EP2628783A1 - Apparatus and method for impregnating a candle wick, forming device and method for the mechanical production of a self-extinguishing candle and self-extinguishing candle - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises an injection unit with a needle (30), which is movable in a feed device between a passive position away from a wick (11) and an active position, where the needle is inserted into the wick such that an impregnating agent (37) is injected into the wick through an opening. A tapered tip of opening of the needle has a bevel with the wick in a longitudinal direction. The feed device has clamping jaws for fixing the wick during insertion of the injection needle in the wick. A pigment such as a quick-drying ink is provided as the impregnation agent. Independent claims are included for: (1) a molding apparatus for manufacture of a self-extinguishing candle; and (2) a method for the impregnation of a candle wick.

Description

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for impregnating a candle wick, a molding apparatus and method for machining a self-extinguishing candle and a self-extinguishing candle as such.

To the background of the invention it should be noted that an increased safety thinking in household and trade has led to increased requirements for candles. To reduce the risk of fire they should be self-extinguishing, d. That is, at the end of the candle burning time, the burning wick must not come in contact with the surroundings of the candle. Rather, the candle must extinguish itself before reaching such a critical state.

From the state of the art a variety of measures are known for this purpose, which are based on the one hand on the use of additional mechanical elements, such as wicking sleeves or candle plate at the bottom of the candle. Exemplary is on the DE 10 2010 002 037 A1 . DE 10 2005 058 108 A1 . EP 1 792 971 A1 . WO 03/016443 A1 or DE 10 2006 007 864 A1 to refer. A disadvantage of such candles is the fact that the self-extinguishing is achieved by an additional component in the candle, which brings a manufacturing overhead with it. This is disadvantageous in a mass-produced article such as a candle for manufacturing and economic reasons.

An alternative measure for achieving the self-extinguishing properties of a candle describes the DE 24 15 652 A1 according to which the wick is impregnated at its lower end with a means which removes its absorbency. This document discloses the use of organic polymers as impregnating agent, which can be applied to the wick end in dissolved, dispersed or molten form or as precondensates and optionally insoluble and infusible can be fixed by a thermal post-treatment. These impregnants must be able to penetrate into the wick material and cancel the absorbency of the wick by filling the pores and fiber spaces. Impregnations on the basis of inorganic salts alone are described as problematic in this state of the art, since the crystallization of the salts allegedly does not sufficiently remove the porosity of the wick.

The DE 20 2009 005 676 U1 teaches the embedding of the lower end of the wick in a shaped body, which is formed of a mineral bulk material and a binder. The use of a sheath of a natural biodegradable material in the region of the lower wick end is known, namely from the WO 97/30138 A1 ,

The invention has for its object to provide an apparatus and method for impregnating a candle-wick, a molding apparatus and a method for machining a self-extinguishing candle and a self-extinguishing candle as such, the inventive measures without relevant procedural overhead on a constructive Build only slightly supplemented candle making machine is implemented, but nevertheless lead to a reliable self-extinguishing candle.

This object is achieved on the one hand by an apparatus and a method for impregnating a candle wick on a partial length with a wax transport in the wick interrupting impregnating agent with the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1 and 9 features, which is provided an injection device with a Injection needle, which is movable in a feed device between a passive position away from the wick and an active position in which the injection needle is pierced from the side into the wick in such a way that the impregnating agent can be injected into the wick via its mouth.

By means of the device according to the invention and the corresponding method, the usual impregnation and immersion methods for impregnating the wick are no longer used over a partial length, since these - as discussed above in connection with the prior art - pose a problem in terms of adequate pore closure in the entire cross section of the wick are. This results in restrictions in the selection of the impregnating agent, which are no longer relevant in the invention.

In that regard, can also be used in the inventive devices and methods as impregnating a provided with pigments, fast-drying ink. As tests have shown, after the evaporation of the organic solvent - for example butanone or ethanol - by the crystallization of the pigments contained therein to achieve a completely sufficient barrier effect for the molten wax. This can account for organic polymers, which are often problematic in terms of their environmental compatibility, as an impregnating agent. The latter is inventively in the finished candle by the only existing, completely harmless pigments, as they are used on an equal basis in everyday life, for example, for coloring products or for printing press products realized.

From a technical point of view, it must be pointed out that injection needles which can be used are entirely commercially available medical injection needles, which are readily available and cost-effective.

Such hypodermic needles have beveled tips at their mouth, which, according to a preferred embodiment of the device, have their bevel in the longitudinal direction of the wick. Thus, at the outlet of the impregnating agent out of the mouth, this is guided in the direction of the wick cross-section, ie, exactly in the "right direction" for an impregnation of the wick cross-section over a partial length.

In order to reliably penetrate the wick with the injection needle, it is advantageous if the delivery device for the injection needle has jaws for fixing the wick. This does not represent any special technical equipment overhead, since the injection needle must be provided anyway with a guide to its feed movement. These guides only need to be supplemented with jaws.

The invention is also implemented by a molding apparatus for machining a self-extinguishing candle of powder material, as set forth in claim 5.

• einen durch Pressstempel beaufschlagbaren Formraum für die Kerze,
• ein im Formraum angeordnetes, axial verschiebbares Dochtrohr zur Aufnahme eines Dochtes der Kerze,
• eine außerhalb des Formraumes angeordnete Schneideinrichtung zum Abschneiden des Dochtes,
• eine Fülleinrichtung zum Befüllen des Formraumes mit Pulvermaterial, und
• eine Dochtbevorratung.

The preamble of this claim 5 includes the relevant for the manufacturing process, known machine elements of the candle manufacturing device, namely

• a mold space for the candle, which can be acted upon by a press die,
• an axially displaceable wick tube disposed in the mold cavity for receiving a wick of the candle;
• a cutting device arranged outside the mold space for cutting off the wick,
• a filling device for filling the mold space with powder material, and
• a wick storage.

According to the characterizing part of claim 5, the injection device according to one of claims 1 to 4 is integrated in such a molding device.

Of particular advantage in this molding apparatus is the fact that the impregnation is completely included in the production process and the production facility for a self-extinguishing candle. It thus eliminates all setup measures that would affect the dipping or soaking the wick on a separate device. It also eliminates the need for measures that bring the exact insertion of a pre-impregnated on a partial length wick in a molding device with it, as in the molding device according to the invention, the impregnation in the machine takes place at the correct desired position of the wick. This only needs to be correctly positioned in the mold space, which is what happens with conventional candle making anyway.

A particularly favorable installation position for the injection device is in a region between the cutting device and the actual mold space for the candle.

The above-mentioned positioning of the wick is preferably accomplished in the forming apparatus by a wick puller that draws the impregnated portion of the wick into the wick tube. Thus, the impregnated section is defined positioned in the candle.

To assist the retraction, a length measuring system for the retraction length of the wick is provided according to a further preferred embodiment.

1. A) Entnahme der fertiggestellten Kerze aus dem Formraum unter Einziehen eines Dochtes für die nächste herzustellende Kerze in das Dochtrohr von der Dochtbevorratung,
2. B) Imprägnieren einer oberhalb des Formraumes liegenden Teillänge des Dochtes mit dem Imprägnierungsmittel nach dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren,
3. C) Abtrennen des als Endlosdocht von der Dochtbevorratung durch das Dochtrohr geführten Dochtes einer im aktuellen Zyklus herzustellenden Kerze vom Docht der im vorherigen Zyklus hergestellten, aus dem Formraum entnommenen Kerze mittels der Schneideinrichtung,
4. D) Zurückziehen der imprägnierten Teillänge des Dochtes in das Dochtrohr,
5. E) Befüllen des Formraumes mit dem Pulvermaterial unter Vorverdichtung des Pulvermaterials,
6. F) Ziehen des Dochtrohres aus dem Formraum relativ zum Docht, und
7. G) Fertigpressen der Kerze unter Fixierung des Dochtes im Kerzenkörper mit der imprägnierten Teillänge des Dochtes vor dem durch das Formraumende gebildeten Kerzenboden.

The invention is further accomplished by the method of manufacturing a self-extinguishing candle as recited in claim 13 on the aforesaid molding apparatus characterized by the following cyclically repeating process steps:

1. A) removing the finished candle from the mold space by drawing a wick into the wick tube from the wick storage for the next candle to be made,
2. B) impregnating a partial length of the wick lying above the mold space with the impregnating agent according to the method according to the invention,
3. C) separating the wicks of a wick to be produced in the current cycle from the wick of the candle produced in the previous cycle, removed from the mold space by means of the cutting device, as a continuous wick from the wick storage through the wick tube;
4. D) retracting the impregnated part length of the wick into the wick tube,
5. E) filling the mold space with the powder material with precompaction of the powder material,
6. F) pulling the wick tube out of the cavity relative to the wick, and
7. G) finish pressing the candle while fixing the wick in the candle body with the impregnated part length of the wick in front of the candle bottom formed by the mold cavity end.

It becomes clear from the present process sequence that the process feature B) responsible for the wick impregnation fits practically seamlessly into the usual mechanical production process. In that regard, this standard process procedure of candle production with its involvement in peripheral production measures, such as the provision of the base materials for the candle and the handling of the finished product, does not need to be changed.

Finally, the present invention according to claim 14 also relates to a self-extinguishing candle with a plug body having a head and a bottom, and a wick embedded in the plug body. The latter is impregnated on a part length in front of the candle base with a impregnating the wick impregnating agent on the basis of a fast-drying, pigment-laden ink. Due to this impregnation, the wick on this partial length can no longer transport the molten wax. Thus, the wax transport from the Schmelzereservoir is interrupted in the upper, burning wick end, so that the candle extinguished automatically when reaching the candle bottom.

A particularly preferred impregnating agent has been found to be a dispersion of the pigments in an organic solvent, in particular butanone, ethanol or a mixture thereof. This achieves a sufficiently fast drying time for the printing ink used as impregnating agent. By "fast drying" is meant a time frame of a few seconds, so that in the context of the present invention, the integration of the wick impregnation in the usual procedure without significant delay is possible. The short drying time is favored by the low volume of impregnating necessary.

Fig. 1 und 2

schematische Darstellungen einer Formvorrichtung zum Herstellen einer selbstverlöschenden Kerze in aufeinanderfolgenden Fertigungsschritten, und

Fig. 3

einen Axialschnitt durch eine selbstverlöschende Kerze.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1 and 2

schematic representations of a molding apparatus for producing a self-extinguishing candle in successive manufacturing steps, and

Fig. 3

an axial section through a self-extinguishing candle.

The in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown molding apparatus 1 for producing a in Fig. 3 illustrated candle 50 has a schematically illustrated machine frame 2, on which a mold 3 is arranged with a cylindrical cavity 4. In the mold space 4, a lower punch 5 is slidably mounted, whose upper side is formed as an inner cone and is used for forming the plug head 51. A second press die 6 is arranged above the mold space 4. Its outer cross section corresponds Its downwardly facing pressing surface 7 has centrally a conical elevation 8, which forms in the candle 50, a central, inner cone-shaped recess 52.

In the mold space 4, an axially displaceable wick tube 9 is arranged coaxially to the longitudinal axis thereof, which accommodates the wick 11 brought up by a wick supply, indicated schematically by the reference numeral 10, for the candle 50. The wick tube 9 is guided displaceably in the ram 5. The displacement of the wick tube 9 is carried out by conventional machine elements of the molding apparatus and using, for example, a PLC control with a corresponding position sensor for the longitudinal axial position of the wick 9. Also a simple cam control for the method of the wick 9 would be conceivable.

Above the mold 3, a cutting device 13 is provided with two counter-rotating knives 14, 15 for cutting off the wick. The cutting device 13 may also have only one knife.

Finally, a filling device 16 is provided in the form of a bunker carriage 17 which can be displaced transversely to the mold space 4 on the machine frame 2, the construction and function of which will be explained in more detail in the following description of the production method. The filling device 16 is only in FIG. 1 behind a designated as a whole with 12 injection device for impregnating the wick 11 shown schematically in dash-dotted lines. The direction of displacement of the bunker carriage 17 of the filling device 16 is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

The injection device 12 is arranged above the mold space 4 between the latter and the cutting device 13. It has as a central component to an injection needle 30, which in a designated as a whole with 31 feed device from the in Fig. 1 Passive position shown removed from the wick 11 in the Fig. 2 shown active position is movable. The feed device 31 is formed by the two jaws 32, 33, wherein the one jaw 32 carries the injection needle 30. The latter is with its tip 34 beyond the formed between the two jaws 32, 33 parting plane, so that in the feed movement of the feed device 31, so the collapse of the two jaws 32, 33 in the in Fig. 2 shown active position of the injection device, the tip 34 of the injection needle 30 pierces the wick 11 at right angles to its longitudinal direction. The position of tip 34 to wick 11 is chosen so that the mouth 35 of the injection needle 30 is aligned with the wick 11, wherein the chamfer 36 of the tip 34 of the injection needle 30 in the longitudinal direction of the wick to the cavity 4 points.

Injection needle 30 communicates with a reservoir, not shown, for an impregnant, which is a fast-drying ink having a black pigment C.I. Solvent Black 29 can act in an organic solvent, for example based on butanone and ethanol.

In the following, the method for impregnating the wick with a wax transport in the wick interrupting impregnating agent, as it is involved in the usual shaping process for the candle 50, explained in more detail.

In the Fig. 1 At the top, an already completed candle 50 is shown, which was pushed out of the mold space 4 with the aid of the lower press ram 5 and held with a gripping device 18. During this ejection movement, the wick 11 withdrawn as endless material from the wick supply 10 is drawn into the wick tube 9 and thus in this region is available for the next candle to be produced - method step A).

In the next method step B), the injection device 12 from the in Fig. 1 shown passive position in the in Fig. 2 shown active position, whereby the injection needle 30 pierces into the wick 11 and injects the hatched indicated impregnating agent 37 in the wick 11 in the direction of the mold space 4 out. Thus, the wick 11 is impregnated on a partial length TL with the impregnating agent 37, which is indicated by the cross-hatching in this area. The organic solvent in the impregnating agent 37 dries in seconds, so that in the wick 11 remain the crystallized black pigments, which provide a kind of sealing of the wick 11 against a transport of molten wax.

After this step B), in a process step C), the wick 11 guided by the wick container 9 for the candle to be produced in the next cycle is removed from the wick 11 'of the candle 50 produced in the previous cycle and removed from the mold space 4 by means of the separating device 13 separated - arrows 19.

After the separation of the wick 11, the impregnated partial length TL of the wick 11 into the wick tube 9 is used in a method step D) a wick-pulling device 39 is withdrawn, wherein on the mold space 4 is still a non-impregnated wick section 23 addition.

This retraction movement 22 of the wick 11 in the wick tube 9 is in by means of a in the Fig. 1 and 2 indicated length measuring system 38, which is functionally associated with the wick-pulling device 39.

For the actual formation of the plug body 55 is then the lower punch 5, which has provided for the expulsion of the finished candle 50 from the mold cavity 4 upwards, moves down - arrow 25 - until he the usual, in Fig. 2 Dashed line indicated starting position below in the mold space 4 occupies.

In a next method step E), the bunker carriage 17 is guided with the paraffin powder material (not shown here) from the side onto the machine frame 2 via the forming space 4. During this movement, the protruding wick section 23 is bent to the side substantially at almost 90 °, so that the wick section 23 comes to lie essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L of the candle within the shaping space 4. Since the length d of the wick section 23 is smaller than the radius r of the candle 50 to be produced, the wick section 23 ends in front of the side wall 24 of the molding space 4.

From the bunker carriage 17 paraffin powder material is introduced into the mold space 4 by pouring or trickling. After a filling of the mold space 4 of the bunker carriage 17 moves back, the upper, acting as a closing punch ram 6 moves down and seals the mold 3 from. The ram 5 moves up and compacts the powder material slightly. The filling of the mold space 4 and the pre-compression of the powder material are summarized as process step E), but take place in succession.

After the precompression of the powder material, the wick tube 9 is retracted further down from the forming space 4 - process step F). By embedding the wick section 23 in the pre-compressed powder material, the wick 11 is fixed in the powder material, so that the wick tube 9 is pulled out of the powder material into the ram 5, whereas the wick 11 then remains in powder material.

After the above method step F), in a next method step G), the candle 50 is finished pressed with the aid of the upper press ram 6. In this case, the wick 11 is intimately embedded in the plug body 55 and thus fixed, wherein the impregnated part length TL of the wick 11 is disposed in front of the candle bottom 53 formed by the mold cavity end 20.

In Fig. 3 For the sake of clarity, a self-extinguishing candle 50 is shown in section. Its plug body 55 has an embedded wick 11 with a wicking portion 54 beyond the plug head 51 for igniting the candle 50. The wicked portion 23 folded down to the side is positioned in front of the candle bottom 53. The wick 11 is blocked in front of the bottom 53 for a partial length TL with the impregnating agent 37 against transport of molten wax, so that the candle 50 goes out when its flame reaches the impregnated portion TL.

Claims (15)

Device for impregnating a candle wick (11) over a partial length (TL) with an impregnating agent interrupting the growth of wax in the wick (11),
marked by
an injection device (12) with an injection needle (30) which is movable in a feed device (31) between a passive position away from the wick (11) and an active position in which the injection needle (30) from the side in the wick (11 ) is pierced in such a way that on its mouth (35), the impregnating agent (37) in the wick (11) can be injected. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the chamfered tip (34) of the mouth (35) of the injection needle (30) with its chamfer (36) in the longitudinal direction of the wick. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the feed device (31) clamping jaws (32, 33) for fixing the wick (11) during the insertion of the injection needle (30) in the wick (11). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a pigmented, fast-drying printing ink as impregnating agent. A molding apparatus for machining a self-extinguishing candle from bulk fuel powder material, comprising a mold space (4) for the candle (50) which can be acted upon by a press ram (5, 6), an axially displaceable wick tube (9) arranged in the mold space (4) for receiving a wick (11, 11 ') of the candle (50), a cutting device (13) arranged outside the shaping space (4) for cutting off the wick (11, 11 '), - A filling device (16) for filling the mold space (4) with the powder material, and a wick storage (10),
marked by - An integrated injection device (12) according to any one of the preceding claims. Shaping device according to claim 5, characterized in that the injection device (12) between the cutting device (13) and the mold space (4) is arranged. Shaping device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by wick pulling means (39) for drawing the impregnated portion (TL) of the wick (11) into the wick tube (9). Shaping device according to claim 7, characterized in that the wick pulling device (39) is associated with a length measuring system (38) for the draw-in length of the wick (11). A method for impregnating a candle wick (11) on a partial length (TL) with an impregnating agent (37) interrupting the growth of wax in the wick (11), characterized in that the impregnating agent (37) inserts into the wick (11) by means of a from the side pierced injection needle (30) is injected. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the impregnating means (37) is discharged into the entire cross-section of the wick (11) via the mouth (35) of the injection needle (30) pointing in the longitudinal direction of the chamfer (36). Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the wick (11) is tensioned at least on the part length (TL) to be impregnated with the impregnating agent (37) during the injection of the impregnating agent (37). Method according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that as an impregnating agent provided with pigments, fast-drying ink is injected. Process for the automatic production of a self-extinguishing candle in a molding apparatus according to one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized by the following cyclically repeating process steps: - A) removing the finished candle (50) from the mold space (4) by drawing a wick (11) for the next candle to be produced into the wick tube (9) from the wick storage (10), B) impregnating a part length (TL) of the wick (11) lying above the mold space (4) with the impregnating agent according to the method according to one of claims 9 to 11, - C) separating the wicks (11) of the candle to be produced in the current cycle from the wick (11 ') in the previous one as endless wick from the wick storage (10) through the wick tube (9) Cycle produced, from the mold cavity (4) in step A) removed candle (50) by means of the cutting device (13), D) retracting the impregnated part length (TL) of the wick (11) into the wick tube (9), E) filling the mold space (4) with the fuel mass powder material and precompressing the powder material, - F) pulling the wicking tube (9) out of the forming space (4) relative to the wick (11), and - G) finish pressing the candle (50) while fixing the wick (11) in the plug body (55) with the impregnated part length (TL) of the wick (11) before the candle bottom (53) formed by the mold cavity end (20). Self-extinguishing candle comprising a plug body (55) having a head (51) and a bottom (53), a wick (11) embedded in the plug body (55),
marked by - An impregnation of the wick (11) on a partial length (TL) in front of the candle bottom (53) with a wick (11) on the part length (TL) impregnating impregnating agent (37) based on a fast-drying, pigment-laden ink. Candle according to claim 14, characterized in that the impregnating agent (37) contains as dispersing agent for the pigments organic solvents, in particular butanone, ethanol or the like.

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