Patent Application
20070184395
The inventions relate to the extinguishment of candles, incense, and other burning elements, and in particular, to the automatic extinguishment of candles after a preselected period of time.
Candles are often used in the home and elsewhere as part of decorating to provide a special ambiance and soft glow. Unlike other decorations, lighted candles present a flame and fire hazard to their environment. The dangers from lighted candles are generally eliminated with their extinguishment. The user, however, must remember to extinguish and to follow through on extinguishing all of the lighted candles to be rid of the danger. Overlooking even one lighted candle can lead to disaster. Besides the fire hazard posed by candles that are left burning, it may be considered wasteful to burn candles without need.
Putting out a candle can be problematic. Blowing out, pinching, or snuffing are conventional methods of directly putting out a candle, and they each have their own problems. Blowing out a candle may require a strong directed breath of air that some people due to health or other reasons may be incapable of carrying out. Some candles are difficult to blow out even for healthy people. Blowing out a candle may result in an undesirable spray of candle wax and a mess to clean up. Attempts at blowing out a candle may even increase the fire hazard by spreading the flame to nearby flammable objects. Pinching a candle flame can be frightening and lead to burns. Snuffing out a candle requires special equipment. All of these problems grow in proportion to the number of candles to be extinguished. Moreover, the more candles there are, the more likely it is that a candle will be overlooked.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus to minimize the dangers posed by lighted candles and to avoid waste by providing a safe, convenient, and easy manner of extinguishing candle flames that will overcome the problems in the prior art. There is a need for an apparatus that alleviates a user's fear of forgetting or overlooking extinguishment of a candle at the end of its use. The needs also extend to other elements that are like candles like incense, and other burning fuel sources.
Stated generally, the inventions relate to apparatuses and methods for extinguishing a burning source in a holder after a selectable period of time. For example, the inventions allow a user to schedule safe and easy extinguishment of burning candles. An exemplary embodiment may include shutters in a frame with the frame being sized to fit the holder so as to substantially block air from entering the holder when the shutters are substantially closed. A timer may be included for timing a selectable period of time. The timer may include settings for a respective plurality of periods of time. The timer responds to a selection of a setting for a period of time by timing the selected period. In response to the expiration of the selected period, a mechanism closes the shutters, thereby causing the extinguishment of the burning source. The mechanism may be used to close the shutters at any point, without setting the timer and/or without regard to the expiration of the selected period. The mechanism also may be used to open the shutters if they are closed.
Advantageously, the inventions satisfy the need for an apparatus to minimize the dangers posed by lighted candles and other lighted elements and to avoid waste by providing a safe, convenient, and easy manner of extinguishing the flames. The inventions provide an apparatus that alleviates a user's fear of forgetting or overlooking extinguishment of a candle or other element.
Another exemplary embodiment of the inventions may be an apparatus for snuffing a candle in a container after a period. This exemplary apparatus may include a base covering an open part of the container. The base may include at least a shutter for substantially covering an opening in the base. The base also may include a shutter operator for causing the shutter to substantially cover the base opening. The shutter operator may include an arm connected to the shutter. The arm prevents the shutter from covering the base opening when the arm is locked, and the arm causes the shutter to substantially cover the base opening when the arm is unlocked. The shutter operator also may include a closer for unlocking of the arm, thereby causing the shutter to substantially cover the base opening. Further, the shutter operator may include a closing facilitator such as a spring to move the arm when it is unlocked to facilitate substantial closing of the shutter.
The exemplary apparatus also may include a timer for timing a period. The timer may be operative to time the period as a selected period from one of a plurality of periods. Timer marks may indicate respectively the plurality of periods available for selection. The exemplary apparatus may include a time indicator for setting the selected period. The time indicator may be operative to move with respect to the plurality of timer marks to indicate an amount of time (either expired and/or to go) with respect to the selected period.
The exemplary apparatus may further include an activation plate that responds to expiration of the period by activating the closer to unlock the arm. Thus, in this exemplary apparatus, the timer may be set to time a period upon whose expiration the activation plate activates the closer of the shutter operator to unlock the arm, thereby causing the shutter to substantially cover the base opening and causing the snuffing of the candle in the container.
Advantageously, the closer of the exemplary apparatus may be operative to unlock the arm in response to an unlock action other than the activation by the activation plate. For example, a user may provide an unlock action to close the shutters and thereby extinguish the candle without selecting a time period or without regard to any time left for expiration during a previously selected period.
In addition, the exemplary apparatus may include an opener for opening the shutter. The opener is operative to open the shutter by moving the arm into a locked position, thereby causing the shutters to at least partially uncover the base opening.
The inventions provide another alternative embodiment including an apparatus allowing for selective extinguishment of a burning element in a vessel. This exemplary embodiment includes a housing having an opening, and at least a shutter disposed to close the opening in the housing. A release is included to cause the shutter to substantially close. Activating the release causes the shutter to substantially close the opening in the housing, thereby extinguishing the burning of the element in the vessel.
In this alternative embodiment, the release may include an actuator connected to the shutter, and a release pin responsive to activation to cause the actuator to cause the shutter to substantially close. The actuator may include an actuator arm connected to the shutter and a holder to hold the actuator arm so that the actuator arm causes the shutter to be at least partially open. The actuator arm may be operative to release itself from the holder in response to the causation of the release pin, whereby the release of the actuator arm from the holder causes the actuator arm to cause the shutter to substantially close. The actual also may include a closing facilitator connected to the housing and to the actuator arm. The closing facilitator may be responsive to the release of the actuator arm from the holder to facilitate the actuator arm in causing the shutter to substantially close.
This alternative embodiment also may include a timer for timing a period of time. The release may be responsive to the expiration of the period of time to cause the shutter to substantially close, whereby setting the timer for the period of time causes the timer to cause the release after expiration of the period of time to cause the shutter to substantially close. Further, this alternative embodiment may include an activation plate responsive to the expiration of the period of time to activate the release pin to cause the actuator to cause the shutter to close.
The inventions are described herein with reference to the attached drawings showing exemplary embodiments of the inventions. The inventions, however, can be embodied in many different forms and carried out in a variety of ways, and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth in this description and/or the drawings. The exemplary embodiments described and shown herein are only some of the ways in which to implement the inventions. Each of the elements of the inventions may be differently sized, shaped, and/or otherwise configured or configured with respect to another element or each other from the embodiments described and shown herein. The elements of the inventions may be assembled in an order different in whole or in part from the order described herein.
Further, the exemplary base 16 in
As shown in
In an example of an embodiment of the inventions, the shutters may be constructed (or include elements) to allow them to be manually opened and closed by a user. Alternative ways to open and/or close the shutters (or other openable elements of the base) are described below with reference to the other figures.
The exemplary embodiment shown in
The exemplary base 40 may be characterized as a cap that fits the open-topped container 32 with the base 40 including a top 41, an opening 42 in the top, and a circumferential side 43. The opening 42 in the top 41 of the base 40 may be substantially covered by the shutters 36a-b when the shutters 36a-b are closed and may be uncovered when the shutters 36a-b are at least partially open. In this example, there is only one opening 42 in the base 40; alternative embodiments may have additional openings with shutters or other openable elements. Also in this example, the opening 42 is generally rectangular, but that does not have to be the case. The opening 20 in the embodiment described above with reference to
As illustrated in
The release pin 44 of the exemplary embodiment is facilitated in its action by an action facilitator 45 such as the illustrated spring. In this example, pushing the release pin 44 causes the spring 45 to compress. When the release pin 44 is released, the spring 45 returns to its uncompressed state, thereby returning the release pin 44 to its initial position prior to being pushed.
The inventions contemplate at least three types of actions that may bring about the closing of the shutters. First, a user may take direct action to close the shutters such as by the activation of the release pin 44 in the exemplary embodiment described above, by acting on the shutters themselves so they close, or otherwise. A second type of action that may bring about the closing of the shutters is the expiration of a timer or clock (as described below) that results in the shutters being closed. A third type of action that may bring about a closing of the shutters is a jarring or other unsettling of the container with the candle and/or an embodiment of the inventions. For example, an exemplary embodiment may include a feature that detects any jarring type action to the container and causes the shutters to close in response thereto. Embodiments of the inventions may include features or elements that bring about the closing of the shutters in response to one, a combination, all or even none of the types of actions mentioned.
Another way of marking an exemplary embodiment of the inventions for time would be to mark how much time has passed since setting the timer. In this alternative, the time indicator may be set at “0” and the time indicator progresses with respect to the timer marks to indicate how much time the shutters have been open. The embodiment of
The above examples of the time indicator and timer marks are of a mechanical nature. For example, a timer comparable to kitchen timer may be used with an embodiment of the inventions. Those skilled in the art will understand that an electronic timer including a digital or other display may be used. Whether mechanical or digital, the mechanism operating the timer may be internal or external to the exemplary apparatus, and/or may be a part of a particular element such as the base of the exemplary apparatus.
Further, the above examples illustrate that a user may select a period or period of time from a plurality with respect to the duration the shutters remain open on the exemplary embodiment. An alternative embodiment may not allow a user to choose from a plurality of timer periods, but may include a timer that times only a predetermined time period. In that case, the alternative embodiment may or may not include a time indicator and/or timer marks.
Additional information about the timer is provided below in connection with the description of an exemplary operation of closing the shutters of an exemplary embodiment.
At a distance from the end 65 of the arm 62, the arm 62 assumes something like a backwards sideways “S” shape 67 comparable to a cycle of a sine wave or also a shape that may be characterized as an inverted “U” followed by a “U” (reading left to right) and having a common leg. The distance of the “S” shape 67 from the end 65 of the arm 62 as well as the relative size and specific shape of the “S” shaped part 67 of the arm 62 may depend on the size of the shutters 36a-b, as well as other elements of the exemplary embodiment.
As noted, the “S” shaped part 67 of the arm includes an inverted U. An eyelet 64a or other connector makes its connection between the shutter 36a and the arm 62 at the top of the inverted U part of the “S” shape 67 of the arm 62. The inverted U part of the “S” shape 67 of the arm 62 keeps the connector 64a substantially in a relative position at the top of the inverted U of the “S” shape 67 of the arm 62 as the arm 62 moves from its unlocked to locked position and vice versa. The connector 64a makes its connection between the shutter 36a and the arm 62 so that the shutter 36a may be opened and closed with the movement of the arm 62. Moreover, the opening and closing of the shutter 36a is synchronous with that of the shutter 36b as brought about by the connections 64a-b between the shutters 36a-b and the movement of the arm 62. In other words, the shutters 36a-b close at substantially the same time.
The illustrated embodiment only includes two shutters 36a-b to cover the opening 42 in the base 40. If more shutters are used in an embodiment, additional “S” shaped parts of the arm 62 may be included as well as additional connectors.
Advantageously, the arm 62 may be locked into a shutter open position as illustrated in
As is described more particularly below, the bar 68 holds the upturned end 66 of the arm 62 against the return action of a closing facilitator such as spring 72. Spring 72 is extended when the arm 62 is in its locked position, but the spring 72 strives to return to its static position. When the arm 62 is unlocked, the spring 72 pulls the arm 62 to its unlocked position, thereby closing the shutters 36a-b.
The shutter operator 60 also includes a closer 70 to cause unlocking of the arm 62 and allowing it to return to a shutter closed position. In this example, the closer 70 is connected to or may be made integral with the release pin 44 so that activation of the release pin 44 causes the closer 70 to cause the unlocking of the arm 62, thereby causing closing of the shutters 36a-b. In particular, the exemplary closer 70 includes a hook 72 that is positioned above the arm 62. When the closer 70 is activated, the hook 72 exerts a downward force on the arm 62. As the arm 62 moves downward, its upturned end 66 escapes the hold of the bar 68. With the release of its upturned end 66, the arm 62 moves towards a shutter closed position. The upturned end 66 of the arm 62 avoids being caught by the hook 72 of the closer 70 as the arm 62 moves towards its unlocked position. The upturned end 66 avoids the hook 72 because the hook 72 is retracted to its original position by an action facilitator such as spring 45 operating with the release pin 44 and closer 70 in this example. The action facilitator 45 causes the hook 72 of the closer 70 connected to the release pin 44 to move to a position that does not catch the upturned end 66 during the arm's movement.
The exemplary embodiment in
When the arm 62 is locked, the spring 72 is extended. When the arm 62 is unlocked, the spring 72 moves towards its resting position, thereby moving the arm 62 to its unlocked position. The exemplary embodiment uses a spring as a closing facilitator, but the use of other elements with the spring or in substitution thereof will be occur to those skilled in the art. Moreover, other embodiments may not include a closing facilitator.
Further, the alternative embodiment 90 includes a timer 92 similar to the timer 50 described with reference to
In particular, the top 96 may be rotated by a user to select a period of time as indicated on the timer 92 for allowing the shutters 36a-b to remain open. In the example illustrated in
As noted, the top 96 of the alternative embodiment 90 includes an activation plate 94 that is generally positioned above and parallel to the horizontal top 41 of the base 40. As the timer 92 ticks down, and the top 96 rotates, the activation plate 94 moves towards the release pin 44. When the timer 92 reaches zero, the activation plate 94 covers the release pin 44 or otherwise causes the release pin to activate, thereby causing the shutters 36a-b to close as described in connection with previous embodiments.
In the alternative embodiment 90, the activation plate is shaped like a substantially flat triangle with an apex 104 pointing towards the center of the top 41 of the base 40, and with the triangle's base 106 being congruent more or less with the rim 108 of the top 96. Other configurations of an activation plate may be used. The activation plate may be integral with the top, or a separate element made of the same material(s) or wholly or in part from a different material(s).
Advantageously, the alternative embodiment 90 allows a user to close the shutters 36a-b without regard to the time remaining, if any time period has been set. The user may activate the release pin 44 such as by depressing it to cause the shutters 36a-b to close.
Particularly, the apex of the opener 112 may be positioned with respect to arm 120 such that the apex fits at least slightly into the opening 122 of the inverted “U” part of the arm 120. When the top 118 rotates, the opener 112 presses against the arm 120 causing it to move away from its unlocked position, move under the release 124, and into a locked position with the bar 126. As the arm 120 moves away from its unlocked position, the shutters 114a-b open in response.
Advantageously, the opener 112 may be made to work with a timer so that the action of opening the shutters also may also encompass the setting of the timer for a selected period. For example, a certain minimal rotation of the top 118 may cause the shutters to open through the action of the opener 112 on the arm 120, but may not necessarily start a timer. If the rotation of the top 118 is continued past a certain minimum, the effect may be the setting of a timer (either for a selected time from a plurality of times or for the time allowed, if a plurality of time period are unavailable).
The inventions have been described by reference to exemplary embodiments, but many additions, modifications, and/or deletions can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions. In other words, the particular embodiments of the inventions described herein are merely illustrative and are not the only embodiments possible. Those skilled in the art can readily identify additional embodiments and features of the inventions that are within the spirit and scope of the inventions.
