Patent Grant
7841857
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for holding a candle that extinguishes a burning wick without mechanical or human interaction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Burning a candle presents an obviously safety hazard. Candles have an open flame burning from a wick and melted wax. The flame may overheat more wax than is needed to burn and cause the liquid hot wax to drip down from the top of the candle. If the dripping wax caught fire or if the candle tipped over indoors, a potential house fire could result.
Technology to improve the utilitarian aspects of burning a candle include various devices for holding a candle and automatically extinguishing the flame using mechanical means. Some devices attempt to automatically regulate the burning of a candle by using clamps or sharp edges, combined a moving or spring-loaded mechanism to cut off the burning wick when the wax candle burns down to a pre-set level. Some may snuff out the candle from lowering a device onto the burning wick once the candle recedes to a certain height. These mechanisms control the wick of the candle by loading a candle into either a spring-activated slide that cuts off the burning wick when the candle wax recedes below the trigger and releases the spring or attempt to extinguish the flame by a cup or plate above the candle that lowers down to the wick as the wax of the candle melts and burns away. However, these types of devices are subject to numerous problems and problematic assumptions. Spring-loaded clamps are assumed to work but may or may not close and cut the wick properly. The candle may burn lop-sided that either holds the mechanism open too long for the cutting part to properly extinguish the flame or will not allow a device to lower adequately and snuff out the flame.
Other candle holders attempt to extinguish a candle flame passively without using mechanized or spring-loaded slides against extinguish the wick. However, the prior devices create a potential fire hazard by not providing a passive candle extinguisher that provides an adequate enclosure around a burning candle so when the candle burns down, the flame is deprived of oxygen and extinguishes.
What is needed is a simple and reliable holder for a candle that consistently and automatically extinguishes the flame reliance on moving parts of mechanical extinguisher devices. The holder should extinguish a candle flame passively by the candle burning down into an enclosure that then suffocates the flame due to lack of oxygen.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides for a candle holder that includes two-piece holding device that securely holds a cylindrically-shaped wax or similar candle. The two pieces are connected by a rod on a stand and by a spring that holds the two pieces together. A candle is held securely, yet allows a user to manually open the holder and to adjust the candle length held in the holder by freely passing it through a holed area without damaging the candle. The two parts of the holding device are rotated about a pin joint similar to a pair of tongs or scissors. The spring maintains pressure against each of the two parts of the holding device such that the device is normally closed. When the two tongs of the device are closed, each part forms half of a bowl section that catches dripping wax from the candle.
The embodiments of the present invention also regulate the burning of a candle using a passive extinguisher that requires no mechanical parts or human intervention. A hole in the holding device is formed in the bowl when the two movable parts are closed. Each movable part forms half of the bowl and therefore half of the hole. Underneath the holding device, when the clamp is oriented properly with the top, bowl-side facing away from the ground, the hole is formed out of a both halves of a cylindrical extension on each part of the holding device. The extension is formed as a nearly-straight hollow cylinder away from the device's bowl area. When the holding device is opened, the cylindrical extension halves open in two at which time they may be positioned on either side of a candle and then closed, thereby securing the candle inside the cylindrical extension. When the candle burns down inside extension, the lack of adequate oxygen in the enclosed space to fuel the burning wick causes the flame to extinguish.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides for a candlelight device with a self extinguishing device, and the apparatus comprises: a base; a pliable wax coil having opposing ends, at least a portion of the wax coil being situated upon the base, the wax coil forming a candle; an elongated wick being situated within the wax coil, at least a portion of the wick protruding from one end of the wax coil; and a self extinguishing device comprising at least two sections that form tongs, each of the sections having opposing ends, said first end of each of the two sections comprises a head and said second end of each of the two sections comprises an arm, the first and second sections being connected at a joint, each of the heads of the two sections comprises half of a bowl with an extended portion, during a closed position, each of the heads contact one another and forms a bowl with generally cylindrical extended portions and an aperture therebetween designed to receive a portion of the wax coil, the bowl with the cylindrical extended portions forming a height that when the candle burns down within the aperture, the flame is extinguished by operation of oxygen deprivation.
In yet another embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a spring having opposing ends, each of the opposing ends of the spring is attached to at least a portion of said first and second sections. In another embodiment, the top surface of the bowl in a closed position is generally concave.
In still another embodiment, at least a portion of each of the two ends of the spring is directly attached to a portion of each of the two arms. In still yet another embodiment, the arms are depressed toward one another to allow each of the heads to move away from one another during an open position.
In a further embodiment, at least a portion of the candle is inserted in between the first and second heads during the open position and at least a portion of the protruding wick is situated above the bowl.
In another further embodiment, the arms are released and at least a portion of the candle is secured within the heads during the closed position. In still a further embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a post having opposing ends, at least a portion of the first end of the post is attached to the base, at least a portion of the self extinguishing device is attached to the post.
In yet a further embodiment, the second end of the post comprises a threaded portion and a peripheral edge for receiving the self extinguishing device, and the post further comprises a cap adapted to be attached to the threaded portion of the second end of the post and secure the self extinguishing device.
In still yet a further embodiment, the apparatus further comprising a plurality of rods, at least one end of each of the rods are directly attached to the base, and the rods are designed to hold the wax coils.
In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a self extinguishing candlelight apparatus comprising: a base; a post having opposing ends, at least a portion of said first end of the post is attached to the base; and a self extinguishing device comprising at least two sections that form clamp, each of the sections having opposing ends, said first end of each of the two sections comprises a head and said second end of each of the two sections comprises an arm, said first and second sections being connected at a joint, each of the heads of the two sections comprises half of an extended lip with an extended portion extending downwardly from the lip, during a closed position, each of the heads contact one another forming an aperture therebetween designed to receive a portion of a candle, and the head forms a height that when the candle burns down within the aperture, the flame is extinguished by operation of oxygen deprivation, at least a portion of the self extinguishing device is attached to the post.
In yet another embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a pliable wax coil having opposing ends, at least a portion of the wax coil is situated upon the base, and the wax coil forming the candle. In still another embodiment, the candle comprises an elongated wick being situated within the wax coil, at least a portion of the wick protruding from one end of said wax coil.
In a further embodiment, the second end of the post comprises a threaded portion and a peripheral edge for receiving the self extinguishing device, and the post further comprises a cap adapted to be attached to the threaded portion of the second end of the post and secure the self extinguishing device.
In another further embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a plurality of rods, at least one end of each of the rods being directly attached to the base, and the rods are designed to hold the wax coils.
In still another further embodiment, the present invention relates to a candlelight device with a self-extinguishing flame device, and the apparatus comprises: a base; a post having opposing ends, at least a portion of the first end of the post is attached to the base; a pliable wax coil having opposing ends, at least a portion of the wax coil being situated upon the base, the wax coil forming a candle, the candle comprising an elongated wick being situated within the wax coil, at least a portion of the wick protruding from one end of the wax coil; and a self extinguishing device comprising at least two sections that form a clamp, at least a portion of each of the two sections being attached to a spring, each of the sections having opposing ends, the first end of each of the two sections comprises a head and the second end of each of the two sections comprises an arm, the first and second sections being connected at a joint, during a closed position, each of the heads contact one another and forms an extended rim with side walls and an aperture therebetween designed to receive a portion of the wax coil, the extended rim with the side walls forming a height that when the candle burns down within the aperture, the flame is extinguished by operation of oxygen deprivation.
In another embodiment, the second end of the post comprises a threaded portion and a peripheral edge for receiving the self extinguishing device, the post further comprising a cap adapted to be attached to the threaded portion of the second end of the post and secure the self extinguishing device, the apparatus further comprising at least one rod, at least one end of the rod being directly attached to the base, the rod designed to hold the wax coils.
In a further embodiment, the head of the self extinguishing device has a bottom surface and the each of the two sections have opposing bottom ends, each end has a L-shaped end so that when the two sections are in a closed positions, the opposing L-shaped ends form a tight seal within the aperture of the extended rim and side walls.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention. These drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.
Among those benefits and improvements that have been disclosed, other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various forms. The figures are not necessary to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
Referring to
In order to catch wax dripping from a candle, the head of each of the tongs forming the holding device 20 forms a bowl. Part 24 is formed with a semi-circular bowled part 32 that combines with the semi-circular bowled part 34 of head part 28. When held together with spring 42, the two parts 32 and 34 come together to form a bowl. In profile view of
Under the device 20, each head part forms one-half of a cylindrical extension that forms the hole 36.
A burning candle placed in extension 21 will eventually recede in length to a point where the wick is burning from inside of the extension 21.
After the wick of candle 10 is lit, the portion of candle 10 held by holder 20 will burn down into the cylindrical member 21. Hot wax dripping from the candle will collect in the bowl area formed by parts 32 and 34 around the candle portion. After burning down the exposed portion of coiled candle 10 into cylindrical member 21, the flame will experience oxygen deprivation and extinguish itself. Cylindrical extension member 21 must extend an adequate length 49 from bowl parts 32, 34 so that when a candle burns down into the interior of the cylinder, the flame experiences oxygen depravation and extinguishes passively. Extinguishing therefore occurs without any further mechanism or manual interaction.
An important aspect of cylindrical extension member 21 is the length of the formed cylinder 49 extending from bowl parts 32 and 34. If the extension 21 has a length 49 that is too short, then a candle flame will not experience adequate oxygen deprivation to extinguish thereby defeating the purpose of a passive flame extinguisher. For example, candle holders in the prior art have used extensions of approximately one-quarter inch or less, which is an inadequate length to extinguish a typical candle safely. Lengths of greater than ¼ inch of extensions for the preferred and alternative embodiments provide consistent extinguishing of a candle that has a ⅜ inch diameter that is held in a ⅜ diameter hole 80. Thus, an extension length 89 that is at least as long as the diameter of hole 80 is a proper ratio for safely extinguishing flames of a burning candle held by the device. An extension length approximately twice the length of cylindrical extension diameter also provides passive flame extinguishing for the devices of the preferred and alternative embodiments. For example, an extension member 21 with a 5/16 inch diameter candle in hole 36 would cause a normal candle flame to consistently extinguish in a cylindrical member 21 with length 13/16 inches long 49. Exact lengths of extension 21 can vary according to the type of candle wax used in a candle for the present device and a type of wick. Generally, a length 49 of approximately a quarter-inch or less was found not to consistently extinguish a burning candle flame passively and therefore created a risk of burning through the holder 20 creating a fire hazard.
Referring to
Head parts 62 and 64 are held together in a normally closed position by spring element 78 that is preferably a bent U-shaped wire applying a biased force against each of the handle arms 84 and 82. One end of spring 78 is inserted into arm 77 at indent 84 and the opposite end is inserted into arm 68 at indent 82. Arm indents 82 and 84 form openings that allow the spring 78 to move when the clip 56 is manually opened by squeezing arms 66 and 82 together.
In order to catch wax dripping from a candle, the head of each of the tongs forming the holding device 56 forms a bowl. Head part 62 is formed with a semi-circular bowled part 70 that combines with the semi-circular bowled part 72 of head part 64. When held together with spring 78, the two parts 62 and 64 come together to form a bowl. In profile view of
Each head part forms one-half of a cylindrical extension 57 that extends from under the device 56 and forms the hole 36.
A burning candle placed in extension 57 will eventually recede in length to a point where the wick is burning from inside of the extension 57.
After the wick of candle 50 is lit, the portion 58 held by holder 56 will burn down into the cylindrical member 57. Hot wax dripping from the candle will collect in the bowl area formed by parts 70 and 72 around the candle portion. After burning down the exposed portion of coiled candle 50 into cylindrical member 57, the flame will experience oxygen deprivation and extinguish itself Cylindrical extension member 57 must extend an adequate length 89 from bowl parts 70 and 72 so that when a candle burns down into the interior of the cylinder 57, the flame fully extinguishes. Extinguishing therefore occurs without any further mechanism or manual interaction.
An important aspect of cylindrical extension member 57 is the extending length 89 as shown in
Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the attendant claims attached hereto, this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically disclosed herein.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/472,491, entitled “Candle Holder and Flame Extinguisher Device” which was filed on Jun. 21, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,527,494, which has now been granted a Notice of Allowance
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 117763 | Fritsch | Aug 1871 | A |
| 126765 | William | May 1872 | A |
| 141066 | Morgan | Jul 1873 | A |
| 434298 | Roell | Aug 1890 | A |
| 952935 | Nott | Mar 1910 | A |
| 2213203 | Buchman | Sep 1940 | A |
| D244056 | Jimenez et al. | Apr 1977 | S |
| 6152728 | Griffel | Nov 2000 | A |
| 7527494 | Viggiani | May 2009 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20090280446 A1 | Nov 2009 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11472491 | Jun 2006 | US |
| Child | 12383881 | US |
