WO2014121855A1

WO2014121855A1 - Electric candle

Info

Publication number: WO2014121855A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/067254
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joakim Trumpler
Original assignee: Ds Produkte Gmbh
Priority date: 2013-02-06
Filing date: 2013-08-19
Publication date: 2014-08-14
Also published as: DE202013011864U1; DE112013006606A5

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric candle, having a candle shaft, an electric light source (8) and having a pendulum body (9) which has a movable, light-reflecting element (10) designed for the partial reflection and/or scattering of the light from the light source, which element is arranged in the upper area of the pendulum body, above the pendulum suspension (11) of the latter. According to the invention the light-reflecting element has a weight per unit area of 4.5 mg/mm² or less and the pendulum body (9) having the light-reflecting element (10) is designed to be moved by a draft, wherein no active drive for the pendulum body (9) is provided.

Description

ELECTRIC CANDLE

The invention relates to an electric candle, with a candle shaft, an electric light source and a pendulum body, which has a movable, for partial reflection and / or scattering of the light of the light source trained light reflection element that in the upper Be ^¬ rich the pendulum body above the pendulum suspension is arranged.

Electric candles with a simulated candle flame are known from public prior use. The flickering of a candle flame can be simulated by changing over time the brightness of the light source. Also be ^¬ it is known (DE 20 2009 018 453 Ul) to simulate the flickering of a candle by an active mechanical movement of a flame-shaped element which is illuminated by a light source. An electromagnetic device is used to move this flame outline.

The present invention has for its object to provide an electric candle of the type mentioned, which generates a simple, inexpensive, space-saving and preferably with low weight for a viewer realistic simulation of a candle flame. The invention achieves this object with an input ge ^¬ marked electric candle in that the Light reflection element has a weight per unit area of 4.5 mg / mm ² or less and the pendulum element with the light ^¬ reflection element is designed to be movable by draft, with no active drive of the pendulum element is provided.

First, some terms used in the invention are explained. An electric kettle according to the invention comprises an electrical ^¬ ULTRASONIC lamp, preferably an LED. The Pendelkör ^¬ ^¬ per is movably be caused by environmental factors such as particular draft. It has a pendulum suspension on which it is designed tiltable at least in one spatial direction by a certain angle. The by the design of the

Pendulum suspension conditional maximum tilt angle can be, for example, 10 to 30 ° from the vertical. Be ^¬ preferably the pendulum suspension is designed so that a tilting in more than one plane is possible. For example, the pendulum suspension can comprise a wire guided horizontally through an opening of the pendulum element. The opening can be made larger than the diam ^¬ ser of the wire, so that a swinging and tilting is possible in different spatial directions and a realistic flame movement can be simmuliert in this manner.

In the upper part of the pendulum body above the pendulum ^¬ suspension a light reflection element is arranged. This is an element which is preferably a thin, flat element, which in plan view has approximately the shape of a candle flame. The material of the

Light reflecting element is preferably opaque or more preferably, slightly opaque (translucent to a lesser extent) so that light incident from the light source is substantially reflected or scattered, thus giving the appearance of a candle flame. Particularly preferably, the opacity of the light reflection element is formed so as to convey at a illuminate the light reflecting element on a surface of this element of the reflektier ^¬ te or scattered light component and the light passing through the opaque Mate ^¬ rial light portion to a viewer a similar or same brightness, so that the Flame appearance when viewed from both sides occurs. The material of the light reflection element is preferably colorless or white, but it can also example ^¬ contain a slight amount of red in order to pressure the light entry of a typically brilliant with quite a high blue component LED in the course of reflection and the passage of longer wavelength in the (red) Light to more closely match the spectral distribution of a true candle flame.

According to the invention, this light reflection element has a basis weight of 4.5 mg / mm ² or less, furthermore, no active drive of the pendulum element is provided. No active drive means that the pendulum element is moved exclusively by environmental influences such as air ^¬ train and no active movement of Pendelelemen ^¬ tes done by a separate drive such as a magnetic alternating field. The invention has recognized that in an embodiment of the

Light reflection element with an inventively clotting ^¬ gen basis weight sufficient the usual air movement indoors to the shuttle with the Lichtreflekti- onset in a manner that gives a realistic flame impression.

The light reflecting element preferably has an areal weight of 3 mg / mm ² or less, more preferably 1.5 mg / mm ² or less, further preferably 1.2 mg / mm ² or less, further preferably 1 mg / mm ² or less , more preferably 0.5 mg / mm ² or less, more preferably 0.2 mg / mm ² or less, and particularly preferably 0.1 mg / mm ² or less.

The surface of the light reflection element is preferential ^¬, 100 to 800 mm ^2, more preferably 150 to 500 mm ^2. Particularly preferred are 200 to 500 mm ² .

The light reflection element according to the invention is preferably a part of the pendulum element, usually that part which is arranged above the pendulum suspension. As a rule, the pendulum element also has a mass below the pendulum suspension in order to produce the required weight balance. The range of the pendulum element under ^¬ half of the pendulum suspension can be made of the same material as the light reflecting member, alterna ^¬ tive may be material to another (usually heavier) or it can be an additional weight element of another material at the bottom of Pendulum be arranged below the pendulum suspension. The overall ^¬ weight of the shuttle member, so the movable mass is, according to the invention preferably from 20 to 1000 mg, more preferably 50 to 800 mg, more preferably 50 to 400 mg, particularly preferably 50 to 100 mg. Of the total weight of the shuttle preferably 50 to 60 wt .-%, more preferably 52 to 57 wt .-% are arranged below the pendulum suspension. This weight distribution avoids that the pendulum element is top-heavy, but on the other hand causes a mobility even by slight draft.

The light reflection member preferably comprises a plastic material such as a ^¬ sufficiently dimensionally stable plastic film or consists of this. This art ^¬ material may, for example, a thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.3 mm. Suitable plastic materials are, for example, PP (polypropylene) or ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene plastics).

According to the invention, it is preferable that the electric Ker ^¬ ze, in particular its shaft candles, free from a wax shell around ^¬ (preferably 2.5 mm or thinner). The appearance of a real candle is improved.

The inventive design of an electric candle without separate drive device for the pendulum element he ^¬ allows a particularly space-saving design with low weight and thus a design as a Christmas tree candle, which has the usual (small) dimensions of a real Christmas tree candle.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the candle according to the invention is thus designed as a Christmas tree candle and has a foot with means for attachment to a Christmas tree. It is preferably a clamping foot, furthermore, it is preferably configured visually similar to a conventional tree candle holder for wax candles, so it is preferably formed towards the candle shaft in the manner of a saucer or spherical shell.

Preferably, the power consumption of a candle during operation is 15 mA or less, preferably 10 mA or less, more preferably 6 mA or less, more preferably 5 mA or less. Such a low power consumption can preferably be achieved by using an LED as a light source or light source. It is thus possible according to the invention to provide battery-operated electric candles with a high lighting duration. For example, with a power consumption of 5 mA and the use of a single AAA battery with a capacity of 1200 mAh, a lighting duration of about 240 hours can be achieved.

As the light source, an LED having a diameter of 3 mm or less can be used in the present invention. This permits a particularly slim construction of an OF INVENTION ^¬ to the invention electric candle. The diameter here is the largest extension of the LED in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the candle.

An optical device for focusing the light of the light source onto the light reflection element can be provided between the light source and the light reflection element. By way of example, this optical device can be a plano-convex optical lens which projects a sharply outlined light spot onto the reflection element. You can also do so when using a light source (LED) of small diameter, which is close to. Intermediary light Source is an optical appearance similar to a candle flame.

An electric candle according to the invention may be designed for operation with an external power source. For example, a plurality of candles may be connected together in a series or parallel connection, thus forming, for example, a set of Christmas tree candles. Frequently, however, an embodiment will be preferred in which the candle is battery powered.

The candle shaft preferably has a battery compartment, the Christmas tree candle according to the invention then has a au- tonome power supply without the need for cabling ^¬ Ver. The battery compartment is preferably in the lower region of the candle shaft immediately adjacent to the foot out ^¬ forms. In this way, the weight of the battery is pos ^¬ lichst arranged far below. The candle shaft is surrounded by a wax cover. He thus has an inner shell of a suitable material (preferably plastic), which is surrounded by a thin wax cover and gives it the visual impression of a real tree candle. The interior of the plug shank above the Batteriefa ^¬ ches may comprise further components such as light sources (preferably LEDs) switching devices (preferably remotely controllable switching devices) or the like. The invention provides an electric Christmas tree candle, which is similar in appearance and size of a conventional Christmas tree wax candle, and despite this optically slim appearance due its light weight can be securely attached to a Christmas tree. This is made possible by the combination ^¬ nation of slender candles shaft with thereon mounted ^¬ thin wax shell.

The candle is preferably designed to accommodate commercial Batte ^¬ rien such as. AA or AAA batteries. Preferred is the use of an AAA battery which only has a diameter of about 10 mm and a length of about 44 mm and only has a weight of usually about 11 g.

The application of the thin wax cover to the inner shell is made possible by a process described in more detail below in the context of the exemplary embodiments, this method is part of the present invention and its disclosure is for the purpose of claiming the method in one of the priority of this utility model application to be able to claim independently and with the time limit of this utility model application.

It is preferred that the plug shaft has a releasable Ver ^¬ bond with the foot to the opening of the battery compartment up. It may, for example, be a bayonet or screw connection. To replace the battery, the shaft can be separated from the foot, without the In ^¬ tegrität the wax cover of the shaft is affected. The height of the candle shaft, ie the height of the part visibly wax-coated from outside of the candle, is preferably 50-80% of the total height of the candle. In absolute terms, the height of the candle shaft according to the invention is preferably 50-90 mm, preferably 55-75 mm. The total weight of OF INVENTION ^¬ to the invention Christmas tree candle including battery is preferably 50 g or less, more preferably 40 g or less. Since the weight of a conventional AAA battery is about 11 g, when using this type of battery according to the invention all weights are related to a he ^¬ inventive candle without battery about 11 g lower on ^¬ enforce. The inventively provided thin wax cover allows the realistic appearance of the candle despite its slim shape. The thickness of the wax wrap according to the invention is preferably 2 mm or less, more preferably 1.5 mm or less. The outer diameter of the candle shaft, including wax wrap, is preferably 25 mm or less according to the invention. The diameter of the inner shell may preferably be for example 17-23 or 20-23 mm.

The Christmas tree candle according to the invention may have a switch for switching on and off. However, an embodiment is preferred in such a way that a plurality of candles remotely controlled, preferably wireless remote controlled simultaneously and can be turned off. An embodiment of the invention and the production of a candle according to the invention are explained below with reference to the drawings. Show:

Figure 1: A candle according to the invention in a view from the side;

FIG. 2 shows a section through a candle according to the invention; Figure 2A: A top view of the candle;

Figure 3-6: Schematically the application of a wax wrapper on a candle according to the invention in the context of production.

FIG. 1 shows a candle according to the invention with a foot 1, which has a clamping element 2 and a candle dish 3. The candle shaft 4 is provided with an approximately 1.5 mm thick wax ^¬ envelope (indicated at 5). In the candle shaft 4, a battery compartment for a AAA battery 6 is provided.

This battery 6 feeds via a remote controllable Schaltein ^¬ direction 7, an LED 8, which lights through the upper end face of the plug shaft 4 against the light reflection element 10 of the shuttle 9. The pendulum element 9 has a pendulum suspension 11 a bore through which a wire 12 is guided, which spans the upper opening of the plug shaft 4 diametrically (see Fig. 2A).

The surface of the light-reflecting element 10 is 350 mm ² , the weight 30 mg, so that a basis weight of

0.086 mg / mm ² . The total weight of the pendulum element 9 is 69 mg, thus 56.5 wt .-% of the total weight below the pendulum suspension 11 are arranged. The movable light reflection element 10 made of PP film and thus the pendulum element 9 in total can be set in motion by draft, thereby causing a flickering effect. The dimensions of the candle according to the invention are shown in Figures 1 and 2. The weight of the entire foot 1 in this embodiment is 6, 6 g, the weight of the entire candle without battery 24.6 g, the weight of entire candle with battery 35.6 g. The candle has the Anmu ^¬ tung a conventional tree candle and can be attached easily by means of the clamping element 2 on a Christmas tree, without being top heavy due to their dimensions and low weight.

As part of the production of a candle according to the invention a thin layer of wax must be applied to the inner shell of the candle shaft 4. These method steps are explained below with reference to FIGS 3-6.

Figure 3 shows two halves of a mold 11 for wax. The casting mold can receive the shaft 4 and the luminous element 9 of a candle.

Figure 4 shows a candle according to the invention in a Ferti ^¬ supply state, in which the inner shell of the shaft 4 is not yet provided with wax and has a connection to the foot 1 is not yet taken place. This semi-finished product is placed in the mold 11 and the two halves closed against each other. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion of the mold 11 is about 23 mm, the outer diameter of the inner shell of the shaft 4 about 20 mm. Thus, in the mold 11, a circumferential gap having a thickness of about 1.5 mm remains, which can be poured out with wax.

After pouring liquid wax, let it cool and solidify. The mold 11 is opened (Figure 5) and it can be seen that around the candle shaft 4 around now ei ^¬ ne about 1.5 mm thick wax cover is formed.

Claims

claims

An electric candle, with a candle shaft, an electric light source (8) and with a pendulum body (9), which has a movable, for partial reflection and / or scattering of the light of the light source ^¬ formed light reflection element (10), in the upper region of Pendulum body is arranged above the Pen ^¬ delaufhängung (11), characterized in that the light reflection element has a surface ^¬ weight of 4.5 mg / mm ² or less and the pendulum element (9) with the light reflection element (10) is designed to be movable by air draft, wherein no active drive of the shuttle (9) is provided.

An electric candle according to claim 1, characterized in that the light reflecting member (10) has a basis weight of 3 mg / mm ² or less, preferably 1.5 mg / mm ² or less, more preferably 1.2 mg / mm ² or less preferably 1 mg / mm ² or less, more preferably 0.5 mg / mm ² or less, more preferably 0.2 mg / mm ² or less, further preferably 0.1 mg / mm ² or less.

Electric candle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the light reflection element (10) has ei ^¬ ne area of 100 to 800 mm ² , preferably 150 to 500 mm ² , more preferably 200 to 500 mm ² .

Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pendulum element (9) ei ^¬ ne weight of 20 to 1,000 mg, preferably 50 to 800 mg, more preferably 50 to 400 mg, further comprising before ^¬ preferably 50 to 100 mg.

Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that from the total weight of the pendulum element (9) 50 to 60 wt .-%, preferably 52 to 57 wt .-% below the pendulum suspension (11) are arranged.

Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the Lichtreflexionsele element (10) comprises a plastic material.

Electric candle according to claim 6, characterized in that the plastic material has a thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.3 mm

Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is surrounded by a wax envelope (5), wherein the wax envelope (5) preferably has a thickness of 2.5 mm or less.

Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is designed as a Christmas tree candle and a foot (1) with Einrich lines (2) for attachment to a Christmas tree.

10. Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the power consumption during operation 15 mA or less, preferably 10 mA or we ^¬ niger, more preferably 6 mA or less, on preferably 5 mA or less.

11. Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it has as an LED light source with a diameter of 3 mm or less.

12. Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that between the light source and the light reflection element, an optical device for

Focusing the light of the light source is provided on the light reflection ^¬ element.

13. Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it is designed for operation with an external power source.

14. Electric candle according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the candle shaft (4) has a battery compartment.

15. Electric candle according to claim 14, characterized

by the following features: - the overall height of the candle is 150 mm or Weni ^¬ ger, is the total weight including battery or less,

- The outer diameter of the candle shaft (4) including wax cover (5) is 30 mm or less. Electric candle according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the battery compartment for receiving ner AAA battery (6) is formed.

An electric candle according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the plug stem (4) has a detachable connection with the foot (1) for opening the battery compartment.

Electric candle according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the height of the Candle tes 50 - 80% of the total height of the candle.

Electric candle according to one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that the height of the Candle tes 50 - 90 mm, preferably 55 - 75 mm.

Electric candle according to one of claims 15 to 19, characterized in that the total weight ^¬ finally battery 50 g or less, preferably 40 or less.

Electric candle according to one of claims 15 to 20, characterized in that the thickness of the wax wrap 2 mm or less, preferably 1.5 mm or less.

22. Electric candle according to one of claims 15 to 21, characterized in that the outer diameter of the plug shaft (4) including wax envelope (5) is 25 mm or less. Electric candle according to one of Claims 1 to 22, characterized in that it can be switched on and off wirelessly by remote control.