Combustion – Candle – e.g. – taper – etc. – Having structure additional to wax and wick
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-20
2004-10-12
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3749)
Combustion
Candle, e.g., taper, etc.
Having structure additional to wax and wick
C431S298000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06802707
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to means to provide a novel fuel burning element, such as a candle or lamp, which consumes fuel more efficiently while presenting an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The candles or lamps of the present invention comprise a solid fuel element, a consumable wick, and heat conductive means to transfer heat from the burning fuel, i.e. the flame, to the remaining fuel, thereby assuring its more rapid and complete melting and uniformity of temperature.
2. Background Art
Ordinary candles comprise a vertical, self-supporting body or column of wax, with a substantially horizontal top and a central longitudinal wick which extends through and above the wax. The exposed portion of the wick above the solid wax is lighted by a flame, and the heat generated by the lighted wick melts a small volume of the wax at the top of the candle, proximate the wick, establishing a puddle or reservoir of molten wax to serve as fuel for the flame on the wick. The capillary attraction of the molten wax and the wick, which is generally a structure of closely related fibers, causes the molten wax to travel through the wick to the flame, by which it is consumed. As the wax is consumed in this manner, the body of wax diminishes and the top surface thereof progressively lowers. The upper portion of the wick, extending above the lowering wax, is generally consumed by the flame.
Also well known are such candles or lights as tea lights, in which a body of paraffin is located in a container having a wick centrally disposed. At the lower end of the wick is a wick holder or wick clip, which functions to retain the wick in its perpendicular position, even as the paraffin is melted and liquified by the heat of the flame. In most such candles, the wick is a cotton material saturated with the paraffin, and burns with the paraffin, thus being consumable. In such candles, or lights or warmers employing the same, the visible flame diminishes as the wick is consumed, the container becomes hazardously over-heated by the flame, and the unit is time-limited by the volume of paraffin and size of the wick initially present. Further, after consumption of all of the wax in the unit, the container and the wick holder remain to be disposed of by the consumer.
Similarly, liquid fuel lamps are known in which a wick is supported with one end suspended in a reservoir of liquid fuel, such as lamp oil. By capillary action, the liquid fuel rises through the wick to the upper end thereof, where it is subjected to consumption by a flame. As fuel is consumed by the flame, additional fuel rises through the wick by capillary action to feed and maintain the flame. Permanent, or non-consumable, wicks are most frequently employed for this type of lamp.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,687, Schirneker teaches a fuel element comprising a shell-like elongated housing in which a supply of fuel may be placed, with a wick immersed in the fuel supply with its upper portion protruding from the top of the housing. When the fuel is a solid fuel, such as paraffin, the wicks must conduct heat into the housing of the fuel in the area of the immersed wicks so as to provide sufficient amounts of molten paraffin to be drawn up in the wick. Such conductivity may be obtained by means of a piece of metal embedded in the wick. The purpose of the fuel element is to provide a simulated log for a fireplace which does not require a chimney.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,711, Bryant teaches a composite decorative candle formed of clear, undyed and unpigmented candle wax in any appropriate candle shape, provided with a centrally recessed glass cylinder into which a replaceable small candle may be placed. Thus, the decorative outer candle may have a refill unit, such as a votive or tea light, placed therein to provide indefinite reusability. If the outer candle body comprises surface ornamentation, a luminescent glow through the candle body results when the inner candle is burned, and the outer candle is not consumed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,753, of Lee, discloses a wax burner comprising a vessel having a heat conducting metal heat sink surrounding and supporting a wick which projects upwardly, and has a heat conductive metal core means conducting heat into the heat sink, which acts as a wax melting surface. The wax burner may be fueled by paraffin wax or other suitable solid fuel, which may be added to the melting surface as required. The burner may constitute one or more burner units. In Lee, however, the fuel is neither supported nor contained by the heat sink, which is configured much like a spool, with upper and lower flanges, or upper and lower flat, horizontal surfaces. The upper flange or upper surface acts as a heating surface, while the lower flange serves as a base for the heat sink, engaging the bottom surface of the burner vessel. Slots in the vertical surface of the heat sink provide means for the wax, melted by the heat sink, to flow from the exterior surface thereof to the internally located wick. Since the wick structure of the patent includes a metal core and a heat conductive metal sleeve about the wick, the wick structure is an integral portion of the heat sink of the burner assembly, and is non-consumable, and requires priming with wax prior to its first use. In use, solid wax is added to the heating surface, and replenished as necessary, or the entire vessel may be filled with wax. It is to be noted that the vessel itself is not used to conduct heat to the fuel, but only to contain it, and that a separate heat transfer system, i.e. the heat sink structure, which is independent of and distinct from the heat radiated by the flame itself, is utilized to achieve burning of the wax fuel. Even with this added heat transfer mechanism to assist in melting of the fuel, complete utilization of all of the fuel in the vessel is unachievable, even when the burner is permitted to burn to self-extinguishing, in view of the relative positioning of the lower flange and the wax conducting means of the heat sink (i.e. slots in the vertical surface thereof, above the lower flange).
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,713,256, Oesterle et al teach a votive candle having a wick extending downward in the bottom of the candle into a tapered central body projection, where said wick engages an adapter inserted into the cup for the votive. The adapter is provided with means to support the wick of the candle until the candle has completely burnt out, thereby leaving no wax or wick residue in the cup, enabling a new candle to be inserted into the cup without removal of the adapter. The adapter does not function to provide a more even or uniform burning of the candle, but to provide a proper positioning of the votive candle. When placed over the adapter, and the upwardly directed tube thereof, the flame on the wick comes into contact with a wicking material retained in the base of the tube, so as to ignite such wicking and assure that all of the melted wax is burned, thus leaving a clean cup containing no remains of the previous candle when a new candle is put in place.
European Patent Application EP 1 054 054 A1, published Nov. 22, 2000, teaches a candle having a wick clip assembly for candles to be used on a supporting surface, wherein the wick clip provides enhanced control over heat transfer form the flame to the supporting surface upon which the candle rests. In this patent, the object of the wick clip assembly is to dissipate heat from the flame away from the support surface, essentially the opposite of the goal of the present invention.
A number of additional patents teach the use of heat conductive elements to liquify solid fuel for consumption at a wick, or to dispense an element such as a fragrance or insect control material. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,078,591 of Despres; 4,755,135 of Kwok; and 5,425,633 of Cole; as well as PCT Application WO 89/06141, assigned to Lamplight Farms, Inc.
None of the foregoing references, however, provide a long burning candle or lamp device capable of rapidly and completely melting a solid fuel an
Furner Paul E.
Schwarz Ralph G.
Barrow James G.
Lazarus Ira S.
S.C. Johnson & Son Inc.
LandOfFree
Melting plate candles does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Melting plate candles, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Melting plate candles will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3318186