Portable Stove Shut-Off Valve for Tip-Over Fire Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chafing burners pose a risk of burns and are a fire hazard due to easy handling injuries and accidental knocking over, which can lead to uncontrolled fuel combustion.
Innovation Solution
A compact portable stove design featuring a normally open emergency shut-off valve that automatically cuts off the fuel supply when the stove is tipped beyond a preset angle, with a resetting mechanism that requires closure of the stop valve to re-establish the gas flow, utilizing a ball or plunger mechanism within a valve chamber to ensure safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a chafing burner is designed to be portable and easy to handle, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of accidental knocking over and fire hazard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency shut-off valve is pre-configured to automatically close the fuel passage when the stove is tipped beyond a preset angle, preventing fire hazard before it can occur. This preliminary safety mechanism counteracts the harmful effect of accidental knocking over while maintaining portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency shut-off valve acts as an intermediary safety device between the fuel reservoir and burner, automatically intervening to cut off fuel supply when the stove is knocked over, thus mediating between ease of handling and fire hazard prevention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an emergency shut-off valve is added to prevent fire hazard, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency shut-off valve is designed to operate automatically without user intervention when the stove is knocked over. The valve member moves on its own under gravity to close the fuel passage, and the system self-resets when returned to upright position, eliminating the need for complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency shut-off function replaces complex electronic safety systems with a simple mechanical gravity-based valve mechanism. The valve member moves automatically under gravity when the stove is tipped, providing fire hazard protection through pure mechanical means rather than complex electronic sensors and actuators.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the emergency shut-off valve closes automatically when tipped, then fire hazard is reduced, but ease of operation worsens due to requiring reset procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency shut-off valve automatically resets itself when the stove is returned to its upright operating position. The valve member returns to its open position under gravity, eliminating the need for manual reset procedures and maintaining ease of operation while providing fire hazard protection.
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 accidental fuel ignition when the stove is knocked over, reducing the risk of burns and fires by immediately extinguishing the flame and requiring intentional reset, thus enhancing safety in handling and usage.
Implementation Method 1
the valve member is movable through the valve chamber into the engaged position by gravity
Data Source
AI summary
The stove has a fuel reservoir formed by a cylindrical canister. A stop valve is mounted at a top of the canister for regulating supply of fuel gas from the canister through a fuel passage to a burner head mounted on top of the stop valve. The fuel passage has an inlet in the canister and an outlet at the burner head and extends through the stop valve which is mounted in the fuel passage. The stop valve is a rotary valve controlled by a hand wheel which can be rotated by a user to move the stop valve between open and closed positions. An emergency shut-off valve is mounted at the inlet to the fuel passage and is operable when the stove is knocked over.