Melting plate with capillary lobe having a peaked apex and complementary fuel element for a candle assembly

Abstract

A candle assembly is disclosed including a melting plate and a fuel element. The melting plate includes a bottom wall and a capillary lobe having a peaked apex protruding upwardly therefrom. The fuel element includes a bottom surface having a depression therein for receiving the peaked apex. The peaked apex may take many forms, such as hemispherical, conical, egg shaped, pyramidal, etc., and may have a pointed apex or a rounded apex. The depression in the fuel element may be complementary to the capillary lobe such that a capillary space is disposed therebetween and a portion of the bottom surface of the fuel element is in thermal communication with a portion of the bottom wall surrounding the capillary lobe.

1 . A melting plate for a melting plate candle assembly, the melting plate comprising: 
 a thermally transmissive bottom wall; and    a capillary lobe protruding upwardly from a low point of the bottom wall, the capillary lobe having a peaked apex.    
   
   
       2 . The melting plate of  claim 1 , wherein the capillary lobe is generally conical.  
   
   
       3 . The melting plate of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall is generally dished shaped.  
   
   
       4 . The melting plate of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom wall is generally concave shaped.  
   
   
       5 . The melting plate of  claim 1 , wherein the capillary lobe has a substantially smooth outer surface.  
   
   
       6 . The melting plate of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall and the capillary lobe are formed of a metallic material.  
   
   
       7 . A fuel element for use with a melting plate having a capillary lobe with a peaked apex protruding upwardly from a bottom wall thereof, the fuel element comprising: 
 a fuel charge having a depression disposed in a lower surface thereof;    wherein the depression is adapted to receive the capillary lobe therein.    
   
   
       8 . The fuel element of  claim 7 , wherein the fuel charge is shaped to be in thermal communication with the bottom wall when the capillary lobe is received in the depression.  
   
   
       9 . The fuel element of  claim 8 , wherein the depression is substantially complementary to the capillary lobe such that the lower surface may be disposed on the bottom wall when the capillary lobe is disposed in the depression.  
   
   
       10 . The fuel element of  claim 7 , wherein the depression is conically shaped.  
   
   
       11 . The fuel element of  claim 7 , further comprising a wick holder at least partly surrounded by the fuel charge, the wick holder including a base portion; 
 wherein the base portion forms a portion of the depression.    
   
   
       12 . The fuel element of  claim 11 , wherein the base portion includes a peripheral skirt, the peripheral skirt at least partly defining the depression.  
   
   
       13 . The fuel element of  claim 12 , wherein the peripheral skirt is substantially conically shaped.  
   
   
       14 . The fuel element of  claim 11 , wherein the base portion is sized to form a capillary space between the base portion and the capillary lobe when the capillary lobe is received in the depression, the capillary space extending between a wick receiver extending from the base portion and a location adjacent the bottom wall.  
   
   
       15 . The fuel element of  claim 11 , wherein the wick holder includes a heat conductive fin extending between the base portion and a location proximate a flame location on a wick carried by a wick receiver.  
   
   
       16 . The fuel element of  claim 11 , wherein the wick holder is formed substantially of a heat conductive material.  
   
   
       17 . A candle assembly comprising: 
 a support plate including a capillary lobe projecting upwardly from a bottom wall, the capillary lobe having a peaked apex; and    a fuel element including a depression in a lower surface thereof;    wherein a portion of the lower surface is in thermal communication with the bottom wall and the peaked apex is disposed in the depression.    
   
   
       18 . The candle assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the capillary lobe is substantially conically shaped.  
   
   
       19 . The candle assembly of  claim 17 , wherein a capillary space is disposed between the depression and the capillary lobe, the capillary space extending from a location proximate the bottom wall to a wick disposed in the fuel element.  
   
   
       20 . The candle assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising a magnet disposed proximate the capillary lobe, the magnet magnetically engaging a portion of the fuel element.