Modular pyrophoric lighter
AssigneeZippo Manufacturing Company
InventorBrian J. Barber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular pyrophoric lighter includes an outer case, an insert removably received by the outer case, and a renewal module removably received by the insert. The renewal module quickly slides into the insert to provide a new fuel supply, wick, and flint. The renewal module quickly slides out of the insert when the fuel, wick, and/or flint is spent so that a new renewal module may be installed. In an alternative embodiment, a modular lighter includes an outer case, an insert removably received by the outer case, and a fuel module removably received by the insert. The fuel module quickly slides into the insert to provide a new fuel supply. The fuel module quickly slides out of the insert when the fuel is spent so that a new fuel module may be installed.
Claims6
A renewal module (16) for a modular lighter (10), the renewal module (16) comprising:
- an enclosure (50) defining an external recess (54) and an internal hollow tube (56), the internal hollow tube (56) communicating with a flint opening (58) in the enclosure (50);
- a porous body (64) received by the enclosure (50) for holding lighter fuel;
- a wick (66) having a bottom portion in contact with the porous body (64) and a top portion extending through a hole in the enclosure (50) and into the external recess (54) of the enclosure (50);
- a flint pusher (72) slidable within the internal hollow tube (56);
- a spring (74) arranged within the internal hollow tube (56) for biasing the flint pusher (72) to slide in an upward direction;
- and
- a flint (70) supported by the flint pusher (72) and arranged to extend through the flint opening (58).
A pyrophoric lighter comprising:
- an outer case (12);
- an insert (14, 114) removably received by the outer case, the insert (14, 114) including a chimney (30) and a friction wheel (40);
- a module (16, 116) removably received by the insert (14), the module (16, 116) including an enclosure (50, 150) and a porous body (64, 164) received by the enclosure (50, 150) for holding lighter fuel;
- a wick (66) having a bottom portion in contact with the porous body (64, 164) and a top portion extending into the chimney (30);
- and
- a flint (70) spring-biased toward engagement with the friction wheel (40);
- wherein the wick (66) is part of the module (16), the insert (14) includes a housing (26) having a wick aperture (37), and the wick (66) extends through the wick aperture (37) into the chimney (30) when the module (16) is received by the insert (14).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.