Fuelless Lifelong Cigarette Lighter

Abstract

A fuel-less and battery-less cigarette lighter is a manually powered lighter that operates without the use of fuel. The lighter includes a super capacitor (low voltage, very high capacitance) that is discharged into a resistance. This resistance then becomes hot enough to light a cigarette or cigar upon contact. The super capacitor is charged by means of a mechanical system, such as the user winding or squeezing the lighter and a micro generator. After charging, a switch allows the capacitor to discharge into the resistance.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 on the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 190, 251, filed on Aug. 26, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD[0002]The present disclosure relates in general to portable cigarette lighters. More particularly, it relates to a fuel-less and battery-less cigarette lighter, which uses a super-capacitor and a resistance. An electrical charge from the super-capacitor is discharged onto the resistance to create heat energy, which in turn lights up a cigarette or a cigar on contact.DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART[0003]Lighters and the like are used in a number of different applications, which require an object to be ignited due to placement of the object in close proximity or in contact with the lighting means of the lighter. The most common and ubiquitous application is the lighting of tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, etc. A li...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a lightweight and small fuel-less and battery-less lighter assembly that can be held in one's hand is provided. The lighter assembly further has a housing, which nests a super-capacitor and a resistance for receiving electrical charges from the super-capacitor to heat itself up for generating adequate heat for lighting a cigarette, a cigar, and the like, on contact. The fuel-less and battery-less lighter assembly includes

[0016]In another embodiment, the fuel-less and battery-less lighter assembly includes a winding crank in place of the spring loaded handle; the housing similarly receives the winding crank partially in a recess disposed on one of its outer faces; the winding of the winding crank exerts manual force; the set of gears receives this manual force through a link and creates kinetic energy; the winding crank is removably attached to the housing.

Problems solved by technology

These lighters have a number of well-known disadvantages relating to the need to maintain fuel therein, such as the inefficiency of the flint-based spark-producing means, and the like.

Moreover, the lighters can be used to start fires, either intentionally or accidentally.

Additional drawbacks of such conventional lighters are equally well known.

For example, the lighter fluid has an unpleasant smell.

Moreover, the lighters are heavy and not inexpensive.

The size, weight, and expense of the Chunage device are not inconsiderable.

This causes the frustration when it runs out and the frequent purchase of new lighters—which can be several times a year.

It is also a growing environmental issue with millions of lighters being disposed of each year.

Other issues with common flame lighters are the difficulty to operate in windy conditions, the poor operation in wet environments, the risk of inadvertently setting fire by negligence, the propensity of the nozzle to become plugged, the ban on flame lighters aboard aircraft, etc.

Battery operated cigarette lighters require frequent replacement of batteries, and the disposal of such batteries further carries inherent health and environmental hazards.

Although the art of cigarette lighters is well-developed, there remains a need for a lightweight and small lighter that can be held in the palm of one's hands but cannot be used to start intentional or unintentional fires.

Images