Abstract:
The invention provides a method of and apparatus for extinguishing the flame of a candle that reduces the smell, smoke and soot which follow the extinguishing of the flame. The device draws gases proximate to the flame into apparatus thereby extinguishing the flame and passes the gases through a filter to clean the gas stream.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The field of invention relates to candle extinguishing devices, and more particularly to candle extinguishing devices that reduce or eliminate the smell, smoke, and soot that emanate from an extinguished candle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Many homes and businesses use candles in order to provide a pleasant atmosphere, fragrance, and/or lighting. Unfortunately, when one extinguishes a candle flame, there is often smoke, and soot that emanates from the extinguished flame. Additionally, there is often an unpleasant odor from the extinguished flame. When more than one candle is extinguished, these unpleasant effects can by multiplied. Thus, there is a need for a device that can extinguish a candle flame that minimizes or eliminates the discharge of smoke, soot and odor into a room. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The invention provides a method of and apparatus for extinguishing the flame of a candle that reduces the smell, smoke and soot which follow the extinguishing of the flame. The device draws the flame and associated gases from the candle and passes the gases through a filter to clean the gas stream. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The present disclosure will be better understood by those skilled in the pertinent art by referencing the accompanying drawings, where like elements are numbered alike in the several figures, in which: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional schematic of one embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional schematic of another embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional schematic of still another embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional schematic of venturi embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional schematic of another venturi embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional schematic of a compound fan embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional schematic view of one embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device  10 . The candle extinguishing device  10  comprises a barrel  14  in communication with a handle  18 . The barrel  14  has an extinguishing end  22 , near to which there is an opening  26 . The opening is in fluid communication with a passage  30  that travels from the barrel  14  into the handle until it reaches a partition  34 , located in the handle  18 . The partition may be a screen mesh configured to keep solid material from passing through. In fluid communication with the partition  34  is a filter  38 . The filter  38  may be any suitable filtering material such as, but not limited to charcoal microcarbon filters, HEPA filters, electrostatically charged filters, activated carbon/charcoal filters, and zeolite filters. In fluid communication with the filter  38  is a fan  42 . The fan  42  is in fluid communication with vents  46  located in the handle  18 . The fan  42  is configured to draw air and other matter through the opening  26 , through the passage  30 , and into the filter  38 , whereupon the air and matter is filtered, and the filtered air is discharged out vents  46 . The vents  46  are shown located on an underside  47  of the handle, however one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the vents  46  may be located else where on the handle, and such alternatives are within the scope of this patent application. The fan is in operable communication with a motor  50 , which is in electrical communication with a power supply  54 . There may also be located on the handle  18  an entranceway with a filter door or panel  58  to allow a user to change and/or replace the filter  38 . There may also be located on the handle  18  an entranceway with a power supply door or panel  62  to allow a user to change and/or replace the power supply  54 . An activating means  66 , such as a button, switch, or control knob, is located on the handle  18  and is in electrical communication with the motor  50  and is configured to turn on or off the fan, and may be further configured to adjust the fan speed. The candle extinguishing device  10  may be used as follows: the opening  26  is moved near a flame; the activating means  66  is activated thus turning on the fan and drawing air, soot, smoke, and odor from the flame into the passage  30  and into the partition  34  where any solid material is stopped from going further. The drawing air, soot, smoke, and odor continues into the filter  38  where the particulates and odor are removed, and the now cleaned air travels through the fan  42  and out the vents  46 . Once the flame is extinguished, the user may deactivate the activating means  66  whereby the fan is stopped. In another configuration, there may be a delay means associated with the activating means  66  and/or motor  50 , which allows for the fan  42  to keep running for a set time period, allowing the air, soot, smoke, and odor that has been drawn into the passage  30  to be filtered by the filter  42 . Such a time period may be about 2 second to about 10 seconds. The arrows show the travel of the air, soot, smoke, and odor into the candle extinguishing device  10  until it is cleaned in the filter, and then arrows show the path the cleaned air takes as it travels out the vents  46 . The candle extinguishing device  10  may also be operated as follows: use the device  10  to extinguish the flame, then draws soot, smoke etc. from a smoldering wick into the barrel  14  to the filter  38 , also cooling the wick. The device  10  can perform two functions (1) extinguishing the flame and (2) removing most of the soot and smoke. In another embodiment of the device  10 , a scented pad may be added such that the scented pad is adjacent to the filter  38 . Additionally, the filter  38  may be located before the fan  42  as shown in  FIG. 1 , or after the fan (i.e. between the fan  42  and the motor  50 ). 
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows another embodiment of the candle extinguishing device  70 . In this embodiment, the passage  30  is in fluid communication with a chamber  74  located in the handle  18 . A partition  78  is in rotatable communication with the passage  30  near the entrance  82  to the chamber  74 . The partition is spring loaded to keep the partition shut until the fan  42  is turned on. Once the fan  42  is turned on, the partition opens (rotates to the left in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 ). The chamber  74  is configured to hold and/or store any solid materials that may be drawn into the passage  30  when extinguishing a flame. The chamber is configured so that the solid materials may fall to the bottom  86  of the chamber  74  and not be drawn into the filter  38 . However, if solid material does move toward the filter  38 , it will be kept out of the filter  38  by the partition  34 . In other embodiments the partition  78  may be located near the extinguishing end  22  of the passage. There may also be located on the handle  18  an entranceway with a chamber door or panel  88  to allow a user to remove any materials that may be located in the chamber  74 . 
         [0013]      FIG. 3  shows another embodiment of the candle extinguishing device  90 . In this embodiment, the candle extinguishing device  90  not only extinguishes flames, but is configured to also to light flames. The disclosed candle extinguishing device  90  has a second passage  94  located in the barrel  14 . The second passage  94  is in fluid communication with a flame opening  98  located at or near the extinguishing end  22 . An ignition tip  102  is located near the flame opening  98 . The ignition tip  102  is in fluid communication with a fuel tube  106 . The fuel tube  106  is in fluid communication with a fuel tank  110  which may be located in the handle  18 . The fuel tank  110  is configured to hold an amount of lighter fluid such as a butane mixture. Located near the ignition tip  102  in the second passage  94  is a spark generating tip  114 . The spark generating tip  114  is in electrical communication with a piezo electric unit  118  located in the handle  18 . The piezo electric  118  unit is in communication with a lighter activating means  122 , such as a button, knob or switch. Thus when the activating means  122  is activated by a user, the piezo electric unit creates a spark at the spark generating tip  114 . Lighter fluid from the tank  110  is ignited at the ignition tip  102 , thereby providing a flame to light candles and other items. There may be an activating means  126 , such as a button, switch, or control knob, in communication with the fuel tank  110  that when activated allows lighter fluid to travel up the fuel tube  106  to the ignition tip  102 . The activating means  126  may be a child proof device. The fuel tank may be refillable. 
         [0014]      FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device  130 . In this embodiment, air enters the handle  18  through the vents  46  because the fan  42  is drawing air in. The air is blown up the passage  30  towards the filter  38 , now located at a filter end  134  of the device  130 . The barrel  14  and passage  30  has barrel opening  138 . Flame, soot, odor and smoke are drawn into the barrel opening  138  via a venturi effect due to the air traveling in the passage  30  towards the filter  38 . The air, soot, smoke and odor is pushed into the filter  38  via the air stream. Clean air exits the filter  38  and the device  130  at an exit opening  132 . The arrow  142  shows generally the path the air takes as it leaves the filter  38 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device  146 . In this embodiment, the filter end  134  of the barrel  30  and filter  38  is generally positioned at an angle {acute over (α)} to the main portion of the barrel  30 . This embodiment of the candle extinguishing device  146  works in generally the same way as the device  130 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of the disclosed candle extinguishing device  150 . In this embodiment, air enters the handle  18  through the vents  46  because, again, the fan  42  is drawing air in. The air is blown up the passage  30  towards an upper fan  154 . The air flow drives the upper fan  154 , which is in operable communication with a lower fan  158 . The upper fan  154  drives the lower fan  158 . The barrel  14  has an opening  162 , which allows the flame, soot, odor and smoke air to be drawn in by the lower fan  158 . The lower fan  158  is configured to direct air, soot, smoke and odor into the filter  38  via the second passage  166 . Air exits the filter and the barrel  14  and travels generally in the direction of the arrow  142 . The passage  30  and second passage  166  may or may not be in fluid communication with each other. 
         [0017]    The disclosed candle extinguishing device has many advantages. Flames on candles, and other lit items such as, but not limited to: lamps, may be extinguished without the odor and smoke that accompanies flames that are be blown out or otherwise extinguished. In one embodiment, the candle extinguishing device may also include a lighter, all located in one unit. The candle extinguishing device provides for a compact unit that will extinguish flames and clean the air of the odors and smoke associated with the extinguished flame. The disclosed device is an indoor environment and air quality devise. It is recommended that candle flames not be blown out for safety reasons. Blowing out flames risks small pieces of hot wick or hot wax landing on flammable materials, causing a fire hazard, and allowing acrid smoke to fill room. The disclosed device eliminates these hazards. 
         [0018]    It should be noted that the terms “first”, “second”, and “third”, and the like may be used herein to modify elements performing similar and/or analogous functions. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, or hierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated. 
         [0019]    While the disclosure has been described with reference to several embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.