Variable Air Intake Gate for Automatic Wood Fire Starting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wood burning appliances face challenges in efficiently starting a fire, requiring user intervention and lacking reliable mechanisms for consistent ignition.
Innovation Solution
A variable air intake control device with an air intake chamber, gate member, and connector, which increases airflow for rapid fire starting and adjusts to maintain a stable burn rate through a heat-sensitive mechanism, ensuring automatic ignition and burn control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a standard air control gate is used in solid fuel burning appliances, then combustion can be controlled throughout the burning cycle, but fire starting remains difficult and requires user intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The air intake system transitions from a static control gate to a dynamic system with a movable gate member that automatically adjusts its position. During fire starting, the gate member is in an initial position that uncovers both the air intake opening and exhaust opening, providing maximum airflow. As burning establishes, the connector member pivots the gate member to a second position that covers the exhaust opening while maintaining air intake, automatically adapting to combustion needs without user intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-positions the gate member in an initial state that maximizes air intake and exhaust flow specifically for the fire starting phase. The connector member is pre-configured to automatically pivot the gate member to the appropriate position based on combustion conditions, eliminating the need for user judgment and intervention during the critical ignition phase
2Reliability
If user intervention is required for fire starting, then some control can be achieved, but consistent and reliable ignition cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The air control system serves itself by using the combustion process to drive the gate member adjustment. The heat and pressure from burning fuel automatically pivot the connector member, which in turn positions the gate member to maintain optimal combustion conditions. This self-regulating mechanism ensures reliable ignition and continuous operation without requiring user monitoring or adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates implicit feedback through the connector member that responds to combustion conditions (heat, pressure, gas flow) and automatically adjusts the gate member position accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that the air intake and exhaust openings are optimally positioned based on real-time burning conditions, maintaining reliable combustion without user intervention
3Productivity
If air flow is increased for rapid fire starting, then ignition speed improves, but burn rate control becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The gate member dynamically transitions between two positions based on combustion phase. In the first position during fire starting, it uncovers both air intake and exhaust openings for maximum airflow and rapid ignition. In the second position after burning establishes, it automatically covers the exhaust opening while maintaining air intake, providing inherent burn rate control without requiring user adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures the gate member positions and connector member geometry so that the transition from high airflow (fire starting) to controlled airflow (burning) occurs automatically at the appropriate moment. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for user judgment in controlling burn rate, as the system self-adjusts based on combustion progression
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables successful, automatic ignition of wood without user intervention and maintains a controlled burn rate, improving the fire starting phase of solid fuel burning appliances.
Implementation Method 1
The variable air intake control device is activated by a heat sensitive mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A variable air intake control for rapid fire starting in solid fuel burning appliances has an air intake chamber member adapted to be positioned on the top side of the solid fuel burning appliance and adapted to allow air to pass therethrough.The air intake chamber member has an air intake opening located adjacent to one end of a top side thereof and an air outflow opening adjacent an opposite end to the one end and located on a bottom side thereof.A pipe member attached to the air outflow opening at a first end and adapted to channel the air to pass therethrough and exit at a second end thereof underneath the solid fuel burning appliance to be used for rapid fire starting. A gate member pivotally attached at one end to the top side of the air intake chamber member and adapted to uncover the air intake opening in an initial position and progressively pivot and cover the air intake.An elongated connector member connected to the gate member at a distal end portion opposite from the pivotally attached one end and adapted to pivot the gate member in conjunction with a primary air supply of the solid fuel burning appliance, to thereby increase the air flow to the solid fuel burning appliance when starting a fire and thereby increase the rate at which the fire is started and burns. As the temperature sizes the the air will be reduced gradually by the primary air control U.S. Pat. No. 7,325,541.