Utility lighter with a saftey feature

Abstract

A utility lighter with a safety device having a trigger, a stop and a safety button. The trigger has a trigger engagement element and a lever. The trigger engagement element is capable of initiating the creation of a spark. The lever is capable of rotational movement about a point located on the trigger and has a lever stop. The safety button comprises a lever engagement portion. The lever has a first position where the lever stop is aligned with the stop and the lever stop will arrest the movement of the trigger preventing the creation of a spark and/or the release of fuel. Thus when a user applies force to the safety button, the lever engagement portion interacts with the lever. The lever engagement portion moves in a direction that is approximately transverse to the direction of movement of the trigger and urges the lever to a second position. When the lever is in the second position, the lever stop is out of alignment with the stop such that the movement of the trigger will not be arrested.

1 . A utility lighter comprising:
 a body, a fuel storage container, a spark generation unit, a trigger, a stop and a safety button;   wherein the trigger comprises a trigger engagement element, a finger engagement portion, and a lever;
 wherein the trigger engagement element is capable of initiating creation of a spark; 
 wherein the lever is capable of rotational movement about a point located on the trigger; and 
 wherein the lever comprises a lever stop; 
   the safety button comprises a user engagement section and a lever engagement portion;   wherein the lever has a first position, in the first position the lever stop is aligned with the stop such that when the trigger is actuated the interaction between the stop and the lever stop will arrest the movement of the trigger;   wherein when a user applies force to the user engagement section, the safety button is moved and causes the lever engagement portion to interact with the lever; the lever engagement portion moves in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a path the trigger takes when being actuated and urges the lever to a second position; wherein when the lever is in the second position, the lever stop is out of alignment with the stop such that the movement of the trigger will not be arrested.   
   
   
       2 . The lighter of  claim 1  wherein the safety button is configured to actuate the valve lever when the safety button is actuated. 
   
   
       3 . The lighter of  claim 1  wherein the trigger engagement element is configured to actuate the valve lever when the trigger is actuated. 
   
   
       4 . The lighter of  claim 1  wherein the safety button rotates about a pivot. 
   
   
       5 . The lighter of  claim 1  wherein the safety button linearly actuates. 
   
   
       6 . The lighter of  claim 1  wherein a resistive force of a pound or more against actuation of the safety button exist as measured by the user engagement portion. 
   
   
       7 . A lighter comprising of:
 A body, a trigger, a stop, a safety button, a piezoelectric unit, a fuel release element and a fuel storage container;   wherein the trigger comprises of a finger engagement portion, a trigger engagement element, and a lever;
 wherein the finger engagement portion is exposed so that a user is able to actuate the trigger along a set path, 
 wherein the trigger engagement element serves to cause the actuation of the piezoelectric unit when the trigger is moved a predetermined distance along the set path, and 
 wherein the lever is capable of movement about a connection point on the trigger; and the lever comprises of a lever stop that is aligned with the stop when the lever is in a first position; thus when the lever is in the first position the trigger, is prevented from moving fully along the path as the lever stop is aligned with and will abut the stop when a user actuates the trigger, the engagement of the lever stop and the stop occurs before the trigger engagement element is able to actuate the piezoelectric unit; 
   the safety button comprises of a user engagement portion and a lever engagement portion,
 wherein the user engagement portion is exposed so that a user is able to actuate the safety button, 
 wherein the lever engagement portion is located inside the body and engages the lever by moving is a direction that is substantially transverse to the path of the trigger; 
   wherein when a user actuates the safety button, the lever is moved by the lever engagement portion to a second position,   wherein when the lever is in the second position, the lever stop is out of alignment with the stop, the trigger is free to move along the path and the trigger engagement element is able to cause the actuation the piezoelectric unit.   
   
   
       8 . The lighter of  claim 7  wherein the safety button is configured to actuate the valve lever when the safety button is actuated. 
   
   
       9 . The lighter of  claim 7  wherein the trigger engagement element is configured to actuate the valve lever when the trigger is actuated. 
   
   
       10 . The lighter of  claim 7  wherein the safety button rotates about a pivot. 
   
   
       11 . The lighter of  claim 7  wherein the safety button linearly actuates. 
   
   
       12 . The lighter of  claim 7  wherein a resistive force of a pound or more against actuation of the safety button exist as measured by the user engagement portion.