Patent Grant
11660244
The present invention relates generally to the field of memorial or internment vessels used to store ashes of a cremated person, pet or other precious items. More specifically, the present invention relates to a type of container or other device equipped with a battery-operated eternal flame, illumination or other lighting feature, speaker, communication module, LED lighting and remote control capability. The candle-like device of the present invention allows a user to turn on a light located in the device for an extended period time, while simultaneously storing the ashes of a loved one or other precious item.
More specifically, a user can illuminate the commemorative device in remembrance of a loved one while knowing that the cremated remains or other memento of the loved one are within the device. Additionally, the device may have a speaker for the user to play music, a sound, or prerecorded message, and the capability of wireless communication to enable the user to remotely control the various functions of the device from a mobile application on a remote electronic device. Still further, the device may have a memory and one or more sensors to detect, for example, motion, light and/or sound which will then trigger activation of the device. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, many individuals desire to remember or honor a loved one after the loved one passes away, or if the deceased is not conveniently located near the individuals. Accordingly, many such individuals will typically light candles in remembrance of a loved one who has died or left. Unfortunately, it is not always feasible or practical to keep a candle burning for a prolonged length of time. For example, keeping a candle burning for an extended period of time may cause a safety hazard, or the candle could become unintentionally extinguished, for example, by the wind. Additionally, actual candles have to be frequently replaced when, for example, they fully burn through the length of the candle or wick, and may also leave wax or other debris behind.
In addition, individuals who received the cremated ashes of a loved one oftentimes place those ashes in large urns or other containers that may be cumbersome to handle and may not blend in well with the individual's home decor. Those urns are then, generally, eventually buried in burial plots. A typical urn is also shaped like a vase with a smaller base, wider middle that extends up to an opening that usually has a lip. Although these urns can be decorative, there is generally no ability to place a candle or other lighting or illumination feature on the urn. Accordingly, an individual would need to purchase a separate candle to place near the urn to light if the individual desires to honor the loved one in such a way, and the two objects could become separated or otherwise displaced.
Another limitation of a standard urn is the inability to have music, a recorded message or the like emerge or be emitted from the urn. More often than not, an individual will want to hear a favorite song, a calming sound, a biblical passage, poetry, other readings or a pre-recorded message while remembering the loved one. With the standard urn, like a candle, the individual would need to have a separate device to play the music, sound, or message which would now result in the need for the individual to purchase and display three separate device. In addition, having three separate devices may prevent the individual from placing the loved one's cremated ashes or other memorabilia in a desirable place.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a memorial vessel, container or other device that allows a user to place the cremated ashes or other personal items of a loved one inside the device while also being able to simulate the flame of a candle. More specifically, there is a long felt need in the art for a memorial vessel, container or device that is both capable of illumination and that contains a space in which to place the cremated ashes or other personal items of a loved one for remembrance. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a simulated flame or other illumination device that also provides a mechanism to allow the user to listen to music, sounds, poetry, readings, religious passages or messages without requiring the user to have to purchase and then display yet another separate device. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a memorial vessel, remembrance or other keepsake device that provides a mechanism to illuminate the vessel or device through the use of a battery to avoid the safety hazard of having an actual open flame exposed for extended periods of time, and to prevent the same from becoming unintentionally extinguished. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a remembrance device that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, provides a suitable chamber for personal or precious items and that is both safe and easy to use.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a remembrance vessel or memorial container that is comprised of a body, which may be cylindrical in shape or have other geometric configurations, base and a bulb. The body is relatively lightweight and supported by a detachable base. In one embodiment, the body is generally a cylindrical shape to emulate the look of a pillar candle. The remembrance vessel is further comprised of a base that fastens or is otherwise secured to the bottom or lower surface of the body. The base further contains a hollowed area in which an individual may place the cremated ashes or other precious items of a loved one or any other memento or item the individual desires to secure in a discreet manner. Moreover, the memorial vessel may also have a battery-powered speaker system whereby music, a sound, readings, poetry or a personal message or voice play back of the deceased may be heard from the vessel.
In this manner, the novel remembrance device of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides a relatively safe, easy, convenient and cost-effective solution to allow a user to remember and honor a loved one in a safe and respectful manner and display a simulated flame or light while doing so. The novel remembrance device also provides the user with the ability to listen to music, sounds, readings, poetry or a message while remembering and honoring a loved one.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a remembrance vessel that allows a user to have an illumination feature, such as a candle, without the use of an open flame in order to remember and honor a loved one. The vessel may also store the cremated ashes, precious relics or other mementos of a loved one. The vessel is comprised of a body and a base. The vessel body is preferably formed from a rigid and durable material and may be provided with graphics that simulate or mimic a particular object. The body is generally geometrically shaped, and in one embodiment emulates that of a pillar candle. Nonetheless, other geometric configurations may include, without limitation, a square, hexagon, triangle, rectangle or any other shape that the individual desires. The body may also be customizable and may be comprised of any material suitable to achieve a particular effect.
In addition, the body may include other deformable or shapable elements to allow an individual to physically interact with the vessel, such as through holding or caressing it. The deformable material may be a foam rubber material adhered to the exterior of the surface and may form fit to the hand of the holder so that the individual can feel connected to the vessel in a personal way. An outer shell for the body of the vessel may also be constructed to allow for style and seasonal changes to the appearance of the vessel.
The body may also have a switch, button or sensor to turn on the bulb and/or sound portion of the device. The body may also contain a speaker in which to hear music, sounds or a prerecorded message. The sensor may be motion, light or sound activated. In addition, the body may contain a timer so that the message is played at certain pre-defined times. The body may further include a video screen to allow photos or other videos to be displayed in a loop or other arrangement on an exterior surface of the vessel.
As noted above, the vessel of the device has a hollow portion where an individual can place the cremated ashes or other memento, relics, or precious items of a loved one and may further comprise a lock for securing the same therein. The base is preferably attached to the body through a threading system, or other fastening mechanism that will allow the base to firmly connect and be secured to the body portion. The base may also include one or more dimples or other indentions along the outside to allow a user to comfortably yet securely hold or grip the vessel, and to be able to separate the base from the main body of the remembrance vessel as needed. As stated above with respect to the body, the base may also contain a switch, button or sensor to turn on the bulb or illumination feature or the sound or video portion of the vessel, and a wireless communication module. The user may use the wireless communication module to pair the vessel to a remote control or mobile application on an electronic device, such as a smart phone, to activate the video, illumination, music and/or sound features of the vessel.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the remembrance vessel is comprised of a bulb or illumination feature that can be turned on or illuminated when the owner desires. The bulb or illumination feature is preferably fastened to the body by inserting the threads on the bottom of the bulb into the corresponding threads in the bulb opening. The bulb may also be snapped or plugged into place in the bulb opening. Once inserted, the bulb or illumination feature would connect with a power supply, such as a battery, that would allow the bulb or illumination device to turn on when engaged. Alternatively, the remembrance vessel may also include a traditional plug so that the vessel can be used without a battery. As previously stated, the power to the bulb may be turned on through the use of a switch, button, or simply by engagement in the bulb opening. Alternatively, the power may be turned on remotely via the mobile application that is in wireless communication with the wireless communication module of the remembrance vessel. The illumination feature may cycle through several sequences such as a first sequence when it is on, a second sequence when it is off, a third sequence when the light flickers and a fourth sequence when the light is in a dimmed or lower power mode.
In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the remembrance vessel device also comprises a battery compartment. The battery compartment is of a size and shape suitable for an ample number of batteries to fit completely inside the compartment. Once installed, the batteries would connect to a circuit system connected to the bulb or illumination feature, the sound emitter, wireless communication module and any other component that requires electrical power to function. The circuit system may also connect to a switch, button or sensor which, when turned on, would allow the current to flow directly to, and light up, the bulb or power another component. The battery may be disposable or rechargeable and may include any size battery including, without limitation, AAA, AA, C, D or 9-volt batteries. When not using battery power, the compartment may contain other keepsakes or memorabilia in a secure manner and may comprise a lock that is only accessible by the owner.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there is a long felt need in the art for a memorial internment vessel that allows a user to place the cremated ashes or other personal items of a loved one inside the vessel, while also simulating the flame of a candle. More particularly, there is a long felt need in the art for a memorial internment vessel that is both capable of illumination and that contains a space in which to place the cremated ashes or other personal items of a loved one for remembrance. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a simulated flame or other illumination device that also provides a mechanism to allow the user to listen to music, sounds, poetry, readings, religious passages or a message without requiring the user to have to purchase and then display yet another separate device. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a memorial vessel, remembrance or other keepsake device that provides a mechanism to illuminate the vessel or device through the use of a battery to avoid the safety hazard of having an actual open flame exposed for extended periods of time, and to prevent the same from becoming unintentionally extinguished. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a remembrance device that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, provides a suitable chamber for personal or precious items and that is both safe and easy to use.
Referring initially to the drawings,
As best shown in
The sidewall 111 extends upward from the underside 117 to an upper rim 112, and the upper rim 112 may be a curvature pattern around the circumference of the body 110, similar to that of a melting candle. That is, the edges may be scalloped or shaped to simulate the melting that occurs with a wax candle as the heat slowly melts the sides of the candle away. Nonetheless, the sidewall 111 is not so limited, and may be any design or configuration that suits user need and/or preference, such as a column or square. In addition, an outer shell (not shown) that is roughly the same size and shape as the sidewall 111 may be removably placed around the sidewall 111, thereby providing a changeable decorative or seasonal pattern without having to change the appearance of the sidewall 111 itself.
The vessel 100 may also include a speaker to emit music, sounds, poetry, prayers or other recorded messages from the vessel 100. In order to emit the music, sounds or a recorded message, the vessel 100 may have a switch, button, motion sensor or the user may gently touch the vessel 100 either on the body 110 or the base 130. In addition, the individual may also download a mobile application on a smartphone or other remote electronic device to operate the music, sound, video or recorded message feature of the vessel 100 via a wireless communication module contained in the vessel, as explained more fully below. Alternatively, a hand-held remote control may also be used to operate the music, sound, video or recorded message feature of the vessel 100, or any other component.
As best illustrated in
As further shown in
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As further shown in
The battery compartment 119 has a circuit system connecting the batteries 150 to the bulb 120 and other components of the vessel 100 that require power. The compartment may also house a processor, memory, switch, wireless module and controller to operate the memorial device and control the functions of the vessel as more fully described in relation to
The circuit system may also be controlled through a switch, button, or sensor located on an exterior surface of the vessel 100. For example, when the switch or button is placed in the “ON” position, the current is sent to the bulb 120, thereby illuminating the same. Conversely, when the switch or button is in the “OFF” position, the electrical current is cut off from the bulb 120, and the bulb 120 turns off (i.e., is no longer illuminated). The vessel 100 may also have a sensor that is activated when the electrical current goes directly to the bulb 120 and turns the bulb 120 on. The sensor may be motion, light or sound-activated, or may be activated by touch. The sensor may also comprise a timer setting that allows the bulb 120 to remain illuminated for a user-selectable period of time, as well as to play the video or recordings from the speaker. The vessel 100 may also have a setting that allows the user 170 to set the desired time for the bulb 120, music, video or sound, to operate. In addition, a remote control or smart phone app may also allow the user 170 to turn on the bulb 120 as discussed elsewhere herein.
As best shown in
As also shown in
It is also contemplated that the color of the memorial remembrance vessel 100 can be any color that satisfied user need and/or preference, and may be changed over time by the user. As stated above, it is also contemplated that wax may also surround the body 130 providing for a more authentic candle-like appearance, with a silver base wherein the cremations or remains would be stored. The silver base would also be capable of receiving an inscription.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the memorial remembrance vessel or “Jordyn's candle” 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration, and material of the memorial remembrance vessel 100 and its various components as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that other configurations of the memorial remembrance vessel 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/107,481, which was filed on Oct. 30, 2020, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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