ADJUSTABLE CANDLE HOLDER

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention pertains to the general field of adjustable candle holders and more particularly to adjustable candle holders incorporating a self-centering mechanism that allows candles of various diameters to be securely gripped in a perpendicular position.

BACKGROUND ART Most candle holders are designed to firmly hold candles of one diameter only. There have however also been designs disclosed where the candle holder is fitted with a self- centering mechanism that grips candles of various diameters in a perpendicular position. Most of these mechanisms are very complicated and employ a plurality of different smaller parts like springs and the like and fastening elements.

The US patent US2246953 discloses a candle holder in which candles of various diameters may be supported and held in a vertical position in the candleholder. A mechanism is employed that includes a set of springed arms, levers, jaws and operating handles. The springed arms exert pressure on the levers which tend to close the jaws. When a candle is placed in the candleholder, the handles are pressed together to open the jaws. The candle is than inserted between the jaws and the handles are released to permit the jaws to close upon and hold the candle in place. This complicated design comprises a multitude of smaller pieces and fastening elements.

The US patent US4663203 shows an adjustable candle holder comprising a base having an upper section and a bottom section. The upper section incorporates a mechanism employing a set of rack and pinion assemblies having three clamping segments that expand and retract in a circular motion to increase or decrease the clamping diameter. The candle diameter desired is adjusted by holding the bottom section stationery and rotating the upper section. This design also comprises a multitude of smaller pieces and fastening elements.

Further, also US2163137 shows an adjustable candle holder, comprising a lower part, an upper part and a self-centering mechanism arranged to allow stub shaped devices, preferably candles, of various diameters to be securely gripped in a perpendicular position. However also this design presents some disadvantages, e.g. the use of members in the centering mechanism that facilitate relatively limited range of gripping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention is to provide an adjustable candle holder for a wide range of candle diameters with a strict minimum of separate pieces, with no spring elements, and without any fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable candle holder which is easy to assemble and to demount, e.g. for cleaning purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable candle holder which is substantially maintenance free.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable candle holder which is easy to manufacture at low cost.

The present invention, which provides a solution to the said technical problems, is characterised according to the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming part thereof and wherein:

Figure 1 shows in a perspective view a first embodiment of the candle holder according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows the candle holder according to figure 1 partly in section along the line

II - II. Figure 3 shows the embodiment of the candle holder according to figure 1 in a perspective view with the cover demounted. Figure 4 shows a section through the candle holder according to figure 3.

Figure 5 illustrates the mechanism for the diameter adjustment with the jaws in retracted position. Figure 6 illustrates the mechanism for the diameter adjustment with the jaws in approached position. Figure 7 shows in perspective view a second embodiment of the candle holder according to the invention.

Figure 8 shows the candle holder according to figure 7 partly in section along the line

II - II. Figure 9 shows the embodiment of the candle holder according to figure 7 in a perspective view with the cover demounted. Figure 10 shows a section through the candle holder according to figure 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will in the following be described as an adjustable candle holder having two jaws for gripping the candle. Variants of this idea could as will be seen be envisaged.

Figure 1 shows in a perspective view a first embodiment of the candle holder according to the invention. The candle holder comprises a lower part 101 and an upper part or cover 102 mounted on top of the lower part being possible to rotate clockwise and anti- clockwise between two end stops in relation to the lower part. The central part of the cover has an opening for the candle to be inserted. In figure 1 one of the gripping jaws 103 can be seen through the central opening.

Figure 2 shows the candle holder according to figure 1 partly in section along the line II - II. The cover 102 is mounted on the lower part 101 without any screws or other mounting devices. As a matter of fact the candle holder as a whole does not include any mounting devices, but is kept together by means of gravitation. A circular wall portion 107 reaching vertically downwards from the underside of the cover 102 close to its periphery fits into a co-operating circular groove 106 arranged in the lower part 101. This circular wall portion and the corresponding groove constitute the guiding means for the rotation of the cover on top of the lower part. At the bottom portion of the lower part is arranged a co-axial circular cavity 108 having a diameter in principle corresponding to the largest diameter of a candle to be inserted in the candle holder. Co- axially with the cavity 108 a smaller cavity 109 is arranged having a diameter in principle corresponding to the smallest diameter of a candle to be inserted in the candle holder. It should be noted that these two cavities are optional.

The jaw 103, the front portion of which can be seen in the figure, can slide in the radial direction on top of the inner bottom surface 116 of the lower part 101. In this movement the jaw 103 is guided by means of two guide bars 104, 105 arranged on each side of the jaw in parallel to the radius/straight line L along which the jaw is moving. The guide bars are formed by two vertical side walls protruding from the inner bottom surface 116.

It is shown that the total width w of the lower part is relatively large (preferably in the range of 70 - 150 mm, more preferred at least 80 mm, even more preferred at least 90 mm) In some applications the with w of the whole candle holder is substantially larger than the total height h2 thereof, which provides several advantages, e.g. that the candle holder stands very steady at the same time as it provides for space to allow for large movement of the jaws 103, 103'. Also the design is such a substantial part of the total height h2 is made up by the height hi of the lower part 101, thanks to the compact design wherein interacting details of it requires very little extra space by protruding into each other, i.e. the interacting, vertically extending centring portion 107 of the upper part 102 protrudes into a vertically extending groove 106 of the lower part 101 (which indeed may be designed vice-versa and achieving the same result) and the interacting, vertically extending guide members 112, 112' of the jaws 103, 103' (which will be explained more in detail below) protrudes into vertically extending grooves 115, 115' of the upper part 102 (which also will be explained more in detail below). Accordingly the design provides a candle holder that is vertically very compact. It is to be noted that by the definition vertically it is implicit that the candle holder is positioned in its intended "working position", i.e. standing on a flat horizontal surface such that the underside of the lower part 101 extends in the horizontal plane.

Figure 3 shows the embodiment of the candle holder according to figure 1 in a perspective view with the cover demounted. The two co-operating jaws 103 and 103' are shown in their retracted positions. As is clear from the figure the two jaws are using the same guide bars 104, 105. In order to give further stability to the sliding movement, and especially to avoid jamming, of the jaws an optional central guide bar 114, 114' cooperating with a central guide groove 113, 113' in each jaw can be arranged. On top of each jaw there is a guide member 112, 112' arranged, the operation of which will be described more in detail in connection to figures 5 and 6 below.

Figure 4 shows a section through the candle holder according to figure 3. The central guide groove 113' and the corresponding guide bar 114' are shown more in detail here. As is understood the central guide bar 114' will also constitute the end stop for the sliding movement of the jaw. In the figure the guide bar is touching the jaw at point 117.

From the figures 3 and 4 the extreme simplicity of the arrangement of the adjustable candle holder is also evident. In total it is only comprising four pieces, the lower part

101 which could be moulded in one piece, two jaws 103, 103' also preferably separately moulded and the cover 102.

The figures 5 and 6 illustrate the mechanism for the diameter adjustment with the jaws in retracted position, figure 5, and approached position, figure 6. On the underside of the cover 102 a first and a second spiral groove 115, 115' are arranged to co-operate with the guide members 112 and 112' respectively, preferably in such a manner that the end stops are provided by the ends of the grooves 115, 115', i.e. each end abutting and end of a guide member 112, 112', which provides for a more distinct stop than to use abutting parts between the jaws and the lower part. With both the jaws in fully retracted or approached position the guide members 112, 112' can slide into their respective spiral groove. In figure 5 the jaws are fully retracted allowing holding of a candle of a largest possible diameter, dl. If the cover is now rotated anti-clockwise the guide member 112 on the jaw 103 will glide along the spiral groove 115 thereby causing the jaw 103 to slide in the direction of the centre of the candle holder, to allow for holding a candle of smallest possible diameter d2. This movement of the jaw is guided as has been described above. The jaw 103' is for the same reasons carrying out a corresponding movement, preferably di > 1,5 d2,more preferred di > 2 d ₂ , wherein thanks to the design the difference between di - d ₂ may be larger than according to known designs. Preferably di - d ₂ is in the range of 20 - 60 mm, more preferred at least 25 mm, wherein preferably di is at least 15 mm and d ₂ is smaller than 120 mm, preferably smaller than 50 mm. In order to increase the contact surface between the jaw and the candle thereby additionally stabilising the candle the front surface of the jaw has been given a curvature according to the figures.

It has been the object of the invention to provide an adjustable candle holder which is as simple as possible and still efficient. Therefore only two jaws have been used in the embodiment described above. In most cases there will be no problem to fix and hold the candle in vertical position with such a candle holder. However, it could be envisaged to further ameliorate the holder by introducing a third jaw with a movement based on the same principles.

In the embodiment described above the jaws are not secured for vertical movement. One way to arrange this would be to design the central guide groove and the corresponding central guide bar with a dovetail or T section. Another way will be described in connection to the second embodiment in the following.

Figure 7 shows in perspective view a second embodiment of the candle holder according to the invention. In this embodiment the front end of the jaws 203, 203' have been provided with teeth to give a better grip on the candle. As before the holder comprises a lower portion 201 and a cover 202 which can be rotated as in the first embodiment.

Figure 8 shows the candle holder according to figure 7 partly in section along the line II - II. In this embodiment the cover 202 is supported and guided (i.e. centred) in the rotation by means of a cylindrical, outer wall portion 206 (facing outwards) interacting with a cylindrical wall portion 206 (facing inwards) of the lower part 201. The teeth 216, 217 and 218 at the front surface of the jaw 203 are clearly shown. For all possible diameters of the candle to be inserted these teeth will enter into contact with the inserted candle and contribute to the firm holding of the candle in the vertical position. At the lateral end portions of the jaws there is in this embodiment arranged a retention bar 224 which will be described more in detail in connection to the following figures.

Figure 9 shows the embodiment of the candle holder according to figure 7 in a perspective view with the cover demounted. The two co-operating jaws 203 and 203' are shown in an intermediate position between the fully retracted and the approached positions. Also in this case the same guiding means 204, 205 are used by the two jaws. As in the first embodiment an optional central guide bar 219, 219' co-operating with a central guide groove 220, 220' in each jaw can be arranged. The guide members 212, 212' have the same function as in the first embodiment.

In order to block the vertical movement of the jaws, retention bars 224 (cf. figure 10) have been arranged at the lateral end portions of the jaws 203, 203'. These bars each cooperate with a retention groove 223 arranged in the guiding means 204. The bar 224 only reaches along part of the length of the jaw. A vertically extending recess 221 in the vertical sidewall of the guiding means 204, having a length somewhat exceeding the length of the retention bar and opening up all the way from the top of the guiding means 204 down to the retention groove 223, makes it possible to enter one jaw after the other when mounting the candle holder. It should be noted that no screws or other fastening means are used in this embodiment either.

This embodiment too comprises only four elements. Both versions are very easy to take apart for cleaning e.g.

The skilled person realises that the invention is not limited by the embodiments described above, but that many changes may be made within the scope defined by the claims, e.g. that many of the shown interacting portions may be applied in an inverted manner and still provide the same function. Further it is evident that the function may also be achieved by fixing the upper part 102, 202 and rotating the lower part 101, 201. It is also evident that many different materials and many different sizes may be used without departing from the ambit of the invention, e.g. to fill specific customer related needs. Based on the same principles with appropriate dimensions and weight this "candle holder" can easily be designed for use as a foot for a Christmas tree. In that case the lower part will also serve as a water reservoir. Further, it is evident that the invention may also be beneficial in situations where it is positioned on a foot (e.g. to give it a more traditional look), in which case the total height of the candle holder + foot might be in the same range or indeed larger than the width. Moreover, even though the use of as little details as possible is preferable in most cases it might be situations, where the use of one or more fastening devices is desirable (without departing from the scope of invention), e.g. a snap-in retainer for the upper part 102 to keep in in place even if the holder is turned up-side down, (for example in connection with exhibition samples).