Refillable Liquid Fuel Candle System with Bottom-Up Refilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current candle options, including wax, electronic, and liquid fuel candles, face issues such as high costs, environmental waste, and the need for frequent battery replacements or flame inferiority, necessitating a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for ambiance and light.
Innovation Solution
A refillable liquid fuel candle system with a refilling station that includes a reservoir, fuel line, and user interface for controlled refilling, allowing for the addition of colorants or scents, and utilizing sensors to prevent overfilling, along with a battery-operated design for convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If liquid fuel candles are used, then they are more manageable than wax or electronic candles, but they generate considerable environmental waste and are expensive over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a refilling system that recovers and reuses liquid fuel instead of discarding it. The refillable container stores fuel, and the refilling station transfers fuel from a bulk reservoir to the container, enabling multiple uses of the same fuel supply and reducing environmental waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The refilling station serves multiple functions: it stores bulk fuel in a reservoir, transfers fuel to refillable containers, and can potentially add colorants or scent modifiers. This multi-functional system addresses both the manageability need and the waste reduction goal through integrated fuel management.
2Ease of operation
If liquid fuel candles are used, then they are more manageable than wax or electronic candles, but they are expensive over time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing bulk fuel in the refilling station's reservoir before it is needed. This allows users to refill containers multiple times from a single bulk supply, reducing the frequency of purchases and long-term costs while maintaining the manageability of liquid fuel candles.
3Manufacturing precision
If a refilling system is implemented, then refilling can be controlled and overfilling prevented, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a float switch in the refillable container that provides feedback to the control system. When the fuel reaches the predetermined fill level, the float switch activates, causing the pump to deactivate automatically. This feedback mechanism ensures precise filling without requiring complex monitoring systems.
4Ease of operation
If automated pump control is used, then refilling is convenient and precise, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service through automatic pump control based on float switch feedback. Once the container is placed in the refilling station, the system automatically activates the pump, monitors the fill level via the float switch, and deactivates the pump when the predetermined level is reached. This automation provides convenience without requiring complex user intervention.
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 system provides a cost-effective, environmentally friendly solution for maintaining candles by allowing for easy refilling and customization, reducing waste and the need for frequent replacements, while ensuring precise filling and minimal leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a pump in the refilling station, causing fuel to flow from the reservoir and into the container
Implementation Method 2
a float switch in the container and electrical contacts between the container and the refilling station causing the pump to deactivate when the predetermined fill level reaches the float switch
Implementation Method 3
light source and detector in the refilling station operative to sense when the predetermined fill level has been reached
Implementation Method 4
a sensor for sensing the pressure required to deliver the liquid fuel to the container, such that the pump is deactivated when the pressure reaches a predetermined level
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for refilling a liquid fuel candle includes a refillable container and a refilling station with a reservoir of liquid fuel and a designated region for receiving the refillable container. A user control activates a pump causing fuel to flow from the reservoir and into the container until a predetermined fill level is reached, at which time the pump is deactivated. In one configuration the bottom of the container includes a port that cooperates with a post on the refilling station causing the candle to fill from the bottom up. The refilling station may further include an input for receiving a colorant or a scent that is added to the fuel as it flows from the reservoir to the container. The refilling station may include a plurality of designated regions for receiving a plurality of containers to be refilled, including simultaneous refilling.