Patent Publication Number: US-11655975-B2

Title: Oil lamp post cap holder

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a lamp, and particularly to a lamp apparatus that can be inserted or otherwise incorporated within or as part of a post structure, such as a fence post, deck post, or banister post. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A lamp is usually an object that uses fuel or electricity to provide illumination. For thousands of years, humans have been using lamps that burn combustible fuels. Some lamps include a fuel reservoir and a wick that can become saturated with fuel. Many people use lamps in outdoor spaces to provide a variety of benefits. In addition to illumination, fuel lamps can help to deter pests through the use of certain types of fuels, and many people simply enjoy the aesthetics of light from a flame. 
     Many people like to place lamps along the perimeter of an outdoor space, as this can help to provide a wide dispersal of illumination and/or pest-repelling benefits. Many outdoor spaces have a fence that runs along their perimeters. Because many people have fences along the perimeter of an outdoor area and also want to have lamps along the perimeter, individuals have created devices that allow one to attach a lamp to a fence post. Some people choose to attach a lamp to a fence post because it is the only secure means by which to have a lamp in that area, such as if the outdoor surface or ground cannot provide an acceptable amount of support to safely and easily place a lamp within or on the ground. However, many of these lamp-holding devices can permanently damage a fence post when the device is screwed onto the fence post or otherwise attached to the post. Additionally, lamps attached to posts in this manner are usually not easily concealable if someone does not wish to have a lamp on display. 
     There are some fence posts that have electric lamps that are attached to or concealed within the cap of the fence post. Electric lamps in an outdoor space can have some downsides associated with exposure to the elements. Additionally, electric lamps need to be supplied with electricity, which requires solar panels, batteries, or wiring to be provided to each lamp. While there are apparatuses that consist of electric lamps that are recessed within a fence post and capable of being discreetly concealed, the current state of the art docs not include an apparatus that allows for incorporation and concealment of an oil lamp within a post. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view and two side views of a section of a fence showing what a fence post could look like in one embodiment with the apparatus attached as the cap of the fence post. 
         FIG.  2    is a side view, a cross-sectional view, and a magnified cross-sectional view of a fence post and the apparatus as envisioned in one embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is an exploded perspective view of the internal and external parts of the apparatus as envisioned in one embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    shows a top view, side view, cross-sectional view, and two perspective views of an adapter that can be used to secure the apparatus to a post in some embodiments. 
         FIG.  5    shows a top view, side view, cross-sectional view, and a perspective view of a fuel reservoir that can be used to store lamp fuel, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    shows a top view, side view, cross-sectional view, and two perspective views of a wick collar that can be attached to a fuel reservoir and hold a wick, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    shows a bottom view, side view, cross-sectional view, and two perspective views of a snuffer cap, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    shows a bottom view, two side views, a cross-sectional view, and two perspective views of a snuffer cap pipe that can be inserted into a snuffer cap, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    shows a top view, side view, and perspective view of a chain that can be attached to a wick collar and a snuffer cap pipe, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosed subject matter, are incorporated in and constitute a pan of this specification. The drawings also illustrate embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, and together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principle embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. No attempt is made to show structural details in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the disclosed subject matter and various ways in which it may be practiced. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention comprises a lamp that is inserted or otherwise incorporated within the cap of a post, such as the post of a fence, deck, or banister. The lamp has a reservoir that can hold flammable fuel, such as lamp oil. The lamp includes a wick collar that can be attached to the reservoir and also allows for the insertion of a wick into the reservoir. The wick can become saturated with fuel in the reservoir and allow for the controlled and gradual combustion of fuel. A user can ignite the wick to have the lamp serve as a light source. The lamp can be housed within a structure that serves as the cap of a post. Usually, the housing structure will have a base, a cover that secures to the base, and a removable snuffing cap that sits on top of the cover. This removable snuffing cap can serve multiple functions. The cap can be placed on the top of the housing structure when the lamp is not in use to protect and conceal the internal parts of the apparatus. The cap can be removed to expose the lamp&#39;s concealed wick when a user wishes to use the lamp. The cap can also be replaced on top of the housing structure and over the wick of the lamp to safely extinguish a flame. A purpose of this invention is to provide a discreet way to incorporate and conceal a lamp within the cap of a post. This invention represents a secure structure to house and support a lamp on top of a post. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , the present invention relates to a lamp apparatus  120  that can be placed on a post  110 . The lamp apparatus  120  may have an external housing that looks like the cap of a post and which can include a base  220 , a cover  230 , and a snuffer cap  240  as shown in  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  3   . The external housing can serve multiple purposes, including protecting the internal components of the lamp apparatus and discreetly concealing the lamp within the cap or post. Said external housing can house internal lamp components that can include a fuel reservoir  260 , a lamp gasket  310 , a wick collar  270 , a wick  280 , a grommet  320 , and a cover ring  330 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , the snuffer cap  240  can have a snuffer cap pipe  250  inserted into a cavity of said snuffer cap  240  and securely attached to said cavity, which can form a snuffer cap assembly. Said snuffer cap assembly can serve multiple purposes, including protecting and concealing the internal components of the apparatus, such as the wick  280 , as well as safely snuffing a burning wick  280  when a user wishes to extinguish a lamp&#39;s flame. 
     In another embodiment, a lamp apparatus could be attached to a flat surface of a horizontal deck rail. In this embodiment, said flat surface of the deck rail may require installation of an adapter  400 , shown in  FIG.  4   , to allow a user to install a lamp apparatus. Said adapter  400  can include a multitude of guide holes  420  to assist with installation of said adapter  400  to a flat surface of a deck rail. In this embodiment, one could attach adapter  400  to the deck rail by aligning the guide holes  420  on a flat surface of the deck rail, and then using fasteners such as screws inserted through said guide holes  420  into said deck rail to secure said adapter  400  to said deck rail. In this embodiment, one could then attach a housing cover base  220  (shown in  FIG.  3   ) to said adapter  400 . 
     In an embodiment, the apparatus  200  includes a post  110 . In this embodiment, an adapter  400  may not be required to attach base  220  to a post  110 . This embodiment can be seen in a cross-sectional view in  FIG.  2    and in an exploded view in  FIG.  3   . In an embodiment, one could assemble the apparatus  200  in the arrangement and orientations that are shown in  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  3   . 
     In this embodiment, one could attach base  220  to post  110 . 
     One could then place a fuel reservoir  260  inside the internal cavity of base  220 , which can be sized and shaped to securely hold said fuel reservoir  260 . Said fuel reservoir  260  should be constructed of a nonporous material such as metal or glass; however, other appropriate materials can be used as well. In this embodiment, said fuel reservoir  260  can have threading  261  (shown in  FIG.  5   ) around the top opening of said fuel reservoir  260 , which can allow for a wick collar  270  that can have threading  271  (shown in  FIG.  6   ) to be secured to the threading  261  on top of said fuel reservoir  260 . Before attaching wick collar  270  to fuel reservoir  260 , one can install a lamp gasket  310  around the base of the threaded top opening of said fuel reservoir  260 . Said lamp gasket  310  can be useful to ensure a secure and more air-tight seal between said fuel reservoir  260  and said wick collar  270 . 
     In an embodiment, wick collar  270  can have a chain  290  (shown in  FIG.  2   ) attached to an attachment point  272  (shown in  FIG.  6   ) on said wick collar  270 . The other end of said chain  290  can be attached to an attachment point  251  (shown in  FIG.  8   ) on a snuffer cap pipe  250  later in the assembly process. 
     A wick  280  can be placed through the opening of the wick collar  270  and into the fuel reservoir  260 . Said wick  280  can be partially submerged in liquid fuel in fuel reservoir  260  while said wick  280  is also extended above the top opening of wick collar  270 . A grommet  320  can be placed around wick collar  270  and on top of fuel reservoir  260 . Preferably, said grommet  320  can be made of a heat resistant rubber, but other heat resistant materials can be used. A cover ring  330  can be placed on the top of said grommet  320 . Said cover ring  330  can have a gap that aligns with the attachment point  272  on wick collar  270 , which allows for a chain  290  to pass through cover ring  330 . 
     In an embodiment, a cover  230  can be placed over the internal components of the apparatus. Said cover  230  can be connected to a base  220  to form more of the apparatus&#39;s external housing. Said cover  230  can have an internal cavity that accommodates the apparatus&#39;s internal components. Said cover  230  can have an opening in its top. As shown in  FIG.  2   , preferably, the top of wick  280  will partially extend through said opening of said cover  230  and above the top surface of said cover  230 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , one can place a snuffer cap  240  and snuffer cap pipe  250  such that said snuffer cap  240  rests on top of a housing cover  230  and said snuffer cap pipe  250  extends through the opening of said housing cover  230  and around a wick collar  270  and wick  280 ; in this positioning, the apparatus can discreetly conceal that a lamp is contained within the apparatus. One can remove the snuffer cap  240  and the snuffer cap pipe  250  to expose the wick  280 . When said wick  280  is exposed in said manner, one can ignite said wick  280 . When one wishes to extinguish an ignited wick  280 , one can place the snuffer cap  240  and the snuffer cap pipe  250  over said wick  280 , as positioned and shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     In an embodiment, a snuffer cap pipe  250  may be attached to a snuffer cap  240  such that said snuffer cap  240  rests on top of a housing cover  230 . Said snuffer cap  240  and snuffer cap pipe  250  may form a single component. 
     In an embodiment, a chain  290  can attach to an attachment point  272  on a wick collar  270  at one end of said chain  290  and to an attachment point  251  on a snuffer cap pipe  250  at the other end of said chain  290 . The purpose of having said chain  290  attached to said wick collar  270  and said snuffer cap pipe  250  is so that one can remove said snuffer cap pipe  250  to expose a wick  280  and simultaneously keep said snuffer cap pipe  250  attached to the rest of the apparatus. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , one embodiment has a post  110 , a base  220 , a cover  230 , and a snuffer cap  240  with dimensions that are generally four-sided with respect to horizontal dimensions. Other embodiments could include components that are shaped differently, such as components with external shapes that are circular, triangular, or hexagonal.