Candle

Description

The present invention relates to candles.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

A traditional candle generally uses beeswax, plant wax, paraffin wax and compounds of polythene and stearic acid as production materials. A candle made from paraffin wax has the following merits:

• • (1) Since paraffin wax has good workability, patterns can be sculpted into its surface to enhance the three-dimensional appearance and texture of articles such as candles made from it.
  • (2) Paraffin wax absorbs coloured dyes or pigments readily and can therefore have a lustrous and bright, lively-coloured surface.
  • (3) Paraffin wax contributes an aesthetical effect to the appearance of a candle such as mottling effect and crackle effect.

Paraffin wax has the following shortcomings, however:

• • (1) It generates occasional smoke during burning especially under air draft and therefore degrades the quality of room air.
  • (2) When the flame of the candle is blown out, an unpleasant level of smoke emanates from the wick.
  • (3) During burning of the candle, the temperature of liquid wax will melt the fringe of the candle, and in the burning process the candle will lose its original shape and yields undesired appearance.
  • (4) A large flame during burning can be unsafe and shortens the burning time.

To overcome the above shortcomings, plant wax has been used to replace paraffin wax as the production material of candles. The plant wax has the following merits:

• • (1) No smoke is generated during burning, and there will be compliance with environmentally friendly requirements.
  • (2) During burning, the fringe of the candle will not melt and the original shape of the candle can be retained

Plant wax has, however, the following shortcomings:

• • (1) Given the relatively hardness of plant wax, when fine sculpturing is performed in the production of crafted candles, wax powder will keep coming off and the crafted products will be relatively coarse and lack of details.
  • (2) When plant wax is used to make the body of a candle, the colour of the candle will not be vibrant and there will be undesirable colour tone variations.
  • (3) Plant wax products cannot be made to give mottling and crackle effects.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorated one or more of the above disadvantages and/or more generally to provide an improved candle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a candle comprising a plant wax core, a paraffin wax shell at least partially encasing the core, and a wick extending from within the core.

Preferably, the wick extends from within the core through the shell.

More preferably, the shell comprises a side wall surrounding the core and a top wall covering the core, and the wick extends through the top wall.

It is preferred that the core is cylindrical.

In a preferred embodiment, the volume ratio of the core to the shell is in the range of 1:2 to 7:1.

In another preferred embodiment, the core occupies over 50% of the volume of the whole candle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a candle in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the candle of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a candle which comprises a body 10 having a cylindrical outer shell 100 and a cylindrical inner core 200, and opposite upper and lower ends 210 and 220. The outer shell 100 has a peripheral side wall surrounding the inner core 200 and an integral top wall or panel 120 that covers the top of the core 200.

The outer shell 100 is made substantially of paraffin wax, and the inner core 200 is moulded substantially from plant (vegetable) wax. The paraffin wax has a pliable nature so that patterns or ornamentations can be impressed on it. In addition, the paraffin wax has a shiny surface making the candle appear lustrous and attractive. Thus, the paraffin shell can be made to present various colours and surface finishing, textures and effects such as mottling and crack.

The shell 100 and the core 200 share a common central axis 300, along which a wick 400 made of cotton is located in the core 200. The wick 400 extends centrally along the core 200 from the lower end 220 to the upper 210 and then extends out through the top panel 120. Uppermost section 410 of the wick 400 is exposed to the atmosphere for burning.

In comparison with the paraffin wax, the plant wax has an environmentally friendly burning effect by releasing much less smoke in the course of burning of the candle.

The volume ratio of the plant wax core 200 to the paraffin wax shell 100 is in the range of 1:2 to 7:1, or the plant wax takes up 33.33% to 87.5% of the total volume of the two materials i.e. the candle body 10. Thus, the proportion of plant wax takes up over 50% of the whole candle 10 by volume.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various modification of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.