Fuel and related compositions – Candle composition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2003-04-08
Toomer, Cephia D. (Department: 1714)
Fuel and related compositions
Candle composition
C431S288000, C431S289000, C431S291000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06544302
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to candles, and in particular to candles that include at least two solid phases.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For much of their history, candles have been primarily a utilitarian item, in that they provided light to otherwise darkened spaces. With the advent of electrical lighting, most homeowners relegated candles to the back of a drawer, using them only during the occasional power failure, or to add some festivity to birthday parties and holiday tables. However, the past decade or so has seen resurgence in the popularity of candles.
The National Candle Association (Washington, D.C.; www.candles.org) reports that U.S. candle consumer retail sales for 1999 are projected at $2.3 billion, not including candle accessories such as snuffers, lighters and candleholders. Since the early 1990's, the industry has averaged a growth rate of 10-15% annually. In recent years, this growth has doubled. The U.S. market is typically separated into seasonal (Christmas Holiday) business at roughly 35%, and non-seasonal business at about 65%, where candles are used in 7 out of 10 U.S. households.
This resurgence is due, in part, to the public's perception that a lighted candle provides an aesthetically pleasing light, and a sense of well being within a space where the candle is burning. Furthermore, the public has recently become interested in aromatherapy, and many of the scents espoused by aromatherapists may be placed into, and dispensed from, a burning or non-burning candle.
However, another factor that contributes to the recent popularity of candles is that they are becoming more attractive. Candles need no longer be in the form of a block or taper of white paraffin wax. Increasingly, the public is being exposed to, and coming to demand, more interesting shapes and designs for candles. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for compositions that can be used to form these interesting shapes and designs, and that can allow for the manufacture of heretofore-unseen shapes and designs for candles. The present invention provides these and other related advantages as disclosed below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a composite candle. In other words, a candle that contains at least two macroscopically distinct phases. The candles of the present invention include a wick, a first phase and a second phase. The first phase includes a first gelled fuel, where the first gelled fuel includes a first gellant at a first concentration in a first solvent, and the first gelled fuel has a first melting point.
In one aspect, the second phase includes a second gelled fuel, where the second gelled fuel includes a second gellant at a second concentration in a second solvent, and the second gelled fuel has a second melting point; such that the first and second phases are non-identical.
In another aspect, the second phase includes wax and has a second melting point, wherein a) the second melting point is greater than or about equal to the first melting point, and/or b) the second phase is adjacent to, and not encased by, the first phase.
In another aspect, the second phase includes a) decorative items positioned on the surface of the first phase; and/or b) one or more non-flammable items positioned within the first phase.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a solid candle that includes a wick, a first phase and a second phase. The first phase has a first melting point, and includes a fuel and is, substantially clear. The second phase has a second melting point, includes a fuel, and is visually distinct from the first phase. The second melting point is greater than or about equal to the first melting point. The first and/or second phase may contain a first and/or second gellant. The first and/or second phase may contain wax.
In optional embodiments of the invention, the first and/or second gellant is selected from polyamide, polyesteramide, and block copolymer; where a preferred polyesteramide is an ester-terminated polyamide of the formula (1):
wherein,
n designates a number of repeating units such that ester groups constitute from 10% to 50% of the total of the ester and amide groups;
R
1
at each occurrence is independently selected from hydrocarbyl groups;
R
2
at each occurrence is independently selected from a C
2-42
hydrocarbon group with the proviso that at least 10% of the R
2
groups have 30-42 carbon atoms;
R
3
at each occurrence is independently selected from an organic group containing at least two carbon atoms in addition to hydrogen atoms, and optionally containing one or more oxygen and nitrogen atoms; and
R
3a
at each occurrence is independently selected from hydrogen, C
1-10
alkyl and a direct bond to R
3
or another R
3a
such that the N atom to which R
3
and R
3a
are both bonded is part of a heterocyclic structure defined in part by R
3a
—N—R
3
.
In other optional embodiments, the first and/or second solvent is selected from mineral oil, fatty acid ester, fatty acid glycol and fatty alcohol; the first and second concentrations are identical; the first and second concentrations are non-identical; the first and second melting points are identical; the first and second melting points are non-identical; the first and second gellants are identical; the first and second gellants are non-identical.
In other optional embodiments, the first and/or second gelled fuel is substantially clear; the first or second phase contains one or more components not present in the other phase, the components rendering the first and second phases visually distinct; and/or the first phase contacts and substantially encases the second phase. In a preferred embodiment, the first phase contains gellant and is substantially clear.
In other optional embodiments, the candle is positioned within a container or is freestanding. When free-standing, the candle may have a coating that forms the exterior-most surface of the candle, where the coating may be formed, in part or whole of polyamide resin. A candle of the invention may contain fragrance and/or clarifying agent and/or opacifying agent, where the clarifying agent may be selected from C
10
-C
22
monocarboxylic acid and alkylene glycol, and the opacifying agent may be selected from paraffin, titanium dioxide, dye, zinc oxide, wax, solid fatty acid, solid fatty alcohol, and opacifying resin.
At least one of the first phase and the second phase may contain a decorative item. Non-flammable components, such as components made from glass and/or metal, may be present in a candle of the present invention.
In optional embodiments, the first melting point is between 90° F. and 200° F.; and/or the second melting point is greater than the first melting point; and/or the second melting point is within 5° F. of the first melting point. In other optional embodiments, the first concentration is within the range of about 2-65 wt % and the second concentration is within the range of about 10-75 wt %, the wt % values based on the total weight of gellant and solvent.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a composition that includes gellant, solvent for the gellant, and wax, the composition being homogeneous on a macroscopic scale. The composition may be placed within substantially clear first phases, where it will be visually distinct from the first phases.
The present invention also provides a process for preparing candles as described above, the process including combining a first phase, a second phase, and a wick.
These and related aspects of the invention are described further below.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a candle that includes a wick, a first phase and a second phase. The first phase includes a first gelled fuel, where the first gelled fuel includes a first gellant at a first concentration in a first solvent, and the first gelled fuel has a first melting point. As used herein, a gelled fuel is a combination of gellant and solvent that has a gel consistency, and can function as a fuel in a burning candle.
In one
Berger Vivian
Richards Randall
Williams Virgil A. G.
Bush Boake Allen
Toomer Cephia D.
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