Collapsible combustion container devices and associated methods
Collapsible combustion containers are disclosed and described. Such combustion containers generally include a first pair of vertically oriented panels joined by a hinge and a second pair of vertically oriented panels joined by a hinge. The pairs of panels are hinged to one another to form a closed perimeter with a box like shape. One panel of the first pair may further include a relief space feature that creates a relief space so that the second pair of panels may be folded flat between the panels of the first pair when the container is collapsed for storage. Such combustion containers may burn a variety of fuels, including wood and other combustible matter, and be used as a portable stove or heating device and are especially useful during activities such as camping or backpacking, and for emergency preparedness reasons.
1. A combustion container comprising:
a first pair of panels joined by a first hinge;
a second pair of panels joined by a second hinge;
a third hinge joining a first panel of the first pair of panels to a first panel of second pair of panels;
a fourth hinge joining a second panel of the first pair of panels to a second panel of the second pair of panels such that the first pair of panels and the second pair of panels form a box-shaped perimeter with an external surface and an internal surface, the internal surface of the box-shaped perimeter defining an open space,
the combustion container being collapsible from an open configuration to a closed configuration, the first panel from second pair of panels having an interior surface facing an interior surface of a first panel of the first pair of panels when the combustion container is in the closed configuration, and the first panel of the second pair of panels having an exterior surface facing an exterior surface of the second panel of the second pair of panels when the combustion container is in the closed configuration,
a relief space feature included in at least one panel of the first pair of panels such that a relief space is defined between the first pair of panels when the combustion container is in the closed configuration; and
a hinge connecting pin included in each of the first, second, third, and fourth hinges while moving the combustion container from the open configuration to the closed configuration.
2. The combustion container of claim 1 , wherein the at least one relief space feature includes at least one crease in the one panel of the first pair of panels, the at least one crease is disposed along an entire height of the one panel, the at least one crease is aligned substantially parallel to the first hinge.
3. The combustion container of claim 2 , wherein the crease is located between a middle of the one panel and the first hinge joining the panel of the first pair of panels.
4. The combustion container of claim 1 , wherein the at least one relief space feature includes a crease in the one panel of the first pair of panels, the second hinge is disposed between the first pair of panels when the combustion container is in the closed configuration, the crease is positioned in the one panel at a location that is substantially aligned with a location to which the second hinge joining the second pair of panels extends between the first pair of panels when the combustion container is in the closed configuration.
5. The combustion container of claim 1 , wherein the at least one relief space feature is included in the one panel of the first pair of panels.
6. The combustion container of claim 1 , wherein the at least one relief space feature includes the first hinge, the first hinge is larger than the second hinge.
7. The combustion container of claim 6 , wherein the at least one relief space feature includes the first hinge, the first hinge has a hinge casing larger than a hinge casing of the second hinge.
8. The combustion container of claim 6 , wherein the at least one relief space feature includes the first hinge, the first hinge includes a hinge extension.
9. The combustion container of claim 1 , further comprising a combustion plate hingedly attached to at least one panel of the first pair of panels or the second pair of panels and oriented in a horizontal plane substantially perpendicular to a vertical plane in which the at least one panel is oriented when the combustion container is in the open configuration.
10. The combustion container of claim 9 , wherein the combustion plate is disposed in the at least one relief space between the first panel of the first pair of panels and the first panel of the second pair of panels when the combustion container is in the closed configuration.
11. The combustion container of claim 9 , further comprising a combustion plate disposed outside an exterior surface of the combustion container when the combustion container is in the closed configuration.
12. The combustion container of claim 1 , wherein the second hinge is disposed exterior to the box-shaped perimeter when the combustion container is in the open configuration, the first hinge is disposed interior to the box-shaped perimeter when the combustion container is in the open configuration.
13. The combustion container of claim 1 , wherein the first panel of the first pair of panels is vertically offset along the first hinge from the second panel of the first pair of panels.
14. The combustion container of claim 1 , further comprising a pin having a hook portion, the pin configured to engage a ventilation opening included in the combustion container.
15. The combustion container of claim 1 , further comprising:
an aperture included in at least one of the panels from the first pair of panels; and
a curved pin having at least a portion disposed within the aperture when the closed configuration.
16. The combustion container of claim 1 , wherein the internal surface of the box-shaped perimeter defines a non-square shape where the first pair of panels define a non-perpendicular angle when in the open configuration and where the second panel from the first pair of panels and the second panel from the second pair of panels define a non-perpendicular angle when in the open configuration.
17. A combustion container, comprising:
a first pair of panels joined by a first hinge;
a second pair of panels joined by a second hinge, a first panel from the second pair of panels being hingedly coupled to a first panel from the first pair of panels via a third hinge, a second panel from the second pair of panels being hingedly coupled to a second panel from the first pair of panels via a fourth hinge, the first pair of panels and the second pair of panels defining a box-shaped perimeter when the combustion container is in an open configuration,
the second hinge being disposed between the first pair of panels when the combustion container is in a closed configuration,
the second hinge being disposed exterior to the box-shaped perimeter when the combustion container is in the open configuration, the first hinge, the third hinge, and the fourth hinge being disposed interior to the box-shaped perimeter when the combustion container is in the open configuration,
at least one relief space feature included in the first panel of the first pair of panels; and
a hinge connecting pin included in each of the first, second, third, and fourth hinges while moving the combustion container from the open configuration to the closed configuration.
18. The combustion container of claim 17 , wherein the at least one relief space feature is a crease included in the first panel from the first pair of panels, the box-shaped perimeter having a non-square shape.
19. The combustion container of claim 17 , wherein the first hinge is aligned along a vertical direction, the first pair of panels is vertically offset from the second pair of panels.
20. The combustion container of claim 17 , wherein the first pair of panels define a non-perpendicular angle when in the open configuration, the second panel from the first pair of panels and the second panel from the second pair of panels defining a non-perpendicular angle when in the open configuration.