This disclosure relates to decorative torches in general and, more specifically, to liquid fueled torches.
Liquid fueled torches are utilized for a number of purposes such as lighting, decoration, and pest repellence. However, there is often some risk associated with refueling these torches. When the torch is required to be partially disassembled to refuel (e.g., removal of the top) there is a chance the pieces may be lost. Furthermore, this can be a dirty and cumbersome operation.
What is needed is a system and method for addressing the above, and related, issues.
The invention of the present disclosure, in one aspect thereof, comprises a torch having a fuel container with a reservoir and a top cover. The top cover defines a first wick passage, a first fill hole, and a guide slot. A fire bowl is positioned atop the fuel container and defines a second wick passage, a second fill hole, and a guide member. A wick holder passes through the first and second wick passages. The guide member fits into the guide slot to limit the degree of rotation between the fuel container and the fire bowl. At least one open rotational position is allowed between the fuel container and fire bowl such that the first and second fill holes are aligned to allow fluid into the reservoir via the fill holes. At least one closed rotational position is allowed between the fuel container and the fire bowl such that the first and second fill holes are out of alignment substantially blocking fluid flow into or out of the reservoir via the fill holes.
In one embodiment, the first and second fill holes are substantially the same size and the guide member and guide slot limit the rotation between the fire bowl and the top cover to a degree of rotation that is less than about three times an arc occupied by a fill hole. In another embodiment, the guide member and guide slot limit the degree of rotation between the fire bowl and the top cover to a degree of rotation about two times the size of the arc occupied by a fill hole.
The wick holder may be fixed to the top cover of the reservoir and protrude through the second wick passage into the fire bowl. The wick holder may provide a lip on a distal end thereof, with the lip retaining a captive biasing member that biases the fire bowl to the top cover. The fuel container may be rigidly affixed to an outer shell. Some embodiments will have a captive form fitting lid having a contour cooperating with at least a portion of the flame bowl such that the lid may be used as a snuffer. At least one magnet may be attached to the lid for retaining the lid against the fire bowl.
The invention of the present disclosure, in another aspect thereof comprises a torch with a substantially hollow torch body having an opening on an end thereof. The torch includes a fuel container having a reservoir and a top cover, the reservoir being disposed substantially within the hollow torch body and the top cover being rigidly affixed to the torch body proximate the opening therein. A fire bowl is atop the top cover of the fuel container. The fire bowl and top cover each provide a fill hole such that the holes may be rotated into alignment allowing for fluid communication into and out of the fuel reservoir and the holes may be rotated out of alignment to prevent fluid communication into and out of the fuel reservoir.
In some embodiments, the top cover defines a guide slot and the fire bowl defines a guide member such that the guide member fits within the guide slot and restricts the degree of rotation allowed between the fire bowl and the top cover. The torch may include a cap configured to fit the fire bowl to smoother flame. The cap may have at least one magnet for retaining the cap on the fire bowl. The torch body may be recessed proximate the opening thereof and the fire bowl may occupy at least a portion of the recess. The fire bowl may define a plurality of ventilation ports proximate the recess.
In other embodiments of the torch, the wick holder is retained by the top cover of the reservoir and protrudes through the fire bowl. The wick holder may also provide a lip on an end thereof terminating in the fire bowl. The lip may retain a biasing member that urges the fire bowl downward toward the top cover of the reservoir.
The invention of the present disclosure, in another embodiment thereof comprises a torch with a substantially hollow torch body having a round opening on a top thereof and having a toroidally defined recess relative to sides thereof around the top. A fuel container is within the hollow torch body having a fuel container top that is affixed to the opening of the torch body. The fuel container top provides a concave surface with a lipped wick passage proximate a center thereof, and defines a first fill hole and a guide slot both located radially away from the center. A fire bowl has a cooperating concave interior surface to substantially match the concave surface of the fuel container top, a conic edge that surrounds the recess defined in the torch body, a center wick passage, a second fill hole located radially away from the center wick passage, and a guide member located radially away from the center wick passage. The lipped wick passage interfits with the center wick passage to allow rotation between the fuel container top and the fire bowl. The first and second fill holes may be radially aligned to allow for fluid flow into and out of the fuel container, and may be radially misaligned to impede fluid flow into and out of the fuel container. A degree of rotation between the fire bowl and the fuel container top is limited by the distance the guide member travels within the guide slot.
Some embodiments of this torch include a wick holder traversing both wick passages, and providing friction retention of a wick that passes from the fire bowl to an interior of the fuel container. The wick holder may be affixed to the fuel container top with a biasing member interposing the wick holder and the fire bowl. The biasing member urges the fire bowl against the fuel container top. In some embodiments, the fire bowl defines a flat shelf and receives a snuffer cap thereon. The snuffer cap may affix to the flat shelf with at least one magnet and may also be tethered to the fire bowl. The fire bowl may define a plurality of perforations to serve as ventilation of the torch body.
Referring now to
As will be described in greater detail below, the torch 100 may be opened or closed by rotation of the fire bowl 104 relative to the shell 102. In some embodiments, this is done by hand (e.g., no specialized tools or snuffer lids are needed). The fire bowl 104 and/or the perforations 106 thus provide a gripping surface for opening or closing the torch 100, while the shell 102 provides the counteracting gripping surface.
In the view of
Referring now to
A number of other features are defined in the interior 202 of the flame bowl 104. For example, a guide member 214 may be formed as a depression in the surface of the interior 202. A fill hole 216 may also be provided for introducing liquid fuel into an interior of the torch 100. In some embodiments, the fire bowl 104 may be made from sheet metal or another relatively thin material. In such cases, one or more structural ridges 218 may be provided on the interior 202 in order to ensure that the fire bowl 104 retains the appropriate shape in light of twisting forces and the relatively high temperatures that may be encountered form operation of the torch 100.
In operation, the torch 100 may be placed in a closed configuration by rotating the fire bowl 104 relative to the shell 102. In the present embodiment, the fire bowl 104 rotates axially with respect to the shell 102 as shown by the arrow C. As will be explained in greater detail below, the fire bowl 104 may be rotated such that the fill hole 216 aligns with a second fill hole that provides for fluid access to an interior of the torch. When the filling operation is complete, the fire bowl 104 may be rotated such that the two fill holes are no longer aligned and thus flames or embers will be prevented from entering the fuel storage.
Referring now to
An indentation or recess 404 can be seen circumscribing the fuel container 302. In the present embodiment, the recess 404 is uniform about the fuel container and can thus be considered a toroidal recess. The recess may be sized to correspond to a portion of the fire bowl 104 such that when the fire bowl 104 is attached to the shell 102 the sides of the shell 102 and fire bowl 104 present a smooth profile. The recess 404 also allows the interior 202 of the fire bowl 104 and the top cover 303 of the fuel container 302 to be reduced in size relative to the shell 102. This may be for aesthetic reasons or to control or reduce heat or burn rate.
Referring now to
The wick holder 208 provides a plurality of retention clips 209 that retain the wick holder 208 in the wick passage 304. This prevents the wick holder 208 from being pulled completely of the passages 220, 304 out and into the fire bowl 104 by the biasing member 212. The retention clips 209 may be an interference fit clip. In another embodiment the clips 209 have a one way retention mechanism such that when the wick holder 208 is inserted into the wick passage 304, the clips 209 will expand and prevent its retraction. In other embodiments, the wick holder 208 may be integrated with, or otherwise permanently affixed to, the top cover 303 of the fuel container 302. The biasing member 212 is a coil spring in the embodiment of
The guide member 214 can be seen resting within the guide slot 306. As discussed, this limits the degree of rotation between the fire bowl 104 and the shell 102. The fuel container 302 is affixed to the shell 102 at the rim 406. In one embodiment, the fuel container 302 will be rolled into the rim 406 such that the fuel container 302 and the shell 102 are rigidly joined together.
Referring now to
During assembly, the fuel container 302 may be rolled, welded, or otherwise affixed to the rim 406 of the shell 102, thereby integrating the fuel reservoir 402 with the torch shell 102. The fire bowl 104 may be placed atop the torch 102 with the lip 305 providing alignment within the wick passage 220. The recess 404 on the torch body 102 will also serve to properly guide and align the fire bowl 104. When these pieces have been fitted together, the biasing member 212 may be placed upon the wick holder 208 and the wick holder 208 inserted through both wick passages 220 and 304, whereupon the retainer clips 209 will expand inside the fuel container 302, which will affix the fire bowl 104 to the shell 102. As previously described, the guide member 214 will ride within the guide slot 306 such that the degree of rotation between the fire bowl 104 and the shell 102 will be limited. In some embodiments, the degree of rotation allowed between the fire bowl 104 and the shell 102 will be roughly two to three times the radial distance occupied by one of the fill holes 216 or 308. In this way, the fire bowl 104 is allowed to rotate sufficiently to open and close the fuel reservoir 402, but is not allowed to completely rotate such that the user may have to make a long turn or rotation of the fire bowl 104 in order to fill the torch 100.
In some embodiments, the wick 211 will be a durable fiberglass wick with a long service life. The wick 211 may be retained by the wick holder 208 in a friction fit relationship. The wick 211 can be extended or retracted within the interior 202 of the fire bowl 104 in order to produce a larger or smaller flame. The flame produced by the wick 211 will be relatively large owing to the size of the interior 202 of the fire bowl 104. In order to safely and effectively extinguish an operational torch, the lid 108 may have a shape that fits the contour of the fire bowl 104 for use as a snuffer such that oxygen is effectively denied the flame. The tether 112 may affix the lid 108 to the fire bowl 104 such that when the lid 108 is not in use it will remain within easy reach and will not be subject to being lost.
Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within the spirit of this invention as defined by the claims.
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Pipe-Line Denmark, “Elipse Advanced Burning Control”. |
Pipe-Line Denmark, “The Torch Master Brochure”, Publisher: http://www.pipe-line.dk/pdf/English2007WEB.pdf. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20130323659 A1 | Dec 2013 | US |