Cigarette Lighter with Replaceable Cartridge
A cigarette lighter has a fuel cartridge for use therewith that may be removable there-from. In the exemplary embodiment, the fuel cartridge has a reservoir for holding a flammable liquid fuel, and includes a valve having a closed state for denying escape of the fuel from the reservoir and an open state for allowing such escape. The lighter has an ignition actuator for causing ignition of the escaped fuel when the ignition actuator is actuated, a nozzle for causing the ignited fuel to form a lighting flame, and a valve actuator cooperating with the ignition actuator to open the valve as the ignition actuator is actuated. In the exemplary embodiment, the reservoir has a transparent portion and the lighter housing is an opaque shell surrounding the reservoir with a viewing window there-through. The viewing window is aligned with the transparent portion of the reservoir to allow external observation of the amount of fuel within said chamber. The transparent portion includes indicia for gauging the amount of fuel in the reservoir during the external observation.
1 . In combination, a cigarette lighter and a fuel cartridge for use therewith and removable there-from, said fuel cartridge comprising:
a reservoir for containing a flammable liquid fuel comprising:
a chamber for holding the flammable liquid fuel therein and
a transparent portion adjacent said chamber; and
a valve having a closed state for denying escape of said fuel from said reservoir and an open state for allowing said escape; and
said lighter comprising:
an ignition actuator for causing ignition of said escaped fuel when said ignition actuator is actuated;
a nozzle engaging said valve for receiving said escaped fuel directly there-from and for causing said ignited fuel to form a lighting flame;
a valve actuator cooperating with said ignition actuator to open said valve as said ignition actuator is actuated; and
a housing comprising an opaque shell surrounding said reservoir with a viewing window there-through, said viewing window aligned with said transparent portion to allow external observation of the fuel within said chamber
2 . (canceled)
3 . The combination of claim 1 wherein said transparent portion comprises indicia for gauging the amount of fuel in said reservoir during said external observation.
4 . A cigarette lighter comprising:
a chamber for receiving a removable fuel cartridge;
an ignition actuator for causing, when said ignition actuator is actuated, ignition of fuel escaping from the cartridge;
a nozzle engaging said valve for receiving said escaped fuel directly there-from and for causing said ignited fuel to form a lighting flame;
a valve actuator cooperating with said ignition actuator to cause said escaping of fuel from the cartridge as said ignition actuator is actuated; and
a housing comprising an opaque shell adapted to surround the removable fuel cartridge and having a viewing window there-through, said viewing window adapted for alignment with a transparent portion of the reservoir to allow external observation of said fuel within the reservoir.
5 . (canceled)
6 . The cigarette lighter of claim 4 further comprising indicia adjacent said viewing window for gauging the amount of fuel in the removable fuel cartridge during said external observation.
7 . A fuel cartridge for use with and removal from a cigarette lighter and comprising:
a reservoir for containing a flammable liquid fuel;
a valve having a closed state for denying escape of said fuel from said reservoir and an open state for allowing said escape;
a nozzle engaging said valve for receiving said escaped fuel directly there-from and for causing said ignited fuel to form a lighting flame;
wherein
the cartridge is adapted to cooperate with the cigarette lighter to selectively cause said open and closed states; and wherein said reservoir comprises:
a chamber for holding the flammable liquid fuel therein; and
a transparent portion adjacent said chamber and adapted to be disposed adjacent a window in the cigarette to allow external observation of the fuel within said chamber.
8 . (canceled)
9 . The fuel cartridge of claim 7 wherein said transparent portion comprises indicia for gauging the amount of fuel in said reservoir during said external observation.
10 . A cigarette lighter comprising:
a reservoir comprising:
a chamber for holding flammable liquid fuel therein; and
a transparent portion adjacent said chamber; and
a housing comprising an opaque shell surrounding said reservoir with a viewing window there-through, said viewing window aligned with said transparent portion to allow external observation of said fuel within said chamber;
wherein said reservoir comprises a container removable from said housing with the fuel sealed therein;
said container comprises a valve having a closed state for denying escape of the fuel therein and an open state for allowing said escape; and
wherein the lighter further comprises:
an ignition actuator for causing ignition of said escaped fuel when said ignition actuator is actuated;
a nozzle engaging said valve for receiving said escaped fuel directly there-from and for causing said ignited fuel to form a lighting flame; and
a valve actuator cooperating with said ignition actuator to open said valve as said ignition actuator is actuated.
11 . (canceled)
12 . (canceled)
13 . The lighter of claim 10 wherein said transparent portion comprises indicia for gauging the amount of fuel in said reservoir during said external observation.