Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02310895 2005-O1-26
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION: CANDLE WITH SURROUNDING
DECORATIVE COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to
decorative candles and more specifically to candles
which include a decorative, combustible material.
Description Of The Related Art
In the past, it has been desirable to decorate
candles with a variety of materials to add a
texture, scent, or additional decorative features.
Candles have been decorated with stones,
potpourri, and a variety of other particulate
materials, such as cocoa powder. Other types of
decorations which have been desirable have included
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messages on paper and the like. Many of these
materials can catch fire when exposed to a flaming
wick. Examples of references which disclose the
desirability of including these types of materials
are the patents to Cassimatis, U.S. Patent No.
2,122,451; Weglin, U.S. Patent No. 2,817,225;
Frederics, U.S. Patent No. 3,175,876; Lundbom, U.S.
Patent No. 3,983,677; Pitchford, U.S. Patent No.
4,696,640; and Karp, U.S. Patent No. 5,395,233, as
well as the design patents to Seaver, U.S. Design
Patent No. 111,775; McKenzie et al., U.S. Design
Patent No. 178,200; Kranz, U.S. Design Patent No.
173,759; and Osland et al., U.S. Design Patent No.
370,067.
A problem which has been found when this type
of material is used in a candle is that the
decorative, combustible material added to the
candle can come into contact with the flame when
the candle is burning, thereby causing a fire. Of
particular note is the problem that wax or other
fuel which is used to make the candle can melt away
from the combustible material, allowing the
combustible material to fall into the pool of
molten fuel which is near the flame. When this
occurs, the combustible material can fall into or
float to a position near the flame and either catch
fire or become a secondary wick supporting an
additional flame, which is undesirable and unsafe.
A possible, but impractical, solution to these
problems would be to use candles that include this
type of material only as decorative articles and
not burn them. However, since a primary purpose of
candles is to generate light, such a solution would
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be unacceptable to consumers.
Another possible solution is to cover the
combustible material by a non-flammable shielding,
such as was shown in the above-cited Pitchford
disclosure. However, such a design would be
unattractive in the majority of cases, as the non
flammable material would become exposed during the
burning of the candle. Since candles have a
decorative purpose, an unattractive candle is not a
practical option.
Another option is to avoid combustible
materials in a candle, such as was done by Lundbom.
However, this solution is really not a solution at
all, since it is desirable to use some combustible
materials in a candle because of their aesthetic
value.
Yet another option is to design the candle
such that the wax does not burn to the edges, such
as was shown in the above-cited patent to Karp.
While this may be workable in some instances, it
creates waste which is not desirable. In addition,
a cylinder of wax surrounding the lit wick is not
desirable and may cause the candle to burn
improperly. The use of such a design can also
create problems for a user who may be unable to
light the candle once it burns down several inches.
A modification to this type of solution is
found in some candles currently sold commercially.
This modified configuration includes a
translucent, non-combustible sleeve which is
positioned in a candle between the core, which
includes the wick and comprises the burnable
portion of the candle, and an exterior layer which
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includes a combustible material combined with a
fuel. However, this type of candle does not fully
solve the flashover problem and is difficult to
manufacture.
What is needed, therefore, is a candle which
is designed such that a combustible material can be
used as a decorative feature on a candle with a
minimum risk of ignition while minimizing the
probability of the flashover. The present
invention minimizes that risk.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The candle of the present invention solves
these and other problems by separating the burning
wick from the combustible material by the insertion
of a sleeve and in one type of embodiment by
raising one end of the wick above the base of the
candle. The candle includes a fuel core including a
wick which extends a selected distance downwardly
from the top surface of the core. A protective
sleeve, which is preferably translucent, surrounds
the fuel core by extending substantially the
selected distance from the top surface of the core.
A combustible material surrounds at least a
portion of the sleeve.
A fill composition, such as a candle fuel, is
interspersed around the combustible material and
secures the combustible material to the sleeve or
core. The fill composition is a fluent material
which, when poured around the decorative
combustible material, at least partially surrounds
or encases the decorative combustible material and
preferably fills voids between pieces of decorative
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combustible material. The fill composition is not
significantly fluent at normal candle operating
temperatures. The fill composition may be candle
wax or other candle fuel. Alternatively, it may be
5 a non-flammable material or a flame-retardant
material.
The core may be a short-wicked candle or
alternatively may include a first portion which
rests atop a second portion. The first portion is
preferably a candle and the second portion is
preferably a riser. The riser preferably takes the
form of a block of wax. But, in some embodiments
it may advantageously be a block of nonflammable
material, such as glass, ceramic or metal. The
sleeve preferably surrounds the first portion or
candle and rests atop the second portion or riser.
The method of making the candle incorporates
the use of a mold. The core is placed in a mold.
The mold is sufficiently larger than the core that
the core is spaced from the sides of the mold. The
core includes a wick which extends a selected
distance from a top surface of the core. A
protective sleeve is then placed in surrounding
relationship to the fuel core, and the protective
sleeve extends and surrounds the fuel core
substantially a selected distance from the top
surface of the core. A decorative combustible
material is then filled into the space between the
sides of the mold and the core until at least a
portion of the sleeve is surrounded with the
combustible material. A fill composition is then
poured into the space between the sides of the mold
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and the sleeve and core to intersperse the fill
composition around the combustible material.
The step of placing the core in the mold may
comprise placing a short-wicked candle in the mold.
Alternatively, the step of placing the core in the
mold may comprise placing a riser in the mold, then
placing a candle on the riser. The riser may also
be poured in place.
In an alternative embodiment, the candle
includes a fuel core including a wick, a
combustible material, and sleeve which
substantially surrounds the fuel core and which is
at least partially surrounded by the combustible
material. The sleeve includes a plurality of holes
which are impassable to the combustible material.
The sleeve extends substantially from about a top
surface of the fuel core to about the bottom
surface of the fuel core. In one alternative
embodiment, the wick extends only a selected
distance from about the top surface of the fuel
core. However, because the combustible material
cannot pass through the holes in the sleeve, the
wick may also extend substantially from about a top
surface of the fuel core to about the bottom
surface of the fuel core .
To make this embodiment of the candle, the
sleeve, which has a plurality of holes
therethrough, is placed in a mold, thereby
separating the mold into inner and outer generally
concentric portions. The combustible material is
then poured into at least the outer portion. A
fill composition is then poured into at least one
of the portions of the mold and passes through the
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holes in the sleeve, thereby at least partially
filling, and sometimes substantially filling, each
of the portions. In one alternative method, a wick
is suspended in the inner portion of the mold and
the fill composition is poured into the inner
portion. In a second alternative method, a core
candle is placed within the sleeve before the fill
composition is poured into the outer portion of the
mold. The fill composition is then added,
underfilling the inner portion of the mold beneath
the core candle and substantially filling the outer
portion of the mold. In a third alternative
method, the fill composition is poured into one of
the portions to partially fill each of the
portions. This forms a riser in the bottom of the
inner portion. Then a core candle is placed in the
inner portion of the mold on top of the riser.
Finally, an additional quantity of the f ill
composition is poured into the outer portion of the
mold to substantially fill the outer portion.
In yet another embodiment, the candle includes
a sleeve having a top and a bottom, and a fuel core
substantially surrounded by the sleeve and
extending into the sleeve a selected distance from
the top of the sleeve. Because the selected
distance is spaced from the bottom of the sleeve, a
cavity is formed. The cavity may be filled with
air or may be at least partially filled with a non-
flammable solid, such as ceramic or glass. The
3 0 candle may also include a base adj acent the bottom
of the sleeve. A combustible material may surround
at least a portion of the sleeve and a fill
composition may be interspersed around the
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combustible material.
The use of this process and product will reduce the
probability of any of the combustible material falling into
the pool of molten wax which forms when this type of candle
is lit. The flame and the molten wax will remain separated
from the combustible material. In addition, the use of the
riser tends to minimize the risk of flashover. Thereby, the
risk of fire when this type of candle is used is greatly
reduced.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a candle, comprising a fuel core including a wick
which extends through the fuel core a selected distance from
a top surface of the fuel core; a separating protective
sleeve substantially extending and surrounding the fuel core
at least the selected distance from the top surface of the
fuel core; and a decorative, particulate combustible
material exteriorly surrounding at least a portion of the
sleeve, and separated from a molten pool of fuel, and
interspersed in a candle fuel fill composition surrounding
at least a portion of the sleeve and securing the
combustible material to the sleeve.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method of making a candle, comprising placing a
fuel core in a mold, the mold being sufficiently larger than
the fuel core that the fuel core is spaced from sides of the
mold, the fuel core including a wick which extends into the
fuel core from a top surface of the fuel core to a selected
level; substantially surrounding the fuel core with a
separating protective sleeve extending substantially the
selected distance from the top surface of the core; pouring
a decoractive, particulate combustible material into the
mold exteriorly of the sleeve; and pouring a candle fuel
fill composition into the mold between the sides of the mold
i
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and the core to intersperse the fill composition around the
combustible material and secure the combustible material to
the sleeve, and removing the candle from the mold.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there
is provided a method of making a candle, comprising placing
a sleeve in a mold, the sleeve being smaller than the mold
thereby separating the mold into inner and outer generally
concentric portions, the sleeve having a plurality of holes
therethrough; pouring a decorative, particulate combustible
material into at least the outer portion, the combustible
material being too large to pass through the holes in the
sleeve; and pouring a fill composition into at least one of
the portions of the mold, the fill composition passing
through the holes in the sleeve and at least partially
filling each of the portions.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there
is provided a candle, comprising a fuel core including a
wick extending longitudinally into the core at least a
selected distance from a top surface of the fuel core; a
decorative particulate combustible material exteriorly
surrounding and spaced from at least a porition of the fuel
core; a protective sleeve disposed between the fuel core and
the particulate combustible material preventing the
combustible material from entering a molten pool of fuel
created during burning of the wick and being combusted by
the burning wick; and a candle fuel fill composition
surrounding at least a portion of the sleeve and securing
the combustible material to the sleeve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS ,
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment
of the candle of the present invention using a first
embodiment of the core.
i
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Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment
of the core of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment
of the candle of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment
of the candle of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a core in a mold.
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a core in a mold
being surrounded by a combustible material.
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a core in a mold,
the fill composition being interspersed with the combustible
material which surrounds the core.
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a core in a mold,
the fill composition being poured to cover the top of the
core.
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Fig. 9 is a top view of the core in the mold
as shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth
embodiment of the candle of the present invention.
Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth
embodiment of the candle of the present invention.
Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a
perforated sleeve in a mold according to an
alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 13 is a top view of the sleeve and mold
according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 12.
Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the
sleeve in the mold being surrounded by a
combustible material according to the embodiment
shown in Fig. 12.
Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the
sleeve in the mold, the fill composition being
interspersed with the combustible material which
surrounds the sleeve and passing through holes in
the sleeve to partially fill a portion of the mold
within the sleeve according to the embodiment shown
in Fig. 12.
Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel
core within the sleeve atop the fill composition
according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 12.
Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a candle
in a mold according to the embodiment shown in Fig.
12.
Fig. 18 is cross-sectional view of a fuel core
within a sleeve in a mold, the sleeve being
partially surrounded by a combustible material,
according to an alternative embodiment to the
embodiment shown in Fig. 12.
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Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a wick
within a sleeve in a mold, the sleeve being
partially surrounded by a combustible material,
according to a second alternative embodiment to the
5 embodiment shown in Fig. 12.
Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the
preferred configuration of a candle resulting from
one of the methods shown in Figs. 12-19.
Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view of yet
10 another embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 22 is a cross-sectional view of a sleeve,
fuel core, and combustible material in a mold
according to the embodiment of Fig. 21.
Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view of a sleeve,
fuel core, and combustible material according to a
first alternative embodiment of the embodiment of
Fig. 21.
In describing the preferred embodiment of the
invention which is illustrated in the drawings,
specific terminology will be resorted to for the
sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that
the invention be limited to the specific terms so
selected and it is to be understood that each
specific term includes all technical equivalents
which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a
similar purpose.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a candle and
a method of making a candle which includes a
combustible material surrounding a core. The
product will be first described, then the method of
making.
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Referring most particularly to Fig. 1, a
preferred embodiment of the candle 10 is shown.
The candle 10 includes a cylindrical wax core 12.
The core 12 includes a top 14 and a bottom 16. As
is true of candles as a general matter, the top 14
is the surface of the candle 10 through which a
wick 18 protrudes or extends for lighting by a
user; and the bottom 16 is the surface of the
candle 10 which rests on a surface (not shown) for
display. The wick 18 is surrounded by the core 12
and extends a selected distance downwardly from the
top 14 of the core 12 towards the bottom 16 of the
core 12. The shape of the candle 10 as shown in
the Figs. is generally a circular cylinder.
However, the shape of the candle 10 is not critical
to the present invention and may be a square or
oval cylinder or any other desirable shape.
The core 12 may include a number of parts. As
shown in Fig. 1, the core 12 may be a candle 20
placed atop a riser 22. In the preferred
embodiment, the riser 22 is a block of fuel,
preferably wax. However, many alternatives to the
block of fuel are possible. For example, a non-
flammable solid, such as a metal, ceramic or glass
block, can be used in the place of the block of
wax. In addition, although the riser 22 is shown
in many of the Figs. as being the same shape and
diameter as the candle 20, the riser 22 may be
larger or smaller in diameter than the candle 20 or
may differ in shape. It may be desirable to use a
different shape for a number of reasons, including
cost of production. Other possible modifications
to the riser 22 will be described in connection
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with the method of making the candle 10 later in
the present disclosure.
The core 12 is surrounded by a combustible
material 24. In the embodiments shown in Figs. 1
4, the combustible material 24 surrounds a lower
part of the core 12, up to a selected level 28.
The selected level 28 is spaced from the bottom 16
of the core 12. If, as is shown in Fig. 1, the
combustible material 24 is a particulate matter,
the selected level 28 is more difficult to define
since the precise level of the combustible material
24 is not constant, due to the particulate nature
or irregular shape of the material not allowing
each particle to fall to the same height. However,
the selected level 28 is defined as generally the
point at which the uppermost particles of the
combustible material 24 touch the core 12.
In this embodiment, the wick 18 extends
downwardly from the top 14 of the core 12 no
further than substantially the selected level 28.
The terms "down" and "low" and their related forms
refer to a direction towards the bottom 16 of the
core 12, while the terms "up" and "high" and their
related forms refer to a direction towards the top
14 of the core 12. It is preferable for no part of
the wick 18 to be lower than any particle of the
combustible material 24. However, even if there is
some overlap of the combustible material 24 and the
wick 18, the product will still operate in
accordance with and have the advantages of the
invention. A small amount of overlap is permitted,
in part because the liquid pool of fuel which forms
when the candle burns is somewhat bowl-shaped and
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thus a particle of combustible material 24 which is
slightly higher than a portion of the wick 18 will
still not fall into the liquid pool of fuel. Thus,
the wick 18 must extend downwardly no further than
substantially the selected level.
The lower end 30 of the wick 18 may take a
variety of positions with respect to the selected
level 28 and the combustible material. As shown in
Fig. 1, the lower end 30 of the wick 18 terminates
above the selected level 28. The length L of the
wick 18 may be even smaller and the lower end 30 of
the wick 18 may be even further above the selected
level 28. Alternatively, in a second embodiment of
the candle 110, shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the
lower end 130 of the wick 118 terminates
substantially at the selected level 128. In all
other ways, the second embodiment of the candle 110
is identical to the first embodiment of the candle
10. Fig. 3 shows that terminating substantially at
the selected level 128 includes terminating
slightly lower than the selected level 128.
Turning now to Fig. 2, an alternative
embodiment of the core is shown. Fig. 2 shows a
short-wicked candle 212. A short-wicked candle,
generally speaking, is a candle formed by placing a
wick only part of the way down the candle. The
wick 218 extends from the top 214 of the core 212
towards the bottom 216 of the core 212 but does not
reach the bottom 212 of the core 216. Thus, in
this embodiment of the core 212, the candle 20 and
riser 22 of the first embodiment of the core 12 are
formed in one piece. Either of the embodiments of
the core 12, 212 and the various possible
e~
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modifications may be used in any of the later Figs.
However, only the first embodiment of the core 12
is shown throughout Figs. 3-9.
Returning to Fig. 1, the candle 10 also
includes a fill composition 32. The fill
composition 32 is interspersed around the
combustible material 24 and secures the combustible
material 24 to the core 12. The fill composition
32 can only be truly interspersed around the
combustible material 24 if the combustible material
24 is a particulate matter, as is shown in the
Figs. However, the combustible material 24 can be
a number of types of materials including a solid
ring of paper or the like. In such a case, the
term ~~interspersed around~~ means at least partially
surrounding, because a primary purpose of
interspersing the fill composition 32 and
combustible material 24 is to secure the
combustible material 24 to the core 12. Another
primary purpose of interspersing the fill
composition 32 around the combustible material 24
is to secure the particles of the combustible
material 24 to each other. The fill composition 32
may surround more than the lower part 30 of the
core 12 and may surround the core 12 and cover the
top 14 of the core 12.
There are a variety of preferred materials and
preferred spacing arrangements in the present
invention. The core 12 and the fill composition 32
are preferably made of fuels which are solid at
room temperature, but which melt when the wick 18
is lit. The core 12 and fill composition 32 are
preferably made of the same fuel, most preferably
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wax. The combustible material 24 is preferably a
particulate matter, such as potpourri, candy,
leaves, or the like. Most preferably, the
combustible material 24 is coffee beans or cinnamon
5 strips. The selected level 28 is preferably spaced
from the bottom 16 of the core 12 by between about
1 inch and about 4 inches. The mixture formed when
the fill composition 32 is interspersed around the
combustible material 24 is referred to as the fill
10 composition and combustible material interspersion
34. The fill composition and combustible material
interspersion 34 preferably has a width W between
about 1/4 inch and about 2 inches.
A variety of other possible modifications to
15 portions of the present invention are shown in Fig.
4. Any of these modifications can be made
individually to any of the embodiments mentioned
above. As shown in Fig. 4, the fill composition
332 may surround only a portion of the core 312 to
form a protruding base. If the width W3 of the
fill composition and combustible material
interspersion 334 is small enough, the difference
may not be noticeable.
There may also be included a wick sustainer
2 5 3 3 6 to be used as a base f or retaining the wick .
The wick sustainer 336 can also operate to separate
the wick 318 from the riser 322. A sheet of non-
flammable material, such as an aluminum foil, can
also be interposed between the wick and the riser
322 to provide a barrier separating the riser
portion of the core from the candle portion of the
core. The wick sustainer 336 may be a non-
flammable material, and its base may extend
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radially outwardly to serve as the barrier.
Turning now to Figs. 10 and 11, there is shown
yet another alternative embodiment to those
described above. Turning first to Fig. 10, which is
the more. preferred configuration, the candle 400
includes a fuel core 402, a protective sleeve 404,
and a combustible material 406.
The fuel core 402 is preferably formed of
first and second portions, and most preferably is a
candle 408 atop a riser 410. In the preferred
embodiment, the riser 410 is a block of fuel,
preferably wax. However, many alternatives to the
block of fuel are possible, as described above.
For example, a non-flammable solid, such as a
metal, ceramic or glass block, can be used in the
place of the block of wax. In this embodiment, it
is preferred that the riser 410 be slightly larger
in diameter or width than the candle 408.
A protective sleeve 404 substantially
surrounds the candle 408. The riser 410 is
preferably sufficiently larger than the candle 408
that the protective sleeve 404 rests on the riser
410. The sleeve 404 is preferably translucent and
is most preferably made of PVC.
A combustible material 406 surrounds at least
a portion of the protective sleeve 404. A fill
composition 420 may be interspersed with the
combustible material 406, surrounding at least a
portion of the sleeve 404 and securing the
combustible material 406 to the sleeve 404. The
configuration of the combustible material 406 and?
the fill composition 420 is similar to that
disclosed in connection with the previously
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described embodiments. In an alternative
embodiment, the fill composition need not be used
to secure the combustible material 406 to the
sleeve 404, if the core 402, sleeve 404, and
combustible material 406 are all enclosed within a
glass jar or other transparent container. In such
a case, the exterior container would hold the
combustible material 406 near to the sleeve 404 and
core 402, and render the fill composition 420
unnecessary. However, the use of the fill
composition 420 is preferred. It is also
preferred, for aesthetic reasons, that a thin layer
of the fill composition 420 cover the end 422 of
the sleeve 404 which is closest to the top surface
414 of the candle 400.
The candle 408 includes a wick 412. The wick
412 extends a selected distance D from the top
surface 414 of the candle 408 towards the bottom
416 of the candle 400. The protective sleeve 404
extends the selected distance D in surrounding
relationship to the candle 408 substantially from
the top surface 414 of the candle 408 towards the
bottom 416 of the candle 400. The sleeve 404 may
extend a slightly greater or lesser distance than
the selected distance D. A purpose of the sleeve
404 is to separate the combustible material 406
from the core 402, thereby minimizing the risk of
the combustible material 406 falling into a molten
pool of fuel and nearing the wick 412 to become a
secondary wick. The sleeve 404 should extend
substantially the same selected distance as the
wick 412 from the top surface 414 of the candle
408, and therefore the sleeve 404 extends
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substantially the selected distance from the top
surface 414 of the candle 408 in surrounding
relationship to the core 402. However, the wick
412 and sleeve 404 need not extend an identical
distance to achieve the desirable result. One end
422 of the sleeve 404 need not be coplanar the top
surface 414 of the candle 408, and that
configuration is not preferred, since viewing the
end 422 of the sleeve 404 is not aesthetically
pleasing. The other end 424 of the sleeve 404 need
not be coplanar with the end 426 of the wick 412,
because the liquid pool of fuel which forms when
the core 402 burns is somewhat bowl-shaped and thus
a sleeve 404 which terminates slightly above the
end 426 of the wick 412 still achieves the desired
result.
Turning now to Fig. 11, a similar candle 500
is shown. In this configuration, however, the core
502 is a short-wicked candle 504. Because a short-
wicked candle 504 usually has the same diameter
throughout its length, the sleeve 506 cannot rest
on any other portion of the core as shown in Fig.
10. As a result, it is important in this
embodiment that the interior diameter of the sleeve
506 be very close to the diameter of the core 502,
so that the sleeve 506 remains appropriately
positioned with respect to the wick 508. Because
the wick 508 and the sleeve 506 extend
substantially the same distance and because the
sleeve 506 is designed to surround the portion of
the core 502 which includes the wick 508, the close
fit between the core 502 and sleeve 506 serves to
maintain the proper relationship between the sleeve
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506 and wick 508 during the remainder of the
assembling process.
A first embodiment of the method of making the
candle 10 is shown in Figs. 5-9. As most clearly
seen in Fig. 5, the core 12 is placed in the mold
38. The core 12 is spaced from the sides 40 of the
mold 38, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 9. Since
the mold 38 is shown as being a circular cylinder,
there is only one surrounding side 40. Thus, the
term "sides 40" includes the singular as well as
the plural. The step of placing the core 12 in the
mold 38 may include a number of steps. The placing
step may include placing a riser 22 in the mold 38,
then placing a candle 20 on the riser 22.
Alternatively, the placing step may include placing
a short-wicked candle 212 in the mold 38.
Next, the lower part 26 of the core 12 is
surrounded with a combustible material 24 up to a
selected level 28. As stated earlier in the
disclosure, the wick 18 is surrounded by the core
12 and extends downwardly from the top 16 of the
core 12 no further than substantially the selected
level 28. As shown in Fig. 6, the combustible
material 24 may be introduced into the mold 38
through a spout 42. The spout 42 is representative
of any of the ways known in the art, such as a
funnel, for introducing the combustible material 24
into the mold 38 to surround the core 12. Any of
the ways known in the art are acceptable and a
person of ordinary skill in the art can easily
select the most appropriate method or apparatus for
this step based on the particular particle size of
the combustible material 24.
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
As seen in Fig. 7, a fill composition 32 is
poured into the mold 38 between the sides 40 of the
mold 38 and the core 12. The fill composition 32
intersperses around the combustible material 24 and
5 forms a wall surrounding the core. Fig. 7 shows
the fill composition 32 as being introduced into
the mold 38 through spouts 44. The spouts 44 are
representative of any of the ways known in the art
for introducing the fill composition 32 into the
10 mold 38 to surround at least the lower part 26 of
the core 12. Any of the ways known in the art is
acceptable and a person of ordinary skill in the
art can easily select the most appropriate method
or apparatus for this step based on the particular
15 properties of the fill composition 32, such as melt
temperature, viscosity, and the like. The term
"pour" is used for the introduction of the fill
composition 32 into the mold 38 because ordinarily,
the fill composition 32 will be introduced into the
20 mold in a liquid form. The term pour is intended
to encompass any method of introducing a fill
composition 32 into the mold in a liquid or other
fluent form. It is important that the fill
composition 32 be fluent because otherwise, the
fill composition 32 will not intersperse around the
combustible material 24. The fill composition and
combustible material interspersion 34 can be
separately formed and inserted into the mold 38 to
surround the core 12. The fill composition 32 is
preferably the same candle fuel from which the core
12 is made so that a uniform exterior color and
texture are maintained. However, the fill
composition 32 may be other types of materials,
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
21
such as silicon, a flour and water mixture, a glue,
or another type of binder. Of primary importance
are that the fill composition 32 be sufficiently
transparent to permit a viewer to see the
decorative combustible material 24 and that the
fill composition 32 be capable of securing the
pieces of combustible material 24 to the core 12
and to the other pieces of combustible material 24.
The pouring step may alternatively include
introducing the fill composition 32 in pellet form
into the mold 38 to surround the core 12. If a
pellet form is used, then the mold 38 must be
heated in order to melt the pellets of fill
composition 32 prior to removing the candle 10 from
the mold 38, or the pellets of fill composition 32
and the combustible material 24 would not remain
attached to the core 12. If the pellet form of the
fill composition 32 is desired and it is not
possible or preferred by a maker to heat the mold
38, a container (not shown) may be inserted in the
mold to retain the core 12, the combustible
material 24, and the pellets of fill composition 32
in relative position to form a container candle.
This configuration is not preferred.
There is no restriction as to the height to
which the fill composition 32 may be poured, except
that it should not be poured to overflow the mold
38 or completely submerge the wick 18. The fill
composition 32 may be poured so that it surrounds
the core 12 and covers the top 14 of the core 12 to
provide a uniform outer surface, as is best shown
in Fig. 8, in which case, it is most preferred that
the fill composition 32 be the same fuel from which
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
22
the fuel core 12 is made, for aesthetic reasons.
There are alternative systems for the placing
of a riser 22 in the mold 38, as mentioned in
connection with the description of the candle 10.
Instead of placing a riser 22 in the mold 38 and
then placing a candle 20 atop the riser 22, the
combustible material 24 and the fill composition 32
may be poured into the mold 38 only up to a
selected level 28 to form a cylindrical disk
extending between the sides 40 of the mold 38. A
candle 20 may then be placed on the solidified fill
composition and combustible material interspersion
34. Alternatively, the riser 22 can be formed in
situ by suspending the candle 20 by its wick 18 in
the mold 38 and pouring the combustible material
into the mold to fill the area under the suspended
candle 20, referred to as underpouring. Additional
fill composition 32 can then be poured around the
candle 20 or around and under the candle 20,
depending on the precise method used.
A similar method is used to make the candle
400 of Figs. 10 and 11. As above, the fuel core
402 is placed in a mold which is sufficiently
larger than the core 402 that the core 402 is
spaced from the sides of the mold. This placing
step may include placing a riser 410 in the mold
and placing a candle 408 atop the riser 410.
Alternatively, this step may include placing a
short-wicked candle 502 in the mold. The fuel core
402 includes a wick 412 which extends a selected
distance D from the top surface 414 of the core
402.
The fuel core 402 is surrounded with a
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
23
protective sleeve 404 which substantially extends
the selected distance D from the top surface of the
core 402. The sleeve 404 may be placed in
surrounding relationship to the core 402 before the
core 402 is placed in the mold. Alternatively, the
core 402 may be placed in the mold and then the
sleeve 404 placed in the mold in surrounding
relationship to the core 402.
A combustible material 406 is then placed in
the mold to surround at least a portion of the
sleeve 404. The combustible material 406 need not
surround the entirety of the sleeve 404. In the
preferred embodiment, a fill composition 420 is
then poured into the mold between the sides of the
mold and the core 402 to intersperse the fill
composition 420 around the combustible material 406
as in the above-described embodiment. The mold in
this embodiment may take the form of a translucent
container into which the core 402, sleeve 404, and
combustible material 406 are placed and which is
sold as part of the candle. If such a container is
used, no fill composition 420 is necessary to
maintain the candle 400 intact. However, it is
preferable that a cover layer be placed over the
combustible material 406 between the sleeve 404 and
the surrounding container to retain the combustible
material 406 in the container or jar in order to
minimize the probability of the combustible
material 406 becoming dislodged and falling into
the area of the core 402 if the candle 400 is
jostled or moved.
Yet another candle configuration and method of
making that candle are shown in Figs. 12-20. Fig.
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
24
20 illustrates the completed candle 500. The
candle 500 has a fuel core 502. A wick 504
protrudes from the top surface 506 of the fuel core
502 and extends from the top surface 506
substantially to the bottom surface 508 of the fuel
core 502. The fuel core 502 is substantially
surrounded by a sleeve 510 which extends from about
the top surface 506 of the fuel core 502 to about
the bottom surface 508 of the fuel core 502. The
sleeve 510 is preferably translucent. A plurality
of holes 512 are formed through the sleeve 510. A
combustible material 514 surrounds at least a
portion of the sleeve 510. A fill composition 516
is interspersed around the combustible material
514.
This configuration prevents the combustible
material 514 from coming into contact with a
lighted wick 504 and catching on fire. The holes
512 are configured to have a size and shape which
makes them impassable to the particles of the
combustible material 514. Because the combustible
material 514 cannot pass through the holes 512, the
combustible material 514 cannot contact the wick.
As a result, the combustible material 514 can be
filled to a level above the bottom of the wick 504
since the risk of fire is minimized by the presence
of a flame barrier formed by the sleeve. The holes
512 are used in the method of making the candle
500, and this method is shown in Figs. 12-19.
As shown in Figs. 12-13, the sleeve 510, which
includes a plurality of holes 512, is placed in a
mold 518. This divides the mold into an inner
portion 520 and an outer portion 522. These
~,"''.
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
portions 520, 522 are generally concentric. As
shown in Fig. 14, the combustible material 514 is
then poured into the outer portion 522 using
conventional pouring apparatus 524 as mentioned
5 above in connection with a previously-described
embodiment. Then, as shown in Fig. 15, the fill
composition 516 is poured into the outer portion
522 using a conventional pouring apparatus 526 as
described above in connection with a previously-
10 described embodiment. The fill composition 516
becomes interspersed around the combustible
material 514. , Once the level of the fill
composition 516 in the outer portion 522 has risen
to the height of the holes 512 in the sleeve 510,
15 some of the fill composition 516 passes through the
holes 512 and begins to fill the inner portion 520.
As shown in Fig. 16, the fill composition 516
partially fills each portion 520, 522 and each
portion 520, 522 is filled equally to the same
20 height H1. This fill composition 516 is then
allowed to solidify and a core candle 523 is then
placed in the inner portion 520 within the sleeve
510. The core candle 523 includes a wick 504 which,
upon insertion, extends only a selected distance D1
25 from the top surface 506 of the fuel core 502. The
fuel core 502 in this embodiment includes the core
candle 523 and the riser 525 formed by the fill
composition 516 in the inner portion 520 of the
mold. An additional quantity of the fill
composition 516 is then poured into the outer
portion 522 and at least substantially fills the
outer portion 522 of the mold 518. As mentioned
above in connection with a previously-described
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
26
embodiment, the fill composition 516 should not
overflow the mold 518, but may cover the top 506 of
the fuel core 502 and the top 528 of the sleeve 510
for aesthetic reasons, as best seen in Fig. 17.
The fill composition 516 is then allowed to
solidify and the resulting candle 500 is then
removed from the mold 518.
One alternative method, which involves
underpouring, is illustrated in Fig. 18. The core
candle 523 may be placed within the sleeve 510
before the fill composition 516 is poured. The
core candle 523 may be inserted either before or
after the pouring of the combustible material 514
and before or after the insertion of the sleeve 510
into the mold 518. The fill composition 516 can
then be poured into the outer portion 522 in the
same way as mentioned above. The fill composition
516 partially fills the inner portion 520 under the
core candle 523 and substantially fills the outer
portion 522, also becoming interspersed around the
combustible material 514. If this method is to be
used, it is preferred that the core candle 523 and
the sleeve 510 have a close fit relationship so
that upward pressure on the core candle 523 from
the fill composition 516 being poured to form a
riser portion of the fuel core 502 does not move
the core candle 523 upwardly. In all other
respects, this method is the same as that described
in connection with Figs. 12-17.
A second alternative embodiment is shown in
Fig. 19. In this embodiment, a wick 504 is
suspended in the inner portion 520 of the mold 518
using a conventional suspending apparatus 530. The
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
27
wick 504 may extend any distance in the inner
portion 520 of the mold 518. After the sleeve 510
and combustible material 514 have been placed in
the mold 518, a fill composition is then poured
into the mold 518 and substantially fills each
portion 520, 522. In this embodiment, it is
necessary that the fill composition 516 be a fuel
suitable for burning in a candle, since the fill
composition 516 will form the fuel core 502. In
addition, it is preferred in this embodiment that
fill composition 516 be poured into the inner
portion 502 in order to accommodate the wick 504.
In all other ways, this method is the same as that
shown in Figs. 12-17.
Figs. 12-19 show the holes 512 as appearing
near the bottom 508 of the sleeve 510. It is
preferred that the holes 512 be near the bottom 508
of the sleeve 510 because such positioning enables
underpouring up to a selected level. However, the
holes 512 could be placed higher and they can be
notched in the bottom of the sleeve. If a core
candle 523 is to be inserted, as in Figs. 12-18,
the holes 512 must not be placed so far from the
bottom 508 that the core candle 523 blocks or
otherwise prevents passage of the fill composition
516 through the holes 512. When a sleeve having
holes in it extends the entire length of the
candle, the decorative combustible materials may
fill the entire outer portion 522 because the
sleeve prevents their ignition by the candle flame.
Yet another embodiment of a candle 600 is
shown in Figs. 21-23. This embodiment has a sleeve
602 which has a top 604 and a bottom 606. The
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
28
sleeve 602 substantially surrounds a fuel core 608
which extends a selected distance D2 from the top
604 of the sleeve 602. The selected distance D2 is
spaced from the bottom 606 of the sleeve 602. This
forms a cavity 610. It is preferred that a base
612 adjacent the bottom 606 of the sleeve 602 be
included so that molten fuel will not flow out of
the candle 600 when the wick 614 burns down near
the bottom 616 of the fuel core 608. The cavity
610 is preferably filled with a fluid, such as air
or water.
As shown in Fig. 22, this embodiment of the
candle 600 may be molded in a way similar to that
shown in Figs. 12-19. A raised portion 618 may be
incorporated into the mold 620 if it is desired to
mold the fuel core 608 at the same time as the
combustible material 622 and fill composition 624
are poured to surround the sleeve 602, similar to
the way shown in Fig. 19. However, as an
alternative, the fuel core 608 may be inserted
within the sleeve 602 and both placed in a mold
without the raised portion. The use of such a
method requires a close fit relationship between
the fuel core 608 and the sleeve 602 to maintain
the fuel core 608 in an appropriate position.
As shown in Fig. 23, the cavity may be at
least partially filled with a non-flammable solid.
The cavity 610 may be filled with a hollow block
626, as shown. Alternatively, the cavity 610 may
be filled with a solid block or merely a pedestal.
The preferred non-flammable solids include glass
and ceramic.
While certain preferred embodiments of the
CA 02310895 2000-06-06
29
present invention have been disclosed in detail, it
is to be understood that various modifications may
be adopted without departing from the spirit of the
invention or scope of the following claims.
