Votive candle holder lid, candle package and related method

A lid for use on a holder with a candle disposed therein, the holder having a lip defining an open mouth. The lid includes a central cap and a projection depending outwardly from the central cap. The projection includes an inner wall, which is configured to surround and abut the candle in the holder when the lid is in place on the holder, and an outer wall, which is configured to abut the holder when the lid is in place on the holder. A peripheral flange extends outwardly from the outer wall and is configured to abut the lip of the holder when the lid is in place on the holder. In another aspect, a candle package includes the lid, in combination with the holder and the candle. Also, a method of packaging a candle utilizes such a candle package.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a lid for a votive candle holder, and more 
particularly, to a lid which fits over a votive candle and the holder to 
hold the votive candle in place in the holder during storage, shipping and 
display. This invention also relates to a candle package that includes the 
lid, in combination with the holder and the candle, as well as a method of 
packaging a candle utilizing such a candle package. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 6 shows a votive candle 1, or simply a "votive." A votive generally 
has a basically cylindrical shape, with a flat base 1b and a wick 1w 
extending from its top. Typically, a votive is displayed and burned in a 
decorative glass holder or jar 10, illustrated in schematic elevation, 
which diffuses the light from the flame and collects the wax that melts 
off the candle. Votives and holders are often displayed together at the 
point of sale, but have generally been packaged separately for shipping 
and storage. Manufacturers and suppliers, especially those that produce 
and/or sell both candles and glassware, would prefer to be able to 
prepackage votives and holders as displayable units. 
Often, a votive is not meant to fit snugly within its holder, but instead 
rests loosely in the holder. In order to prepackage a votive and holder, 
an initial challenge is to properly orient the votive in the holder. This 
is especially true if the bottom of the holder is significantly larger or 
shaped differently than the votive. Even if the votive is initially placed 
correctly, it can be difficult to maintain the proper positioning. One 
logical approach would be to glue the base of the votive to the bottom of 
the holder. Even so, the votive would need to be kept in place at least 
until the glue dries. Thus, there is a need in the art for a simple 
mechanism to properly orient a votive in a holder during production. 
Once a votive is glued in place in a holder, the votive/holder unit will 
invariably be jostled (e.g., bumped or moved) during shipping and storage. 
As a result, either the glue or the wax to which the glue is adhered can 
break, or the attachment between them severed, dislodging the votive so 
that it is free to tumble around within or out of the holder. If it ends 
up displaced, the votive cannot easily be righted, especially if the 
votive and holder are packaged in an outer container, which must be opened 
to access the candle and then resealed if the container is intended for 
display. A dislodged votive can also lead to unsightly wax scuff marks on 
the inner wall of the holder, chips in the votive itself, or loose wax or 
glue fragments. Therefore, there is also a need in the art for a simple 
mechanism to prevent the votive from becoming dislodged from the bottom of 
the holder. There is a further need for a mechanism that, should the 
votive become dislodged, prevents the votive from becoming displaced or 
contacting the inner wall of the holder. 
Further, when a glued votive breaks loose from the bottom of the holder, 
wax or glue fragments can stick to the bottom of the holder or the base of 
the votive, making it difficult to properly reposition the dislodged 
votive. Therefore, there is an additional need for a mechanism which can 
maintain the position of the votive without using glue or other adhesives. 
Finally, votives are often decoratively dyed or fragranced, features which 
should be apparent when the votive is displayed in a store. Therefore, it 
would be preferable that the above mechanism or mechanisms not obscure or 
detract from the appearance or aroma of the displayed votive. 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,967,703; 3,561,668; 2,102,886; and 2,009,874 discuss 
various containers for articles other than candles, and U.S. Pat. No. 
4,544,351 discusses a candle holder. None of these patents, however, 
addresses the particular problems discussed above. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention addresses the forgoing needs in the art by providing 
a lid which fits over a votive candle and holds it in place in a holder 
during storage, shipping and display. 
According to one aspect, the present invention relates to a lid for use on 
a holder with a candle disposed therein, the holder having a lip defining 
an open mouth. The lid includes a central cap and a projection depending 
outwardly from the central cap. The projection includes an inner wall, 
which is configured to surround and abut the candle in the holder when the 
lid is in place on the holder, and an outer wall, which is configured to 
abut the holder when the lid is in place on the holder. A peripheral 
flange extends outwardly from the outer wall and is configured to abut the 
lip of the holder when the lid is in place on the holder. 
According to another aspect, the present invention relates to a lid, for 
use on a holder with a candle disposed therein, the holder having a lip 
defining an open mouth. The lid includes a central cap, a peripheral 
flange substantially parallel to the central cap, and a tapered projection 
depending from the lid between the central cap and the peripheral flange. 
The projection includes an inner wall, depending at an incline away from 
the central cap, and an outer wall, depending at an opposing incline away 
from the peripheral flange. 
According to yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a method 
of packaging a candle, including the steps of placing the candle in a 
holder having a lip defining an open mouth and enclosing the candle in the 
holder with a lid. The lid includes (i) a central cap, (ii) a projection 
depending outwardly from the central cap, the projection comprising an 
inner wall, which surrounds and abuts the candle in the holder, and an 
outer wall, which abuts the holder, and (iii) a peripheral flange 
extending outwardly from the outer wall and configured to abut the lip of 
the holder. 
These and other objects, features, and advantages will be more evident from 
the following description and drawings, in which like reference numerals 
relate to like elements throughout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIGS. 1 through 3 show a candle holder lid 20 according to a preferred 
embodiment of our invention. The lid 20 includes a central cap 30 and a 
rim 40, which includes a peripheral flange 45. Depending from the lid 20 
between the cap 30 and the rim 40 is a downward projection 50, which 
includes an inner wall 52 and an outer wall 54. 
When the lid of this embodiment is viewed from above or below, the cap 20 
is circular, the peripheral flange 45 is annular, and the projection 50 
extends completely around the circumference of the cap, defining a cavity 
beneath the central cap. This lid is designed for use with a substantially 
cylindrical candle and a correspondingly round-mouthed candle holder, 
shaped in cross section like those shown in FIG. 6. Of course, the lid can 
be shaped differently to match different candles and/or holders. The 
shapes of the flange 45 and the outer wall 54 of the projection 50 are 
driven primarily by the shape of the holder 10. The flange 45 is shaped to 
match the lip 12 of the holder, and the shape of the outer wall 54 of the 
projection is shaped to abut the inner surface of the wall 14 of the 
holder. Therefore, for example, if the mouth of the holder were square in 
shape, so too would be the peripheral flange 45. The shapes of the inner 
wall 52 and the central cap 30, on the other hand, are dependent on the 
shape of the candle. The inner wall 52 is shaped to abut the candle 1, 
usually resulting in a cap 30 shaped generally like the top of the candle. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the cap 30 is slightly recessed below the 
peripheral flanges 45. This is due to the particular dimensions of the 
candle and holder for which the lid is designed. The cap is located to 
closely cover the wick 1w of the candle when the flange rests on the lip 
12 of the holder. The height of the cap 30 in relation to the flange 45 
can be varied depending on the height of the candle relative to the holder 
lip 12. 
The intersections between the cap 20 and the inner wall 52 and between the 
flange 45 and the outer wall 54 are curved. Some curvature will naturally 
result during the formation processes discussed below, with larger 
curvatures being easier to form. In the illustrated embodiment, the 
intersection between the flange 45 and the outer wall 54 is preferably 
larger than production concerns dictate, however, in order to match up 
with the curved lip 12 of the holder 10. 
Because the lid 20 of the illustrated embodiment is thermoformed, as 
discussed below, an annular trough is formed between the cap 30 and the 
flange 45. This might not occur if another formation method is used. For 
example, if the lid 20 is injection molded, the top surfaces of the flange 
45 and central cap 30 can be substantially contiguous, with the projection 
50 extending from the bottom thereof. 
In this embodiment, the projection 50 is tapered so that the inner wall 52 
and outer wall 52 are slanted toward one another. While not necessary to 
the invention, this feature is preferred because it facilitates placement 
of the lid 20 onto the holder 10, permitting the projection 50 to slip 
more easily between the candle 1 and the wall 14 of the holder 10. In 
fact, if the candle is out of place in the holder 10 as the lid 20 is 
placed on the holder 10, the tapered inner wall 52 will contact and help 
to properly center the candle. This makes the initial placement of the 
candle 1 in the holder 10 less critical, facilitating production. 
Similarly, tapering the outer wall 54 permits more variation in the 
relative positioning of the lid 20 and holder 10 during insertion of the 
lid 20. Because the outer wall 54 is tapered, the projection 50 has a 
smaller outer diameter at its tip 50t. Therefore, even if the lid 10 and 
holder 20 are slightly askew, the projection 50 will fit into the mouth 1m 
of the holder 10. As the lid 20 is moved into place, the tapered outer 
wall 54 will abut the inside of the holder 10, serving as a self-centering 
mechanism. 
The rim 40 of the lid 20 of the illustrated embodiment also includes a 
skirt 60 depending from the outer edge of the flange 45. While not 
necessary to the present invention, the skirt 60 is a preferable feature 
of the rim 40. The skirt 60, flange 45 and outer wall 54 combine to define 
a channel 66 in which the lip 12 of the holder 10 sits when the lid 20 is 
placed on the holder 10. This keeps the lid 20 more securely in place. As 
it does with the outer wall 54, the flange 45 has a curved intersection 
with the skirt 60. 
In order to allow for slight variations in holder sizes, the skirt 60 can 
further be provided with a plurality of inwardly projecting bosses 62. 
These bosses extend into the channel 66 and abut the outer surface of the 
wall 14 of the holder, providing a more snug fit between the lid 20 and 
the holder 10. The bosses 62 can be of any shape, but are preferably 
tapered to better permit the lid 20 to slide on and off the holder 10, and 
also to facilitate mold release during lid formation. As will be 
appreciated by those skilled in the art, the distance by which the bosses 
62 can extend into the channel 66, while still being formable 
simultaneously with the rest of the lid 20, will depend upon the 
sophistication of the production equipment. Also, if necessary, the bosses 
62 can be formed in a separate, subsequent process, but this will increase 
production costs. If possible during formation, the bosses 62 can extend 
inwardly far enough to require that the skirt 60 be flexed outwardly 
slightly in order to seat the holder lip 12 in the channel 66 of the lid 
20, in order to provide a friction fit between the lid 20 and the holder 
10. 
In the illustrated embodiment, an outer lip 64 extends out from the base of 
the skirt 60. This feature is generally a product of the manufacturing 
process, discussed below, and can be reduced or eliminated without 
negatively impacting the operability of the invention. 
If the candle 1 is scented, the cap 30 is preferably perforated to permit 
consumers to smell the candle through the lid 20. In the preferred 
embodiment, the cap 30 is provided with a series of holes 32 for this 
purpose. The size, shape, and distribution of these holes 32 are generally 
not critical, with the exception that increasing the total area of the 
perforations (i.e., more or larger perforations) will allow greater 
dispersion of scent. The holes 32 are preferably off center or quite small 
to avoid having the wick 1w of the candle 1 extend through the cap 30. 
As discussed earlier, the dimensions of the lid 20 of the present invention 
will vary depending on the dimensions and shapes of the candle 1 and 
holder 10. As for the illustrated embodiment, by way of example, the lid 
20 was designed for use with a generally cylindrical candle 1 and a 
round-mouthed holder 10 shaped in cross section like those shown in FIG. 
6. Of course, these dimensions are merely explanatory and each may be 
changed without departing from the scope of the invention. In this 
example, the candle is approximately 38.1 mm in diameter and 50.8 mm high. 
The holder mouth 1m is approximately 63.5 mm in diameter, and the holder 
lip 12 is approximately 2.54 mm thick. When viewed from above, the lid 20 
has an outer diameter, measured from the outer edge of the outer lip 64, 
of approximately 72.5 mm. The annular outer lip 64 has an inner diameter 
of approximately 68.4 mm, which is the outer diameter of the channel 66 at 
the base of the skirt 60. The cap 30 has a diameter of approximately 36.5 
mm. 
The lid 20 is approximately 25.4 mm tall, from the upper surface of the 
peripheral flange 45 to the lower tip 50t of the projection 50. The cap 30 
is slightly recessed, by approximately 1.0 mm, below the upper surface of 
the peripheral flange 45. 
The intersections of the cap 30 and the flange 45, respectively, with the 
projection 50 have radii of curvatures on the order of 2 mm. The inner 
wall 52 and the outer wall 54 each have an approximately 5.degree. draft. 
Thus, just below the intersection between the flange 45 and the outer wall 
54, the projection 50 has an outer diameter of approximately 54.5 mm, 
which is the inner diameter of the channel 66 at that height. Just above 
its curved tip 50t, the projection has an outer diameter of approximately 
50.6 mm. Similarly, just below the intersection between the cap 30 and the 
inner wall 52, the projection 50 has an inner diameter of approximately 
39.6 mm. The outer and inner walls 54, 52 come together at the tip 50t of 
the projection, forming a radius of curvature of approximately 1.27 mm. 
Just above its curved tip 50t, the projection has an inner diameter of 
approximately 43.4 mm. 
The skirt 60 extends approximately 6.01 mm down from the flange 45, and the 
radius of curvature at the intersection between the skirt and the flange 
is approximately 1.88 mm. The bosses 62, of which there are three spaced 
generally evenly about the skirt, are approximately 6.4 mm long when 
measured along the circumference of the skirt 60. The bosses angle up from 
the outer lip 64, and have a rectangular contact surface 62c centered 
vertically approximately 1.61 mm up the skirt 60 from the outer lip 64. 
Each boss extends approximately 1.27 mm into the channel 66, or to a point 
approximately 32.9 mm from the center axis of the lid 20. 
In the illustrated embodiment, there are five holes 32, each approximately 
6.35 mm in diameter, spaced generally evenly (approximately 72.degree. 
apart) about the cap 30. Each hole 32 is centered on an imaginary circle, 
substantially concentric with the cap and having a diameter of 
approximately 27.6 mm. Thus, the holes 32 are each spaced approximately 
1.78 mm from the perimeter of the cap 30. 
The lid 20 of the illustrated embodiment is preferably thermoformed of a 
laminate of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and nylon. This laminate has been 
selected for its thermoformability, clarity, and resistance to reaction 
with the oils and synthetic compositions typically used as fragrances in 
candles. The PVC, which has good transparency and is relatively 
inexpensive, is provided for structural stability, while the nylon layer 
is provided on the inside of the lid 20 (i.e., the side that is exposed to 
the candle) in order to buffer the PVC from the fragrance therein. The PVC 
and nylon are laminated together using a suitable adhesive, such as a 
polyurethane ether based adhesive. The lid is preferably thermoformed with 
the PVC on the mold side and the nylon on the plug side. The illustrated 
laminate is 20 mil thick, comprised of a 17 mil layer of PVC and a 3 mil 
layer of nylon. We recognize that PVC/nylon laminates having other 
thicknesses can be employed, depending on the particular characteristics 
desired. For example, a thicker PVC layer increases the structural 
strength of the lid. 
Rather than PVC, any of a number of polyesters, polyethylene terephthalate 
(PET), recycled PET (RPET), virgin PET (VPET), a PET glycol copolymer 
(PETG), poly 1,4 cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate copolymer (PCTG), 
a coextrusion of RPET and PETG, a coextrusion of RPET and PCTG, or the 
like, can be used, depending on the degree of transparency desired. 
We also recognize that other methods besides thermoforming, such as 
injection molding or the like are suitable for the present invention. 
Other materials can also be used in place of the PVC/nylon laminate, 
depending on the particular fragrance resistance and light transmissivity 
(i.e., transparent, translucent, etc.) qualities desired. Some materials 
that may be suitable include polycarbonates, PET, Questra Coextrusion.TM. 
(Dow Chemical) polystyrene, Questra Monolayer.TM. (Dow Chemical) 
polystyrene, and polystyrene/polypropylene alloys. 
If it is desired that the lid 20 be transparent, non-transparent materials, 
such as the Questra.TM. materials or the polystyrene/polypropylene alloys, 
may not be suitable. The next factor to consider is chemical resistance to 
the fragrance of the candle. In order to determine whether a particular 
material is suitable for use with a particular candle, two tests can be 
performed. First, the test material can be subjected to direct contact 
with the fragrance and examined for signs of reaction, such as 
degradation, deformation or clouding. Since this exposure is much more 
concentrated than will be encountered in actual use, the observation 
period can be limited to a matter of days or even hours. Second, lids can 
be formed of the test material and placed on holders with fragranced 
candles therein. The samples can then be stored at different temperatures 
and inspected periodically over, for example, a number of months for signs 
of reaction. 
In operation, the candle is placed in the holder 10, then the lid 20 is 
placed on the holder 10. When the lid 20 of the illustrated embodiment is 
in place on the holder 10 as seen in FIG. 4, the peripheral flange sits on 
the lip 12 of the holder 10. As described earlier, the lip of the holder 
sits in the channel 66 defined by the outer skirt 60, peripheral flange 45 
and outer wall 54. The outer wall 54 of the projection 50 abuts the inner 
surface of the wall 14 of the holder 10. The inner wall 52 of the 
projection 50 surrounds and abuts the candle in the holder 10. The central 
cap 30 fits closely over the top of the wick 1w of the candle 1. 
An outer container can be provided for encasing the lid 20 and the holder 
10 to hold the lid 20 and the holder 10 together with the candle 1 
enclosed thereby. In addition, the container can be adorned with 
decorative markings, trademarks, certification marks, customer service 
information, instructions, warnings, and the like, for point of sale 
display. This container can take any of innumerable forms, including a 
simple box. However, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the container 70 is 
preferably configured to take advantage of the features of the lid 20 of 
the present invention. For example, the container can be partially cutaway 
to partially expose the candle 1, holder 10 and lid 20. The illustrated 
container 70 is a box with a major portion of its top front quadrant 
removed, exposing a portion of the candle/holder/lid combination. This 
permits the visual display of the candle 1 and holder 10 while in the 
container 70, because the lid 20 is transparent. The open container, in 
combination with the holes 32 (not visible in these views) in the lid 20, 
also permits the aroma of the candle to escape through the open part of 
the container. Thus, the container can serve the dual purposes of holding 
together and displaying the candle/holder/lid combination. 
While the present invention has been described with respect to what is at 
present considered to be the preferred embodiments, it should be 
understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. 
To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications 
and equivalent arrangements, some of which are discussed above, included 
within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, the 
projection 50 need not be continuous, but can be a series of smaller 
projections disposed around the perimeter of the cap 30. The flange 45, 
cap 30 and/or the inner and outer walls 52, 54 of the projection 50 need 
not be flat, but can be slanted, peaked or arched when viewed in profile, 
even curved to the point of eliminating any discernable intersection 
between these features. As discussed, the shape of the lid 20 can be 
varied to accommodate candles and/or holders of varying shapes and sizes. 
For example, the lid can be designed for use with candles shaped 
differently than traditional votive candles. Also, rather than an outer 
container 70, the lid 20 can be friction fit or shrink-wrapped to the 
holder 10. Therefore, the scope of the following claims is intended to be 
accorded the broadest reasonable interpretation so as to encompass all 
such modifications and equivalent structures and functions. 
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
A lid according to our invention is particularly suitable for use with 
votive candles. The lid can be used, particularly in combination with an 
outer container, to enclose and hold in place a votive candle in a votive 
candle holder. The lid properly orients and holds the candle in a manner 
to prevent it from becoming displaced in the holder or contacting the side 
of the holder, thereby preventing the candle from being damaged and the 
holder from being scuffed. If the lid is transparent or translucent, it 
permits the candle and holder to be viewed therethrough. If the lid is 
provided with a perforated cap, the fragrance can emanate therefrom. 
Additionally, the lid protects the candle and holder from dust and other 
foreign particles.