Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a decorative lamp burner assembly is disclosed. The method includes providing a fuel canister having an opening for receiving fuel, providing a cap having a wick holder, affixing a wick guide member to the cap, inserting a wick through the guide member and into the wick holder, and inserting the guide member containing the wick into the fuel canister through the opening and affixing the cap onto the opening in the fuel canister.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to decorative lighting in general and, more specifically, to fuel cartridges for use in decorative lighting assemblies. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Lawn torches, table top torches, and other decorative torches are in high demand, both for aesthetic reasons as well as for utilitarian purposes such as lighting and dispersing scents and insect repellants. Decorative lighting assemblies may be provided without a fuel supply, in which case the user will need to provide fuel prior to using the lighting assembly. The fuel supply may become exhausted with use, in which case the customer will need to refill the lighting assembly. 
         [0003]    Some decorative lighting assemblies provide a burner assembly with a removable top. This allows the customer access to the fuel reservoir or canister for refilling. However, refilling of the fuel canister can be one of the more negative aspects of using a decorative lighting assembly. The user is required to handle a burner, which may be covered in soot and have a fuel soaked and charred wick attached. The user must also handle volatile and odorous fuels. Furthermore, the fill opening may be quite small depending upon the lighting assembly, which leads to messy, and even dangerous, spills. 
         [0004]    What is needed is a system and method for addressing the above and related issues. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a method of manufacturing a decorative lamp oil cartridge burner assembly. The method includes providing a fuel canister having an opening for receiving fuel, providing a cap having a wick holder, and affixing a wick guide member to the cap. A wick is inserted through the guide member and into the wick holder. The guide member containing the wick is inserted into the fuel canister through the opening and the cap is affixed onto the opening in the fuel canister. 
         [0006]    The method may also include filling the fuel canister with fuel prior to affixing the cap. In some embodiment, the cap is permanently affixed. The wick guide may be tubular, may be attached to the cap in a friction fit relationship. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, the wick is a doubled strand of woven wick with a doubled end inserted through the wick holder and two lose ends proximate a distal end of the wick guide. The wick may be fiberglass. 
         [0008]    The fuel canister may be sufficiently transparent to allow visual examination of the fuel level therethrough. The canister may have an outer profile adapted to interfit with a burner assembly receptacle of a decorative lamp. 
         [0009]    The present invention disclosed and claimed herein, in another aspect thereof, comprises an oil cartidge burner assembly. The assembly includes a fuel reservoir having an opening proximate a top thereof and containing a liquid fuel. A cap defines a wick opening and is attached to the opening of the fuel reservoir. A guide member attaches to the cap and extends into the fuel reservoir. A wick extends from inside the fuel reservoir to outside the fuel reservoir through the guide member and the wick opening. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the wick terminates on a first end beyond the wick holder and terminates on a second end inside the fuel reservoir, beyond the guide member. The wick may be a doubled segment of wick material forming a loop on the first end and two lose pieces on the second end. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments, the guide member is a tubular member attached to the cap via a friction fit. 
         [0012]    The cap is double walled and attached to the fuel reservoir via the outer wall and attaches to the guide member via the inner wall. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a decorative lamp burner assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an inferior perspective view of an assembled cap assembly for a decorative lamp burner assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side cutaway view of the decorative lamp burner assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing the decorative lamp burner assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective of a decorative lawn torch utilizing the decorative lamp burner assembly according to the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a decorative lamp burner assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The burner assembly  100  in the present embodiment includes a fuel reservoir  102  with a neck  104 . The fuel reservoir  102  may be made of a transparent or a translucent material, such as plastic or glass. In this manner, the amount of fuel remaining in the reservoir  102  may be ascertained by a user without disassembling the burner assembly  100 . 
         [0019]    A cap assembly  106  attaches to the neck  104  in the present embodiment. The cap assembly  106  defines a passage or opening serving as wick holder  108 . It can be seen that the wick holder  108  is on a first end  110  of the cap assembly  106 . A second end  112  of the cap assembly  106  is flared in the present embodiment, and sized to interfit with the neck  104  of the fuel reservoir  102 . 
         [0020]    The cap assembly  106  may be made from a metal or an alloy. In one embodiment, the cap assembly  106  will be made from tin plated steel. In the present embodiment, the wick holder  108 , defined in the first end  110 , comprises a hole in the first end  110 . The wick holder  108  may be sized to accommodate the wick  116 . In the present embodiment, the wick  116  comprises a doubled portion of a wicking cord or other material with a first looped end  118  protruding through the wick holder  108  and a second lose end  120  in the interior of the fuel reservoir  102  in contact with a fuel  122 . The wick  116  may be woven or braided and may comprise cotton, polymers, fiberglass, or other polymers. Furthermore, some embodiments will provide a single segment of wick rather than the doubled segment shown. 
         [0021]    A guide member  114  that attaches to the interior of the cap assembly  106  ensures that the second end  120  of the wick  118  is sufficiently deep in the fuel reservoir  102  to contact the fuel  122 . As will be explained below, the guide member  114  may also be useful in manufacturing of the burner assembly  100 . 
         [0022]    The guide member  114  may comprise a segment of plastic pipe or tubing. In other embodiments, the guide member  114  is made from the same material as the cap assembly  106 . 
         [0023]    The liquid fuel  122  may be a mineral spirit, petroleum naptha, or a paraffin-based fuel. The fuel  122  may contain scented oils or other agents and may also contain insect repellant chemicals, citronella, or other useful substances. 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an inferior perspective view of an assembled cap assembly for a decorative lamp burner assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. From this viewpoint, it can be seen that the second flared end  112  of the cap assembly  106  is double walled, providing an inner wall  202  and an outer wall  204 . The guide member  114  can be seen inserted into the interior of the cap assembly  106  defined by the inner wall  202 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a side cutaway view of the decorative lamp burner assembly of  FIG. 1  is shown. From this viewpoint, the path of the wick  116  traveling through the guide member  114  can be seen. The guide member  114  may be press-fit (friction fit or interference fit) into the cap assembly  106 . In other embodiments, the guide member  114  may be attached with a heat resistant adhesive. 
         [0026]    The outer wall  204  attaches to the neck  104  of the fuel reservoir  102  in the preferred embodiment. This fitting may be a friction fit or an interference fit. In one embodiment, the neck  104  and the outer wall  204  will be threaded to provide for a threading engagement of the cap assembly  106  to the fuel reservoir  102 . In another embodiment, the inner wall  202  will extend toward the outer wall  204  to the point where it comes in contact with the neck  104  of the fuel reservoir  102 . In this manner, the inner and outer wall  204  will provide a friction fit seal on the neck  104 . 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing the decorative lamp burner assembly of  FIG. 1  is shown. From the method illustrated in  FIG. 4 , it will be appreciated that the guide member  114  is effective to assist in manufacturing the decorative burner assembly  100 . In the manufacturing process, the guide member  114  serves to effectively guide the wick  116  to the interior of the fuel reservoir  102 . 
         [0028]    Beginning at step  402 , the cap is formed. The cap referred to may be the cap assembly  106 . Moving to step  404 , the guide member  114  will be attached to the cap assembly  106 . At step  406 , the wick will be inserted into the guide member  114 . As previously described, in one embodiment, the wick will be a doubled strand of wicking material with the loop end  118  proceeding through the wick holder  108  defined by the first end  110  of the cap assembly  106 . The loose end  120  of the wick  116  may protrude beyond the guide member  114 . 
         [0029]    Following insertion of the wick at step  406 , the entire cap assembly  106 , including the wick  116  and the guide member  114 , can be inserted into the fuel reservoir  102 . As previously described, the cap  106  will be affixed to the neck  104  of the fuel reservoir  102 . Utilizing the guide member  114  to restrain and guide the wick  116  into the fuel reservoir  102 , automated manufacturing of the burner assembly  100  may be aided. The guide member  114  prevents the wick  116  from interfering with the closure of the cap assembly  106  onto the fuel reservoir  102 . 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a perspective of a decorative lawn torch utilizing the decorative lamp burner assembly according to the present disclosure is shown. Here, it can be seen that the lawn torch  500  provides a decorative basket  502  that serves as a receptacle for the burner assembly  100 . The decorative basket  502  is attached to a mounting pole  504 . In the present embodiment, the pole  504  is inserted into a ground surface  506  to support the torch  500 . 
         [0031]    It will be appreciated that the burner assembly  100  will be compatible with many different types of torches, such as garden torches and table top torches. In one embodiment, it is contemplated that the burner assembly  100  will form a sealed unit such that when the fuel supply in the fuel reservoir  102  is exhausted, the user will discard the entire burner assembly  100  and replace it with a new, fully fueled burner assembly. 
         [0032]    From the forgoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of the invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, make various changes and modifications to adapt it to various usages. 
         [0033]    Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within the spirit of this invention as defined by the claims.