US 2008O142026A1 (19) (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2008/014202.6 A1 Chou (43) Pub. Date: Jun. 19, 2008

(54) HOLDER WITH RETRACTABLE Publication Classification PIPE POKER (51) Int. Cl. A24F 9/04 (2006.01) (76) Inventor: Ken Chou, Hacienda Heights, CA (52) U.S. Cl...... 131A243 (US) (57) ABSTRACT Correspondence Address: An apparatus for attaching a retractable poker to a cigarette Hee Sung Yoon lighter holder for unclogging pipes. An apparatus in 4520 Pennsylvania Ave #102 accordance with the present invention comprises an inner geometric profile conforming to an outer shape of a cigarette La Crescenta, CA 91214 lighter, a hollow chamber within the cigarette lighter holder for holding a retractable rod, and said retractable rod is lon (21) Appl. No.: 111588,138 gitudinally movable to extend along a vertical profile of the cigarette lighter holder to allow the rod to be physically (22) Filed: Oct. 26, 2006 extruded from the cigarette lighter holder.

Patent Application Publication Jun. 19, 2008 US 2008/O14202.6 A1

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US 2008/0142026 A1 Jun. 19, 2008

LIGHTER HOLDER WITH RETRACTABLE 0010. It is another object of the present invention to incor PIPE POKER porate the “pokers’ inherent shape into that of a apparatus Such as a lighter to allow ease of transportability. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 0011. It is still another object of the present invention to make the item reusable since the cigarette lighter holder can 0001 1. Field of the Invention be easily interchanged between . 0002 The present invention relates to a cigarette lighter holder with a retractable poker that enables the user to unclog BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS a tobacco pipe. The invention allows users of tobacco pipes to 0012 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled lighter always have a poker in hand because it will always be attached holder with the rod retracted within the lighter holder; to the cigarette lighter holder, that will be attached to the 0013 FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled lighter lighter. holder similar to FIG. 1 but showing the retractable rod pro 0003 2. Description of the Related Art truded out 0004 Tobacco pipes generally tend to get clogged with (0014 FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the retractable rod resin, ashes and the like during normal use. Every user of a assembly system of FIG. 1. tobacco pipe consistently runs into the problem of a clogged pipe which disables the pipe from normal operations. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Because of the inherent property of burning tobacco, no solu tion exists to create a pipe that does not clog from general use. 0015. In the following description of the preferred 0005. The only solution to the problem of a clogged pipe embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying draw was to use a slim rod to unclog the pipe. Many Smoke stores ings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of sell “pokers' which is simply a slim rod with a handle illustration, a specific embodiment in which the invention attached to the rod. Alternatively, users of pipes would make may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodi Such “pokers' at home out of paper clips, metal clothes ment may be utilized and structural changes may be made hanger, tooth picks to unclog their pipes. However, store without departing from the scope of the present invention. bought “pokers' are expensive, and home made “pokers' often require materials that are not readily available in a SPECIFICS OF THE INVENTION Smoking environment. 0016 FIG. 1 illustrates an overall prospective view of the 0006. Only one invention has addressed the need to have a present invention. “poker' easily accessible with their pipes and other smoking (0017. The cigarette lighterholder 1 of FIG. 1 of the present utensils. U.S. Pat. No. 6,041.921 (referred to hereinafter as invention includes a sleeve 2 having a tubular body portion 3, “the 921 patent) discloses a Smoking apparatus which was an upper open end portion 4, and a closed bottom portion 5. simply a wallet to store Smoking accessories such as their 0018 Sleeve 2 having a tubular body portion3, is used to pipe, poker, and tobacco. This invention is bulky in size, and securely hold a lighter in place. A lighter is inserted into the is not convenient in carrying around between Smoking envi upper open end 4, and securely held in place by the tubular ronments. Additionally, users of pipes generally do not need body portion 3 and bottom closed end 5. Such a pouch to carry Such an extensive array of accessories, 0019. In the current embodiment close bottom portion5 is thus making a pouch impractical. Finally, this invention is used to serve as a traveling limit of the cigarette lighter. related to the carrying of Smoking accessories, and not However, closed bottom portion 5 can also be an opening gap directed at the need of a poker. allowing the current invention to slide all the way through a 0007. It can be seen, then, that there is a need for a “poker' cigarette lighter without departing from the scope of the apparatus that is not bulky, portable, and easily accessible. present invention. Consequently, there is a need for a "poker” apparatus that 0020. In the current embodiment, tubular body portion 3 addresses the needs of a Smoker that needs to have such a generally conforms to a shape of a cylinder; however, tubular “poker' handy and ready at all times. body portion 3 can also take the shape of a rectangle, square, or any other shape that conforms to the shape of a lighter SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION without departing from the scope of the present invention. 0021 Sleeve 2 may be made out of ; however, 0008 To minimize the limitation in the prior art, the sleeve 2 may also be made out of metal, wood, or any other present invention discloses an apparatus for having a retract material that is capable of Snugly fitting around a cigarette able poker fixed to a lighter. In almost every case, a Smoker lighter without departing from the Scope of the present inven who has ever come across a clogged pipe was holding a tion. lighter in their hands since a pipe is useless without fire. By (0022 FIG. 2 illustrates the cigarette lighter holder of FIG. attaching a poker to the lighter, the Smoker can easily unclog 1 with the rod extruded from the housing chamber. their pipe. An apparatus in accordance with the present inven 0023. As shown in FIG. 2, the tubular body portion 3 has tion comprises an inner geometric profile conforming to an a chamber 7 along the longitudinal axis to house a rod 8. The outer shape of a cigarette lighter, a hollow chamber within the rod 8 is the "poking device used to unclog the pipe. Once the cigarette lighter holder for holding a retractable rod, and the rod 8 is extruded from the housing chamber 7, the rod 8 can be retractable rod is longitudinally movable to extend along a inserted into the clogged hole of a pipe. vertical profile of the cigarette lighter holder to allow the rod 0024. The rod 8 is typically made from stainless steel. to be physically extruded from the cigarette lighter holder. However, the rod 8 can be made out of aluminum, plastic, or 0009. It is an object of the present invention to have such a other materials that will not buckle under the pressure of "poker” accessory attached to an apparatus that all Smokers poking a clogged pipe without departing from the scope of the will need, such as a lighter. present invention. US 2008/0142026 A1 Jun. 19, 2008

0025. The rod 8 typically has a slim cylindrical profile. shape of a cigarette lighter, a hollow chamber attached to the However, the rod 8 can be rectangular or any other elongated cigarette lighter holder for housing a retractable rod, wherein shape without departing from the scope of the invention. said rod is longitudinally movable to extend along a vertical Furthermore, the rod is typically slim with a diameter of less profile of the cigarette lighter holder to allow the rod to be than 0.1 inches. However the rod can be any size small physically extruded from the cigarette lighter holder. enough to fit inside the hole of pipes without departing from 0032. The foregoing description of the preferred embodi the scope of the invention. ment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of 0026 FIG.3 illustrates an exploded view of the rod 8 and illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive chamber 7 assembly of the cigarette lighter holder in FIG. 1. or to restrict the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many 0027. For the purposes of physically extruding the rod 8 modifications and variations are possible in light of the teach from the chamber 7, the chamber 7 will have indentations or ing above. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be rectangular shaped openings or stops 9 on both sides of the limited by this description, but by the claims and the equiva chamber spaced incrementally. The rod 8 will be attached to lents to the claims appended hereto. a slider 10 contained inside the chamber 7 with a finger What is claimed is: gripper 11 connected to the slider 10 which will be outside the 1. A cigarette lighter holder comprising: chamber 7. The slider 10 will have a catch 12 inversely shaped an inner geometric profile conforming to an outer shape of to engage the stops 9 and to be disengaged there from by a cigarette lighter, downward pressure upon the finger gripper 11. a hollow chamber within said cigarette lighter holder for 0028. The stops 9 combined with the catch 12 are used to holding a retractable rod; and secure the rod 8 during use. Once the catch 12 engages the said retractable rod is longitudinally movable to extend stops 9, the rod is locked in place from retracting back into the along a vertical profile of said cigarette lighter holder to chamber 7. The rod 8 may be retracted back into the chamber allow said rod to be physically extruded from said ciga 7 by exerting downward pressure on the finger gripper 11. rette lighter holder Once pressure is exerted onto the finger gripper 11, this will 2. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 1, wherein said cause the catch 12 to disengage the stops 9 by slightly tucking retractable rod protrudes out from said cigarette lighter holder below the catch 12. in an incrementally increasing fashion. 0029. In the current embodiment stops 9 and catch 12 are 3. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 2, wherein said rectangular in shape. However the stops 9 and catch 12 can be incrementally increasing fashion is achieved by a slider triangular or any other shape without departing from the attached to said retractable rod. Scope of the present invention. 4. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 3, wherein said 0030 Various changes can be made to the rod 8 extrusion slider movement is controlled by a set of predetermined slots method without departing from the scope of the invention. on said cigarette lighter holder For example, a spring action mechanism where a wedge 5. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 4, wherein said shaped prow used by many ballpoint pens can be used. slider contains an anchor to anchor said slider within each of said set of predetermined slots CONCLUSION 6. The cigarette lighter holder of claim 5, wherein said anchor can be disengaged to allow free movement between 0031. In summary, the present invention provides a ciga said set of predetermined slots upon exerting pressure on said rette lighter holder with a retractable poker to unclog pipes. gripper An apparatus in accordance with the present invention com prises of an inner geometric profile conforming to an outer