Wick sheet and wick sheet support system

Abstract

A portable apparatus producing a sustainable horizontal flame along the line of an at least one wick sheet and method for making the same are disclosed. The apparatus has a heat and flame resistant container that has an upwardly facing open mouth with a fuel absorbent at least one wick sheet and wick sheet support assembly disposed within the container and retaining the wick sheet within the container. A combustible composition filling the container and substantially saturating the wick sheet is provided, such that the wick sheet is substantially embedded in the combustible composition. The method of making the apparatus can include the steps of providing a flame and heat resistant container and preparing a wick sheet support assembly, including an at least one wick sheet support and at least one wick tab, which are prepared and placed with an at least one wick sheet into the container. The fuel composition can be prepared and placed into the container with the at least one wick sheet and wick sheet support assembly.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the priority of U.S. provisional patent application 60 / 647,936, filed Jan. 31, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to a wick sheet used in combination with a wick movement limiting structure embedded in a wax candle. The wick sheet when ignited makes sustainable horizontal flames along the lateral line(s) of the exposed wick on the surface of a wax candle. The wick sheet can be arranged in an unlimited variety of configurations providing heat, light and viewing entertainment to the user. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Most outdoor candles, such as the popular citronella candle device sold in department stores, similar to, for instance, the candle of U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,694 to Marchi, comprise a bucket, typically containing paraffin wax scented with citronella oil and employing one to three round cord or string-like wicks. The flame from ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] A further object of the present invention to provide a candle device which provides a greater amount of light, heat and “flame entertainment” than a typical outdoor citronella candle.

[0014] Another object of the present i

Problems solved by technology

The appearance of the simple flame(s) from such devices is boring compared to the flame from, for instance, a wood fire, which some outdoorsmen refer to as “cowboy TV”.

Nor have they been provided with wick support structures that limit the movement of the wick sheet, while self-adjusting to the level of the fuel, as is necessary for operation in a wax based system.

Thus, this type of system does not perform well in a solid wax medium.

In addition the mechanism protrudes above the oil surface, which is unattractive in a wax based system.

This limits the wick sheet in many ways, as the sheets must be thicker and will generally burn hotter.

Thus the oil burning wick sheet fabrics described in these systems are thicker, do not completely burn, and would burn dangerously hot if applied in a wax fuel composition producing flare ups, where the entire wax surface may ignite, which is not only hazardous, but also consumes wax at such a rate as to render a wax candle with such a thick wick economically undesirable to the average consumer.

However, none of these have provided satisfactory controllable burning systems of wax candle systems.

To this end, the design does not provide for a wick sheet nor does it provide for a wick sheet support structure.

Specifically, a wick sheet or wick sheet support structure that would provide for a controlled, area specific burn and prevent the conflagration across the entire surface of the system, as controlling the wick level or position as the burning composition is consumed is unimportant in this type of design.

However, this type of flame smells of chemicals, burns quickly and with a significantly higher flame than any similar wax candle.

Additionally, the paper wick sheets provided are prone to burning or setting alight substantially the entire surface of the device, leading to an uncontrolled burn that consumes the fuel at a maximum rate.

Further, the wicks provided are not supported or retained, allowing for movement of the wick material as the combustible material is quickly consumed None of these instant campfire type devices utilizes significant wick support structures.

Further, although wick tabs employed in this wick sheet and wick sheet support system invention have been utilized in previous single, string-like wick devices, none have been provided in a wax based wick sheet system.

However, the device of Engman holds a string-like wick to the bottom of a candle; this limits the candle to the single, string-like wick.

Moreover, these string-like wick anchors do not incorporate wick support structures or posts.

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