Smart Candle Wick Feed and Auto-Extinguishing Flame Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional candles pose fire hazards, melt wax, and rely on excessive fuel, lacking safety features and adjustable flame control.

Innovation Solution

A smart candle with a cylindrical body, wick, weight base, and electromechanical mechanism that includes a heat sensor, motor, and reservoir for automatic extinguishing and adjustable flame control using combustible fluids like naphtha or butane.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If traditional candles are used to provide natural flame lighting, then a traditional flame atmosphere is achieved, but fire hazards increase and safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenatural flame lightingVSAvoidfire hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an electromechanical mechanism as an intermediary between the user and the flame. This mechanism includes a motor-controlled wick feeder and an automatic extinguishing system that mediates the flame's behavior, allowing the flame to burn safely without direct human intervention. The mechanism acts as a safety intermediary that prevents harmful effects while preserving the desired natural flame lighting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback control through the electromechanical mechanism that monitors flame status and automatically adjusts wick length or extinguishes the flame when necessary. This feedback system ensures the flame remains within safe operating parameters, resolving the contradiction between maintaining a natural flame and preventing fire hazards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Duration of action of stationary object

If traditional candles burn continuously to provide everlasting flame, then continuous lighting is achieved, but excessive fuel is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeverlasting flameVSAvoidfuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic action through the electromechanical wick feeding mechanism that periodically replenishes the wick with fresh combustible material from the reservoir. This allows continuous flame duration without proportionally increasing fuel consumption, as the system only feeds wick material when needed rather than burning through a large reservoir continuously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The electromechanical mechanism recovers and reuses fuel efficiently by maintaining a reservoir of combustible material and only consuming what is necessary for continuous operation. The system discards incomplete combustion products and recovers maximum energy from each unit of fuel, achieving everlasting flame with optimized fuel utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Illumination intensity

If traditional candles are allowed to burn freely to maintain flame, then natural flame operation is achieved, but flame control and adjustability are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenatural flameVSAvoidflame adjustability

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the wick length adjustable through an electromechanical feeding mechanism. The wick can be dynamically extended or retracted based on desired flame height, allowing the natural flame to be adjusted in intensity while maintaining its natural appearance. This dynamic control provides adaptability without compromising the natural flame characteristic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If electromechanical mechanisms are added to provide safety and control functions, then safety and adjustability are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety functionVSAvoidelectromechanical mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electromechanical mechanism is designed to perform multiple functions: wick feeding, flame height adjustment, and automatic extinguishing. By consolidating these safety and control functions into a single multi-functional device, the patent improves reliability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity. The mechanism serves as a universal control unit that handles multiple aspects of flame management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Provides a safe, adjustable, and everlasting flame without melting wax or excessive fuel, reducing fire hazards and enabling flame adjustment.

Implementation Method 1

a heat sensor... operable to feed the wick to the electromechanical mechanism in response to heat falling below a predetermined threshold

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat detection: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 2

a motor... operable to feed the wick to the electromechanical mechanism

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical motion: Linear Motor

Implementation Method 3

a reservoir comprising a combustible fluid. The combustible fuel may comprise one of naphtha, butane and kerosine

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentUS20250354686A1Smart candle with automatic extinguishing function

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 YOH BRENT

AI summary

A smart candle operable to feed a wick automatically to a shank, the smart candle comprising an electromechanical mechanism, a heat sensor, a motor and a reservoir in some embodiments. The smart candle may be set to burn for a predetermined period of time.