Magnetic Wick Anchor for Candle Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Candles pose safety risks due to the potential for the wick to move within the liquid fuel, leading to accidental ignition of surrounding surfaces if the candle is inclined or knocked over.
Innovation Solution
A candle design featuring a support body with a housing cavity and magnetic localization means that keeps the wick and flame anchored at a safe distance from surrounding surfaces, using a wick supporting clip made of ferromagnetic or paramagnetic material to maintain the flame's position and prevent contact with flammable materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the wick is allowed to move freely within the liquid fuel, then the candle can be easily manufactured and assembled, but the wick may move inside the liquid fuel causing safety hazards when the candle is inclined or knocked over
Solution Approach 1:
The wick is preliminarily positioned and fixed in a central location within the fuel container before the fuel is added. This preliminary positioning ensures that the wick remains centered and cannot move into contact with the container walls, even when the candle is inclined or knocked over, thus resolving the safety issue while maintaining ease of assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
A central support structure or guide mechanism is introduced as an intermediary element between the wick and the container walls. This intermediary component prevents the wick from moving laterally while allowing it to remain accessible for lighting, thus ensuring safety without complicating the manufacturing process.
2Reliability
If the wick is fixed in a central position, then safety is improved by preventing contact with surrounding surfaces, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wick fixing function is extracted as a separate, simple component or feature that can be independently implemented. For example, a small central protrusion or guide tube is provided in the container bottom, which passively centers the wick without requiring complex active control mechanisms, thus maintaining simplicity while ensuring safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The candle structure is designed to automatically center and hold the wick through its own geometric features, such as a conical bottom or integrated central support, eliminating the need for additional complex fixing mechanisms. The structure serves itself by using its form to achieve the safety function.
3Reliability
If a wick supporting clip made of ferromagnetic material is used, then the flame position can be controlled and safety improved, but the manufacturing cost and material requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wick supporting clip is merged with the central support structure already present in the container, eliminating the need for separate ferromagnetic materials. The clip function is integrated into the existing plastic or metal container body, reducing material costs and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining flame position control.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using ferromagnetic materials, the design changes to use non-magnetic materials with appropriate mechanical properties. The wick supporting clip is made from the same material as the container or a compatible polymer, changing the material parameter from ferromagnetic to non-magnetic, thus reducing cost while achieving the same functional outcome through mechanical rather than magnetic means.
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 solution effectively prevents the flame from coming into contact with surrounding surfaces, ensuring safety and preventing damage or fire, while also allowing for easy cleaning and reuse of magnetic components, promoting eco-sustainability by confining melted fuel and allowing use with various fuel sizes without factory modifications.
Implementation Method 1
magnetic localisation means (6, 6') magnetically coupled to said clip (12) to keep the lighting end (10') at a distance from at least one body surface (14, 16)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Candle (1) comprising a support body (2) that delimits a housing cavity (4) and that comprises magnetic localisation means (6, 6') functionally connected to the cavity, a solid, melted fuel portion (8, 8'), inserted in such a way in the housing cavity (4), a wick (10) with a lighting end (10') projecting from the fuel portion (8, 8'), and a wick supporting clip (12) configured to hold the lighting end (10') outside of the fuel portion (8, 8') at least partially liquefied. The wick supporting clip (12) comprises or is made of a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic material, the magnetic localisation means (6, 6') being magnetically coupled to said clip to keep the lighting end (10') at a distance from at least one body surface (14, 16) delimiting or surrounding the housing cavity (4).