Method and device to eliminate or reduce decor damaging fragrant candle emissions

The present invention provides a method and device for simply, efficiently and effectively reducing or eliminating decor damaging fragrant candle emissions while permitting the fragrance to pass into a room by depositing the decor damaging emissions on the interior surface of a channel containing a filter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 This invention relates to a method and a device to eliminate or reduce
 decor damaging fragrant candle emissions. In recent years, candles, and in
 particular scented candles, have been utilized both to establish a mood
 and impart fragrance into the air. In addition, fragrant candles have been
 utilized in aroma therapy.
 A problem that has been attendant with the use of these candles is that the
 by-products of the combustion process (i.e. soot) and the oily substances
 that are part and parcel of the fragrance collect and remain on walls and
 ceilings, causing unsightly stains and adherence points for dirt.
 2. Description of the Prior Art
 U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,360 to Houston which description is incorporated by
 reference as if fully set forth herein describes an apparatus and method
 for removing odors from the air. The apparatus has a candle mounted on a
 base and a container open at two ends located above the candle. The
 container houses activated charcoal. The candle causes the odor filled air
 to move through the container and through the activated charcoal. However,
 the patent to Houston does not address the problem of eliminating or
 reducing decor damaging candle emissions. Additionally, the user must
 store and replace the activated charcoal.
 U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,963 to Burnetter which description is incorporated by
 reference as if fully set forth herein discloses a ventilating system for
 votive stands in which smoke and soot from a plurality of burning candies
 is passed through a plurality of filters. This patent is directed to a
 system for specifically preventing the staining of walls in churches or
 other buildings by the soot and smoke emitted by candles. However, this
 patent requires a cumbersome blower and electricity to power the blower.
 U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,516,232; 4,043,776; 5,141,539; and 5,325,876 which
 descriptions are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein
 all disclose ashtray or cigarette smoke filtering devices in which a
 filtering medium is disposed above and spaced from an ashtray to filter or
 remove smoke, or in which a filtering medium is disposed above a table
 surface to filter or remove smoke.
 Accordingly, what is needed is a method and a device that will simply,
 efficiently and effectively eliminate or reduce decor damaging candle
 emissions yet still allow the fragrance to pass into a room. Additionally,
 this method and device should provide for ease of maintenance.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 In view of the foregoing problem associated with decor damaging fragrant
 candle emissions, and the known types of filtering apparatus now present
 in the prior art, the present invention provides a method and device for
 simply, efficiently and effectively reducing or eliminating decor damaging
 fragrant candle emissions while permitting the fragrance to pass into a
 room. Additionally, this method and device should provide for ease of
 maintenance. The method comprises the steps of:
 a) positioning a filter within a channel having an interior and exterior
 surface and a superior and inferior opening, such that the superior
 opening is smaller in diameter than the inferior opening; and
 b) positioning the channel above a fragrant candle, such that decor
 damaging emissions collect on the filter and on the interior surface of
 the channel without allowing said emissions to recirculate and roll out
 from under said channel and escape into a room; and
 c) allowing the fragrance to pass through the channel and the filter into
 the room.
 In accordance with another form of the invention, a filter is removably
 positioned within a channel and the channel is then removably positioned
 above a container containing a fragrant candle such that the decor
 damaging emissions collect on the interior surface of the filter and the
 interior surface of the channel.
 The device of this invention comprises a filter removably attached to a
 candle holding base, the filter being removably covered by a channel. The
 channel has an interior and exterior surface and a superior and inferior
 opening, such that the superior opening is smaller in diameter than the
 inferior opening. The filter and the inferior channel opening are
 positioned such that decor damaging emissions collect on the filter and on
 the interior surface of the channel without allowing the emissions to
 recirculate and roll out from under the channel and escape into a room,
 while allowing the fragrance to pass through the channel and the filter
 into the room.
 The invention resides not in any one of these features alone, but rather in
 the particular combination of all of them disclosed herein and claimed,
 and it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination
 of all of its structures for the function specified.
 The more important features of the invention have been outlined in order
 that the detailed description that follows may be better understood, and
 in order that the present contribution to the art may be better
 appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be further
 described and they will form the subject matter of the claims appended
 hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon
 which this disclosure is based may be readily utilized as a basis for the
 designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out
 several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore,
 that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions
 insofar as they did not depart from the spirit and scope of the present
 invention.

DESCRIPTION
 Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals designate like
 parts, and in particular referring now to FIG. 1, there is provided a
 method and device to eliminate or reduce decor damaging fragrant candle
 emissions 10 having a channel 1 removably attached to a base unit 2.
 Because combustion is associated with the device 10, the channel 1 and
 base unit 2 are all non-flammable, preferably made of metal.
 Referring now to FIG. 3, the base unit 2 has a base support 3, preferably
 round in shape, having a vertical support 11 and preferably a plurality of
 vertical supports 11 and most preferably having three vertical supports 11
 connecting the base support 3 to a channel bottom support ring 12.
 Preferably the channel bottom support ring 12 is round in shape. The
 channel bottom support ring 12 is attached to one end of a channel top
 vertical support 14. The other end of the channel top vertical support 14
 is connected to a channel top support ring 13. Preferably the channel top
 support ring 13 is round in shape and preferably the channel top vertical
 support 14 forms an acute angle with the plane of the channel bottom
 support ring 12.
 Referring now to FIG. 2A, a filter 15 is placed on top of, and preferably
 removably placed on top of the channel top support ring 13. The filter 15
 is preferably flame retardant. In the preferred embodiment, the filter 15
 is terry cloth treated with an aqueous-based fire retardant such as FABRIC
 SEAL (S) manufactured by Flame Seal Products, Inc., so as to make it flame
 retardant. Alternatively, the filter may be made of cotton canvass, NYLON,
 a polyamide; NOMEX, a polyaramid; fiberglass, felt, glass beads,
 polyester, other synthetic fibers, wire mesh and the like. The filter 15
 which has been removably draped over the channel top support ring 13 is
 held in place by the weight of the channel 1 (as described in FIG. 1)
 after the channel 1 has been removably placed over the channel top support
 ring 13.
 Alternatively, as described in FIG. 2B, the filter 15 is removably placed
 on top of the channel top support ring 13, then removably covered and
 retained with a filter retaining screen 16. The filter retaining screen is
 held in place by the weight of the channel 1 (as described in FIG. 1)
 after the channel 1 has been removably placed over the filter retaining
 screen 16. In the unlikely event of the filtering material igniting, the
 filter retaining screen 16 provides additional safety by preventing
 convective air flows from carrying small pieces of burning filter into the
 room. The filter retaining screen 16 also serves to center the channel 1.
 Referring now to FIG. 4, there are a plurality of candle supports 4 fixedly
 attached to the base support 3 such that when a candle container 5 such as
 shown in FIG. 1 is placed on the candle supports 4 there remains a space
 between the bottom of the candle container 5 (FIG. 1) and the surface that
 the device is resting upon, so as to reduce any thermal transfer between
 the candle container 5 (FIG. 1 ) and the surface that the device is
 resting upon. Fixedly attached to the base support 3 are a plurality of
 pads 20, preferably felt pads, so as to minimize damage to the surface the
 device is resting upon. Alternatively, the pads may be made of rubber,
 plastic, and the like.
 Returning to FIG. 1, the channel 1 has a channel top opening 8 and a
 channel bottom opening 9. Preferably both the channel top opening 8 and
 the channel bottom opening 9 are round and the channel top opening 8 is
 smaller in diameter than the channel bottom opening 9, so that, in
 profile, the channel 1 has the appearance of an inverted funnel. If the
 channel top opening 8 is too small relative to the channel bottom opening
 9, the candle emissions will recirculate within the channel 1 and escape
 out of the bottom of the channel 1 into the room. An effective channel top
 opening 8 to channel bottom opening 9 ratio is about 0.1:1 to about 0.9:1
 and preferably about 0.35:1. In the preferred embodiment, the channel top
 opening 8 has a diameter of about 2.13 inches and the channel bottom
 opening 9 has a diameter of about 6.13 inches.
 In the preferred embodiment, the candle container 5 is a jar, preferably a
 glass jar, having a candle container top edge 6. When viewed in profile,
 as displayed in FIG. 1, there should be a space 25 between the channel
 bottom edge 7 and the candle container top edge 6 of about 0.25 inches to
 about 2 inches and preferably about 0.88 inches. Preferably, the plane of
 the channel bottom edge 7 should be about parallel to the plane of the
 candle container top edge 6.
 When properly positioned above the candle container top edge 6, the filter
 15 and channel 1 allows for proper collection of the candle emissions
 (i.e. smoke) and does not allow the emissions to recirculate and roll out
 from under the channel 1 and escape into the room.
 The filter 15 is placed far enough from the candle container top edge 6 so
 as to aid in the collection of the candle emissions yet not so close as to
 scorch or to allow the emissions to recirculate and roll out from under
 the channel 1 and escape into the room. Preferably this distance is
 between about 3.5 and about 7.5 inches and most preferably is about 5.69
 inches.
 The method and device to eliminate or reduce decor damaging candle
 emissions operates as follows:
 With the channel 1 removed, a filter 15 is placed on top of the channel top
 support ring 13, optionally covered with a filter retaining screen 16 and
 then the channel is placed over (thereby holding in place) the filter 15
 and optional filter retaining screen 16. The channel 1 is held in place by
 the channel top support ring 13 and stabilized by the channel bottom
 support ring 12. A candle container 5 containing a fragrant candle 22 is
 placed on top of the candle support 4. While the fragrant candle 22 is
 burning, the candle emissions travel upwardly due to the heat generated by
 the flame of the candle. The passing of the emissions through the channel
 is accomplished due to the chimney effect. The decor damaging emissions
 then collect on the underside of both the channel 1 and the filter 15
 while allowing the desired fragrance to pass through the filter 15, the
 optional filter retaining screen 21 and through the channel top opening 8
 into the room. The alignment of the filter 15, channel edge bottom 7 and
 candle container top edge 6 prevents the emissions from recirculating and
 rolling out from under the channel 1 and escaping into the room.
 Between uses, the filter which has collected decor damaging emissions may
 be either washed or discarded and replaced with a clean or new filter.
 Additionally, the decor damaging emissions which, as a result of the
 convective process, have collected in substantial amounts on the underside
 of the channel 1 may be removed through a simple cleansing procedure such
 as hand washing or placing the channel 1 in an automatic dishwasher.
 With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the
 optimum dimensional relationship for the part of the invention, to include
 variations in size, materials, shape, form, functions, and manner of
 operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to
 one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationship to those
 illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are
 intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
 From the above description of the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent
 that many modifications may be made therein without departing from the
 true spirit and scope of this invention. It is therefore intended in the
 accompanying claims to cover all such modifications.