Patent Publication Number: US-8109275-B2

Title: Combination smoking device and lighter

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly to a pipe lighter which comprises a lighter apparatus equipped with an inhaler apparatus to form a single portable apparatus for enhancing the practice use of the inhaler apparatus. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     A pipe is a common tool for tobacco smoking and typically consists of a small chamber for the combustion of tobacco. Generally, the pipe is commonly made of briar, corncob, meerschaum, and clay. People who want smoking usually carry a lighter to ignite the tobacco inside the pipe. However, no matter which type of pipe it is, the smokers must carry the lighter or other lighting tool in order to ignite the tobacco. Accordingly, how to carry the smoking substance is another issue. Therefore, the smokers must need to bring a lot of smoking tools at the same time and this causes inconvenience for people who smoke. 
     On the other hand, the smokers usually have the experience of borrowing other people&#39;s lighter to ignite the tobacco. Even though the smoker may have the lighter and the pipe on hand, it is not guaranteed that the user can be able to directly aim the flame at the smoking substance. In other words, it is not easy for people to ignite the tobacco in outdoor environment, especially in a windy condition. 
     Moreover, cleaning the pipe after smoking is a big issue for maximizing and extending the life span of the pipe. Some people use a pipe tool to clean out the ash and unburned tobacco. However, for some small pipes or long channel pipes, it is hard for people to clean the ash and the last bits out by using a pipe tool. 
     If the unburned tobacco and the ash doesn&#39;t come out during last clean, the flavor of the cigarette or the tobacco dramatically ruined by the residue element. Finally, the smokers usually require a tool for adjusting, packing and emptying the tobacco inside the pipe, and a regular supply of pipe cleaners. The size of the pipe and the tool for cleaning pipe are usually bulky, and hard for people to carry them on hand. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, which comprises a lighter apparatus equipped with an inhaler apparatus to form a single portable apparatus for enhancing the practice use of the inhaler apparatus. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, wherein the flame opening of the lighter apparatus is positioned adjacent to the substance chamber of the inhaler apparatus, in such a manner that when the lighter apparatus is actuated to produce the flame at the flame opening, the smoking substance is instantly burnt so as to allow the smoker to smoke via the inhaler apparatus. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, wherein the inhaler apparatus is pivotally coupled with the lighter apparatus such that the pipe lighter is adapted to fold at a compact folded position for enhancing the portability of the pipe lighter and is adapted to fold at an unfolded position for the smoker to smoke right the way. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, wherein the flame opening of the lighter apparatus is enclosed by the inhaler apparatus when the pipe lighter is folded at the folded position so as to prevent the lighter apparatus from being actuated accidentally. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, which provides a substance compartment at a side housing for containing the smoking substance such that the smoker is able to carry extra smoking substance in hand. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, wherein the inhaler apparatus can be precisely folded between the folded position and the unfolded position because the side housing provides two folding guides for limiting a pivotal movement of the inhaler apparatus. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, wherein the side housing has a trapezoid shape such that the side housing is designed for the smoker to easily access the substance compartment for depositing or withdrawing the smoking substance thereat. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, wherein the lighter housing further has a plurality of ventilating holes spacedly formed on the housing sidewall of the lighter housing to maintain continuity of enough fresh air supplies and to prevent the heat accumulating within the lighter housing. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, wherein the inhaling guilder is detachable, such that the user is able to easily clean the inhaling guilder. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe lighter, wherein the pipe lighter provides a piezoelectric-type lighter such that the user is able to lighten the smoking tool in outdoor windy condition. 
     Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a pipe lighter comprising a lighter apparatus and an inhaler apparatus coupling with the lighter apparatus. 
     The lighter apparatus comprises a lighter housing having a housing sidewall, a flame opening provided at the housing sidewall, and a fuel storage chamber for storing liquefied gas therewithin, an ignition unit supported within the lighter housing, a flame nozzle operatively extended from the fuel storage chamber to the flame opening for releasing the gas in a controllable manner, and an actuator which is movably supported on the lighter housing and is arranged in such a manner that when the actuator is depressed, the gas in the fuel storage chamber is released towards the flame nozzle while the ignition unit is activated for igniting the gas at the flame nozzle so as to produce a flame through the flame opening. 
     The inhaler apparatus comprises a crucible unit coupled with the housing sidewall of the lighter housing and a tubular inhaling guider extended from the crucible unit, wherein the crucible unit has a substance chamber positioned adjacent to the flame opening of the lighter housing for retaining a smoking substance in the substance chamber, such that the lighter apparatus is actuated to produce a flame for a combustion of the smoking substance to be smoked and for an inhalation of smoked through the inhaling guider. 
     These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pipe lighter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the pipe lighter being folded at a folded position. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the pipe lighter according to the above preferred embodiment, illustrating the pipe lighter being folded at an unfolded position. 
         FIG. 3  is a top sectional view of the pipe lighter according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the structural relationship between the lighter apparatus and the inhaler apparatus. 
         FIG. 4  is a side sectional view of the pipe lighter according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the structural configuration between the flame opening and the substance chamber. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 2  of the drawings, a pipe lighter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the pipe lighter comprises a lighter apparatus  10  and an inhaler apparatus  20  coupling with the lighter apparatus  10 . 
     The lighter apparatus  10  comprises a lighter housing  11  having a housing sidewall  111 , a flame opening  112  provided at the housing sidewall  111 , and a fuel storage chamber  113  for storing liquefied gas therewithin. 
     The lighter apparatus  10  further comprises an ignition unit  12  supported within the lighter housing  11 , a flame nozzle  13  operatively extended from the fuel storage chamber  113  to the flame opening  112  for releasing the gas in a controllable manner, and an actuator  14  which is movably supported on the lighter housing  11  and is arranged in such a manner that when the actuator  14  is depressed, the gas in the fuel storage chamber  113  is released towards the flame nozzle  13  while the ignition unit  12  is activated for igniting the gas at the flame nozzle  13  so as to produce a flame through the flame opening  112 . 
     The inhaler apparatus  20  comprises a crucible unit  21  coupled with the housing sidewall  111  of the lighter housing  11  and a tubular inhaling guider  22  extended from the crucible unit  21 , wherein the crucible unit  21  has a substance chamber  211  positioned adjacent to the flame opening  112  of the lighter housing  11  for retaining a smoking substance in the substance chamber  211 . 
     Accordingly, the lighter apparatus  10  is actuated to produce the flame for a combustion of the smoking substance to be smoked and for an inhalation of smoked through the inhaling guider  22 . 
     According to the preferred embodiment, the lighter apparatus  10 , which is embodied as a convention lighter, to enhance the operation of the lighter apparatus  10 . 
     The ignition system  12 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , is a sparks producing device which comprises a piezoelectric unit  121  supported within the lighter housing  11  for generating piezoelectricity, and an ignition tip  122  extended to a position closed to the flame nozzle  13 . When the actuator  14  is actuated to press at the piezoelectric unit  121 , sparks are generated at the ignition tip  122  to ignite the gas emitted from the flame nozzle  13  to produce the flame. 
     It is appreciated that the ignition system  12  can be a flint type ignition system wherein the spark can be produced via a flint and a striker wheel supported on the lighter housing  11 . 
     The flame nozzle  13  is operatively extended from the fuel storage chamber  113  via a gas releasable valve  131 , wherein a gas lever  15  is pivotally supported in the lighter housing  11  to engage with the gas releasable valve  131  and arranged in such a manner that when the actuator  14  is actuated to press at one end of the gas lever  15 , the gas lever  15  is pivotally moved to open the gas releasable valve  131  for releasing the gas from the fuel storage chamber  113  to the flame nozzle  13 . In other words, when the actuator  13  is actuated, the ignition system  12  is actuated to produce the spark while the gas releasable valve is actuated to release the gas at the same time to produce the flame at the flame nozzle  13  through the flame opening  112 . 
     The actuator  14  is slidably mounted on the lighter housing  11  and is attached to a top end of the ignition system  12 , wherein the actuator  14  is embodied as a pusher button for the smoker to depress so as to complete the ignition operation of the lighter apparatus  10 . Preferably, the lighter apparatus produces the visible flame. Alternatively, the lighter apparatus can produce a windproof flame such as torch flame when the flame nozzle  13  is a torch nozzle. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the lighter housing  11  further has a plurality of ventilating holes  114  spacedly formed on the housing sidewall  111  of the lighter housing  11  to communicate with an interior thereof for enhancing an air circulation of the lighter housing  11  when the lighter apparatus  10  is actuated for ignition. In addition, the ventilating holes  114  are adapted to maintain continuity of enough fresh air supplies and to prevent the heat accumulating within the lighter housing  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the inhaler apparatus  20  is foldably coupled with the lighter apparatus  10 . In particularly, the crucible unit  21  has a coupling sidewall  212  pivotally coupling with the housing sidewall  111  of the lighter housing  11  such that the inhaler apparatus  20  is adapted to pivotally move between a folded position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and an unfolded position, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Accordingly, at the folded position, the inhaler apparatus  20  is pivotally folded to parallely extend from and aside the lighter apparatus  10  to overlap the coupling sidewall  212  of the crucible unit  21  with the housing sidewall  111  of the lighter housing  11  so as to form a compact box-shaped structure. Since the coupling sidewall  212  of the crucible unit  21  is overlapped with the housing sidewall  111  of the lighter housing  11 , the flame opening  112  is covered by the coupling sidewall  211  of the crucible unit  21  for preventing the flame being produced at the flame opening  112 . 
     At the unfolded position, the inhaler apparatus  20  is perpendicularly extended from and aside the lighter apparatus  10 . Accordingly, when the inhaler apparatus  20  is folded at the unfolded position, the crucible unit  21  is pivotally folded until the substance chamber  211  thereof is positioned adjacent to the flame opening  112  of the lighter housing  11 . Therefore, the smoker is able to actuate the actuator  13  of the lighter apparatus  10  to produce the flame at the flame opening  112  and to burn the smoking substance in the substance chamber  211 . 
     The inhaling guider  22  has a mouth-piece end  221 , an opposed coupling end  222  coupling with the crucible unit  21 , and an inhaler channel  223  extended from the coupling end  222  to the mouth-piece end  221  to communicate with the substance chamber  211  for an inhalation of the smoked through the inhaling guider  22 . Once the smoking substance in the substance chamber  211  is burnt, the smoker is able to inhale the smoke through the inhaling guider  22 . As shown  FIG. 4 , the crucible unit  21  further comprises a communication slot  213  extended from the substance chamber  211  to communicate with the coupling end  222  of the inhaling guider  22  such that the smoke at the substance chamber  211  is guided to flow to the inhaling guider  22  through the communication slot  213 . 
     Preferably, the coupling end  222  of the inhaling guider  22  is detachably coupled with the crucible unit  21  such that the smoker is able to detach the inhaling guider  22  from the crucible unit  21  for cleaning purpose. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 , the pipe lighter further comprises a side housing  30  sidewardly and integrally extended from the housing sidewall  111  of said lighter housing  11 , wherein the side housing  30  has a top wall  31  and a front wall  32  arranged in such a manner that when the inhaler apparatus  20  is pivotally folded at the folded position, the inhaling guider  22  is folded to overlay on the front wall  32  of the side housing  30 , and when the inhaler apparatus  20  is pivotally folded at the unfolded position, the crucible unit  21  is folded to overlay on the top wall  31  of the side housing  30 . Therefore, the front wall  32  and the top wall  31  of the side housing  30  form as two folding guides for limiting a pivotal movement of the inhaling apparatus  20  between the folded and unfolded positions. In other words, the smoker is able to precisely fold the inhaler apparatus  20  between the folded position to ensure the flame opening  112  being covered by the crucible unit  21  and the unfolded position to ensure the substance chamber  211  being positioned adjacent to the flame opening  112  of the lighter housing  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the side housing  30  further has a substance compartment  33  formed at the front wall  32  for containing extra smoking substance to be smoked, and comprises a compartment cover  34  pivotally coupled at the front wall  32  to pivotally enclose the substance compartment  33 . In other words, the compartment cover  34  becomes part of the front wall  32 . It is worth to mention that in order to open the compartment cover  34 , the inhaler apparatus  20  must be folded at the unfolded position. At the folded position, the compartment cover  34  is covered by the inhaler apparatus  20  to prevent the substance compartment  33  being accessed unintentionally. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the side housing  30  has a trapezoid shape that a cross-sectional area of the substance compartment  33  is gradually reducing towards the top wall  31 . Therefore, the smoker can easily open or close the compartment cover  34  to access the substance compartment  33  for depositing or withdraw the smoking substance therein. In particularly, the thickness of lighter housing  11 , which is equal to the thickness of crucible unit  21 , is also equal to the total thickness of inhaling guilder  22  and the side housing  22  as well. Thus, the thickness is consistent throughout, streamlining the shape. The inhaling guilder  22  and the substance compartment  33  are slightly tapered in order to facilitate use. 
     In order to use the pipe lighter of the present invention, the smoker is able to fold the inhaler apparatus  20  at the unfolded position and to place the smoking substance in the substance chamber  211  of the crucible unit  21 . Then, by depressing the actuator  14 , the lighter apparatus  10  will produce the flame at the flame opening  112  to burn the smoking substance. It is worth to mention that the flame opening  112  is formed at the housing sidewall  111  of the lighter housing  10  such that the flame nozzle  13  is longitudinally supported at the lighter housing  11  to produce the flame at the longitudinal direction of the lighter housing  10  so as to enhance the windproof ability of the flame. Once the smoking substance is burnt to generate the smoke, the smoker is able to inhale the smoke through the inhaler apparatus  20  instantly. Accordingly, a covering cap  23  is provided to removably cover at the substance chamber  211  of the crucible unit  21  when the pipe lighter is not in use. 
     The advantage of the present embodiment is its portability. The tobacco or other substance pipe and lighter are all contained in a single unit, such that there is only one item need to be carried. 
     One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.