Self extinguishing candles and method of making same

Abstract

A self-extinguishing candle and method of making the candle are described. The self-extinguishing candle comprises a candle body formed of a candle base material and a flame retardant. The flame retardant is capable of extinguishing the candle flame or, alternatively, of controlling the candle flame.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A candle comprising: 
 a candle body comprising: 
 a candle base material;  
 a flame retardant; and  
 a wick,  
   wherein the flame retardant is substantially uniformly distributed throughout the candle body.    
     
     
         2 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the flame retardant is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic silica, liquid silicone, titanium dioxide, clay, diatomaceous earth, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the flame retardant is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, alumina trihydrate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, boric acid, antimony trioxide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the flame retardant is selected from the group consisting of tris-(1,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate, ammonium phosphate, bis(bromochloropropyl) bromochloropropyl phosphate, chlorinated paraffin, polybrominated diphenyloxide, decarbromophenoxybenzene, tetrabromobisphenol A, hexabromocyclododecane, tetrabromophthalic anhydride, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the candle body contains from about 0.01% to 50% by weight flame retardant.  
     
     
         6 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the candle body contains from about 0.05% to about 20% by weight flame retardant.  
     
     
         7 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the candle body contains from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight flame retardant  
     
     
         8 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the candle base material includes a wax.  
     
     
         9 . The candle of  claim 8  wherein the wax is selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, beeswax, animal wax, insect wax, vegetable wax, mineral wax, synthetic wax, polyethylene wax, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the candle base material includes a wax and a gelling agent.  
     
     
         11 . The candle of  claim 8  wherein the gelling agent is a di-block copolymer, tri-block copolymer, radial copolymer, star polymer, multi-block copolymer, a polyamide, an ester terminated polyamide, an amide terminated polyamide, polyamide derivatives, polybutadiene, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the candle base material includes a hydrocarbon oil.  
     
     
         13 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the candle body further comprises one or more soluble, partially soluble or insoluble embeds, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the flame retardant is present in at least a flame-extinguishing concentration.  
     
     
         15 . The candle of  claim 1  wherein the flame retardant is present in a flame-controlling amount.  
     
     
         16 . The candle of  claim 2  wherein the flame retardant restricts the flow of candle base material through the wick.  
     
     
         17 . A candle comprising: 
 a candle body having a lightable end and bottom end and comprising: 
 a candle base material;  
 a flame retardant; and  
 a wick,  
   wherein the flame retardant is distributed in the candle body in a gradient with a flame-extinguishing concentration of flame retardant at the bottom end and a lower concentration of flame retardant at the lightable end.    
     
     
         18 . The candle of  claim 17  wherein the flame retardant is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic silica, liquid silicone, titanium dioxide, clay, diatomaceous earth, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The candle of  claim 17  wherein the flame retardant is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, alumina trihydrate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, boric acid, antimony trioxide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The candle of  claim 17  wherein the flame retardant is selected from the group consisting of tris-(1,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate, ammonium phosphate, bis(bromochloropropyl) bromochloropropyl phosphate, chlorinated paraffin, polybrominated diphenyloxide, decarbromophenoxybenzene, tetrabromobisphenol A, hexabromocyclododecane, tetrabromophthalic anhydride, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The candle of  claim 17  wherein the candle base material includes a wax.  
     
     
         22 . The candle of  claim 21  wherein the wax is selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, beeswax, animal wax, insect wax, vegetable wax, mineral wax, synthetic wax, polyethylene wax, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The candle of  claim 17  wherein the candle base material includes a wax and a gelling agent.  
     
     
         24 . The candle of  claim 23  wherein the gelling agent is a di-block copolymer, tri-block copolymer, radial copolymer, star polymer, multi-block copolymer, a polyamide, an ester terminated polyamide, an amide terminated polyamide, polyamide derivatives, polybutadiene, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The candle of  claim 17  wherein the candle base material includes a hydrocarbon oil.  
     
     
         26 . The candle of  claim 17  wherein the candle body further comprises one or more soluble, partially soluble or insoluble embeds, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         27 . A candle comprising: 
 a candle body having a top lightable portion and a bottom portion wherein the top portion comprises a candle base material and the bottom portion comprises a candle base material and a flame retardant, and    a wick extending from the top lightable portion through at least part of the candle body.    
     
     
         28 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the flame retardant is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic silica, liquid silicone, titanium dioxide, clay, diatomaceous earth, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         29 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the flame retardant is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, alumina trihydrate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, boric acid, antimony trioxide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         30 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the flame retardant is selected from the group consisting of tris-(1,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate, ammonium phosphate, bis(bromochloropropyl) bromochloropropyl phosphate, chlorinated paraffin, polybrominated diphenyloxide, decarbromophenoxybenzene, tetrabromobisphenol A, hexabromocyclododecane, tetrabromophthalic anhydride, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         31 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the bottom portion of the candle body contains from about 0.01% to 50% by weight flame retardant.  
     
     
         32 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the bottom portion of the candle body contains from about 0.05% to about 20% by weight flame retardant.  
     
     
         33 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the bottom portion of the candle body contains from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight flame retardant  
     
     
         34 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the candle base material includes a wax.  
     
     
         35 . The candle of  claim 34  wherein the wax is selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, beeswax, animal wax, insect wax, vegetable wax, mineral wax, synthetic wax, polyethylene wax, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the candle base material includes a wax and a gelling agent.  
     
     
         37 . The candle of  claim 36  wherein the gelling agent is a di-block copolymer, tri-block copolymer, radial copolymer, star polymer, multi-block copolymer, a polyamide, an ester terminated polyamide, an amide terminated polyamide, polyamide derivatives, polybutadiene, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         38 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the candle base material includes a hydrocarbon oil.  
     
     
         39 . The candle of  claim 27  wherein the candle body further comprises one or more soluble, partially soluble or insoluble embeds, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         40 . The candle of  claim 28  wherein the flame retardant restricts the flow of candle base material through the wick.