Cigarette storage and lighter device

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to means for lighting cigars and cigarettes and in particular to a cigar and cigarette storage and igniting device suitable for mounting in the dashboard of an automotive vehicle.

One form of cigar or cigarette lighter in use in automotive vehicles includes a removable plug member mounted in a specially provided recess in the dashboard and which when pressed further into the dashboard energizes an electric heating element in the plug, thereby to bring the element to ignition temperature. When the plug is removed from the recess and the heated element brought into contact with the end of a cigar or cigarette, the same is ignited. Disadvantages in the operation of lighter devices of this type is that considerable driver distraction takes place and the use of one of the driver’s hands for some seconds is required. Such a distraction in a moving vehicle, for example, may impair the safety of the driver and his passengers. Furthermore, there is the general inconvenience of having to remove a cigar or cigarette from its package or wrapping each time one is desired.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cigar and cigarette storage and lighter device which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cigar and cigarette storage container having means for automatically igniting a selected cigar or cigarette.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a device is provided which includes a base portion having a recess therein and having mounted within the recess a heating element which when electrically energized is operative to ignite the end of a cigarette brought into abuting relation with a surface of the element. A body portion having a plurality of cigarette receiving passageways is rotatably mounted on the base portion so that a selected passageway can be brought into axial alignment with the base portion recess, thereby to allow the end of a cigarette to be ignited by being brought proximate the heating element.

The novel features which are considered to be characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation as well as additional objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial view in perspective of the interior of an automobile showing the dashboard thereof mount2 ing the storage and lighter device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a cigarette storage and lighter device constructed in accordance with g the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an en exploded perspective view showing the assembly of the storage and lighter housing portions of the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the device of FIG. 2; 10 and

FIG. 5 is an elevation view partially in section taken along the lines 5—5 in FIG. 4.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated therein for service with a quantity of cigarettes. In particular and with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3, the storage and lighter device of the in20 vention includes a generally cylindrical housing of an electrically non-conductive material comprising an upper or body portion 10 for storing cigarettes therein, and a lower or base portion 12 for mounting the lighter apparatus. The upper portion 10 is rotatably mounted on 25 the base portion 12 by means of a shaft or bolt 14 extending axially from the lower portion 12 through an axial bore 16 in the upper portion 10. Capping a threaded end of the bolt .14 is a washer 18 and a nut 20. As shown in the figures, the upper portion 10 is provided with a 30 plurality of suitably sized tubular passageways or holes wherein the cigarettes to be stored are loosely received. The passageways, indicated, by way of example, in the drawing as being five in number and designated by the reference characters 22α, 22b, 22c, 22d, and 22e extend 35 longitudinally through the upper portion 10 opening into the top 24 and bottom 26 end walls thereof, equidistant from one another, and spaced at equal radial distances from the center or axis of the cylindrical upper portion 10.

Referring now also to FIG. 5, the base portion 12 will 40 be seen to include a circular recess 28 extending downwardly from the top surface 30 thereof, with the radial distance from the center or axis of the base portion to the center of the circular recess 28 being substantially equal to the radial distance spacing of the passageways in the 45 upper portion 10. A channel 32 provides a connecting passage between the recess 28 and the outer cylindrical surface of the base portion 12. Received within the recess 28 is a lighter apparatus comprising a heating means having an electrical heatable spiralled wire or band element 50 34 positioned so as to expose its coiled profile to the recess 28 opening in the top surface 30 of the bottom portion 12, and an electrically conductive metal ring 36 encircling the recess opening. A pair of conducting wires 38 and 40 are provided to electrically couple the ring 36 55 and band element 34 to a plug 42 fastened to and extending outwardly from the cylindrical surface of the base portion 12. The plug 42 includes external contacts 44 and 46 connected to the conducting wires 38 and 40 respectively and adapted to be electrically energized by inser50 tion into a cigarette lighter receiving socket of a type known in the art and usually found in the dashboard of most automobiles, electrical connection being provided between the socket and a voltage source (not shown) in the automobile. Also positioned within the recess 28 in 05 the base portion of the lighter device are a pair of opposing spring clips 48 arranged to grip and retain a received cigarette. The spring clips 48 also function as a switch for causing the band element to be energized to ignite the end of a received cigarette as will be hereinafter ex70 plained.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 3 and 5, a second recess 50 is provided in the top surface 30 of the base

3,526,751 portion 12. The second recess 50 is spaced from the first recess 28 such that when the first recess is in alignment with one of the passageways in the upper portion 10, the second recess 50 is in alignment with another of the upper portion passageways. Detent means in the form of a spring 52 pressed ball member 54 projecting from the second recess 50 is captured within an aligned passageway in the upper portion 10, the aligned passageway thereby serving as a detent socket for the ball member 54. Thus, when the upper portion 10 is rotated with respect to the base portion 12, the detent means provides for selective alignment of one of the cigarette storing passageways in the upper portion 10 with the recess 28 mounting the band element 34 in the base portion 12.

In operation, the device of the invention is inserted in the dashboard lighter socket in an automobile as illustrated, for example in FIG. 1, and with each of the passageways lla~e storing a cigarette 56. When a lighted cigarette is desired, the cigarette in the passageway in alignment with the recess 28 is pressed down into the recess so as to spread the spring clips 48 and be received therebetween. Spreading the clips 48 causes the lip portions 49 thereof to contact the metal ring 36, thereby electrically closing the power circuit plug 42 connection through the automobile socket to the voltage source so as to energize the band element 34. With the end of the received cigarette now close to or in engagement with the surface of the energized band element 34, the element is heated to a temperature sufficient to ignite the abuting cigarette end. Withdrawal of the lighted cigarette from the passageway and aligned recess 28 causes the spring clips 48 to relax and open the power circuit, thereby deenergizing the band element 34. Should another lighted cigarette be desired, the upper portion 10 is rotated to another detent position wherein another passageway storing a cigarette will be in alignment with the recess 28. It will be noted that the entire lighting operation takes but a few seconds and is accomplished without the usual driver distraction associated with automobile cigarette lighters of the prior art. It will be further noted that with suitable dimensioning of the passageways 22<z-e and the recess 28 receiving the band element 34, other types of rolled tobacco products such as cigars and cigarellos may be stored and lighted in the manner described. In addition the switching means for energizing the band element 34 may vary as desired and a microswitch may be positioned within the lower portion 12 to be contacted by one of the spring clips 48.