Abstract:
A safety electronic lighter includes 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, 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 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, and a latch control device controlled by a combination of numbers to control the connection of the battery to the ignition control switch and the power control switch.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to electronic lighters, and more particularly to a safety electronic lighter which has first lock means adapted to lock the ignition control switch, prohibiting the electronic lighter from being operated, and second lock means adapted to control the connection of battery power supply to the ignition switch and power switch means of the electronic lighter. 
     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 the present invention, a latch control device is provided and adapted to control the connection of the battery to the ignition control switch and the power control switches. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is an exploded view of a safety electronic lighter according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1B is a circuit block diagram of the latch control device according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 1C is a circuit block diagram of an alternate form of the latch control device according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional assembly view of the safety electronic lighter shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1, showing the stop rod of the safety lock stopped below the control bar. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view in an enlarged scale of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the ignition control switch. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional assembly view of a safety electronic lighter according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6A is a sectional view in an enlarged scale showing the positioning of the control knob in the grooves at the housing of the outer shells. 
     FIG. 6B is a schematic drawing showing the control knob of the ignition control switch rotated in counter-clockwise direction. 
     FIG. 6C is a schematic drawing showing the control knob of the ignition control switch rotated in clock-wise direction. 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a safety electronic lighter according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional assembly view of the electronic lighter shown in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of a part of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing the structure of the ignition control switch. 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of a part of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing the relationship between the ignition control switch and the safety lock. 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional assembly view of a fourth embodiment of 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  at the top side of the housing of the outer shells  1  and  1 ′ on the middle. 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 side, a top pin  231  raised from its top side, 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  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 high voltage coil  26  is provided in the housing of the outer shells  1  and  1 ′ near the front side, and connected to a control circuit  18  and a battery  181 . The control circuit  18  controls the high voltage coil  26  to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks for igniting fuel gas. A first power control switch  151  is mounted in a switch holder  15  at one outer shell  1 , and operated to close/open the power circuit. A second power control switch  162  is mounted in a switch holder  16  near the front side of one outer shell  1  on the inside. The second power control switch  162  has a press button  163  aimed at a hole  161  at the bottom side of the housing of the outer shells  1  and  1 ′. When operating the second power control switch  162 , a rod member  164  or the like is inserted through the hole  161  and pressed on the press button  163  to switch on/off the second power control switch  162 . When igniting fuel gas, the control knob  21  is rotated to such a position that the projecting rods  211  are aimed at respective notches  113  at the housing of the outer shells  1  and  1 ′, then the rod member  164  is inserted through the hole  161  to switch on the second power control switch  162 , and then the control knob  21  of the ignition control switch  2  and the first power control switch  151  are simultaneously depressed to close the circuit of the high voltage coil  26 , the control circuit  18  and the battery  181 , enabling the high voltage coil  26  to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks. 
     A safety lock  171  is moved in a sliding slot  17  at one lateral side of the housing of the outer shells  1  and  1 ′ to lock/unlock the ignition control switch  2 . The safety lock  171  has a stop rod  172 . When the safety lock  171  is shifted to the locking position, the stop rod  172  is stopped below the control bar  23  to prohibit the ignition control switch  2  from downward movement, and at the same time the control knob  21  is prohibited from rotary motion. On the contrary, when the safety lock  171  is shifted to the unlocking position, the stop rod  172  is moved away from the control bar  23 , enabling the ignition control switch  2  to be depressed. When the ignition control switch  2  is depressed, the valve  251  of the gas tank, referenced by  25 , is pulled open by a pull rod  24  of the control bar  23 , enabling fuel gas to flow out of the gas tank  25  through a gas tube  252  to a flame tube  27  at the front side of the housing of the outer shells  1  and  1 ′. 
     FIG. 5 shows a safety electronic lighter according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment eliminates the aforesaid second power control switch  162 . When in use, the control knob  21  is rotated to the operative position (where the ignition control switch  2  is allowed to be depressed), then the safety lock  171  is moved to the unlocking position, and then the ignition control switch  2  and the power control switch  151  are simultaneously depressed, enabling sparks to be produced, and fuel gas to be discharged out of the gas tank  25  and ignited by sparks at the flame tube  27 . 
     FIGS. from  7  through  10  illustrate a safety electronic lighter according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The housing  3  of this third embodiment is shaped like a pistol, and formed of two symmetrical shells. The ignition control switch  2  is mounted in a hole  31  at the handgrip  382  of the housing  3 . 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  321  at a projecting frame  32  inside the housing  3 , having a bottom pin  234  downwardly extended from its bottom side, a top pin  231  raised from its top side, and a plurality of bevel steps  232  at its top side around the root of the top pin  231 . 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  311  in the hole  31  for enabling the control knob  21  to be rotated clockwise/counter-clockwise within 90° angle. Stop strips (not shown) are provided in the grooves  311  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). 
     A power switch  331  is mounted in a switch holder  33  inside the housing  3  adjacent to the bottom pin  234  of the control bar  23 . When the ignition control switch  2  is pressed down, the power switch  331  is triggered by the bottom pin  234  of the control bar  23 , causing sparks to be produced, and at the same time a pull lever  34  is driven by the control bar  23  to pull open the valve  351  of a gas tank  35 , enabling fuel gas to flow out of the gas tank  35  through a gas tube  352  to the front side of the lighter for combustion. 
     A high voltage coil  36  is provided in the housing  3  near the front side, and connected to a control circuit  38  and a battery  381 , which is received in the handgrip  382 . The control circuit  38  controls the high voltage coil  36  to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks for igniting fuel gas. Supporting members  391  are provided inside the housing  3  to hold a lamp holder  392 , which holds a lamp bulb  393 , which extends out of a hole (not shown) on the housing  3 . A multi-step control switch  4  is mounted in a bottom hole  39  at the bottom side of the housing  3 , and operated to turn off the circuit of the lighter, to turn on the circuit of the lighter, or to turn on the lamp bulb  393 . 
     A safety lock  371  is moved in a sliding slot  37  at one lateral side of the housing  3  adjacent to the ignition control switch  2 , and operated to lock/unlock the ignition control switch  2 . The safety lock  371  has a stop rod  372 . When the safety lock  371  is shifted to the locking position, the stop rod  372  is stopped below the control bar  23  to prohibit the ignition control switch  2  from downward movement, and at the same time the control knob  21  is prohibited from rotary motion. On the contrary, when the safety lock  371  is shifted to the unlocking position, the stop rod  372  is moved away from the control bar  23 , enabling the ignition control switch  2  to be depressed. The ignition control switch  2  is allowed to be depressed only when the control knob  21  is rotated to the position where the projecting rods  211  are aimed at respective notches  312  at the housing  3  (see FIGS.  9  and  10 ). When the ignition control switch  2  is depressed, the pull lever  34  is driven to pull open the valve  351 , enabling fuel gas to flow out of the gas tank  35  through the gas tube  352  to the flame tube  354  for combustion, and at the same time the switch  331  is triggered, causing sparks to be produced between a central electrode  353  and the front end of the flame tube  354  (the flame tube  354  is a metal tube used as a side electrode), and therefore discharged fuel gas is burned up. 
     FIG. 11 illustrates a safety electronic lighter according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, a power control switch  333  is mounted in a switch holder  332  inside the housing  3 . The power control switch  333  has a press button  334  aimed at a hole  335  at the bottom side of the housing  3 . When operating the power control switch  333 , a rod member  164  or the like is inserted through the hole  335  and pressed on the press button  334  to switch on/off the power control switch  333 . Another power control switch  337  is mounted in a switch holder  336  inside the handgrip  382 . When igniting fuel gas, the control knob  21  is rotated to such a position that the projecting rods  211  are aimed at respective notches  312  at the housing  3 , then the rod member  164  is inserted through the hole  335  to switch on the power control switch  333 , and then the control knob  21  of the ignition control switch  2  and the power control switch  337  are simultaneously depressed to close the circuit of the high voltage coil  36 , the control circuit  38  and the battery  381 , enabling the high voltage coil  36  to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks. 
     The safety electronic lighter further comprises a latch control device. The latch control device comprises a control circuit assembly  19  adapted to control the connection of the battery  181  to the ignition control switch  2  and the power control switch  333 . The control circuit assembly  19  is comprised of a latch control IC  191  and a set of number entry keys  192 . When inputting a combination of numbers through the number entry keys  192  into the latch control IC  191 , the latch control IC  191  is driven to cut off power supply from the ignition control switch  2  and the power control switch  333 . At this time, pressing the ignition control switch  2  and the power control switch  333  does not cause the high voltage coil  36  to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks. When inputting the correct combination of numbers through the number entry keys  192  into the latch control IC  191 , the latch control IC  191  electrically connects the battery  181  to the ignition control switch  2  and the power control switch  333 , enabling the high voltage coil  36  to be driven to discharge a high voltage in producing sparks by pressing the ignition control switch  2  and the power control switch  333 . Alternatively, the latch control IC  191  of the control circuit assembly  19  can be set to control the ignition control switch  2  only. 
     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.