Pressed Biomass Coin for Flameless Aromatherapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aromatherapy and air purification products face issues such as safety hazards from open flames, maintenance requirements, short lifespan, and inefficiency in releasing fragrances and flavonoids, with many using processed materials and lacking in refilling options.
Innovation Solution
A pressed biomass component, referred to as a 'coin,' is created using unprocessed plant materials and other substances, which can be heated safely and efficiently without an open flame, allowing for hands-free and maintenance-free fragrance and flavonoid release, using a mechanical press to form compact, stable shapes that smolder for a predetermined time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If open flames are used for burning sage or other materials, then fragrance and air purification effects are achieved, but fire safety hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/chemical combustion process (open flame burning) with a thermal heating process using an electric heating element. The heating element gently heats the sage material to release fragrance and flavonoids without causing combustion, thereby eliminating fire hazards while maintaining the therapeutic benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a ceramic plate as an intermediary between the heating element and the sage material. The ceramic plate distributes heat evenly and prevents direct contact between the heating element and combustible material, further reducing fire risk while enabling controlled fragrance release.
2Productivity
If loose leaf sage is burned continuously, then fragrance release is maintained, but maintenance effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-places a sufficient amount of sage material on the ceramic plate before heating begins. This preliminary preparation allows the device to operate hands-free for extended periods (typically 1-2 hours per loading) without requiring user intervention to add more material, thereby reducing maintenance effort while maintaining continuous fragrance release.
3Stability of the object's composition
If processed materials are used in aromatherapy products, then product stability is improved, but natural fragrance quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the heating parameter from high-temperature combustion to low-temperature thermal heating (typically below 100°C). This parameter change allows the use of unprocessed, natural sage materials that would otherwise require processing for stability, because the gentle heating suffices to release fragrance and flavonoids without requiring the material to be pre-processed into stable but less aromatic forms.
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 provides a safer, more efficient, and longer-lasting release of fragrances and flavonoids, reducing fire hazards and maintenance needs, while utilizing unprocessed materials effectively, overcoming the limitations of existing products.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element configured to apply heat directly or indirectly to the coin
Implementation Method 2
releasing a fragrance and/or flavonoids into the surrounding air
Data Source
AI summary
A pressed biomass component is disclosed. The pressed biomass component includes plant or animal material that is compressed by a press plate apparatus by application of pressure within a range of 1000 to 36000 pounds per square inch (PSI). The pressed biomass component is a resultant of the application of the pressure to the plant or animal material and typically has a weight of 0.5-10 grams. The pressed biomass component of claim 1 may be formed in a disc shape including a curved perimeter, a top surface and a bottom surface oriented in parallel with the top surface; thus, resembling a coin. The application of pressure to the press plate apparatus forms the pressed biomass component to support a desired burn time when placed on a heating apparatus. The heating apparatus often includes a ceramic bulb having a wattage within a wattage range of 50 w-150 w.