Lighter with child resistant actuating lever

Abstract

A lighter. The lighter includes a container for storing a combustible fuel and a source of ignition. The source of ignition is responsive to the manual manipulation of an actuating member and a member resisting the operation of the actuation member so that the source of ignition is not activated in response to forces less than approximately 3.5 kgf.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A lighter comprising a container for storing a combustible fuel; 
 a source of ignition, the source of ignition being responsive to the manual manipulation of an actuating member and a member resisting the operation of the actuating member so that the source of ignition is not activated in response to forces less than approximately 3.5 kgf.    
     
     
         2 . The lighter of  claim 1 , wherein the resisting member is a spring.  
     
     
         3 . The lighter of  claim 2 , wherein the actuating member is a manually-operated push button engaging said spring.  
     
     
         4 . The lighter of  claim 3 , wherein the ignition unit is a piezoelectric device having first and second members, the piezoelectric device generating electricity in response to movement of the first and second members relative to each other, the spring engaging the piezoelectric device.  
     
     
         5 . The lighter of  claim 4 , wherein the push button includes a channel for receiving at least a portion of said spring and includes a projection engaging the first member of said piezoelectric device.  
     
     
         6 . The lighter of  claim 4 , wherein said first element of said piezoelectric device extends from the second element of the piezoelectric device in a columnar fashion and extends a length from the second device approximately equal to a length of said spring in its at-rest position.  
     
     
         7 . The lighter of  claim 6  wherein said first member of said piezoelectric device is moveable relative to said second member in response to manual manipulation of said push button, said piezoelectric device including an internal spring which cooperates with the resisting member to resist operation of the actuating member.  
     
     
         8 . An igniter for a lighter, the igniter comprising first and second elements moveable relative to each other for generating a spark in response to movement of the first element relative to the second element; 
 a manually actuated member engaging the first member; and    a compression member resisting the movement of the first member relative to the second member for the purpose of generating a spark to forces imposed between the manually operated member and the second member less than approximately 3.5 kgf.    
     
     
         9 . A lighter comprising a container for storing a combustible fuel; 
 a source of ignition, the source of ignition comprising at least 2 members which are moveable with respect to each other, the source of ignition including an internal spring for urging the two members away from each other, the source of ignition causing a spark to occur when the two member are urged together;    a push button engaging one of the members of the source of ignition and causing the source of ignition to draw a spark in response to manual depression of the push button; and    a member disposed externally of said source of ignition, said resisting member cooperating with the internal spring inside the source of ignition to resist depression of the push button.