Adjustable Wick Centering for Multi-Size Jar Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wick centering devices are limited to specific jar sizes and shapes, often block the jar opening, cause misalignment, and result in uneven candle burning due to shifting during the pouring and setting process.
Innovation Solution
A wick centering device with adjustable arm members and a reciprocating mechanism that can center the wick on various jar sizes and shapes, using reversed V-shaped feet for secure placement and a wick supporting member with a notch to stabilize the wick, allowing for easy cleaning and multiple wick support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a wick centering device is designed for a specific jar size, then the wick positioning precision is improved, but the adaptability to different jar sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs adjustable arm members with movable clamping mechanisms that can dynamically adapt to different jar diameters. The arms can be positioned at various distances from the center, allowing the same device to accurately center wicks in jars of different sizes while maintaining precise positioning for each specific size.
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows changing the geometric parameters of the support structure by adjusting the arm positions and spacing. This enables the device to accommodate different jar opening sizes and shapes (circular, elliptical, polyhedral) while maintaining accurate wick centering through parameter adjustment rather than requiring different devices for each jar size.
2Reliability
If a wick centering device is designed to fit tightly on the jar opening, then the wick stability is improved, but the wax pouring accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the support function into multiple independent arm members that can be positioned around the jar opening. This segmentation allows the device to provide stable wick support through multiple contact points while leaving sufficient gaps between the arms for wax to be poured into the jar without significant blockage of the opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm members act as intermediaries that provide structural support and wick stabilization without completely blocking the jar opening. The design allows wax to flow between and around the arms, maintaining pouring accessibility while the arms collectively provide sufficient support to prevent wick shifting during the pouring and setting process.
3Manufacturing precision
If a wick centering device uses fixed grooves for specific dimensions, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity and adaptability to different shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed as a universal tool that can accommodate multiple jar sizes and shapes through adjustable arm members. Rather than requiring different grooved versions for each jar size, the same device can be reconfigured by moving the arms to different positions, providing centering accuracy for various dimensions without increasing device complexity through multiple specialized components.
Data Source
AI summary
A wick centering device for supporting a wick inside a jar during the filling thereof with a wax mixture. The device includes first and second arm members generally parallel to one another, with each arm member having a longitudinal outer end for mounting on the jar and an opposite longitudinal inner end extending toward the longitudinal outer end of the other arm member. A wick supporting member movably connects to the arm members adjacent the respective longitudinal inner end and is positioned generally halfway between the longitudinal outer ends of the arm members. The wick supporting member includes a reciprocating mechanism allowing a simultaneous displacement of the respective longitudinal inner end of both arm members toward or away from the wick supporting member and relative to one another. The wick supporting member has a wick notch formed therein adapted to support the wick.