A flame producing device, particularly a candle having a body of combustible material and a wick further includes an optical fiber which extends along the wick to a sensor and carries light from the flame for detection by the sensor. The sensor activates a sound-generating arrangement embodied on a semiconductor chip to produce a series of sounds which are converted by a speaker into an audible melody, so that the lighting of the candle will result in the operation of the sound-generating arrangement which will continue until the candle is extinguished. The chip and various other components of the electric circuitry of the sound-generating arrangement are situated in a casing which is located at the lower region of the candle. The optical fiber is of a material which melts when exposed to the heat of the flame and forms a lenticulate end portion that concentrates the light emitted by the flame into the optical fiber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to lighting devices, and more 
particularly to candles and similar flame-producing devices. 
Since the advent of mankind, various kinds of lighting devices have been 
developed and constantly improved to enable humans to see in the dark. 
Originally, flame-producing devices have been used for this purpose. One 
of the most popular traditional lighting devices was and is the candle. In 
modern times, however, with the widespread availability and use of 
electricity, candles and similar traditional flame-producing devices have 
lost much of their appeal for their original lighting purpose, and are 
currently being used only as backups for use during blackouts, outdoors, 
and to evoke romantic mood, as primary lighting sources. Yet, perhaps the 
most popular uses of candles nowadays are for decorative purposes and, 
last but not least, during festive occasions, such as on birthday cakes 
and the like. In these last-mentioned uses, candles are being used for 
their aesthetic appeal more than for their ability to light the 
surroundings, even though they are lit during such festive or other 
special occasions, such as romantic dinners in candlelight or the like. 
Yet, experience has shown that the appeal of candles for these special 
uses still leaves much to be desired and particularly that candles, while 
contributing to the festive or romantic mood, do not necessarily cause 
such moods to begin with. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to avoid the 
disadvantages of the prior art. 
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 
candle for use during festive, romantic and other special occasions in 
human life, which candle does not possess the disadvantages of the 
conventional candles. 
It is still another object of the present invention to develop a candle of 
the type here under consideration which would emit sounds, especially 
musical sounds or melodies, while lit. 
A concomitant object of the present invention is so to design the candle or 
a similar flame-producing device as to be simple in construction, 
inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, and reliable in operation 
nevertheless. 
In pursuance of these objects and others which will become apparent 
hereafter, one feature of the present invention resides in a 
sound-emitting flame-producing device which comprises a body of 
combustible material which is liquid at least when heated to a 
predetermined temperature; elongated wick means extending through the body 
and having two ends, one of which extends out of the body and is permeated 
by a quantity of the combustible material which reacts with the ambient 
oxygen and is replenished from the body when lit with attendant production 
of a flame that emits a plurality of radiation components of different 
wavelengths; sound-generating means disposed at a location which is remote 
from the one end of the wick means and operative for generating a 
succession of sounds when activated; and means for activating the 
sound-generating means upon exposure to at least one of the flame 
radiation components. Advantageously, the activating means is so 
constructed as also to inactivate the sound-generating means in the 
absence of exposure to the one flame radiation component. 
An important advantage of the device as described so far is that its appeal 
to prospective purchasers and eventually to all participants at the 
special occasion is enhanced, due to the addition of the sound effects to 
the flickering of the flame of the device, and thus the device will be 
much more enjoyed by all than comparable flame-producing devices without 
the sound-producing feature. 
According to a currently preferred concept of the present invention, the 
aformentioned one component is constituted by light, and the activating 
means includes sensing means sensitive to the one component, the sensing 
means being situated at the above location and operative for issuing an 
electrical signal that activates the sound-generating means upon sensing 
the one component, the activating means further including means for 
transmitting the one component from the flame to the sensing means. When 
this expedient is resorted to, there is obtained a particularly simple 
construction of the device according to the present invention. 
Advantageously, the above-mentioned location is situated at the other end 
of the wick means. Then the transmitting means is preferably elongated and 
extends along the wick means. It is further advantageous in this context 
when the elongated transmitting means is transversely spaced from the wick 
means to avoid interference of one with the performance by the other of 
its function. In this respect, it is especially advantageous when the body 
is a candle, and when the transmitting means is embedded in the candle. 
Another advantageous aspect of the present invention is that the 
transmitting means is of a material which disintegrates when heated to a 
predetermined temperature, so that the gradual exposure of successive 
zones thereof to heat originating in the flame as the material of the 
candle melts and its level recedes results in disintegration of such 
successive zones. This results in a situation where the end of the 
transmitting means which is close to the one end of the wick means and 
thus to the flame is always positioned at the desirable distance from the 
flame and always aims at the flame even as the wick burns away and the 
flame descends, so that the light emanating from the flame will always 
enter the transmitting means and propagate in the longitudinal direction 
of the latter toward the sensing means, so that activation of the 
sound-generating means is assured irrespective of to what extent the 
candle height has been reduced by burning of its material. 
When referring to disintegration of the material of the transmitting means, 
one possibility contemplated by the present invention is evaporation of 
such material. However, a currently preferred kind of disintegration is 
melting of the material of the transmitting means. This is particularly 
advantageous when the elongated transmitting means is constituted by at 
least one optical fiber. In this case, it is especially advantageous when 
the material of the optical fiber is such that, as it melts, it will form 
a lenticulate formation at the end portion of the optical fiber that is 
disposed at the region of the molten combustible material of the candle. 
This lenticulate portion will then focus the one component, that is, the 
flame light, into the optical fiber, for propagation toward the sensing 
means. However, this aspect of the present invention may also be used in 
other types of flame-producing devices, and not only in candles. 
It is particularly advantageous when the sensing means includes a 
photosensitive sensor, especially a photosensitive switch which has an 
output electrically connected to the sound-generating means to supply the 
electrical activating signal thereto, and which is switchable in response 
to the one component from a first state in which it does not issue, to a 
second state in which it issues, the electrical activating signal. 
The sound-generating means advantageously includes electric circuitry 
incorporating a plurality of memory locations programmed to generate a 
series of electrical signals when activated, means including a speaker for 
converting the series of the electrical signals into the succession of the 
audible sounds, and means for supplying electric energy to the electric 
circuitry and to the converting means upon activation of the 
sound-generating means. A particularly simple, inexpensive and compact 
construction of the electric circuitry, coupled with low electric energy 
consumption, is obtained when the electric circuitry is provided on at 
least one semiconductor chip. In this respect, it is very advantageous 
when a printed circuit board is situated at the aforementioned location, 
and when the sensing means and the electric circuitry are mounted on, and 
are interconnected with one another and with the speaker and the supplying 
means by, the printed circuit board. 
According to another advantageous facet of the present invention, there is 
provided a casing for accommodating at least the printed circuit board 
with the elements mounted thereon, the casing having an orifice leading 
toward the sensing means for the passage of the transmitting means 
therethrough. Then, it is also advantageous when the supplying means 
includes at least one battery which is accommodated in the casing, and 
when the speaker is mounted on the casing, so that there is obtained a 
compact structural unit. This structural unit is preferably at least 
partially located within the contour of the body in such a manner that the 
speaker communicates with the exterior of the body. When the body is, as 
mentioned before, a candle, it is expedient to provide the candle with a 
recess at the aforementioned location, and to construct the transmitting 
means as an optical fiber which extends along the wick means from the 
region of the one end, that is, of the flame when the candle is lit, to 
the recess and through the orifice of the casing to the sensing means. A 
particularly simple and easy assembling operation is obtained when the 
optical fiber projects into the recess, when the casing is so constructed 
that at least a portion thereof is snugly received in the recess, and the 
orifice is so situated that, during insertion of the aforementioned 
portion of the casing into the recess in a proper orientation, the 
projecting portion of the optical fiber penetrates into the orifice 
provided in the casing. 
Finally, it is to be mentioned that particularly good results are obtained 
when the succesion of the audible sounds constitutes at least one melody. 
The melody may be particularly suited for the occasion for which the 
particular candle is intended, such as a birthday song for a birthday-cake 
candle, a Christmas carol for a Christmas candle, and so on. The 
possibilities in selecting the melody or, provided that the chip storage 
capacity is sufficient, a number of consecutively played melodies, are 
numerous and will be determined by the preferences of the consumers for 
particular melodies or occasions during which they will wish to use the 
candle of the present invention. 
The novel features which are considered to be characteristic of the 
invention are set forth in the accompanying claims. The improved 
sound-emitting flame-producing device as constituted by a candle, however, 
both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with 
additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon 
perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific 
embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawing in detail, and first to FIG. 1 thereof, it may 
be seen that the reference numeral 1 has been used therein to identify the 
sound-emitting flame-producing device constructed in accordance with the 
present invention, in its entirety. The device 1 includes a body or candle 
2, and a musical member 3, as its basic building blocks or components. The 
body 2 has a wick 4 embedded therein. The wick 4 has one end portion 5 
that extends to the exterior of the body 2 and upwardly as considered in 
FIG. 1, and another end portion 6. A recess 7 is provided in the candle 
body 2 at the region of this other end portion 6. 
As shown particularly in FIG. 2, the musical member includes a casing 8, 
preferably of a synthetic plastic material. The casing 8 includes a 
substantially cup-shaped portion 9, an annular disc-shaped portion 10 
extending from the open end portion of the cup-shaped portion 9 radially 
outwardly, and an annular base portion 11 which extends to the opposite 
side of the disc-shaped portion 10 than the cup-shaped portion 9. 
Turning now back to FIG. 1, it may be seen that the cup-shaped portion 9 is 
received in the recess 7 of the body 2, the disc-shaped portion 10 of the 
casing 8 is juxaposed with the bottom surface of the body 2, and the 
support or base portion 11 extends downwardly from the disc-shaped portion 
10 to form a base of the device 1 in the position of use of the latter as 
shown in FIG. 1. The recess 7 of the body 2 is so dimensioned as to snugly 
receive the cup-shaped portion 9 of the casing 8, that is, in such a 
manner that the casing 8 is prevented from accidentally dissociating 
itself from the body 8 by falling out of the recess 7. 
FIG. 2 also shows that the cup-shaped portion 9 of the casing 8 is hollow, 
so that it bounds an internal chamber 12 that is open in the downward 
direction as seen in FIG. 2. The internal chamber 12 accommodates a 
printed circuit board 13 which is at least frictionally retained in a 
predetermined position relative to the casing 8, for instance, due to 
friction between the outer periphery thereof, and the generally 
cylindrical internal surface of the cup-shaped portion 9 of the casing 8. 
However, it is also contemplated to provide inwardly extending bulges, 
beads or other projections on the internal surface of the cup-shaped 
portion 9 of the casing 8, for the purpose of engaging the periphery of 
the printed circuit board 13 and thus keeping the printed circuit board 13 
in its predetermined position. 
An electric circuitry, preferably in the form of at least one semiconductor 
chip 14, is mounted on the printed circuit board 13. The electric 
circuitry 14 includes a plurality of memory locations that are programmed 
to generate a succession of electric signals. Chips of this type are 
currently available on the market, so that the details of their logic and 
electrical elements and interconnections and the manner in which they are 
programmed to generate the electric signals need not be discussed here. 
Suffice it to say that the electric circuitry 14 can be easily designed 
using standard electronic and/or logic components. 
To protect the chip 14 from deleterious environmental influences, it is 
covered by a protective body 15, preferably of a synthetic resin. The 
circuitry of the chip 14 is electrically connected to electrically 
conductive strips or leads provide on the printed circuit board 13 in a 
well-known manner. Some of these leads are connected to the terminals of a 
battery 16, which is also mounted on the printed circuit board 13. To 
provide for such a mounting, a lug or clip 17 is secured to the printed 
circuit board 13, as shown, at the opposite side of the latter from the 
chip 14. The clip 17 has at least an electrically conductive portion, but 
preferably is made of an electrically conductive material in its entirety, 
to provide electric connection between the terminal of the battery 16 
which faces away from the printed circuit board 14 and the corresponding 
lead. The battery 16 supplies the electric energy needed for operating the 
various electrical elements or components of the device 1. 
A miniature speaker 18 spans the open end of the internal chamber 12, and 
is connected to the casing 8, especially to the disc-shaped portion 10 
thereof. Such miniature speakers are also commercially available. For 
connecting the speaker 18 to the casing 8, there may be used, for 
instance, an adhesive which bonds the periphery of the speaker 18 to the 
disc-shaped portion 10 of the casing. Electrical conductors or wires 19 
connect the speaker 18 with the appropriate leads of the printed circuit 
board 13, to supply the succession of the electrical signals generated by 
the chip 14 to the speaker 18, which then converts these signals into a 
series of audible sounds, in a conventional manner. 
According to the present invention, the speaker 18 is to emit the series of 
audible sounds only when the candle is lit. To achieve this effect, a 
switching elements 20 including a phototransistor of a conventional 
construction which needs no elaboration here, is also connected to other 
leads of the printed circuit board and is operative for activating and 
inactivating the sound-generating means which is constituted by the chip 
14 and the speaker 18, as well as the associated electric circuitry of the 
printed circuit board 13, by either establishing, or interrupting the 
electrical connection between the battery 16 and the sound-generating 
means. The operation of the switching element 20, that is, the switching 
thereof between its conductive and its non-conductive states, is in turn 
controlled by the light emitted by a flame 21 that burns at the end 
portion 5 of the wick 4 when the candle is lit. To achieve transmission of 
the light of the flame 21 to the switching element 20, an optical fiber 22 
is embedded in the material of the body 2 and extends substantially 
parallel to and at a transverse spacing from the wick 4 from the region of 
the end portion 5 to and downwardly beyond the region of the end portion 6 
of the wick, that is, into the recess 7. The casing 8 is provided with an 
orifice 23 which is so positioned that, as the cup-shaped portion 9 of the 
casing 8 is introduced into the recess 7 of the body 2, the end portion of 
the optical fiber 22 that extends into the recess 7 will penetrate into 
the orifice 23 and toward or into the photosensitive element or sensing 
means 20 which is in registry with the orifice 23. FIGS. 1 and 2 also show 
that the base portion 11 of the casing is provided with a plurality of 
cutouts 24 through which the sounds emitted by the speaker 18 pass to the 
exterior of the arrangement 1, as the latter is supported on the base 
portion 11. Of course, the shape of the portion of the casing 8 which is 
located outside the body 2, the presence or absence of the cutouts 24 and 
their location and distribution on the projecting portion of the casing 8, 
and the very fact whether or not any portion of the casing 8 will project 
outside the recess 7 in the body 2, will depend on the manner in which the 
arrangement 1 is intended to be mounted. It will be appreciated that, if 
the arrangement 1 is to be mounted on a holder having a central spike, the 
casing 8 will have to be provided with a passage for receiving the spike 
without damaging the speaker 18; for mounting in holders with peripheral 
ridges, the casing will have to have a mounting portion below the base 
portion 11 for insertion into the space bounded by the ridge of the 
holder, or the portion 11 will have to have a sufficient height to permit 
such insertion and yet leave a sufficient area of the cutouts 24 
unobstructed for the sounds to be heard. Also, the recess 7 may open onto 
the circumferential surface of the body 2 rather than on the bottom end 
face, or a separate recess for the speaker 18 may be provided which, 
unlike the recess for the casing 8, opens onto the circumferential surface 
of the body 2. Of course, the printed circuit board 13 and the components 
mounted thereon could also be received directly in the recess 7, that is, 
without the intermediary of the casing 8, or even embedded, with or 
without the casing 8, in the material of the body 2, in which case only 
the speaker 18 would be arranged at the external surface of the body 2. 
FIG. 3 shows the basic diagram of the electric circuitry of the device 1 
and the way it cooperates with the optical fiber 22. It may be seen that 
the negative terminal (group) of the battery 16 is connected to a ground 
line 29 that leads to the chip 14 and to the speaker 18, while the 
positive terminal of the battery 16 leads to the switching element 20, 
which has an output 26 that is connected to the chip 14. The switching 
element is normally non-conductive so that it will interrupt the circuit 
inclusive of the chip 14. However, when light propagating through the 
optical fiber 22 falls on the switching element 20, as indicated at 28, 
the switching element 20 will open and thus establish flow of electric 
current through to the chip 14, so that the aforementioned succession of 
electrical signals will be generated by the chip 14 and will appear at an 
output 27 of the chip 14, which is connected to the speaker 18. In this 
manner, the succession of the electrical signals will be supplied to the 
speaker 18 and will energize the same to produce and emit the series of 
audible sounds. This, of course, presupposes that the signals appearing at 
the output 27 of the chip 14 have a sufficient energy to drive the speaker 
18 without additional amplification. Experience has shown that the energy 
level obtained at the output 27 is sufficient to drive the piezoelectric 
transducer 18 as shown in FIG. 3, as well as high-impedance speakers. 
However, for speakers with low impedance, it may be advisable or even 
necessary to interpose a suitable amplifier between the output 27 and the 
speaker. In this manner, it is possible to increase the audibility level 
of the emitted sounds. 
Having so described the construction of the arrangement or device of the 
present invention, its operation will now be explained with particular 
reference to FIG. 1. 
Obviously, as usual in candles, the body 2 consists of a combustible 
material which is solid at normal room temperatures. However, when the 
candle is lit, the flame 21 will emit not only radiation in the visible 
light range, but also heat radiation which will locally melt the material 
of the body 2 and thus create a pool of molten combustible material 30 
around the end portion 5 of the wick. This molten material will then 
penetrate into and rise through the end portion 5 of the wick 4, to 
replenish the quantity of the combustible material in the wick 4, to 
evaporate due to the heat emitted by the flame 21, and to react with 
oxygen or burn with attendant production of the flame 21. The light 
radiation emitted by the flame 21 propagates in all directions, that is, 
even toward an end portion 31 of the optical fiber 22 that is located at 
the region of the pool of the molten combustible material 30 and aims at 
the flame 21. Thus, the light radiation component of the radiant energy 
emitted by the flame 21 enters the end portion 31 of the optical fiber 22 
and then propagates through the fiber 22 until it reaches the 
photosensitive switch or phototransistor 20, with the consequence 
described above, that is, the activation of the sound-generating means 
shown in FIG. 3. Of course, as the flame 21 is extinguished, the light 
radiation component ceases to exist, so that the transistor 20 reverts to 
its normal non-conductive state, and the sound-generating means is 
inactivated or shut off. 
The optical fiber 22 is preferably made of a material which melts when 
exposed to the heat radiation component of the flame 21, or to the heat of 
the molten combustible material 30 contained in the aforementioned pool, 
with attendant formation of a lenticulate portion 32 on the end portion 31 
of the fiber 22. This lenticulate portion then acts as a lens that focuses 
the light radiation component emitted by the flame 21 into the optical 
fiber 22. However, the optical fiber could also be made of a material 
which disintegrates in a different manner in response to exposure to the 
radiation emitted by the flame 21, such as by falling apart or by 
evaporating. The disintegration of the material of the optical fiber 22 at 
the region of the pool of the molten combustible material 30 is very 
important to assure that the end portion 31 of the optical fiber 22 will 
always be in a proper position relative to the flame 21 to let the light 
radiation component enter and penetrate through the optical fiber 22. It 
will be appreciated that, were it not for this feature, the flame 21 would 
eventually descend below the end portion 31 of the optical fiber 22 during 
the burning of the candle, and the propagation of the light radiation 
component through the optical fiber 22 toward the phototransistor 20, and 
thus the operation of the sound-generating means, would cease long before 
that. 
It will be appreciated that, when the casing 8 is partially embedded in the 
candle 2, the lower region of the candle 2 is not intended to be consumed. 
In other words, this lower region is to remain intact to serve as an 
enevlope for the cup-shaped portion 9 of the casing 8. This means that the 
burning of the candle 8 is to be stopped before the material of this lower 
region begins to melt. Since this lower region of the candle goes to 
waste, it is advantageous to minimize its size or volume, which may be 
accomplished by differently distributing the electrical components 
therein. Then, the course of the optical fiber 22 through this lower 
region will not necessarily follow the course of the wick 4; rather, it 
will lead to the location of the photosensitive switch 20. 
To avoid the possibility of a substantial part of the candle 2 going to 
waste, it is also contemplated by the present invention to construct the 
casing 8 as a holder for the candle 8, that is, to provide the same with 
an annular ridge which bounds a recess for receiving the lower region of 
the candle 8. In this case, the candle 2 will not be provided with the 
recess 7; rather, it will be constructed like any other candle, except 
that it will have the optical fiber 22 embedded therein. The shape of the 
holder-type casing 8 will then be determined by aesthetic and functional 
considerations, as well as the preferences of the public. 
Regardless of the construction of the casing 8, it is further contemplated 
to combine the optical fiber 22 with the wick 4, by incorporating the same 
in the latter, winding the same around the latter, or letting the same 
extending longitudinally of the wick 4 at its outer periphery. This will 
simplify the manufacture of the candle 2. It is also proposed according to 
the present invention to provide the casing 8 with upwardly oriented 
spikes which will dig into the material of the candle 2 and thus secure 
the casing 8 to the candle 2 and vice versa. The casing 8 may include, 
instead of the interrupted annular support portion 11, a plurality of 
individual support projections or legs. Such legs may be constructed in a 
manner resembling thumb tacks, that is, they could include heads 
constituting the projections, and spikes penetrating through the 
disc-shaped portion 10 and into the material of the candle 8. 
The speaker 18 can be constituted either by a dynamic speaker, or by an 
electroacoustic transducer, such as by a piezoelectric crystal. While the 
photosensitive switching element 20 has been illustrated and described 
above as being an element separate from the chip 14, it is also 
contemplated by the present invention to make the same a part of the chip 
14. The chip 14 may also include at its input a holding circuit or element 
which will start the operation of the sound-generating means when the 
intensity of the light reaching the photosensitive switch 20 exceeds a 
first, higher, threshold level, and will hold the sound-generating means 
in its fully operative condition until the light intensity drops below a 
second, lower, threshold level, by producing a constant output signal 
until then. This holding circuit may constitute a part of the 
photosensitive switch 20 or, if the latter is separate from the chip 14, 
may be interposed between the switch 20 and the chip 14. In this manner, 
flicking of the flame 21 will not interfere with the operation of the 
sound-generating means. 
Especially when the photosensitive switch 20 is provided directly on the 
chip 14, it is advantageous when, in accordance with another feature of 
the present invention, the optical fiber 22 does not reach all the way to 
the photosensitive switch 20, particularly when it ends at the boundary of 
the candle 2 and thus does not penetrate into the orifice 23 in the casing 
8, only the light emanating from the end of the optical fiber 22 then 
continuing through the orifice 23 toward the photoelectric switch or 
sensor 20. This expedient significantly simplifies the assembling 
operation, since lower precision is required. Also, a short length of 
optical fiber, separate from the optical fiber 22, could pass through the 
orifice 23 and be rigidly connected with the casing 8, this length of the 
optical fiber being aligned with the optical fiber 22. 
Finally, it is to be mentioned that the chip 14 is so constructed as to 
begin its operation always at the beginning of the melody, series of 
melodies, or any other performance programmed in the chip. This is 
accomplished by resetting the various components formed on the chip 14 to 
their initial state either at the end of the previous operation, or at the 
beginning of the current operation, of the sound-generating means. 
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or 
more together, may also find a useful application in other types of 
arrangements differing from the type described above. 
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a 
sound-emitting candle, it is not intended to be limited to the details 
shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made 
without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of 
the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, 
readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, 
from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential 
characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of our contribution to 
the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be 
comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims.