Abstract:
A jar candle includes at least two decorative elements located adjacent the interior of the jar and positioned in a predetermined relationship with respect to one another. A manufacturing method for forming the jar candle includes proving a jar having an interior surface defining an interior region. A sleeve having a predetermined pattern is slid over the jar. The sleeve and jar are aligned and a decorative element is applied to the interior surface of the jar element in alignment with the pre-determined pattern on the sleeve. The jar is then filled with wax.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     None.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to the field of candles and candle making. More specifically, the invention relates to ajar candle having decorative items embedded therein.  
         [0003]     Candles made from paraffin or wax are well known and are manufactured and sold in a variety of shapes and styles. In one style the candle is a stand alone product formed from a wax material and having a wick extending there through. It is known to embed material into the candle by adding the material into a mold as the wax is being poured into the mold. As the wax hardens the material is embedded within the candle. The candle is then removed from the mold. Alternatively, material may be affixed to the outer surface of a candle after the hardened wax is removed from the mold. If the decorative material is formed from wax, the decorative material may be affixed to the outer surface of the candle by the application of heat. This method allows for the placement of decorative material to the outer surface of a candle.  
         [0004]     Another type of candle that is sold is ajar candle. This type of candle includes a wax portion that is located and sold within ajar. The jar may of be any shape and it may be tinted or clear. Typically, jar candles may include decorative elements that are mixed with the candle wax. However, the position of the decorative elements are haphazard and not necessarily adjacent the jar. It would be desirable to locate decorative material on the outer surface of the wax portion so that the decorative material may be viewed through the jar. Further, it would be desirable to place the decorative material in a consistent pattern within the jar.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     One embodiment of the invention relates to ajar candle having an interior surface and a candle located within the jar. At least two decorative elements are located adjacent the interior and positioned in a predetermined relationship with respect to one another.  
         [0006]     In another embodiment, a method for forming ajar candle includes proving a jar having an interior surface defining an interior region. A sleeve having a pre-determined pattern is slid over the jar. The sleeve and jar are aligned and a decorative element is applied to the interior surface of the jar element in alignment with the pre-determined pattern on the sleeve. The jar is then filled with wax. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates ajar candle having decorative material embedded therein.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates a mold for forming decorative material.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates the decorative material being painted.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates a sleeve being placed over a jar.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a decorative element being located within the jar.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates the sleeve being removed from the jar.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  illustrates a protective wax layer applied to the inside of the jar.  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  illustrates a preformed candle insert being located within the jar.  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  illustrates a finishing wax being applied to the jar. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a jar candle  10  includes a jar  12  having a candle  14  located therein. Candle  14  includes a plurality of decorative elements  16  adjacent an inner surface  18  of jar  12 . Decorative elements  16  maybe formed from a wax material such as paraffin, vegetable wax, beeswax or any other type of wax known in the art. Alternatively, decorative elements may be formed from natural or non-natural materials, such as wood, metal or any other type of material. The decorative elements  16  maybe placed in a predetermined relationship relative to one another and/or relative to jar  12 . Jar  12  may also include a cover  20  that fits within an opening  22  of jar  12 .  
         [0017]     In a preferred embodiment, jar  12  includes a non-uniform profile that includes an upper portion  24  that has a cross section less than a cross section of a lower portion  26 . Alternatively, jar  12  could include a profile in which the walls taper outward from a bottom  28  toward the top  30  of jar  12 . Where the profile of the jar is not uniform, it is not possible to simply slide a pre-formed candle into the jar once the candle has hardened and have the candle be adjacent the entire inner surface of jar  12 . Accordingly, in order for the pre-formed decorative elements  16  to be adjacent the inner surface of jar  12  for a non-uniform jar, the candle and elements need to be formed within the jar.  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-9 , the process for manufacturing ajar candle with decorative elements  16  will now be described. In a preferred embodiment, decorative elements are formed from a wax material. A mold  32  includes at least one recess  34 . A wax material is poured into recesses  34  of mold  32  and allowed to cool. Once the wax is cooled, a preformed decorative elements  16  are removed and decorated with paint  36  or other material such as glitter or any other material known in the art.  
         [0019]     A clear sleeve  38  that has an open ended tubular shape is slid over an outer surface  38  of jar  12 . Clear sleeve  38  includes an upper end  40  and a lower end  42 . The inner surface  44  or an outer surface  46  of sleeve  38  includes a printed outline  48  of the decorative elements to be applied.  
         [0020]     Jar  12  is placed on a support surface such as a table or work area and the bottom  42  of clear sleeve  38  is also supported on the support surface. In this manner clear sleeve  38  and jar  12  are vertically aligned. If jar  12  is non circular, it is possible to use a non-circular sleeve that has a shape corresponding to the non-circular jar. It is also possible to align clear sleeve  38  about the periphery of jar  12  in order to properly align the printed outline  48 . For example, it may be desirable to align printed outline  48  with a label that may already be affixed to jar  12 .  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , decorative elements  16  are secured to the inner surface  18  of jar  12  at the location that aligns with the printed outline  48  of sleeve  38 . Each element  16  may be secured to inner surface  18  with an adhesive  50  such as glue or the actual wax itself to form a temporary bond with the inner surface  18  of jar  12 . In one embodiment, both jar  12  and sleeve  38  are clear so a user can easily align the decorative elements to fit within the printed outline  48  of sleeve  38 . However, jar  12  and sleeve  36  may be tinted or otherwise not completely clear.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , once all of the decorative elements  16  are applied to the inner surface  18  of jar  12 , sleeve  38  is slid off of jar  12 . Sleeve  38  can then be used again for a second jar. In order to fully secure decorative elements within jar  12 , a first wax  52  may be applied within jar  12 . The application of first wax  52  may be accomplished by simply filling the interior of jar  12  to a level that covers the decorative elements. However, it may also be desirable to apply a first wax to only cover inner surface  18  of jar  12  and the decorative elements with a layer of wax, but not fill the entire jar. For example if the jar  12  has an inner diameter of 3 inches, the layer of first wax adjacent inner surface  18  may be 0.25 inches. This layer of wax can be poured in a melted state as the jar is being rotated about its longitudinal axis to evenly apply the first wax layer. If the decorative element is less than 0.25 inches an outer periphery and the face of the decorative element opposite a first side proximate the inner surface of the jar will be covered with the first layer of wax. It may be desirable that the first wax  52  have certain characteristics with regard to color, sheen or opacity that is not required of the entire candle.  
         [0023]     Once, the first layer of wax  52  is applied, a second pre-formed candle  54  with a wick is inserted in the remaining opening that fits within opening  22  of jar  12 . In one embodiment, the diameter of opening  22  is 2.5 inches, and pre-formed candle  54  has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of opening  22 , to allow easy insertion of candle  54  within jar  12  and within the opening formed by first wax  52 . It may be desirable to use a wax with coloring on the first wax layer and then eliminate the color in the second wax layer. Further, it may be desirable to have the first layer be translucent, so that the color of the second wax layer is seen though the first wax layer. The use of two layers or more of wax provides a cost effective approach to the manufacturing of the candle, thereby providing a less expensive product to the consumer.  
         [0024]     A filler wax  56  is then poured into jar  12  to fully secured pre-formed candle  54  within jar  12 . Filler wax  56  may be the same type of wax as first wax  52  thereby providing the appearance a uniform appearance of the wax within jar  12 . The first, second and filler or finishing wax may be formed of any known wax material. In a preferred embodiment some of the wax may be a blend of palm oil and paraffin.  
         [0025]     It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the media as shown in the preferred and other exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g. variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. For example, the decorative elements may be placed via an electronic device such as a robot in a predetermined pattern, eliminating the need for the sleeve. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the preferred and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention as expressed in the appended claims.