Abstract:
A smoking pipe of a stainless-steel, modular, slip-fit design having an external sealing system comprising a plurality of elastomeric sleeves which sealably interconnect the components of the modular design. The smoking pipe is compact, lightweight and can be readily dissembled for ease of transport and storage. Further, the smoking pipe is dishwasher safe, is easy to clean and can be safely sterilized by conventional means.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to smoking devices. More particularly, the invention concerns a smoking pipe in which the smoke is drawn from a smoking material receiving bowl through water and then into a mouthpiece into the mouth of the user.  
           [0003]    2. Discussion of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Smoking devices in which the smoke from the smoking material is drawn through water before inhaling are not new. These types of smoking devices, which are sometimes called “water pipes”, have been in use throughout the world for many years.  
           [0005]    A common type of prior art water pipe comprises a liquid-accumulating glass flask having a mouthpiece associated with the upper portion thereof. A pipette or tube typically extends into the flask to a point above the bottom thereof. Disposed at the top of the pipette is a smoke-receiving bowl. The glass flask is usually provided with an opening that sealably receives an apertured rubber stopper which accepts the pipette in a manner to provide an air tight seal between the pipette and the flask. Exemplary of this type of apparatus is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,875 issued to Frost.  
           [0006]    A common drawback of many of the prior art “water pipe” devices is that they are quite fragile and easily broken. Another drawback is that they are usually of a rather complex construction making them expensive to produce. These and other drawbacks of the prior art devices are effectively overcome by the novel apparatus of the invention which comprises sealably interconnected metal components that cooperate to provide a sturdy smoking pipe that is easily transportable and is highly reliable in use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    By way of summary, the present invention comprises a novel smoking pipe having a generally cup-shaped stainless-steel, liquid-containing chamber; a stainless-steel connector segment sealably connected to the liquid-containing chamber, the connector segment having a tapered side wall and an aperture formed in the side wall; an elongated, generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel tube receivable within the aperture formed in the side wall, the elongated tube having a first end disposed within the liquid-containing chamber and a second end; a stainless-steel smoking material receiving bowl assembly removably connected to the second end of the elongated tube; and a generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel mouthpiece sealably connected to the connector segment.  
           [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a smoking pipe which is of a novel stainless-steel, modular, slip-fit design having an external sealing system comprising a plurality of elastomeric sleeves which sealably interconnect the components of the modular design.  
           [0009]    Another object of the invention is to provide a smoking pipe of the aforementioned character that is compact and can be readily dissembled for ease of transport and storage.  
           [0010]    Another object of the invention is to provide a smoking pipe as described in the preceding paragraph which is dishwasher safe, is easy to clean and, being heat resistant, can readily be sterilized if desired.  
           [0011]    Another object of the invention is to provide a smoking pipe of the unique design described in the preceding paragraphs which is extremely durable and virtually unbreakable in normal use. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a generally perspective view of one form of the smoking device of the invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a generally perspective, exploded view of the smoking device shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  3 - 3  of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, one form of the smoking pipe of the present invention is there illustrated and generally designated by the numeral  12 . As best seen by referring to FIG. 2, the smoking pipe here comprises a generally cup-shaped, stainless-steel, liquid-containing component  14  having a side wall  16  and a bottom wall that cooperate to define a liquid containing chamber  20 . Slidably interconnected to liquid containing component  14  is a stainless steel connector segment  22  having a tapered side wall  24 . Tapered side wall  24  interconnects and spans a first, generally cylindrically shaped skirt portion  26  that telescopically receives the generally cylindrically shaped wall  16  of the liquid containing component. Connected at the upper extremity of tapered side wall  24  is a second generally cylindrically shaped skirt portion  28  which is telescopically received within an upwardly extending, generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel mouthpiece  30 .  
         [0016]    Tapered side wall  24  is provided with an aperture  32  which slidably receives a generally cylindrically shaped, stainless-steel tube  34  having a first portion  34   a  disposed within liquid containing chamber  20  (FIG. 3) and a second portion  34   b  that extends angularly outwardly from tapered side wall  24 . Removably connected to second portion  34   b  of tube  34  is the novel smoking material receiving bowl assembly of the invention that is generally designated by the numeral  36 . As best seen by referring to FIG. 3, smoking material receiving bowl assembly  36  comprises a stainless-steel body  38  having an upper portion provided with a tapered smoking material receiving chamber  40  and a lower portion provided with a counter bore  42  for closely receiving the end of second portion  34   b  of elongated tube  34 . Importantly, body  38  is constructed of a single piece of material, has no threads and is virtually indestructible. Accordingly, the smoking material receiving bowl assembly is unique and comprises a substantial improvement over the prior art.  
         [0017]    With the modular components of the smoking pipe assembled in the manner shown in FIG. 3, a first sealing means is provided for sealably interconnecting liquid containing component  14  with connector segment  22 . This first sealing means is here provided in the form of an elastomeric sleeve  44  that is adapted to sealably span the joint between liquid containing component  14  and connector segment  22  in the manner shown in FIG. 3. A second sealing means is also provided for sealably interconnecting connector segment  22  with mouthpiece  30 . The second sealing means also comprises an elastomeric sleeve  46  that sealably spans the joint between connector segment  22  and mouthpiece  30  in the manner shown in FIG. 3. With the modular components of the smoking pipe assembled in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, liquid containing component  14 , connector segment  22  and mouthpiece  30  are axially aligned and the components are sealably interconnected by the sealing means or elastomeric sleeves  44  and  46 .  
         [0018]    As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3, tubular member  34  is sealably connected to connector segments  22  by a third sealing means here provided in the form of a generally annular shaped, elastomeric collar  50 . As best seen in FIG. 3, collar  50  includes a circumferentially extending groove  50   a  which sealably receives side wall  24  and a central opening  50   b  that sealably engages the outer wall of tubular member  34 . With this construction, tubular member  34  is sealably connected to connector segment  22 , but can be adjusted inwardly or outwardly to properly position portion  34   a  with respect to the liquid contained within chamber  20 .  
         [0019]    Provided proximate the upper portion of mouthpiece  30  is an elastomeric ring-shaped member  54  that is adapted to sealably cover the mouth of the user. Additionally, a third elastomeric sleeve  56  circumscribes body  38  of bowl assembly  36  to protect the fingers of the user from being burned when the smoking material is placed within chamber  40  and ignited.  
         [0020]    With the construction described in the preceding paragraphs, it is apparent that the overall height of the smoking pipe can be adjusted by telescopically moving mouthpiece  30  relative to connector segment  22  and by telescopically moving connector segment  22  relative to liquid containing component  14 . It is also apparent that the smoking pipe of the invention can be readily dissembled for ease of transport and storage.  
         [0021]    Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.