Flameless Lighter Using Joule Heating for Safe Ignition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional lighters that use butane pose safety concerns due to their flammability and ease of misuse, leading to significant societal issues, particularly in the UK, where butane is the most commonly misused volatile substance causing deaths.
Innovation Solution
A battery-powered flameless lighter that replaces butane with a heat-producing light bulb, allowing for safe and portable ignition of smoking products and other materials without the need for harsh chemicals, featuring a slidable switch mechanism and a portable power supply for wind-resistant operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional butane lighters are used, then ignition function is achieved, but safety hazards and harmful factors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/chemical ignition system (butane combustion) with an electrical system (light bulb heated by electricity from a battery). This substitution eliminates the need for flammable chemical fuels while maintaining the ignition function, directly resolving the safety hazards and harmful factors associated with butane lighters.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If butane is replaced with battery-powered light bulb, then safety and chemical-free operation improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a light bulb that serves multiple functions: it produces heat for ignition and emits light for visibility. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby minimizing device complexity while achieving chemical-free operation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If flame is replaced with light bulb, then wind resistance improves, but heat production capability may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the electrical parameters (voltage, current, power) supplied to the light bulb to ensure it generates sufficient heat for ignition despite the absence of a flame. By changing these operational parameters, the light bulb compensates for any potential heat output reduction and maintains effective ignition capability while providing wind-resistant operation.
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 battery-powered flameless lighter provides a safe, chemical-free, and wind-resistant alternative to traditional lighters, reducing the risk of accidents and allowing users to enjoy a clean smoking experience while eliminating the hazards associated with butane.
Implementation Method 1
a battery-powered flameless lighter, which replaces butane with a heat-producing light bulb
Data Source
AI summary
A flameless lighter provides a user with a heat source that is similar to typical lighter. The flameless light comprises an enclosure, a slidable switch, a light assembly, a portable power supply, and a switch retraction mechanism. The enclosure is the primary structural component of the flameless lighter. The light assembly is used to produce the necessary heat to ignite items such as cigarettes and candle wicks. The slidable switch is used to activate and deactivate the light assembly and is used to protrude and retract a light bulb into and out of the enclosure. The portable power supply is used electrically power the light assembly and can be recharged through a universal serial bus charging port. The switch retraction mechanism defaults the slidable switch to the “OFF” position so that the flameless light is not left in the “ON” position. This improves the overall safety of the flameless light.