Piezo lighter
Piezo lighters are lighters that use piezoelectricity instead of the conventional flint to generate sparks .
For this purpose, a spring is tensioned in the piezo ignition element, which is relaxed in a flash when the button is completely pressed in. A plunger is then hit with a large impulse on a piezo crystal (for example lead-zirconate-titanate ). This in turn means that a high voltage of up to 15 kV is generated within the crystal . Two metal contacts lying close together are connected to the crystal. The high voltage and the small distance between the contacts creates a glowing blue spark that ignites the gas that flows out of the valve, which is open when the button is pressed.
An electric shock from such a piezo component is unpleasant, but not dangerous due to the low energy of the discharge.