Illumination – Self powered lamp – Nonelectric
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-03
2003-04-29
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Self powered lamp
Nonelectric
C362S084000, C431S289000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06554448
ABSTRACT:
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention, in general, relates to decorated luminary products, and more particularly relates to candle products decorated by the application of a decorative film having temperature sensitive properties, either to the candles themselves, or to candle holders in which the candles are situated.
2. Background Information
Luminary products, such as candles and candle products come in many shapes, sizes, and designs. The terms “luminary, luminaries, and luminary products” shall be used herein in reference to combustible active material or fragrance delivery candles, or illumination devices which are wick based and burn a hydrocarbon-based fuel, such as candles, oil lamps or lanterns. For example, the invention is applicable to illuminating devices in which the source of illumination is a burning wick, consuming lamp oil, and enclosed within a conventional oil lamp having a glass chimney. Some candles are intended to stand alone, while others are intended to be held upright as candlesticks, or in lanterns, jars, and the like. Other candles are intended to be situated in candle holders, and in the case of so-called gel candles and some wax candles, commonly called jar candles, the candles may substantially fill the volume of the holders in which the candles are situated, or come to some desired level of filling of the holder. More-over, it is to be understood that when a luminary, or a candle or candle holder is referred to, it is intended to include not only candles, but other forms of luminary devices, such as oil lanterns and lamps and globes for such. Thus, it is to be noted that the present invention is not to be limited to candles, and such, but encompasses luminary devices having various substrates which are subject to temperature variation or modification such as may activate a thermochromatic wrap applied thereto, particularly those in which temperature variations result from radiant energy impinging upon the surface of the material to which a thermochromatic material is applied.
In many of these cases, it is desirable to decorate the luminary products to improve their aesthetics, for both when the luminary is displayed unlit, and for when lit. However, it can be difficult and costly to decorate the exterior surface of a luminary or its holder. Also, many known techniques do not provide flexibility in production to rapidly and easily change the particular decorative design. This limits the ability to provide cost-effectively a variety of designs, or to tailor the designs to the desires of the consumer, or to a specific season, event, motif, holiday or the like, or to provide a product having a decorative effect which changes in accordance with whether the luminary is itself lit or unlit.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a cost-effective decorating method which permits greater flexibility in production to allow a change from among varied decorative designs, and provides a decorative luminary product which changes when the luminary itself is burning.
It has long been known to encase candles in protective material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,137,707, of Wade, et al., relates to a process for packaging tapered candles in a seamless casing formed of a non-fibrous, cellulosic material. The casing may be transparent, translucent and/or colored. In one embodiment, the non-fibrous, cellulosic material is formed into a tube, which is wetted to soften the material for application to the candle. The diameter of the wet tube is substantially equal to the mean diameter of the tapered candle, and as the wet tube is pushed down onto the candle, or a mandrel having the same dimensions as the candle, it stretches as necessary to fit over the wider end of the candle. Then, the covered candle is dried, and the tube forms a protective casing that conforms closely to the shape of the candle, and will retain the candle wax whether in a solid or melted state.
It has also been known to wrap candles in heat-shrinkable films for shipping and display. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,126,682, Krance teaches a method of wrapping candles. A tube of heat-shrinkable film material is loosely formed about the candle by shaping a web of the material about the candle with overlapping longitudinal edges. By grasping the tube just beyond each end of the candle, the wrapped candle is carried past a heat source, by which the material is heat shrunk around the candle. The material selected has two important characteristics: it will not shrink any further once it contacts the surface of the candle, and it holds a high charge of static electricity which causes it to cling when overlapped. Thus, the material is not heat sealed, but rather is held together statically around the candle after shrinking to a tight fit.
It has also been known to apply heat-shrinkable wraps on various objects for decorative purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,348, of Spiegel et al., relates to decorating three-dimensional objects such as ornaments, glassware, or electric bulbs. The object is decorated by heat-shrinking a decorated tube or band of heat-shrinkable plastic about the object. The tube or band is decorated by applying precut patterns, silk screening, striping or the like, prior to application of the tube or band to the object to be decorated. The plastic is preferably polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene, which is uniaxially oriented, resulting in a 30-50% diametric shrinkage versus only a 2-10% height shrinkage of the tube, resulting in an intimate contact of the entire interior surface of the band or tube with the exterior surface of the decorated object.
Similarly, US Reissue Patent RE. 20,434, of Barrett, Jr., teaches the preparation of a sanctuary candle, wherein the body of the candle is tightly jacketed in a cylindrical transparent film of amorphous cellulose, fitted to the candle while still un-dried. It is taught that the film may be either clear or colored, and may be combined with a colored glass tube forming the outside of the assembly, which includes a bottom assembly and a cap.
In co-pending patent application 09/550,285, filed Apr. 14, 2000, of which this is a Continuation-In-Part application, Kotary et al. disclose a technique for the application of a shrink-wrap decorative film to a candle for the purpose of providing a cost-effective and flexible method for providing a variety of decorative effects upon candle products. That co-pending application is directed specifically to methods of application of shrink-wrap films to a candle product, and the products obtained by such methods, with little discussion of specific visual effects attainable therewith.
The present invention relates to luminary products which change, or evolve, as the flame of the luminary element burns. Thus, as the interior of the candle holder, chimney, globe, jar, or other surrounding surface upon which a thermochromatic design or indicia is drawn, imprinted, or otherwise applied, is heated by the flame of the candle or burning element, the surface design changes as a result. Specifically, the present invention relates to candles or other luminary devices having a holder, chimney, globe, jar, etc. associated therewith, wherein there is applied to the surface of said holder, chimney, jar, etc., a shrink wrap film upon which a design or indicia has been printed, painted, or otherwise applied, employing an ink or paint having thermal sensitivity, whereby the ink or paint may change color, become visible, or become invisible as a result of heat. The design or indicia may be applied as the sole layer of decoration of the shrink wrap film, or may be part of a more complex label in which a number of layers of imprinted, drawn, or otherwise applied indicia or designs are present, using normal ink or paint in conjunction with the thermochromatic ink or paint, or using only the thermochromatic ink or paint. For example, the shrink wrap, prior to application to the exterior surface of a candle jar, may be printed with a backgroun
Carpenter M. Scott
Kotary Kara L.
O'Shea Sandra
S. C. Johnson & Son Inc.
Sawhney Hargobind S
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