US2220625A

US2220625A - Electric cigar lighter

Info

Publication number: US2220625A
Application number: US216094A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sinko John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-06-27
Filing date: 1938-06-27
Publication date: 1940-11-05
Anticipated expiration: 1957-11-05

Description

Nov. 5? 1940.

J. slNKo 2,220,625

ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER Filed June 2'7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l NOV. 5, 1940. J, slNKO ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER Filed June 27, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to electric cigar lighters of the type used in automobiles, and more particularly to those commonly kno-wn as Wireless lighters because Ithe igniting plug may be removed from the socket member which is provided with electrical supply terminals. The igniting plug is provided with a heating element adapted to store suiiicient heat to light several y cigars after the plug member is withdrawn.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved plug member which will provide good electrical contacts for the heating element and be of short overall length.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved plug member having an internal switch which may be thermostatically controlled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a telescoping plug member having an internal switch and provided with guide means which will hold the telescoping parts in axial alignment.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved thermostat for use in a cigar lighter switch wherein the gripping portion of the thermostat may have a series of circumferentially disposed lugs which will move substantially in radial direction when heated to release the switch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a removable and replaceable igniting unit for 3'0 the plug member wherein a rearwardly extending guide sleeve serves to protect the thermostat and prevent injury to the thermostat through rough handling.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated.

The invention is illustrated in preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings, in

Figure l is a broken longitudinal sectional view of a socket member showing the withdrawable plug member in normal de-energized position; Fig. 2, a broken longitudinal sectional view of 4E the removable plug member in collapsed or energized position; Fig. 3, a sectional view, taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a sectional View, taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a sectional View, taken as` indicated at line 5 56 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, an elevational view of the improved bimetal thermostat; Fig. 7, a plan view ci the thermostat shown in Fig. 6, the dotted lines indicating the normal gripping position of the arcuate arms; Fig. 8, a broken longitudinal sectional view of the socket member and show- (Cl. .M9-32) ing a modified plug member in normal de-energized position; Fig. 9, a sectional view, taken as indicated at line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and Fig. 10, a broken elevational view of the socket member showing one of the side-Wall spring contacts. '5

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1-5, inclusive, A designates a socket member provided with a base-terminal A and a panel clamping yoke A2; and B, a removable plug member provided with an igniting unit B'. 10

The socket member A may comprise a cylindrical cup-like member having a closed end-wall 9, a side-wall I0 adapted to form one terminal for the plug member B, and the edges of its open end may be rolled over, as indicated at II, l5 `to form a flange adapted to abut against a mounting panel I2 which is perforated, as indicated at I3, to receive the socket member.

The base-terminal A is insulated from the side-wall I0 of the socket and preferably is made 20 up of two members I4 and I5. The member I4 is of rather heavy material and forms an abutment to limit the inward travel of the igniting unit B. The member I5 preferably is made 0f light gauge steel and has resilient arms disposed 25 between the member I4 so as to engage frictionally the contact ring on the unit B and releasably hold the plug member in the socket in either its energized or de-energized condition.

The base terminal A is electrically connected 30 to a lead-in Wire IE and the socket wall may be grounded to Ithe other side of a suitable current supply.

The removable plug member B is shown with a cylindrical metallic shell I'I which serves as a 35 hollow body member in which the switch is mounted. The shell is shown provided with an inwardly struck groove IS against which a bushing I9 is gripped by spinning over the end-wall, as indicated at 28. The outer end-wall of the shell is turned inwardly, as indicated at 2l, to confine a metal slide washer 22 which is secured to a knob 23 by means of a threaded stud 24. A cup-shaped guide-member 25 is also secured to the handle 23 and cooperates with a guide sleeve 45 26 on the removable igniting element B to keep the knob in axial alignment. A coil spring 2l urges the knob outwardly into extended open circuit position. This spring also serves to maintain good electrical Contact between the stud 24 '5g and the shell I'I. The front end of the stud 24 may be provided with a groove 28 to be engaged by the arms of the thermostat.

The igniting element B' is shown with a Cupshaped contact member 29 which is insulated 55 from the threaded sleeve 26 and is adapted to engage the base-terminal A' of the socket member. A heating element 3i) has one end connected to the contact 29 and the other end is secured to a post 3| which secures in proper position the thermostat 32. The

members

26 and 29 have openings through which heat may pass to the thermostat from the heating element and are insulated from each other by means of suitable washers 33.

The thermostat 32 is made of bimetal and has a pair of rearwardly extending arms 34 provided at their ends with circumferentially disposed arcuate arms 35 having inwardly struck lugs 3B to engage the groove 28 in the stud. It may be noted that the lugs 35 engage the stud member 24 at a plurality of points and that when the thermostat is heated the arms 34 swing outwardly and the arcuate arms 35 atten out so that they move in substantially a radial direction. This arrangement produces a more accurate and positive action than has heretofore been obtained with thermostats of this type.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. The plug B is normally held in the socket by the spring arms I5 in open circuit position. When it is desired to use the device, the knob 23 is thrust inwardly between the arms of the thermostat and held in energized position until the heat from the element is sufficient to cause the thermostat to open and permit the handle to snap outwardly under the influence of spring 21. The plug member may then be completely withdrawn and used to light a cigar.

`In the modification shown in Fig. 8 the construction is substantially the same as that described above except that the body 37 of the plug member is made ofl insulating material and the igniting unit has an outwardly extending flange 38 which is normally engaged by a spring contact arm 39 provided in the socket 40 which is grounded to the panel 4|. The igniting unit provides a guide sleeve 42 to cooperate with the cup 43 on the knob 44 and hold the parts in axial alignment. The operation is the same as described above.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the-appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim: l

1. In an electric cigar lighter provided with a socket member having a side-wall current supply terminal and provided at its inner end-wall with a current supply base-terminal insulated from the side-wall, a withdrawable plug member adapted to t into said socket and make electrical contact with said terminals, comprising a hollow cylindrical body; an igniter unit on the front end of said body having an axially disposed guide-member extending into the hollow body, an electrical heating element in said igniter unit having one end normally in electrical contact with the base-terminal and insulated from the guide-member; a switch in said body electrically connected to the other end of said heating element and adapted to close the circuit with the side-wall terminal of the socket member, a spring urging said switch to open circuit position; and a handle member slidably mounted in said body member so as to close said switch when pressed forwardly against said spring, said handle having guide-means cooperating with said guidemember on the igniter unit to keep the handle in axial alignment with'the body.

2. A device as specified in claim 1, in which a thermostat is disposed on the igniter unit so as to hold the switch in closed position, after it has been closed against the action of the spring, until the heating element reaches a desired temperature.

3. A device os specified in claim 1, in which a thermostat is disposed on the igniter unit so as to hold the switch in closed position, after it has been closed against the action of the spring, until the heating element reaches a desired temperature, and the guide-member is in the form of a sleeve which completely encircles the thermostat.

4. A device as specified in claim 1, in which the body of the plug is made of conducting material, one portion of the switch is fixed to the slidable handle, and the spring maintains electrical contact between the body and said switch portion.

5. A device as specified in claim l, in which the body of the plug is made of electrical insulating material, the igniting unit is threaded thereto and has a side-terminal electrically connected to one side of the switch and adapted to contact the side-wall terminal of the socket member when the plug is fully inserted therein.

6. In a cigar lighter, a plug member comprisingu' a hollow body member; an igniter unit detachably mounted thereon having a sleeve-like guide-member extending into said body; a handle slidably mounted in the body member for limited movement and having guide-means for cooperating with the guide-member of the igniting unit to keep them in axial alignment; and an electrical spring switch between said handle and igniting unit.

7. A device as specified in claim 6, in which a thermostat is disposed on the igniting unit within the sleeve-like guide-member so as to control Opening of the switch after the handle has been forced inwardly against the spring.

8. In a cigar lighter, a plug member comprising: a hollow body member; an igniter unit detachably mounted thereon having a sleeve-like guide-member extending into said body; a handle slidably mounted in the body member for limited movement and having guide-means for cooperating with the guide-member of the igniting unit to keep them in axial alignment; a circular Contact stud mounted on said handle and electrically connected to a portion of said body member; a thermostat mounted in said igniter unit so as to engage said contact stud and close the circuit through the igniter unit when the handle is pressed inwardly, said thermostat having bimetal axially-disposed arms provided at their ends with arcuate portions adapted to engage said contact stud releasably; and a spring urging said thermostat and stud into relatively extended open-circuit position.

9. A device as specified in claim 8, in which arcuate portions of the thermostatic arms encircle the greater part of the circumference of the stud and are provided with inwardly extending lugs adapted to grip said stud while the circuit is closed.

JOHN SINKO.