Patent Publication Number: US-2002002792-A1

Title: Candle composition and method of making candle product

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] (Not Applicable) 
    
    
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT  
     [0002] (Not Applicable) 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] This invention relates in general to candle compositions, and in particular to a candle composition produced from a mixture of a combustible wax material and a combustible gelatinous material whereby desirable characteristics of both materials are imparted to candle products fabricated from such mixture.  
       [0004] Candles have become very popular for decorative purposes, and typically are one of three different types: tapered, molded, and container housed, and are generally fabricated of a candle wax material which may include paraffin wax, vegetable wax, or beeswax. Fragrances and/or pigments can be added to the wax material to enhance individual candle characteristics. The fragrance and/or pigment, when present, is mixed with the wax when in a molten state, and the treated wax is then formed into the preferred type of candle with an integral aroma and/or color. Wax candles are stably free-standing, opaque, and do not lose their molded shape in room-temperature conditions.  
       [0005] In addition to making candles out of wax material, gelatinous material such as mineral oil has been used to create transparent or translucent gel candles that provide pleasing and unique aesthetic qualities. The mineral oil is gelatinous and a solid at ambient temperature, and generally will burn longer than candles made from a wax material because of the high oil content of the gel. As desired, gel candles may additionally be scented and/or colored to add variety. Additionally, gelatinous material can be manufactured in sheet form which then can be cut in cookie-cutter fashion to create variously shaped gel components for decorative inclusion with traditional molded candles. However, in contrast to candles made of a wax material, candles constructed of a gelatinous material are not opaque and are shape-unstable at room temperature, thus requiring confinement in a dedicated container.  
       [0006] As is therefore apparent, both the candles made of wax and the candles made of gelatinous material have certain desirable characteristics which are separate and exclusive to each type of fabrication. Unfortunately, no present-day candle product provides a combination of these features. As a result, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a candle composition whose properties synergistically contribute toward each other to produce a product exhibiting both wax and gel characteristics.  
       [0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a candle product fabricated of a composition embodying favorable behaviors of both wax candles and gel candles.  
       [0008] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for making a candle product employing a combustible composition whose properties provide both wax and gel qualities.  
       [0009] These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010] The present invention is a composition for forming a candle, a candle product fabricated of the composition, and a method for making the candle product. The composition generally comprises a mixture of a lesser amount of combustible wax material and a greater amount of combustible gelatinous material. Preferably, the wax material is paraffin wax while the gelatinous material is mineral oil gel, with these combustible components present at a ratio by weight of paraffin wax to gel from about 5-15 percent paraffin wax to about 95-75 percent gel. Optionally, a pigment and/or fragrance can be included and generally uniformly distributed in the mixture such that unique aesthetic aromatic and color qualities can be experienced during candle use.  
       [0011] A method of making a candle product incorporating the composition first includes forming the combustible composition by the steps of (a) heat-melting a combustible wax material; (b) heat-melting a combustible gelatinous material; and (c) mixing a lesser amount of the melted wax material with a greater amount of the melted gelatinous material for producing a flowable composition and thereafter maintaining the composition in a flowable state. This flowable composition then is poured into a mold shaped as the candle product to be formed while a wick is provided within, and extending outwardly from, the mold. Finally, the poured composition is cooled within the mold to thereby solidify and yield the candle product. In the same manner as defined above, make-up of the composition preferably includes a wax material that is paraffin wax while the gelatinous material is mineral oil gel, with these combustible components present at a ratio by weight of paraffin wax to gel from about 5-15 percent paraffin wax to about 95-75 percent gel. Likewise, as related above, an optional pigment and/or fragrance can be included in the composition. The candle products so produced from the defined composition possess favorable properties of both wax and gel to thereby provide longevity characteristics of gel combined with stability characteristics of wax, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing candle with exceptional practical utility. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0012] An illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:  
     [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a candle product formed from a paraffin wax and gelatinous material combustible composition; and  
     [0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a candle mold showing a molten composition of such paraffin wax and gelatinous material being poured into the mold and with a wick positioned within the mold and extending therefrom upwardly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a candle product  10  is shown in FIG. 1 as an end product of production from a candle mold  12  as shown in FIG. 2. In particular, a combustible composition  14  for forming a candle product is first produced by heat melting a quantity of generally opaque paraffin wax and a quantity of generally transparent mineral oil gel and thereafter mixing the molten wax and molten gel with each other at a ratio of from about 5-15 wt. % paraffin wax to about 95-75 wt. % gel to form a pourable composition  14 . One source of such mineral gel is that available as “Candle Gel” or “Versa Gel,” both manufactured by Penrico Company, Woodland, Tex. Optional pigment and fragrance components as known in the art are added to this molten pourable composition  14  which then is poured into the candle mold  12 . As shown in FIG. 2, the candle mold  12  is provided with a wick  16  within and extending outwardly from the mold  12 . The wick  16  here shown in disposed within a standard votive-type core paraffin-wax candle  18  around which the molten composition  14  is poured. However, wick inclusion can be accomplished in other ways as would be recognized in the art. Once the candle mold  12  is filled to its desired level, the molten composition  14  therein is permitted to cool and thereby solidify to form a candle product  10 . As desired, the candle product  10  can be retained within the candle mold or removed therefrom for free standing display. The candle product  10  thus formed exhibits a longer burn time plus a more lustrous exposed surface as compared to wax-only candle products, while unsupportedly retaining its shape as an opaque candle product as opposed to gelatinous candle products.  
     [0016] Thus, while an illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.