WO2012162538A1

WO2012162538A1 - Electronic candle

Info

Publication number: WO2012162538A1
Application number: PCT/US2012/039415
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel Hau; Shane Vail; Frank HOUSE
Original assignee: Wm. B. Coleman Co., Inc.
Priority date: 2011-05-25
Filing date: 2012-05-24
Publication date: 2012-11-29
Also published as: EP2715223B1; EP2715223A1; US8733986B2; US20120300459A1; EP2715223A4

Abstract

An electronic candle with an LED light member and an electromagnet that causes the LED to move in an intermittent randomly sequenced pendulum manner transversely to a longitudinal axis of a shell surrounding the electromagnet and supporting the light member. The electromagnet uses a pair of spaced-apart permanent magnets to create magnetic flux and generate the power to move the light member while simulating flame of a burning candle.

Description

ELECTRONIC CANDLE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of our co-pending application Serial No: 13/068,915; filed on May 25, 2011, which is based on our provisional application Serial No. 61/ 345,910 Filed on May 18, 2010, entitled "Systems, Components, and Methods for Electronic Candles with Moving Flames," the full disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein and priority of which is hereby claimed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to an electric simulated candle and more particularly to an electronic candle where the light-emitting element closely simulates the flame of a flickering candle.

[0003] Electricity has become the typical power source for lighting. But, there are circumstances where people prefer the warm, romantic, nostalgic atmosphere provided by the light of a wax candle. Wax candles offer a soft light that flickers with the slight air stream. Unfortunately, wax candles use a burning wicker for illumination, and the open flame requires precaution and attention to prevent harm caused by fire. Many electric powered candles are now available as an alternative to wax candles. These candles use a heated wire that is designed to provide an illusion of a burning candle. However, such heated elements do not create an illusion of a real flickering flame and may not be satisfactory for people who seek the appeal of real wax candles.

[0004] The industry has developed several electronic candle designs that attempt to simulate a flickering flame in a somewhat better fashion than electric candles. However, these devices also produce a beam of light that has jerky movements, far from the desired glow of a wax candle. There remains a need for an improved electronic candle that overcomes these and other disadvantages of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electronic candle that can be used in chandeliers and other light fixtures to simulate a wax candle.

[0006] It is another object of the invention to provide an electronic candle which produces a smooth light beam simulating a flickering candle light.

[0007] It is a further object of the invention to provide an electronic candle that uses magnetic power in producing flickering effect.

[0008] Another object is to provide an electronic candle which fits into standard household light fixtures.

[0009] Another object is to provide an electronic candle wherein the light-emitting element can be mechanically swung to create the realistic illusion of a burning wax candle.

[0010] A further object is to provide an electronic candle where a first DC electrical current powers the light-emitting member and a separate alternating current powers the movement of the light-emitting member.

[0011] These and other objects of the invention are achieved through a provision of an electronic candle device having a shell having a hollow interior and a directional axis, a light- emitting member, and an induction activating system adapted to intermittently swing the light- emitting member in a pendulum fashion to simulate a live flame of a wax candle. A pair of magnets operationally connected to a wire coil creates magnetic flux that causes movement of the light emitting member.

[0012] The electronic candle can be used in standard household light fixtures because it includes a standard size screw assembly disposed on one end of the shell. When the electronic candle is screwed in a standard light bulb socket, the candle's circuit provides an alternating current to the induction activating system and a separate DC current to the light-emitting member.

[0013] When the candle is being used, the induction activating system swings or pivots the light-emitting element along a directional axis. The induction activating system includes a dead weight coupled to a support member, with the dead weight counterbalancing the support member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein [0015] Figure 1 is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the electronic candle of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 is a schematic of the electric circuit employed in the device of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the pendulum component of the electronic candle of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the bracket and magnet holding member of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the pendulum component and magnet

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Turning now to the drawings in more detail, numeral 10 designates the electronic candle device of the present invention. The candle device 10 comprises an elongated hollow body or shell 12 having a screw base 14 sized and shaped to fit into standard socket of a chandelier or other light fixture. The body 12 can be shaped as a taper candle and formed from a variety of materials, for instance silicone. In one aspect of the invention, the body 12 can be formed as a pillar without the screw base 14 and operated with a battery power.

[0021] A support assembly 16 is mounted in the body 12 and extends upwardly from an upper edge 18 of the body 12. The support assembly 16 comprises an elongated tubular support member 20 carrying a top plate 21 at the upper end thereof. A light emitting member 22 is positioned on the top plate 21 of the support member 20. The light emitting member 22 is covered by a light-permeable decorative cap 24, which is formed from a transparent or translucent material, such as plastic, resin and the like to simulate a tapering candle flame. The light emitting member 22 is preferably a light emitting diode, for instance a 1.5 watt LED.

[0022] The support member 20 and the light emitting member 22 with the cap 24 pivot about a horizontal axis in a pendulum intermittent fashion in a randomly sequenced to and fro pattern every 7 - 11 seconds. This motion is designed to simulate a live flame of a wax candle. The motion of the light emitting member 22 is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the shell 12.

[0023] To allow for the pivotal movement, a lower end of the support member 20 carries a pair of transverse opposing arms 26, 28 secured transversely to a longitudinal axis of the support member 20. The arms 26, 28 rest on a bracket 30 and extend through opposing openings 32, 34 formed in the bracket 30 as will be described in more detail hereinafter. The bracket 30 can be formed from plastic.

[0024] A dead weight 36 is carried by the support member 20 below the transverse arms 26, 28. The dead weight 36 acts as a counterbalance to the pivoting support member 20. The dead 36 weight can be formed as a cylindrical metal piece with an axially extending opening 38. A connector block 40 is attached to the bottom of the dead weight 36 by a screw 42, which extends through a central opening formed in the connector block 40 and then is threadably engaged within the axial opening 38 of the dead weight 38.

[0025] The connector block 40 can be formed as a parallelepiped, cylinder, or a cube. The connector block 40 is provided with a pair of spaced-apart cutouts 46, 48 within each of which a magnet member 50, 52, respectively, is fitted. The magnet members 50 and 52 have opposite polarity. For instance, the magnet member 50 can be designated as the north-pole magnet, while the magnet member 52 can be designated as the south-pole magnet. The permanent magnets 50, 52 can be disk-shaped or button-shaped.

[0026] The bracket 30 is fitted in the body 12 to extend co-axially therewith. A lower end of the bracket 30 carries a spool with coiled wires 54 wrapped around it. The coil 54 is disposed below the opposing circular openings 32, 34. Integrally formed with and extending downwardly from the coil 54 is a circuit support bracket 56.

[0027] A printed circuit board assembly 60 having a bridge rectifier circuit 62 operationally connected thereto is used to convert an alternating current (AC) input into a direct current (DC) output. In the present invention, the printed circuit board assembly 60 sends an AC current to power the induction activating system and a DC current to power the light-emitting member 22. Wires 64, 66 run from the printed circuit board assembly 60, through the rectifier 62 to the light-emitting member 22. Wires 64, 66 extend from the printed circuit board assembly 60 up along opposing sides of the bracket 30 into the hollow central bore of the support 20 to the light-emitting member 22.

[0028] An AC connection of the device 10 is schematically illustrated by a plug 80 in Figure 2. It will be appreciated that the device 10 can be a free-standing device, for instance a pillar candle or a device, which requires a different fixture for electrical connection to electric power source, for instance a light bulb for a chandelier. When the device 10 is actively connected to a source of AC power the coil 54 is charged with an AC current via wires 67, 68, creating an alternating magnetic flux shown schematically by lines 70, 72 in Figure 2. The magnetic flux acts upon the poles of the magnet members 50, 52 by induction to cause the dead weight to swing back and forth, thus swinging the support member 20.

[0029] In the preferred embodiment, the coil 54 is being activated around 7-11 cycles per second by the printed circuit board assembly 60 to create the swinging action. In one aspect of the invention, the dead weight 36 and the support member 20 swing in a counterclockwise fashion in an intermittent random pattern in the direction schematically shown by arrows 74, 76 in Figure 2. [0030] Because the light-emitting member 22 and the cap 24 are coupled to the upper end of the support member 20, they also oscillate back and forth as the LED 22 is made to flicker. The intermittent pivotal movement of the light emitting member 22 simulates movements of a live flame of a wax candle that moves randomly in the air current.

[0031] In one exemplary embodiment, the permanent magnets 70, 72 produce 7 - 8 second swing of the LED 22. The circuit board 60 in combination with the rectifier 62 provides intermittent current that is adjusted to produce 7-8 sec interval between to and fro movement of the pendulum. This motion is brought about not only by the intermittent current to the flux coil, but also as a result of the two permanent magnets situated at the base of the dead weight and axially orientated opposite the hinge axis of the pendulum.

[0032] It is envisioned that when several devices 10 are used in one light fixture the magnetic flux can be adjusted such that not all of the LEDs would be moving from one side to the other in the same cadence, such a break in the cadence will provide the atmosphere desired and recreate the ambiance of a flickering candle, not only in a single structure, but that ambiance can be enhances by the use of multiple devices.

[0033] Many changes and modifications can be made in the design of the electronic candle according to the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. We, therefore, pray that our rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

We claim:

1. An electronic candle device, comprising:

a generally cylindrical shell having a hollow interior, a top end, a bottom end and a longitudinal axis;

a light-emitting member disposed at the top end of the shell;

a light-permeable cap member having a contour resembling a flame of a burning candle, wherein the cap member covers the light-emitting member; and

an electromagnet assembly disposed within the hollow interior of the shell adjacent the bottom of the shell, said electromagnet assembly moves said light-emitting member in an intermittent randomly sequenced pendulum manner transversely to the longitudinal axis of said shell.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnet assembly comprises a pair of spaced- apart magnet members having opposite polarity.

3. The device of claim 1, comprising a base assembly disposed on the bottom end of the shell, said base assembly being configured to be engaged with a light bulb socket.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising an electronic circuit coupled to the base assembly for delivering electrical current to the light-emitting member and the electromagnet assembly.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the electronic circuit comprises a printed circuit board assembly having a rectifier bridge for converting alternating current to direct current, and wherein the electromagnet assembly is powered by the alternating current and the light-emitting member is powered by the direct current.

6. The device of claim 1, comprising a bracket member positioned in the shell and extending co-axially therewith.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein a coil of wire is wrapped around a lower portion of the bracket member, said coil of wire being operationally connected to the electromagnet assembly.

8. The device of claim 6, further comprising a support member having an upper part supporting the light-emitting member and the cap member.

9. The device of claim 8, comprising a counterbalancing member engaged with a lower part of the support member.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein said support member is provided with a pair of transverse arms mounted above the counterbalancing member, said pair of arms defining a pivot axis of the support member and the counterbalancing member to transmit pendulum motion to the light- emitting member and the cap member.

11. The device of claim 10, said pair of arms being operatively coupled to the bracket member engaging a sidewall of the bracket member.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the electromagnet assembly is positioned below the counterbalancing member.

13. The electronic candle of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting element comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

14. An electronic candle device, comprising:

a generally cylindrical hollow shell having a top end, a bottom end and a longitudinal axis;

a bracket member mounted in the hollow shell and extending co-axially therewith;

a support member mounted inside the bracket member and pivotally engaged therewith; a light-emitting member disposed at the top end of said support member;

an electromagnet assembly having a pair of spaced-apart permanent magnets disposed within the bracket member below the support member, said electromagnet assembly moves said light-emitting member in an intermittent randomly sequenced pendulum manner transversely to a longitudinal axis of said shell;

an electronic circuit mounted at a lower part of the shell and connectable to a source of electric power, said electronic circuit delivering electrical current to the light-emitting member and the electromagnet assembly, said electronic circuit comprising a printed circuit board assembly having a rectifier bridge for converting alternating current to direct current, and wherein the electromagnet assembly is powered by the alternating current and the light-emitting member is powered by the direct current.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein a coil of wire is wrapped around a lower portion of the bracket member, said coil of wire being operationally connected to the electromagnet assembly.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising a counterbalancing member engaged with a lower part of the support member.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said support member is provided with a pair of transverse arms mounted above the counterbalancing member, said pair of arms defining a pivot axis of the support member and the counterbalancing member to transmit pendulum motion to the light-emitting member and the cap member.

18. The device of claim 17, said pair of arms being operatively coupled to the bracket member engaging a sidewall of the bracket member.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the electromagnet assembly is positioned below the counterbalancing member.

20. The electronic candle of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting element comprises at least one light-emitting diode.