Fire starter tube
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solid fuels like charcoal are messy to handle and require physical ignition, which is inconvenient for cooking and other heat applications.
Innovation Solution
A combustible tube with air passages and a support member is used to hold solid fuel, allowing for easy ignition without direct handling, where the tube and support burn away as the fuel is ignited, providing a self-contained heat source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If solid fuel is used directly, then heat source is provided, but handling is messy and ignition is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flammable tube as an intermediary carrier that holds the solid fuel (charcoal). The tube can be easily handled and positioned, while the solid fuel remains contained. The tube itself is flammable and provides the ignition source, eliminating the need to handle loose charcoal for lighting.
Solution Approach 2:
The flammable tube is designed as a disposable component that is consumed during the ignition process. After serving its purpose of holding and igniting the solid fuel, the tube burns away completely, leaving no residue or cleanup required. This disposable nature eliminates messiness associated with reusable ignition tools.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If specialized grilling apparatus is used, then solid fuel can be contained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the containment function from complex grilling apparatus and consolidates it into a simple flammable tube. The tube serves as a portable, self-contained vessel that can hold solid fuel without requiring any specialized equipment. This extracted containment solution dramatically reduces device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flammable tube serves multiple functions: it contains the solid fuel, provides structural support during ignition, acts as the ignition source itself (being flammable), and eliminates the need for specialized grilling apparatus. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity while maintaining containment.
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
This solution provides a convenient and mess-free ignition method for solid fuels, allowing them to be used in various applications without specialized grilling apparatuses, with the combustible tube and support member burning away to create a stable heat source.
Implementation Method 1
The charcoal burns away the flammable tube and the support member
Data Source
AI summary
A flammable tube has a plurality of air passages formed along the length of the flammable tube. A support member is positioned in an interior of the flammable tube. The support member is spaced apart from the lower end of the flammable tube. Solid fuel is positioned on the support member. A flame is introduced to the solid fuel which is within the interior of the tube which ignites the solid fuel, such as charcoal. The charcoal burns away the flammable tube and the support member. The flammable tube may be placed within a grill of the type used to cook food or other container that is nonflammable, and which provides a receptacle for the burning solid fuel without the need of a specialized grilling apparatus.