Internally illuminated candle

[57] ABSTRACT

An internally illuminated candle burnable from the top having a cavity within wax of the candle and a light structure positioned for illuminating the cavity and diffused passage of light through candle wax. The candle is made to glow with an esthetically pleasing internal light. It has a non-flamable barrier at the base of the wick.

Claims, 16 Drawing Figures

<img file="US3761702A_D0001.tif" />

PATENIE0SEP25I973

3,761,702

SHEET 1 GF 2

<img file="US3761702A_D0002.tif" />

<img file="US3761702A_D0003.tif" />

<img file="US3761702A_D0004.tif" />

PATENTEDSEP25I973

SHEET 2 OF 2

3,781.702

<img file="US3761702A_D0005.tif" />

3,761,702

INTERNALLY ILLUMINATED CANDLE

This invention relates in general to wax candles, and in particular, to internally illuminated candles each with a light source illuminating a cavity within wax of a candle capable of being burned from the top in a conventional manner.

Candles come in many shapes and sizes that are very attractive indeed. Visualize, if you will, how much more beautiful most, if not all, candles would be if, in addition, to a burnable top they were made to glow with an internal light. Such internal glow through the candle wax of the candle would greatly enhance the esthetic beauty of candles whether they are burning or not. Candles so illuminated may employ flashing or otherwise varied lighting, including color varied internal lighting, to provide infinitely variable illuminated candles beautiful as centerpiece candles. They are so striking in many uses as to command the center of attention so much as to be in greater demand than conventional candles without internal illumination.

It is therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide candles capable of burning from the top conditioned for internal illumination.

A further object is to provide illumination light source means in any of a variety of light generating devices adapted for generating the internal illumination for such candles howsoever they may be conditioned for internal illumination.

Another object of such candles is that the illumination light source be a non-flammable light source.

Still another object is that some of light sources include a power source such as a battery with the light source and battery contained as a unit within the candle.

A further object is to provide for light diffusion within a candle and to provide light source means external to the candle shining to the candle interior and diffusion within the candle for the desired internally illuminated effect.

Features of the invention useful in accomplishing the above objects include, in internally illuminated candles, an internal cavity within the stem or body of the candle and a light source structure that supplies light diffused through wax of the candle body or wax stem. The internal cavity may protrude into the candle body from the base or in some versions from a side of the candle body depending on the different structural candle shapes and possible applications desired. Further, the cavity may be shaped as desired for different candle wax thickness and thickness varied intensity of internal illumination. The light source, such as a light bulb, may be inserted within the candle cavity along with a power supply or have electric power wires extending to the exterior to a power source. The light source may be external to the candle with generally a focusing structure directing a focused beam of light to light diffusing or reflecting structure within the candle. Internal diffusing structure within the candle may be merely shaping of the candle body wax cavity end upon which a directed beam of light shines, a plastic or glass sheath or solid inserts within the candle cavity, and/or light reflectors or multi-faceted crystals also supported within the candle body cavity.

Specific embodiments representing what are presently regarded as the best modes of carrying out the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 represents a side elevation view of a candle with a standard wick burnable from the top;

FIG. 2, a side elevation view of a candle burning from the top that is also glowing from internal illumination;

FIG. 3, a cut away and sectioned side view taken along line 3—3 of FIG. 1 showing interior detail of a candle body interior cavity extended from the base of the candle and including an inserted electric light with base that may include a self contained battery or possibly have wire connections extended to the exterior;

FIG. 4, a bottom view of the candle of FIG. 1 showing a candle body interior cavity therein;

FIG. 5, a partially cut away and sectioned view of a candle with an internal cavity extended to the body interior from a body side;

FIG. 6, a partially cut away and sectioned view of a candle with the internal cavity extended to the body interior at a slant from the body side;

FIG. 7, a partially cut away and sectioned view of a candle with a disc of non-flammable material beneath the lower end of the wick and above an internal cavity containing more than one non-flammable light source;

FIG. 8, a cut away and sectioned view of a candle with an internal cavity that includes an inserted sheath of non-flammable plastic, glass or other material as required;

FIG. 9, a view of a candle in section showing a tapered cavity;

FIG. 10, a view of a candle in section with a light transmitting material insert illuminated from beneath;

FIG. 11, a view of a candle in section with a multifaceted crystal supported within the candle body cavity and lighted by light directed from below;

FIG. 12, a view of a rectangular candle in section with a rectangular cavity;

FIG. 13, a bottom view of the candle body of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14, a partially cut away and sectioned view of a candle with an internally illuminated hollow wax body mounting a burning candle section support at the top;

FIG. 15, a bottom view of the candle body of FIG. 14; and

FIG. 16, a partially cut away and sectioned view of a candle with a wax body hollow from the top.

Referring to the drawings:

The candle 20 of FIG. 1 has a wax body 21 and a wick 22 for burning extended from the top of the wax body 21. The candle 20, in addition to having a burnable top wick 22, is equipped to glow from within with a typical glowing area such as illustrated in FIG. 2. In order that the candle 20 may have such an internal glow the wax body 21 is equipped with an internal cavity 23 extended upward within the candle body 21 as shown in FIG. 3 where body 21 is in section but inserts in cavity 23 are not in section. The cavity 23 is of adequate size and extends upward for a material distance such that a light bulb 24 and a self contained battery power supply pack assembly 25 mounting bulb 24 are completely contained therein over the candle 20 supporting surface 26. With this candle 20 the internal cavity 23 is circular in a cross section as shown in the bottom view of FIG. 4 although it could be rectangular or some other shape if required for some desired lighting effects or purposes as may be imposed. The candle body 21 could also be rectangular cross-section instead of circular in cross section.

3,761,702

With the candle 30 of FIG. 5 shown only in side elevation sectioned view, similar to FIG. 3, having a wax body 31 and a burnable top wick 32 the internal cavity 33 extends horizontally from the side of the body 31 to the interior. A light bulb 24 and battery power supply pack assembly 25, such as used with the candle 20 of FIG. 3, are inserted into the internal cavity 33.

The candle 40 embodiment of FIG. 6 is quite similar to that of FIG. 5 with a candle wax body 41 having a wick 42 and a cavity 43 extended to the body interior at a slant from the body side. Light bulb 24 and battery power supply pack assembly 25 may be used with this embodiment.

In the candle 50 of FIG. 7 the candle body 51 includes a non-flammable disc 52 at the lower end of wick 53 to prevent burning of the wick into the internal cavity 54 with dropping of melted wax and wick remnants into the cavity 54. The internal light source structure 55 is shown to support a plurality of electric light bulbs 56, 57, and 58 of different sizes and shapes. The bulbs 56, 57 and 58 may be of the same size and power or not and of the same or different colors as may be desired for different effects. While the internal light source structure 55 may include a self contained battery power pack alternately power supply line connections may be instead provided extending to an external power source, detail not shown.

With the candle 60 of FIG. 8 the wax body 61 has an internal cavity 62 lined by a sheath of none-flammable transparent material 63 about which the candle wax may be poured as the candle is formed. The shealh of non-flammable transparent material 63 prevents the wick 64 from burning down into the internal cavity 62. Further, the sheath 63 may have special light distributing or filtering qualities for light emanating from a light source contained therewithin or for light directed therein from an external source.

In the candle 70 of FIG. 9 the candle wax body 71 has a tapered cavity 72 extended from the bottom of the body and ending in a domed top 73 at the bottom of wick 74.

With the candle 80 of FIG. 10 the wax body 81 has a cavity 82 filled by a tapered body of material 83 terminating in a domed top 84 under the bottom of wick 85. While the tapered body of material 83 in some instances would also be wax having greater light transmitting and distributing qualities than the wax of body 81 it is, in many instances, a plastic body either inserted in place or the candle wax may be poured about the body 83 as the candle is formed. The tapered body 83 may also be a glass material, in any event, it may be any of various colors, and may assume other shapes such as to fit other candle body cavities. In FIG. 10 a below the candle bottom light bulb source 86 is mounted in candle mounting base 87 that may be a self contained power source for the light bulb 86 within a reflector 88 positioned to direct light up through the body of material 83 or have a power line 89 for supply of power from an external source.

With the candle 90 of FIG. 11, much the same as the embodiment of FIG. 10, some identification numbers are the same as a matter of convenience, a multifaceted crystaline body 91 is inserted in cavity 82. Light from light bulb 86 is also directed by reflector 88 illuminates crystaline body 91 for responsive crystaline body internal illumination of the candle was body 81.

The candle 100 of FIG. 12 may be much the same as the candle of FIGS. 1-4 with, however, the body 101 internal cavity 102 being illuminated from below by a below the candle bottom light bulb source 86 such as used with the candles of FIGS. 10 and 11. Here, again the candle mounting base 87 uses a light bulb positioned within a reflector 88 for directing light upward within the candle cavity 102. The candle body 101 and the cavity 102 of candle 100 are shown to be both rectangular in cross section by the bottom view of the candle 100 of FIG. 13. However, either the body itself or the cavity could be square, rectangular, or round or other shape and any mix thereof as desired.

The candle 110 of FIGS. 14 and 15, shown in side elevation sectioned view in FIGs. 14 similar to FIG. 3, has burnable wax portion 111, with a wick 112, mounted in a holder 113 supported on the top of a wax body 114. The wax body 114 has a center cavity 115 extended therethrough from top to bottom into which the downward depending bottom extension 116 of holder 113 extends from the top. The bottom surface 117 of holder 113 is, with some candles, a highly reflective surface shaped to optimize reflected light to the candle body wall for optimized internal illumination of the candle. While the candle body 114 and the cavity 115 could both be circular in cross section, or both rectangular, the body 114 is shown to be circular and the cavity 115 rectangular in the bottom view of FIG. 15. Furthermore, the light source structure may be any one of those shown with the embodiments of FIGS. 3, 7, 10, 11, 12 within, as shown, or from below the candle body 114, or even with an internal suspended light source as shown with the candle embodiment of FIG. 16.

With the candle 120 of FIG. 16 a wax body 121, in side elevation sectioned view, is shown to have an internal cavity 122 extended downwardly from the top of the body 121 within which the bottom extension 116' of holder 113' is received. Holder 113' mounts burnable wax portion 111, with a wick 112, on the of wax body 121, and supports a self contained battery power supply pack assembly 25, supplying power for light bulb 24, with a bonding adhesive holding the assembly 25 on the bottom of the extension 116'.

It should be noted that various combinations of features of the various embodiments could be combined in various other combinations as may be desired in attaining various attractive esthetic effects in internally illuminating wax candles having a burnable top portion. Some of applicant’s candles have been equipped with a rotating colred glass or plastic sheath mounted to rotate around a light source contained within a candle wax body cavity and driven by rising heated air from a light bulb, and in other cases such a sheath may be driven in rotation by a motor (detail not shown).

Whereas this invention is herein illustrated and described with respect to a plurality of embodiments thereof, it should be realized that various changes may be made without departing from the essential contributions to the art made by the teachings hereof.