Wick holder locking mechanism

• US 20060057523A1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Nelson, Cory J., Kubicek, Chris A., Montei, Matthew S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,524,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 431/291
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 3/16 using candles

Abstract

The present invention relates to melting plate candles which employ heat conductive elements to distribute heat from a burning flame at a wick to a support plate for a solid fuel and to the body of said solid fuel, so as to more rapidly liquefy the solid fuel, such as paraffin wax, and to more uniformly and intensely heat such fuels to increase the efficiency of consumption thereof and to more rapidly release volatile materials contained within said fuels. The heat conductive support plate is configured so as to have a capillary pedestal upon the surface thereof, which cooperatively engages a wick holder comprising a preferably consumable wick and heat conductive fins which conduct heat from a flame upon said wick to said support plate, said wick holder further engaging said capillary pedestal in such a locking manner as to resist accidental removal from said pedestal. The fuel may be provided in various forms, configured to cooperatively engage said wick holder and support plate, and may comprise various volatile materials. The capillary pedestal, in conjunction with the wick holder, causes rapid and complete flow of the liquefied fuel to said wick.

Claims

1. A candle comprising a meltable solid fuel element, a heat conductive melting plate upon which said fuel element rests, and a capillary pedestal located on said melting plate which cooperatively and lockingly engages the base portion of a wick holder comprising a wick, said wick holder conducting heat from a flame upon said wick to said capillary pedestal and to said melting plate, said wick holder engaging said meltable solid fuel element, with said wick holder being engaged by said capillary pedestal so as to prevent accidental removal from said melting plate.

2. The candle of claim 1, wherein said fuel element further comprises one or more volatile active materials.

3. The candle of claim 2, wherein said wick holder further comprises at least one heat conductive heat fin.

4. The candle of claim 3, wherein said meltable solid fuel element comprises a replaceable fuel element cooperatively engaging said heat conductive melting plate, capillary pedestal, and wick holder.

5. The candle of claim 4, wherein the replaceable fuel element further comprises a starter bump on the top surface thereof, in close proximity to said wick, for ease of lighting said wick.

6. A candle as set forth in claim 3, wherein said melting plate further comprises a raised heat conductive portion by which heat is conducted from a flame upon said wick to said melting plate and to said solid fuel element, whereby a pool of heated liquid fuel is created, said melting plate being configured to cause the flow of said heated liquid fuel toward said wick holder.

7. The melting plate candle of claim 1, wherein the skirt of said wick holder is configured so as to engage an undercut portion of said capillary pedestal.

8. The melting plate candle of claim 1, wherein said wick holder is configured so as to engage an undercut portion of the bottom surface of said melting plate.

9. A candle comprising a meltable solid fuel, a support plate upon which said fuel rests, and a capillary pedestal located on said support plate which cooperatively lockingly engages the base portion of a wick holder comprising a wick, said wick holder conducting heat from a flame upon said wick to said capillary pedestal and said support plate, and said wick holder further contacting said meltable solid fuel.

10. The candle of claim 9, wherein said wick holder further comprises at least one heat conductive heat fin.

11. The candle of claim 10, wherein said meltable solid fuel comprises a replaceable fuel element cooperatively engaging said support plate, capillary pedestal, and wick holder.

12. The candle of claim 10, wherein said support plate further comprises a heat conductive portion by which heat is conducted from a flame upon said wick to said solid fuel element, whereby a pool of heated liquid fuel is created, said support plate being configured to cause the flow of said heated liquid fuel toward said wick holder.

13. The candle of claim 9, wherein said support plate is treated so as to be self cleaning.

14. A candle consisting of a fuel holder comprising a heat conductive surface shaped to hold and melt a solid fuel material included in a replaceable solid fuel element further comprising a wick holder including a wick and heat fins, and to form a pool of liquid fuel, said surface further comprising a capillary pedestal which lockingly engages said wick holder, wherein said heat fins are configured so as to come in close proximity to a flame on said wick so as to conduct heat from said flame to said surface, and wherein said surface is shaped so as to cause said pool of liquid fuel to flow to said wick.

15. The candle of claim 14, wherein said replaceable fuel element is configured to cooperatively engage said surface.

16. The candle of claim 14, wherein said replaceable fuel element further comprises one or more volatile active materials.

17. The candle of claim 14, wherein the replaceable fuel element further comprises a starter bump on the top surface thereof, in close proximity but not in contact with said wick for ease of lighting said wick.

18. The candle of claim 15, wherein said heat conductive surface further comprises raised heat conductive areas.

19. The candle of claim 14, wherein said heat conductive surface is treated so as to be self cleaning.

20. A replaceable fuel element for a melting plate candle, said fuel element comprising a solid fuel material cooperatively engaging a wick holder comprising a wick, said wick holder configured so as to lockingly engage a capillary pedestal on said melting plate candle.

21. The fuel element of claim 20, further comprising a volatile material.

22. The fuel element of claim 21, wherein said fuel element further comprises a starter bump on the top surface thereof in close proximity to said wick for ease in lighting said wick.

23. The fuel element of claim 20, wherein said fuel element is configured so as to be self extinguishing when not engaged by said capillary pedestal on said melting plate candle.

24. The fuel element of claim 20, wherein said wick holder further comprises at least one heat fin.

25. A wick holder comprising means to engage a wick, and a base portion configured so as to lockingly engage a capillary pedestal upon a candle support plate in such a manner as to permit capillary flow of melted fuel from said support plate to said wick, while preventing accidental release of said wick holder from said support plate.

26. The wick holder of claim 25, wherein said wick is engaged in such a manner as to terminate the lower end of said wick at a point at least about 0.25 inches above said support plate.

27. The wick holder of claim 26, further comprising at least one heat conductive fin.

28. The wick holder of claim 26, wherein a flame upon said wick causes melting of fuel, said melted fuel flows to said support plate, said flame upon said wick heats said support plate, and said fuel flows by capillary action between said capillary pedestal and said base portion of said wick holder to said wick.