Back to results
US 5,927,272 AGranted
Combination solar powered cigarette lighter and telescope
OwnerDana R. Robertsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar powered cigarette lighter comprising a hollow tube fitted at one end with a light gathering lens and near the other end of the tube with a rod, the tip of which rod holds a light reflective substance positioned at the focal point of the lens to indicate where the end of a cigarette inserted transversely through a port the side of the tube should be positioned so as to ignite the cigarette.
Claims21
A solar powered ignition device, comprising:
- (a) a main housing with a first end, a second end, and a side wall, the main housing defining a bore internal to the main housing;
- (b) a lens adapted to focus the rays of the sun, the lens being positioned near the first end of the main housing, a focal point of the lens being within the bore of the main housing;
- (c) a positioning means located within the bore of the main housing for assisting positioning of an item to be ignited, the positioning means having a first end and a second end, the first end of the positioning means being located near the focal point of the lens;
- (d) a reflector means on the first end of the positioning means for reflecting sunlight towards an eye of a user of the solar powered ignition device, and;
- (e) a port in the side wall of the main housing adjacent to the first end of the positioning means through which an item to be ignited can be inserted,
- whereby the passage of sunlight through and focusing by the lens causes sunlight to be reflected towards the eye of a user of the solar powered ignition device so that insertion of an item to be ignited transversely through the port in the side of the main housing to the position of the reflector means results in ignition of the item.
3 more elements
A solar powered cigarette lighter assembly, comprising:
- (a) a main housing with a first end, a second end, and a side wall, the main housing defining a bore internal to the main housing;
- (b) a lens adapted to focus the rays of the sun, the lens being positioned near the first end of the main housing, a focal point of the lens being within the bore of the main housing;
- (c) a positioning means located within the bore of the main housing for assisting positioning of an item to be ignited, the positioning means being a rod having a first end and a second end, the first end of the rod located near the focal point of the lens, the rod being inserted through the center of a support means thereby aligning the rod along the longitudinal axis of the housing;
- (d) a reflector means on the first end of the positioning means for reflecting sunlight towards an eye of a user of the solar powered ignition device;
- (e) a port in the side wall of the main housing adjacent to the first end of the positioning means through which an item to be ignited can be inserted;
- (f) a first closure means for closing the port thereby rendering the device buoyant in water;
- (g) a hollow second housing with a first end and a second end, the lens being fixed in position within the hollow of the second housing in a position near the first end of the second housing, the second housing having a diameter less than the diameter of the short axis of the main housing in the vicinity of the first end of the main housing so that the second end of the second housing can be reversibly inserted into the first end of the main housing;
- (h) a support means for supporting the positioning means, the support means being located in the bore of the main housing near the second end of the main housing the support means having a cross sectional shape and diameter approximately equal to the cross sectional shape and diameter of the bore of the main housing as measured along a short axis of the main housing, the support means extending transversely across the bore of the main housing so that a circumference of the support means contacts an inner wall of the main housing in a position between the port and the second end of the main housing, and;
- (i) a third hollow housing with a first end and a second end, the third housing having a diameter less than the diameter of the short axis of the main housing in the vicinity of the second end of the main housing so that the first end of the third housing can be reversibly inserted into the second end of the main housing, the support means covering is the first end of the third hollow housing,
- whereby the passage of sunlight through and focusing by the lens causes sunlight to be reflected towards the eye of a user of the solar powered ignition device so that insertion of an item to be ignited transversely through the port in the side of the main housing to the position of the reflector means results in ignition of the item.
7 more elements
A method for using a solar powered cigarette lighter, the lighter comprising:
- (a) a housing with a first end, a second end and a side wall, the housing defining a bore internal to the housing;
- (b) a lens near the first end of the housing, a focal point of the lens being in the bore within the housing;
- (c) a positioning means for assisting the positioning of an item to be ignited, the positioning means having a first end and a second end, the first end of the positioning means being located near the focal point of the lens, the positioning means being attached to the housing;
- (d) a light reflecting means on the first end of the positioning means for reflecting sunlight, and;
- (e) a port in the side wall of the housing adjacent to the first end of the positioning means,
- the method comprising the steps of:
- (1) pointing the first end of the first housing towards the sun,
- (2) inserting a cigarette through the port up to the positioning means,
- (3) resting the cigarette against the positioning means until the inserted end of the cigarette ignites, and
- (4) removing the cigarette from the port.
7 more elements
A method for making a telescope, comprising the steps of:
- (a) removing a third housing from a solar powered cigarette lighter comprising
- (i) a main housing with a first end, a second end, and a side wall, the main housing defining a bore internal to the main housing;
- (ii) a lens adapted to focus the rays of the sun, the lens being positioned near the first end of the main housing, a focal point of the lens being within the bore of the main housing;
- (iii) a positioning means located within the bore of the main housing for assisting positioning of an item to be ignited, the positioning means having a first end and a second end, the first end of the positioning means being located near the focal point of the lens;
- (iv) a reflector means on the first end of the positioning means for reflecting sunlight towards an eye of a user of the solar powered ignition device;
- (v) a port in the side wall of the main housing adjacent to the first end of the positioning means through which an item to be ignited can be inserted;
- (vi) a first closure means for closing the port thereby rendering the device buoyant in water;
- (vii) a hollow second housing with a first end and a second end, the lens being fixed in position within the hollow of the second housing in a position near the first end of the second housing, the second housing having a diameter less than the diameter of the short axis of the main housing in the vicinity of the first end of the main housing so that the second end of the second housing can be reversibly inserted into the first end of the main housing;
- (viii) a support means for supporting the positioning means, the support means being located in the bore of the main housing near the second end of the main housing, the support means having a cross sectional shape and diameter approximately equal to the cross sectional shape and diameter of the bore of the main housing as measured along a short axis of the main housing, the support means extending transversely across the bore of the main housing so that a circumference of the support means contacts an inner wall of the main housing in a position between the port and the second end of the main housing, and;
- (ix) a third hollow housing with a first end and a second end, the third housing having a diameter less than the diameter of the short axis of the main housing in the vicinity of the second end of the main housing so that the first end of the third housing can be reversibly inserted into the second end of the main housing, the support means covering is the first end of the third hollow housing,
- (b) replacing the third housing with an objective lens inserted into the second end of the main housing.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.