FIRE CUBE

Abstract

A fire-starter cube has a combustible box housing having a bottom, four sides and a lid, a crib of stacked wooden slats, the slats arranged around a central chimney, a plurality of openable doors within the sides configured to admit fresh air, a knock-out on the lid configured to permit the exhaust of hot gases, the removal of the knock-out providing an opening to the chimney, wherein as the cube burns, the fresh air enters the doors and exits from the opening, and wherein the air forms a vortex within the chimney. In an embodiment the cube has wooden shavings within the chimney. The doors may be perforated on three sides and the opening of the doors is selectable by a user. The heat of the burning cube bakes the slats before they ignite. In an embodiment, the lid releasably locks onto the sides of the box.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to a firestarter cube.

2. Description of Related Art

Fires have been started for millennia using kindling, paper and more recently, accelerants such as firestarter. Fire cubes in the art contain accelerants, usually of a petroleum or wax base, that provide heat long enough for adjacent fuel to start burning. However, there is a need for a small, environmentally-friendly fire-starting cube that burns hot enough and long enough to start adjacent fuel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A fire-starter cube has a combustible box housing having a bottom, four sides and a lid, a crib of stacked wooden slats, the slats arranged around a central chimney, a plurality of openable doors within the sides configured to admit fresh air, a knock-out on the lid configured to permit the exhaust of hot gases, the removal of the knock-out providing an opening to the chimney, wherein as the cube burns, the fresh air enters the doors and exits from the opening, and wherein the air forms a vortex within the chimney.

In an embodiment the cube has wooden shavings within the chimney. The doors may be perforated on three sides and the opening of the doors is selectable by a user. The heat of the burning cube bakes the slats before they ignite. In an embodiment, the lid releasably locks onto the sides of the box.

The foregoing, and other features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the accompanying drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the ensuing descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings briefly described as follows.

FIG. 1 shows a front elevation view of the fire cube, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of the fire cube, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a left side elevation view of the fire cube, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a right side elevation view of the fire cube, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the fire cube, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6a shows an assembled perspective view of the fire cube, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6b shows an assembled top plan view of the fire cube, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7a shows a perspective view of the fire cube showing air flow, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7b shows a plan view of the fire cube showing airflow, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention and their advantages may be understood by referring to FIGS. 1-7b wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.

A portable fire cube is described, which is configured to be positioned adjacent to combustible material, in order to assist in igniting the material. Typically, complete combustion of the fire cube is achieved in 10 to 15 minutes, leaving a minimal of residue, while producing a hot, intense burn that is useful for igniting adjacent fuel such as wood or charcoal. In an embodiment, there are no accelerants used in the fire cube, therefore no unusual toxic emissions are present before and during burning. The use of natural and 100% recycled materials such as wood, wood-based products and paper-based products such as cardboard reduces environmental impact.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the cube 1 is shown from the outside, wherein the front has a door 7, the right side has a right side door 4, the left side has a left side door 6, and the top has a knock out within chimney opening 3. Each of the doors and the knock out are partially or entirely perforated around their perimeter, such that they can be removed from the top or side of the cube 1 or bent outwardly, to permit fresh air to enter the cube 1. In an embodiment the doors 4 are perforated on three sides to open and remain attached to the cube, and the top is perforated around its perimeter to be entirely removable. The chimney knock out 3 gives access to the chimney 8. The doors may be released by breaking the perforation on three sides and angled, so as to direct inflow air to facilitate the vortex effect described further below. In an embodiment the cube 1 is made of cardboard or pressed wood fiber. The cube 1 may be a rectangle or other angular structure, and is not limited to a cube shape. The back view is identical to the front view in an embodiment.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6a-b, the fire cube is constructed using a plurality (in one embodiment eighteen) of dried pine slats 2, (in an embodiment measuring 2⅞″ by ¾″ by ¼″), which are stacked two slats per level, in opposite directions creating a crib like structure 9 inside the cube 1. In an embodiment, the cube is 3″×3″. This stacking system creates a chimney 8 in the center that may be partially filled with dry pine shavings (not shown) to facilitate in the initial ignition by a match or other small heat source. The cube 1 has a knock out 3 in the top surface, which opens the chimney 8 to the outside and permits communication of fresh air with the interior of the cube and hot gases with the exterior of the cube. In an embodiment, the cube also has a plurality of doors 4, 6, 7 in the sides, the outline perforated for ease of opening, one opening in each side of the cube 1, wherein the doors are configured to perform as adjustable vents. These doors 4, 6, 7 and chimney opening 3 allow for a constant flow of air creating a vortex effect in and around the stacked slats 2 and pine shavings (not shown). The burning of the pine shavings creates enough heat inside the box to bake the slats so the pine slates release their carbon rich gas prior to ignition. The ignition produces an intense hot flame that will burn for approximately 10-15 minutes allowing the kindling that is placed around the fire cube 1 to ignite. In an embodiment the pine slats 2 are held together with brad nails (not shown) in all four corners to maintain the integrity of the cube 1.

A method of lighting the cube is described. Ignition of the fire cube is accomplished by using a standard wooden match. Once the match is fully ignited, it is dropped into the top of the chimney opening 3. The draft effect produced by the chimney opening and the four side vents ensures a rapid burning of the shavings and the ignition of the pine slats. With reference to FIGS. 7a-b, in use, the fresh air enters from the doors 4, 6, 7, through the slat crib structure and enters into the chimney 8, where it adds oxygen and combusts. Thereafter, heat and exhaust gases exit through the top opening 3. The doors 4, 6, 7 are adjustable to control the fresh air inflow and the speed at which the cube burns. Similarly, in an embodiment, the opening 3 size is adjustable by controlling the knock-out positioning.

Multiple fire cubes may be combined for a larger fire starting application, or where the adjacent fuel is damp, for example. The fire cube has a plurality of uses such as a fireplace starter, a wood stove starter, a camp fire starter, a cooking source, and an emergency heat source. The fire cube was designed to be a compact, easy to use source for igniting a fire in a woodstove, fire place or campfires.

The fire cube's design takes advantage of the vortex effect created initially by the release of hot gases during the initial burn period. That, combined with the cooler fresh air being drawn in through the opening in the sides of the fire cube and the crib like structure of the combustible material and the extreme temperature difference between these two gases forces the hotter carbon rich gas to the sides of the fire cube. With the opening of the side vent doors, a circular air flow is introduced which completes the requirements for a controlled vortex of fresh air to feed the fire within the cube. The inlet air may be controlled by selectively adjusting the vents as dampers, to permit more air when the outside air is still, and restrict air when the outside air is windy. It is because of this vortex effect that the consumption of the combustible material produces a burn that is three to five times hotter than an open burn.

The invention has been described herein using specific embodiments for the purposes of illustration only. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, however, that the principles of the invention can be embodied in other ways. Therefore, the invention should not be regarded as being limited in scope to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but instead as being fully commensurate in scope with the following claims.

Claims

1. A fire-starter cube, comprising:

a. a combustible box housing having a bottom, four sides and a lid attached to at least one of the four sides, wherein the box further comprises: i. a plurality of adjustable doors in communication with at least one of the four sides, wherein at least two of the plurality of adjustable doors are in communication with adjacent sides, and wherein one of the at least two doors is positioned higher than any of the other doors;

b. a plurality of wooden slats stacked onto one another, wherein each one of the plurality of wooden slats has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end of each wooden slat contacts a first end or a second end of another wooden slat, and wherein the plurality of wooden slats are arranged around a central chimney, and wherein the plurality of wooden slats are disposed within the combustible box;

d. a knock-out on the lid configured to permit the exhaust of hot gases, the removal of the knock-out providing an opening to the chimney, wherein as the cube burns, the fresh air enters the doors and exits from the opening, and wherein the air forms a vortex within the chimney.

2. The cube of claim 1, further comprising wooden shavings within the chimney.

3. The cube of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of adjustable doors are perforated on three sides and the opening of the doors is adjustable by a user.

4. (canceled)

5. The cube of claim 1, wherein the lid releasably locks onto the sides of the box.

6. The cube of claim 3, wherein the user selects the opening of the plurality of adjustable doors using a method comprising the steps of:

a. opening two or more of the plurality of adjustable doors, wherein one of the two opened doors is higher than the other one of the two or more opened doors;

b. air flow circulating in a vortex within the box; and

c. adjusting the two or more opened doors to control the vortex.

7. The cube of claim 3, wherein the crib of stacked wooden slats further comprises a plurality of brad nails extending through the first end and the second end of each of the plurality of wooden slats.