US20080176176A1

US20080176176A1 - Illuminated ornament with musical candle

Info

Publication number: US20080176176A1
Application number: US12/009,186
Authority: US
Inventors: Jimmy J. Gue; Patty H. Zhang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-01-22
Filing date: 2008-01-17
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Also published as: CN201159447Y

Abstract

An illuminated ornament with musical candle works by lighting a candle. The two twisted pieces of conductor wire, which are embedded in the candle and separated from a set of cotton candlewick, will be melted together by candle flame so that the electronic circuit, which is connected with tow pieces of conductor wire from candle, is closed. As a result of the lighted candle, the illuminated ornament with musical candle will play music and shine immediately.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an illuminated ornament, and in particular to an illuminated ornament wherein light and music are produced through a working printed circuit board by lighting a candle.
Normally, an electronic ornament, which plays music and shines by lighting a candle, is hard to make because of the difficulties in stabilizing a working printed circuit board connected with a candle as a switch of the circuit, controlling quality of hand-soldering in electronic assemblies and in making a special candle, such as a spiral-shaped candle having conductors disposed along the spiral groove of U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,269 or a music candle having working parts that are embedded in the candle of U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,323.
However, it will be excited that an illuminated ornament with musical candle is easy to make.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to the effect of sound and shine of an illuminated ornament with musical candle when the candle is lighted, and the way in which the illuminated ornament with musical candle can be easy to produce.
There are three objects for this invention.
The first object is to stabilize the candle as an electronic switch of the working electronic circuit that is used for the illuminated ornament with musical candle when candle is lighted. A special candle, which has a set of cotton candlewick separated from another set of conductor wire candlewick that comprises two pieces of conductor wire coated with low melting point insulated material in different way, is designed for this object.
The second object is to make an illumination-music operation center for the illuminated ornament with musical candle, which comprises a printed circuit board equipped with all necessary electronic devices. This illumination-music operation center works for the illuminated ornament with musical candle so that the illuminated ornament with musical candle can not only play music but also illuminate inside a decorative housing when the candle is lighted.
The third object of this invention is to develop a candle complex, a compact design for gathering the illumination-music operation center and candle, so that the candle complex with the illumination-music operation center and candle can be inserted to a decorative housing, and the illuminated ornament with musical candle is easy to make.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an electronic schematic with a candle of an embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of the candle showing a detail arrangement of a set of cotton candlewick and another set of conductor wires.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a candle complex and a candle.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the candle complex with a candle and an illumination-music operation center mounted.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the illuminated ornament with musical candle of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an embodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description of this invention will be given in accordance with the drawings as follows.
Refer now to FIG. 1, the electronic schematic with a candle 14 is used for an illuminated ornament with musical candle of this invention. The candle 14 has a set of conduct wire candlewick 13, which comprises conductor wires 10 and 11 that are connected to the electronic circuit respectively, and a set of cotton candlewick 12 inside the candle. The batteries 17 power the working electronic circuit that includes a preprogrammed musical integrated circuit 15 as a producer of a series of electrical signals, a transistor 18 to amplify the electrical signals from the musical integrated circuit 15, a speaker (or buzzer) 16 converting the electrical signals into sound, two electronic illuminators 19 linking the musical integrated circuit 15 in parallel. The twisted wires (10 and 11) can be melted together by the flame of candle. Therefore, the melted wires 10 and 11 will play the role of an electronic switch of the working electronic circuit, i.e. the electronic circuit will be closed as soon as the twisted wires 10 and 11 are melted together. As a result of the design of working electronic circuit, an illuminated ornament with musical candle has a capability not only to play music but also to shine as soon as the candle is lighted. At the same time, the visual signal from electronic illuminators provides a very effective testing method for quality control in hand-soldering in the electronic assemblies as well because the electronic illuminators will shine only if the job of hand-soldering is qualified.
In FIG. 2, it shows that a set of conductor wire candlewick 13 and another set of cotton candlewick 12 are embedded inside the candle 14. The set of conductor wire candlewick 13 comprises two pieces of conductor wire 10 and 11 that are made of low melting point metal material. One piece of conductor wire, either 10 or 11, is coated fully with low melting point insulated material, and another piece of conductor wire is coated partially with low melting point insulated material. The set of conductor wire candlewick 13 has two ends. One end of the conductor wire candlewick 13 is ended by two pieces of conductor wire (10 and 11) that are twisted tightly and extended out of the upside of the candle. The twisted wires (10 and 11), which are coated in different way mentioned above, can be melted together easier by the flame of candle than two pieces of conductor wire that are fully coated with low melting point insulated material. Another end of the conductor wire candlewick 13 is ended by two pieces of conductor wire (10 and 11) that are separated and extended out of the bottom of the candle. The separated conductor wires (10 and 11) are connected to the printed circuit board respectively. Inside the candle 14, the set of conductor wire candlewick 13 and the set of cotton candlewick 12 are separated at least one millimeter from each other so that the end of twisted wires of conductor wire candlewick 13 is always in the area of candle flame front where the twisted wires, which are coated in different way, are melted together almost immediately because of the high temperature of candle flame. Therefore, the melted wires functions as same as an electronic switch for the working electronic circuit.
In FIG. 3, a candle complex 20 has a candleholder 22, in which candle 14 can be inserted, on the top of frame 21 that has two hooks 23.
In FIG. 4, it shows that a candle complex 20 is assembled with a candle 14 and an illumination-music operation center that includes a printed circuit board 24 with other working parts soldered, i.e. a musical integrated circuit 15, a speaker (or buzzer) 16, batteries 17, a transistor 18, two electronic illuminators 19 (only one transistor is visible in FIG. 4. another electronic illuminator is soldered on the back side of the printed circuit board 24) linking the musical integrated circuit 15 in parallel. The printed circuit board 24 is fixed on the frame 21 through two hooks 23. The candle 14 is connected to the printed circuit board 24 by wires 10 and 11 that are out of the bottom of candle. The candle complex equipped with an illumination-music operation center and candle will affect simultaneously both of music and shine once the candle is lighted.
FIG. 5 shows the final step for assembling an illuminated ornament with musical candle of this invention. A decorative housing includes a ceramic head in the shape of melting candle 30, which has one big hole 32 (having a diameter that is two millimeters bigger than the diameter of candle) in the center of ceramic head 32 and one small hole 31 (having a diameter of two millimeters) at each side of the big hole 32 for the transmission of sound, that is placed on the top of pillar shell 33 with four holes 34 (having a diameter of two millimeters each) along the top edge of the pillar shell for the transmission of sound. The pillar shell is made from translucent material and compatible with the size of candle complex 20. The surface of pill shell has drawings 35 painted. Then, the candle complex with a candle 14 and an illumination-music operation center shown in FIG. 4 can be inserted into the pillar shell through the bottom hole of pillar shell, and the candle 14 on the candle complex can be extended through the big hole of the ceramic head 30. The illuminated ornament with musical candle will play music and illuminate the drawing painted on the translucent surface of pillar shell as soon as the candle is lighted.
FIG. 6 shows a finished illuminated ornament with musical candle of this invention.

Claims

1. An illuminated ornament with musical candle, comprising:

a candle having one set of conductor wire candlewick and another set of cotton candlewick,

an illumination-music operation center having a printed circuit board with electronic devices, said illumination-music operation center having capability to shine and play music by lighting said candle,

a pillar shell having drawings painted on the surface of said pillar shell and four small holes along the top edge of said pillar shell for the transmission of sound,

a decorative housing having a ceramic head in the shape of melting candle on the top of said pillar shell,

a candle complex having capability to hold said candle and said illumination-music operation center by a candleholder on top of a frame and two hooks on said frame.

2. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 1, wherein said one set of conductor wire candlewick and said another set of cotton candlewick that are embedded inside said candle and separated at least one millimeter from each other,

3. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 1, wherein said a set of conductor wire candlewick comprises two pieces of conductor wire that are made from low melting point metal material so that the conductor wires can be melted by the flame of candle.

4. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 3, wherein one of said two pieces of conductor wire is coated fully with low melting point insulated material and another one of said two pieces of conductor wire is coated partially with low melting point insulated material.

5. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 3, wherein said two pieces of conductor wire have two ends.

6. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 5, wherein one of said two ends is ended by said two pieces of conductor wire that are twisted tightly and extended out of the up side of said candle.

7. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 5, wherein another one of said two ends is ended by said two pieces of conductor wire that are separated from each other and extended out of the bottom of said candle and connected to said printed circuit board respectively.

8. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 1, wherein said printed circuit board is equipped with batteries, a transistor, a speaker and a preprogrammed Music IC linking two electronic illuminators in parallel.

9. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 1, wherein said pillar shell is made from translucent material.

10. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 1, wherein said ceramic head has a big hole in the center of said ceramic head and a small hole at each side of said big hole of said ceramic head for the transmission of sound.

11. An illuminated ornament with musical candle of claim 1, wherein said candle and said illumination-music operation center mounted on said candle complex can be inserted inside said decorative housing through the bottom hole of said pillar shell so that said candle can be extended outward through said big hole of said ceramic head.