Portable Fire Pit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing outdoor fire pits face issues with smoke emission and mobility, as they often require heavy and cumbersome designs that limit their portability and usability across different locations, and some configurations do not effectively manage heat distribution, which can damage surfaces and increase smoke inhalation.
Innovation Solution
A portable fire pit with adjustable height legs, a heat shield, and an airflow system that directs air through the firebox to reduce smoke, combined with a handle for easy transport and stability features like angled legs and a grill post holder, allowing for use on various surfaces without damaging them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the fire pit is designed to be movable and portable, then it can be relocated to different locations, but it becomes heavy and difficult to pick up and transport
Solution Approach 1:
The fire pit is divided into separable components including removable legs, detachable handle, and modular body sections. This segmentation allows users to transport only essential parts or disassemble for easier handling, reducing the effective weight during transport while maintaining full functionality when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire pit incorporates collapsible and adjustable elements such as telescoping legs and foldable components that transition between extended operational state and compact transport state. This dynamic design reduces volume and effective weight during transport while providing full structural support during use.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the legs are extended for stable support, then the fire pit is stable on surfaces, but it consumes packing space in a vehicle when transported
Solution Approach 1:
The legs are designed to nest within each other or collapse into a compact configuration when not in use. The telescoping leg structure allows inner legs to slide within outer legs, dramatically reducing the volume occupied during transport while maintaining full extension length for stable support during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The leg structure transitions between extended and collapsed states. When extended, legs provide maximum stability with proper ground contact. When collapsed, legs occupy minimal space for compact packing, allowing the fire pit to fit efficiently in vehicle trunks or cargo areas.
3Productivity
If air inlets are provided at the bottom for combustion, then the fire burns efficiently, but heat is delivered to the support surface causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
A heat shield or air gap is introduced as an intermediary between the fire box bottom and the support surface. This intermediary blocks direct heat transfer to the surface while allowing air to flow through bottom inlets for combustion, thus maintaining efficient burning without damaging the underlying surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful heat radiation is extracted or blocked from reaching the support surface through heat-resistant barriers or reflective surfaces positioned between the fire and the surface, while the beneficial air flow for combustion is preserved through dedicated air inlet channels.
4Ease of operation
If the handle is positioned for easy carrying, then the fire pit is easy to transport, but it may interfere with the structural stability when the fire pit is in use
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is designed as a detachable or foldable component that can be separated from the main body when not needed for carrying. This segmentation allows the handle to be positioned optimally for ergonomics during transport, then folded away or removed to eliminate any potential interference with structural stability during fire pit operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle transitions between an extended, ergonomic position for carrying and a retracted or folded position during use. This dynamic positioning ensures optimal carrying comfort while preventing interference with the stable structure when the fire pit is in operational mode.
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 portable fire pit effectively reduces smoke emission, provides stable support on different surfaces, and allows for easy relocation, enhancing user convenience and safety by balancing heat distribution and mobility.
Implementation Method 1
an airflow channel extending upwardly along the interior of the sidewall from the bottom of the fire box to just below the flange. The airflow channel is in fluid communication with the fire box at the bottom and delivers preheated air to an upper portion of the fire box
Implementation Method 2
a heat shield spaced below the bottom wall of the fire box to protect the support surface from the heat generated by the fire pit
Implementation Method 3
An angled wall located above the upper air outlets and extending to the inner edge of the flange defines an air cone that directs rising air in the fire box inwardly
Data Source
AI summary
A portable fire pit includes adjustable height telescoping legs that provide a cooking height, a campfire height, and a storage height. When in the storage position, a majority of the lower leg portions are disposed alongside the sidewall or intermediate the upper flange and the bottom of the fire pit to provide a compact profile to the fire pit for carrying and storage. The fire pit includes a handle that allows a person to carry the fire pit with a single arm at the user's side. When the legs of the fire pit are in the storage position, a user can pick up the fire pit by the handle and place it in a vehicle or trailer for use in a different location. An airflow cone is provided above the fire box with an angled wall.