Prayer candle device

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6267584
  • Patent Number
    6,267,584
  • Date Filed
    Monday, March 27, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 31, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Clarke; Sara
    Agents
    • Lezdey; John
Abstract
A prayer candle device includes a tubular body having a chamber provided therein, a consumable lighting element refillably disposed in the chamber including a wick mounted in the consumable lighting element, a holding device mounted in the chamber of the tubular body for holding the consumable lighting element in position, and an adjusting device for maintaining a burning end of the wick of the consumable lighting element at an upper position. In such arrangement, the prayer candle device is capable of avoiding the malfunction of the operation caused by the burned consumable material.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION




1. Field of Invention




The present invention relates to candle, and more particularly to a prayer candle device which can provide a good atmosphere and decorative function.




2. Description of Related Arts




Historically, people use candles at home, church, or other places of worship to provide an atmospheric or decorative touch. In order to hold the candle in place, a candle container is used to prevent the candle from accidentally falling down and causing an unwanted fire. The conventional candle container comprises a hollow cylindrical body having a candle cavity therein, so that a candle can be inserted into the candle cavity. A spring is also inserted in the candle cavity so as to normally urge the candle upwardly to maintain a burning end thereof at an upper position.




However, after the burning end of the candle inside the candle container is ignited, the consumable material, such as wax, of the candle starts melting. The melted consumable material will flow back into the candle container, such that when the consumable material is condensed inside the candle cavity, the rest of the unburned candle may stick inside the candle container and it is hard to clean up. Some melted candle materials may flow out of the candle container and stick on the outer surface thereof. Accordingly, the melted candle material not only destroys the beauty of the candle container but also damages the decoration surface of the candle container.




Some improved candle containers comprise a drain opening such that when the candle material flows into the interior of the candle container, a user is capable of flushing the accumulated candle material through the drain opening. However, when the candle material is condensed at the bottom of the candle cavity where the spring is positioned, the spring may lose its elastic property while the candle material is stuck around the spring. The user may need to replace the spring as well or flush all the candle material several times within lighting one candle. So, the conventional candle container has some drawbacks on usage under a certain circumstances.




SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION




A main object of the present invention is to provide a prayer candle device which can provide a good atmosphere and decorative function.




Another object of the present invention is to provide a prayer candle device which is adapted for operating by regular consumable candle or oil with wick.




Another object of the present invention is to provide a prayer candle device wherein the melted candle material may flow into a collecting chamber in order to prevent the malfunction of the operation.




Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a prayer candle device, which comprises:




a tubular body having a chamber therein, an open end defining a supporting rim and a base;




a consumable lighting element, refillably disposed in the chamber of the tubular body, comprising a wick mounted therein;




a holding means mounted in the chamber of the tubular body for holding the consumable lighting element in position;




a cover, which is fittedly disposed on the supporting rim of the tubular body, having a through hole provided thereon, wherein the wick of the consumable lighting element is adapted to be penetrated through the through hole; and




an adjusting means for urging a burning end of the wick of the consumable lighting element at an upper position.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a prayer candle device according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a sectional view of the prayer candle device according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of the prayer candle device according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a partial sectional view of the prayer candle device according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the adjustable means.





FIG. 5

is a sectional view of the prayer candle device according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 2

of the drawings, a prayer candle device


1


according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, which comprises a tubular body


10


, a consumable lighting element


20


, a holding means


30


, a cover


40


, and an adjusting means


50


.




The tubular body


10


has a cylindrical chamber


11


provided therein, an open end


12


defining a supporting rim


121


and a base


13


for stabilizing the prayer candle device


1


. The consumable lighting element


20


, which is refillably disposed in the chamber


11


of the tubular body


10


, comprises a wick


21


mounted therein. The holding means


30


for holding the consumable lighting element


20


in position is mounted in the chamber


11


of the tubular body


10


. The cover


40


, which is fittedly disposed on the supporting rim


121


of the tubular body


10


, has a through hole


41


provided at a center thereof wherein the wick


21


of the consumable lighting element


20


is adapted to be penetrated through the through hole


41


. The adjustable means


50


is adapted for urging a burning end of the wick


21


of the consumable lighting element


20


at an upper position.




Preferably, the tubular body


10


may be made of transparent material such as crystal or glass so that the light can be reflected through the tubular body


10


for providing an esthetically pleasing appearance. Furthermore, three-dimensional figure of decorations such as angels, flowers, “JESUS CHRIS”, the “POPE” or “JOHN PAUL” can be attached inside and/or an outer surface of the tubular body


10


for further providing an atmospheric or decorative touch.




According to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the consumable lighting element


20


is a candle which is constructed by a consumable material such as wax. The wick


21


is extended inside the consumable light element


20


wherein when the burning end of the wick


21


is being ignited, the consumable light element


20


will start to melt.




The holding means


30


is a tubular container, preferably made of the same material of the tubular body


10


such as crystal or glass, wherein the holding means


30


has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the consumable lighting element


20


and smaller than a diameter of the tubular body


10


. Furthermore, the holding means


30


is detachably mounted at its bottom in the chamber


11


of the tubular body


10


. Preferably, the holding means


30


is screwed on the tubular body


10


, so that a user can detach the holding means


30


for easy clean up and fittingly placing the consumable lighting element


20


therein.




The adjusting means


50


, according to the first preferred embodiment, is a compressive spring which is fitly disposed in the holding means


30


. The adjusting means


50


has two ends biasing the bottom of the holding means


30


and the bottom end of the consumable lighting element


20


respectively, so that the adjusting means


50


normally urges the consumable lighting element


20


in an upper position.




The cover


40


, having a respective circular shape, is detachably disposed on the supporting rim


121


of the tubular body


10


, wherein the cover


40


is adapted to tightly close the open end


12


of the tubular body


10


. When the cover


10


is placed on the supporting rim


121


for closing the open end


12


of the tubular body


10


, the consumable lighting element


20


at its top end biases a ceiling of the cover


40


while at its bottom end is biased by the adjusting means


50


. So, the burning end of the wick


21


of the consumable lighting element


20


is extended through the through hole


41


of the cover


40


to outside.




Accordingly, after the burning end of the wick


21


is ignited, the consumable lighting element


20


starts melting. The melting consumable lighting element


20


will flow and collect in the chamber


11


between the interior of the tubular body


10


and the exterior of the holding means


30


instead of flowing into the holding means


30


, so as to prevent the adjusting means


50


from being stuck as well as losing its elasticity. So, the prayer candle device


1


can prevent the malfunction of the operation.




In order to operate the prayer candle device


1


, a user must open up the cover


40


and insert the consumable lighting element


20


into the holding means


30


. Then close the cover


40


tightly in order to compress the spring of the adjusting means


50


by the cover


40


through the consumable lighting element


20


while the burning end of the wick


21


is penetrated through the through hole


41


of the cover


40


to extend to outside. For flushing the accumulated candle material in the chamber


11


, a candle material solvent or heated liquid such as hot water can be used to dissolve the candle material and drain off from the tubular body


10


.




Referring to

FIGS. 3 and 4

of the drawings, the prayer candle device


1


according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the consumable lighting element


20


′ is a burning oil and is absorbed by the wick


21


disposes therein. So, after the burning end of the wick


21


is ignited, the wick keeps absorbing the consumable lighting element


20


′ as a fuel while the wick


21


is being burnt up and shortening its length.




The holding means


30


′ comprises a holder body


31


extended from an interior surface of the tubular body


10


wherein the holder body


31


comprises two identical members


31




a,




31




b


attached together. Each member


31




a


(


31




b


) has an elongated slot


32




a


(


32




b


) and a circular wheel cavity


33




a


(


33




b


) respectively provided on a surface thereof, such that a wick through hole


32


and a wheel cavity


33


are formed on the holder body


31


after combining the two respective surface of two members


31




a,




31




b


together. The wick


21


is adapted for fittingly penetrating the elongated body


31


through the wick through hole


32


. In other words, the holder body


31


has two side ends each extended from the interior surface of the tubular body


10


such that the holder body


31


is firmly affixed in the chamber without any vertical or rotatable movement.




Referring to

FIG. 4

, the adjustable means


50


′ comprises a circular engaging wheel


51


rotatably mounted in the wheel cavity


33


of the elongated body


31


of the holding means


30


, wherein a plurality of engaging teeth


511


are evenly provided on a circumference of the engaging wheel


51


for providing friction against the wick


21


, an elongated axle


52


coaxially and outwardly extended from the engaging wheel


51


and rotatably penetrated through the elongated body


31


and the tubular body


10


respectively for communicating with outside, and a driving wheel


53


coaxially mounted on a free end of the elongated axle


52


.




The engaging wheel


51


is driven to rotate by the driving wheel


53


through the elongated axle


52


, such that when the driving wheel


53


is being rotated, the engaging wheel


51


is driven to rotate with the same direction of the driving wheel


53


. Furthermore, the engaging teeth


511


of the engaging wheel


51


are fittedly engaged with the wick


21


placed in the wick through hole


311


, so that when the engaging wheel


51


is being rotated, the wick


21


is arranged to be driven in a vertical movable manner. In such arrangement, the user is able to adjust the displacement of the burning end of the wick


21


. In other words, when the burning end of the wick


21


is being burnt up, the user can rotate the driving wheel


53


in order to lift up the wick


21


.




To operate the prayer candle device


1


according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user can open the cover


40


so as to pour the burning oil of the consumable lighting element


20


′ into the chamber


11


of the tubular body


10


. Carefully placing the wick


21


, having a predetermined length, into the wick through hole


32


of the holder body


31


while the engaging teeth


511


of the engaging wheel


51


are fittedly engaged with the wick


21


. Then the burning end of the wick


21


is arranged to be penetrated through the through hole


41


of the cover


40


, wherein the length of the burning end of the wick


21


is adjusted by the driving wheel


53


of the adjusting means


50


′.




Referring to

FIG. 5

of the drawing, the prayer candle device


1


according to the third embodiment is illustrated, which has similar configuration as the above first embodiment. The third embodiment basically is an alternative mode of the first embodiment to illustrate a possible modification thereof.




The adjusting means


50


″ comprises a plurality pairs of supporting arms


51


″ pivotally connected each other, a platform


52





0


for supporting the consumable lighting element


20


thereon, and an adjusting axle


53


″ for lifting the platform


52


″ up and down.




Each pair of the supporting arms


51


″ comprises a first supporting arm


51




a


and a second supporting arm


5


l


b


pivotally connected with each other at a middle portion thereof to form a “X” structure, wherein each pair of the supporting arms


51


″ is pivotally connected at a top end of each supporting arm


51


″ to a bottom end of each supporting arm


51


″ of another pair of the supporting arms


51


″ in such manner that, when each supporting arm


51


″ of a bottom pair of the supporting arms


51


″ is pivotally rotated in opposite direction in a scissors-like manner, it narrows the cross structure of each pair of supporting arms


51


″ to near vertical position, as the height of the plurality of supporting arms


51


″ is lengthened. Furthermore, two through hole


511


″ are coaxially provided on a bottom pair of the supporting arms


51


″ at the bottom ends thereof respectively, wherein the adjusting axle


53


″ is adapted to be fittedly inserted into the two through hole


511


″.




The circular platform


52


″ is affixed at its bottom surface to a top pair of the supporting arms


51


″, wherein the platform


52


″ has a diameter slightly smaller than a diameter of the holding means


30


, so that the platform


52


″ is fittedly disposed therein in a vertical movable manner.




An adjusting axle


53


″, having a threaded line mounted around thereon, is rotatably inserted into the two through holes


511


″ of the bottom pair of supporting arms


51


″ in such manner that the adjusting axle


53


″ is being rotated to narrow the cross structure the bottom pair of supporting arms


51


″ so as to lengthen the height thereof. The adjusting axle


53


″ further comprises an enlarged axle head


531


″ extended from one end of the adjusting axle


53


″, which is integrally extended and penetrated through the tubular body


10


to outside, so that the axle head


531


″ is arranged to drive the adjusting axle to rotate. So, the user is able to adjust the height of the consumable lighting element


20


by rotating the axle head


531


″ to narrow and lengthen the pairs of supporting arms


51


″ so as to lift up the platform


52


″. Furthermore, a motor (not shown in the figure) is adapted to be installed at the base


13


of the tubular body


10


such that the motor is arranged to mechanically control the adjusting axle


53


″ to rotate so as to adjust the height of the consumable lighting element


20


.




Moreover, according to the first, second, and third embodiments of the present invention, the prayer candle device


1


further comprises a lighting means


60


mounted on the base


13


of the prayer candle device


1


, as shown in FIG.


3


. The lighting means


60


comprises a plurality of lighting elements


61


such as light bulbs or LEDs encirclingly and evenly mounted on the base


13


, a power supply


62


, such as rechargeable battery, for providing electrical power to the lighting elements


61


mounted at the bottom of the base


13


, and a plurality of connecting wires


63


connected between the power supply


62


and the lighting elements


61


respectively. So, when the consumable lighting element


20


is not in used or being used up, the lighting means


60


can substitute the consumable light element


20


in order to light up the prayer candle device


1


. Moreover, the lighting means


60


can further provide an esthetically pleasing appearance and decorative touch for the prayer candle device


1


of the present invention.




Alternatively, the prayer candle device


1


, as shown in

FIG. 5

, comprises a sound generating means


70


which comprises a tape recorder


71


installed at the bottom of the base


13


and at least a speaker


72


for outputting sound signal affixed on an outer surface of the base


13


, wherein the power supply


62


is mounted at the bottom of the base


13


near to the tape recorder


71


and the connecting wires


63


for electrically connecting between the tape recorder


71


, the speaker


72


and the power supply


62


by means of a closed circuit such that the sound generating means


70


is adapted for generating sound such as songs and praying messages from a pre-recorded tape.



Claims
  • 1. A prayer candle device, comprising:a tubular body having a chamber therein, an open end defining a supporting rim and a base; a consumable lighting element, which is a candle refillably disposed in said chamber of said tubular body, comprising a wick mounted therein; a holding means disposed in said chamber of said tubular body for holding said consumable lighting element in position; a cover, which is fittedly disposed on said supporting rim of said tubular body, having a through hole provided thereon, wherein said wick of said consumable lighting element penetrates through said through hole to outside; an adjusting means for urging a burning end of said wick of said consumable lighting element at an upper position, wherein said adjusting means is a compressive spring fittingly disposed in said holding means and has two ends biasing a bottom of said holding means and a bottom end of said consumable lighting element respectively, so as to normally urge said consumable lighting element in an upper position; and a lighting means mounted on said base of said tubular body wherein said lighting means comprises a plurality of lighting elements encirclingly and evenly mounted on said base, a power supply for providing electrical power to said lighting elements, and a plurality of connecting wires connected between said battery and said lighting elements respectively.
  • 2. A prayer candle device, comprising:a tubular body having a chamber therein, an open end defining a supporting rim and a base; a consumable lighting element, which is a candle refillably disposed in said chamber of said tubular body, comprising a wick mounted therein; a holding means disposed in said chamber of said tubular body for holding said consumable lighting element in position, wherein said holding means is a tubular container detachably disposed in said chamber, wherein said holding means has a diameter slightly larger than a diameter of said consumable lighting element and smaller than a diameter of said tubular body; a cover, which is fittedly disposed on said supporting rim of said tubular body, having a through hole provided thereon, wherein said wick of said consumable lighting element penetrates through said through hole to outside; an adjusting means for urging a burning end of said wick of said consumable lighting element at an upper position, wherein said adjusting means is a compressive spring fittingly disposed in said holding means and has two ends biasing a bottom of said holding means and a bottom end of said consumable lighting element respectively, so as to normally urge said consumable lighting element in an upper position, and a lighting means mounted on said base of said tubular body wherein said lighting means comprises a plurality of lighting elements encirclingly and evenly mounted on said base, a power supply for providing electrical power to said lighting elements, and a plurality of connecting wires connected between said battery and said lighting elements respectively.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Number Name Date Kind
D. 36035 Hiller Sep 1902
2730884 Cozzoli Jan 1956
3604825 Leshko Sep 1971
3762857 Andeweg Oct 1973