Wick-holder assembly

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/185,174, filed on Jul. 20, 2005.

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1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to wick-holder assemblies, and more particularly to wick-holder assemblies responsive to thermal changes.

2. Description of the Background of the Invention

Candleholders frequently include assemblies to hold a fuel charge that has a wick holder to retain a wick within the fuel charge. One such candleholder has a plurality of decorative radial arms extending upward from a candle support cup that holds a fuel charge. In such a candleholder, the radial arms are circumferentially spaced around the candle support cup. Each arm includes an inwardly turned tip portion that is directed toward a candle placed in the candle support cup.

Another candleholder is a candlestick in which a cylindrical candle is retained at a bottom end thereof by a metallic spring clasp secured on a saucer portion. A wick is retained in the cylindrical candle. The spring clasp is coined from a sheet of metal to have a pair of opposing resilient arms extending upward from a base section. Upper tip portions of the arms are curved outwardly. The arms are angled inwardly to resiliently clasp the bottom end of the candle therebetween. A lug on the saucer portion interlocks with a complementary lug on the base section to retain the spring clasp thereon.

A candle having a thermal response has a wick holder disposed on an upper end of a support column that extends downwardly through a wax fuel element. Each of a first and second bimetallic coil is secured in a horizontal position to the support column at a radial inner end thereof. The bimetallic coils are disposed in a wax melt pool. An arm extends upward from the radial outer end of each bimetallic coil, and a partial heart shaped medallion extends upward from each arm. The bimetallic coils move the heart shaped medallions together tangentially around the support column when the wax melt pool is heated by a flame on the wick due to differential thermal expansion of the bi-metallic coils.

Another candleholder includes a conically shaped metallic dish, a metallic wick clip, and a wick, all of which are placed on top of a wax fuel element. The wick is carried within the wick clip, and the wick clip is retained in a hole through the dish such that an upper portion of the wick extends above the dish and a lower portion of the wick extends below the dish. A plurality of upturned petals is disposed around the periphery of the dish and partially surrounds the wick and a flame on the wick. A metal wire extends through a central axis of the wick, and an exterior helical coil of wire extends along the exterior length of the wick. A metal decorative element is carried over the dish and extends proximate the flame. Heat from the flame is conducted by convection and by conduction through the wires, the decorative element, and the wick clip to form a pool of molten wax centrally disposed on the top of the wax fuel element under the dish and wick. The dish, wick clip, and wick move down with the top of the fuel element as the flame consumes the molten wax.

According to one aspect of the invention, a wick-holder assembly includes a base portion, a wick-retention member for retaining a wick in an operative position extending upwardly from the base portion, and a heat-conductive element extending from the base portion. The heat-conductive element comprises a first portion including a first material and a second portion including a second material, wherein the first and second materials have different thermal expansion coefficients. The heat-conductive element moves and is adapted to secure the wick-holder assembly to a raised capillary lobe in response to heat from a flame disposed on the wick.

According to another aspect of the invention, a wick-holder assembly includes a wick-retention member having a wick extending therefrom, first and second heat-conductive elements, wherein each heat-conductive element comprises at least two materials comprising different thermal expansion coefficients, and a substantially stationary base portion relative to the wick-retention member extending from the wick-retention member to the heat conductive element. Movement of the first heat-conductive element in response to heat from a flame disposed on the wick regulates the temperature of the flame and movement of the second heat-conductive element in response to heat from the flame secures the wick-holder assembly to a raised capillary lobe.

According to another aspect of the invention, a wick-holder assembly includes a wick-retention member having a wick extending therefrom and is adapted to be placed onto a melting plate. The wick-holder assembly further includes first and second heat-conductive elements, wherein each heat-conductive element comprises at least two discrete materials comprising different thermal expansion coefficients and a substantially stationary base portion relative to the wick-retention member extending from the wick-retention member to the heat conductive element. Movement of the second heat-conductive element in response to heat from a flame secures the wick-holder assembly to the melting plate.

Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description