CLAIMS
1. An illumination assembly (10) comprising a candle (16), characterised
in that said assembly further comprises a heat insulation layer (42,44) extending around the candle, at least in part.
2. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said assembly comprises: a container (12) defining an opening (24); a holder (14) defining an opening (33) that is shaped and configured to fit inside the container, with clearance, with the openings of the container and holder generally in register; and said candle (16) that fits inside the holder with the end (40) of its wick (38) facing the opening of the holder; wherein at least one of the holder and the container includes at least one protuberance (22,34) that is configured to extend between the holder and the container when the holder is fitted inside the container, to hold the holder and the container spaced apart to form said insulation layer in the form of a space (44) between them.
3. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the outer shape of the candle (16) is generally complemental to the inner shape of the holder (14). 4, An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the candle (16) and holder (14) are dimensioned such that the candle is removable from the holder.
5. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the holder (14) includes said protuberance in the form of a bulge (34) that extends in a direction opposite from its opening (33).
6. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the container (12) includes said protuberance in the form of an inwardly projecting rim
(22) that extends around the opening (24) of the container.
7. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that said rim (22) is shaped and dimensioned to abut the holder (14) in the vicinity of its opening (33).
8. An assembly (10) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said assembly includes an insulation layer (42) extending around the outside of at least part of the container (12).
9. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that said insulation layer (42) is a cardboard layer.
10. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, characterised in that said insulating layer (42) is spaced from the container (12).
11. An assembly (10) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the space (44) is filled at least in part, with insulation material.
12. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said assembly comprises: a container (12) defining an opening (24); said candle (16), configured to fit inside the container with the end (40) of its wick (38) facing the opening of the container; and an insulation layer (42) extending around the outside of at least part of the container.
13. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that said insulation layer (42) is a cardboard layer.
14. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, characterised in that said insulating layer (42) is spaced from the container (12).
15. An assembly (10) as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims, characterised in that the container (12) includes a removable lid (30) that is configured to close its opening (24), selectively.
16. An assembly (10) as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that said lid (30) is releasably attachable to the rim (22) of the container (12) by engagement of complemental formations (26,28). |
ILLUMINATIOM ASSEMBLY
FIELD QF THE INVENTION
THIS INVENTION relates to illumination assemblies comprising candles in containers that are particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for outdoor use.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
While the use of candles for illumination remains popular despite the availability of electrical lighting, the handling, use and storage of candles have many disadvantages, including, but not limited to: fire hazard, burning (e.g. burning hands as a result of heated containers in which the candles are kept), wax rubbing off, spillage of molten wax, smells emanating from wax (especially in the case of flavoured waxes), trapping of dirt in wax, etc.
Many of these disadvantages can be overcome to some extent, by keeping a candle in a suitable container and closing the container, when the candle is not in use. One embodiment of this solution is particularly suitable for outdoor candles, which typically have large dimensions, are often transported in motor vehicles together with people and are often handled quite roughly, similarly to other outdoor equipment such as camping gear. This embodiment includes an outdoor candle that is formed inside a conventional paint tin and that fills practically the whole cavity of the tin, so that the candle cannot move around significantly inside the tin and is protected inside the tin, especially when not in use, when the paint tin's lid
is closed.
Outdoor candles of this type have a few disadvantages in that the configuration of paint tins with inwardly extending rims, prevent the candles from being removed and replaced, with the result that the entire tin is typically discarded when a candle has been used. More importantly, the proximity of the walls of the paint tin to the flame of the candle causes it to heat up to the extent that it cannot be handled safely. Users who attempt to handle the hot tins are often injured by the tins themselves or by hot molten wax inside the tins that is spilt as a result of inability of the users to handle the hot tins.
The object of the present invention is to provide an illumination assembly of this type, wherein the risk of injury is reduced. A further object is to allow for the replaceability of the candle in the container, to allow the container to be re-used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTiON
According to the present invention there is provided an illumination assembly comprising a candle and a heat insulation layer extending around the candle, at least in part.
The assembly may comprise: a container defining an opening; a holder defining an opening that is shaped and configured to fit inside the container, with clearance, with the openings of the container and holder generally in
register; and the candie that fits inside the holder with the end of its wick facing the opening of the holder; wherein at least one of the holder and the container includes at least one protuberance that is configured to extend between the holder and the container when the holder is fitted inside the container, to hold the holder and the container spaced apart to form the insulation layer in the form of a space between them.
The outer shape of the candle may be generally complemental to the inner shape of the holder and the candle and holder may be dimensioned such that the candle is removable from the holder and can thus be replaced .
The holder may include such a protuberance in the form of a bulge that extends in a direction opposite from its opening, i.e. in a downwardly direction, in use.
The container may include such a protuberance in the form of an inwardly projecting rim that extends around the opening of the container and that may be shaped and dimensioned to abut the holder in the vicinity of its opening.
The space between the holder and the container may simply be gas- fϋled or may be filled at least in part, with insulation material.
The assembly may include an insulation layer extending around the
outside of at least part of the container, such as a cardboard layer. The insulating layer may be spaced from the container, e.g. by spacers.
Alternatively, the assembly may comprise: a container defining an opening; the candle, configured to fit inside the container with the end of its wick facing the opening of the container; and an insulation layer extending around the outside of at least part of the container, such as a cardboard layer. The insulating layer may be spaced from the container, e.g. by spacers.
The container may include a removable lid that is configured to dose its opening selectively and the lid may be releasably attachable to the rim of the container by engagement of compiemental formations, e.g. the container may be shaped and dimensioned similar to a conventional paint tin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of non- limiting example, to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded view of an illumination assembly in accordance with the present invention; and
Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the assembly of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to the drawings an illumination assembly in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10, and comprises a container in the form of a tin 12, a holder 14 inside the tin and a candle 16 inside the holder.
The tin 12 is in the form of a conventional steel paint tin, with a cylindrical outer waii 18, a flat bottom wall 20, a rim 22 extending inwardly around a circular opening 24 at the top of the tin and defining a circular groove 26 in which a circular lip 28 of a disc-shaped lid 30, is releasably receivable, ft is to be appreciated that many other configurations of containers can be used in the present invention, but conventional paint tins 12 have been found to be robust enough for use in outdoor applications and are relatively inexpensive.
The holder 14 has a cylindrical wall 32 with an outer diameter that is slightly less that the diameter of the tin's opening 24 and that is accordingly substantially less than the inner diameter of the tin's wall 18. At the upper end of the cylindrical wall 32, the holder 14 has a circular opening 33 that is slightly smaller than the opening 24 of the tin 12. At the bottom of the holder 14, its wall forms a part spherical, downwardly protruding bulge 34. A protuberance of another shape would also work, but a bulge 34 with this shape is relatively easy to form while manufacturing the holder 14. The holder 14 is made of a metal such as aluminium, for cost considerations, although any other suitably heat resistant material can be
used.
The candle 16 comprises of a cylindrical body of illuminating wax 36 and a wick 38 that is embedded axially within the wax with its upper end 40 protruding above the wax. The outer shape of the candle 16 is compiemental to the inner shape of the holder 14, so that it fits snugly inside the holder and can easily be slid in and out of the holder.
in a preferred embodiment of the invention, an outer insulating layer in the form of a hollow cardboard cylinder 42 extends permanently around the tin's wall 18 with an interference fit. Instead, or in addition, the cardboard cylinder 42 can be secured in place with one or more fasteners, such as a rivet (not shown) extending through the cardboard cylinder and the wall 18 of the tin 12.
In use, the candle 16 is slid inside the holder 14 and the holder is placed inside the tin 12 with the openings 33,24 of the holder and tin generally in register. The bulge 34 of the holder 14 abuts the bottom wail 20 of the tin 12 and the rim 22 of the tin abuts the outside of the upper end of the cylindrical wall 32 of the holder, in this way, the bulge 34 and rim 22 serve as protuberances that keep the holder 14 spaced from the tin 12, with a space 44 defined between them. The upper edge of the holder's wall 32 can have an outwardly facing iip 46 that can fit snugly above or below part of the rim 22 such as an inwardly facing ridge, or can simply abut the rim is such a way that the holder 14 is held firmly in position inside the tin 12. if the lip 46 extends above the rim 22, due allowance must be made for
this inside the lid 3O 1 to ensure that the lid can fit properly on the tin 12.
The space 44 may simply be gas-filled, e.g. it may be filled with air, but in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the space may be filled at least in part, with an insulating material, such as mineral wool, e.g. rock wool, glass fibres or flame retarded polyurethane fibres.
When the candle 16 needs to be burnt, to provide light and possibly also to emit flavours from the wax 36 (e.g. in the case of candles that are scented with vanilla, citronella, etc. which scents are emitted when the candles are burnt, e.g. to repel insects), the assembly 10 is positioned upright with the lid 30 removed and the wick's end 40 is lit. Heat from the flame causes some of the wax 36 adjacent the wick 38 to melt and heats up the whole candle 16. This heat is transferred to the holder 14, which is in good thermal contact with the candle, but very little of the heat is transferred from the holder to the tin 12, owing to poor thermal conductivity of the air trapped in the space 44. The areas of the lip 28 and bulge 34 that are in contact with the holder 14 and tin 12, respectively, are quite small, so that relatively little heat is transferred via these contact areas.
In a variation of this embodiment of the invention, holes are provided in the wall 18 to allow the space 44 to ventilate and to be cooled by the inflow of cooler ambient air through the holes. This variation is preferable in assemblies 10 that are shaped and dimensioned such that the insulation layers 42 and 44 are so effective that the wax 36 cannot dissipate the heat it receives from the burning wick 38
sufficiently, so that there is a risk that the wax will reach ignition temperature.
If the assembly 10 is handled or is touched while the candle 16 is burning or while still hot after burning, this can be done comfortably since the tin 12 does not get too hot and the user who touches or handles the assembly 10, touches the outside of the cardboard cyiinder 42, which provides additional insulation and protection against possible heat or discomfort from the tin.
When the candle 16 is not required to be burned, the lid 30 is firmly attached to the tin 12 by pressing the lip 28 into the groove 26 in the conventional manner. Apart from preventing spillage of molten wax 36, contamination of the wax, etc, closure of the lid 30 cuts the oxygen supply to the wick 38, thus preventing the flame from re-starting, even if the wick 38 is still smouldering. Closure of the lid 30 also contains smells that may emanate from the candle. This is particularly desirable if the wax is scented and if the candle is placed in a confined space, e.g. if a citronella scented candle, which is particularly useful as an insect repellent, is transported in a vehicle with passengers.
In another embodiment of the invention (not shown in the drawings), a candle is housed inside a tin, such as the conventional paint tin 12 and an insulating layer in the form of a cardboard layer similar to the cardboard cylinder 42, extends around the tin in direct contact with the tin or in a spaced relationship. This embodiment of the invention can be used with any configuration of candle inside the tin, while heat insulation is still provided by the insulating cardboard layer around the
tin and/or by the insulation of the gap between the cardboard layer and the tin.
The use of a cardboard cylinder 42 also serves a decorative purpose and allows printing to be applied to the outside of the cylinders. This adds to the commercial usefulness of the assemblies 10, which can be appropriately decorated and used as promotional items or gifts.
The invention has been described herein with reference to the illustrated example of an assembly 10 that is particularly suitable for outdoor use. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention is also useful for indoor illumination assemblies, such as assemblies that are identical to the illustrated embodiment, but with a thinner wick.