Abstract:
A gas igniter comprises a casing detachably connected to a container, which holds a inserted disposable gas lighter cartridge as a gas reservoir. A flexible extension that can be freely curved at any angle and retained to the given shape to perform ignition even in a tight spot area and the flexible extension can be snap back in the casing for easy storage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Gas igniter on the market today is structured with a main body and a long rigid extension. It is so hard to perform an ignition for some tight spot area. It can be improved by a flexible extension that can be freely curved at any angle and retained to the given shape. This type of igniter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,556 in which the extend arms protrude on the casing. The user will found that is not comfortable to use. In addition, the bottle gas used for refill is not conveniently found everywhere. Instead of bottle gas, using a disposable lighter as fuel source for refill which can be easily found and inexpensive would be ideal.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention has been accomplished to provide an orthopedically engineered trigger-controlled igniter that is comfortable and convenient to use. It uses a disposable lighter as an insert cartridge for the fuel source, the advantage is disposable lighter cost less, more safe and easy to find in compared with bottle gas.  
           [0003]    According to one aspect of the present invention the gas igniter comprising a casing detachably connected to the container which hold a disposable lighter as a gas reservoir, a safety switch which disposed within the sliding track with locking and unlocking position. A push-button and a trigger are disposed for controlling gas supply from the reservoir, an elastic gas flow connector and a piezo electric unit are incorporated into the casing portion assembly. A hollow flexible member extends from the casing with one end and the opposite end connected to a front pipe, the front pipe which mounted with flame nozzle that connected with gas pipe and ground electrode.  
           [0004]    In order to actuate the igniter, first, slide the safety switch to unlock position, then push the push-button upward to move the rocking lever to unlock the trigger, and then pull down the trigger, the trigger controlled to depress the gas lever of the disposable gas lighter cartridge and the piezo electric simultaneously causing a flame produced at the flame nozzle that shoot out from the flame port of the front pipe, the trigger will recess back to locking position automatically when the user released the trigger after each use.  
           [0005]    Another aspect of the present invention, three elastic members are disposed on the curved side of the igniter provided a comfortable soft grip for the user.  
           [0006]    Still another aspect of the invention, the flexible member with a stud which construct on the front pipe can snap into the retaining hole of the elastic member on the casing for easy storage.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a prospect view of the igniter with the flexible member snap on  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a prospect view of the igniter with the flexible member expanded  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a part-sectioned view of the igniter in compact storage position  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectioned view of the igniter  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 a  is an enlarged cross-sectioned view of flexible member and front pipe  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 b  is an enlarged cross-sectioned view of casing and container  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a prospect view of a second example of the flexible member  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a part-sectioned view of the flexible member shown in FIG. 5 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring to FIG. 1. a trigger-controlled gas igniter in accordance with present invention is generally comprised of a casing  1 , formed by two half, a container  2  detachably connected to the casing  1 . A flexible member  3  disposed between the casing  1  and the front pipe  4 .  
         [0016]    Referring to FIG. 4, partition walls  26  are made inside the casing  1  to hold an elastic gas flow connector  28  which one end connected to the fuel nozzle  27  of the inserted disposable gas lighter cartridge  6  and the opposite end connected to the flame nozzle  14  by a flexible gas pipe  9 . A piezo electric unit  11  is mounted within the partition  37 , the electrode  21  is connected with the spine  19  by a screw  20 . The spine is formed by one or more strands of metal wire, which can be bent easily and retained a given shape and it is a conductive material. The spine  19  connected with the electrode  21  at one end and the opposite end connected to the tubular metal member  13  of the front pipe  4  by a screw  18  secured at the cylindrical nozzle holder  12 . A ground electrode  10  of the piezo electric unit is connected to the flame nozzle  14 . The spine  19 , the ground electrode  10  and the flexible gas pipe  9  are disposed interiorly of the hollow flexible member  3 . The cylindrical nozzle holder  12  accommodated the flame nozzle  14  with one end is inserted into the tubular metal member  13 , and the other end is inserted to the flexible member  3 .  
         [0017]    The tubular metal member  13  has a front-end wall and a flame port  16  through which flame is injected outward is formed in the central portion of the front-end wall. Air intake ports  15  are formed in the upper side portion of the tubular metal member  13  behind the flame port  16 . Further, part of the front-end wall is bent inward to form a spark point  17 .  
         [0018]    Thus, the piezo electric unit  11  is electrically connected from the spark point  17  through the hollow flexible member  3  to electrode  21  via tubular metal member  13 , screw  18 , spine  19 , and the flame nozzle  14  is connected to the ground electrode  10 .  
         [0019]    A safety switch  8  is mounted within the sliding track with locking and unlocking positions, and part of the safety switch  8  traverses the casing  1 . Trigger  5  is constructed with three projections  5 A,  5 B and  5 C. Projection  5 B extend to stop at the top of the piezo electric unit  111  and the top of a rocking lever  22  at the locking position. Projection  5 A extend to stop above the gas lever  7  of the inserted disposable gas lighter cartridge  6 . Projection  5 C extend to stop at the top of the traverse part of the safety switch  8  inside the casing  1 .  
         [0020]    A push-button  24  is disposed in the sliding track (not shown) at the curved side of the casing  1  and connected to tension spring  25 . The rocking lever  22  is supported to rotate about a pivot  29  and connected to spring  23 .  
         [0021]    Referring to FIG. 2 the casing  1  constructed with two rolled edges  1 A and  1 B on the curved side from the top and ended at area  1 C and  1 D, an elastic member  30  is mounted between the two rolled edges at the top of casing  1 , an elastic member  31  constructed with a retaining hole  34  for catching stud  33  of front pipe  4  is mounted at the lower part of casing  1 . Another elastic member  32  is mounted at the container adjacent to elastic member  31 . Thus, these three elastic members  30 ,  31  and  32  mounted on the curved side formed a soft grip for the comfort of the user.  
         [0022]    Referring to FIG. 3, the flexible member  3  with the stud  33  constructed on front pipe  4  is snapped into the retaining hole  34 . At the same time, the flexibility of the elastic member  31  enables the flexible member  3  to be withdrawn from the retaining hole  34  by pulling the front pipe  4  from the casing  1 .  
         [0023]    A first example of the flexible member  3  is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and  3 . The flexible member  3  comprises a flexible pipe formed by elastic material, the spine  19  constructed with one or more strands of metal wire is disposed interiorly of the elastic pipe. Thus, the flexible member  3  can be bent freely and retain a given shape.  
         [0024]    A second example of the flexible member  3  is shown in FIG. 5, the flexible member  3  formed with a plurality of projections in the form of a spiral. This flexible member  3  is formed by spirally winding molded ribbon plate member  36 , which consists of long strips of steel molded to a wave shape, so that they closed overlap one another.  
         [0025]    The sectional configuration of the molded ribbon plate member  36 , as shown in FIG. 5. has a curved portion  36 A extending outwardly in the form of a semicircle, a flat portion  36 B extending axially from the curved portion  36 A and a rising potion  36 C with its outer end portion curved outwardly. The members  36  are formed into a pipe shape by spirally winding them so that the rising portion  36 C is inserted inside the curved portion  36 A. Thus, the flexible member  3  can be bent and deformed in a range where the outer end of the rising portion  36 C can move within the curve portion  36 A. The engagement of the rising portion  36 C with the inner surface of the curved portion  36 A defines the expandable limit and the bendable limit. Thus, with this, better stability is obtained. Note that on the opposite end portions of the flexible member  3  there maybe formed flat cylindrical connection portions which are inserted and fixed to the casing  1  and inserted by cylindrical nozzle holder  12 .  
         [0026]    The operation of the gas igniter of this embodiment will be described, herein below, this orthopedically engineered igniter fit in the palm of the user very comfortably with the push-button  24  positioned underneath the thumb and the finger through the casing opening  35  to pull the trigger  5 . First, slide the safety switch  8  to unlock position, then slide the push-button  24  upwardly causing the rocking lever  22  moved to the unlock position, projections  5 B and  5 C are free to move without the blocking of safety switch  8  and rocking lever  22 , when the trigger  5  is depressed, the gas lever  7  of the inserted disposable gas lighter cartridge  6  and the piezo electric unit  11  are pressed simultaneously by projections  5 A and  5 B, the fuel gas is released from the gas reservoir to the flame nozzle  14  through the flexible gas pipe  9 , and the piezo electric unit  11  produces an alternating discharge voltage which is applied between the spark point  17  and the flame nozzle  14 , whereby the fuel gas injected from the flame nozzle  14  is ignited. When the trigger  5  is released, the rocking lever retreat back to locking position by a spring  23  and the fuel supply is cut off when gas lever  7  is released from projection  5 A.