WO2014184217A1

WO2014184217A1 - An illuminated candle

Info

Publication number: WO2014184217A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/059804
Authority: WO
Inventors: Krzysztof JABLONSKI
Original assignee: Korona S.A.
Priority date: 2013-05-15
Filing date: 2014-05-14
Publication date: 2014-11-20
Also published as: PL403888A1

Abstract

An illuminated candle comprising a container (10); an illuminating module (20) positioned in the bottom part of the container (10) and comprising at least one light-emitting diode (LED) (23) controlled by an electronic circuit (21) to which a light sensor (22) is connected; and a burning insert (30) positioned on top of the illuminating module (20) and having embedded a wick (32) and an optical fiber (33), the optical fiber (33) being optically coupled with the light sensor (22).

Description

AN ILLUMINATED CANDLE

DESCRIPTION TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to candles illuminated by additional battery- powered light source, such as a light emitting diode (LED). BACKGROUND

A US patent US6926423 discloses a light with simulated candle flicker, which comprises a body covered with a lid comprising a solar panel and a light sensor. The lid is connected with a battery and three diodes. The diodes have a shape resembling a flame.

There are commonly known candles within which there is embedded a light emitting diode (LED), which is controlled by a light guide (optical fiber) which transmits the light emitted by the flame of the wick, and which illuminates inside the candle to brighten the candle surface. In such candles, the LED, the optical fiber and the electronic circuit are embedded inside the candle, therefore after the candle is burned, these components are useless and are disposed of, which negatively impacts the cost of use and natural environment.

It would be advantageous to provide an illuminated candle having a construction which allows for optimization of the cost of use of the candle.

SUMMARY

An illuminated candle comprising a container; an illuminating module positioned in the bottom part of the container and comprising at least one light- emitting diode (LED) controlled by an electronic circuit to which a light sensor is connected; and a burning insert positioned on top of the illuminating module and having embedded a wick and an optical fiber, the optical fiber being optically coupled with the light sensor.

Preferably, the optical fiber is terminated at the bottom of the burning insert and the light sensor is positioned at the top of the illuminating module.

Preferably, the electronic circuit is configured to power on the LED upon detecting light higher than a threshold by the light sensor.

Preferably, the electronic circuit is battery-operated and the power to the LED is provided from the battery.

Preferably, the burning insert is replaceable.

Preferably, the burning mass is non-opaque.

Preferably, the wick is twisted.

Preferably, the optical fiber is twisted.

Preferably, the wick is straight and positioned adjacently to the straight optical fiber.

Preferably, the wick and the optical fiber are mounted in a tubular holder having a flattened bottom with open bottom end secured to the bottom of the burning insert.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The object of the invention is shown by means of exemplary embodiments on a drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the candle in a vertical cross-section,

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of the bottom of the candle,

Fig. 3A-3D show examples of wick-optical fiber configuration,

The candle comprises a container 10, preferably translucent or transparent (e.g. made from clear or colored glass or plastics, which may further comprise non-transparent ornaments on its surface). An illuminating module 20 is positioned in the bottom part of the body 10. The illuminating module 20 comprises a battery-operated electronic circuit 21 coupled with a light sensor 22 and at least one light emitting diode (LED) 23. A burning insert 30 (also called a candle refill), comprising a burning mass 31 (preferably in a translucent or transparent container) is positioned on the top of the illuminating module 20. A wick 32 and an optical fiber 33 (i.e. a light guide) are embedded within the burning mass. The burning insert 30 is positioned with respect to the illuminating module 20 such that the optical fiber 33 is optically coupled with the light sensor 22 of the illuminating module 20, i.e. the light sensor 22 may receive light transmitted by the optical fiber 33.

The optical fiber 33 is arranged in the vicinity of the wick 32 such as to receive the light generated by a burning wick 32. Examples of wick-optical fiber arrangements are shown in Fig. 3. As the wick 32 burns, the optical fiber 33 transmits the light of the flame generated by the wick 32 along the fiber 33, thereby transmitting its light towards the light sensor 22. In case the optical fiber 33 is adjacent to the wick 32, it burns along with the wick 32, thereby its length decreases correspondingly with the wick 32.

The light sensor 22 receives the light generated by the optical fiber 33 and transmits it to the electronic circuit 21 .

In one embodiment, the light sensor 22 may transmit an electrical signal proportional to the amount of light received. The electronic circuit 21 may comprise a comparator configured to compare the property (e.g. voltage and/or current) of that signal with a threshold to generate a diode power-on signal upon detecting that the light sensor 22 receives light having intensity higher than a threshold.

In another embodiment, the light sensor 22 may transmit electrical signal indicating a presence of light only if that light has intensity of above a threshold. This signal may be the direct diode power-on signal.

The diode power-on signal triggers transmission of power from a battery of the electronic circuit 21 to the at least one LED 23.

Therefore, if the candle does not burn, the amount of light received by the light sensor 22 is lower than when the candle burns. When an increased amount of light is detected (i.e. amount of light higher than a threshold), the LED diode is turned on. The light threshold level may be predefined, e.g. it may be set such as to not activate the LED until a high amount of light is received, the amount being higher than the amount of light received in e.g. at typical daylight conditions. Alternatively, the light threshold level may be adapted dynamically to the ambient light conditions. Alternatively, a second light sensor (positioned such as to receive light level away from the wick, e.g. at the side of the candle) may measure ambient light and the levels of both sensors may be compared such as to activate the diode power-on signal when the level of light received by the optical fiber at the wick is higher (or considerably higher) than the level of ambient light.

After the burning insert burns out, it can be replaced with a new one, without the need to replace the illuminating module 20.

Preferably, the burning insert comprises a burning mass that is nonopaque, i.e. light from the LED 23 may pass through the burning mass and illuminate it.

The one or more LED(s) 23 may be positioned at the top of the illuminating module 20 such as to illuminate the bottom of the burning insert. Alternatively, one or more LED(s) 23 may be positioned at the side of the illuminating module 20 to illuminate the side of the candle and/or at the bottom of the illuminating module 20 to illuminate the bottom of the candle.

Fig. 2 shows ex ample of a construction of a bottom part of the handle. The wick 32 and the optical fiber 33 can be mounted in a tubular holder 34 (e.g. made of a thin aluminum sheet) having a flattened bottom 35 with open bottom end secured to the bottom of the burning insert 30.

Figs. 3A-3D show examples of wick-optical fiber configuration. In Fig. 3A, the wick 32A is positioned adjacently to the optical fiber 33A, such configuration is easy to manufacture. In Fig. 3B, the wick 32B is twisted along a straight optical fiber 33B, which increases the length of the wick with respect to the optical fiber 33B, to allow control of burning parameters. In Fig. 3C, the optical fiber 33C is twisted along a straight wick 32C, which increases the length of the optical fiber with respect to the wick 32C, to allow control of burning parameters. In Fig. 3D, the optical fiber 33D and the wick 32D are twisted together. In case the optical fiber 33C, 33D is twisted, it can receive light from multiple directions as the wick burns.

The above-described illuminated candle allows for long-term use of the illuminating module 20 with single-use, disposable burning inserts 30. This optimizes the long-term cost of operation of the illuminated candle and does not degrade natural environment by reducing amount of disposed electronic waste.

While the invention presented herein has been depicted, described, and has been defined with reference to particular preferred embodiments, such references and examples of implementation in the foregoing specification do not imply any limitation on the invention. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader scope of the technical concept. The presented preferred embodiments are exemplary only, and are not exhaustive of the scope of the technical concept presented herein.

Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited to the preferred embodiments described in the specification, but is only limited by the claims that follow.

Claims

1 . An illuminated candle comprising:

- a container (10);

- an illuminating module (20) positioned in the bottom part of the container (10) and comprising at least one light-emitting diode (LED) (23) controlled by an electronic circuit (21 ) to which a light sensor (22) is connected; and

- a burning insert (30) positioned on top of the illuminating module (20) and having embedded a wick (32) and an optical fiber (33), the optical fiber (33) being optically coupled with the light sensor (22).

2. The illuminated candle according to claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber (33) is terminated at the bottom of the burning insert (30) and the light sensor (22) is positioned at the top of the illuminating module (20).

3. The illuminated candle according to any of previous claims, wherein the electronic circuit (21 ) is configured to power on the LED (23) upon detecting light higher than a threshold by the light sensor (22).

4. The illuminated candle according to any of previous claims, wherein the electronic circuit (21 ) is battery-operated and the power to the LED is provided from the battery.

5. The illuminated candle according to any of previous claims, wherein the burning insert (30) is replaceable.

6. The illuminated candle according to any of previous claims, wherein the burning mass is non-opaque.

7. The illuminated candle according to any of present claims, wherein the wick (32B, 32D) is twisted.

8. The illuminated candle according to any of present claims, wherein the optical fiber (33C, 33D) is twisted.

9. The illuminated candle according to any of claims 1 -6, wherein the wick (32A) is straight and positioned adjacently to the straight optical fiber (33A).

10. The illuminated candle according to any of previous claims, wherein the wick (32) and the optical fiber (33) are mounted in a tubular holder (34) having a flattened bottom (35) with open bottom end secured to the bottom of the burning insert (30).