Candle Wick

Abstract

A rigid planar wick and one or more fabric wicks are adhered together for use in candles. The fabric wicks may be planar fabric wicks, traditional shaped string-shaped wicks or a fabric sheath. The rigid wick is of a predetermined width, length, and thickness and the planar fabric wick is of some dimension equal to, less than, or greater than the planar surface area of the rigid wick. By combining both a planar fabric wick and a rigid planar wick, consistency in flame heights can be achieved, providing an improved wick for candle use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a candle wick, and more particularly to a rigid wick that provides improved flame height consistency.

Candles with wood wicks, especially planar wood wicks, suffer from inconsistent flame heights during normal use. The inconsistency, regardless of the type of wood used, appears to be attributed to the natural variation of the wood itself. Whether due to geography, altitude, weather, age or processing, the inconsistency in flame height in wood wick candles is a significant detriment within the candle industry.

Inconsistency in flame heights may be considered a mark of low quality in terms of use-aesthetics and fragrance release performance. Unless designed otherwise, candles are expected to maintain reasonable flame height consistency. Inconsistency in flame heights is observed as low flames and high flames within one candle during its use or from candle to candle.

Candles with low flames produce poor use-aesthetics and reduced fragrance release and impact. For example, a traditional candle flame imparts a pleasant ambiance as exemplified by the well-known concept of “dinner by candlelight”. Low flames will suffer from significantly reduced luminescence, producing undesirable candle flame ambiance. For scented candles, it is well known in the art that the flame melts the wax which results in fragrance release. Quick melting of the scented wax and the generation of a broad melt pool is conducive to maximizing both fragrance release and impact. Low flames lack the ability to readily melt the wax and may not form a broad melt pool, thus inhibiting fragrance release and impact.

Candles with high flames are likely to produce excessive smoking and generate high heat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The current invention provides a rigid planar wick (preferably made of wood) and one or more fabric wicks adhered together for use in candles. The fabric wicks may be planar fabric wicks, traditional shaped string-shaped wicks or a fabric sheath. The rigid wick is of a predetermined width, length, and thickness and the planar fabric wick is of some dimension equal to, less than, or greater than the surface area of the rigid wick. By combining both a planar fabric wick and a rigid planar wick, consistency in flame heights can be achieved, providing an improved rigid wick for candle use.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description which should be read in light if the accompanying drawings in which corresponding reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views. In the following descriptions of the drawings and the preferred embodiments, the term “length” is used to refer to the dimension of wick that runs the bottom of the candle to a top of the candle when a wick is used in a burning candle and the term “width” is used to refer to the dimension that runs horizontally from one side to the other side of the wick when a wick is used in a burning candle. The term “thickness” is used when referring to the shortest sides of a planar wick that run horizontally when the wick is positioned in a candle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a broad side of a rigid planar wick used in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a broad side of a planar fabric wick used in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a planar fabric wick and a rigid planar wick adhered together in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the length of the wick shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the width of the wick shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the wick shown in FIG. 3 taken along the length of the wick.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the width of the wick shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the wick shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the wick shown in FIG. 8 taken along the center of the length of the wick.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the wick shown in FIG. 8 taken along the center of the width of the wick.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the wick shown in FIG. 8 taken along the center of the length of the wick.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the wick shown in FIG. 11 taken along the center of the width of the wick.

FIG. 13 is an elevational view of a tradition candle wick.

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of a wick of an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the length of the wick shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the width of the wick shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the length of an alternate embodiment of the wick shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along center of the width of the wick shown in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the center of the width of an alternate embodiment of the wick shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the width of another alternate embodiment of the wick shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 21 is an elevational view of a planar fabric sheath used in an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view along the length of a rigid planar wick positioned inside a planar fabric sheath.

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the width of the wick shown in FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is an elevational view of a wood rod wick used in an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is an elevational view of a cylindrical fabric sheath used in an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the length of an alternate embodiment of the present invention with a wood rod wick shown in FIG. 24 inside a cylindrical fabric sheath shown in FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the width of the wick shown in FIG. 26.

FIG. 28 is a side elevational view of a rigid planar wick having its grain running horizontal to its length which is used in an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 29 is a side elevational view of a rigid planar wick with a grain running horizontal to its length and a planar fabric wick adhered together in an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the length of the wick shown in FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view along the center of the width of the wick shown in FIG. 29.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, the wick of the present invention includes a rigid planar wick 1 and a planar fabric wick 2. Fabric wick 2 is adhered to rigid wick 1 to form a unified wick 3 as shown in FIG. 3.

The rigid wick 1 is formed in a planar shape that can be produced from a number of hard and soft woods. In preferred embodiments cherry is used. The rigid wick 1 has a thickness between 0.015 inch and 0.04 inch. The fabric wick 2 has a thickness of between 0.025 inches and 0.065 inches. The length of the rigid wick 1 and fabric wick 2 would generally be the same, and the actual length will depend upon the height of the candle in which the wick is used. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the fabric wick 2 has a shorter width than the rigid wick 1 as shown in FIG. 3, and the relative dimensions depend in large part on the vessel diameter for the candle.

In the alternate embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a second planar fabric wick 2 is adhered to the rigid wick 1 on the opposite side of rigid wick 1 from where the first planar fabric wick 2 is adhered so that a similar fabric wick is adhered to both planar sides of the rigid wick 1. In the alternate embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 the width of the fabric wick 2 is equal to the width of the rigid wick 1.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 the planar fabric wicks 2 have a width substantially the same as the rigid wick 1 to which they are adhered on each side of the rigid wick 1.

The fabric wick 2 utilized in the present invention is preferably a braided wick having a planar flat geometry manufactured using one or more of the following materials: cotton (short and longer fiber), paper, rayon, cellulose, bamboo, raffia, hemp, jute, wool, linen, silk, polyester, acrylic, nylon, and polyolefin. The wick 2 may include multiple cotton cores braided together by multiple braids containing a rayon sleeve of one or more multiple fiber ends. Such wicks can be obtained from Atkins and Pearce, 1 Braidway, Covington, Ky. 41017.

The planar fabric wick 2 is wax coated as part of the post processing of the wick 2. The wax coating includes materials with adhesive qualities such as microcrystalline wax, high-melt paraffin wax, polyethylene wax and/or poly alpha olefins. In one preferred embodiment the planar fabric wick 2 is attached to the rigid planar wick by heating both the rigid wick 1 and the fabric wick 2 to a temperature between 120° F.-190° F. and pressing the wicks together followed by cooling to ambient temperature.

The table below shows the preferred ranges for the widths of the rigid wick 1 and fabric wick 2 in the embodiments of the wick of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-12. The same dimensions for the rigid wick 1 would also be used in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 13-20.

	Vessel Diameter, in
	1	2	3	4	≧5
Rigid planar	¼-⅜	5/16- 9/16	5/16-¾	7/16-⅞	≧½-1
Wick Width, in
Planar Fabric	¼-⅜	5/32- 9/32	5/32-⅜	7/32- 7/16	≧¼-½
Wick Width, in

Turning to FIGS. 13-16, a further alternate embodiment of the wick of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, four individual fabric wick strands 6 are adhered to the rigid planar wick 1. In this embodiment, each rigid wick 1 will have multiple fabric strands 6 adhered to its planar surface depending in part on the diameter of the fabric wicks 6 and the width of the rigid planar wick 1.

As shown in FIGS. 17-20, the wicks 6 may be adhered to each side of the rigid wick 1 in various geometries such as shown in FIGS. 18-20. In FIG. 18 the fabric wicks 6 adhered to one side of rigid wick 1 are offset relative to fabric wicks 6 adhered to the opposite side of the rigid wick 1. In FIG. 19, the fabric wicks 6 are positioned in the same locations on opposite sides of the rigid wick 1. In FIG. 20 the fabric wicks 6 are positioned side by side and in contact with each other on each side of rigid wick 1.

In the alternate embodiment shown in FIGS. 21-23, a rigid wick 1 is surrounded by a fabric sheath 8 of wick material constructed from the fabric wick materials described above with respect to the planar fabric wick 2. This sheath completely surrounds the rigid wick and is adhered to the rigid wick in the same manner as the planar fabric wick 2 shown in FIG. 3.

In a further embodiment shown in FIGS. 24-27, a rigid rod 9 is positioned within a cylindrical fabric sheath 10. The fabric sheath 10 completely surrounds the rigid rod 9. The fabric sheath 10 is constructed of the same fabric materials described above with respect to the planar fabric wick 2 and is adhered to the rigid rod in the same fashion as the planar fabric wick 2 is adhered to the rigid planar wick 1.

It is an important feature of invention that both the planar fabric wick and the rigid planar wick be adhered together so as not to separate during manufacturing and use. Adhesion of the fabric wicks to the rigid wick may be achieved by a number of means, including bonding by adhesive or by fabric stitching.

In still another embodiment shown in FIGS. 28-31 the rigid wick 12 is constructed so that its grain runs horizontal across the width of the wick 12. As in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 a planar fabric wick 2 is adhered to the rigid wick 12 in the same manner as provided above. FIGS. 30 and 31 shown the wick in a cross-section taken along the length (FIG. 30) and width (FIG. 31).

While the foregoing invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiments, various alterations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. All such alterations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A candle wick comprising:

a rigid planar wick;

a planar fabric wick adhered to one planar surface of said rigid planar wick.

2. The candle wick according to claim 1 wherein said planar fabric wick has a surface area that is equal to or less than the surface area of a planar side of said rigid planar wick to which said fabric wick is adhered.

3. The candle wick according to claim 1 further comprising a second planar fabric wick, wherein one of said planar fabric wicks is adhered to each opposite side of said rigid planar wick.

4. The candle wick according to claim 3 wherein the surface area of each of said planar fabric wicks is equal to or less than the surface area of the side of the rigid planar wick to which said planar fabric wick is adhered.

5. The candle wick according to claim 1 wherein said planar fabric wick covers the entire surface area of a planar side of said rigid planar wick when said planar fabric wick is adhered to said rigid planar wick.

6. The candle wick according to claim 1 wherein said planar fabric wick is adhered by an adhesive to said rigid planar wick.

7. The candle wick of claim 1 wherein said planar fabric wick is adhered by stitching to said rigid planar wick.

8. The candle wick of claim 1 wherein said fabric wick is coated with a wax that includes materials with adhesive qualities.

9. The candle wick of claim 1 wherein said planar fabric wick is made of a fabric manufactured from a group of materials comprising one or more of the following materials: cotton, rayon, paper, cellulose, bamboo, raffia, hemp, jute, wool, linen, silk, polyester, acrylic, nylon and polyolefin or other material suitable for planar wick construction].

10. The candle wick of claim 1 wherein said rigid planar wick has a thicknesses of 0.015″ and 0.04″.

11. The candle wick of claim 1 wherein said planar fabric wick has a thicknesses between 0.025″ and 0.065″.

12. A candle wick comprising:

a rigid planar wick;

a fabric sheath positioned around said rigid planar wick and adhered to said rigid planar wick.

13. The candle wick of claim 13 wherein said fabric sheath comprises at least one opening on an end of said sheath into which said rigid wick can be inserted during manufacture.

14. A candle wick comprising:

a rigid planar wick;

a plurality of string-shaped fabric wicks adhered to at least one planar surface of said rigid planar wick.

15. A candle wick comprising:

a rigid planar wick;

a substantially planar fabric wick in the shape of a sheath adhered around at least two planar surfaces of said rigid planar wick.

16. A candle wick comprising:

a substantially tubular rigid wick;

a fabric wick in the shape of a sheath positioned around said tubular rigid wick and adhered to said substantially tubular rigid wick.

17. A candle wick comprising:

a rigid planar wick comprising straight grains extending substantially across a width of said rigid wick.

a planar fabric wick adhered to one planar surface of said rigid planar wick.