Ignition mechanism for furnace units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ignition switches for gas taps in heaters and cookers face issues such as loose contacts, oxidation of contact surfaces, and material cracking, leading to functional failures and increased production costs due to diversity in switch designs.
Innovation Solution
The ignition switch design features a heat-resistant main body with a narrow-surface fixed contact and a moving contact with a semi-circular terminal extension and increased spring distance to enhance contact pressure and durability, along with a button alignment protrusion to stabilize contact touch, reducing the switch size and material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional switch designs are used with larger contact surfaces, then ease of manufacture is improved, but contact pressure is insufficient leading to loose contacts and oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a narrow-surface fixed contact that concentrates electrical current and mechanical pressure on a specific localized area. This narrow contact surface on the fixed contact terminal works with the semi-circular moving contact to generate sufficient contact pressure despite the overall simplicity of the switch structure, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and contact pressure reliability
2Productivity
If switch size is decreased to reduce production costs, then productivity is improved, but contact stability and durability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spheroidality by designing the moving contact terminal with a semi-circular cross-section. This curved geometry allows the moving contact to maintain stable engagement with the narrow fixed contact surface, providing sufficient contact pressure and electrical stability despite the compact overall dimensions of the switch, thus resolving the contradiction between size reduction and contact stability
3Productivity
If material thickness is reduced to decrease unit cost, then productivity is improved, but material cracking at inflection points increases
Solution Approach 1:
The semi-circular cross-section of the moving contact applies spheroidality to eliminate sharp corners and inflection points where cracks would initiate. The curved geometry distributes mechanical stresses evenly throughout the material, preventing stress concentration and crack formation even when using thin, cost-effective materials, thus resolving the contradiction between unit cost reduction and material strength
4Reliability
If contact surface area is increased to improve electrical conductivity, then electrical conductivity is improved, but contact pressure decreases leading to loose contacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing the fixed contact with a narrow surface that concentrates electrical current flow and mechanical pressure on a specific localized area. This narrow contact surface, when combined with the semi-circular moving contact geometry, achieves both sufficient electrical conductivity through the concentrated current path and adequate contact pressure to prevent loose contacts, resolving the contradiction between electrical conductivity and contact pressure
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 design addresses loose contact issues, prevents material breaking, and reduces production costs by enabling a single switch to fit various gas taps, resulting in improved durability and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a moving contact, which is provided with a surface with a radius in a manner to prevent the metal part from breaking due to bending and which enables electricity conduction by touching the fixed contact
Data Source
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AI summary
A switch (60) that contains a heat-resistant main body (10), button (30), lifter spring (50), ignition mechanism (40) and a top piece (20) enabling to fix the mentioned main body (10) to the gas tap (90), wherein the mentioned ignition mechanism (40) contains a fixed contact (42) having a narrow-surface (47) structure so as to reduce the touch surface and increase contact pressure; and a moving contact (43), which is provided with a surface with a radius (46) which prevents the metal part from breaking due to bending and which enables electricity conduction by touching the fixed contact (42).