US3494710A - Piezoelectric gas lighter - Google Patents

Piezoelectric gas lighter Download PDF

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Publication number
US3494710A
US3494710A US691530A US3494710DA US3494710A US 3494710 A US3494710 A US 3494710A US 691530 A US691530 A US 691530A US 3494710D A US3494710D A US 3494710DA US 3494710 A US3494710 A US 3494710A
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United States
Prior art keywords
casing
frame
piezoelectric
lighter
unit
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Expired - Lifetime
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US691530A
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English (en)
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Takeshi Inagaki
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Individual
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Individual
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Priority claimed from JP1967015493U external-priority patent/JPS452871Y1/ja
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
    • F23Q2/00—Lighters containing fuel, e.g. for cigarettes
    • F23Q2/28—Lighters characterised by electrical ignition of the fuel
    • F23Q2/285—Lighters characterised by electrical ignition of the fuel with spark ignition
    • F23Q2/287—Lighters characterised by electrical ignition of the fuel with spark ignition piezoelectric

Definitions

  • PIEZOELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER Filed Dec. 18, 1 967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb; .10, 1970 TAKESHI INAGAKI 9 0 PIEZOELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER Filed Dec. 18, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet B Feb.1b; 1970"- PIEZOELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER Filed De c. is, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet a TYAKESHI l lfl AG AKl I 3,494,710v A I Feb. 10, 1970 ITAKESHI INAGAKI 3,494,710
  • PIEZOELECIRIC GAS LIGHTER Filed'Dec. 18 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,494,710 PIEZOELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER Takeshi Inagaki, 16 Senjunakai-cho, Adachi-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Dec. 18, 1967, Ser. No. 691,530 Claims priority, application Japan, Feb. 24, 1967, 42/15,493; June 17, 1967, 42/38,722 Int. C]. 13231 2/00 U.S. Cl.
  • This invention relates to a liquefied gas lighter and more particularly to a piezoelectric gas lighter in which a gaseous fuel is ignited by a spark produced from a piezoelectric element contained therein.
  • piezoelectric gas lighters which have a piezoelectric ignition system as a substitute for a flint and sparking wheel have been proposed.
  • the piezoelectric element can avoid the trouble of replacing a flint and has a semi-permanent life
  • the piezoelectric gas lighters are much appreciated.
  • it is diflicult to apply a piezoelectric ignition system to a compact gas lighter of pocket type and, therefore, most of the piezoelectric gas lighters which have heretofore been marketed are of large type, such as table lighter.
  • the piezoelectric elements produced nowadays have, in general, a high energy conversion efficiency; for example, a voltage of 15-20 kilovolts can be generated from a piezoelectric element which is fabricated from a lead zirconate-lead titanate polycrystal and has a size of 3.5 mm. diameter x mm. length.
  • the voltage developed is proportional to the pressure applied, and such high voltage is generated only when suflicient pressure is applied to the piezoelectric element. Therefore, even with any existing excellent piezoelectric element, it is impossible to generate a voltage required for igniting the gaseous fuel without a suitable mechanical means operative for producing a suflicient pressure.
  • Such mechanical means generally needs a relatively large construction, so it has been difiicult to be contained in a compact gas lighter. It is the very reason why it has heretofore been diificult to produce a pocket type piezoelectric gas lighter.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighter of the kind described which can be easily disassembled and reassembled.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a lighter of the type stated which can effect ignition of the gaseous fuel by a single action performed by the user without fail.
  • Another object is to provide a piezoelectric gas lighter of the character stated which is light in weight and durable.
  • a still further object of the invention is to provide a lighter of the character described which is simple in construction and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.
  • FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a lighter embodying the present invention
  • FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a casing unit of the lighter consisting of a casing and the fingerpiece;
  • FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a fuel reservoir unit and an ignition unit of the lighter shown in FIG. 2;
  • FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating an actuating mechanism in association with the fingerpiece
  • FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5;
  • FIGURE 7 is an enlarged exploded view of a fingerpiece supporting unit
  • FIGURE 8 is an enlarged exploded View of the ignition unit.
  • FIGURES 1 to 8 like portions or parts are designated with like numerals.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the state in which a fuel reservoir unit 1311 and a ignition unit 14a shown in FIG. 4 are encased by a casing unit shown in FIG. 3.
  • a concave-shaped base plate 15 which functions as a common bottom wall both for the reservoir and the casing 11.
  • the reservoir .13 is provided at its upper portion with a burner valve 17 having a burner nozzle 16 and an adjusting wheel 18 for regulating the height of flame from the burner nozzle, and also at the bottom portion with a filling valve 19.
  • a burner valve 17 having a burner nozzle 16 and an adjusting wheel 18 for regulating the height of flame from the burner nozzle, and also at the bottom portion with a filling valve 19.
  • the ignition unit 14a consists essentially of a piezoelectric element 23, a hammer 24, a coil spring 25, a support 26 and a slidable member 27 which are all disposed within an inverted U-shaped frame 14 in the manner depicted.
  • the hammer 24 is resiliently movably supported by the coil spring 25 axially pierced by the support 26 and is adapted to strike against the piezoelectric element 23 by the action of said spring.
  • the hammer 24 has a vertical bore 24' which opens at its lower end and vertically slidably engages with the upper portion of the support 26 so that the hammer may be vertically guided by the support during its movement.
  • the slidable member 27 is at its cut-out portion 48 in releasable engagement with a lateral pin 28 projecting rearwardly from the hammer 24.
  • the fuel reservoir 13 has at its side wall a U-shaped connecting lug 29, to which the frame 14 is connected by means of a screw 30, thereby enabling the ignition unit or igniting mechanism assembly 1411 to be securely mounted on the bottom plate 15 in cooperation with the screw 22.
  • the fingerpiece 32 of triangular cross-section is so attached to the casing 11 as to cover a vertically elongated opening 34 formed in the rear wall of the casing.
  • the rectangular projections 33, 33 project from a U-shaped intermediate member 35 having legs 35a, 35b which are inserted respectively into a pair of horizontal slits 36a, 36b of a resilient slide 36, said legs projecting rearwardly out of the opening 34 of the casing 11 and pressing said slide 36 against the inner face of the side wall of the casing.
  • the projecting legs 35a, 3512 are inserted into a pair of slits 37a, 37b of a base plate 37 of the fingerpiece.
  • the U-shaped member 35, the slide 36 and the base plate 37 are fastened together by means of a screw 38.
  • the fingerpiece 32 is vertically movably attached to the rear side of the casing by means of a screw 39 which is in threaded engagement with the U-shaped member 35.
  • a screw 39 which is in threaded engagement with the U-shaped member 35.
  • the slidable member 27 has at its upper portion a pair of ears 27a, 27b which are inserted respectively into a pair of vertical guide slits 43, 43' formed in upper portions 14'a 14b of the side walls 14', 14" of the frame 14 that protrude rearwardly, so that the slidable member 27 can slide vertically along said slits.
  • the slidable member 27 is upwardly urged by means of a coil spring 45 the lower end of which is connected to the slidable member at 46, and the upper end of which to a shaft 44 which traverses the side walls 14, 14" of the frame 14.
  • a base portion of a wire spring 47 of which the tip portion 47' bears against the intermediate portion of the slidable member 27 so that a roller 42, which is rotatably attached to the leg portions 40, 40' of the slidable member 27 by means of a pivot pin 41, may be brought into slidable contact with guide edges 14c, 14d of the frame 14.
  • FIG. 8 the ignition unit previously shown in FIG. 4 is dismounted and illustrated by parts, which can be readil reassembled in accordance with the manner as will be hereinafter described.
  • the piezoelectric element 23 packed in a suitable plastic mold has its lower end 23' exposed downwardly.
  • a supporting plate 49 has in its central portion a circular aperture 50 in which is inserted the lower end 23' of the piezoelectric element '23.
  • the supporting plate 49 is secured to the frame 14 by inserting a pair of ear portions 49a, 49b of the plate in a pair of slits 51 of the frame, respectively so as to secure the element 23.
  • the slidable member 27, coil spring 45 and wire spring 47 are disposed within to the frame 14 in the manner described in connection with FIGURES 5 and 6.
  • the support 26 receives at its boss portion 26 a lower supporting plate 52 which is fastened together with a washer 53 by means of a nut 54 adapted to engage a thrreaded portion 26" of the support 26.
  • a coil spring 25 which rests at its lower end on the supporting plate 52 and bears at its upper end against the hammer 24.
  • the supporting plate 52 is secured to the frame 14 by inserting a pair of ear portions 52a, 52b thereof in a pair of slits 52', 52" of the frame. Subsequently, the side walls 14', 14" of the frame are fastened by means of a screw 55 which passes through a pair of holes 54, 54' thereof.
  • a concave-shaped bottom member 56 To the lower end of the frame 14 is attached a concave-shaped bottom member 56, through the medium of which the frame 14 is attached to the bottom plate of the fuel reservoir 13 at by means of a screw 22 screwed into a tapped hole 57 of the boss portion 57 of the support 26 through a hole 21 of the bottom plate and a hole 56 of the bottom member.
  • a valve opening lever 58 has a forked end portion 58' and a pair of tail portions or legs 58a, 58b and is pivotally mounted at its legs on the upper portions of the walls of the frame 14 by means of pivots 60 passing through holes 59 of the legs and holes 59 of the frame, respectively so that the curved end portions of the legs 58a, 58b may obliquely downwardly extend across the vertical guide slits 43, 43.
  • the lever 58 is, as shown in FIG. 2, at its forked portion 58, in engagement with a neck portion 16' of the burner nozzle 16.
  • Electrode 61 Indicated by numeral 61 is electrode, the base portion 61b of which is secured to the frame 14 at 61b by means of a screw 62, and the end point 610 of which projects laterally, as clearly shown in FIG. 2, just above the burner nozzle 23 so as to be located opposite to the other electrode 23a extending from the piezoelectric element 23, forming a spark gap. Between a top portion Me of the ignition unit and an upper wall of the casing 11 is disposed a suitable cushion 63 so as to absorb the impact against the casing that is produced when the hammer strikes against the piezoelectric element.
  • the slidable member 27 In operation, when the fingerpiece 32 is manually depressed by pressing an upper surface 32a thereof, the slidable member 27 is depressed against the action of the spring 45 and, at the same time, the hammer 24 having a lateral pin 28, which is in releasable engagement with a cut-out portion 48 of the member 27, is lowered by said member compressing the coil spring 25. Also, when the slidable member is lowered, its ears 27a, 27b are adapted to slide down along the guide slits 43, 43 of the frame and to press down the curved legs 58a, 58b of the valve opening lever 59, causing the forked portion 58' of the lever to be raised. As a result, the burner valve 17 is opened, and the fuel in the reservoir 13 is discharged through the nozzle 16.
  • the slidable member On releasing the pressure applied to the fingerpiece 32, the slidable member is returned to its normal position together with the fingerpiece by the action of the spring 45. In the normal position, the slidable member is brought, at its cut-out portion 48, into engagement with thepin 28 of the hammer again. At the same time, the legs 58a, 58b of the valve opening lever 58 are released from the pressure exerted by the ears 27a, 27b and the forked portion of the lever is returned to its original position, thereby causing the burner valve 17 to be automatically closed.
  • the piezoelectric liquefied gas lighter according to the present invention is fabricated-by three simplified units, the casing unit 11a, the fuel reservoir unit 13a and the ignition unit 14, and accordingly, it can be readily dismounted and reassembled. Consequently, when there is some trouble with the lighter, the defective unit or part thereof can be readily repaired.
  • a dismountable piezoelectric liquefied gas fueled lighter comprising a casing unit and an assembly composed of 'a fuel reservoir unit and an ignition mechanism unit saidassembly being removably mounted in said casing unit," said ignition mechanism unit .being detachably connected to said fuel reservoir unit in a side-by-side relationship therewith, said casing unit including a casing, having a; lower opening through which said assembly is removably mounted in the casing, and manually operable actuating means vertically movably mounted on said casing, said; fuel reservoir unit including a fuel reservoir, having a bottom wall common to said casing and adapted to closthe lower opening thereof a burner-valve assembly and a filling valve assembly, the two said assemblies being fixed to the top and the bottom wall of said reservoir, respectively, said ignition mechanism unit including a vertically elongated U-shaped frame, said frame having side walls formed with sloping cam surfaces at the lower portions ithereof, a piezoelectric element removably secured
  • valve opening lever is provided with a forked end portion engaging the burner of said burner-valve assembly and also with a pair of curved legs extending rearwardly and obliquely downwardly and adapted to be engaged by a portion of said slidable means to thereby open the valve of said burnervalve assembly.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Lighters Containing Fuel (AREA)
US691530A 1967-02-24 1967-12-18 Piezoelectric gas lighter Expired - Lifetime US3494710A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP1967015493U JPS452871Y1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1967-02-24 1967-02-24
JP3872267 1967-06-17

Publications (1)

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US3494710A true US3494710A (en) 1970-02-10

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US691530A Expired - Lifetime US3494710A (en) 1967-02-24 1967-12-18 Piezoelectric gas lighter

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US (1) US3494710A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1632658A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR1562861A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1162442A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3698400A (en) * 1970-09-09 1972-10-17 Hale E Tucker Smoker{40 s pipe with built-in gaseous fuel lighter
US3724993A (en) * 1972-01-17 1973-04-03 Mansei Kogyo Kk Impacting mechanism for impacting a piezo-electric body
US3764256A (en) * 1971-09-28 1973-10-09 Mansei Kogyo Kk Piezoelectric gas lighter
US3814571A (en) * 1970-12-19 1974-06-04 Mansei Kogyo Kk Piezoelectric smoker{40 s lighter
US4395227A (en) * 1981-03-20 1983-07-26 Scotlund Stivers Flame thrower attachment
US4466788A (en) * 1982-03-19 1984-08-21 Tokai Seiki Co., Ltd. Electronic gas lighter
US6641391B1 (en) * 2002-06-25 2003-11-04 Wen Xu Side actuation piezoelectric lighter
US20060281038A1 (en) * 2005-06-09 2006-12-14 Zreative Product, Inc. Piezoelectric lighter with pivot nozzle head
WO2016161942A1 (zh) * 2015-04-07 2016-10-13 赣州市卫诚火机制造有限公司 一种电子打火机及其组件

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU2155912C2 (ru) * 1998-07-06 2000-09-10 Розанов Иван Николаевич Инерционная подача топлива розанова и.н.

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3200295A (en) * 1962-12-26 1965-08-10 Honeywell Inc Manually operable piezoelectric lighters
US3295024A (en) * 1964-05-25 1966-12-27 Schwartz & Frohlich Cigarette lighter
US3387912A (en) * 1965-11-26 1968-06-11 Mansei Kogyo Kk Ignition mechanism of liquefied gas fueled lighter
US3425783A (en) * 1965-11-11 1969-02-04 Mansei Kogyo Kk Electric gas lighter having a piezoelectric stack

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3200295A (en) * 1962-12-26 1965-08-10 Honeywell Inc Manually operable piezoelectric lighters
US3295024A (en) * 1964-05-25 1966-12-27 Schwartz & Frohlich Cigarette lighter
US3425783A (en) * 1965-11-11 1969-02-04 Mansei Kogyo Kk Electric gas lighter having a piezoelectric stack
US3387912A (en) * 1965-11-26 1968-06-11 Mansei Kogyo Kk Ignition mechanism of liquefied gas fueled lighter

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3698400A (en) * 1970-09-09 1972-10-17 Hale E Tucker Smoker{40 s pipe with built-in gaseous fuel lighter
US3814571A (en) * 1970-12-19 1974-06-04 Mansei Kogyo Kk Piezoelectric smoker{40 s lighter
US3764256A (en) * 1971-09-28 1973-10-09 Mansei Kogyo Kk Piezoelectric gas lighter
US3724993A (en) * 1972-01-17 1973-04-03 Mansei Kogyo Kk Impacting mechanism for impacting a piezo-electric body
US4395227A (en) * 1981-03-20 1983-07-26 Scotlund Stivers Flame thrower attachment
US4466788A (en) * 1982-03-19 1984-08-21 Tokai Seiki Co., Ltd. Electronic gas lighter
US6641391B1 (en) * 2002-06-25 2003-11-04 Wen Xu Side actuation piezoelectric lighter
US20060281038A1 (en) * 2005-06-09 2006-12-14 Zreative Product, Inc. Piezoelectric lighter with pivot nozzle head
WO2016161942A1 (zh) * 2015-04-07 2016-10-13 赣州市卫诚火机制造有限公司 一种电子打火机及其组件

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Publication number Publication date
DE1632658A1 (de) 1970-12-17
GB1162442A (en) 1969-08-27
FR1562861A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1969-04-11

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