Patent Publication Number: US-2003235796-A1

Title: Candle assembly and method of manufacture therefor

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates generally to candles that comprise a candle fuel held in a receptacle, which fuel liquefies into a liquid held in the receptacle during burning of the candle, and particularly to such a candle with a wick that does not have a wick clip.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] Candles have been known and used since early civilization. A typical candle is formed of a solid or semi-solid body of a candle fuel, typically a wax such as paraffin wax or beeswax, and it contains an axially embedded combustible fibrous wick. When the wick of such a candle is lit, the generated heat melts the solid wax, and the resulting liquid flows up the wick by capillary action and is combusted.  
       [0003] One general family of candles includes candles that comprise a candle fuel held in a container, vessel or receptacle (the terms being used interchangeably throughout), which fuel liquefies into a liquid held in the receptacle during burning of the candle. Such candles are referred to throughout the specification and claims as “receptacle candles”. Examples of receptacle candles include tea lights, comprising relatively shallow metal containers, and are used extensively in restaurants, wedding halls and the like. Other kinds of receptacle candles include lights used for decorative and religious purposes.  
       [0004] One type of a receptacle candle comprises an initially solid or semi-solid candle fuel held in the receptacle, such as a candle manufactured with wax powder compression technology. Paraffin or other hydrocarbon raw materials are used to manufacture such candles. Such candles may liquefy in layers, that is, an upper layer may melt first, while the lower layers remain solid or semi-solid, generally due to the candle fuel being a poor conductor of heat. Only after the candle has burned for a while, does the entire candle fuel liquefy.  
       [0005] Another type of a receptacle candle is a gel candle. Gel candles are typically made according to a two stage process: a batch stage in which a gel-forming liquid composition is prepared in a batch (i.e., a container or vessel), followed by a continuous filling stage in which candle containers are filled with the gel-forming liquid composition from the batch. As used herein, “gel-forming liquid composition” generally refers to any colloidal dispersion that transforms into a gel state upon cooling, and “gel state” or “gel” generally refers to a colloidal dispersion that has attained a structure that prevents the dispersion from flowing.  
       [0006] Receptacle candles of the prior art require a structure to hold the wick upright throughout the burning of the candle. The structure used in the prior art is called a “wick clip”, generally comprising a metal disc attached to the bottom end of the wick. For example, in a typical candle manufactured with wax powder compression technology, the candle is molded in a first manufacturing machine with a central, vertical axial hole. The wick clip is made and the wick is attached thereto in a second manufacturing machine. Finally, the wick and wick clip are assembled through the hole of the candle either by hand labor or by a third manufacturing machine. The wick clip rests on the bottom surface of the receptacle and supports the wick during burning of the candle.  
       [0007] However, the wick clip has disadvantages. Residual candle fuel may be left in the receptacle because the presence of the wick clip may prevent complete combustion of the fuel. The wick clip must be removed from the receptacle after the candle has completely burned. This is an annoying and time-consuming task. If the wick clip is not removed and another receptacle candle is placed in the receptacle, the candle will not burn with the wick straight, leading to charring of the receptacle and possible heat damage and even breakage of the receptacle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] The present invention seeks to provide a novel candle assembly and a method for manufacturing such a candle assembly. In the present invention, the candle comprises a receptacle candle with a wick without any wick clip. The wick may be self-supporting throughout burning of the candle, and may be formed with an integral base that supports the wick during burning of the candle. The wick may burn completely to its end with generally no residual wick or candle fuel that remains in the receptacle.  
       [0009] There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a candle assembly including a receptacle candle comprising a wick-clip-less wick.  
       [0010] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the wick has a longitudinal axis and is formed with a base angled with respect to the axis.  
       [0011] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the base is formed by a loop extending from the axis of the wick. The loop may be at least partially arcuate or generally polygonal in shape, for example.  
       [0012] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the wick is embedded in the receptacle candle.  
       [0013] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a receptacle is provided for receiving the receptacle candle. The receptacle may be opaque, transparent or translucent.  
       [0014] There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for manufacturing a candle assembly comprising feeding a portion of a wick (e.g., a roll of wick) into a candle mold, and cold compressing a candle material (e.g., non-powder candle material) into the mold about the portion of the wick to form a receptacle candle.  
       [0015] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a plurality of the receptacle candles may be formed and spaced from one another along the roll of wick.  
       [0016] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method includes trimming the portion of the wick to have a length that protrudes beyond a first surface of the candle material, and another length that protrudes beyond a second surface of the candle material. One of the lengths of the wick that protrudes beyond one of the surfaces of the candle material may be formed into a base angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the portion of the wick, and the base may be embedded into the candle material. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0017] The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:  
     [0018]FIG. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a candle assembly, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0019]FIG. 2 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the candle assembly of FIG. 1 during combustion thereof;  
     [0020]FIG. 3 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the candle assembly of FIG. 1 towards the end of combustion thereof;  
     [0021]FIG. 4 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a wick of the candle assembly of FIG. 1, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0022]FIG. 5 is a simplified pictorial illustration of one example of manufacturing the candle assembly of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
     [0023] Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which illustrates a candle assembly  10 , constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0024] Candle assembly  10  comprises a receptacle candle  12  with a wick  14  that, unlike the prior art, has no wick clip. Wick  14  may have a longitudinal axis  16  and may be formed with a base  18  angled with respect to axis  16 . Base  18  may be formed by a loop of any shape or size extending from axis  16 . For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the loop may be at least partially arcuate. Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 4, the loop may have a generally polygonal shape, such as triagonal. It is appreciated that these are just two examples of shapes of base  18 , and the invention is not limited to these examples.  
     [0025] Receptacle candle  12  may be made of any suitable candle fuel, such as but not limited to, a candle manufactured with compression technology. Wick  14  may any kind of suitable wick, such as but not limited to, a fiber wick coated with a wax, e.g., paraffin, and may be embedded in receptacle candle  12 . For example, one suitable manner of manufacturing candle assembly  10  may comprise cold compression of a non-powder candle material, such as paraffin flakes, in a candle mold (not shown) with wick  14  centrally held in the mold. A controlled amount of paraffin flakes may be introduced into the mold and cold compressed by an impact hammer (not shown) to form receptacle candle  12  with wick  14  embedded therein. The receptacle candle  12  may be removed from the mold and the wick  14  may be trimmed to a desired length of protrusion. The flakes may be of the size and shape as supplied from refineries, unlike the prior art that must use powder for compressing in a mold. The size and shape of the flakes may in the range of 1-6 mm, but the invention is not limited to this range at all.  
     [0026] Another example of manufacturing candle assembly  10  is described now with reference to FIG. 5. A roll of wick  30  may be spooled off a reel  32 . The wick  30  may pass through a central portion of a candle mold  36 . Candle material  38  (e.g., paraffin flakes or any other candle material) may be fed into candle mold  36  and cold compressed therein to form receptacle candle  12  with wick  30  embedded therein. Mold  36  may then be opened to release the receptacle candle  12 , and the wick  30  may be advanced in the direction of an arrow  34 . Once again candle material  38  may be fed into candle mold  36  surrounding a fresh portion of wick  30  to form another receptacle candle  12 . Any amount of receptacle candles  12  may thus be continuously manufactured along the length of wick  30 . At any convenient station of the process, the wicks may be trimmed to have a length that protrudes beyond a first surface (e.g., the top surface) of the compressed paraffin, and a length that protrudes beyond a second surface (e.g., the bottom surface) of the candle material  38 . The bottom portion of the wick may be formed into base  18  and embedded in the bottom of the candle material  38 , thus completing formation of the receptacle candle  12  and wick  14 , as shown, for example, in FIG. 1.  
     [0027] Although the present invention is not limited to the manufacturing process described with reference to FIG. 5, such a process may have several advantages. For example, it may be continuous. In addition, the process may use raw paraffin flakes (or flakes of any other candle material) in the shape and state they come from a paraffin flake manufacturer, unlike the prior art which must change their shape or size or state of matter (e.g., from solid to liquid, or into powder form).  
     [0028] The receptacle candle  12  and its wick  14  may be placed in any kind of receptacle  20 , which may be opaque, transparent or translucent, or any combination thereof. For example, candle assembly  10  may be a tea light, in which case receptacle  20  may comprise a relatively shallow metal, opaque container. As another example, candle assembly  10  may comprise a decorative or religious candle assembly with a tall or relatively small glass container. It is appreciated that these are just two examples of candle assemblies  10 , and the invention is not limited to these examples.  
     [0029]FIG. 1 illustrates candle assembly  10  prior to combustion thereof. In FIG. 2, wick  14  has been lit and the candle fuel of receptacle candle  12  has at least partially liquefied. Wick  14  may be self-supporting throughout burning of the candle. As seen in FIG. 3, wick  14  may burn completely to its end and there is generally no residual wick or candle fuel that remains in the receptacle  20 .  
     [0030] It is noted that in the prior art, when the candle fuel pool becomes very shallow, the fuel may become hot enough to vaporize and flare up (i.e., ignite) without a wick, this phenomenon being known as “flash” or “flashover”. This may be due to the relatively small amount of wick left in the relatively large amount of candle fuel when the candle fuel pool becomes very shallow. That is, the wick-to-fuel ratio is very small when the fuel pool is shallow. In contrast, in the present invention, when the candle fuel pool becomes very shallow, there is still a relatively large amount of wick left because the wick does not end in a point but rather in the relatively wide base  18 . The wick-to-fuel ratio remains high. Thus, the candle of the present invention may burn to the end with no residual matter and no flashover.  
     [0031] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.