Lighter

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A lighter is a portable device used to create a flame. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable fluid or pressurized liquid gas, a means of ignition, and some provision for extinguishing the flame.

Contents 1 History 2 Operation 3 Other types 3.1 Permanent match 3.2 Automobile lighter 3.3 Decorative lighter 4 Safety 5 Popular culture 5.1 White lighter 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History

The first lighters were invented in the 16th century and were converted flintlock pistol that used gunpowder.^[1] One of the first lighters was invented by a German Chemist named Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner in 1823 and was often called Döbereiner’s Lamp.^[2] This lighter worked by a reaction of hydrogen to platinum sponge, which gave off a great amount of heat. This device was very large and highly dangerous and fell out of production by the end of the 19th century.^[3]

The advancement in the beginning of the 20th century that makes modern lighters possible today was the patenting of “Flint” by Carl Auer von Welsbach in 1903. The Flint, when scratched would produce a large amount of spark that would light the fuel.

Using Carl Auer von Welsbach’s flint companies like Ronson were able to develop practical and easy to use lighters. In 1910 Ronson took out the first Pist-O-Liter and in 1913 they developed their first lighter called the “Wonderlite” which was a permanent match style of lighter.^[4] During WWI soldiers used wasted cartridges and glowing wooden blocks to make an improved type of lighter instead of using matches because they feared that the initial spark or flare would alert sharp shooters to their position.^[5][6] After WWI we see an increase in lighters and more companies producing them like Zippo.

The Zippo lighter and company were invented and founded by George G. Blaisdell in 1932. What made the Zippo so influential was its marketing scheme of “Life time warranty” and “Wind Proof Lighter” and the fact that the lighters were very reliable.^[7] Most Zippos used naphta as a fuel source.

In the 1950’s there is a switch in fuel choice from naphta to butane because it allowed for a controllable flame and had less odor.^[8] This also led to the use of piezoelectric spark, which replaced the need for a flint wheel in some lighters and was used in many Ronson lighters. In 1973 BIC launches its first lighter design and in 1998 they introduce the child-safety feature, metal shield over the flint wheel, seen on all BICs. BIC lighters are cheap, reliable and disposable.^[9]

[edit] Operation

Naphtha based lighters employ a saturated cloth wick and fiber packing to absorb the fluid and prevent it from leaking. They employ an enclosed top to prevent the volatile liquid from evaporating, and to conveniently extinguish the flame. Butane lighters have a valved orifice that meters the butane gas as it escapes.

A spark is created by striking metal against a flint, or by pressing a button that compresses a piezoelectric crystal, generating a electric arc. In naphtha lighters, the liquid is sufficiently volatile, and flammable vapor is present as soon as the top of the lighter is opened. Butane lighters combine the striking action with the opening of the valve to release gas. The spark ignites the flammable gas causing a flame to come out of the lighter which continues until either the top is closed (naphtha type), or the valve is released (butane type).

A metal enclosure with air holes generally surrounds the flame, and is designed to allow mixing of fuel and air while making the lighter less sensitive to wind. The high energy jet in butane lighters allows mixing to be accomplished by using Bernoulli's principle, so that the air hole(s) in this type tend to be much smaller and farther from the flame. Specialized "windproof" butane lighters producing a pressurized flame are manufactured for demanding conditions such as shipboard, high altitude, and wet climates. Some dedicated models double as synthetic rope cutters. Such lighters are often far hotter than normal lighters (those that use a "soft flame") and can burn in excess of 1,100° Celsius.

[edit] Other types

[edit] Permanent match

An atypical form of lighter is the permanent match, consisting of a fuel-filled metal shell and separate metal rod serving as wick.

The rod is removed and scratched against a flint on the side of the case to create a spark. Its internal wick catches fire, resembling a match. The flame is extinguished by placing the rod into the shell, where it absorbs fuel for the next use.

[edit] Automobile lighter

Some automobiles are equipped with an electric cigarette lighter housed in a 12-volt lighter receptacle. Its electric heating element becomes hot in seconds upon activation.

[edit] Decorative lighter

Refillative decorative wands are becoming popular, especially for household use. The Geneva Social Lighter style was featured in popular magazines such as Bon Apetit.^[10].

[edit] Safety

Two technical standards relate to the safety of lighters: the International Standard EN ISO 9994:2002^[11] and the European standard EN 13869:2002 ^[12]

The International Standard establishes non-functional specifications on quality, reliability and safety of lighters and appropriate test procedures. For instance, a lighter should generate flame only through positive action on the part of the user, two or more independent actions by the user, or an actuating force greater than or equal to 15 N. The standard also specifies other safety features, such as the lighter's maximum flame height and its resistance to elevated temperatures, dropping, and damages from continuous burning. However, the standard does not include child resistance specifications.

The European standard EN 13869:2002 ^[13] establishes child-resistance specifications and defines as novelty lighters those that resemble another object commonly recognized as appealing to children younger than 51 months, or those that have entertaining audio or animated effects.

As matches, lighters, and other heat sources are the leading causes of fire deaths for children,^[14] many jurisdictions, such as the EU,^[15] have forbidden the marketing of novelty or non-child resistant lighters. Examples of child resistance features, include the use of a smooth or shielded spark wheel.

In 2005 the fourth edition of the ISO standard was released (ISO9994:2005). The main change to the 2004 Standard is the inclusion of specifications on safety symbols.

[edit] Popular culture

[edit] White lighter

A white lighter, also known as an ivory lighter, especially for older lighters, is a type of lighter that is widely considered by cannabis smokers (in stoner culture) as bad luck. It is said that the use of a white lighter to light a joint will lead to bad luck for the user, including an unfortunate death. It is rumored that four members of the legendary 27 club (Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, and Cobain) had a white lighter in their possession at the time of their death.^[16][17]

Origins of this superstition may come from the obvious appearance of soot or ash on a white lighter, indicating that it has been recently used. Another explanation is that many smokers will cover the bowl while inhaling to slow the burn rate or use the end of the lighter to pack the bowl. These both leave telltale burn or ash marks which would be most apparent with a white lighter.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• Match
• Car adaptor
• Ferrocerium

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lighter

• Lighter igniting in slow motion
• List of lighter manufacturers (PDF)