Patent ID: 7625202

Claim:
A lighter comprising: a housing having a fuel supply; an ignition mechanism for igniting the fuel; an actuator for releasing fuel from the fuel supply and operating the ignition mechanism; a latch member having an upper end, a lower end, and a blocking portion, the latch member being integrally coupled at the upper end to the actuator, the latch member being movable between a blocked position where in an interfering position the blocking portion abuts a portion of the housing blocking downward movement of the actuator and a ready position where the blocking portion does not block movement of the actuator, the latch member being elastic so that the latch member is biased with a first biasing force to return to the blocked position, wherein the lower end has a latch lower surface that is angled; a biasing component configured and adapted to impart a second biasing force to at least a portion of the latch member so that the latch member is further biased toward the blocked position by the biasing component; a catch mechanism, comprising one or more side skirts, sized and configured to receive and maintain the latch member when the latch member is moved from the blocked position to the ready position; and a cam attached to the ignition mechanism to release the latch member from the catch mechanism, wherein the cam comprises one or more angled side surfaces configured to engage the one or more side skirts causing the one or more side skirts to flex away from the lower end of the latch member when a user presses the actuator to operate the lighter.