Birthday Candle Crown for Simultaneous Removal and Wax Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional candle placement on birthday cakes is cumbersome and damaging, as individual supports can harm the cake, and extinguishing candles can release wax, spatter, and toxic smoke, necessitating hasty removal.

Innovation Solution

A crown-shaped device with holes for candles, featuring a collection mechanism for wax and a transparent disc to prevent spatter, allowing all candles to be removed simultaneously, minimizing cake damage and smoke exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If candles are placed individually on the cake using small supports, then each candle can be securely positioned, but the cake decoration is damaged due to multiple holes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecandle placement stabilityVSAvoidcake decoration damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A crown-shaped support structure serves as an intermediary device between the candles and the cake. The crown has multiple holes to hold individual candles securely, while the entire crown rests on four feet that contact the cake surface, minimizing damage to the cake decoration by requiring only four holes instead of one per candle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If candles are removed one by one after extinguishing, then wax spillage and smoke exposure are minimized, but the process is time-consuming and increases risk of spatter projection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewax spillage and smoke exposureVSAvoidcandle removal time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple candles are merged into a single removable unit by inserting them all into the crown structure. The crown itself is held by four feet, allowing all candles to be removed simultaneously by simply lifting the entire crown assembly, rather than removing each candle individually. This combining approach maintains safety benefits while dramatically reducing removal time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If the crown structure is made with sufficient thickness to catch wax, then wax collection is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewax collection capabilityVSAvoidcrown structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The crown structure implements local quality by having variable thickness in different areas. The top surface and inner walls have sufficient thickness to catch and contain dripping wax, while other areas maintain appropriate thickness for structural support. The four feet have stops to prevent sinking into the cake, demonstrating localized structural optimization without overall complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP1929204B1Device for placing and removing birthday candles at a single time on/from the cake regardless of the number of candles
Publication Date: 2010.03.03 PIEMONTESE MATTEO
  • EP1929204B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1929204B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1929204B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The device concerns a device that makes it possible to place birthday candles on a cake at a single time regardless of the number of candles. The device is comprised of a ring (1) provided with a number of holes (2), in which the candleholders and the candles are introduced, and placed on four feet (4). In the middle of the ring (1), a plate (6) connected to the ring by four arms (8) will accommodated the candles in the holes (7). A transparent plastic disc (9) is placed on the arms (8) and the plate (6) in order to cover the entire inside area of the ring (1). The inventive device particularly serves to place and remove birthday candles on/from a cake.