Combustion – Fibrous wick type flame holder – Liquid fuel container carries wick guide or support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-10
2001-04-17
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Combustion
Fibrous wick type flame holder
Liquid fuel container carries wick guide or support
C431S125000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217314
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
Design and manufacture of oil candles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Oil candles are commonly used for clergy purposes, but have also been widely used for restaurant, florist, wedding, or other purposes.
For many reasons, consumers prefer to use oil candles instead of conventional beeswax candles. First, beeswax candles melt when used; therefore, the longer the candle is in use, the shorter it becomes. Aesthetically, it is often undesirable to have candles that vary in length. In addition, beeswax candles have a tendency to drip during use, leading to wax build-up that requires clean-up. Finally beeswax candles are susceptible to the elements; for instance, wind can adversely affect a candle's performance.
Oil candles, while preferred to conventional beeswax candles, also suffer from disadvantages. For instance, oil candles require refueling. In many early model oil candles and some modern candles, users must disassemble the candle and add oil to refuel it. Many consumers find refueling to be cumbersome and inconvenient. In an effort to reduce the time and effort spent refueling oil candles, manufacturers developed oil candles with disposable fuel cells. A disposable fuel cell enables the user to refuel an expended oil candle by simply removing the empty cell and replacing it with a new one. Although, disposable fuel cells have made refueling easier, there are other disadvantages to be considered.
For instance, many conventional oil candles include a disposable fuel cell or bottle and a reusable shell. Manufacturers often make the reusable shell of glass, metal, or a fire-resistant plastic so that the shell does not melt. Moreover, to retain the look of a conventional beeswax candle, manufacturers often produce exterior shells having the same shape and color of ordinary beeswax candles. Unfortunately, reusable shells of this kind are quite costly. Furthermore, in addition to the high cost of the exterior shell, many consumers find it inconvenient to have to continuously remove and replace empty fuel cells.
Conventional oil candles can also be unsafe. Generally, a disposable fuel cell is inserted into the candle and is left unsecured so that it can be easily removed from the exterior shell. While this allows users to have easy access to remove and replace an empty cell, it also provides others with the same opportunity. The removal of the fuel cell from the candle can pose a serious safety hazard. Individuals who want to vandalize a candle or simply remove a fuel cell to save an insignificant amount of money by refilling an empty cell instead of replacing it with a new one are free to do so. Many conventional oil candles do not include safety features to deter the removal of the fuel cell.
Yet another disadvantage associated with ordinary oil candles is the lack of versatility. Since there is no universal size for candle holders, no single oil candle can satisfy the needs of all consumers. For instance, most candle holders are either two inch, one and one-half inch, seven-eighths of an inch, one and one-eighth of an inch, or “all purpose end” sized holders. Therefore, manufacturers must produce many different sized oil candles to satisfy the needs of their consumers. Furthermore, consumers are burdened by having to check the size of their holder to make sure that the candles they order are the correct size.
We have developed an oil candle that is not only superior to conventional beeswax candles, but is also cheaper to manufacture, less expensive to ship, easier to use, safer, and more versatile than existing oil candles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Our oil candle is fully disposable. Instead of a reusable glass, metal, or thick fire-resistant plastic exterior shell, we prefer to use a thin, blow-molded resin shell. The use of a thin, resin shell greatly reduces the overall cost of each candle. By blow molding the exterior shell, we can produce a shell that uses less material and is therefore less expensive than the thicker, reusable resin shells commonly used in ordinary oil candles. Furthermore, by making the shell sufficiently inexpensive, it becomes more economical to discard the entire candle than it is to refuel the candle and reuse the exterior shell.
While our candle is less expensive than existing oil candles, it is also more convenient. Instead of having to take the time to disassemble the candle to remove and replace an empty fuel cell, our model allows the user to simply discard the empty candle and replace it will a new fully fueled unit. Moreover, since our candle is designed to be recycled, it poses no risk to the environment.
Until now, manufacturers have not offered consumers a fully disposable oil candle. To produce an oil candle that is fully disposable, a manufacturer must develop a disposable exterior shell that preferably has the appearance of a conventional beeswax candle and is inexpensive enough for single use but also sufficiently resistant to heat to prevent it from melting. The fuel cells used in oil candles include a metal cap to center the wick. When lit, the metal cap becomes heated by the flame of the candle. Conventional oil candles include exterior shells made of metal, glass, or fireresistant plastic to withstand the heat generated by the metal cap. However, our blow-molded exterior shell does not offer the same thermal resistance. Therefore, we have designed our oil candle to include a separator that is preferably molded as part of the fuel cell to maintain a minimum insulating distance between the fuel cell and the outer shell to prevent the outer shell from melting.
In addition to functioning as a thermal insulator, the separator can also function as a safety device. We configure the separator to allow a user to insert the fuel cell into the exterior shell so that the cell and exterior shell become permanently joined. By joining the cell and the exterior shell, the candle becomes a single inseparable unit. Once joined, the fuel cell becomes extremely difficult to remove, thereby effectively minimizing potential safety hazards associated with the removal of the fuel cell.
Finally, we prefer to include a uniquely shaped base on our oil candle to improve the candle's versatility. Because there are so many different sized candle holders, no single candle can satisfy the needs of every consumer. Therefore, we provide two models of our candle with unique bases to alleviate this problem. By tapering the base of each candle and supplying an optional sleeve, we can offer consumers an oil candle that fits almost every standard-sized candle holder on the market. This minimizes the need to custom-manufacture candles to meet consumer needs.
Our oil candle is an improved alternative to conventional beeswax candles and ordinary refillable oil candles. Our candle is more economical, more convenient, more protected, and more versatile than other oil candles on the market.
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Kiesinger Frederick C.
Menter J. Alan
Eugene Stephens & Associates
Lazarus Ira S.
Lee David
Muench-Kreuzer Candle Company
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