EP1382903A1

EP1382903A1 - Candleholder comprising a flame lighter

Info

Publication number: EP1382903A1
Application number: EP03014635A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Laura Venturi
Original assignee: ELB Srl
Current assignee: ELB Srl
Priority date: 2002-07-18
Filing date: 2003-06-26
Publication date: 2004-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-26
Also published as: ITMI20020371U1; ATE325983T1; DE60305106D1; EP1382903B1

Abstract

A specimen of candleholder (10) integrating a flame lighter (18) made of metal and/or plastic or other suitable material comprising at least a first tubular body (12) and a second tubular body (20) that can be matched between them and manually separated and a flame lighter (18) placed and stabilized into the first tubular body (12) and protruding from the upper end (14) of said first tubular body (12).

Description

The present invention refers to a specimen of candleholder integrating a flame lighter.
More particularly, the present invention refers to a single or multiple candleholder that can house two or more candles, comprising a support wherein flame lighter means are integrated.
It is known that candleholders of various sizes and shapes are usually widespread and used also for decoration purposes on tables and furniture In some circumstances, candles are lit in order to create a pleasant, localized light effect that, sometimes, has also the further purpose of giving off scents with deodorant effects in the room.
The candleholders used for this purpose usually comprise a tubular support with a small base plate as support extending upwards in order to form at least a seat for the insertion and the stabilization of the candle. The upper extension usually breaks down and branches out into many arms for as many candles and, when used, the latter are lit by usual matches or flame lighters. This operation, in itself is very simple, but sometimes it can be difficult as the lighting means are not always within reach and therefore it is necessary to wait and sometimes carry out difficult operations to lit the candle again or restore it. As far as this aspect is concerned, a typical situation occurs outdoor i.e. when candles are placed on laid tables where blasts easily occur.
Object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawback.
More particularly, object of the present invention is to provide a candleholder that constantly and immediately makes the lighting means for the candles available.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a candleholder as mentioned above that can assure a high resistance and reliability level in time, it is easily manufactured and at low cost.
According to the present invention, these and other purposes are obtained by a specimen of candleholder made of metal or other suitable material and provided with at least one or more seats for as many candles or the like mainly characterized in that it comprises at least a first tubular body and a second tubular body that can be matched between them and manually separated and also a flame lighter placed and stabilized in the first tubular body and protruding from its upper end.
The building and functional features of the specimen of candleholder of the present invention will be better understood by the following description wherein reference is made to the attached tables of drawings representing a preferred and non-limitative embodiment given by way of example wherein:
Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the lower part provided with support base of the specimen of candleholder of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the complementary upper part of the same specimen according to an embodiment given by way of example with one seat for the insertion of a candle;
Figure 3 is an exploded view of the specimen of candleholder of the present invention;
Figure 4 is the perspective schematic view of the same specimen of the previous figures in use when the candles are lit;
Figure 5 is a schematic view of the specimen of candleholder of the present invention according to an alternative embodiment of the flame lighter and the relevant support means;
Figure 6 is a schematic view of said support means of the specimen of Figure 5.
With reference to the above-mentioned figures, the specimen of candleholder of the present invention marked with 10 in its whole in Figure 3, comprises a first tubular body 12 made of metal or other suitable material, preferably a circular section tubular body with an increasing diameter from the upper end 14 towards the opposite end or lower mouthpiece 16 defining the support area on a plan.
Said first tubular body 12 constitutes the housing seat for the lighting means marked with 18 that will be described here below. The candleholder 10 comprises also a second tubular. body 20 whose shape is similar to the one of the first one but in the opposite direction. The diameter of the second tubular body 20 increases from the lower end 22 to the upper end 24 defining the insertion and stabilization seat for a candle 26.
Said seat, marked with 28, is advantageously obtained on a small shaped plate 30 coupled with the second tubular body 20 in correspondence of its upper end 24 having a greater diameter and it is fastened therein with any suitable means. Preferably, also the first tubular body 12 is provided with a small shaped plate 32 that is fastened with a snap to the same body with a thread or equivalent means in correspondence of the lower end 16 with a greater diameter. The small plate 32 has a substantially truncate cone shape and it is provided with a central pass-through opening 34. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5, the small plate 32 can be replaced or associated to a flange 36 made of plastic material or metal forming a stabilization seat for the lighting means 18. Said lighting means 18 are advantageously constituted by a known cylindrical-shaped lighter whose diameter is the same or is slightly lower than the internal diameter of the first tubular body 12 in its upper central part facing the end 14.
The lighting means or lighters 18 protrude from said end 14 of the body 12 for a portion comprised between 30 and 60 mms forming a centring and stabilization rod of the second tubular body 20. Said second tubular body 20 is fit on the part of the lighter 18 protruding from the end 14 of the first tubular body 12 and stabilizes on the same lighter aligning to said first tubular body 12. The internal diameter of said first tubular body 12 is slightly lower than the one of the lighter 18 so that it can be easily fit on it and, if necessary, taken off from the same lighter. As mentioned above, said lighter 18 is advantageously cylindrical-shaped and it can be of the piezoelectric or battery electronic type with operation button or switch placed near its lower end or, preferably, along the side surface from which it protrudes for a limited portion. When the button 38 is placed in correspondence of the lower end, it protrudes from the small plate 32 through the hole 34. The lighter 18 is stabilized in its position in the first tubular body 12 by mechanical interference as its diameter corresponds to the internal diameter of a part of the same body, except for the matching tolerances. When the operation button of the lighter 18 is placed along the side surface of the body as shown in Figure 5 it protrudes from the surface of said body for a limited portion. Said button has generally the shape of an axial sliding slider 40 and it is abutted in correspondence with an opening 40 obtained along the first tubular body 12 in its upper-central part near the end 14. The lighter 18 is stabilized in its position in the above-mentioned body 12 through the flange 36 that is fastened in the same body near the lower mouthpiece 16. This constraint of the flange 36 is preferably obtained by two or more elastic projections or tabs 46 fastened with any suitable means inside the first tubular body 12 along its part close to the lower mouthpiece 16. The same flange is provided with a pass-through central opening 48, whose shape and size correspond to the ones of the lighter 18 that is inserted in it and blocked by pressure with the addition of a small plate 50 preventing its taking off or equivalent means inserted on the lower base of the lighter and fastened in the known way.
When used, the specimen of candleholder of the present invention allows the user to easily and immediately light the candle or candles as in its internal part the lighter 18 is housed. If the second tubular body 20 housing in its seat 28 the candle 26 is taken off, the lighter that is operated by the slider 40 or by the button 38 shows up. The user holds the second tubular body 20 with one hand while grasping the first tubular body 12 with the other hand and operates the piezoelectric or electronic lighter to light the candle 26. Once the operation is ended, the two complementary tubular bodies 12 and 20 are matched again between them by fitting the body 20 on the part of the lighter 18 protruding in its upper part from the body 12 and therefore reassembling the candleholder.
As it can be noticed by the previous description, the advantages obtained by the specimen of candleholder of the present invention are clear.
The specimen of candleholder of the present invention allows to immediately lighting the candle/candles as it includes the lighter 18. The latter, when it is not used, is not visible and therefore it does not change the aesthetic features of the unit, but it is at the same time a centring and stabilization element of the candleholder. The availability of the lighting means clearly avoids the drawbacks occurring especially when the candleholders are placed outdoor where blasts that blow out the flame usually occur.
Even though the present invention has been described above with reference to a non-limitative embodiment given by way of example, a technician skilled in the art can make changes or variants according to the above-mentioned description.
In the solution shown in Figure 5, for example, the first tubular body 12 might not include the opening 42 for the slider 40 as the operation of the latter can be obtained by a matching projection inside the same body; in this case the lighter 18 can be axially moved with respect to said body 12 or vice-versa.
Moreover, the same first tubular body 12 could comprise two or more parts matching among them by pressure by thread or equivalent systems.
It is therefore clear that the present invention is meant to include all the changes and variants falling within the spirit and the protection field of the following claims.

Claims

A specimen of candleholder (10) integrating a flame lighter (18) made of metal and/or plastic or other suitable material comprising at least a first tubular body (12) and a second tubular body (20) that can be matched between them and manually separated and a flame lighter (18) placed and stabilized into the first tubular body (12) and protruding from the upper end (14) of said first tubular body (12).
The specimen of candleholder according to claim 1, characterized in that said first tubular body (12) shows a circular section with an increasing diameter from the upper end (14) towards the opposite end or mouthpiece (16) defining the support area on a plan.
The specimen of candleholder according to the claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said second tubular body (20) shows a circular section with a growing diameter from the lower end (22) to the upper end (24) with a small shaped plate (30) wherein at least one insertion and stabilization seat (28) of a candle (26) is obtained.
The specimen of candle-handler according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the first tubular body (12) is provided with a flange (36) and/or a small shaped plate (32) in correspondence of or near this mouthpiece (16) respectively provided with a hole or central pass-through opening (48), (34).
The specimen of candleholder according to claim 4, characterized in that the shape of said flange (36) is complementary to the one of the internal surface of the first tubular body (12) in its part near the mouthpiece (16), the hole (48) making the insertion and stabilization seat of the flame lighter (18).
The specimen of candleholder according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the flame lighter (18) is made of a cylindrical piezoelectric or electronic lighter whose diameter is slightly lower than the internal diameter of the first and second tubular bodies (12-20) in their parts respectively close to the upper end (14) and to the mouthpiece (16).
The specimen of candleholder according to claim 4, characterized in that the flange (36) is stabilized in the first tubular body (12) through two or more elastic projections or tabs (46) integral to the same body along the internal surface near the mouthpiece (16).
The specimen of candleholder according to any of the previous claims from 4 to 7, characterized in that the hole (38) of the small plate (32) houses an operation button (38) of the flame lighter or lighter (18).
The specimen of candle-handler according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the first tubular body (12) is provided with an opening (42) from which a control slider of the flame lighter (18) protrudes.