US20100112504A1

US20100112504A1 - Oil cartridge burner assembly

Info

Publication number: US20100112504A1
Application number: US12/266,278
Authority: US
Inventors: David A. Reed
Original assignee: Lamplight Farms Inc
Current assignee: Lamplight Farms Inc
Priority date: 2008-11-06
Filing date: 2008-11-06
Publication date: 2010-05-06

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a decorative lamp burner assembly is disclosed. The method includes providing a fuel canister having an opening for receiving fuel, providing a cap having a wick holder, affixing a wick guide member to the cap, inserting a wick through the guide member and into the wick holder, and inserting the guide member containing the wick into the fuel canister through the opening and affixing the cap onto the opening in the fuel canister.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates to decorative lighting in general and, more specifically, to fuel cartridges for use in decorative lighting assemblies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lawn torches, table top torches, and other decorative torches are in high demand, both for aesthetic reasons as well as for utilitarian purposes such as lighting and dispersing scents and insect repellants. Decorative lighting assemblies may be provided without a fuel supply, in which case the user will need to provide fuel prior to using the lighting assembly. The fuel supply may become exhausted with use, in which case the customer will need to refill the lighting assembly.
Some decorative lighting assemblies provide a burner assembly with a removable top. This allows the customer access to the fuel reservoir or canister for refilling. However, refilling of the fuel canister can be one of the more negative aspects of using a decorative lighting assembly. The user is required to handle a burner, which may be covered in soot and have a fuel soaked and charred wick attached. The user must also handle volatile and odorous fuels. Furthermore, the fill opening may be quite small depending upon the lighting assembly, which leads to messy, and even dangerous, spills.
What is needed is a system and method for addressing the above and related issues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a method of manufacturing a decorative lamp oil cartridge burner assembly. The method includes providing a fuel canister having an opening for receiving fuel, providing a cap having a wick holder, and affixing a wick guide member to the cap. A wick is inserted through the guide member and into the wick holder. The guide member containing the wick is inserted into the fuel canister through the opening and the cap is affixed onto the opening in the fuel canister.
The method may also include filling the fuel canister with fuel prior to affixing the cap. In some embodiment, the cap is permanently affixed. The wick guide may be tubular, may be attached to the cap in a friction fit relationship.
In some embodiments, the wick is a doubled strand of woven wick with a doubled end inserted through the wick holder and two lose ends proximate a distal end of the wick guide. The wick may be fiberglass.
The fuel canister may be sufficiently transparent to allow visual examination of the fuel level therethrough. The canister may have an outer profile adapted to interfit with a burner assembly receptacle of a decorative lamp.
The present invention disclosed and claimed herein, in another aspect thereof, comprises an oil cartidge burner assembly. The assembly includes a fuel reservoir having an opening proximate a top thereof and containing a liquid fuel. A cap defines a wick opening and is attached to the opening of the fuel reservoir. A guide member attaches to the cap and extends into the fuel reservoir. A wick extends from inside the fuel reservoir to outside the fuel reservoir through the guide member and the wick opening.
In some embodiments, the wick terminates on a first end beyond the wick holder and terminates on a second end inside the fuel reservoir, beyond the guide member. The wick may be a doubled segment of wick material forming a loop on the first end and two lose pieces on the second end.
In some embodiments, the guide member is a tubular member attached to the cap via a friction fit.
The cap is double walled and attached to the fuel reservoir via the outer wall and attaches to the guide member via the inner wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a decorative lamp burner assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an inferior perspective view of an assembled cap assembly for a decorative lamp burner assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side cutaway view of the decorative lamp burner assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing the decorative lamp burner assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective of a decorative lawn torch utilizing the decorative lamp burner assembly according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a decorative lamp burner assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The burner assembly 100 in the present embodiment includes a fuel reservoir 102 with a neck 104. The fuel reservoir 102 may be made of a transparent or a translucent material, such as plastic or glass. In this manner, the amount of fuel remaining in the reservoir 102 may be ascertained by a user without disassembling the burner assembly 100.
A cap assembly 106 attaches to the neck 104 in the present embodiment. The cap assembly 106 defines a passage or opening serving as wick holder 108. It can be seen that the wick holder 108 is on a first end 110 of the cap assembly 106. A second end 112 of the cap assembly 106 is flared in the present embodiment, and sized to interfit with the neck 104 of the fuel reservoir 102.
The cap assembly 106 may be made from a metal or an alloy. In one embodiment, the cap assembly 106 will be made from tin plated steel. In the present embodiment, the wick holder 108, defined in the first end 110, comprises a hole in the first end 110. The wick holder 108 may be sized to accommodate the wick 116. In the present embodiment, the wick 116 comprises a doubled portion of a wicking cord or other material with a first looped end 118 protruding through the wick holder 108 and a second lose end 120 in the interior of the fuel reservoir 102 in contact with a fuel 122. The wick 116 may be woven or braided and may comprise cotton, polymers, fiberglass, or other polymers. Furthermore, some embodiments will provide a single segment of wick rather than the doubled segment shown.
A guide member 114 that attaches to the interior of the cap assembly 106 ensures that the second end 120 of the wick 118 is sufficiently deep in the fuel reservoir 102 to contact the fuel 122. As will be explained below, the guide member 114 may also be useful in manufacturing of the burner assembly 100.
The guide member 114 may comprise a segment of plastic pipe or tubing. In other embodiments, the guide member 114 is made from the same material as the cap assembly 106.
The liquid fuel 122 may be a mineral spirit, petroleum naptha, or a paraffin-based fuel. The fuel 122 may contain scented oils or other agents and may also contain insect repellant chemicals, citronella, or other useful substances.
Referring now to FIG. 2, an inferior perspective view of an assembled cap assembly for a decorative lamp burner assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. From this viewpoint, it can be seen that the second flared end 112 of the cap assembly 106 is double walled, providing an inner wall 202 and an outer wall 204. The guide member 114 can be seen inserted into the interior of the cap assembly 106 defined by the inner wall 202.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a side cutaway view of the decorative lamp burner assembly of FIG. 1 is shown. From this viewpoint, the path of the wick 116 traveling through the guide member 114 can be seen. The guide member 114 may be press-fit (friction fit or interference fit) into the cap assembly 106. In other embodiments, the guide member 114 may be attached with a heat resistant adhesive.
The outer wall 204 attaches to the neck 104 of the fuel reservoir 102 in the preferred embodiment. This fitting may be a friction fit or an interference fit. In one embodiment, the neck 104 and the outer wall 204 will be threaded to provide for a threading engagement of the cap assembly 106 to the fuel reservoir 102. In another embodiment, the inner wall 202 will extend toward the outer wall 204 to the point where it comes in contact with the neck 104 of the fuel reservoir 102. In this manner, the inner and outer wall 204 will provide a friction fit seal on the neck 104.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing the decorative lamp burner assembly of FIG. 1 is shown. From the method illustrated in FIG. 4, it will be appreciated that the guide member 114 is effective to assist in manufacturing the decorative burner assembly 100. In the manufacturing process, the guide member 114 serves to effectively guide the wick 116 to the interior of the fuel reservoir 102.
Beginning at step 402, the cap is formed. The cap referred to may be the cap assembly 106. Moving to step 404, the guide member 114 will be attached to the cap assembly 106. At step 406, the wick will be inserted into the guide member 114. As previously described, in one embodiment, the wick will be a doubled strand of wicking material with the loop end 118 proceeding through the wick holder 108 defined by the first end 110 of the cap assembly 106. The loose end 120 of the wick 116 may protrude beyond the guide member 114.
Following insertion of the wick at step 406, the entire cap assembly 106, including the wick 116 and the guide member 114, can be inserted into the fuel reservoir 102. As previously described, the cap 106 will be affixed to the neck 104 of the fuel reservoir 102. Utilizing the guide member 114 to restrain and guide the wick 116 into the fuel reservoir 102, automated manufacturing of the burner assembly 100 may be aided. The guide member 114 prevents the wick 116 from interfering with the closure of the cap assembly 106 onto the fuel reservoir 102.
Referring now to FIG. 5, a perspective of a decorative lawn torch utilizing the decorative lamp burner assembly according to the present disclosure is shown. Here, it can be seen that the lawn torch 500 provides a decorative basket 502 that serves as a receptacle for the burner assembly 100. The decorative basket 502 is attached to a mounting pole 504. In the present embodiment, the pole 504 is inserted into a ground surface 506 to support the torch 500.
It will be appreciated that the burner assembly 100 will be compatible with many different types of torches, such as garden torches and table top torches. In one embodiment, it is contemplated that the burner assembly 100 will form a sealed unit such that when the fuel supply in the fuel reservoir 102 is exhausted, the user will discard the entire burner assembly 100 and replace it with a new, fully fueled burner assembly.
From the forgoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of the invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, make various changes and modifications to adapt it to various usages.
Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within the spirit of this invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a decorative lamp oil cartridge burner assembly, comprising:

providing a fuel canister having an opening for receiving fuel;

providing a cap having a wick holder;

affixing a wick guide member to the cap;

inserting a wick through the guide member and into the wick holder; and

inserting the guide member containing the wick into the fuel canister through the opening and affixing the cap onto the opening in the fuel canister.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising filling the fuel canister with fuel prior to inserting the guide member containing the wick into the fuel canister through the opening and affixing the cap onto the opening of the fuel canister.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the guide member containing the wick into the fuel canister through the opening and affixing the cap onto the opening of the fuel canister further comprises permanently affixing the cap onto the opening of the fuel via a threaded connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting a wick through the guide member and into the wick holder further comprises inserting a doubled strand of woven wick with a doubled end through the wick holder and two lose ends proximate a distal end of the wick guide.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting a wick through the guide member and into the wick holder further comprises inserting a doubled strand of wick with a doubled end through the wick holder and two lose ends proximate a distal end of the wick guide.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein affixing a wick guide member to the cap further comprises affixing the wick guide to the cap in a friction fit relationship.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein affixing a wick guide member to the cap further comprise attaching a tubular wick guide to the cap in a friction fit relationship.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a fuel canister further comprises providing a fuel canister sufficiently transparent to allow visual examination of the fuel level therethrough.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a fuel canister further comprises providing a fuel canister having an outer profile adapted to interfit with a burner assembly receptacle of a decorative lamp.

10. A method of manufacturing a burner assembly comprising:

forming a double-walled cap defining a wick opening on a top side and a flared opening on a bottom side, the flared opening being in communication with the wick opening on the top side;

forming a tubular wick guide having an inner and outer diameter, the inner diameter being sized to pass a doubled wick in a manner not substantially impeding a wicking ability of the wick, the outer diameter being sized to interfit with the flared opening in a friction fit relationship;

inserting the tubular wick guide containing a doubled wick into the flared opening into a friction fit relationship with the flared opening to create a cap assembly;

inserting a doubled end of the wick into the wick opening on the top side of the cap; and

attaching the cap assembly to a fuel reservoir having an opening by inserting the wick guide containing the wick into the opening and affixing an outer wall of the flared opening of the cap to the fuel reservoir.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising substantially filling the fuel reservoir with a liquid fuel.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein attaching the cap assembly further comprises attaching the cap assembly to a threaded portion of the fuel reservoir.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein attaching the cap assembly further comprises attaching the cap assembly in an interference fit with the fuel reservoir.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein forming a double-walled cap further comprises forming the double walled cap of a metallic material.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein forming a tubular wick guide further comprising forming a tubular wick guide from a plastic material.

16. An oil cartidge burner assembly comprising;

a fuel reservoir having an opening proximate a top thereof and containing a liquid fuel;

a cap defining a wick opening and attached to the opening of the fuel reservoir;

a guide member attached to the cap and extending into the fuel reservoir; and

a wick extending from inside the fuel reservoir to outside the fuel reservoir through the guide member and the wick opening.

17. The burner assembly of claim 16, wherein the wick terminates on a first end beyond the wick holder and terminates on a second end inside the fuel reservoir, beyond the guide member.

18. The burner assembly of claim 17, wherein the wick is a doubled segment of wick material forming a loop on the first end and two lose pieces on the second end.

19. The burner assembly of claim 16, wherein the guide member is a tubular member attached to the cap via a friction fit.

20. The burner assembly of claim 19, wherein the cap is double walled and attaches to the fuel reservoir via the outer wall and attaches to the guide member via the inner wall.