Cigarette lighter for domestic appliances

Claim 2

A cigarette lighter comprising: a holding device; current inlet means carried at one end of said holding device and adapted to be connected to a source of electrical current; thermostat means responsive to radiant energy and operative to interrupt the flow of electrical current in the lighter under predetermined operating conditions; an igniting unit including an electrical heating element slidably received in the other end of said holding device and movable therewithin between an idle and an energizing position; contact means connected to the heating element and engageable with the inlet means in said energizing position for completing an igniting circuit between the source of current and the heating element whereupon the latter rises in temperature and increasingly emits radiant energy; a shielding member disposed within said holding device between the ends thereof which physically isolates said inlet means from said other end; aperture means in said shielding member for exposing the thermostat means to the heating element such that the former can directly sense the radiant energy of the latter and thereby open said igniting circuit under said predetermined operating conditions.

Claim 3

A cigarette lighter comprising: a holding device; current inlet members carried at one end of said holding device and electrically insulated therefrom, said inlet members including connector ends projecting outwardly of said holding device adapted to be electrically connected to a source of electrical current and contact ends located within said holding device; a thermostat in one of said inlet members which is responsive to radiant energy and operative to interrupt the flow of electrical current in the lighter under predetermined operating conditions; an igniting unit slidably received in the other end of said holding device and movable therewithin between a normal idle and an energizing position; spring means biasing the heating element to the idle position; an electrical heating element carried by the igniting unit and insulated from said holding device; contacts connected to the heating element and engageable with said contact ends in said energizing position for completing an igniting circuit to the heating element whereupon the latter rises in temperature and increasingly emits radiant energy; a nonconductive shielding member disposed within said holding device between the ends thereof which physically isolates said inlet members and said thermostat from said other end; apertures in said shielding member through which said contacts extend in said energizing position and which expose the thermostat to the heating element such that the former can directly sense the radiant energy of the latter and therebY open said igniting circuit under said predetermined operating conditions.

Claim 4

A cigarette lighter comprising: a holding device; current inlet members carried at one end of said holding device and electrically insulated therefrom, said inlet members including connector ends projecting outwardly of said holding device adapted to be electrically connected to a source of electrical current and contact ends located within said holding device; a thermostat in one of said inlet members which is responsive to radiant energy and operative to interrupt the flow of electrical current in the lighter under predetermined operating conditions; an igniting unit slidably received in the other end of said holding device and movable therewithin between a normal idle and an energizing position; spring means biasing the heating element to the idle position; an electrical heating element carried by the igniting unit and insulated from said holding device; contacts connected to the heating element and engageable with said contact ends in said energizing position for completing an igniting circuit to the heating element whereupon the latter rises in temperature and increasingly emits radiant energy; a nonconductive shielding member disposed within said holding device between the ends thereof which physically isolates said inlet members and said thermostat from said other end; apertures in said shielding member through which said contacts extend in said energizing position and which expose the thermostat to the heating element such that the former can directly sense the radiant energy of the latter and therebY open said igniting circuit under said predetermined operating conditions.

Claim 5

A cigarette lighter for use with a source of electrical current of relatively high voltage comprising: a tubular receptacle adapted to be mounted on a support member; an igniting plug slidably received in one end of the receptacle and movable therewithin between an idle position and an energizing position; an elongated barlike electrical heating element carried by the igniting plug and electrically insulated from the receptacle; contacts electrically connected to the ends of said heating element and projecting toward the other end of said receptacle; a shield formed of a nonconductive material mounted in said receptacle and having slots formed therein registering with said contacts and through which said contacts project when said igniting plug is in the energizing position; a contact assembly carried at the other end of said receptacle and electrically insulated therefrom, said contact assembly including a pair of inlet terminals having ends projecting outwardly of said receptacle for electrical connection with said source of current and having contact ends located within said receptacle which yieldingly engage said contacts electrically connected to the ends of said heating element in said energizing position to complete an igniting circuit between the source of current and the heating element so as to energize the latter to an igniting temperature; and a thermostat in said contact assembly for interrupting said igniting circuit under predetermined operating conditions to thereby prevent overheating of the lighter.

Claim 6

A cigarette lighter for use with a source of electrical current of relatively high voltage comprising: a tubular receptacle adapted to be mounted on a support member; an igniting plug slidably received in one end of the receptacle and movable therewithin between an idle position and an energizing position; an elongated barlike electrical heating element carried by the igniting plug and electrically insulated from the receptacle; contacts electrically connected to the ends of said heating element and projecting toward the other end of said receptacle; a shield formed of a nonconductive material mounted in said receptacle and having slots formed therein registering with said contacts and through which said contacts project when said igniting plug is in the energizing position; a contact assembly carried at the other end of said receptacle and electrically insulated therefrom, said contact assembly including a pair of inlet terminals having ends projecting outwardly of said receptacle for electrical connection with said source of current and having contact ends located within said receptacle which yieldingly engage said contacts electrically connected to the ends of said heating element in said energizing position to complete an igniting circuit between the source of current and the heating element so as to energize the latter to an igniting temperature; and a thermostat in said contact assembly for interrupting said igniting circuit under predetermined operating conditions to thereby prevent overheating of the lighter.

Claim 7

A cigarette lighter for a domestic appliance comprising: a tubular receptacle adapted to be mounted on the domestic appliance; a mounting plate formed of an insulating material mounted at one end of the receptacle; a pair of terminals carried on said mounting plate and having first end portions projecting outwardly of the receptacle which are adapted to be connected to a source of electrical current of relatively high voltage and second end portions projecting inwardly of said receptacle, one of said terminals including a thermostat operative to interrupt the flow of electrical current in the lighter under predetermined operating conditions; an igniting plug slidably received in the other end of the receptacle and movable therewithin; a hollow rectangular electrical heating element formed of a conductive ceramic material carried by the igniting plug; a pair of contacts electrically connected to the ends of the heating element having end portions projecting toward said terminals which yieldingly engage said second end portions in an energizing position for completing an igniting circuit to said heating element whereupon the latter rises to an incandescent igniting temperature; and a shielding member mounted within said receptacle and having slots through which said end portions of said contacts project into engagement with said terminals in said energizing position, said shielding member serving to physically isolate said terminals for manual contact from the open end of said receptacle.

Claim 8

A cigarette lighter for a domestic appliance comprising: a tubular receptacle adapted to be mounted on the domestic appliance; a mounting plate formed of an insulating material mounted at one end of the receptacle; a pair of terminals carried on said mounting plate and having first end portions projecting outwardly of the receptacle which are adapted to be connected to a source of electrical current of relatively high voltage and second end portions projecting inwardly of said receptacle, one of said terminals including a thermostat operative to interrupt the flow of electrical current in the lighter under predetermined operating conditions; an igniting plug slidably received in the other end of the receptacle and movable therewithin; a hollow rectangular electrical heating element formed of a conductive ceramic material carried by the igniting plug; a pair of contacts electrically connected to the ends of the heating element having end portions projecting toward said terminals which yieldingly engage said second end portions in an energizing position for completing an igniting circuit to said heating element whereupon the latter rises to an incandescent igniting temperature; and a shielding member mounted within said receptacle and having slots through which said end portions of said contacts project into engagement with said terminals in said energizing position, said shielding member serving to physically isolate said terminals for manual contact from the open end of said receptacle.

Claim 9

A cigarette lighter for use on a domestic appliance operated by a source of electrical current of relatively high voltage comprising: a generally rectangular tubular receptacle adapted to be mounted on said domestic appliance; a pair of electrical terminals mounted at one end of the receptacle and having outwardly projecting connectors adapted to be connected to the source of current and inwardly projecting contacts, one of which includes a bimetallic thermostat responsive to radiant energy and operative to interrupt the flow of electrical current in the lighter under predetermined operating conditions; a shield formed of a nonconductive material mounted within said receptacle between said contacts and the other end of said receptacle, said shield including first apertures which register with said contacts and second apertures which register with said thermostat; an igniting plug receiveD within the other end of the receptacle, said igniting plug being movable therewithin between an idle and an energizing position; spring means biasing the igniting plug to the idle position; an electrical heating element in the form of an extruded square tube formed of an electrically conductive ceramic material mounted on the igniting plug; an electrically conductive coating on the ends of the heating element; a pair of contacts mounted on the igniting plug and having first ends electrically connected with said coatings and second end portions adapted to extend through said first apertures into yielding engagement with said contacts in said energizing position for completing an electrical circuit between said source of current and said heating element, said heating element thereupon rapidly rising to an incandescent igniting temperature and said thermostat directly sensing the radiant energy of the heating element through said second apertures for opening said igniting circuit under said predetermined operating conditions.

Claim 10

A cigarette lighter for use on a domestic appliance operated by a source of electrical current of relatively high voltage comprising: a generally rectangular tubular receptacle adapted to be mounted on said domestic appliance; a pair of electrical terminals mounted at one end of the receptacle and having outwardly projecting connectors adapted to be connected to the source of current and inwardly projecting contacts, one of which includes a bimetallic thermostat responsive to radiant energy and operative to interrupt the flow of electrical current in the lighter under predetermined operating conditions; a shield formed of a nonconductive material mounted within said receptacle between said contacts and the other end of said receptacle, said shield including first apertures which register with said contacts and second apertures which register with said thermostat; an igniting plug receiveD within the other end of the receptacle, said igniting plug being movable therewithin between an idle and an energizing position; spring means biasing the igniting plug to the idle position; an electrical heating element in the form of an extruded square tube formed of an electrically conductive ceramic material mounted on the igniting plug; an electrically conductive coating on the ends of the heating element; a pair of contacts mounted on the igniting plug and having first ends electrically connected with said coatings and second end portions adapted to extend through said first apertures into yielding engagement with said contacts in said energizing position for completing an electrical circuit between said source of current and said heating element, said heating element thereupon rapidly rising to an incandescent igniting temperature and said thermostat directly sensing the radiant energy of the heating element through said second apertures for opening said igniting circuit under said predetermined operating conditions.