The present invention relates generally to lighting devices, and more particularly to candles and similar flame- producing devices.

Since the advent of mankind, various kinds o-F light¬ ing devices have been developed and constantly improved to en¬ able humans tα see in the dark. Originally, -flame-producing de¬ vices have been used for this purpose. One of the most popular traditional lighting devices was and is the candle, ∑n modern times, however, with the widespread availability and use o-f e— lectricity, candles and similar traditional -flame— roducing de¬ vices have lost much of their appeal for their original light¬ ing purpose, and are currently being used only as backups far use during blackouts, outdoors, and tα evoke romantic ood, as primary lighting sources. Yet, perhaps the most popular uses of candles nowadays are for decorative purposes and, last but not least, during festive occasions, such as on birthday cakes and the like. In these l st-mentioned uses, candles are being used for their aesthetic appeal more than for their ability tα light the surroundings, even though they 3ιre lit during such festive or other special occasions, such as romantic dinners in candle¬ light or the like. Yet experience has shown that the appeal of candles far these special uses still leaves much to be desired and particularly that candles, while contributing to the fes¬ tive or romantic mood, do not necessarily cause such moods to begin with.

OMFI s WIPO

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an general object of the present invention tα provide a lighting device, especially a candle, having an improved appeal to the users.

According to the present, invention, this object is achieved by providing the lighting device with sound-generat¬ ing means disposed at a location which is remote from the ra¬ diation source and is operative for generating a succession of sounds when activated, in response to exposure tα the ra¬ diation.

An important advantage of the device as described sαfar is that its appeal tα prospective purchasers and even¬ tually to all participants at the special occasion is enhen— ced, due to the addition of sound effects to the flickering of the flame of the device. Other features of the present in¬ vention will become apparent from the detailed description and from the claims when read ineonjunction with the accom¬ panying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a candle equipped in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross—sectional view of a detail A of FIG. 1, showing the arrangement of various com¬ ponents of a sound—generating arrangement of the present in— vention; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the basic components of the arrangement αf FIG. 2.

Reffering now to the drawing in detail, and first to FIG. 1 thereof, it may be seen that the reference numeral 1 has been used therein tα identify the sαund-emitting flame— producing device constructed in accordance with the present invention, it its entirety. The device 1 includes a body αf candle 2, and musical member 3, as its basic building blocks or components. The body 2 has a wick 4 embedded therein. The wick 4 has one end portion 5 that extends to the exterior of the body 2 and upwardly as considered in FIG. 1, and another end portion 6. A recess 7 is provided in the candle body 2

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at the region of this other end portion 6.

As shown particularly in FIG. 2, the musical mem¬ ber includes a casing 8, preferably of a syntetic plastic material. The casing 8 includes a substantially cup-shaped portion 9, an annular disc—shaped portion 10 extending from the open end portion αf the cup-shaped portion 9 radially out¬ wardly, and an annular base portion 11 which extends to the opposite side of the disc-shaped portion 10 than the cup- shaped portion 9. Turning now back to FIG. 1, it may be seen that the cup-shaped portion 9 is received in the recess 7 of the body 2, the disc—shaped portion 10 of the casing S is juxa- posed with the bottom surface of the body 2, and the support or base portion 11 extends downwardly from the disc-shaped portion 10 to form a base αf device 1 in the position of use of the latter as shown in FIG. 1. The recess 7 of the body 2 is so dimensioned as to snugly receive the cup—shaped portion 9 αf the casing 8, that is, in such a manner that the casing 8 is prevented from accidentally dissociating itself frαm the body 8 by falling out of the recess 7.

FIG. 2 also shows that the cup—shaped portion 9 of the casing 8 is hollow, so that it bounds an internal chamber 12 that is open in the downward direction as seen in FIG. 2. The internal chamber 12 accommodates a printed circuit board 13 which is at least fractionally retained in a predetermined position relative to the casing 8, for instance, due to fric¬ tion between the outer periphery thereof, and the generally cylindrical internal surface αf the cup— haped portion 9 of the casing S. However, it is also contemplated tα provide in— wardly extending bulges, beads or other projections on the internal surface of the cup-shaped portion 9 of the casing 8, far the purpose af engaging the periphery αf the printed cir¬ cuit board 13 in its predetermined position.

An electric circuitry, preferably in the form of at least one semiconductor chip 14, is mounted on the printed circuit board 13. The electric circuitry 14 includes a plu¬ rality of memory locations that are programmed to generate

a succession αf electric signals. Chips αf this type are cur— rently available on the market, so that the details αf their logic and electrical elements and interconnections and the manner in which they are programmed to generate the electric signals need not be discussed here. Suffice it to say that the electric circuitry 14 can be easily designed using stan¬ dard electronic and/αr- logic components.

Tα protect the chip 14 from deleterious environ¬ mental influences, it is covered by a protective body 15, preferably αf a syntetic resin. The circuitry αf the chip 14 is electrically connected to electrically conductive strips of leads provided on the printed circuit board 13 in a well- known manner. Some of these leads are connected to the ter—- minals of the battery 16, which is also mounted on the prin— ted circuit board 13. Tα provide for such a mounting, a lug or clip 17 is secured to the printed circuit board 13, as shown, at the opposite side αf the latter from the chip 14. The clip 17 has at least an electrically conductive portion, but preferably is made αf an electrically conductive material in its entirety, to provide electric connection between the terminal of the battery 16 which faces away from the printed circuit board 14 and the corresponding lead. The battery 16 supplies the electric energy needed far operating the various electrical elements or components of the device 1. A miniature speaker 18 spans the open end αf the internal chamber 12, and is connected to the casing 8, espe¬ cially to the disc—shaped portion 10 thereof. Such miniature speakers are also commercially available. For connecting the speaker 18 to the casing 8, there may be used, far instance, an adhesive which bonds the periphery αf the speaker 18 tα the disc-shaped portion 10 of the casing. Electrical con¬ ductors or wires 19 connect the speaker 18 with the appropri¬ ate leads of the printed circuit board 13, to supply the suc¬ cession of the electrical signals generated by the chip 14 to the speaker 18, which then converts these signals into a se¬ ries of audible sounds, in a conventional manner.

According to the present invention, the speaker 18

is to emit the series of audible sounds only when the candle is lit. To achieve this effect, a switching element 20 in¬ cluding a phototransistar of a conventional construction which needs no elaboration here, is also connected to other leads of the printed circuit board and is operative for acti¬ vating and inactivating the sound-generating means which is constituted by the chip 14 and the speaker 18, as well as the associated electric circuitry of the printed circuit board 13, ^• by either establishing, or interrupting the electrical con— nectiαn between the battery 16 and the sound-generating means. The operation of the switching element 20, that is, the switching thereof between its conductive and its nan—conduct¬ ive states, is in turn controlled by the light emitted by a flame 21 that burns at the and portion 5 of the wick 4 when the candle is lit. To achieve transmission αf the light of the flame 21 tα the switching element 20, an optical fiber 22 is embedded in the material αf the body 2 and extends sub¬ stantially parallel to and at transverse spacing from the wick 4 from the region of the end portion 5 to and downwardly beyond the region of the end portion 6 αf the wick, that is, into recess 7, The casing 8 is provided with an orifice 23 which is so positioned that, as the cup—shaped portion 9 of the casing 8 is introduced into the recess 7 of the body 2, the end portion of the optical fiber 22 that extends into the recess 7 will penetrate into the orifice 23 and toward or into the photosensitive element or sensing means 20 which is in registry with the orifice 23. FIGS.1 and 2 also show that the base portion 11 of the casing is provided with plurality of cutouts 24 through which the sounds emitted by the speaker 18 pass tα the exterior of the arrangement 1, as the latter is supported on the base portion 11. Of course, the shape of the portion αf the casing 8 which is located outside the body 2, the presence or absence of the cutouts 24 and their loca¬ tion and distribution on the projecting portion of the casing 8, and the very fact whether or not any portion of the casing will project outside the recess 7 in the body 2, will depend on the manner in which the arrangement 1 is intended to be

mounted. It will be apreciated that, if the arrangement 1 is tα be mounted on a holder having a central spike, the casing 8 will have to be provided with a passage for receiving the spike without damaging the speaker 18; for mounting in hold— ers with peripheral ridges, the casing will have to have a mounting portion below the base portion 11 for insertion into the space bounded by the ridge αf the holder, or the portion 11 will have to have a sufficient height to permit such insertion and yet leave a sufficient area of the cut— outs 24 unobstructed for the sounds to be heard. Also, the recess 7 may open onto the circum erential surface αf the bo¬ dy 2 rather than on the bottom end face, or a separate recess far the speaker 18 may be provided which, unlike the recess for the casing 8, opens onto the circumferential surface of the body 2. Of course, the printed circuit board 13 and the components mouted thereon could also be received directly in the recess 7, that is, without the intermediary of the casing 8, or even embedded, with or without the casing 8, in the material of the body 2, in which case only the speaker IS would be arranged at the external surface αf the body 2.

FIG.3 shows the basic diagram αf the electric ci_— cui ry αf the device 1 and the way it cooperates with the op¬ tical fiber 22. It may be seen that the negative terminal ground) αf the battery 16 is connected tα a ground line 29 that leads to the chip 14 and tα the speaker IB, while the positive terminal of the battery 16 leads to the switching element 20, which has an output 26 that is connected to the chip 14. The switching element is normally non-conductive so that it will interrupt the circuit inclusive of the chip 14. However, when light propagating through the optical fiber 22 falls on the switching element 20, as indicated at 28, the switching element 20 will open and thus establish flow of e- lectric current trough to the chip 14, so that the aforemen¬ tioned succsessiαn of electrical signals will be generated by the chip 14 and will appear at an output 27 αf the chip 14, which is connected to the speaker 18. In this manner, the suscession of the electrical signals will be supplied tα the

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speaker 18 and will enegize the same tα produce and emit the series of audible sounds. This, of course, presupposes that the signals appearing at the output 27 of the chip 14 have a sufficient energy to drive the speaker 18 without additional amplification. Experience has shown that the energy level ob¬ tained at the output 27 is suffitient to drive piezoelectric transducer IS as shown in FIG. 3, as well as high impedance speakers. However, far speakers with low impedance, it may be advisable or even necessary to interpose a suitable amplifier between the output 27 and the speaker. In this manner, it is possible to increase the audibility level of the emitted sounds.

Having so described the construction of the at— rangement or device of the present invention, its operation will now be explained with particular reference tα FIG.1.

Obviously, as usual in candles, the body 2 consists of combustible material which is solid at normal room temper— atures. However, when the candle is lit, the flame 21 will e- mit not only radiation in the visible light range, but also heat radiation which will locally melt the material of the body 2 and thus create a pool of molten combustible material 30 around the end portion 5 αf the wick. This molten material will then penetrate into and rise trough the end portion 5 αf the combustible material in the wick 4, to evoporate due tα the heat emitted by the flame 21, and to react with oxygen or burn with attendant production of the flame 21. The light radiation emitted by the flame 21 propagates in all direc¬ tions, that is, even toward an end portion 31 of the optical fiber 22 that is located at the region of the pool of the molten combustible material 30 and aims at the flame 21. Thus, the light radiation component of the radiant energy emitted by the flame 21 enters the end portion 31 αf the optical fiber 22 until it reaches the photosensitive switch or phototran— sistar 20, with the consequence described above, that is, the activation of the sound-generating means shown in FIG.3. Of course, as the flame 21 is extinguished, the light radiation component ceases to exist, so that the transistor 20 reverts

to its normal nan—conductive state, and the sound—generating means is inactivated or shut off.

The optical fiber 22 is preferably made of a mate¬ rial which melts when exposed tα the heat radiation cαmpo— nent of the flame 21, or tα the heat of molten combustible material 30 contained in the aforementioned pool, with atten¬ dant formation of a lenticulate portion 32 on the end portion 31 of the fiber 22. This lenticulate portion then acts as a lens that focuses the light radiation component emitted by the flame 21 into the optical fiber 22. However, the optical fiber cαuld also be made αf a material which disintegrates in a different manner in response to exposure tα the radiation emitted by the flame 21, such as by falling apart or by evap¬ orating. The disintegration of the material αf the optical fiber 22 at the region of the pool αf the molten combustible material 30 is very important to assure that the end portion 31 of the optical fiber 22 will always be in a proper posi¬ tion relative to the flame 21 to let the light radiation com¬ ponent enter and penetrate through the optical fiber 22. It will be appreciated that, were it not for this feature, the flame 21 would eventually descend below the end portion 31 of the optical fiber 22 during the burning of the candle, and the propagation of the light radiation component through the optical fiber 22 toward the pho ot aπsistar 20, and thus the operation of the sound—generating means, would cease long be¬ fore that.

It will be appreciated that, when the casing 8 is partially embedded ^' in the candle 2, the lower region αf the candle 2 is not intended to be consumed. In other words, this lower region is tα remain intact tα serve as an envelope for the cup-shaped portion 9 of the casing 8. This means that the burning of the candle 8 is to be stopped before the material of this lower region begins to melt. Since this lower region of the candle goes to waste, it is advantageous to minimize its size or volume, which may be accomplished by differently distributing the electrical components therein. Then, the course of the optical fiber 22 through this lower region will

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not necessarily follow the course of the wick 4; rather, it will lead to the location of the photosensitive switch 20.

To avoid the possibility αf a substantial part αf the candle 2 going to waste, it is also contemplated by the present invention tα construct the casing 8 as a holder for the candle 8, that is, tα provide the same with an annular ridge which bounds a recess far receiving the lower region of the candle 8. In this case, the candle 2 will not be pro¬ vided wit the recess 7; rather, it will be constructed li e any other candle, except that it will have the optical fiber 22 embedded therein. The shape of the holder—type casing 8 will then be determined by aesthetic and functional consider— ations, as well as the preferences αf the public.

Regardless of the construction αf the casing 8, it is further contemplated to combine the optical fiber 22 with the wick 4, by incorporating the same in the latter, winding the same around the latter, or letting the same extending longitudinally of the wick 4 at its outer periphery. This will simplify the manufacture of the candle 2. It is also proposed according to the present invention to provide the casing 8 with upwardly oriented spikes which will dig into the material of the candle 2 and thus secure the casing 8 to the candle 2 and vice versa. The casing 8 may include, in¬ stead of the interrupted annular support portion 11, a plu— rality of individual support projections of legs. Such legs may be constructed in a manner resembling thumb tacks, that is, they could include heads constituting the projections, and spikes penetrating through the disc—shaped portion 10 and into the material of the candle 8. The speaker 18 can be constituted either by a dy¬ namic speaker, or by an electrαa oustic transducer, such as by a piezoelectric crystal. While the photosensitive switch¬ ing element 20 has been illustrated and described about as being an element separate from chip 14, it is also contβmp— lated by the present invention to make the same a part αf the chip 14. ^' The chip 14 may also include at its input a holding circuit or element which will start the operation of the sαund-

generating means when the intensity of the light reaching the photosensitive switch 20 exceeds a first, higher, thresh¬ old level, and will hold the sound— enerating means in its fully operative condition until the light intensity drops below a second, lower, threshold level, by producing a con¬ stant output signal until then. This holding circuit may con¬ stitute a part αf the photosensitive switch 20 or, if the latter is separate from the chip 14, may be interposed be¬ tween the switch 20 and the chip 14. In this manner, flicker— ing of the flame 21 will not interfere with the operation of the sound—generating means.

Especially when the photosensitive switch 20 is provided directly on the chip 14, it is adventageous when, in accordance with another feature of the present invention, the optical fiber 22 does not reach all the way tα the photosen¬ sitive switch 20, particularly when it ends at the boundary of the candle 2 and thus does not penetrate into the αrifice 23 in the casing 8, αnly the light emanating from the end αf the optical fiber 22 then continuing through the orifice 23 toward the photoelectric switch or sensor 20. This expedient significantly simplifies the assembling operation, since low¬ er precision is required. Also, a short lenghts of optical fiber, separate from the optical fiber 22, could pass through the αrifice 23 and be rigidly connected with the casing 8, this lenghts αf the optical -fiber being aligned with the op¬ tical fiber 22.

Finally, it is tα be mentioned that the chip 14 is so constructed as to being its operation always at the begin¬ ning of the melody, series of melodies, or any other perfαr— mance programmed in the chip. This is accomplished by reset¬ ting the various components formed on the chip 14 to their in¬ itial state either at the end of the previous operation, or at the beginning of the current operation, of the sound—gen¬ erating means. It will be understood that each of the elements de¬ scribed above, or two or more together, may also find a use¬ ful application in other types α arrangements differing from

the type described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and de¬ scribed as embodied in a sound—emitting candle, it is not intended tα be limited tα the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without de¬ parting in any way from the spirit αf the present invention.

Whithαut further analysis, the foregoing wili so fully reveal the gist αf present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the stand¬ point of prior art, fairly constitute essencial characteris¬ tics of the generic and specific aspects of our contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are in¬ tended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of e— quivalence of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by latter patent is set forth in the appended claims.