Fuel transfer system for cigarette lighters

Claim 2

A cigarette lighter comprising a body having a fuel reservoir and a wick chamber separated from said fuel reservoir, and a transfer means indirectly interconnecting said fuel reservoir with said wick chamber and constructed and arranged for dispensing a controlled amount of fuel to said wick chamber regardless of any pressure differential which may exist between said fuel reservoir and said wick chamber, said wick transfer means including a channel in said body having first and second ports communicating with said fuel reservoir and said wick chamber respectively at spaced positions along said channel, and valve means reciprocably arranged in said channel and defining a transfer chamber selectively communicating with only one of said ports at a time since movement of said valve means in either direction will cause one of said ports to close before the other is opened so that there is never an uninterrupted passage between said fuel reservoir and said wick chamber.

Claim 3

A cigarette lighter comprising a body having a fuel reservoir, a wick chamber separated from said fuel reservoir, a fuel transfer chamber, and a valve means for transferring fuel from said fuel reservoir to said transfer chamber in one position thereof and from said transfer chamber to said wick chamber in a second position thereof, said valve means blocking communication between said transfer chamber and said wick chamber when in said one position and blocking communication between said transfer chamber and said fuel reservoir when in said second position so that a controlled amount of fuel will be dispensed even if there is a pressure differential existing between said fuel reservoir and the surrounding atmosphere since movement of said valve means in either direction between said one position and said second position is such that there is never an uninterrupted passage between said fuel reservoir and said wick chamber.

Claim 4

A cigarette lighter comprising a body having a fuel reservoir, a wick chamber separated from said fuel reservoir, a fuel transfer chamber, and a valve means for transferring fuel from said fuel reservoir to said transfer chamber in one position thereof and from said transfer chamber to said wick chamber in a second position thereof, said valve means blocking communication between said transfer chamber and said wick chamber when in said one position and blocking communication between said transfer chamber and said fuel reservoir when in said second position so that a controlled amount of fuel will be dispensed even if there is a pressure differential existing between said fuel reservoir and the surrounding atmosphere since movement of said valve means in either direction between said one position and said second position is such that there is never an uninterrupted passage between said fuel reservoir and said wick chamber.

Claim 5

In a cigarette lighter including a body having a fuel reservoir, a wick chamber separated from said fuel reservoir, and a channel located in said body between said fuel reservoir and said wick chamber and opening upon an exterior surface of said body, said wick chamber having a wick therein and a quantity of wick felt for absorbing fuel and feeding it to said wick, a valve actuator reciprocably arranged in said channel and manually operable at the exterior extremity of said channel to allow transfer of fuel from the fuel reservoir to said wick chamber, and return spring means normally urging said valve actuator toward said exterior extremity of said channel, the improvement comprising: a pair of valve members in said channel shiftable in response to reciprocation of said valve actuator, said valve members being spaced apart within said channel and defining a fuel transfer chamber therebetween, said valve members establishing communication only between said transfer chamber and said wick chamber when said valve actuator is in its normal position And establishing communication only between said fuel reservoir and said transfer chamber when said valve actuator is in an inwardly pressed position in opposition to said return spring means, said valve members being so related that movement of the valve actuator in either direction will cause one of said members to close before the other is opened, so that there is never an uninterrupted passage between said fuel reservoir and said wick chamber.

Claim 6

In a cigarette lighter including a body having a fuel reservoir, a wick chamber separated from said fuel reservoir, and a channel located in said body between said fuel reservoir and said wick chamber and opening upon an exterior surface of said body, said wick chamber having a wick therein and a quantity of wick felt for absorbing fuel and feeding it to said wick, a valve actuator reciprocably arranged in said channel and manually operable at the exterior extremity of said channel to allow transfer of fuel from the fuel reservoir to said wick chamber, and return spring means normally urging said valve actuator toward said exterior extremity of said channel, the improvement comprising: a pair of valve members in said channel shiftable in response to reciprocation of said valve actuator, said valve members being spaced apart within said channel and defining a fuel transfer chamber therebetween, said valve members establishing communication only between said transfer chamber and said wick chamber when said valve actuator is in its normal position And establishing communication only between said fuel reservoir and said transfer chamber when said valve actuator is in an inwardly pressed position in opposition to said return spring means, said valve members being so related that movement of the valve actuator in either direction will cause one of said members to close before the other is opened, so that there is never an uninterrupted passage between said fuel reservoir and said wick chamber.

Claim 7

In a cigarette lighter including a center body section having formed therein a wick chamber and containing a wick, a lower body section fixed on said center body section and forming a fuel reservoir, said center section being further formed with a channel arranged between the wick chamber and fuel reservoir along a longitudinal axis that does not intersect said wick chamber, said channel opening at an exterior surface of said center section, a valve reciprocably arranged in said channel and manually operable at the exterior extremity of said channel to allow transfer of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the wick chamber, spring means associated with said valve for normally maintaining said valve in one position, and sealing means associated with the valve within said channel to provide a positive seal for preventing the escape of fuel from the exterior extremity of said channel, the improvement comprising: said channel having a first port communicating with said wick chamber and a second port communicating with said reservoir, said valve normally sealing said second port while allowing said first port to be in open communication with said channel, said valve having means for sealing said first port inward movement thereof prior to the opening of said second port so that the fuel dispensed from said reservoir will be entrapped in said channel and upon release of said valve said second port is sealed prior to the opening of said first port for completing transfer of fuel to said wick chamber so that a controlled amount of fuel will be dispensed even if there is a pressure differential existing between said reservoir and the surrounding atmosphere

Claim 8

In a cigarette lighter including a center body section having formed therein a wick chamber and containing a wick, a lower body section fixed on said center body section and forming a fuel reservoir, said center section being further formed with a channel arranged between the wick chamber and fuel reservoir along a longitudinal axis that does not intersect said wick chamber, said channel opening at an exterior surface of said center section, a valve reciprocably arranged in said channel and manually operable at the exterior extremity of said channel to allow transfer of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the wick chamber, spring means associated with said valve for normally maintaining said valve in one position, and sealing means associated with the valve within said channel to provide a positive seal for preventing the escape of fuel from the exterior extremity of said channel, the improvement comprising: said channel having a first port communicating with said wick chamber and a second port communicating with said reservoir, said valve normally sealing said second port while allowing said first port to be in open communication with said channel, said valve having means for sealing said first port inward movement thereof prior to the opening of said second port so that the fuel dispensed from said reservoir will be entrapped in said channel and upon release of said valve said second port is sealed prior to the opening of said first port for completing transfer of fuel to said wick chamber so that a controlled amount of fuel will be dispensed even if there is a pressure differential existing between said reservoir and the surrounding atmosphere

Claim 9

In a cigarette lighter as defined in claim 4 wherein the exterior end of said channel is of enlarged diameter to present an annular seal face beyond which said second port is located, and a seal member carried out by said valve and movable therewith into and out of engagement with said seal face.

Claim 10

In a cigarette lighter as defined in claim 5 wherein the intersection of said first port with said channel defines an annular seal face at the inner end of said channel, a resilient seal member normally seated against said seal face at the inner end of said channel, said valve having an inner end portion slidably received in said resilient seal member and a shoulder normally spaced from said resilient seal member.

Claim 11

In a cigarette lighter as defined in claim 6 wherein said inner end of said valve is tubular, said spring means being seated in said tubular inner end of the valve.