Patent Application
20080227043
The present invention relates to flame heated candle wax melting plates which follow confined and unconfined conventional candles downwardly during there burning and possesses superior qualities to enable the single plate to float, heat quickly, retain and distribute said heat at a greater distance from the the candle flame and is interchangeable between unconfined and confined conventional candles and more particularly to disposable floating flame heated solid wax melting plates formed in manufacture having only one part and a method of attaching the plate to the candle in the candle building process.
Flame heated melting plates or apparatus candle wax melting devices for following the melting of the candle downwardly have long been used for melting to a liquid, that wax furthest from the candle flame that otherwise would not be melted by the flame, to a liquid form sufficient enough to cause flow of the liquid wax back to the candle wick for burning by the flame, thereby consuming this wax which would otherwise be wasted. Traditionally this is accomplished in many ways. The prior art shows entire candle assembles designed for melting the wax contained therein, multiple part apparatus melting plates designed for confined candles, single plate candle followers designed for unconfined candles, many specialty designs for one or the other of these two types of conventional candles. These multiple part apparatus plates and specialty designed lamps are expensive both in setup to produce and material cost. They further limit commercial potential in that they're designed to be used in just one lamp or on just one type candle. There further limited in commercial potential by not being disposable, wherein they can be sold again to the same user. They are further limited in commercial potential in that many final users or consumers prefer disposal, wherein they wouldn't want to waste time chasing down special wicks and trying to find a local retailer who carries special wax cubes or the like needed for their specialty lamp. They are further limited in commercial potential in that they are not designed to be sold to the final consumer separate from their fuel source. Problems exist in keeping the multiple apparatus plates hot in cooler environments that need to be addressed as will be noted in the prior art patent review that follows. Many of the prior art in their attempt to melt the wax under or around their melting apparatus to a liquid form sufficient to cause the wasted wax in the candle to flow back to the wick and thereby be burnt by the candle flame have in effect accomplished the exact opposite of their intended goal, that being a product that the expense thereof doesn't out weigh the benefits obtained by its use. Design and structure changes need to be made so one plate can accomplish the goals set forth above in floating melting plates and further be used on or in the two most sold candles in the world, the conventional confined and unconfined candles.
The present invention is directed to solve the above described problems wherein the present melting plates are made from a high heat conducting aluminum material or the like constructed or formed to contain desirable novel features in the single plate construction that are inexpensive and disposable. The plate being thinly constructed is easily and quickly heated by the limited heat provided by the candle flame. By quickly getting this heat through the plate to the wax for melting less heat is lost to the surrounding air, unlike a thicker plate in which it is harder to heat up more mass and looses its conductive heat to the surrounding air before it reaches the outer diameter of the plate. In larger diameter plates the plates are provided with extension arms which are cut from the wick receiving hole or molded into the plate if the aluminum is melted and pored into the mold. The extension arms are adjustable to make contact with the candle flame and provide needed conductive heat to the plate especially in larger diameter plates and in cooler environments such as outdoors or at night. The plate in most cases is provided with enclosed air pockets or cavities formed in manufacture within the single plate for floating of the plate by using the bottom of the plate and the wax surface to completely trap air in air pockets formed in the plate. The plate is provided with an outer diameter attaching means wherein in larger diameter plates the attaching means is wider in width and sinks into the wax wherein it is insulated from the surrounding wax by the wax covering it, making larger diameter plates easier heat and keep at a melting temperature. The plate is provided with an attaching means formed into the plate for attaching the plate to candles in the process of making candles. The plate attaching means formed so as the plate attaches itself to an existing candle marketed separate from the plate.
Many objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent herein.
When the term ‘unconfined conventional candle’ is used herein it generically includes candles containing a vertical wick surrounded and supported by a solid wax fuel or paraffin.
When the term ‘confined conventional candle’ is used herein it generically includes candles containing a vertical wick surrounded by a solid wax fuel or paraffin contained in ajar, vessel or can etc.
A list of relevant prior art references is provided. I hereby incorporate-by-specified reference the following prior art patents in entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 977,567 M. H. Sterling Dec. 6, 1910—CANDLE PROTECTOR—Sterling shows a protector plate containing two disks forming an air chamber between for the purpose of reflecting heat away from the candle wax. Note (1) that Sterling protector plate contains two disks. (2) That it is not a plate for conducting heat from the flame to the wax for melting said wax, but the opposite, a plate to reflect the heat away from the wax. (3) That the inventor shows drawings wherein his protector plate sits on top unconfined candle and further makes on claim for use on confined candles. Sterling makes no claims to disposable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,183,688 M. D. Sobelson May 5, 1965—Sobelson shows a floating one-piece wick holder for use on oil lamps only. It is not a solid wax melting plate and in fact claims an annular body portion of oil fuel for dissipating heat from the wick member when lit.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,316 R. A. Wilson Etal Feb. 18, 1964—Etal shows a non-combustible wick holder having a flame heated melting plate containing more than one part for use on blocks of wax containing no wick. This device contains many costly parts and is made for use in confined candles only and further is not made for use on or in confined or unconfined conventional candles having their own wick. Etal makes no claim to disposable.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,184,511 H. J. Bourgeois May 23, 1916—Bourgeois shows an oil lamp containing many parts. Also contains a floating wick holder, which is designed to float on oil. The lamp assemble does not melt solid wax and the float is confined to the lamp it is sold in. Bourgeois makes no claim to disposable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,753 Lee Dec. 7, 1975—Lee shows Flame Heated Wax Burner containing a vessel, heat conducting plates, wax, wick, etc., all combined as a unit. This invention contains many costly parts and is designed to replace the conventional contained candle, therefor is irrelevant to either or confined or unconfined conventional candles. Lee makes no claim to disposable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,397 Neugart Mar. 22, 1977 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,303 Nov. 18, 1980. Neugart shows in his first patent a floating flame heated melting device consisting of a two part plate assembly containing a wick adapted to float on molten wax containing no wick. It is noted that these designs utilize more than one part. It is further noted that the inventor had trouble keeping the plate hot, therefore the second patent. Neugart's problem with keeping his plate hot is crucial to an understanding of melting plates.
Generally accepted and manufactured larger diameter candles are those 2″ to 5″ in diameter. The flame provided from most conventional candles is a very limited heat source for heating of such large diameter melting plates. Therefore it is necessary that the plate make substantial contact with the flame and transfer or conduct this heat quickly into the wax as is provided by the extension arms in the present invention. Second heat always seeks the easiest escape to a cooler surrounding, in a floating apparatus such as Neugart's the addition of a second plate for completing an enclosed float in effect put a insulating plate between the heated air chamber of the float and the wax allowing the heat contained in the plate and air chamber to mostly escape through the top plate instead of the wax. The present invention eliminates this problem by creating a completely enclosed air chamber between a single plate and the wax surface. Thirdly it is very difficult to heat a larger mass of metal such as two plates than it is to heat a single plate to a temperature sufficient to melt wax from such a limited heat source such as the candle flame. The present invention eliminates this problem by providing a thin disposable plate made preferable of inexpensive aluminum. Fourthly, the present invention provides a means for attaching the plate to the candle, however in larger diameter plates the attaching means serves a second purpose wherein it sinks into the wax surface being insulated from the surrounding air making the plate easier to heat at its furthest distance from the candles flame.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,231,656 F. Bormann Feb. 11, 1941 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,349,072 May 16, 1944 F. Bormann. Bormanns patents are designed for slow burning unconfined candles made of beeswax having a thin wick, therefore only for unconfined specialty candles. Bormann partially traps radiant heat between the bottom of his plate and the wax surface for melting of the wax. The present invention entirely traps a unit of air between the plate and the wax surface for floating of the plate. To the inventors knowledge using the wax surface as the bottom plate to complete the making of a completely enclosed float is a new useful principal in melting plates. Both of Bormann's patents are candle followers for use on unconfined conventional candles. Both followers are made of glass, for making the flame visible, for partially tapping radiant heat between the wax and underside of follower and for providing a drip edge to retain the pool of wax on top of the candle from running off the top of the unconfined candle and being wasted. However Bormanns patents have the following disadvantages that the present melting plate overcomes. Bormann's followers are design for only unconfined conventional candles. They are designed with a drip edge to fit over the outside diameter of an unconfined conventional candle, further limiting their use on both types of conventional candles, confined and unconfined. Glass is heavy, if sat on the top surface of the wax it would quickly sink into the wax loosing its ability to trap the much needed radiant heat between the underside of the glass and the wax surface and would no longer function. Glass is used by Bormann in substantial quantity in his second patent for larger diameter unconfined candles having not only a long drip edge and longer follower running vertical down the outside of the candle but also a high central portion higher than the wick for not only trapping radiant heat but also controlling and limiting the size of the flame, thereby creating a more costly and less disposable part. Bormann uses glass due to its poor heat retention qualities limiting the use of direct heat attainable from the flame to be conducted therefrom into a conductive plate such as aluminum and into the surrounding wax. Bormann makes no claims to any material other than glass for his followers. He makes no claims to disposable. He makes no claims to use of his followers other than on unconfined candles and preferably on unconfined candles being made of beeswax and containing a thin wick. He makes no claims to a follower that sits on the top of the candle, wherein the outside diameter of the melting apparatus is smaller in diameter than the outside diameter of the candle it is to be used on.
Looking back on conventional unconfined and confined candles we find that they have changed very little over the past hundreds of years. The reason for this is because wax and wicks are relatively inexpensive and the candle maker can still realize a profit from producing these candles. The present invention adds a very inexpensive melting plate for consuming the wasted wax in these candles, adding very little additional expense to the manufacture of these candles and very little expense to the final user, wherein the benefit obtained from the plate greatly outweighs the cost of the plate.
Heretofor no known candle solid wax melting device has permitted the burning of the wasted wax in,
Reviewing disposable as related to the prior art, products designed and build 30 years ago, quality and long lasting where word's inventors and manufacturers wanted associated with their products. Today we live in a world full of disposable products in fact a large portion of manufactures are seeking disposable products. Disposable products can be sold over and over again to the same customer. The customer benefits for many reasons, the product is less expensive; no need to waste time and money trying to get it repaired it's less expensive to buy a new one. I get the same benefits from the disposal one as I do from the more expensive one and on and on. These benefits are sought after by both manufacturer and the final user and are interpreted to a product as having commercial potential. Disposable is accepted in today's world. It is the nature of the inventor to seek out desirable objects and advantages of their inventions and to further broaden their patents and claims wherever possible. An inventor seeing disposable as a desirable advantage would certainly make claim to such a desirable feature. To the present inventors knowledge there is no known prior art inventor having a one part melting plate that has claimed disposable, as related to the classification the present invention falls in.
The present invention may be summarized as directed to a solid wax melting apparatus adapted to be used on, in or attached to conventional unconfined and confined candles for the purpose of melting the wasted wax in candles to a liquid form sufficient to cause flow of said wax back to the candle wick for burning by the candle flame, said plate following the melting candle downwardly as the wax is consumed.
The following are novel objects and advantages of the present invention.
Within the scope of the present invention the single melting plate designs encompass all of the above mentioned objects and advantages and further allows the plate to be made in more than one size, with or without heat conducting extension arms which would be dependent on the diameter of the plate. The heat conductive adjustable extension arms can be cut, formed, molded or the like in manufacture in any design and shaped as desired. The plate itself can be manufactured to have cavities or pockets formed therein for trapping of air between the wax and the plate in any configuration, shape or anywhere therein. The plate can be shaped having a drip edge or a turned down edge for guiding or following the candle downwardly as the flame consumes the wax. The plate can be turned down around the wick-receiving hole for ease of lighting the wick. The plate can be made of any heat conductive material such as aluminum, copper, or the like. The plate can be floated on the wax surface, semi-floated wherein some part of the plate is submerged, as in floating the center of the plate and allowing the outer diameter of the plate to sink into the wax where it would be insulated on it's outer diameter from the surrounding air and therefor be easier to keep hot or partially or completely submerged. The plate is designed with a preferable attaching means provided for attaching the plate to confined and unconfined conventional candles in the process or manufacture of making candles, however the plate sinks into the liquid wax approximately 3/16″ automatically attaching itself to candles marketed separate from the plate.
The plate can be designed for ease of packaging such as stackable, foldable etc. or even collapsible. In a disposable thin heat conducting plate the plate would encompass prior art plates that fit over the outside diameter of an unconfined conventional candle.
The inventor finds that a simple top of the wax flat light weight melting plate containing a centrally located wick receiving hole somewhat functions in small diameter candles, however it is limited in its function and is not preferred, therefore I do not wish to be limited in the scope of my invention by such an aspect herein.
To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out; reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof.
A fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:
The above-described drawings show the preferred melting plates that are versatile and interchangeable to both confined and unconfined conventional candles. The processes used to make the plate, such as die-cutting, bending or molding is well known in the manufacturing field of like products. Therefor the plate is made as shown in the drawings. The drawings are scaled drawings showing the exact dimensions of the preferred melting plates. The plate is formed from a heat conductive material such as aluminum having a centrally located wick receiving hole therethrough. The inventor has made and used the invention in various forms and finds it functions and operates very well in structures shown herein.
Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like portions throughout the different views, one such plate the preferred floating plate in
The above plate is used in the following two ways. (a) The plate is marketed to the consumer separate from the candle it is to be used on, wherein the consumer purchases a candle and the desired melting plate for the candle of his choosing, the plates wick receiving hole is placed over the candles wick 10 centering the wick 10 in the center of the wick receiving hole 15. The extension arms 12 being bent prior in manufacture to be in contact with the flame of the candle once the candle is lit. The candle is then lit, the extension arms conduct intense heat to the melting plate, the plate melts to a liquid form approximately ⅜″ of the top surface of the candle wax, wherein the plate slowly sinks approximately ¼″ into the wax trapping air in the aperture portion 17 between the underside of the aperture portion 17 and the liquid wax. When the candle flame is extinguished the candle cools and hardens wherein the air trapped in the aperture portion 17 remains trapped.
(b) The plate is marketed to the candle maker or manufacturer of candles, wherein the following steps for a candle following solid wax melting plate method for attaching said plate to confined and unconfined conventional candles are:
The above described single heat conductive melting plate can be constructed in a floating plate such as shown in
A preferable disposable semi-floating candle following solid wax melting plate is created by making the aperture portion 17 smaller thereby containing less air, extending the vertical outer wall of the aperture portion 17 deeper into the wax surface and widening the attaching means portion shown in
In a preferable disposable melting plate it would be made of a thin aluminum capable of holding the shape it is manufactured in.
The extension arms portion 12 add an exceptional preferred heat conductive means for heating of the plate in larger diameter candles by making substantial contact with the candle flame, wherein other prior art apparatus devices make very limited contact with the flame of the candle. Extension arms are not necessary in small diameter candles wherein conductive and radiant heat are obtained from the candle flame for heating of the plate by the conductor plate portion 19 in combination with the existing pool of liquid wax surrounding and heated by the candle flame.
The creation of a completely enclosed float by trapping of air between the underside of the aperture portion 17 and the wax 30 surface is a new novel and preferred structure and feature in floating, semi floating and submergible floating flame heated candle followers for use on and in confined and unconfined conventional candles.
A process of using a submerged melting plate in the making of both confined and unconfined candles is described and shown in the drawing
Since changes may be made in the foregoing disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and depicted in the accompanying drawings be construed in an illustrative and not a limiting sense.
