is possible to externally decide whether the heating element is used or not, and easily confirm the temperature of the heating element. In addition, it is possible to prevent that somebody may come to harm by the heating element and that noise may occur by the heating element. Furthermore, it is possible to increase the merchantability.
The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description of the Invention, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of illustrating a cigar lighter assembly according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a view for illustrating an exemplary cigar lighter assembly according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view for showing a status that an exemplary cigar lighter assembly is being used according to the present invention.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.
In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Now, a cigar lighter plug according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of FIGS. 2 and 3.
The cigar lighter plug 100 according to the present invention includes a lighting member 300 which is lighted corresponding to the temperature of the heating element 110, and accordingly, anyone can easily confirm whether the heating element 110 is used or not, and can easily confirm the temperature of the heating element 110.
That is, when the heating element 110 of the cigar lighter plug 100 is heated up to be reddish beyond a predetermined temperature, the lighting member 300 is turned on, and accordingly, it is possible to confirm that the heating element 110 is in a state of high temperature. And then, when the temperature of the heating element 110 comes down below the predetermined temperature, the lighting member 300 is turned off, and accordingly, it is possible to confirm that the heating element 110 is in a state of low temperature.
Accordingly, in case of the cigar lighter plug 100 with the built-in lighting member 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the temperature of the heating element 110 may be easily confirmed by deciding whether the lighting member 300 is lighted or not.
On the other hand, the cigar lighter assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, may include a cigar lighter plug 100 for equipping the heating element 110 which provides a heat source of hot temperature when an electric source is applied, and a cigar lighter socket 200 for applying an electric source into the heating element 110 to be heated, in which the cigar lighter plug 100 is inserted and equipped to the cigar lighter socket 200. Here, a lighting member 300 is embedded in the cigar lighter plug 100, wherein the lighting member 300 is turned on when the heating element 110 is heated to a high temperature.
Now, a structure of the cigar lighter assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail.
The cigar lighter plug 100 includes a heating element 110 which is wound in the shape of a coil, a case 120 for surrounding the heating element 110 which is equipped by a screw to its lower side, a cylindrical cover 130 which is formed in the shape for surrounding an outer circumference of the case 120 and is made of a metal in order to conduct electricity, and a knob 140 which is inserted and equipped to a groove 121 formed inside the case 120.
Here, the knob 140 may be made of synthetic resins lest a heat source with a high temperature should be applied or the electricity should be conducted. In addition, a through hole 141 is formed in the knob 140 so as to penetrate from an upper side to a lower side as shown in FIG. 2, wherein an upper side of the through hole 141 is combined into a closing cover 142 which is made of transparent material or semi-transparent material.
On the other hand, the heating element 110, and the case 120 and the cover 130 are connected by a screw, and accordingly, the heat source or the electricity may conduct through each other.
The cigar lighter socket 200 is to apply electricity so that the heating element 110 of the cigar lighter plug 100 may be heated to be reddish, wherein the cigar lighter socket 200 includes a socket body formed in an instrument panel, and a socket body 210 which is connected to a power supply inside a vehicle.
That is, in case of the cigar lighter assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the cigar lighter plug 100 is inserted into the socket body 210 of the cigar lighter socket 200, the heating element 110 and the case 120 are heated to a high temperature by mean of a resisting force according to the electric source which is applied from the socket body 210. Accordingly, a user may light a cigarette by using the cigar lighter plug 100 including the heating element 110 heated to a high temperature.
The lighting member 300 is to be turned on or off corresponding to the temperature of the heating element 110, wherein the lighting member 300 includes a lighting lamp 310 equipped to a lower side of the through hole 141 and lighted on when the electric source is applied, and a number of bi-metals 320 formed at the two sides of an inner wall in the groove 121 which is placed at a lower side of the lighting lamp 310, wherein the bi-metal 320 expands when the temperature of the case 120 rises through the heating element 110, and applies the electric source applied into the case 120 by being connected to each of the plus terminal and the minus terminal of the lighting lamp 310.
The lighting lamp 310 may use an LED lighting lamp which includes an LED module, a reflector, a heat radiating plate, and the like, in which the LED module includes a plus terminal and a minus terminal. At this time, a detail explanation of the lighting lamp 310 will be omitted since it is well known.
It is well known that the bi-metal 320 is manufactured by combining two metals with different thermal expansion coefficients, and accordingly, a detail explanation of the bi-metal 320 will be omitted.
A status that the cigar lighter assembly having the above-described elements is being used will be explained as follows.
To begin with, as shown in FIG. 3, when the cigar lighter plug 100 is inserted into the cigar lighter socket 200 and thus the lightening lamp 310 is disposed above the bi-metal 320 with a predetermined distance, the heating element 110 is heated to be reddish by means of the electric source which is applied from the socket body 210 to the heating element 110, and accordingly, a hot temperature and the electric source are applied into the case 120 and the cover 130 by the heating element 110.
At this time, if the case 120 is heated by the above-described heating element 110, the bi-metal 320 is expanded gradually and connected to a plus terminal and a minus terminal of the lighting lamp 310. And then, the lighting lamp 310 is connected to the case 120 by means of the bi-metal 320 to apply an electric source so that the lighting lamp 310 is lighted to spread a light. In addition, the light of the lighting lamp 310 passes through the through hole 141 and the closing cover 142 of the knob 140 to spread externally.
Therefore, the user may identify that the existing heating element 110 is heated to a high temperature by a light which is spread from the knob 140 of the cigar lighter plug 100. And then, the user may concentrate attention, and accordingly, it is possible to remarkably prevent that the user may be injured.
On the other hand, if the temperature of the heating element 110 falls down after a certain time elapses, the temperature of the case 120 as well as the temperature of the heating element 110 falls down. Accordingly, the bi-metal 320 returns to its original position, and then, the electric source is cut off so that the lighting lamp 310 is turned off.
Thus, in case where the user confirms that the light is not spread from the knob 140 of the cigar lighter plug 100, the user may identify that the existing heating element 110 is in a state of a low temperature.
According to the cigar lighter assembly having the above-described elements, by arranging the lighting member 300 in the cigar lighter plug 100, in which the lighting member 300 includes the lighting lamp 310 and the bi-metal 320, it is possible to externally decide whether the heating element 110 is used or not, and easily confirm the temperature of the heating element 110.
Furthermore, because it may remove the bi-metal which is applied into the cigar lighter socket in order to confirm whether the heating element of the cigar lighter plug in the prior art is heated to a high temperature or not, it is possible to remarkably prevent from various troubles of the cigar lighter socket owing to the bi-metal.
For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower” and “inner” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.
The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cigar lighter plug apparatus comprising:

a case for surrounding a heating element which is equipped to a lower side thereof and including a groove therein;

a cover fixing the case therein;

a knob selectively engaged into the groove of the case through an upper side of the case;

a lighting lamp formed to the knob; and

a switching member formed on an inner wall of the groove and being selectively connected to the lightening member to turn on the lighting lamp according to a temperature of the case.

2. The cigar lighter plug apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the knob includes a through hole formed through a longitudinal direction of the knob and the lighting lamp is arranged at a lower side of the through hole such that a light beam of the lighting lamp is selectively irradiated through the through hole in accordance with operation of the switching member.

3. The cigar lighter plug apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the switching member is a bi-metal formed on an inner wall of the case and disposed with a predetermined distance from the lightening lamp when the knob is coupled to the case, and contacts to the lighting lamp to supply an electricity to the lighting lamp and turn on the lighting lamp when the temperature of the case is increased by heat applied from the heating element beyond a predetermined temperature.

4. The cigar lighter plug apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a closing cover is combined into an upper side of the through hole.

5. The cigar lighter plug apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the closing cover is made up of a transparent material or a semi-transparent material.

6. The cigar lighter plug apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching member is turned on when the temperature of the case is beyond a predetermined temperature and the switching member is turned off when the temperature of the case is below the predetermined temperature

7. The cigar lighter plug apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching member is a bi-metal formed on an inner wall of the case and disposed with a predetermined distance from the lightening lamp when the knob is coupled to the case, and contacts to the lighting lamp to supply an electricity to the lighting lamp and turn on the lighting lamp when the temperature of the case is increased by heat applied from the heating element beyond a predetermined temperature.

8. A cigar lighter plug apparatus comprising:

a cover fixing the case therein;

a knob selectively engaged into the groove of the case through an upper side of the case and including a through hole formed through the knob;

a lighting lamp arranged at a lower side of the through hole; and

a bi-metal formed on an inner wall of the case and disposed with a predetermined distance from the lightening lamp when the knob is coupled to the case, and contacts to the lighting lamp to turn on the lighting lamp and thus illuminates a light beam through the through hole of the knob when the temperature of the case is increased by heat applied from the heating element beyond a predetermined temperature.