Lighter with replaceable fuel cartridge

Abstract

A lighter incorporates with a fuel supply arrangement which includes a replaceable fuel cartridge detachably received in a receiving cavity of a casing for storing a liquefied fuel, and a gas releasable valve extended from the replaceable fuel cartridge for controlling a flow of gas from the replaceable fuel cartridge. Therefore, a user is able to refill the fuel by simply replacing a used replaceable fuel cartridge with a new replaceable fuel cartridge which is pre-filled with fuel.

1 . A lighter, comprising:
 a casing having a receiving cavity and an opening communicating with said receiving cavity;   a gas emitting nozzle extending to a ceiling of said casing;   an ignition system supported by said casing for producing a spark towards said gas emitting nozzle; and   a fuel supply arrangement, which comprises:   a replaceable fuel cartridge for storing a liquefied fuel therein, wherein said replaceable fuel, which is detachably received in said receiving cavity through said opening, comprises a gas releasable valve communicating with said replaceable fuel cartridge and detachably coupling with said gas emitting nozzle for controlling a gas flow from said replaceable fuel cartridge to said gas emitting nozzle;   a gas releasing lever, which is pivotally mounted at said replaceable fuel cartridge, having an actuating end coupling with said gas releasable valve and a driving end arranged in such a manner that when said driving end is depressed, said actuating end is pivotally lifted up for releasing said liquefied fuel from said replaceable fuel cartridge; and   a gas releasing arrangement coupling with said casing to depress said driving end for releasing said liquefied fuel from said replaceable fuel cartridge.   
   
   
       2 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said replaceable fuel cartridge has a lever cavity indently formed on a top side thereof to receive said gas releasing lever in said lever cavity. 
   
   
       3 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said fuel supply arrangement further comprises a sheltering cap affixedly supported within said casing to detachably couple with said gas releasable valve when said replaceable fuel cartridge received in said receiving cavity, and a gas transferring conduit extended from said sheltering cap to said gas emitting nozzle for guiding said gas released from said replaceable fuel cartridge to said gas emitting nozzle. 
   
   
       4 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said fuel supply arrangement further comprises a sheltering cap affixedly supported within said casing to detachably couple with said gas releasable valve when said replaceable fuel cartridge received in said receiving cavity, and a gas transferring conduit extended from said sheltering cap to said gas emitting nozzle for guiding said gas released from said replaceable fuel cartridge to said gas emitting nozzle. 
   
   
       5 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said gas releasable valve further comprises a sealing member coaxially mounted at said movable operating tip of said gas releasable valve to seal at an interior chamber of said sheltering cap when said movable operating tip is fitted into said sheltering cap for preventing said gas leakage from said sheltering cap. 
   
   
       6 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said gas releasable valve further comprises a sealing member coaxially mounted at said movable operating tip of said gas releasable valve to seal at an interior chamber of said sheltering cap when said movable operating tip is fitted into said sheltering cap for preventing said gas leakage from said sheltering cap. 
   
   
       7 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said actuating end of the gas releasing lever is coupled at said moveable operating tip of said gas releasable valve at a position below said sealing member so that when said driving end of said gas releasing lever is downwardly depressed, said actuating end thereof is pivotally and upwardly moved to lift up said moveable operating tip of said gas releasable valve via said sealing member. 
   
   
       8 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said actuating end of the gas releasing lever is coupled at said moveable operating tip of said gas releasable valve at a position below said sealing member so that when said driving end of said gas releasing lever is downwardly depressed, said actuating end thereof is pivotally and upwardly moved to lift up said moveable operating tip of said gas releasable valve via said sealing member. 
   
   
       9 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a gas releasing arrangement to depress said driving end of said gas releasable valve, wherein said gas releasing arrangement comprises a lighter cap pivotally mounted to said casing for enclosing said ceiling of said casing, and a driving lever pivotally supported within said casing, such that when said lighter cap is pivotally and upwardly folded to expose said ceiling of said casing, said driving lever is driven to depress said driving end of said gas releasing lever for releasing said gas from said replaceable fuel cartridge. 
   
   
       10 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a gas releasing arrangement to depress said driving end of said gas releasable valve, wherein said gas releasing arrangement comprises a lighter cap pivotally mounted to said casing for enclosing said ceiling of said casing, and a driving lever pivotally supported within said casing, such that when said lighter cap is pivotally and upwardly folded to expose said ceiling of said casing, said driving lever is driven to depress said driving end of said gas releasing lever for releasing said gas from said replaceable fuel cartridge. 
   
   
       11 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said driving lever has a bottom pushing surface contacting with a top surface of said gas releasing lever at said driving end thereof such that when said lighter cap is pivotally opened, said bottom pushing surface of said driving lever substantially presses on said gas releasing lever. 
   
   
       12 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said driving lever has a bottom pushing surface contacting with a top surface of said gas releasing lever at said driving end thereof such that when said lighter cap is pivotally opened, said bottom pushing surface of said driving lever substantially presses on said gas releasing lever. 
   
   
       13 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said ignition system comprises a flint supported by said casing and a striker wheel having a circumferential coarse striking surface positioned in contact with said flint for producing said sparks directed towards said gas emitting nozzle when said striker wheel is rotatably driven to strike against said flint. 
   
   
       14 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said ignition system comprises a flint supported by said casing and a striker wheel having a circumferential coarse striking surface positioned in contact with said flint for producing said sparks directed toward said gas emitting nozzle when said striker wheel is rotatably driven to strike against said flint. 
   
   
       15 . A method of igniting a lighter, comprising the steps of:
 (a) detachably attaching a replaceable fuel cartridge in a casing, wherein a gas releasable valve is communicating with said replaceable fuel cartridge and is detachably coupling with a gas emitting nozzle at said casing for controlling a gas flow from said replaceable fuel cartridge to said gas emitting nozzle;   (b) releasing said gas from said replaceable fuel cartridge to said gas emitting nozzle; and   (c) producing a spark via an ignition system at said casing towards said gas emitting nozzle to ignite said gas emitted from said gas emitting nozzle.   
   
   
       16 . The method, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein in the step (b) further comprises the steps of:
 (b.1) pivotally opening a lighter cap to expose said ignition system at a ceiling of said casing; and   (b.2) pivotally moving a gas releasing lever via said lighter cap to lift up said gas releasable valve for releasing said gas from said replaceable fuel cartridge, wherein said gas releasing lever, which is pivotally mounted at said replaceable fuel cartridge, having an actuating end coupling with said gas releasable valve and a driving end arranged in such a manner that when said driving end is depressed, said actuating end is pivotally lifted up for releasing said liquefied fuel from said replaceable fuel cartridge.   
   
   
       17 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a step of closing said lighter cap to enclose said ignition system to shut off said gas releasable valve for extinguishment. 
   
   
       18 . The lighter, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein in the step (a) further comprises the steps of:
 (a.1) aligning said gas releasable valve with a sheltering cap which is affixedly supported within said casing; and   (a.2) detachably coupling said gas releasable valve with said sheltering cap in a sealed manner via a sealing member, wherein said sealing member is coaxially mounted at a movable operating tip of said gas releasable valve to seal at an interior chamber of said sheltering cap when said movable operating tip is fitted into said sheltering cap, wherein said actuating end of the gas releasing lever is coupled at said moveable operating tip of said gas releasable valve at a position below said sealing member   
   
   
       19 . The method, as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the step (c) further comprises the steps of driving a striker wheel to rotate at said casing to strike against a flint to produce said spark towards said gas emitting nozzle. 
   
   
       20 . The method, as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:
 (d) detaching said replaceable fuel cartridge from said casing when said gas in said replaceable fuel cartridge is used up; and   (e) replacing a new replaceable fuel cartridge with pre-filled gas in said casing.