Pocket lighter with child resistance mechanism

Abstract

Pocket lighter with a child resistance mechanism, of the type comprising a liquated gas reservoir, a combustion chamber, a valve connecting liquated gas reservoir to combustion chamber, a lever that activates valve, a flint, a toothed wheel mounted in rotation around an axis and which rubs against said flint and at least one thumb wheel coaxial with axis and integral with toothed wheel. Thumb wheel has on its periphery a plurality of radial projections alternated with seating areas with respect to which said radial projections project. There are between three and ten radial projections, and they are free from any contact with any other element of the lighter.

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . A pocket lighter with a child resistance mechanism, said lighter comprising a liquated gas reservoir, a combustion chamber, a valve connecting said liquated gas reservoir to said combustion chamber, a lever that activates said valve, a flint, a toothed wheel mounted in rotation around an axis and which rubs against said flint creating sparks in the direction of said combustion chamber, and at least one thumb wheel, coaxial with said axis and integral with said toothed wheel, suitable for being drawn in rotation by a user's finger; wherein said thumb wheel has on its periphery a plurality of radial projections, there being defined between each pair of said consecutive radial projections a seating area with respect to which said radial projections project in the radial direction, said radial projections being free from contact with any other element of the lighter, and the total number of said radial projections being less than or equal to ten and greater than or equal to three, said periphery of the thumb wheel being directly accessible to a user's finger. 
   
   
       13 . The pocket lighter according to  claim 12 , wherein there are two of said thumb wheels, arranged on both sides of said toothed wheel. 
   
   
       14 . The pocket lighter according to  claim 13 , wherein said two thumb wheels are arranged with their radial projections in phase. 
   
   
       15 . The pocket lighter according to  claim 12 , wherein there are six of said radial projections in total and they are distributed at regular intervals around a circumference centred in said axis. 
   
   
       16 . The pocket lighter according to  claim 12 , wherein there are five of said radial projections in total and they are distributed at regular intervals around a circumference centred in said axis. 
   
   
       17 . The pocket lighter according to  claim 12 , wherein there are four of said radial projections in total and they are distributed at regular intervals around a circumference centred in said axis. 
   
   
       18 . The pocket lighter according to  claim 12 , wherein said radial projections form, at the end thereof furthest away from said axis, a surface which is convex in a plane that is orthogonal to said axis, with a radius of curvature that is less than the radius from said axis to said end of radial projection. 
   
   
       19 . The pocket lighter according to  claim 12 , wherein said seating areas form a surface which is concave in a plane that is orthogonal to said axis. 
   
   
       20 . The pocket lighter according to  claim 12 , wherein the radial distance between the point of one seating area nearest said axis and the point of one radial projection furthest away from said axis is greater than or equal to four tenths of a millimetre. 
   
   
       21 . The pocket lighter according to  claim 12 , wherein the radial distance between the point of one seating area nearest said axis and the point of one radial projection furthest away from said axis is greater than or equal to seven tenths of a millimetre. 
   
   
       22 . A thumb wheel for supplying a child resistance effect to a lighter, said lighter comprising a liquated gas reservoir, a combustion chamber, a valve connecting said liquated gas reservoir to said combustion chamber, a lever that activates said valve, a flint and, a toothed wheel mounted in rotation around an axis and which rubs against said flint creating sparks in the direction of said combustion chamber;
 said thumb wheel being provided on its periphery with a plurality of radial projections, there being defined between each pair of said consecutive radial projections a seating area with respect to which said radial projections project in the radial direction; the total number of said radial projections being less than or equal to ten and greater than or equal to three;   said thumb wheel being mounted on said lighter coaxially with said axis and integrally with said toothed wheel, so that:   said thumb wheel is suitable for being drawn in rotation by a user's finger;   said radial projections are free from contact with any other element of the lighter, and the periphery of said thumb wheel is directly accessible to a user's finger.