Abstract:
A gas igniter comprises a casing detachably connected to a container which holds an inserted commercial available disposable gas lighter as fuel source, wherein. providing an easy and inexpensive means of gas refilling, whereby, a user can refill with a commercially available disposable lighter without discarding all the usable parts. 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 A p ay safety switch and a secondary safety switch of the igniter provide extra security to inhibit the children to master an ignition.

Description:
This is a Continuation-in-Part U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/728,915, now abandoned filed Nov. 30, 2000 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The gas igniter on the market today can be categorized into two different types. One is the disposable type which has the advantage of convenient to get and use but after the fuel source is finished, the whole unit has to be thrown away including all the working parts due to the discontinue fuel supply. In the economic view point, that is a disadvantage to the consumer who throw away all the usable parts which they already paid for, and it is less environmental friendly since most of the parts are still in working condition and can be reuse. This type of disposable gas igniter is well known to the consumer today and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,507. 
     Another one of the gas igniter is the reliable type that the fuel can be refilled from an outside source. This type of refillable gas igniter is mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,983 and U.S. Pat. 5,369,556 that a gas igniter constructed with an opening allow access to a container for fuel refilling. It has the advantage of reusing the working unit again when the fuel is finished, but for the consumer to get the fuel supply for refilling which commonly known as the bottle gas, the price is expensive when compare to a disposable lighter and not many stores carry the bottle gas. Thus it makes it harder to find the fuel source for refill and it became inconvenient to consumer, hence it is a disadvantage to the consumers. Moreover, the engineering construction of the housing in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,983 and U.S. Pat. 5,369,556 do not provide a means of easy access for alternative gas supply other than using bottle gas for refill. 
     It would be ideal to provide a gas igniter which is gas refillable and the gas refill source is easy to get and inexpensive in cost. Commercially available disposable lighter is carry by almost every convenient stores, gas stations, supermarkets as well is drug stores and it is very inexpensive. Therefore, by using a disposable lighter as the refill fuel source for the gas igniter, the objective mentioned above is accomplished. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,520, a Palm-top gas torch using a disposable gas lighter for refilling is disclosed. However, this particular type of Palm-top gas torch is not constructed for igniting purpose since the torch unit is design to fit into the user&#39;s hand wherein the hand will be too closed to the object in particular when it is used to light material that is highly combustible. Therefore, it is not favorable and not suitable from a safety viewpoint to use this particular type of gas torch for igniting purpose. 
     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a gas igniter for which the consumer do not throw the whole unit away including all the working parts as like the disposable gas igniter, and as well not like the conventional refillable type gas igniter using the bottle gas which is hard to find and expensive in cost; that can benefit with the convenience of easy to find and inexpensive in cost for the refill fuel supply by using a commercially available disposable gas lighter . With present invention, thus both the advantage of disposable inter and the conventional refillable igniter can be obtained. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished to provide an orthopedically engineered trigger-controlled igniter that is comfortable and convenient to use. And the present invention further provides an inexpensive as well as easy access of fuel supply for refill by using a commercially available disposable gas lighter The present invention is as well a favorable to the environment that the majority parts of the unit can be reuse again without throwing away all the usable parts, hence it can cut down the waste to the Dual when compared to the conventional disposable gas igniter. 
     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 primary safety switch which disposed within the sliding track with locking and unlocking position, a secondary safety switch formed by a push-button and rocking lever, and a trigger are disposed for controlling gas supply from the reservoir, a rubber gas flow connection 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, which mounted with flame nozzle that connected with gas pipe and ground electrode. 
     In order to actuate the igniter, first, slide the primary safety switch to unlock position, then push the push-button of the secondary safety switch 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 and the piezo electric unit simultaneously causing a flame produced at the flame nozzle that shoot out from the flame port of the front pipe, when the user released the trigger after each use. the trigger will recess back to locking position automatically by the piezo electric unit which construct with a build-in spring ,the gas supply is cut off when the gas lever of the disposable lighter is released from the trigger. 
     Another aspect of the present invention, three elastic members are disposed or the curved side of the igniter provided a comfortable soft grip for the user. 
     Still another aspect of the invention, the flexible member with a stud which construct on the front pipe can snap into the hole of the elastic member on the casing for easy storage. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a prospect view of the igniter with the flexible member snap on 
     FIG. 2 is a prospect view of the igniter with the flexible member expand 
     FIG. 3 is a part-sectioned view of the igniter in compact storage position 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectioned view of the igniter 
     FIG. 4a is an enlarged cross-sectioned view of flexible remember and a front pipe 
     FIG. 4b is an enlarge cross-sectioned view of casing and container 
     FIG. 5 is a prospect view of a second example of the flexible member 
     FIG. 6 is a part-sectioned view of the flexible member shown in FIG. 5 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     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 a front pipe  4 . 
     Referring to FIG.4, casing  1  which holds a piezo electric unit  11  that produces discharge for ignition, a primary safety switch  8  and a secondary safety switch which is formed by push-button  24  and rocking arm  22  that provide further security to inhibit the  10  operation thereof by children, an elastic gas flow connector  28  for connecting the fuel supply, a trigger  5  for pressing to carry out the ignition, the container  2  defines a suitable holding space and locating means for holding a disposable lighter  6  inside the holding space, the front pipe comprises a tubular member  13 , a cylindrical nozzle holder  12  a flame nozzle  14 .The front pipe defines a flame outlet for the ignited gas. Casing  1  and container  2  is connected by the upper part of container  2  inserted into the lower part of casing  1  and secured by a catch( not shown) that can be pulled apart easily for refill by replacing the disposable gas lighter  6  as a cartridge, partition walls  26  are made inside the casing  1  to hold the elastic gas flow connector  28  which one end connected to a fuel a nozzle  27  of the inserted disposable gas lighter  6  and the opposite end connected to the flame nozzle  14  mounted in the front pipe  4  by a flexible gas pipe  9 . The piezo electric unit  11  is mounted within a partition  37 , electrode  21  of the piezo electric tut  11  is connected with a spine  19  by a screw  20 . The spine  19  is formed by one or more strains of metal wire, which can be bent easily and remained 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  11  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  12  accommodated the flame nozzlel 4  with one end is inserted into the tubular metal member  13 , and the other end is inserted to the flexible member  3 .Thus the front pipe  4  is connected to casing  1  by the flexible member  3 . 
     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 is spark point  17 . 
     Thus, the piezo electric unit  11  is electrically connected form 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 . 
     A primary safety switch  8  is mounted within the sliding track with locking and unlocking positions, and part of the primary safety switch traverses the casing  1 . 
     secondary safety switch formed by the push button  24  and rocking lever  22 ,the push-button  24  is disposed in the sliding track (not shown) at the curved side of the casing  1  and connected to a tension spring  25 . The rocking lever  22  is supported to rotate about a pivot  29  and connected to a spring  23  which urged the rocket lever  22  states at locking position. 
     Trigger  5  is disposed inside at the upper portion of casing  1 , wherein part of trigger  5  is exposed to an opening  35  for the pressing of finger, the trigger  5  is constructed with three projections  5 A. 5 B and  5 C, projection  5 B extend to stop at the top of piezo electric unit  11  and the top of the rocking lever  22  at the locking position projection  5 A extend to stop above a gas lever  7  of the inserted disposable gas lighter cartridge  6 , projection SC extend to stop at the top of the traverse part of primary safety switch  8  inside the casing  1 . 
     In order to actuate the igniter, trigger S must press down to release the gas from the gas reservoir, jetted to the front pipe  4  and ignite by the electrode discharge of the piezo electric unit  11 , with the primary safety switch  8  and rocking lever  22  of secondary safety switch in the locking position, that the engagement of the traverse par of primary safety switch  8  with projection  5 C, the engagement of the top part of the rocking lever  22  with projection  5 B, trigger  5  is disable to operate, therefore primary safety switch  8  must slide to unlock position, push-button  24  being pushed up to rotate the rocking lever  22  move to unlock position ,then trigger  5  can be pressed down to carry out the ignition, with projection SA pressing the gas lever  7  of the disposable lighter cartridge  6  and projection  5 B pressing the piezo electric unit  11  simultaneously the fuel gas is release from the gas reservoir to flame nozzle  14  through the elastic gas flow connector  28 , the flexible gas pipe line  9 , and the piezo electric unit  11  produces an alternating discharge voltage which is applied between the spark point  17  and tile flame nozzle  14 , whereby the fuel gas injected form the flame nozzle  14  is ignited when the trigger  5  and push-button are released, retraction of the piezo electric unit push the trigger  5  back to original position, the rocking lever  22  retreat back automatically to the locking position by the force of spring  23 , the push-button retreat back by spring  25 , and the fuel supply is cut off when the gas lever  7  is released from the project  5 A. From the view point of safety, with the primary and secondary safety switch together, an additional operating procedure is required because when either one of the safety switch is in unlock position, trigger  5  is still disable unless both the primary safety switch and the secondary safety switch are in unlock position at the same time. In addition, the required coordination of the thumb and finger to push the push-button  24  of secondary safety switch and pull the trigger  5  is difficult for children to master thereof inhibit operation by children. Hence, with dual safety switches enable further inhibit operation of the igniter by children. 
     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 the 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 cushion for the comfort of the user. 
     Referring to FIG. 3., the flexible member  3  whit 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 . 
     A first example of the flexible member  3  is shown in FIG.  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. 
     A second example of the flexible member  3  is shown in FIG.5 the flexible member  3  found with a plurality of projections in the form of spiral. This flexible member  3  is formed by spirally winding molded molded plate member  36 ,which consists of long strips of steel molded to a wave shape, so that they closed overlap one another. 
     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 . 
     The operation of the gas ignition of this embodiment will be described herein below, this orthopedically engineered ignition 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 primary safety switch  8  to unlock i position, then push the push-button  24  of secondary safety switch with thumb 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 primary safety switch  8  and rocking lever  22  of  18  secondary safety switch ,when the trigger  5  is depressed, the gas lever  7  of the inserted disposable gas lighter  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  by 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. When the fuel supply therein is low, the user can easily pull the container  2  apart from casing  1  for refilling with a disposable lighter and simply connect the container  2  back to casing  1  The igniter is then ready for normal use without throw away all the useful parts.