CANDLE WICK TRIMMING DEVICE

Abstract

A candle wick trimming device including a cutting assembly having first and second elongated members that are pivotably coupled together. A distal portion of the first elongated member has a cavity defined by a floor and a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly therefrom. One of the sidewalls defining the cavity forms a first cutting edge. A distal portion of the second elongated member closes the cavity when the cutting assembly is in a closed state. The second elongated member also has a second cutting edge at its distal-most end. The first and second cutting edges interact to shear a candle wick to a desired length and force the sheared portion of the candle wick into the cavity.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to devices used to trim candle wicks, and more specifically to devices which trim candle wicks to a specific height and capture the portion clipped therefrom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the candle industry, it is generally understood that the length of a candle wick plays a significant role in the overall functionality of the candle. A candle wick that is excessively long will result in an undesirably large flame that will burn the candle too quickly resulting in secondary wells in the wax that prevent the candle from burning uniformly. A candle wick that is too short will create a small flame that might have difficulty staying lit. There are candle wick trimming devices in existence that are specifically designed to trim a candle wick to a desired height. However, these existing candle wick trimming devices suffer from drawbacks including failure to adequately trim the wick to an appropriate height, failure to adequately capture the wick clipping resulting in the wick clipping and ash falling into the candle, and failure to enable the wick trimming device to adequately engage the wick due to size constraints or the like. Thus, a need exists for a candle wick trimming device that overcomes these and other deficiencies.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a candle wick trimming device having a cutting assembly that includes first and second arms that are pivotably coupled together. The first and second arms have portions that collectively cut a wick of a candle and capture the cut portion of the wick for later disposal.

In one aspect, the invention can be a candle wick trimming device comprising: a cutting assembly comprising a first elongated member and a second elongated member that are pivotably coupled together; a distal portion of the first elongated member comprising a cavity defined by a floor and a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls comprising a first cutting edge; a distal portion of the second elongated member comprising a second cutting edge located at a distal-most end of the second elongated member; and wherein the first and second elongated members are pivotably coupled together so that the cutting assembly is alterable between: (1) a first state in which the cavity has an open top end; and (2) a second state in which the distal portion of the second elongated member closes the open top end of the cavity.

In another aspect, the invention can be a candle wick trimming device comprising: a cutting assembly comprising a first elongated member and a second elongated member that are pivotably coupled together to transition the cutting assembly between a first state and a second state, the cutting assembly extending along a longitudinal axis in the second state; a distal portion of the first elongated member comprising a cavity having an open top end, the cavity defined by a floor and a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor; a distal portion of the second elongated member comprising an inner surface that closes the cavity of the distal portion of the first elongated member when the first and second elongated members are in the second state; and wherein the first elongated member terminates at a first distal end and the second elongated member terminates at a second distal end, the first and second distal ends being axially offset from one another.

In yet another aspect, the invention can be candle wick trimming device comprising: a cutting assembly having an outer surface comprising a front surface, a rear surface, and first and second side surfaces extending between the front and rear surfaces; the cutting assembly comprising a first elongated member and a second elongated member that are pivotably coupled together, the cutting assembly alterable between a first state and a second state via relative pivoting of the first and second elongated members; a distal portion of the first elongated member comprising a cavity having an open top end that is closed by a distal portion of the second elongated member when the cutting assembly is in the second state; wherein the first elongated member and the second elongated member each form a portion of both of the first and second side surfaces of the outer surface of the cutting assembly; and wherein each of the first and second side surfaces of the outer surface of the cutting assembly has a substantially constant width measured between the front and rear surfaces of the cutting assembly.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the following figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a candle wick trimming device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the candle wick trimming device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a front view of the candle wick trimming device of FIG. 1 in a partially open state;

FIG. 3B is a front view of the candle wick trimming device of FIG. 1 in a closed state;

FIGS. 4A-4C are views of a distal portion of a first elongated member of the candle wick trimming device of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5A-5C are views of a distal portion of a second elongated member of the candle wick trimming device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the candle wick trimming device of FIG. 1, shown positioned for trimming a wick of a candle;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the candle wick trimming device of FIG. 1, shown in the process of trimming a wick of a candle; and

FIG. 8 is a detailed view of a distal portion of the candle wick trimming device of FIG. 1, shown after a wick has been trimmed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the preferred embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such preferred embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 concurrently, a candle wick trimming device 100 will be described in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As its name suggests, the candle wick trimming device 100 is configured to trim the wick of a candle to an appropriate length to ensure optimal performance of the candle. In one particular embodiment, the desired length of the candle wick is between ⅛″ and ¼″, and more specifically approximately ¼″, although the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments. However, in certain embodiments the candle wick trimming device 100 has a fixed cutting height, meaning it always cuts candle wicks to the same height and this is not adjustable. Of course, modifications are possible that would allow for adjustment in the cutting height in alternative embodiments.

The candle wick trimming device 100 generally comprises a cutting assembly 110 and a handle assembly 180. Furthermore, in the exemplified embodiment the candle wick trimming device 100 also comprises a pair of dowel rods 190 that are used for coupling the handle assembly 180 to the cutting assembly 110. However, the dowel rods 190 are not required in all embodiments and other techniques or mechanisms may be used for coupling the handle assembly 180 to the cutting assembly 110 in other embodiments, such as for example without limitation welding, adhesion, glue, hook-and-loop, interference fit, or the like.

The cutting assembly 110 comprises a first elongated member 111 and a second elongated member 112 that are pivotably coupled together in a manner similar to a pair of scissors. Specifically, in the exemplified embodiment the first elongated member 111 has a first opening 114 therein and the second elongated member 112 has a second opening 115 therein. Assembly of the candle wick trimming device 100 is achieved by aligning the openings 114, 115 and inserting a pivot pin 113 therethrough. The pivot pin 113 couples the first and second elongated members 111, 112 together while permitting them to pivot/move relative to one another between open and closed states as best illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B described in greater detail below.

The first elongated member 111 extends from a proximal end 116 to a distal end 117. The second elongated member 112 extends from a proximal end 118 to a distal end 119. The handle assembly 180 comprises a first handle 181 coupled to the proximal end 116 of the first elongated member 111 and a second handle 182 coupled to the proximal end 118 of the second elongated member 112. Each of the first and second handles 181, 182 comprises a closed loop within which a user can insert his/her fingers to actuate the cutting assembly 110 between the open and closed states. In the exemplified embodiment, the first handle 181 has a small circular loop and the second handle 182 has a larger (relative to the first handle 181) oval shaped loop. Thus, during use a person would insert the thumb into the opening of the first handle 181 and one or more fingers into the opening of the second handle 182. Of course, the particular elongated member 111, 112 to which the first and second handles 181, 182 is coupled may be swapped and/or the particular shape of the opening of the first and second handles 181, 182 may be other than that which is depicted in the drawings in other embodiments. Thus, the invention is not to be particularly limited by the shape or size of the first and second handles 181, 182 in all embodiments.

In certain embodiments the first and second elongated members 111, 112 are formed of a metal material and the first and second handles 181, 182 are formed of a plastic material. Using metal for the first and second elongated members 111, 112 makes them better suited for performing a wick cutting action as described below. However, metal is not required for the first and second elongated members 111, 112 in all embodiments and they may be formed of plastic or other materials in other embodiments and still be capable of cutting a candle wick. Furthermore, the handles 181, 182 may be formed of metal, wood, or other materials in other embodiments. The first and second handles 181, 182 may be designed to have a particular aesthetic, such as a wood grain appearance, a particular color, a particular pattern, or the like, in certain embodiments as desired.

The first elongated member 111 comprises a distal portion 120 (which comprises the distal end 117) and a proximal portion 121 (which comprises the proximal end 116). The second elongated member 112 comprises a distal portion 140 (which comprises the distal end 119) and a proximal portion 141 (which comprises the proximal end 118). The distal portions 120, 140 of the first and second elongated members 111, 112 collectively form a wick cutting and storage member 199 of the candle wick trimming device 100. Thus, the distal portions 120, 140 of the first and second elongated members 111, 112 work cooperatively to trim a candle wick and to retain the wick clipping in an enclosed volume for later disposal thereof.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the candle wick trimming device 100 will be further described. FIG. 3A illustrates the candle wick trimming device 100 in a first state, also referred to herein as an open state or a partially open state. In the first state, the first and second elongated members 111, 112 are pivoted relative to one another about the pivot pin 113 to create a space between the distal portions 120, 140 of the first and second elongated members 111, 112. Thus, when the cutting assembly 110 is in the first (or open) state, a candle wick can be inserted into the space between the distal portions 120, 140 of the first and second elongated members 111, 112 so that it can be cut.

FIG. 3B illustrates the candle wick trimming device 100 in a second state, also referred to herein as a closed state. In the second state, the proximal portions 121, 141 of the first and second elongated members 111, 112 are positioned close to one another and the distal portions 120, 140 of the first and second elongated members 111, 112 form an enclosed cavity. In the second state, the cutting assembly 110 of the candle wick trimming device 100 extends along a longitudinal axis A-A. The first elongated member 111 has a first length L1 measured from the proximal end 116 to the distal end 117 along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A. The second elongated member 112 has a second length L2 measured from the proximal end 118 to the distal end 119 along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A. The first length L1 is greater than the second length L2. Thus, the distal ends 117, 119 of the first and second elongated members 111, 112 are axially offset from one another because the distal end 117 of the first elongated member 111 is located further along the longitudinal axis A-A than the distal end 119 of the second elongated member 112. Stated another way, the distal end 117 of the first elongated member 111 extends beyond the distal end 119 of the second elongated member 112 in a direction of the longitudinal axis A-A.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3A, and 3B, the distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111 has an inner surface 136 and an outer surface 137 and the proximal portion 121 of the first elongated member 111 has an inner surface 138 and an outer surface 139. The distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 111 has an inner surface 148 and an outer surface 149 and the proximal portion 141 of the second elongated member 112 has an inner surface 150 and an outer surface 151.

In the closed state (FIGS. 1 and 3B), the cutting assembly 110 has an outer surface that comprises a front surface 101, a rear surface 109 opposite the front surface, a first side surface 102, and a second side surface 103 opposite the first side surface 102. In the exemplified embodiment, the first side surface 102 of the cutting assembly 110 is formed by the outer surface 139 of the proximal portion 121 of the first elongated member 111 and the outer surface 149 of the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112. Furthermore, the second side surface 103 is formed by the outer surface 151 of the proximal portion 141 of the second elongated member 112 and the outer surfaced 137 of the distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111. Despite being formed from portions of different ones of the elongated members 111, 112, each of the first and second side surfaces 102, 103 of the cutting assembly 110 is a continuous and substantially planar surface. The term substantially planar may encompass a slight curvature in the first and second side surfaces 102, 103 in some embodiments. Regardless, there are smooth transitions from the first and second elongated members 111, 112 at the first and second side surfaces 102, 103 of the cutting assembly 110, which creates a device with a low profile and a clean aesthetic appearance.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 3B, despite being formed from a combination of the first and second elongated members 111, 112, the first side surface 102 of the cutting assembly 110 has a substantially constant width W3 measured between the front and rear surfaces 101, 109 of the cutting assembly 110 along the entire length of the cutting assembly 110. Similarly, the second side surface 103 of the cutting assembly 110 has a substantially constant width W4 measured between the front and rear surfaces 101, 109 of the cutting assembly 110 along the entire length of the cutting assembly 110. Thus, the cutting assembly 110 maintains a relatively small width overall, which enables it to easily come into contact with the wick of a candle even when the candle is contained within a container (such as a votive candle, a candle held in a glass container, or the like).

In certain embodiments, with the cutting assembly 110 in the second (i.e., closed) state, the candle wick trimming device 100 has an overall length (measured from the end of the handle assembly 180 to the distal end 117 of the first elongated member 111) of between 25 cm and 30 cm and the cutting assembly 110 has a maximum width (measured between the outer surface 139 of the proximal portion 121 of the first elongated arm 111 and the outer surface 151 of the proximal portion 141 of the second elongated arm 112) of between 1.5 cm and 2.0 cm. In some embodiments, a ratio of the overall length of the candle wick trimming device 100 to the maximum width of the cutting assembly 110 is between 10:1 and 20:1, and more specifically between 14:1 and 17:1, and still more specifically between 15:1 and 16:1. In certain embodiments, the cutting assembly 110 has an overall length (measured from the proximal end 116 of the first elongated member 111 to the distal end 117 of the first elongated member 111) of between 15 cm and 16 cm. In some embodiments, a ratio of the length of the cutting assembly to the maximum width of the cutting assembly 110 is between 8:1 and 10:1. This further facilitates enabling the candle wick trimming device 100 to reach a candle wick for trimming even in a large candle held in a container or jar after much of the wax of the candle has already burned away.

The cutting assembly 110 is transitioned from the first state (FIG. 3A) to the second state (FIG. 3B) during a wick cutting operation. Specifically, during transitioning from the first state to the second state, a portion of the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 engages a portion of the distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111 to cut or shear a candle wick or other object that is placed therebetween. This will be described in greater detail below with specific reference to FIGS. 6-8.

Referring to FIGS. 4A-4C, the distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111 will be described in greater detail. The distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111 comprises a cavity 122 that is defined by a floor 123 and a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor 123. The cavity 122 comprises an open top end 129 located at the distal ends of the sidewalls. The plurality of sidewalls includes a first sidewall 124, a second sidewall 125 opposite the first sidewall 124, a third sidewall 126, and a fourth sidewall 127 opposite the third sidewall 126. The third and fourth sidewalls 126, 127 extend between the first and second sidewalls 124, 125. The first sidewall 124 comprises a first cutting edge 128. More specifically, in the exemplified embodiment the first sidewall 124 terminates at a first cutting edge 128 that cooperates with a cutting edge of the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 during a wick cutting action as discussed in more detail below.

Each of the third and fourth sidewalls 126, 127 has a varying height, measured from the floor 123 of the cavity 122 to a distal or terminal end of the third and fourth sidewalls 126, 127, along their extension between the first and second sidewalls 124, 125. The third sidewall 126 extends from the floor 123 of the cavity 122 to a distal edge 152 and the fourth sidewall 127 extends from the floor 123 of the cavity 122 to a distal edge 153. The third and fourth sidewalls 126, 127 are spaced apart from one another by the cavity 122. Furthermore, the third and fourth sidewalls 126, 127 each have a first portion 130 adjacent to the first sidewall 124 and having a first height H1 and a second portion 131 adjacent to the second sidewall 125 and having a second height H2. The second height H2 is greater than the first height H1. This reduced height portion of the third and fourth sidewalls 126, 127 creates a recess 132 between the second portions 131 of each of the third and fourth sidewalls 126, 127 and the first sidewall 124. Furthermore, there is a transverse gap 133 that extends between the recesses 132. The recesses 132 and the gap 133 collectively form a space within which a portion of the second elongated member 112 nests when the cutting assembly 110 is in the second or closed state as discussed in more detail below.

The distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111 comprises a longitudinal wall 134 extending from the distal end 118 of the first elongated member 111 to the first sidewall 124. The length L3 of the longitudinal wall 134 is specifically selected to be the length of the portion of the wick of the candle that remains after it is cut by the candle wick trimming device 100. Thus, in certain embodiments the length L3 of the longitudinal wall 134 is between ⅛″ and ¼″, and more specifically approximately ¼″. However, this length may be changed as desired in alternative embodiments, which will directly result in a modification to the length a candle wick cut by the candle wick trimming device 100.

The longitudinal wall 134 comprises a wick retaining channel 135 that extends from the distal end 118 of the first elongated member 111 to the first sidewall 124. Thus, the wick retaining channel 135 extends along the entire length of the longitudinal wall 134. The wick retaining channel 135 extends along an axis B-B and has a width W1 measured transverse to the axis B-B. During a cutting operation as described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 6-8, the candle wick nests within the wick retaining channel 135. This assists in aligning the candle wick with the cutting edges of the cutting assembly 110.

Referring now to FIGS. 5A-5C, the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 will be described. The distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 comprises an inner surface 142 and an opposing outer surface 143. The inner surface 142 of the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 faces the cavity 122 of the distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111 when the first and second elongated members 111, 112 are coupled together. Furthermore, the inner surface 142 of the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 closes the open top end 129 of the cavity 122 of the distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111 when the first and second elongated members 111, 112 are coupled together in the second or closed state.

The distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 also comprises a second cutting edge 144. The second cutting edge 144 is integrally formed with the second elongated member 112. Thus, in the exemplified embodiment the second cutting edge 144 is in a fixed location and cannot be moved. Stated another way, the second cutting edge 144 is not a separate component from the second elongated member 112, but rather it is a part of the unitary component of the second elongated member 112.

The second cutting edge 144 is located at a distal-most end of the second elongated arm 112. Stated another way, the second elongated arm 112 has a distal surface 145 at the distal end 119 thereof. The terminal end of the distal surface 145 forms the second cutting edge 144. The second cutting edge 144 is quite thin, which increases the sharpness of the second cutting edge 144 and increases its effectiveness in performing a wick cutting action. The second cutting edge 144 has a width W2. In certain embodiments, the width W2 of the second cutting edge 144 is approximately the same as the width W1 of the wick retaining channel 135 described above.

Furthermore, a first bumper wall 146 and a second bumper wall 147 extend from the inner surface 142 of the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112. Each of the first and second bumper walls 146, 147 protrudes beyond the second cutting edge 144 on opposing sides of the second cutting edge 144. Thus, the first and second bumper walls 146, 147 collectively act as a safety feature by preventing the second cutting edge 144 from directly contacting a user's finger or the like. Specifically, if a user were to attempt to contact the second cutting edge 144 with his/her finger, the user's finger would be prevented from directly contacting the second cutting edge 144 by the first and second bumper walls 146, 147.

Each of the first and second bumper walls 146, 147 extends from the inner surface 142 of the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 at an oblique angle. Specifically, in the exemplified embodiment an angle 0 is formed between each of the first and second bumper walls 146, 147 and the inner surface 142. In the exemplified embodiment, the angle θ is an obtuse angle, although it could be perpendicular in other embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 6-8, operation of the candle wick trimming device 100 will be described. First, with reference to FIG. 6, the candle wick trimming device 100 is illustrated with the cutting assembly 110 in the first or open state and with the cutting assembly 110 addressing a wick 201 of a candle 200. To address the wick 201 of the candle 200, the distal end 117 of the first elongated member 111 is placed into contact with a top surface 202 of the candle 200. The distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111 is moved towards the wick 201 until the wick 201 rests within the wick retaining channel 135 of the longitudinal wall 134. If the wick 201 is longer than the length of the longitudinal wall 134, a portion 203 of the wick 201 will protrude past the longitudinal wall 134. This portion of the wick 201 is the portion that will be cut by the candle wick trimming device 100 during the cutting operation. At this point in the cutting operation, the cavity 122 of the distal portion 120 of the first elongated member 111 is open.

Next, referring to FIG. 7, to achieve cutting of the portion 203 of the wick 201, the cutting assembly 110 is transitioned from the first open state into the second closed state while the wick 201 remains nested within the wick retaining channel 135. Transitioning from the first state to the second state is achieved by pivoting the first elongated member 111 relative to the second elongated member 112. As the cutting assembly 110 is transitioned into the second state, the second cutting edge 144 of the second elongated member 112 engages the first cutting edge 128 of the first elongated member 111 to shear the wick 201, and specifically to cut/separate the portion 203 of the wick 201 from the remainder of the wick 201. More specifically, the second cutting edge 144 of the second elongated member 112 slides past the first cutting edge 128 of the first elongated member 111, and this sliding action results in shearing of the wick 201.

As the cutting assembly 110 transitions into the second state, the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 closes the open top end 129 of the cavity 122 to form an enclosed volume of space. Specifically, the floor 123, the sidewalls 124-127, and the inner surface 142 of the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 collectively define an enclosed volume of space, which defines a receptacle for storage of the portion 203 of the wick 201 that has been cut.

Referring to FIG. 8, a close-up of the distal portions 120, 140 of the first and second elongated members 111, 112 is illustrated after the wick 201 has been cut. As can be seen, the portion 203 of the wick 201 that has been cut is held within the cavity 122, and more specifically within the enclosed volume formed by the cavity 122 and the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 which closes the open top end 129 of the cavity 122. Due to the structure of the wick trimming device 100, immediately upon cutting the wick 201, the portion 203 of the wick 201 that is cut is forced into the cavity 122. Specifically, because the cavity 122 is closed by the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 at the same time as the wick 201 is cut, the portion 203 of the wick 201 is forced into the cavity 122 and unable to leave the cavity 122 until the cutting assembly 110 is transitioned back into the first or open state. Thus, a user can carry the portion 203 of the wick 201 around in the cavity 122 of the candle wick trimming device 100 until the user can find a receptacle or trash can to place the cut portion 203 of the wick 201 into. This prevents the cut portion 203 of the wick 201 from falling onto the candle and protects the appearance of the candle.

With the cutting assembly 110 in the closed state, a first portion 155 of the distal end 119 of the second elongated member 112 abuts against the first sidewall 124 of the first elongated member 111 and a second portion 156 of the distal end 119 of the second elongated member 112 protrudes or extends beyond the first sidewall 124 of the first elongated member 111 in a direction that is transverse to the longitudinal axis A-A. Furthermore, in the closed state, the inner surface 142 of the distal portion 140 of the second elongated member 112 covers the distal edges 152, 153 of the third and fourth sidewalls 126, 127 and covers the distal edge of the second sidewall 125 to close the open top end 129 of the cavity 122 while leaving the distal edge (i.e., the first cutting edge 128) of the first sidewall 124 exposed and uncovered.

While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A candle wick trimming device comprising: a cutting assembly comprising a first elongated member and a second elongated member that are pivotably coupled together;a distal portion of the first elongated member comprising a cavity defined by a floor and a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls comprising a first cutting edge;a distal portion of the second elongated member comprising a second cutting edge located at a distal-most end of the second elongated member; andwherein the first and second elongated members are pivotably coupled together so that the cutting assembly is alterable between: (1) a first state in which the cavity has an open top end; and (2) a second state in which the distal portion of the second elongated member closes the open top end of the cavity.

2. The candle wick trimming device of claim 1 wherein during pivoting of the first and second elongated members from the first state to the second state, the first and second cutting edges engage one another to shear a portion of a candle wick, and wherein the sheared portion of the candle wick is forced into the cavity.

3. The candle wick trimming device of claim 1 wherein the first elongated member extends from a proximal end to a distal end and has a first length measured therebetween and the second elongated member extends from a proximal end to a distal end and has a second length measured therebetween, the first length being greater than the second length.

4. The candle wick trimming device of claim 3 wherein the cutting assembly extends along a longitudinal axis when the first and second elongated members are in the second state, and wherein the distal end of the first elongated member extends beyond the distal end of the second elongated member in a direction of the longitudinal axis.

5. The candle wick trimming device of claim 3 wherein the cutting assembly extends along a longitudinal axis when the first and second elongated members are in the second state, and wherein the first elongated member comprises a longitudinal wall extending from the distal end of the first elongated member to the first sidewall, and wherein the longitudinal wall comprises a wick retaining channel extending from the distal end of the first elongated member to the first sidewall.

6. The candle wick trimming device of claim 1 wherein the first elongated member has a proximal portion extending from the distal portion of the first elongated member to a proximal end of the first elongated member, and wherein in the second state an outer surface of the proximal portion of the first elongated member and an outer surface of the distal portion of the second elongated member form a continuous and substantially planar first side surface of an outer surface of the cutting assembly.

7. The candle wick trimming device of claim 6 wherein the second elongated member has a proximal portion extending from the distal portion of the second elongated member to a proximal end of the second elongated member, and wherein in the second state an outer surface of the proximal portion of the second elongated member and an outer surface of the distal portion of the first elongated member form a continuous and substantially planar second side surface of the outer surface of the cutting assembly.

8. The candle wick trimming device of claim 1 wherein the second cutting edge of the second elongated member is integrally formed with the second elongated member.

9. The candle wick trimming device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sidewalls comprises the first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, a third sidewall, and a fourth sidewall opposite the third sidewall, the third and fourth sidewalls extending between the first and second sidewalls, wherein the third and fourth sidewalls have a first portion adjacent the first sidewall having a first height and a second portion adjacent the second sidewall having a second height, the second height being greater than the first height.

10. The candle wick trimming device of claim 9 further comprising a recess between the second portions of each of the third and fourth sidewalls and the first sidewall, the recesses spaced apart by a gap, and wherein in the second state the second cutting edge of the distal portion of the second elongated member nests within the gap between the recesses.

11. The candle wick trimming device of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls terminates in a distal edge, and wherein in the second state an inner surface of the distal portion of the second elongated member covers the distal edge of the second, third, and fourth sidewalls and closes an opening into the cavity while leaving the distal edge of the first sidewall exposed.

12. The candle wick trimming device of claim 1 wherein in the second state a first portion of the distal-most end of the second elongated member abuts against the first sidewall and a second portion of the distal-most end of the second elongated member extends beyond the first sidewall.

13. A candle wick trimming device comprising: a cutting assembly comprising a first elongated member and a second elongated member that are pivotably coupled together to transition the cutting assembly between a first state and a second state, the cutting assembly extending along a longitudinal axis in the second state;a distal portion of the first elongated member comprising a cavity having an open top end, the cavity defined by a floor and a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor;a distal portion of the second elongated member comprising an inner surface that closes the cavity of the distal portion of the first elongated member when the first and second elongated members are in the second state; andwherein the first elongated member terminates at a first distal end and the second elongated member terminates at a second distal end, the first and second distal ends being axially offset from one another.

14. The candle wick trimming device of claim 13 wherein the first elongated member has a longitudinal wall extending between the first distal end of the first elongated member and the second distal end of the second elongated member when the first and second elongated members are in the second state.

15. The candle wick trimming device of claim 14, further comprising a wick retaining channel formed into the longitudinal wall of the first elongated member, the wick retaining channel extending from the first distal end of the first elongated member to a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls, the first sidewall comprising a first cutting edge that interacts with a second cutting edge of the distal portion of the second elongated member to shear a candle wick when the cutting assembly is transitioned from the first state to the second state.

16. The candle wick trimming device of claim 13 wherein the first elongated member extends from a first proximal end to the first distal end and has a first length and wherein the second elongated member extends from a second proximal end to the second distal end and has a second length, the first length being greater than the second length.

17. The candle wick trimming device of claim 16 further comprising a first handle coupled to the proximal end of the first elongated member and a second handle coupled to the proximal end of the second elongated member.

18. A candle wick trimming device comprising: a cutting assembly having an outer surface comprising a front surface, a rear surface, and first and second side surfaces extending between the front and rear surfaces;the cutting assembly comprising a first elongated member and a second elongated member that are pivotably coupled together, the cutting assembly alterable between a first state and a second state via relative pivoting of the first and second elongated members;a distal portion of the first elongated member comprising a cavity having an open top end that is closed by a distal portion of the second elongated member when the cutting assembly is in the second state;wherein with the cutting assembly in the second state the first elongated member and the second elongated member each form a portion of both of the first and second side surfaces of the outer surface of the cutting assembly; andwherein each of the first and second side surfaces of the outer surface of the cutting assembly has a substantially constant width measured between the front and rear surfaces of the cutting assembly.

19. The candle wick trimming device of claim 18 wherein the cutting assembly extends along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the first elongated member terminates at a first distal end and the second elongated member terminates at a second distal end, the first and second distal ends being axially offset from one another.

20. The candle wick trimming device of claim 18 wherein the cavity of the distal portion of the first elongated member is defined by a floor and a plurality of sidewalls extending from the floor, a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls forming a first cutting edge, and wherein a distal-most end of the second elongated member forms a second cutting edge that interacts with the first cutting edge to shear a candle wick.