Abstract:
A safety electronic lighter includes an ignition control switch, which is operated to drive a high voltage coil, causing it to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks, the ignition control switch being rotatable between the operative position and the non-operative position, a safety lock, which is operated to lock the ignition control switch, prohibiting the ignition control switch from operation, a first power control switch, which is operated to switch on/off the power supply circuit of the electronic lighter, a second power control switch adapted to control the operation of the first power control switch and being rotated between the operative position and the non-operative position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to electronic lighters, and more particularly to a safety electronic lighter, which uses two power control switches to double-lock the ignition switch, preventing actuation of the ignition switch accidentally. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,916 discloses a safety electronic lighter, which comprises an ignition control switch, which is operated to drive a high voltage coil, causing it to discharge sparks, the ignition control switch being rotatable between the operative position and the non-operative position, a safety lock, which is operated to lock the ignition control switch, preventing the ignition control switch from operation, a first power control switch, which is operated to switch on/off the power supply circuit of the electronic lighter, a second power control switch connected in series to the first power control switch, the second power control switch being mounted inside the housing of the electronic lighter and kept from sight and accessible by a rod member through a hole at the housing of the electronic lighter. This structure of electronic lighter is functional, and safe in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is based on the aforesaid safety electronic lighter. According to one aspect of the present invention, the safety electronic lighter comprises an ignition control switch, which is operated to drive a high voltage coil, causing it to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks, the ignition control switch being rotatable between the operative position and the non-operative position, a safety lock, which is operated to lock the ignition control switch, prohibiting the ignition control switch from operation, a first power control switch, which is operated to switch on/off the power supply circuit of the electronic lighter, a second power control switch adapted to control the operation of the first power control switch and being rotated between the operative position and the non-operative position. According to another aspect of the present invention, the second power control switch is rotatable between the operative position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a safety electronic lighter according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional assembly view of the safety electronic lighter according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view in an enlarged scale of a part of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the ignition control switch, the safety lock, and the power control switch. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional assembly view of a part of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the operation of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6A is a sectional view of a part of the present invention showing the positioning of the control knob in the housing. 
     FIG. 6B is a schematic drawing showing the control knob rotated counter-clockwise according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6C is a schematic drawing showing the control knob rotated clockwise according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. from  1  through  4 , a safety electronic lighter in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a housing, which is formed of two outer shells  1  and  1 ′, and an ignition control switch  2  mounted in a hole  11  on the middle of the top side of the housing of the outer shells  1  and  1 ′. The ignition control switch  2  is comprised of a control knob  21 , a driving element  22 , and a control bar  23 . The control bar  23  is mounted in an opening  121  at a projecting frame  12  at one outer shell  1 , having a bottom pin  234  downwardly extended from its bottom, a top pin  231  raised from its top, a plurality of bevel steps  232  at its top side around the root of the top pin  231 , an extension  233 , and a metal strip  2331  at the end of the extension  233 . A spring  2341  is mounted on a substantially U-shaped holder plate  13  at one outer shell  1  around the bottom pin  234  below the projecting frame  12 . The spring  2341  supports the control bar  23  on the holder plate  13 . The driving element  22  comprises a center hole  222 , which receives the top pin  231  of the control bar  23 , and two sets of bevel steps  221  respectively disposed at its top and bottom sides around the center hole  222 . The bevel steps  221  at the bottom side of the driving element  22  are meshed with the bevel steps  232  at the control bar  23 . The control knob  21  is covered on a part of the control bar  23 , having a bottom chamber  213 , which receives the driving element  22 , a plurality of bevel steps  212  disposed inside the bottom chamber  213  and meshed with the bevel steps  221  at the top side of the driving element  22 , and two projecting rods  211  raised from the periphery at two opposite sides and respectively inserted in respective grooves  111  at the bottom side of the hole  11  for enabling the control knob  21  to be rotated clockwise/counter-clockwise within 90° angle. Stop strips  112  are provided in the grooves  111  to limit the angle of rotation of the control knob  21  within 90° angles, i.e., the control knob  21  is permitted to rotate through 90° angles in clockwise as well as counter-clockwise direction (see also FIGS. from  6 A through  6 C). Two metal contacts  141  are respectively mounted on a respective lug  14  at one outer shell, namely, the left outer shell  1 , and connected to power supply by a respective conductor. When the ignition control switch  2  is pressed down, the metal strip  2331  is forced into contact with the metal contacts  141 , thereby causing the electric circuit to be closed. On the contrary, when the ignition control switch  2  is released, the control bar  23  is pushed upwardly back to its former position, and the metal strip  2331  is moved with the control bar  23  from the metal contacts  141  to disconnect the electric circuit. 
     A safety lock  161  is slidably mounted in a sliding slot  16  in one outer shell, namely, the left outer shell  1  of the housing and supported on a spring  163  inside the left outer shell  1 , having a bottom stop strip  162 . The spring  163  imparts a forward pressure to the safety lock  161 . Due to the effect of the spring power of the spring  163 , the safety lock  161  is normally held in the locking position where the bottom stop strip  162  is stopped against the rear end of the extension  233  of the control bar  23 , preventing the control bar  23  from downward movement. Therefore, the safety lock  161  must be moved backwards from the extension  233  of the control bar  23  to compress the spring  163  before switching on the ignition control switch  2 . 
     A high-voltage coil  26  is provided in the housing of the outer shells  1  and  1 ′ near the front side, and connected to a high-voltage generating circuit  18  and a battery  181 . The high-voltage generating circuit  18  controls the high-voltage coil  26  to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks for igniting fuel gas. A press-button switch  151  is mounted in a switch holder  15  at one outer shell  1 , and operated to close/open the circuit of the high voltage coil  26 , the high-voltage generating circuit  18  and the battery  181 . 
     A hole  17  is provided in the housing of the outer shells  1 ; 1 ′. An annular groove  171  is provided in the inside wall of the housing of the outer shells  1 ; 1 ′ around the hole  17 . Two notches  172  are provided in the annular groove  171  at two sides. A power control switch  3  is installed in the hole  17 , and adapted to control the operation of the press-button switch  151 . The power control switch  3  is comprised of a control knob  31 , a driving element  32 , a follower block  33 , and a compression spring  34 . The control knob  31  comprises a bottom chamber  313 , which receives the driving element  32 , a plurality of bevel steps  312  disposed inside the bottom chamber  313  and meshed with respective top bevel steps  321  of the driving element  32 , and two projecting rods  311  raised from the periphery at two opposite sides and respectively inserted in the annular groove  171  for enabling the control knob  31  to be rotated clockwise/counter-clockwise within 90° angle. The follower block  33  comprises a rectangular coupling hole  333  coupled to the rectangular button  152  of the press-button switch  151 , a top pin  331  inserted into the center hole  322  of the driving element  32 , and a plurality of bevel steps  332  disposed around the top pin  331  and meshed with respective bottom bevel steps  321  of the driving element  32 . When rotating the control knob  31  through 90 angles, the projecting rods  311  are engaged into the annular groove  171  to stop the control knob  31  from axial movement, and therefore the user cannot depress the control knob  31  to switch on the press-button switch  151 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5, when in use, the control knob  21  of the ignition control switch  2  and the control knob  31  of the power control switch  3  must be respectively rotated to such a position that the projecting rods  211 ; 311  are respectively moved to the respective notches  113 ; 172  and the safety lock  161  must be pushed away from the extension  233  of the control bar  23 , so that the control knobs  21 ; 31  can be simultaneously depressed to switch on the ignition control switch  2  and the press-button switch  151 . After depressing of the ignition control switch  2  and the press-button switch  151 , the pull rod  24  is pulled to open the valve  251  of the gas tank  25  for enabling fuel gas to flow through the gas tube  252  to the flame tube  27  for burning by sparks producing due to discharge of a high voltage from the high-voltage coil  26 . 
     It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed.