Cigarette lighter with limited flint wheel turning radius

Abstract

A cigarette lighter has a housing, a fluid reservoir, an outlet valve, a flint, at least one flint wheel, a valve actuator and a flint wheel turning radius limiting element. The flint wheel turning radius limiting element is adapted to limit the exposed turning radius of the flint wheel to between about 70° and about 98°.

1 . A cigarette lighter comprising: 
 (a) a housing having an upper end, a lower end, a forward side and a rearward side, the upper end having a flame nozzle;    (b) a reservoir disposed within the housing for retaining an inflammable fluid, the reservoir defining an outlet opening which is in communication with the flame nozzle;    (c) an outlet valve disposed across the outlet opening, the outlet valve being capable of alternatively moving between (i) an open position wherein the outlet valve does not impede the flow of fluids from the reservoir through the outlet valve, and (ii) a closed position wherein the outlet valve prevents the flow of fluids from the reservoir through the outlet opening;    (d) a flint disposed within the housing;    (e) at least one flint wheel disposed within the housing such that it defines an exposed turning radius, the flint wheel being disposed in close proximity to the flint and being adapted to cooperate with the flint to create a spark proximate to the flame nozzle when the flint wheel is rotated;    (f) an outlet valve actuator for causing the outlet valve to move from the closed position to the open position, the outlet valve being disposed rearwardly of the flint wheel and at a lesser elevation than the flint wheel such that the thumb of a user can rotate the flint wheel to create a spark and, in the same downward and rearward motion, open the outlet valve with the outlet valve actuator; and    (g) a flint wheel turning radius limiting element which limits the exposed turning radius of the flint wheel to between about 70° and about 98°.    
   
   
       2 . The cigarette lighter of  claim 1  wherein the flint wheel turning radius limiting element is attached to the outlet valve actuator.  
   
   
       3 . The cigarette lighter of  claim 1  wherein the flint wheel turning radius limiting element is attached to the housing.  
   
   
       4 . The cigarette lighter of  claim 1  wherein the flint wheel turning radius limiting element comprises a vertical portion disposed proximate to the flint wheel.  
   
   
       5 . The cigarette lighter of  claim 1  wherein the flint wheel is disposed between opposed side wall portions of the housing and wherein the flint wheel turning radius limiting element comprises rearward portions of those opposed side wall portions.  
   
   
       6 . A cigarette lighter comprising: 
 (a) a housing having an upper end, a lower end, a forward side and a rearward side, the upper end having a flame nozzle;    (b) a reservoir disposed within the housing for retaining an inflammable fluid, the reservoir defining an outlet opening which is in communication with the flame nozzle;    (c) an outlet valve disposed across the outlet opening, the outlet valve being capable of alternatively moving between (i) an open position wherein the outlet valve does not impede the flow of fluids from the reservoir through the outlet valve, and (ii) a closed position wherein the outlet valve prevents the flow of fluids from the reservoir through the outlet opening;    (d) a flint disposed within the housing;    (e) at least one flint wheel disposed within the housing such that it defines an exposed turning radius, the flint wheel being disposed in close proximity to the flint and being adapted to cooperate with the flint to create a spark proximate to the flame nozzle when the flint wheel is rotated;    (f) an outlet valve actuator for causing the outlet valve to move from the closed position to the open position, the outlet valve being disposed rearwardly of the flint wheel and at a lesser elevation than the flint wheel such that the thumb of a user can rotate the flint wheel to create a spark and, in the same downward and rearward motion, open the outlet valve with the outlet valve actuator; and    (g) a flint wheel turning radius limiting element which limits the exposed turning radius of the flint wheel to between about 88° and about 98°.    
   
   
       7 . The cigarette lighter of  claim 6  wherein the flint wheel turning radius limiting element is attached to the outlet valve actuator.  
   
   
       8 . The cigarette lighter of  claim 6  wherein the flint wheel turning radius limiting element is attached to the housing.  
   
   
       9 . The cigarette lighter of  claim 6  wherein the flint wheel turning radius limiting element comprises a vertical portion disposed proximate to the flint wheel.  
   
   
       10 . The cigarette lighter of  claim 6  wherein the flint wheel is disposed between opposed side wall portions of the housing and wherein the flint wheel turning radius limiting element comprises rearward portions of those opposed side wall portions.