US3007027A

US3007027A - Battery-powered electric cigarette lighter

Info

Publication number: US3007027A
Application number: US2712A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond E Hall
Original assignee: LOUIS J ROBBINS
Current assignee: LOUIS J ROBBINS
Priority date: 1960-01-15
Filing date: 1960-01-15
Publication date: 1961-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1978-10-31

Description

Oct. 31, 1961 R. E. HALL 3,007,027

BATTERY-POWERED ELECTRIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Jan. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 United States Patent 3,007 ,027 BATTERY-POWERED ELEGTRIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER Raymond E. Hall, Berkeley Heights, N.J., assignor to Louis J. Robbins, New York, N.Y. Filed Jan. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 2,712 9 Claims. (Cl. 219-32) The present invention relates to electric cigarette lighters and, more particularly, to the portable type provided with a self-contained power source, such as a battery.

A general object of the present invention is to provide such a portable battery-powered electric cigarette lighter which may be readily and economically constructed by mass production procedure in a form assuring a maximum degree of safety with respect to fire hazard and burning of an unwary operator, thus being particularly advantageous to adult users who have small children.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide such a portable electric cigarette lighter with a plurality of manually closable circuit switches located at dilferent externally accessible points and which require simultaneous closure in order to energize the exposed or externally accessible heating element, thus being difiicult of operation by small children While permitting effective operation in a very simple manner and with ease by one understanding such feature.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a lighter with its plurality of series switches in the heating element circuit so located that the manually engageable operators for said switches may be manipulated simultaneously when the device is grasped in certain fashion or squeezed with a certain amount of force at particular points.

A further object of the invention is to provide an embodiment of such lighter with a removable heating element having its terminal elements in the form of pin connectors which are readily receivable in easily demountable manner by a shaped conductive member so designed as to serve simultaneously as an effective terminal connector and a circuit switch in one side of the battery-powered supply circuit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a lighter with its battery in the form of a rechargeable storage cell, portions of a charging circuit connected to the latter terminating in externally accessible connector means into which one can readily plug output terminals of a charger easily connected to the household A.C. lighting circuit.

And another object of the invention is to provide structural embodiments of the lighter device which are readily constructed and assembled and which permit efficient use and operation thereof while allowing attractive styling to have ornamental appeal.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of an embodiment of the battery-powered cigarette lighter of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the device shown 3,007,027 Patented Oct. 31, 1961 2 in FIGS. 1 and 2, taken substantially on line 33 of FIG. 1, certain parts being broken away;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view, with parts broken away, of elements of the device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 incl. which are housed within the chamber defined by the casing thereof;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged elevational section of the heating element unit of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 incl.;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse section taken substantially on line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section similar to that of FIG. 7, but of a different embodiment of the device featuring an external casing of material other than insulative material, such as metal, which may give a more desired ornamental effect;

FIG. 9 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit preferably employed in the illustrated embodiments of the device shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 incl. and in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a wiring diagram of the circuit of a suitable charger to permit ready recharging of the battery of the device when in the form of a storage cell; and

FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of an embodiment of the lighter device of the present invention showing it mounted upon a suitable base so as to permit ready conversion thereof to a table model.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals identify similar parts throughout, it will be seen from FIGS. 1 to 7 incl. that an embodiment of the present invention may comprise casing 20 having opposed

side walls

21, 21, an end wall 22,

edge walls

23, 23 and a second end wall 24 opposite end wall 22, together defining a chamber 25 therein.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 incl. the end wall 22 may be considered to be the top end of the lighter unit 20 and can be constructed as a head block or bridge piece desirably formed of suitable insulating material, such as a suitable heat-resistant molded plastic, preferably one of the thermosetting type, e.g., a phenol formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde, and the like, which may contain suitable ornamental compatible coloring matter, if desired. As will be best seen from FIGS. 3 and 5, such bridge piece or block may be in the form of a molded block having

end surfaces

26, 26 spaced transversely a distance substantially equal to the distance between

casing edge walls

23, 23 so that the block may fit snugly therebetween. The inner edge of bridge block 22 may be concaved, as is indicated at 27, so that the arcuate surface thereof may together with the arcuate surface formed by the inner face 28 of the opposed curved end wall 24 define a substantially cylindrical chamber between the

opposed side faces

21, 21.

It will be understood that the casing structure, apart from its end wall bridge piece 22, may also be molded from suitable insulating plastic material, such as of the type suggested for the construction of the bridge piece or block, and it may be molded as a single unit with the

edge walls

23, 23 and 214, and the

side walls

21, 21 formed integral with each other, and likewise any desired compatible coloring matter may be incorporated therein to attain an ornamental effect. However, if the synthetic plastic material selected for molding the major portion of the casing 20 is of a relatively rigid type its

opposed side walls

21, 21 should be thin enough in section to have at least some limited resilience so as to be manually movable at least to a limited degree in the central areas thereof. A more flexible plastic material might be selected for the molding of this major portion of the casing so as to assure more ready flexing of the

opposed side walls

21, 21, but it is desired as a measure of safety that the inward flexure of opposite side wall faces of the casing necessary to operation of series switch structures located in the chamber thereadjacent require a degree of force of which small' children are incapable of applying by squeez in-g, as is explained hereinafter.

The head block or bridge piese 22 of the FIGS. 1 to 7 incl. embodiment is provided vu'th a cylindrical socket 29 having a transverse bottom 30 and preferably having opposed

notches

31, 31 formed in opposite sides thereof. The socket bottom 30 has a pair of transversely-spaced

holes

32, 32 formed therethrough and communicating with a pair of transversely-spaced

side recesses

33, 33.

An electric heating unit 34 is provided for removably seating in the socket 29 and, as will be seen from FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, may be in the form of a cylindrical cup having a tubular shell or sleeve 35 of any suitable material, such as metal, provided with a transverse bottom 36 in the form of a disc of insulating material having a pair of transversely-spaced

holes

37, 37 therein.

Pin terminal connectors

38, 38 are snugly fitted through

holes

37, 37 in disc 36 to extend therebelow for slidable reception down through the

holes

32, 32 into the

side recesses

33, 33 for access in the latter. Thus the heating unit 34 may be removed for repair or replacement and such removal is facilitated by the

side notches

31, 31 which permit the tips of ones fingers to extend therethrough to contact of the metal shell 35 for withdrawal of the unit. The

pin terminals

38, 38 are bridged within the cup or cylindrical shell 35 by an electrical heating element 39 in the form of a resistor which will glow when current from the power source passes through it from one of the

pin terminals

38, 38 to the other. Provision for a simplified means of holding or securing the bridge piece 22 in the top end of the remaining portion of casing 20 may be provided in the form of an internally-threaded transverse hole 40' into which externally-threaded shanks of

screws

41, 41 may be engaged having their heads suitably seated in

countersunk holes

42, 42 formed in side walls 2 1, 21.

In chamber 25 preferably is housed a power source battery 43 which desirably is of the rechargeable storage cell type. The electrical battery 43 has a pair of circuit terminals which may be in the form of opposed side walls 44 and '45 suitably insulated from each other. Storage battery 43 may be a cylindrical cadmium-nickel storage battery about two inches (2") in diameter and about onequarter of an inch 4") thick with one side wall terminal' 44 provided as a cup member having its mouth closed off by the other side wall member 45 in the form of a dished disc suitably separated, such as at 46, by intervening insulation, as will be understood from FIG. 5.

In order to provide simple electrical connecting means for supplying'current from the battery 43 to the heating unit 34, a pair of

electrical circuit elements

47 and 147 in theform of elongated conductive strips are provided Withthese strips preferably being formed of suitable conductive metallic material having certain resiliency, such as spring brass, so as to have a degree of flexibility and self-biasing resiliency to permit advantageous em.- ployment of portions thereof as switch elements. It will be understood that the combined circuit and

switch elements

47 and 147 are similar, but shaped reversely. Accordingly, conductive strip 47 has its top end 48 in the form of an angular portion extending inwardly in one direction and having a turn or curl 49 provided therein to define a split spring sleeve socket into which may be forced one of the pin connectors 38 of the heating. unit 34 for removable anchorage and electrical connection thereto. Similarly the other combined circuit and switch strip 147 has an angular top portion 148 extending inwardly in the opposite direction and is likewise provided with a terminal turn or curl 149' to serve as a similar receptive sleeve socket for the other pin terminal 38. It will be understood from FIGS. 3, and 7 that the transversely-spaced

side recesses

33 and 33 respectively receive the connective turned ends or split

sleeve sockets

49 and 149 of the

conductive spring strips

47 and 147 for substantial alignment with the

holes

32, 32 in the socket bottom 30, so that when the heating unit 34 is inserted into the socket 29 the

pin connectors

38, 38 are forced into the split spring sleeves defined by these turned ends.

As will be seen from FIGS. 3, 5 and 7 the main bodies of the

strips

47 and 147 extend obliquely downward within chamber 25 adjacent the flexible

casing side walls

21, 21 to lapping relation of the

battery terminal elements

44 and 45. Since the

casing side walls

21, 21 and the bridge piece or head block 22 are formed or molded from insulative plastic or other similar insulation material to be substantially non-conductive of electrical currents here involved, no intervening insulation is required. However, since the circuit

conductive strips

47 and 147 lap the battery terminal faces 44 and 45 suitable insulative means must be interposed in order to prevent current from continuously flowing from the battery through the cigarette-lighting, heating element 39. This function is performed by a pair of

discs

50, 50 of thin insulative sheet material, each of which is provided with a central hole 51 so that these discs are in the form of washers having central openings spanned or bridged by portions of the

circuit strip elements

47 and 147, as will be seen from FIG. 3. Accordingly, the circuit

conductive strips

47 and 147 extend across the

holes

51, 51 in the insulative washers 5t 50 in spaced relation to the battery terminal faces 44 and 45. Thus if the portions of the circuit

conductive strips

47 and 147 which bridge across the insulative washer holes 5 1, 51 are flexed inwardly to contact of the battery terminal faces 44 and 45, these circuit conductive strips will complete the circuit between the battery and the heating unit 34. This inward flexure of

strips

47 and 147 to contact of the

battery face terminals

44 and 45 can be effected by simultaneous inward flexure or movement of the opposed

casing side walls

21, 21, and this can easily be attained by applying squeezing pressure on central portions of these side walls with grasp thereof between an adults finger and thumb to apply the pressure in opposite inward directions, as is indicated by the

arrows

52, 52 in FIG. 7.

Thus the portion of each of the pair of circuit

conductive strips

47 and 147 which bridges across the hole 51 in the insulative washer 50 which is interposed between it and one of the battery terminal faces has the triple function of serving as an outwardly-biased switch contact, as a switch operator to force this contact temporarily into contact with the adjacent but spaced battery terminal face, and as a portion of a circuit connector which connects this switch contact to one of the terminals of the heating unit. It will thus be seen that only when the pair of series switches provided by such bridging portions of the conductive strips '47 and 147 and the battery terminal faces 45 and 44 are both closed at the same time can current flow from the battery through the heating element 39 to cause the latter to glow for lighting the end of a cigarette held thereagainst.

While the formation of casing walls from insulative material may simplify the construction of the device, particularly with respect to suitable insulation of electricallyconductive parts thereof, it is to be understood that the device may be provided in other forms. For example, as is proposed in FIG. 8, the major portion of the casing may be in the form of a drawn metal shell having

opposed side walls

121, 121, and a curved end wall 124 which may be merged with transversely spaced edge walls similar to those illustrated at 23, 23 in FIG. 3, together to define an internal chamber 125 similar to chamber 25 of the first embodiment. The chamber 125 of the FIG. 8 structure may be closed oif by a similar head piece or bridge block 122 which may be like that illustrated at 22 in FIGS. 3 and 5, thus being formed from suitable insulative material. The heating unit, which is to effect lighting of the cigarette, may have a side wall sleeve of insulative material or may be like that illustrated at 34 in FIGS. 5 and 6, but in the latter case the dimensions of the parts must be such as to assure that the metal shell wall of the cup 35 is suitably spaced from all portions of the drawn casing or shell 120. For example, the socket 29 and the heating unit cup 35 may be of such diameter as to assure appreciable air spacing of the outer face of the latter from the inner faces of the adjacent portions of the

opposed side walls

121, 121 at the

finger side notches

31, 31.

When the major portion of the outer casing 120 is so formed of metallic material having electrical conductivity, as is proposed in FIG. 8, it then becomes necessary to interpose between the inner face of each of the side Walls 121 and the adjacent

conductive strip

47 or 147 suitable insulating material, such as a thin disc 53 of sheet insulation. Likewise, the edge walls of the casing are to be insulated from battery terminal structure, such as the cylindrical side wall of the cup terminal 44, and for this purpose the inner edge face of the chamber 125 may be lined with a strip 54 of thin sheet insulation. It will be understood that inward flexure in the directions of the

arrows

52, 52 in FIG. 8 of the central portions of the opposed

metallic side walls

121, 121 of the drawn metallic shell 120 will cause inward movement of the adjacent portions of the

insulative sheet discs

53, 53 in turn to push inwardly the portions of

conductive strips

47 and 147 which are bridged across the washer holes 51, 51 to contact of the battery terminal faces 44 and 45, to allow current to flow through the heating element 39 and glow for lighting a cigarette, as in the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 incl.

Thus the electrical circuits of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 7 incl. and FIG. 8 are similar and such circuit is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 9. Likewise the operation of the devices of these different embodiments is similar with closure of the pair of switches connected in series being effected by squeezing the side walls of the casing inward.

Although such a device may provide advantageous operation with the battery 43 in the form of a dry cell to be periodically replaced, it is preferred that such battery be a rechargeable storage cell. It is also desired that means be provided for recharging the storage battery without removing it from the casing in which it is housed. This may be accomplished in accordance with the present invention by providing the casing with suitable means to permit connection of an external charging circuit to the terminals of the battery. For this purpose, the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 incl. may be provided with a pair of charging

terminal elements

55 and 155 each preferably in the form of an elongated strip of conductive material, such as brass, held in face engagement with or juxtaposed to one of the battery terminal faces 44- and 45. If desired, such connection may be effected by spotwelding, such as is proposed at 76 in FIGS. 3 and 5. Suitable precaution must be taken to prevent such charging circuit terminal strip from bridging across and shorting the battery terminals and this is effectively accomplished if, for example, the battery terminal face disc 45 is centrally cupped or dished appreciably, as shown, so that the edge of the other battery terminal cup 44 is located in a plane spaced appreciably axially from the outer face of the first-mentioned battery terminal. As in the case of the heating circuit strips 47 and 147, the strips 55 and 15-5 are similar but shaped in reverse order, or made alike with one turned in one direction and the other in the opposite direction. Each of the

strips

55 and 155 has an end portion 56 terminating in a sleeveforming turn or curl 57 to serve as a split sleeve socket for reception of pin connectors of a suitable charging circuit. Each of the curled end portions or split sleeve sockets 56 of the terminal strips 55 and 155 is suitably located in one of a pair of transversely spaced

recesses

58, 58 in bridge block 22 with each having a passage 59 communicating'therewith through the end of bridge 6 piece 22 suitably aligned with a hole in the adjacent portion of the casing edge wall for reception of the charging circuit pin connectors. One large common hole in the casing edge wall may serve this purpose.

Such a storage battery charging circuit is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 10 and may consist of a supply cord 60 having a male prong connector 61 adapted to be received in the usual wall outlet of a conventional household lighting circuit which may be v., 60 cycle A.C. The supply cord 60 includes a pair of

conductors

62, 62 which are connected to opposite ends of a primary winding 63 of a step-down transformer (115 v. down to a few volts, such as about 4 to 7 v.). End terminals of secondary winding 64 may be connected to a full Wave rectifier 65 having a mid-terminal 66 connected to one pin terminal connector 67 and with the other pin terminal connector 167 of similar construction connected through a voltage-dropping and current-limiting resistor 68 to a mid-tap 69 of the secondary winding 64. Thus, when the

pin connectors

67 and 167 of the charging circuit illustrated in FIG. 10 are inserted through the

passages

59, 59 the secondary of this charging circuit will be connected to the two terminals of the storage battery 43 for charging the same.

The provision of pin-

receptive sockets

49, 149, 57 and 57, as shaped portions of circuit strip conductors, and the pin terminal connectors, such as those at 38, 38 of the heating unit 34, not only assures economy in construction and assembly of parts but also desirably eliminates any necessity for undesirable soldered connections and permits ready disconnection of circuit connectors and ready removal of the heating unit.

Such a cigarette lighter may successively light about one hundred and fifty cigarettes before recharging is required. One may then connect the charging circuit to a convenient outlet of the household lighting circuit and plug the secondary pin terminals thereof to the cigarette lighter so that it may be charged over a suitable period. For example, such charging may be effected during the night between successive days of use. It will thus be seen that a compact battery-powdered cigarette lighter is provided which can be conveniently carried in ones pocket or a handbag and which may be easily operated by the application of squeezing force applied to opposite flexible side wall portions of the casing. No fuel, no flint element, no striker mechanism and no wick are required. Such device does not demand frequent filling of a chamber with liquid fuel. Fuel odors are eliminated. No flame is produced by the device and thus fire hazard is reduced, the glowing element being housed in a recessed portion to prevent contact thereof with external combustible material, but with the recess permitting ready insertion of the tip of the cigarette to contact of the heating element for lighting it. Since the cigarrette lighter operates without the production of a flame it is not subject to extinguishment by currents of air or wind. The switch devices are of simple construction which avoid the presence of projecting switch operators that otherwise might require movement from one position to the other and, accordingly, the hazard of breaking ones finger nails in operating slide switches is eliminated. The avoidance of projecting switch operators eliminates the possibility of accidental circuit closure to heat the lighting element unintentionally as the device is moved about in ones pocket or handbag, thus eliminating an undesirable source of heat and unnecessary discharge of the battery. Also, the particular switch structures embodied in preferred forms of the present invention are free of relative sliding parts thereby avoiding destructive wear and damage frequently attendant upon operation of switches characterized by relative sliding parts. Embodiments of the present invention are of relatively small size and light weight. The structure thereof permits formation of the casing in a substantially indestructible form while allowing a variety of styling for ornamental purposes. The heating element is readily replaceable by virtue of its housing in a removable unit and a suitable storage battery for such a device may have a minimum service life of many years. Ladies are the chief purchasers of quality lighters and all of these important features are of particular appeal to them.

It is to be understood that embodiments of the present invention are not limited to structures of the pocket type. In fact embodiments of the invention which are illustrated by way of example in the drawings may be readily converted to table models or table models embodying the illustrated features may be specially designed. For example, as is illustrated in FIG. 11, the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 incl., which is primarily a pocket type, may be readily converted to a table model by providing a suitable supporting base 70 having a slot 71 in the top thereof into which will snugly fit the bottom end 24 of the encased unit 20. Such base unit should be of such dimensions as to provide exposure thereabove of the portions of the

flexible side walls

21, 21 which are to be centrally engaged for application of the switch operating forces at 52, 52. Such a base will permit ready conversion of a pocket model to a table model and upon removal of the device from the base allow it again to be employed as a pocket model, and the storage battery charging circuit may be incorporated in such a removable base, if desired. Also, the base may be formed as a permanent part of the casing of a table model and the charging circuit incorporated in such base portion, with suitable connectors being provided on the latter to be plugged into a wall receptacle of a household lighting circuit.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efliciently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A battery-powered cigarette lighter comprising, in combination; a casing having opposed, manually movable side walls, an end wall and a chamber therein defined in part by said walls; an electrical battery housed by said casing in the chamber and having a pair of circuit terminals; an electrical heating element supported by said end wall exposed to external access for lighting a cigarette when held thereagainst while said element is enengized by said battery, said heating element having a pair of circuit terminals; a pair of electrical circuit means in said casing for connecting each of said battery terminals to one of said heating element terminals; a pair of normally-open circuit switches in said casing with each mounted in one of said electrical circuit means for closing the same; and a pair of switch operators each associated with one of said switches for closure thereof with said switch operators being located in the vicinity of said opposed side walls, said switch operators simultaneously effecting temporary closure of said switches when manipulated by simultaneous movement of said side walls.

2. A battery-powered cigarette lighter comprising, in combination; a casing having opposed, manually inwardly-movable side walls, an end wall and a chamber therein defined in part by said walls; an electrical battery housed by said casing in the chamber and having a pair of circuit terminals; an electrical heating element supported by said end wall exposed to external access for lighting a cigarette when held thereagainst while said element is energized by said battery, said heating element having a pair of circuit terminals; a pair of electrical circuit means in said casing for connecting each of said battery terminals to one of said heating element terminals; a pair of normally-open circuit switches in said casing with each mounted in one of said electrical circuit means for closing the same; and a pair of switch operators each associated with one of said switches for closure thereof with said switch operators being located in the chamber adjacent to said opposed side walls, said switch operators simultaneously effecting temporary closure of said switches when manipulated by simultaneous inward movement of said side walls toward each other.

3. The cigarette lighter structure as defined in claim 2 characterized by each of said switches and its operator comprising a flexible conductive member mounted adjacent the inner face of one of said side walls and in spaced relation to one of said battery terminals for engagement of the latter upon inward movement of the adjacent side wall, each of said conductive members being biased outwardly away from contact with the adjacent battery terminal.

4. The cigarette lighter structure as defined in claim 3 characterized by each of said flexible conductive members being in the form of a flexible conductive spring strip connected to one of said heating element terminals and electrically isolated from the adjacent side wall.

5. The cigarette lighter as defined in claim 4 characterized by said end wall having a recess therein with each of said strips leading to said recess, said heating element being removably seated in said recess with its circuit terminals disengageably connected to said strips.

6. The cigarette lighter as defined in claim 5 characterized by each of said heating element circuit terminals being in the form of a pin connector with each of said strips having a turn therein located in the recess and defining a pin-receptive socket removably receiving one of said pin connectors.

7. The cigarette lighter as defined in claim 2 characterized by said casing having a wall portion, a pair of externally-accessible, battery charging circuit terminal means supported by said wall portion, and a pair of electrical circuit connecting means connecting said battery charging circuit terminal means to said battery terminals, said battery being a rechargeable storage cell.

8. The cigarette lighter as defined in claim 7 characterized by said wall portion having an access opening therein for each of said battery charging circuit terminal means, each of said battery charging electrical circuit connecting means being in the form of a conductive strip having a turn therein defining a pin-receptive socket accessible in the opening to a removably insertable pin terminal, each of said strips being connected to one of said battery terminals.

9. A storage battery-powered cigarette lighter comprising, in combination; a casing having opposed and transversely-spaced flexible side walls and edge walls together defining a closed chamber; an electrical storage battery housed by said casing in the chamber with opposite sides thereof opposed to said flexible side walls and constituting a pair of battery terminals; a portion of said edge walls having a recess therein for reception of a heating element unit; a pair of circuit connectors each including an electrically-conductive resilient strip having a turn formed on one end thereof defining a pin-receptive socket accessible in the recess with a portion of this strip intervening one of said casing side walls and the adjacent battery side terminal in spaced relation to the latter to define an open circuit switch, said intervening strip portion being flexible inwardly to contact of this battery side terminal upon inward flexure of the adjacent casing side wall for closure of said switch with both switches being closable simultaneously by manual inward squeezing of said flexible casing side walls toward each other; a heating element unit removably seated in the recess and having a heating element externally accessible for contact by a cigarette, said unit having a pair of pin connectors connected to said heating element and removably received within said pin-receptive sockets; and a pair of battery charging circuit conductive strips each electrically connected to one of said battery side terminals and having an end turn defining a pin-receptive socket supported within said casing, a portion of the latter having a pair of pin-receptive openings therein each aligned with one of said battery charging pin-receptive sockets for removable reception therein of pin terminals of a battery charging circuit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,457,262 Neal May 29, 1923 2,535,665 Boyarsky Dec. 26, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 256,630 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1949