Patent Application
20050277076
This invention relates to a venting chassis used atop jar candles, and in particular a venting chassis having an internal turbine for moving ornamentation supported by the chassis.
Those skilled in the art have long known that the convection airflow from a candle flame can drive small turbines. Small turbines and fans have been mounted to candles above the candle flame within the exhaust airflow stream, which simply spin or animate small ornamentation. While principally decorative in nature, candle powered turbines can be used to drive a wide range of animated candle ornamentation.
Also well known in the art are venting chassis that sit atop jar (containerized) candles. Venting chassis, such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,585,510, 6,589,047, and 6,663,384, facilitate laminar air flow within the jar interiors as the candle burns, which improves combustion and reduces soot. These venting chassis provide a substructure for decorative ornamentation, as well as, the venting function. The venting chassis allow the ornamentation to remain on the jar candle as it burns adding to the aesthetic appearance of the jar candle.
The venting chassis of this invention is used with jar candles for facilitating laminar air flow within the jar candle to improve combustion and reduce soot, but also incorporate an internal turbine, which is used to animate decorative elements of the ornamentation mounted atop the chassis. The venting chassis includes a radial turbine and a ceramic base and elevated ornamentation platform. The ornamentation platform has a flat top, upon which the ornamentation is mounted and a plurality of legs, which support the platform above the base. The base has a central opening through which exhaust airflow is vented from the candle interior. The base includes a plurality of feet, which support the base above the brim of the jar candle, and an annular skirt, which extends into the mouth of the jar candle. The feet create an air gap between the base and the brim through which inlet air flow can enter the jar candle. The annular skirt acts as a baffle to channel and direct inlet air flow along the sides of the jar candle the turbine is sandwiched between the base and ornamentation platform and rotates on an axle post mounted to the base. Different pieces of ornamentation are mounted to a turbine hub, which protrudes up through a central opening in the ornamentation plate. These ornamentation pieces will then rotate with turbine as a convection flow rises through the exhuast opening in the base and is discharged radially through the turbine vanes between the base and ornamentation platform.
Accordingly, an advantage of the venting chassis of this invention is that it incorporates an internal turbine for animating decorative pieces of the ornamentation mounted atop the venting chassis.
Another advantage is that the venting chassis provides multiple heat shields for the ornamentation.
Another advantage is that the venting chassis encloses the spinning turbine between the base and ornamentation plate, which provides a safer more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Other advantages will become apparent upon a reading of the following description.
A preferred embodiment of the invention has been depicted for illustrative purposes only wherein:
The preferred embodiment herein described is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is chosen and described to best explain the invention so that others skilled in the art might utilize its teachings.
The venting chassis of this invention is designated in the figures as reference numeral 10. As illustrated in
Venting chassis 10 provides a functional substructure for supporting decorative ornamentation and for facilitating laminar air flow within the jar candle to improve combustion and reduce soot. Typically, the ornamentation, designated generally as reference numeral 12, takes the form of a molded relief, which can be painted or otherwise adorned. Ideally, the relief is molded from a poly resin material or ceramic, although any material may be used. Poly resin reliefs are preferable due to their durability and easy of production. The relief is molded and formed into aesthetically pleasing shapes and configurations and bonded to the top surface of venting chassis using any suitable heat resistant adhesive.
Venting chassis 10 includes: a chassis base 20; an elevated ornamentation platform 30; and a turbine 40. Base 20 and platform 30 are generally constructed from any thermal insulating material, such as ceramic, glass, or a heat resistant plastic. Ideally, these materials, glass, ceramic and plastics are easily formed and molded. Although, glass, ceramic and plastics are highly desirable construction materials, the base and platform may also be constructed from any other suitable material or materials without deviating from the principal teachings of this invention. The base and platform materials are selected to provide sufficient thermal insular properties to shield any ornamentation mounted atop the chassis from the maximum heat generated by a conventional apothecary jar candle when the flame is at its closest proximity to the venting chassis atop the jar candle.
Base 20 is shaped to sit atop the candle over jar candle 2. Base 20 has a central opening 21 through which exhaust airflow is vented from the candle interior. Base 20 has an arched strut 22 that extends diametrically across opening 21. The top of base 20 has a plurality of recesses 23 and a raised annular flange 24. Three feet 26 extend from the bottom of base 20. Feet 26 support the base above jar brim 8 and create an air gap 27 between base 20 and jar brim 8 through which ambient air enters jar candle 2. An inset annular skirt 28 extends from the bottom of base 20. Skirt 28 acts as a baffle to channel and direct inlet air flow along jar sidewall 6. As shown in
Turbine 40 is illustrated as a radial turbine, but any type or configuration of turbine and fan, including but not limited to axial turbines and fans, may be employed within the teachings of this invention. Generally, turbine 40 is stamped from a single piece of thin, lightweight, resilient sheet metal, although the turbine may be constructed from any lightweight, resilient non-metal material. As shown, turbine 40 includes a flat top 42 and a plurality of vanes 42 formed in its annular sidewall. Turbine 40 also includes a hollow cylindrical axle hub 46. Axle hub 46 is press fit through a center axial bore in top 42. As shown, turbine hub 46 rotates axially atop an axle post 50 vertically mounted to strut 22. Axle post 50 has an elongated tip 52, upon which axle hub 46 sits and a threaded end 54, which extends through a bore in strut 22 and is secured by nut 56. Also, a flared deflector 58 is secured to threaded end 54 of axle post 50 between the strut 22 and nut 56. Flared deflector 58 directs the exhaust air outward radially to the periphery of turbine 40 to generate increase torque. While illustrated as a positioned axially under the turbine and configured to radially direct exhaust airflow, deflector 58 may be positioned and configured in any manner to enhance the operation of turbine 40. Axle hub 46 protrudes through bore 31 in platform 30. As shown, a piece of ornamentation 14 (a snowman as illustrated in
As shown in
One skilled in the art will note several advantages of the venting chassis of this invention. The turbine is used to animate ornamentation atop the chassis. Integrating the turbine within the structure of the venting chassis provides a stylish, compact low profile design. The turbine is located close to the flame, which maximizes the power generated by the turbine from the convection airflow and gives the chassis a lower center of gravity, which prevents the chassis from being accidently toppled from the jar candle. The spinning turbine is enclosed between the base and ornamentation plate, which prevents damage to the vanes, but also limits user access to the moving vanes, which may be a safety concern. Although, one turbine is shown, the chassis can be fitted with multiple coaxial turbines that can be configured to animate multiple ornamentation elements. In addition, gears, linkages, pulleys and other mechanical components can be operatively used with the turbine to create more complicated ornamentation animation.
The chassis design provides multiple heat shields for the ornamentation. The deflector acts as the first heat shield by dispersing the exhaust airflow radially to the edges of the turbine. The turbine body itself acts as a second heat shield. Since the exhaust air is discharged radially, the hot exhaust air does not vent directly onto the ornamentation plate, which may cause localized hot spots in the ceramic, which can damage or melt the thermoplastic ornamentation. The elevated ornamentation plate provides a third heat shield, which insulates the decorative ornamentation.
It is understood that the above description does not limit the invention to the details given, but may be modified within the scope of the following claims.
