Abstract:
A combination cigarette lighter and a casing in which the cigarette lighter is carried to be attached to the existing framework of a motorcycle without requiring any structural changes thereto. The casing is located on the motorcycle within easy reach so that riders may conveniently light their cigarettes while on the go away from home. An end cap is pivotally connected to the casing and rotated between a closed configuration at which to cover the cigarette lighter and an open configuration at which the cigarette lighter is removed from or returned to the casing. A ball and detent locking feature is provided by which to retain the end cap in either of the closed or open configurations relative to the casing so as to prevent the end cap from flapping back and forth and possibly disturbing the operator of the motorcycle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Intention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a cigarette lighter and to an attractive casing therefor which is adapted to be connected to a motorcycle at a readily accessible location without having to make any structural changes to the motorcycle.  
           [0003]    2. Background Art  
           [0004]    Motorcycle operators and their passengers may wish to light a cigarette or the like while on the road and away from home. Sometimes, the riders may not have access to either a book of matches or a pocket cigarette lighter. On other occasions, windy or rainy weather conditions may make it difficult to light one&#39;s cigarette. While automobiles and trucks are provided with the convenience of an on-board cigarette lighter, motorcycles have not been provided with a similar convenience. In this same regard, and unlike an automobile or a truck, no means are known to enable a cigarette lighter to be carried by a motorcycle so as to be readily available to riders without first requiring structural changes to the motorcycle. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a cigarette lighter and an attractive, easy to access casing therefor by which to give motorcycle riders the same convenience that has heretofore been afforded to those riding in a car or a truck.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In general terms, a combination cigarette lighter and a casing therefor are disclosed having particular application to be carried by a motorcycle so as to enable riders to conveniently light their cigarettes while on the go away from home. The cigarette lighter casing includes a hollow housing in which the cigarette lighter is located, a center ring connected to the housing, and an end cap pivotally connected to the center ring so as to be adapted to rotate between a closed condition at which to cover the cigarette lighter and an open condition at which the cigarette lighter can be removed from or returned to the housing. A tubular socket is positioned inside the hollow housing, and the cigarette lighter is removably received within the socket. An electrical wire runs through a hole formed in the housing from the battery of the motorcycle to an electrical contact on the socket in order to energize the heating element for the purpose of lighting the rider&#39;s cigarette. A Y-shaped mounting bracket is connected to the casing. The mounting bracket has a pair of outstretched arms that are affixed to the existing framework of the motorcycle from which the controls are supported. Thus, the cigarette lighter casing can be mounted on the motorcycle at a readily accessible location without having to make any structural changes thereto.  
           [0006]    The end cap of the cigarette lighter casing is pivotally connected to the center ring thereof by means of a pivot pin that extends through a hinge extension of the end cap. The hinge extension includes a pair of detents formed in the bottom and one side thereof. A coil spring is located in an axial bore formed in the center ring, and a small ball is seated on top of the spring above the bore. With the end cap rotated to the closed condition, the spring located within the bore will urge to the ball into receipt by the detent formed in the bottom of the hinge extension. When the end cap is rotated to the open condition, the spring will then urge the ball into receipt by the detent formed in the side of the hinge extension. By virtue of the interaction of the ball and the detents formed in the hinge extension of the end cap, the end cap can be reliably locked in each of the closed and open conditions to avoid flapping back and forth with the possibility of disturbing or distracting the operator of the motorcycle. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 shows the cigarette lighter casing which forms the present invention affixed to the existing framework of a motorcycle;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 shows the cigarette lighter which also forms the present invention being removed form the casing of FIG. 1;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the combination cigarette lighter casing and cigarette lighter of this invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section showing the cigarette lighter casing and the cigarette lighter removably received therewithin;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a partial rear view of the cigarette lighter casing taken from the direction of lines  5 - 5  of FIG. 4;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a partial cross section showing an end cap of the cigarette lighter casing rotated to a closed configuration over the cigarette lighter; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 shows the end cap of FIG. 6 rotated to an open configuration so as to permit the cigarette lighter to be removed from the cigarette lighter casing. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    The motorcycle cigarette lighter that forms the present invention is initially described while referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, where FIG. 1 shows a hollow casing  1  for the cigarette lighter  40  in a closed, at rest condition, and FIG. 2 shows the carrying case  1  for cigarette lighter  40  in an open condition so that the lighter can be pulled outwardly therefrom. As will be explained, the cigarette lighter  40  and the casing  1  provide a readily accessible means to be carried by a motorcycle at an unobtrusive location to enable riders to light their cigarettes. Thus, motorcycle riders will be afforded the same convenience as has heretofore been provided to those riding in an automobile.  
         [0015]    The cigarette lighter casing  1  includes a cylindrical housing  3  that is manufactured from a weather resistant material (e.g. polished aluminum). Affixed to the top of the housing  3  is a center ring  5  (best shown in FIG. 3). An end cap  7  is pivotally connected to the center ring  5  and adapted to be rotated through an angle of 90 degrees between the closed configuration of FIG. 1 and the open configuration of FIG. 2. The particular means by which the end cap  7  is pivotally connected to the center ring  5  and the advantages that are achieved thereby will be described in greater detail when referring to FIGS.  5 - 7 . An elastomeric O-ring (designated  8  in FIGS. 6 and 7) extends around the interface of center ring  5  and end cap  7  to weather proof the hollow interior of casing  1 .  
         [0016]    The cigarette lighter casing  1  is connected to the motorcycle by way of a Y-shaped yoke or mounting bracket  10  (best shown in FIG. 3). By virtue of the foregoing, no changes will have to be made to the existing motorcycle structure. The Y-shaped mounting bracket  10  has a base  12  and a pair of outstretched arms  14  and  16  that depend outwardly from the base  12  at an angle. The base  12  has a pair of holes (designated  18  in FIG. 3), and each outstretched arm  14  and  16  has a hole (designated  20  in FIG. 3) formed therein. The base  12  of mounting bracket  10  is affixed to the cylindrical housing  3  of cigarette lighter casing  1  by a pair of fasteners  22  that are received through the holes  18  (also best shown in FIG. 3). The combination cigarette lighter casing  1  and mounting bracket  10  are affixed to the existing motorcycle structure by a pair of fasteners  24  received through the holes  20  that are formed in respective outstretched arms  14  and  16  of mounting bracket  10 .  
         [0017]    It may be recognized from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the motorcycle shown therein is manufactured by Harley Davidson. However, it is to be understood that the cigarette lighter casing  1  and the cigarette lighter  40  carried therein are not limited to this type of motorcycle. Thus, while the Y-shaped mounting bracket  10  has particular application for connecting the cigarette lighter casing  1  to the motorcycle illustrated in the drawings, this and other attachment means may be used to connect casing  1  to motorcycles that are available from other manufacturers.  
         [0018]    The Y-shaped mounting bracket  10  advantageously enables the cigarette lighter casing  1  to be conveniently positioned so that cigarette lighter  40  will be an easy reach of a rider without interfering with his ability to access the controls of the motorcycle. For the motorcycle illustrated in the drawings, the arms of the Y-shaped mounting bracket  10  are connected by means of fasteners  24  to the same framework  25  from which the existing push-button switch box  26 , handle bar grip  28 , rear view mirror  30  and hand brake lever  32  are all supported. In this case, the cigarette lighter casing  1  is shown being supported from framework  25  at the right side of the motorcycle. However, the mounting bracket  10  connected to cigarette lighter casing  1  may also be connected to the left side of a motorcycle.  
         [0019]    Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, details are provided of the cigarette lighter  40  that is removably received in casing  1  to be carried at the existing framework  25  of a motorcycle. Since the cigarette lighter  40  is generally known, only a brief description thereof will be provided. Cigarette lighter  40  includes a cylindrical body  42  having a resistance heating element  44  at one end of the kind that is capable of igniting a cigarette, cigar, pipe, and the like, and a knob  46  at the opposite end by which lighter  40  can be either pushed inwardly or pulled outwardly from the casing  1  as shown in FIG. 2 when end cap  7  is rotated to the open configuration.  
         [0020]    The body  42  of cigarette lighter  40  is slidably received within an open tubular socket  48 . An annular lip  50  is formed around the open top of socket  48 . To achieve the preferred cigarette lighter assembly shown in FIG. 4, the annular lip  50  at the top of socket  48  is seated within a circumferential groove  52  that is formed at the top of the cylindrical housing  3  of cigarette lighter casing  1 . Thus, the groove  52  captures the annular lip  50  and thereby retains the tubular socket  48  of cigarette lighter  40  within the cigarette lighter casing  1  to establish a space between the bottom of socket  48  and the bottom of housing  3 .  
         [0021]    An electrical contact  54  is located at the bottom of the tubular socket  48  of cigarette lighter  40  so as to lie in the aforementioned space between socket  48  and the housing  3  of casing  1 . An insulator (e.g. paper)  55  is laid along the bottom of housing  3  to avoid any contact between the housing and the electrical contact  54  of socket  48 . An electrical wire  56  runs from contact  54 , through a hole  58  formed in the bottom of housing  3 , to the battery (not shown) of the motorcycle. An electrical current is supplied via wire  56  to contact  54 , whereby the heating element  44  of lighter  40  can be energized to ignite the rider&#39;s cigarette.  
         [0022]    Spaced from one another and axially aligned along the tubular socket  48  of cigarette lighter  40  are flexible, spring-like clips  60  and  62 . The clips  60  and  62  are positioned so as to capture annular ribs  64  and  66  (best shown in FIG. 3) that extend around the cylindrical body  42  of cigarette lighter  40  to be slidably received within socket  48 . As with conventional cigarette lighters, the interaction of the spring-like clips  60  and  62  with the annular ribs  64  and  66  allows the body  42  of cigarette lighter  40  to be releasably retained at a retracted position within socket  48  (when the end cap  7  of casing  1  is closed in the manner shown in FIG. 1) and at an axially advanced position within socket  48  (when the end cap  7  is opened in the manner shown in FIG. 2) at which the heating element  40  of body  42  is moved into engagement with the electrical contact  54  of socket  48  by applying a pushing force against knob  46 .  
         [0023]    The center ring  5  of cigarette lighter casing  1  is affixed atop the cylindrical housing  3  by means of a pair of fasteners  70  (best shown in FIG. 3) so as to hold socket  48  within housing  3 . As was indicated above and as will now be described in greater below while referring concurrently to FIGS.  5 - 7  of the drawings, the end cap  7  of casing  1  that is pivotally connected to the center ring  5  includes the interaction of ball and detent means by which the end cap  7  can be reliably locked in each of the closed configuration of FIG. 1 and the open configuration of FIG. 2.  
         [0024]    More particularly, a slot  72  is formed in the back of the center ring  5  above the attachment of the mounting bracket  10  to the housing  3  of casing  1 . A hinge extension  74  depends from the end cap  7  for receipt within the slot  72  of center ring  5 . A pivot pin  76  which runs between the opposite ends of the slot  72  also extends through the hinge extension  74  (best shown in FIG. 5). Accordingly, the end cap  7  will be pivotally connected to center ring  5  at the slot  72  formed therein so as to be capable of rotating 90 degrees between the aforementioned closed and open configurations. As an important feature of cigarette lighter casing  1 , the hinge extension  74  of end cap  7  that is received in the slot  72  of center ring  5  has a pair of detents  78  and  80  formed therein (best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7). A first of the detents  78  is formed in one side of hinge extension  74 , and the second detent  80  is formed in the bottom of the hinge extension  74 . A small (e.g. about 3 mm) diameter (e.g. steel) ball  80 , similar to a ball bearing, cooperates with a coil spring  84  so as to be held within and captured by one of the detents  78  or  80  depending upon whether the end cap  7  has been rotated at the pivot pin  76  to the closed or open configuration relative to the cigarette lighter  40  that is carried within the housing  3  of casing  1 .  
         [0025]    A short bore  86  runs longitudinally through the center ring  5  to communicate with the slot  72 . The coil spring  84  is located within the bore  86 , and the ball  82  is seated on top of the spring  84  above the bore. The coil spring  84  is normally biased so as to exert an upward pushing force against ball  82 , whereby the ball is urged into receipt by one of the detents  78  or  80  formed in the hinge extension  74  of end cap  7 .  
         [0026]    Accordingly, when the end cap  7  is rotated to the closed configuration (of FIG. 6) to lie above and enclose the cigarette lighter  40  that is carried within the casing  1 , the ball  82  will be pushed by spring  84  into the detent  80  in the bottom of hinge extension  74 . Hence, end cap  7  will be locked in the closed position. When a rider wishes to gain access to and remove the cigarette lighter  40  from casing  1 , an upward pushing force is exerted by the rider to cause end cap  7  to rotate at pivot pin  76  to the open position (of FIG. 7) and thereby permit the rider to grasp the knob  46  of lighter  40 . As the end cap  7  is moved 90 degrees to the open condition and the hinge extension  74  thereof correspondingly rotates at pivot pin  76 , the ball  82  will be pushed downwardly in the bore  86  by the hinge extension  74  so as to compress coil spring  84 . The hinge extension  74  will continue to rotate at pivot pin  76  with the end cap  7  until the open configuration is reached, whereby the ball  82  will now be aligned with and received by the detent  78  at the side of hinge extension  74 . That is to say, the coil spring  84  within bore  86  expands to urge ball  82  away from the bore  86  and into the detent  78 . Hence, end cap  7  will now be locked in the open configuration.  
         [0027]    By virtue of the interaction of ball  82  and detents  78  and  80 , the end cap  7  of cigarette lighter casing  1  can be reliably retained in each of the closed and open configurations so as not to be able to flap back and forth. Hence, the rider will not be inconvenienced by a loose end cap that could disturb his concentration while the motorcycle is in operation or interfere with his ability to remove or return the cigarette lighter  40 , especially during windy conditions. In this same regard, it should be appreciated that the detents  78  and  80  that are formed in the hinge extension  74  of end cap  7  may be replaced by similar catches for the ball  82  including, but not limited to, notches, channels, and the like. In any case, the rider will now have the advantage of an easy to use, easy to access cigarette lighter  40  that is conveniently carried by his motorcycle in an attractive casing that can be attached to the motorcycle without having to change the existing structure thereof.