Fire-starting canteen

Abstract

A canteen having sides, a top portion, and a bottom portion, forming an interior therein. The top portion and the bottom portion are convex shaped and transparent to light. The top portion and the bottom portion have a radius of curvature of 1.5 and 3 inches. When the interior of the canteen is filled with water, the canteen forms a biconvex fire-starting water lens. The canteen, preferably, is made of PETG thermoplastic resin or PLA, is one piece, and the thickness of the sides, top portion, and bottom portion is 5 to 7 mils. The magnification produced by the bioconvex fire-starting water lens is 2 to 6 fold.

Claims

1. A canteen, comprising: a) sides, a top portion, and a bottom portion, forming an interior therein; and b) the top portion is convex shaped and transparent to light and the bottom portion is convex and transparent to light, wherein, when the interior of the canteen is filled with water, the canteen forms a biconvex fire-starting water lens.

2. The canteen of claim 1, further comprising a radius of curvature of the top portion and the bottom portion of 1.5 to 3 inches.

3. The canteen of claim 1 wherein the canteen is one piece and the thickness of the sides, top portion and bottom portion is 5 to 7 mils.

4. The canteen of claim 1, wherein the canteen is made of PETG thermoplastic resin or PLA.

5. The canteen of claim 1 wherein the magnification produced by the biconvex fire-starting water lens is 2 to 6-fold.

6. A canteen, comprising: a) sides, a top portion, and a bottom portion, forming an interior therein; b) the top portion is convex shaped and transparent to light and the bottom portion is convex and transparent to light; and c) a radius of curvature of the top portion and the bottom portion of 1.5 to 3 inches, wherein, when the interior of the canteen is filled with water, the canteen forms a biconvex fire-starting water lens.

7. The canteen of claim 6 where in the canteen is one piece and the thickness of the sides, top portion and bottom portion is 5 to 7 mils.

8. The canteen of claim 6, wherein the canteen is made of PETG thermoplastic resin or PLA.

9. The canteen of claim 6 wherein the magnification produced by the biconvex fire-starting water lens is 2 to 6-fold.

10. A canteen, comprising: a) sides, a top portion, and a bottom portion, forming an interior therein; b) the top portion is convex shaped and transparent to light and the bottom portion is convex and transparent to light; and c) a radius of curvature of the top portion and the bottom portion of 1.5 to 3 inches, wherein, when the interior of the canteen is filled with water, the canteen forms a biconvex fire-starting water lens, wherein the canteen is made of PETG thermoplastic resin or PLA, and wherein the magnification produced by the biconvex fire-starting water lens is 2 to 6-fold.

11. A biconvex fire-starting water lens formed by filling a canteen with water, said canteen comprising: a) sides, a top portion, and a bottom portion forming an interior therein; and b) the top portion is convex shaped and transparent to light and the bottom portion is convex and transparent to light.

12. The biconvex fire-starting water lens of claim 11, further comprising a radius of curvature of the top portion and the bottom portion of 1.5 to 3 inches.

13. The biconvex fire-starting water lens of claim 11 wherein the canteen is one piece and the thickness of the sides, top portion and bottom portion is 5 to 7 mils.

14. The biconvex fire-starting water lens of claim 11, wherein the canteen is made of PETG thermoplastic resin or PLA.

15. The biconvex fire-starting water lens of claim 11 wherein the magnification produced by the biconvex fire-starting water lens is 2 to 6-fold.

16. A biconvex fire-starting water lens formed by filling a canteen with water, said canteen comprising: a) sides, a top portion, and a bottom portion forming an interior therein; b) the top portion is convex shaped and transparent to light and the bottom portion is convex and transparent to light; c) a radius of curvature of the top portion and the bottom portion of 1.5 to 3 inches, wherein the canteen is one piece and the thickness of the sides, top portion and bottom portion is 5 to 7 mils.

17. The biconvex fire-starting water lens of claim 16, wherein the canteen is made of PETG thermoplastic resin or PLA.

18. The biconvex fire-starting water lens of claim 17 wherein the magnification produced by the biconvex fire-starting water lens is 2 to 6-fold.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a top view of the canteen of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the canteen having a solid fire-starting lens.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the canteen having a water fire-starting lens.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a top view of an alternate embodiment of the canteen of FIG. 1, comprising an outer canteen and an inner canteen.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the canteen of FIG. 4 having solid fire-starting lenses.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the canteen of FIG. 4 having fire-starting water lenses.

(7) FIG. 7 shows a top view of an alternate embodiment of the canteen of FIG. 1 with the top portion having an upwardly pointing convex shape and the bottom portion having a downwardly pointing convex shape.

(8) FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the canteen of FIG. 7.

(9) FIG. 9 shows a top view of an alternate embodiment of the canteen of FIG. 7, comprising an outer canteen and an inner canteen.

(10) FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of the canteen of FIG. 9

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) While the following description details the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of its structure and construction described herein, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways.

(12) FIG. 1 shows a top view of the canteen 10 of the present invention. The canteen 10 is shown as circular having sides 11, and interior 12, and a top portion 13. The side 11 has an opening 14 attached to a spout 15 having a cap 16. FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of canteen 10 having a bottom portion 17 with an opening 18. The top portion 13, the bottom portion 17, and the sides 11 form the interior 12. A divider 19 is positioned within the interior 12 to divide the interior 12 into two chambers, an upper chamber 20 and a lower chamber 21. The canteen in FIG. 2 is shown having a solid fire-starting lens 22 in the lower chamber 21. FIG. 3 shows the canteen 10 having a water fire-starting lens 27 in the lower chamber 21. The divider 19 has an opening 23 and the side 11 has an opening 24 which are attached to a spout 25 having a cap 26. The bottom portion 17 does not have an opening. The solid fire-starting lens 22 and the water fire-starting lens 27 are, preferably, convex lenses.

(13) The top portion 13 and the bottom portion 17 are transparent and allow the passage of light. Light, such as sunlight, passes through the top portion 13, through the solid fire-starting lens 22 or the water fire-starting water lens 27, and through the bottom portion 17. As light passes through these lenses it is focused at a point beyond the bottom portion 17 where the light generates enough heat to create fire in any suitable type of tinder. Spout 15 in the upper chamber 20 and spout 24 in the lower chamber 21 are used to fill these chambers with fluid, such as water, and to empty them. When the lower chamber 21 is filled with water, the convex shaped divider 19 plus the water in the lower chamber 21 form a fire-starting lens.

(14) FIG. 4 shows a top view of an alternate embodiment 30 of the canteen 10 of FIG. 1, comprising an outer canteen 31 and an inner canteen 33. The outer canteen 31 has an outer side wall 34, an inner side wall 35, an interior 36, a top portion 37, and an open central area 32. The inner canteen 33 is reversibly or permanently positioned in the open central area 32 of the outer canteen 31 and has a side wall 38, an interior 39, and a top portion 40. The outer side wall 34 has an opening 41 attached to a spout 42 having a cap 43. The side wall 38 has an opening 44 with a plug 45.

(15) FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the canteen 30 of FIG. 4 having solid fire-starting lenses 51a and 51b. FIG. 5 also shows the outer canteen 31 having a bottom portion 46 and the inner canteen 33 having a bottom portion 52. The top portion 37, the bottom portion 46, the outer side wall 34, and the inner side wall 35 of the outer canteen 31 define the interior 36 of the outer canteen 31. The top portion 40, the bottom portion 52, and the side wall 38 of the inner canteen 33 define the interior 39 of the inner canteen 33. FIG. 6 shows the canteen 30 having a water fire-starting lens 60a in the lower chamber 50 of the outer canteen 31 and a water fire-starting lens 60b in the lower chamber 56 of the inner canteen 33. The divider 48 in the outer canteen 31 has an opening 61 and the side 34 has an opening 62, each of which connects with a spout 63 having a cap 64. The divider 54 forms a top of lower chamber 56 and connects only to side wall 38. The side wall 38 of the inner canteen 33 has an opening 65 into lower chamber 56 with a plug 66. The bottom portions 46 and 52 do not have openings which are used only with solid lenses. The solid fire-starting lenses 51a and 51b and the water fire-starting lenses 60a and 60b are, preferably, convex lenses.

(16) The top portions 37 and 40 and the bottom portions 46 and 52 are transparent and allow the passage of light. Light, such as sunlight, passes through the top portions 37, 33, through the solid fire-starting lenses 51a, 51b or the water fire-starting lenses 60a, 60b, and through the bottom portions 46, 52. As light passes through these lenses it is focused at a point beyond the bottom portions 46, 52 where the light generates enough heat to create fire in any suitable type of tinder. Spout 42 in the upper chamber 49 and spout 62 in the lower chamber 50 in the outer canteen 31 are used to fill these chambers with fluid, such as water, and to empty them. When the lower chamber 50 is filled with water, the convex shaped divider 48 plus the water in the lower chamber 50 form a fire-starting lens. Opening 44 in the upper chamber 55 and opening 65 in the lower chamber 56 in the inner canteen 33 are used to fill these chambers with fluid, such as water, and to empty them. When the lower chamber 56 is filled with water, the convex shaped divider 54 plus the water in the lower chamber 56 form a fire-starting lens. The solid fire-starting lens 51a in the outer canteen 31 and the solid fire-starting lens 51b in the inner canteen 33 combine to form a functional single lens. The water fire-starting lens 60a in the outer canteen 31 and the water fire-starting lens 60b in the inner canteen 33 combine to form a functional single lens.

(17) FIG. 7 shows a top view of an alternate embodiment 70 of the canteen 10 of FIG. 1. Canteen 70 has sides 71 and a top portion 72. Side 71 has an opening 74 with a spout 75 and cap 76. FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of canteen 70, further showing a bottom portion 78. An interior 77 is formed by the top portion 72, the bottom portion 78, and the sides 71. The top portion 72 and the bottom portion 78 each have a convex shape and are transparent to light so that the canteen 70 can form a biconvex water fire-starting lens. The top portion 72 and the bottom portion 78 act together to focus light at a point beyond the bottom portion 78 to create fire in any suitable type of tinder.

(18) In a preferred embodiment the diameter of the canteen 70 is 4 to 8 inches, preferably 6 inches. The length is, preferably, 3 to 6 inches. The radius of curvature of the lenses formed by the top 72 and the bottom 78 portions is 1.5 to 3 inches. The magnification produced by the biconvex water fire-starting lens is 2 to 6-fold. For example, a canteen with a 6-inch diameter, a 3-inch length, and a radius of curvature of 1.5 inches for the lenses would produce about a 6-fold magnification. The canteen 10 is made, preferably, in one piece by stretch-blow manufacturing using plastic that is transparent, suitable for containing liquids, rugged, and light weight, preferably, PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified) thermoplastic polymer resin. Polyacetic acid (PLA) may also be used. The thickness of the sides 71, the top portion 72, and the bottom portion 78 is, preferably, 5 to 7 mils (0.127 to 0.178 mm).

(19) FIG. 9 shows a top view of an alternate embodiment 80 of the canteen of FIG. 7, comprising an outer canteen 81 and an inner canteen 83. The outer canteen 81 has an outer side wall 84, an inner side wall 85, an interior 86, a top portion 87, and an open central area 82. The inner canteen 83 is positioned in the open central area 82 of the outer canteen 81 and has a side wall 88, an interior 89, and a top portion 90. The outer side wall 84 has an opening 91 attached to a spout 92 having a cap 93. The side wall 88 has an opening 94 with a plug 95.

(20) FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of canteen 80. FIG. 10 further shows the outer canteen 81 having a bottom portion 98 and the inner canteen 83 having a bottom portion 99. The interior 86 of the outer canteen is formed by the top portion 87, the bottom portion 98, and the side walls 84 and 85. The interior 89 of the inner canteen 83 is formed by the top portion 90, the bottom portion 99, and the side wall 88. The top portion 87 and the bottom portion 98 of the outer canteen 81 each have a convex shape so that the outer canteen 81 forms a biconvex water fire-starting lens. The top portion 90 and the bottom portion 99 of the inner canteen 83 each have a convex shape so that the inner canteen 83 forms a biconvex water fire-starting lens. The top portion 87 of the outer canteen 81 and the top portion 90 of the inner canteen 83 can form a single convex shape. The bottom portion 98 of the outer canteen 81 and the bottom portion 99 of the inner canteen 83 can form a single convex shape. Thus, the canteen 80 can function as a single biconvex water fire-starting lens.

(21) The canteens of the present invention have transparent top and bottom portions which allow the passage of light sufficient for using solid lenses or water lenses to use light to ignite fire by methods know in the art. The entire canteen can be transparent and allow the passage of light if desired. The canteen can be made of any suitable plastic or metal. Any suitable type of plastic, glass, or crystal can be used to form the solid lenses or the convex divider. The lenses can be convex, concave, or a combination thereof. The water can be replaced by any other suitable liquid. The upper chamber is used to store water and the lower chamber is used as a fire-starting water lens and for the storage of water. In the embodiments having an outer canteen and an inner canteen, the canteens can be used in combination or separately to start fires. Although the canteens are shown as circular they can be formed in any desired shape and size. The convex divider forms a fire-starting water lens in combination with the lower chamber filled with water. The size and shape of the divider and lower chamber can be varied as desired to generate the desired focal properties of the fire-starting water lens.

(22) The foregoing description has been limited to specific embodiments of this invention. It will be apparent, however, that variations and modifications may be made, by those skilled in the art, to the disclosed embodiments of the invention, with the attainment of some or all of its advantages and without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.