Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Combustible Writable Incense Device And Method Of Making Same
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a combustible writable incense device and to
a method of
making such a combustible writable incense device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known from GB2470994 to provide an ornate incense device formed using a
powder coated
template. However, it may be the case, for example, in spiritual ceremonies,
that the incense
device would preferably include manually applied writing in the form of
letters, symbols and/or
other inscriptions. The application of a suitable display area to such an
incense device is
potentially problematic, since the combustion characteristics of the incense
device can be
adversely affected and, dependent on the application technique, undesirable
chemicals or toxins,
for example, from an adhesive used, could be releasable into the environment.
In many cases,
incense is used in relatively confined spaces, and as such this could be
hazardous.
Furthermore, the display area must be of suitable size and form to enable the
required writing to
be applied without undue difficulty.
The present invention therefore seeks to provide a solution to these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a combustible
writable incense
device comprising an ornate strip-like support element, at least one liquid-
settable powder layer
on each side of the support element for rigidifying the support element, an
aromatic coating on at
least part of one of the powder layers, and at least one smooth or
substantially smooth strip-like
outer display element which is adhered to an outer said powder layer and which
is adapted for
being written and/or drawn thereon.
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The term `writeable' used herein and throughout is intended to include
letters, symbols and
drawings and any other script which can be imparted by the application of ink,
lead, graphite or
any other marking device.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of
forming a
combustible writable incense device in accordance with the first aspect of the
invention, the
method comprising the steps of: a] forming an ornate strip-like support
element and a smooth or
substantially smooth strip-like combustible writable outer display element; b]
moistening the
support layer; c] coating both sides of the support layer with at least one
liquid-settable powder
layer; and d] adhering the combustible writable outer display element to an
outer said powder
layer.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a combustible
writable incense
device comprising an ornate strip-like support element, at least one
combustible liquid-settable
powder layer on each side of the support element for rigidifying the support
element, an aromatic
coating on at least part of one of the powder layers, and at least one smooth
or substantially
smooth strip-like outer display element which is adhered to an outer said
powder layer and which
is adapted for being written and/or drawn thereon, the outer display element
and the support
element being formed of the same material.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided combustible
writable incense
device comprising an ornate strip-like support element, at least one
combustible liquid-settable
powder layer on each side of the support element for rigidifying the support
element, an aromatic
coating on at least part of one of the powder layers, at least one smooth or
substantially smooth
strip-like outer display element which is adhered to an outer said powder
layer and which is
adapted for being written and/or drawn thereon, and at least one reinforcing
layer intermediate
the support element and the outer powder layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only,
with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a combustible writable incense device, in
accordance
with the first, third and fourth aspects of the invention and showing an outer
display element;
Figure 2 shows another side of the combustible writable incense device;
Figure 3 is a view from an edge of the combustible writable incense device;
and
Figures 4 to 12 show a method of forming one embodiment of a combustible
writable
incense device, in accordance with the second aspect of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a
combustible writable incense
device 10 which comprises an ornate strip-like support element 12 (best seen
in Figure 6), a
plurality of liquid-settable overlying powder layers 14 on each side of the
support element 12, an
aromatic coating 16, and a combustible outer display element 18.
The support element 12 is preferably a thin strip of pliantly flexible
material, such as bamboo
paper, rice paper, papyrus paper or wood. Any non-flammable paper or wood
product may also
be considered. The strip of material may be a single ply, a laminate or
composite of one or more
materials. The thin strip is crushable and not rigid or only semi-rigid prior
to the application of
the overlying powder layers 14.
The support element 12, in this case, is planar or substantially planar.
However, it may be non-
planar although this would make manufacture more complex, and therefore
potentially expensive
and more time consuming.
The support element 12 also includes a preferably flat or substantially flat
lateral extent which
may be uniform or substantially uniform along the longitudinal extent of the
support element 12.
The flat lateral extent and elongate longitudinal extent of the support
element 12 forms a
reasonably supportive surface area for the application of the powder layers 14
and the outer
display element 18.
The powder layers 14 form a strata-type or multi-layered combustible base on
each side of the
support element 12. The powder layers 14 may or may not include an aromatic or
fragrant
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material mixed therein or forming a full or partial coating thereon, but the
powder layer 14 itself
is preferably substantially odourless when burning. The powder layer 14 is
selected so as to burn
with a self-contained ember and to propagate slowly and evenly along the
incense device 10.
The powdered material of the powder layer 14 may be provided by natural plant-
based binders,
also known as mucilaginous material, which can be derived from botanical
sources. When
subjected to water, a mucilage is produced forming a natural binder. The
cellulose in the powder
is combustible to provide the required stable ember when ignited. In this
case, preferred types of
powdered material would be Makko, Laha or Dar, Xiangnan pi, and/or Jigit.
It may also be feasible to use charcoal or wood powder as the combustible
material, along with
gum, such as Gum Arabic or Gum Tragacanth, as the binder. An oxidizer, such as
sodium nitrate
or potassium nitrate is incorporated to sustain even and slow burning of the
incense device 10.
It is preferred that between five and twelve distinct powder layers 14 are
utilised, and more
preferably at least eight overlying powder layers 14 are provided on each side
of the support
element 12. The binding nature of the powder layers 14 not only rigidifies the
support element
12 when set, but reinforces each respective powder layer 14 on which the
subsequent powder
layers 14 are superposed.
Preferably, the aromatic coating 16 is applied to at least part, and
preferably the whole, of the
outside of one of the powder layers 14 on a first side 20 of the incense
device 10. The aromatic
coating 16 may be one or more scented oils, herbs, fragrant wood powder,
further powdered
incense or powdered, particulate or chunked resin. It is feasible to combine
the coating of
aromatic material with the support element 12 prior to or at the time of
application of the first
rigidifying powder layer 14, but in this embodiment, the aromatic material is
applied as a full or
partial coating to the outside of the final powder layer 22 on the first side
20.
The outer display element 18 is applied to a second side 24 of the incense
device 10 which is
opposite the first side 20. The outer display element 18 is smooth or
substantially smooth and
strip-like, thereby matching or substantially matching the support element 12.
Conveniently, the
outer display element 18 can be formed of the same material as the support
element 12.
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Beneficially, by utilising the liquid-settable binding characteristics of the
powder material
forming the overlying layers 14, the outer display element 18 can be adhered
directly thereto
without the use of a further independent adhesive. This also solves the
problem associated with
the use of an independent adhesive and the possible release of harmful or
undesirable by-
5 products during combustion.
Although the outer display element 18 is only provided on the second side 24
of the incense
device 10, a further outer display element could also be provided on the first
side 20. In this case,
it may be preferable to include the aromatic coating 16 with, on or adjacent
to the support
element 12, if this is likely to impact the adhesion of the further outer
display element 18.
An additional benefit of the or each outer display element 18 is that it also
effectively functions
as a reinforcement element, thereby allowing larger and more intricate support
element designs
to be created with less risk of damage during storage and transportation. With
the final powder
layer 22 moistened, thereby activating the adhesive characteristics, the outer
display element 18
is applied. Once cured, the outer display element 18 is rigidified by the
powder layers 14, thus
strengthening the entire device against imparted torsional forces.
It is also preferable that a colouring layer 26 is applied to the first side
20 of the incense device
10, and this may be via a dye and/or resin.
A final top-to-bottom depth of the combustible writable incense device 10 is
preferably two
millimetres or approximately that. However, the manufacturing method to be
described
hereinafter can be used to produce larger and/or thicker incense devices, as
necessity dictates.
Referring now to Figures 4 to 12, a method of forming the above-described
combustible writable
incense device 10 is now described. Like references refer to parts which are
the same as or
identical to those described above, and therefore further detailed description
is omitted.
As shown in Figure 4, a blank 28 of material of sufficient dimensions to be
used as the support
element 12 and the outer display element 18 is selected, along with a suitably
ornate template
design. In this case, a template bed 30 comprising a plurality of ornate
template designs 32 is
utilised. The blank material selected should be suitable for receiving and
retaining ink or other
marking, drawing or writing substance.
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With the blank 28 correctly sized and folded in two and positioned on the
selected template
design 32, the template bed 30 is fed through the template cutter 34. See
Figure 5. In this case,
the cutting of the support element 12 and the outer display element 18 is
manually performed,
but it can be mechanical, for example, by utilising a computer controlled
laser cutter.
Furthermore, should the aforementioned further outer display element be
required, then simply
utilising a blank which is folded twice onto itself instead of once can be
considered.
As shown in Figure 6, once the blank 28 is cut, the ornate or intricate
support element 12 and
corresponding outer display element 18 are removed. The support element 12 is
placed on a
supporting surface 36, in this case being a mesh, and a first side 38 is
moistened using an
atomised-liquid spray 40 which in this case is water. See Figure 7.
With the mesh 36 supported over a suitable container 42, the first or base
liquid-settable powder
layer 44 is applied to the first side 38 of the moistened support element 12.
The liquid of the
moistened support element 12 activates the binding characteristics of the
powder layer 44, and it
adheres to the support element 12, solidifying once dry. See Figure 8. A cover
is placed over the
support element 12 and base powder layer 44, the arrangement is inverted
whereby the second
side 24 of the support element 12 is accessible. The step of applying a second
base powder layer
to the other side of the support element 12 is performed as described with
respect to the first side
38. This turning, moistening and powder application process is then repeated
seven more times
for each side, whereby a plurality of distinct inter-bonded and intra-bonded
powder layers 14
which fully overlie the flat lateral and longitudinal extents of each side of
the support element 12
is formed.
Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the final powder layer 46 on one side of the
powder-layer
encrusted support element 12 is moistened, and the preformed outer display
element 18 is
positioned thereon to overlie the final powder layer 46. The outer display
element 18 is
preferably also moistened with atomised-water spray to further activate the
natural binding
characteristics, so that a secure and reliable bond is achieved between the
final powder layer 46
and the outer display element 18.
If the further outer display element is to be applied to the other side, then
this is undertaken at
this point in a similar manner as the first outer display element 18.
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Following this, and as shown by way of example in Figures 11 and 12, the
combustible writable
incense device 10 is cured between two layers of vinyl or PTFE coated mesh 48
whilst being
lightly weighted down via weights 50 to prevent or limit warping. Following
this, the cured
combustible writable incense device 10 is placed in a forced-air housing 52 to
dry the device 10
ready for burning.
At a point prior to the final drying step, the first side 20 opposite the
outer display element 18
can have the aromatic coating 16 partially or fully applied thereto, and then
further the
aforementioned colouring layer 26 as requirements dictate. The aromatic
coating 16 is preferably
applied via a dropper, but can be applied by dipping. However, this latter
option provides greater
impregnation and thus requires a longer drying time. Similar options are
available for the
application of the colouring layer 26.
Once fully cured and dried, writing, such as words, pictures and/or indicia,
can be manually
applied as required to the outer display element 18 of the combustible
writable incense device 10
prior to burning.
It may also be feasible to include further structurally reinforcing layers in
between the powder
layers. This may be beneficial, for example, for larger combustible writable
incense devices. The
further reinforcing layers may be formed of the same material as the outer
display element, as the
same material as the support element, or of a different material as necessity
dictates.
Although a forced-air drying device is suggested above, the incense device may
be allowed to
dry naturally for example in direct sunlight, or other drying means can be
used, such as an oven.
Although it is preferable and convenient that the support element and the
outer display element
are formed of the same material, different materials may be utilised as
necessity dictates.
It is thus possible to provide a combustible writable incense device on which
a user can impart
writing, drawings and/or symbols to be displayed on the device prior to
burning. It is also
possible to provide a combustible writable incense device whereby the outer
display element
forms a reinforcing element to improve the structural rigidity of the device.
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The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and
various other
modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the field without
departing from the scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims.
