U.S. patent application number 09/933481 was filed with the patent office on 2003-02-20 for outdoor lamp with adjustable wick.
Invention is credited to Doppelt, Jerald.
Application Number | 20030036030 09/933481 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25464048 |
Filed Date | 2003-02-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030036030 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Doppelt, Jerald |
February 20, 2003 |
Outdoor lamp with adjustable wick
Abstract
The invention pertains to an outdoor lamp with an adjustable
wick. The fluid fuel is contained within a canister that is
positioned within a conventional lamp holder. Within the cover of
the lamp holder is a grooved rotating wheel that is in contact with
the wick. A support shaft is connected to the rotating wheel and
extends outside of the cover. Rotation of the shaft causes rotation
of the wheel, whereby the wick is moved up and down to change the
amount of the wick that is within the reservoir of the fluid
fuel.
Inventors: |
Doppelt, Jerald; (North
Caldwell, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRUCE E. LILLING
LILLING & LILLING P.C.
P.O. BOX 560
GOLDEN BRIDGE
NY
10526
US
|
Family ID: |
25464048 |
Appl. No.: |
09/933481 |
Filed: |
August 20, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
431/316 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23D 3/30 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
431/316 |
International
Class: |
F23D 003/28 |
Claims
I claim:
1. An outdoor lamp containing a removable and replaceable canister
of fluid fuel, a lamp holder in which said canister is removably
contained, a cover for said lamp holder and a wick that extends
through said cover and into said fluid fuel within said canister,
wherein the improvement comprises said lamp cover including a stem
extending downward from the top of said cover towards the interior
of said cover and an elongate slot being defined along a
longitudinal surface of said stem, support plates secured to said
stem and extending in a direction that is perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis of said stem and each supporting plate including
a locating hole which are in alignment, a support shaft positioned
within said locating holes of said supporting plates and having a
first end extending out of said cover and including a gripping
surface, and a grooved rotating wheel supported by said support
shaft, wherein said grooved wheel rotates partially within said
elongate slot and portions of said grooved wheel contact said wick,
whereby rotation of said shaft causes rotation of said grooved
wheel and up and downward movement of said wick.
2. An outdoor lamp comprising a removable and replaceable canister
of fluid fuel and a lamp cover that is removably affixed to said
canister of fluid fuel, wherein the improvement comprises said lamp
cover including a central stem extending internally along the
length of said lamp cover and said stem having a central passageway
in alignment with an opening in said canister; a wick orientated
and positioned within said central stem with one end of said wick
being suspended within an interior of said canister and a second
end of said wick extending upward through said stem and out from
the top of said lamp cover; a grooved, rotating wheel secured
within said lamp cover and teeth of said rotating wheel extending
into said stem and contacting said wick; and, a shaft secured to
said rotating wheel and extending out from said lamp cover, whereby
rotation of said shaft causes rotation of said rotating wheel and
thereby causes vertical movement up and down of said wick.
3. An outdoor lamp according to claim 2, further comprising a globe
fitted over said lamp cover.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to the outdoor recreational and
leisure industry and, in particular, to insecticide and decorative
lamps with adjustable wicks for lighting and decorative
purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] With increasing frequency, people have returned to outdoor
recreation, as they have done in former days. Outdoor activities,
including barbecue parties, picnics, etc., have become ever more
popular social activities.
[0003] One problem is that there frequently can be a lack of
sufficient lighting outdoors. This can be due to inclement weather
or due to excessive tree cover which is blocking the lighting.
Further, during twilight or evening hours, light is necessarily
reduced. Other times, there may be an interest in lighting for
ambience. Thus, there is a need for a simple and easy to use device
for creating effect lighting or full lighting.
[0004] Further, when torch lamps are used outdoors, they are
typically not adjustable. Lamps on poles typically use screw on
fuel canisters, thereby preventing adjustment of the flame. Thus,
as the lighting changes, it is difficult to change the emitted
light. The table lighting fixtures that do have adjustability are
generally very complicated and expensive and are not easy to use.
In such lamps, the fuel chamber is in the base of the lamp and must
be refilled by pouring additional fuel trough the opening.
[0005] There is currently no device known in the market, where
there is both an adjustable wick and also a removable canister to
facilitate adding fuel.
[0006] Another problem with outdoor activities is that insects and
bugs in general can be an annoying problem. This is especially true
in the last afternoon and early evening. As the sun is setting,
bugs and insects become an increasing problem.
[0007] One of the ways that is known in the industry for partially
eliminating the problem is to use insect lamps or candles. These
are typically made of insect repellant materials, such as
Citronella. When such candles burn, they emit an insecticide into
the area in the vicinity of the candle. This serves to repel and to
kill insects and bugs that come within the zone of the lamp. A
problem with the insect lamps currently available is that they do
not have an adjustable wick. Therefore, the wick and the flame
cannot be adjusted and the candle can be used at only a certain
level.
[0008] So-called hurricane lamps with adjustable wicks are known,
but they come as a self-contained unit and the reservoir within the
lamp must be continually filled. Another disadvantage of these
lamps is that they are made to sit on a flat surface, such as a
table, and are not generally designed for use on top of a pole or
other support outdoors.
[0009] There are also outdoor lamps with built in canisters for
fuel, but the wicks are not adjustable. In addition to the wicks
not being adjustable, these lamps suffer from the disadvantage that
they cannot be refilled once the fuel canister is emptied.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Therefore, it is an object of the instant invention to
provide an outdoor lamp with both an adjustable wick and a
removable, replaceable fuel canister. By this means, the level of
the wick and the flame can be adjusted to provide different levels
of burning of the outdoor lamp.
[0011] Another object is to provide an outdoor lamp, which can be
fitted onto any canister of fluid fuel. By this means, when a fuel
canister is emptied, the lamp mechanism can be lifted from the now
empty canister and easily secured on top of a new canister with a
full supply of fuel.
[0012] The outdoor lamp of this invention includes a fluid fuel
that is contained in any conventional container. The cover for the
container includes a through opening for the wick. A grooved,
rotating wheel is in contact with the wick. Rotation of the wheel
necessarily causes movement of the wick up and down and thus
permits adjustability of the illumination of the lamp. By a shaft,
the grooved rotating wheel is connected with a screw on the outside
of the cover. Thus, rotation of the screw causes rotation of the
grooved wheel and thus movement of the wick to change the
illumination level of the lamp.
[0013] If Citronella or another appropriate fluid is used as the
fluid liquid, then the outdoor lamp may also have an effect of
dispensing insecticide into the ambient air.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outdoor lamp with an
adjustable wick that is the subject of this invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cover for the outdoor
lamp and showing the mechanism for adjusting the wick.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a side, elevational view, partially in section,
showing the outdoor lamp and the mechanism by which the wick is
adjusted.
[0017] FIG. 4 is an enlarged, elevational, cross-sectional view of
the cover and showing the mechanism by which the wick is
adjusted.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a bottom, plan view of the cover for the outdoor
lamp with an adjustable wick.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The instant invention is designed to work with any fluid
fuel, such as liquid paraffin, that may be used in a lamp. When an
insecticide benefit is desired, Citronella or similar fluids may be
used.
[0020] In the preferred embodiment, the fluid fuel is contained in
a conventional container 12. The canister may be of any
conventional size and shape and a standard plastic or metal bottle
may be used for this purpose. As shown in the preferred embodiment,
the canister is a typical round bottle with a flat bottom and a
tubular shape. At its top end, the canister 12 has a neck 22 for
connection with the outdoor lamp. The neck of the canister
necessarily contains a through channel to permit passage of the
wick 20 for contact with the fluid fuel within the canister.
[0021] As is typical of most outdoor lamps, there is a lamp holder
14 in which the canister 12 of fuel is contained. As contemplated
in the preferred embodiment, the lamp holder 14 may be a truncated
cone with an angled tubular body. It has a closed bottom 24 and is
supported by a pole 16. In alternate embodiments, a standard
outdoor pole may be used and embedded in the ground, and have a
receptacle at its upper end for securement and positioning of the
canister.
[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, as is known in the industry,
the pole 16 may be secured to the bottom 24 of the lamp holder 14
in any conventional manner. In one version, the pole may have a
threaded end that is inserted into a threaded socket on the bottom
24 of the lamp holder. Any other conventional means for attaching
the pole may be used.
[0023] At any appropriate location the pole 16 is inserted into the
ground in any suitable manner. In many cases, the end of the pole
may be profiled, so as to facilitate insertion into the ground. In
some cases, it may be desirable to install the bottom of the pole
in a permanent holder within the ground, such as a concrete or
cement foundation. Other times, the bottom of the pole may be
secured in a weighted stand for stability, but which can be moved
from location to location.
[0024] The interior of the lamp pole 14 is shaped and configured to
hold any desired canister of fluid fuel. The top 26 of the lamp
holder 14 is open for easy removal and replacement of the canister
of fluid fuel. A cover 18 is provided to secure the canister within
the lamp holder.
[0025] The cover may be secured to a lamp holder in any
conventional manner. As shown in the preferred embodiment, the
cover 18 includes a flange 28 around its lower section. This
engages with the top 26 of the lamp holder 14 to hold the cover
securely on the lamp holder. In other embodiments, it may be
desirable for both surfaces to be threaded, so that the cover can
be "screwed onto" the lamp holder, as a conventional lid is secured
to a bottle. In some embodiments, it will be desirable for the
canister to sit within the lamp holder and to not be secured in any
manner to the cover.
[0026] In the preferred embodiment, however, the canister is
secured to the lamp holder in order to provide a better connection
between the wick and the fluid fuel. For this purpose, there is a
stem 30 that is provided on the inside of the lamp cover 18 and
which has a through channel which is continuous with an opening in
the neck 32 on the top surface of the cover. The wick 20 is
positioned within the central channel of the neck 32 and stem 30
and extends upward and outward from the top of the canister and its
other end engages the fluid fuel within the canister.
[0027] As desired, any type of protective globe may be used to
surround the wick, so as to provide a lamp effect.
[0028] The stem 30 has an elongate slot 34 that runs along its
length. Support plates 36 are secured to the stem and extend in a
direction perpendicular to the central axis of the stem. Locating
holes 38 are placed in the support plates. Supported within the
support plates is a shaft 40, which extends through the locating
holes and is supported by both support plates. One end of the shaft
extends through the cover and an enlarged head 42 is made integral
with it. Located on the shaft between the support plates and in
alignment with the slot 34 is a rotating, grooved wheel 44. The
wheel is secured on the shaft, so as to be capable of rotation as
the shaft is rotated.
[0029] The user of the device can rotate the enlarged head 42 of
the shaft, which is on the outer end of the cover. In some
embodiments, the enlarged head may be knurled, so as to facilitate
this process. Rotation can be in either a clockwise or a counter
clockwise direction, depending on whether it is intended to extend
the wick or to reduce it.
[0030] Necessarily, rotation of the head and the shaft causes
rotation of the grooved wheel. As the wheel is aligned with the
slot in the stem, some portion of the wheel passes through to the
interior of the stem and securely comes in contact with the wick.
As the grooved wheel is rotated, its teeth come into contact with
the wick and thereby cause up and down movement of the wick.
[0031] In cases where an insecticide lamp is desired, a fluid
insecticide may be used as the fluid fuel. In most cases, the
preferred fluid insecticide is Citronella, which is commonly used
in the industry as an insecticide.
[0032] Citronella is a tropical grass that is the primary source of
Citronella Oil. Citronella Oils are yellowish oils and are commonly
used as insect repellants. It is well known in the industry that by
inserting a wick into Citronella Oil, a lamp can be created. By
this means, the Citronella Oil "burns," and is permeated into the
atmosphere. This increases the insecticide effect of the Citronella
Oil over a much wider area.
[0033] Rotation of the head of the shaft in a counter clockwise
direction causes vertical movement of the wick in the opposite
direction, so that a lesser portion of the wick is immersed within
the fluid fuel. As is known in the industry, when a greater portion
of the wick is contained within the fluid, the flame burns more
brightly. By this means, the wick and the flame can be adjusted to
an appropriate level.
[0034] The invention is described in detail with reference to a
particular embodiment, but it should be understood that other
various modifications can be effected and still be within the
spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *