Fire Starter Apparatus With Segmented Reagent Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable fire-starters using exothermic chemical reactions face challenges in safely and reliably admixing reagents due to their granular and liquid nature, leading to accidental activation, leakage, and increased costs, particularly in handling and storage temperature variations, which affects reliability and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A fire-starter apparatus with a housing containing a first and second reagent, separated by a removable barrier and an annular ring that prevents the second reagent from moving, allowing selective and thermal communication, enabling user-activated admixing of reagents through a piercing mechanism, ensuring a spontaneous exothermic reaction while maintaining safety and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If reagents are housed close to each other for portability and quick activation, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of accidental activation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate compartments: a storage cell for the first reagent and an initiation region for the second reagent. A removable barrier physically separates these reagents, allowing them to be housed close together while preventing accidental contact. The barrier can be selectively removed or pierced to initiate the exothermic reaction when desired.
2Reliability
If a non-permeable membrane is used to contain liquid reagent, then safety is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible membrane forms the wall of the storage cell containing the liquid first reagent. This membrane is non-permeable to the reagent, preventing leakage and accidental activation, while being simple enough to manufacture and integrate into the device structure. The membrane can be selectively pierced by a piercing member to release the reagent when activation is desired.
3Ease of operation
If granular oxidant reagent is handled loosely for ease of use, then ease of operation is improved, but leakage and accidental admixing increase
Solution Approach 1:
The granular first reagent (oxidant) is contained within a defined storage cell with a membrane wall, separating it from the second reagent and preventing accidental admixing during handling. The storage cell structure allows the granular material to be easily poured or transferred when needed, maintaining ease of handling while preventing leakage and premature reaction.
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
The apparatus provides a safe, reliable, and cost-effective means to start fires instantly, with enhanced handling and storage stability, reducing the risk of accidental activation and leakage, and maintaining portability and high shelf life.
Implementation Method 1
both the at least reagents to undergo a spontaneous exothermic chemical reaction thereby initiating said exothermic chemical reaction of said reagents
Data Source
AI summary
This embodiment relates generally to the Fire-Starter Apparatus (200) as a means to provide an instant fire in a safe, portable, time-saving, disposable, and convenient manner. The Fire-Starter Apparatus (200) contains both the fuel and reagents housed in a safe and convenient manner. The Fire-Starter Apparatus (200) relies on the user to cause the separated reagents to admix together, causing an exothermic reaction between reagents as a result of a chemical reaction between reagents.