US20060046220A1

US20060046220A1 - Photo-controlled electronic music candle

Info

Publication number: US20060046220A1
Application number: US11/042,730
Authority: US
Inventors: Hui Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-09-01
Filing date: 2005-01-24
Publication date: 2006-03-02

Abstract

An interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle that reliably plays the music includes candle containing fusible optical fiber wick, fusible optical fiber, base, photosensitive device, a condensing chip above the photosensitive device with the optical fiber disposed at where in relation to the condensing chip; the photosensitive device receives any light source within the radius of the condensing chip to increase sensitization area to reduce consumption of photo energy; and the optical fiber is not necessarily to aim at the photosensitive device for playing the music to reduce production cost while maintaining good performance in repeated use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a photo-controlled electronic music candle, and more particularly, to one that is with its components interchangeable.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
As taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,767, a photo-controlled electronic music candle providing a good companion for leisure and entertainment is comprised of candle, wick containing fusible optical fiber wick, music candle base, and photosensitive device. Wherein, the photosensitive device functions as the control switch to play the music. The switch is closed when subject to light and disconnected when not subject to light or to weak light. Once the candle is lighted, the candlelight passes through the optical fiber in the wick to the photosensitive device in the base of the photo-controlled to start playing the music. Upon the candle is consumed, the residual ashes on the wick completely cover up the optical fiber to block the light to disconnect the switch, thus to stop the music.
However, the optical fiber must precisely aim at the photosensitive device at the base of the music candle. The alignment can easily fail in the course of production, packaging or handling, and particularly after repeated use of the music candle, to further fail normal playing of the music. Both ends of the wick must be respectively exposed out of the upper and the lower surfaces of the candle. The wick and the base of the candle are inseparable. That is, the wick has to contact the photosensitive device on the circuit at the base of the music candle; otherwise, the optical fiber fails to aim at the photosensitive device. Accordingly, once the wick is consumed, it may set the photosensitive device on fire to cause fire alarm. The melting wax could flow into the base to damage the base or even set the base on fire. Furthermore, the melting wax could easily flow into the base to cover up the surface of the photosensitive device. It takes to get rid off the wax on the surface of the photosensitive device before subsequent use of the music candle.
Highly demanded in production, packaging, and handling means higher production costs, the poor performance in repeated use, safety concerns of potential fire, and inconvenient all frustrate the promotion of the cited U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,767.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle that allows reliable playing of the music and repeated use.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle with improved use safety, extended service life and convenient repeated use.
To achieve the purposes, the present invention is essentially comprised of a candle, a wick containing fusible optical fiver, a fusible optical fiber, a music candle base, a photosensitive device, and a condensing chip. Wherein, the condensing chip is disposed on the upper surface of the base at where above the photosensitive device. The fusible optical fiber is in alignment with the condensing chip. Only the fusible fiber is exposed out of the lower surface of the candle in alignment with the condensing chip. A fireproof shade is provided to the base and the fusible fiber penetrating a through hole on the fireproof shade to be in alignment with the condensing chip. The fusible optical fiber is tightly tied in with the through hole on the fireproof shade. The peripheral of the through hole of the fireproof shade is raised. The condensing chip is provided on the fireproof shade. An opening is provided on the upper surface of the base; a source contact switch is disposed in the base with the contact point penetrating the opening and exposed on the upper surface of the base. The condensing chip provided over the photosensitive device receives any light source emitted within the radius of the condensing chip to increase the sensitization area and reduce consumption of optical energy. Accordingly, the wick containing the fusible optical fiber is not necessarily to precisely aim at the photosensitive device to play the music thus to reduce the production cost and allow repeated use while maintaining good performance of the music candle.
Whereas the fusible fiber is the only element that is exposed out of the lower surface of the candle in alignment with the condensing chip, and the lower end of the wick is cleared away from the condensing chip for a certain distance, the flame will not contact the condensing chip when the wick is consumed. Therefore, the fusible optical fiber becomes noninflammable. No contact of the flame with the condensing chip guarantees the safety of the condensing chip, the photosensitive device and the base.
The fireproof shade provided at the bottom of the candle keeps the melting wax from flowing into the candle base to destroy the circuit in the base, and even from causing the fire alarm. Furthermore, the melting wax will not cover up the surface of the photosensitive device to allow convenient repeated use of the music candle.
With the presence of the touch switch, the circuit is disconnected from the source when there is no candle placed on the candle base to prevent the music from playing when subject to stronger light. Once the candle is in place, the circuit is connected as the switch is closed to guarantee that the music plays when the candle is lighted. Whenever the candle is moved away from the base, the circuit is cut off immediately. Accordingly, further assurance of playing the music is guaranteed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a candle adapted with a fireproof shade in a preferred embodiment of the present invention
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a condensing chip and a base in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is sectional view of the candle adapted with the fireproof shade in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the condensing chip and the base in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, an interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle of the present invention includes a candle 4, a fusible optical fiber 2, a wick 3, a music candle base 7, a photosensitive device 8, and a condensing chip 6. Wherein as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the condensing chip 6 is disposed at where above the photosensitive device 8, and the fusible optical fiber is disposed in alignment with the condensing chip. The condensing chip 6 is disposed on the upper surface of the candle base 7 and the photosensitive device 8 is mounted at the center of the bottom of the condensing chip 6. The condensing chip 6 relates to a see-through chip to allow determination of its diameter and the height depending on the size of the candle. The condensing chip 6 permits the astigmatism or light from various angles to be absorbed and collected to focus on the center of the condensing chip 6, and further reflected to the photosensitive device 8. Accordingly, the photosensitive device 8 receives any light coming into the upper surface of the condensing chip 6, and the music starts to play as long as the light from a flame 1 enters through the fusible fiber 2 into the upper surface of the condensing chip 6 to connect a contact switch 14.
The condensing chip 6 disposed above the photosensitive device 8 increases the sensitization area of the photosensitive device 8 to reduce consumption of photo energy. The candle base 7 is switched on to play the music even when the wick 3 containing the fusible optical fiber 2 is not necessarily in alignment with the photosensitive device. Therefore, the present invention helps lower the production cost and allows reliable and consistent play of the music and repeated use while maintaining good performance.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the fusible optical fiber 2 is installed in the wick 3 in the candle 4. The wick 3 containing the fusible optical fiber is exposed out of the upper surface of the candle 4 but only the fusible optical 2 is exposed out of the lower surface of the candle 4 and in alignment with the condensing chip 6. The bottom of the wick therefore stays away from the condensing chip for a certain distance. The fusible optical fiber 2 will not be inflamed when the wick 3 is consumed, therefore the flame 1 will not contact the condensing chip 6 to warrant the use safety of the condensing chip 6, the photosensitive device 8 and the candle base 7.
The fireproof shade 5 is provided around the bottom of the candle 4. The fusible optical fiber 2 penetrates a through hole 11 disposed on the fireproof shade 5 and stays in alignment with the condensing chip 6. Wherein, the fusible optical fiber 2 is tightly tied in with the through hole on the fireproof shade 5 and the peripheral of the through hole 11 is raised. Accordingly, as the candle 4 is about to consuming up, the melting wax of the candle 4 flows to its both sides into the fireproof shade 5, the flame 1 is becoming weaker as carbon dioxide is building up to automatically kill the flame 1. Alternatively, the condensing chip 6 is fixed to the fireproof shade 5 in any means possible to achieve the same functions as described above.
It can be appreciated that the fireproof shade 5 may be made in any shape as long as it is sufficient to hold the residual candle wax.
The fireproof shade 5 thus prevents the melting wax of the candle 4 from flowing into the candle base 7 to destroy a circuit provided in the candle base 7 or even to cause a fire alarm. Meanwhile, the melting wax from the candle 4 will not cover up the surface of the photosensitive device 8, thus to allow convenient repeated use of the music candle.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the candle 4 is made integrated with the fireproof shade 5, and the condensing chip 6 with the candle base 7. Once the candle 4 is consumed up, simply remove the fireproof shade 5 to have a replacement of the candle 4 without causing any residual wax of the candle 4 on the candle base 7. The music candle permits subsequent use simply by replacing both of the candle 4 and the fireproof shade 5.
Now referring to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, an opening 13 is provided on the upper surface of the candle base 7 and the source contact switch 14 is built in the candle base 7. A contact point 12 of the contact switch 14 passes through the opening 13 on and is exposed out of the upper surface of the candle base 7. When there is no candle 4 placed on the candle base 7 and the contact point 12 is exposed out of the upper surface of the candle base 7, the contact switch 14 is disconnected to keep the circuit alive, thus to prevent the music from being played once subject to stronger light with the candle 4 is not lighted. Once the candle 4 is placed on the candle base 7, the contact point 12 moves into the candle base 7 to activate the contact switch 14 to connect the circuit to warrant that the music plays once the candle is lighted and the flame 1 is present. Whenever the candle 4 is removed from the candle base 7, the circuit is cut off once again.
The source contact switch 14 may be made in various constructions as long as the circuit is disconnected in the absence of any candle 4 on the candle base 7 and the circuit is alive once the candle 4 is placed on the candle base 7. Therefore, the reliability of music playing is further guaranteed since the music will not be played in the course of replacing the candle 4 or when the candle 4 is not yet lighted even with the presence of a stronger light.

Claims

1. An interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle includes a candle containing a fusible optical fiber wick, the fusible optical wick, a base, and a photosensitive device, a condensing chip disposed at where above the photosensitive device, and the fusible optical fiber is disposed in alignment with the condensing chip.

2. The interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle of claim 1, wherein the condensing chip is disposed on the upper surface of the base of the music candle.

3. The interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle of claim 1, wherein only the fusible fiber is exposed out of the lower surface of the candle in alignment with the condensing chip.

4. The interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle of claim 1, wherein a fireproof shade is disposed at the bottom of the candle and the fusible optical fiber penetrates a through hole provided on the fireproof shade in alignment with the condensing chip.

5. The interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle of claim 4, wherein the fusible optical fiber is tightly tied in with the through hole on the fireproof shade.

6. The interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle of claim 4, wherein the peripheral of the through hole on the fireproof shade is raised.

7. The interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle of claim 1, wherein, the condensing chip is provided on the fireproof shade.

8. The interchangeable photo-controlled electronic music candle of claim 1, wherein, an opening is provided on the upper surface of the music candle base; a source contact switch is disposed in the music candle base with the contact point of the switch penetrating through the opening on the upper surface of the music candle base and exposed out of the upper surface of the base of the music candle.