Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S10/00—Lighting devices or systems producing a varying lighting effect
  • F21S10/04—Lighting devices or systems producing a varying lighting effect simulating flames
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S6/00—Lighting devices intended to be free-standing
  • F21S6/001—Lighting devices intended to be free-standing being candle-shaped
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21W—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
  • F21W2121/00—Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00

Definitions

• the invention relates to an imitated stearin candle comprising an essentially cylindrical body that supports a swingably mounted lamp in the form of a candle flame at its upper end.
• the object of the invention is to produce an imitated stearin candle that in an optimal way simulates the flickering of a normal candle without the previously mentioned drawbacks.
• this is obtained with an imitated stearin candle of the type mentioned above by mounting the lamp at the upper end of a rod shaped lamp holder, the lower end of which is connected to the upper end of a helical spring that is axial symmetrically mounted in the hollow body, a magnetically conducting body being mounted in the area of the lower end of the lamp holder, which magnetically conducting body is set into horizontal motion or oscillation by an intermittent, periodically or aperiodically turned-on and turned-off magnetic field from a coaxially in the hol low body mounted, essentially cylindrical coil.
• the magnetically conducting body comprises a permanent magnet, whereby the effect of the horizontal motion is increased.
• Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention
• Figs. 2 to 4 show three embodiments of the electronic circuit that is us ed to obtain the flickering in the candle of the present invention.
• an essentially cylindrical hollow body 1 with an upper aperture is provided with the electrical and mechanical parts forming the present invention.
• Reference number 2 refers to the lamp that has the form of a flame and that is mounted at the upper end of a rod-shaped lamp holder that resembles a wick.
• the lower end of the lamp holder 3 is connected to a helical spring 4 that is axial symmetrically mounted in the hollow body, for instance by cementing.
• the helical spring 4 can for instance be conical, as is shown in the Figure.
• the lower end of the helical spring is connected to an insert 5, in which electrical and electronic parts are mounted, as will be explained below.
• the he li ca l spring 4 c an al s o be f a s ten ed by engag ing recesses (not shown) on the inner wall of the hol low body 1.
• a magnetically conducting body 6 preferably of a permanent magnetical material is mounted, for instance by cementing.
• An essentially cylindrical coil 7 is coaxially arranged in the hollow body 1 at about the same height as the magnetically conducting body 6.
• Connecting leads 8 to the lamp 2 extend through the hollow lamp holder 3 and to the insert 5.
• the connecting leads 9 to the coil 7 extend directly to the insert 5.
• the bottom of the hollow body is for example formed as a detachable cover (not shown), so that the insert and the parts attached thereto can be inserted and removed.
• the bottom can also be provided with a threaded socket 10 (shown with dashed lines), so that the imitated stearin candle can be inserted or threaded into a common lamp holder.
• the insert 5 comprises an electromechanical or electronic switch that intermittently turns off the current flow to the coil 7. This can be done either periodically or aperiodically. Time relais known per se can be used as electromechanical switches.
• Known periodic multivibrators with transistors, uni junction-transistors, thyristors, JC-multivibrators etc. can be used as electronic switches. Switches with known random number generators can be used as aperiodic multivibrators.
• the power is supplied either over common batteries, rechargable accumulators or from the power line over a rectifier circuit.
• the magnetically conducting body 6 that is positioned in the magnetic field of the coil 7 has the same polarity as this magnetic field and is therefore subjected to a repelling force in the horizontal direction, in the same way as in a moving iron measuring instrument, whereby the lamp holder 3 with the lamp 2 is deflected sideways.
• the magnetically conducting body 6 comprises a permanent magnet, the polarity of which is chosen so that it has the same sign as the magnetic field of the coil 7, so that also in this case a repelling force is obtained.
• the deflected lamp holder 3 with the lamp 2 returns to the inertial position, but first oscillates a few times across this position, since the spring 4 and the elements 2, 3 and 6 comprise an oscillating system. After a time period of a few seconds the same process is repeated, either periodically or aperiodically. If the current is supplied through batteries or accumulators one or two such power sources can be inserted into the insert 5. If more than one or two power sources are required due to a longer "burn time", these can be inserted into a suitably formed socket foot, into which the imitated stearin candle can be inserted or threaded. The socket foot can be formed to receive several imitated stearin candles.
• the candle according to the present invention works resembles a measuring instrument with a moving iron core.
• Such instruments are suited both for direct current and alternating current.
• the coil 7 could al so be driven by an alternating current, in which case the magnetic body 6 would be replaced by a short-circuited coi l, that wou ld be excentrically mounted in relation to the axis of the coil 7.
• a voltage that is induced in the shortcircuited coil would produce a current, the magnetic field of which tries to centre the excentrically mounted coil, thereby causing an oscillation of the lamp holder 3 and the lamp 2 sideways.
• the lamp body 1 will end at the lower part of the helical spring 4 (possibly in a socket resembling socket
• connection leads 8 and 9 to the lamp 2 and the coil 7, respectively, will have their other end portions mounted in the common, in suitable place positioned insert 5.
• the alternative embodiment operates in the same way as the embodiment disclosed above and shown in Fig. 1.
• Fig. 2 shows a simple circuit for energizing the coil 7. This circuit can be mounted in the insert 5 as described above.
• the drawback of this basic circuit is that the current through the coil is limited, which requires many turns in said coil.
• Fig. 3 shows a modification of this basic circuit.
• a large current can be obtained in the coil , which can have fewer turns.
• this circuit requires a powerful or separate trans formator to avoid blinking of the lamp.
• Fig. 4 shows another embodiment of the driving circuit of coil 7.
• the left double base diode and the Darlington transistor produce a triangular voltage wave form with a period of for instance 5 minutes .
• This triangular wave feeds the right double base diode in the same way as in the basic circuit of Fig. 2.
• the result is that the pulse repetition rate will vary instead of being constant as in the basic circuit. This wi ll make the flickering of the lamp look more random.
• the output of the circuit of Fig. 4 can be connected either directly to the coil as in the basic circuit of Fig. 2 or to a thyristor driving circuit as in the embodiment of Fig. 3.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Circuit Arrangement For Electric Light Sources In General (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=3489638

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (27)

Citations (1)

• 1981
  • 1981-01-29 AT AT0040181A patent/AT370230B/de not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1982
  • 1982-01-29 WO PCT/SE1982/000026 patent/WO1982002756A1/en unknown

Patent Citations (6)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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