Patent ID: 7138605

Claim:
An electric cigarette lighter comprising: (a) a hollow housing unit which includes (1) a first end that is a bottom end when said housing unit is in use, (2) a second end that is a top end when said housing unit is in use, (3) a longitudinal axis that extends between the first end and the second end, (4) a first side, (5) a second side, (6) a first face that is a rear face when said housing unit is in use, (7) a second face that is a front face when said housing unit is in use, (8) first and second indentations defined in the first side, the second indentation being spaced apart from the first indentation in the direction of the longitudinal axis, (9) a battery storage compartment defined through the second face, (10) a battery storage compartment cover releasably mounted on the second face and covering the battery storage compartment when in use, and (11) an on/off switch movably mounted on the second side and located near the second end of said housing; (b) a heating element support unit mounted on the second end of said housing and including (1) a base fixed to the second end of said housing, (2) a neck which extends from the base in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said housing, and (3) a hollow head on the neck, the head including (A) a first face that is located near the second face of said housing unit, (B) a tubular element having a proximal end on the first face of the head of said heating element support unit and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end, and (C) a flap movably mounted on the head adjacent to the proximal end of the tubular element, the flap moving between a proximal end covering position and a proximal end uncovering position and being biased into the proximal end covering position and being moved into the proximal end uncovering position when an object is forced through the tubular element into the hollow head; (c) a resistive heating element mounted on the second end of said housing and located inside the hollow head of said heating element support unit; (d) a power source located inside said housing unit; (e) a reserve power source located inside the battery storage compartment of said housing unit; and (f) an electric circuit electrically connecting said power source to said resistive heating element via the on/off switch when the on/off switch is in an “on” condition, said power source being electrically separated from said resistive heating element when the on/off switch is in an “off” condition.