JP3321656B2 - Thermochromic device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermochromic device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a thermochromic device that heats or cools a thermochromic object to cause thermochromic discoloration.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of thermochromic device, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-80595 discloses a thermochromic material accommodated in a metal bottomed cylinder, and a metal bottomed cylinder surrounding the metal bottomed cylinder. The structure which cools a refrigerant | coolant with a refrigerant | coolant is disclosed.

However, in the conventional thermochromic device, since the heat is transferred from the heat medium to the thermochromic material through the wall of the metal bottomed cylinder and the air in the cylinder, the thermochromic material is removed. fully Ri took time to discoloration and thermal discoloration was not reliable.

Further, the above-mentioned conventional configuration merely enjoys thermal discoloration, and the apparatus itself does not move.
Lack of visual fun.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is possible to quickly and surely heat-discolor a thermochromic object. It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermochromic device capable of enjoying its own unique movement.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a thermochromic material 9 is provided.
Thermochromic discoloration caused by cooling or heating
In the apparatus, the water tank 2 for accommodating the liquid heat medium 8 is provided.
The buoyancy is obtained from the liquid heating medium 8 and the liquid heating medium 8 can be moved up and down in the water tank 2.
Float 3 on which thermochromic material 9 is placed on the upper surface
Float 3 is detachable from the float 3
The weight 4 is provided for lowering operation.
After the sink of the plate 3, a thermochromic device that can stop against the upper end of the water tank 2
Requirement 1

[0007]

It is effective to provide a gap 5 between the outer circumference of the float 3 and the inner circumference of the water tank 2 for controlling the speed of the float 3 floating and sinking operation.

Further, it is preferable that a guide portion 6 that slides up and down with the float 3 is provided on the inner wall of the water tank 2. Specifically, the guide part 6 is a rod-shaped body projecting upward from the lower part of the water tank 2, and a cylindrical part having an inner hole 71 into which the guide part 6 (rod-shaped body) is loosely inserted in the float 3. 7, or the guide part 6 is an inner peripheral wall of the water tank 2,
A configuration in which the outer periphery of the float 3 slides is exemplified. Further, the guide portion 6 may be provided with a groove 61 or a ridge 62 for controlling the rotation of the float 3 and engaged with the float 3.

The thermochromic material 9 applied in the present invention is:
A toy element is preferable. Specifically, accessory toys (earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, pendants, brooches, hair ornaments, crowns, etc. for toddlers or dolls) and decorative elements (simulated) detachable from the accessory toys Jewelry and the like). Further, the thermochromic material 9
Has a discoloring portion 91 partially or entirely, and the discoloring portion 91 is effective if it has a thermochromic layer on its surface or is made of a synthetic resin mixed with a thermochromic composition. .

The float may be, for example, a plastic foam (eg, styrene foam), wood, or a plastic or metal hollow body.

The weight may be any as long as it functions as a weight, but it is preferable that the weight has a relatively large weight. Specifically, a structure integrally formed of metal or a metal body is partially used. And the like.

The liquid heat medium 8 includes, for example, cold water, warm water, ice water and the like.

[0014]

[Function] After placing the thermochromic material 9 on the upper surface of the float 3,
By attaching the weight 4 to the float 3, the float 3 sinks downward against buoyancy, and the thermochromic material 9 is immersed in the liquid heat medium 8. At this time, the heat discolored material 9 is instantaneously and reliably discolored by direct contact of the liquid heat medium 8.

[0015] Then, when removing the float 3 or weight body 4, the float 3 rises due to buoyancy, to appear thermochromic substance 9 from the liquid surface, thereby visually developed state. This allows
Along with the thermal discoloration, the unique movement of the float 3 by the up-and-down floating operation can be enjoyed.

The weight 4 after sedimentation of the float 3, is衝止aquarium 2 upper, since no sinking weight 4 to the heat transfer liquid 8 in, when removing the weight 4 from the float 3, the hand Is not put into the liquid heat medium 8 and wetted, so that the weight 4 can be easily removed.

The gap 3 provided between the outer periphery of the float 3 and the inner periphery of the water tank 2 allows the float 3 to move up and down in the water tank 2, and furthermore, the gap 5 allows the flow of the liquid heat medium 8. The resistance can be used to control the speed of the up and down operation of the float 3 and the desired up and down speed can be set freely.

The guide portion 6 prevents the float 3 from inclining or overturning, and stabilizes the float 3's up and down movement.

[0019]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention.

A liquid heating medium 8 is placed in the bottomed cylindrical water tank 2.
(Here, cold water). At the center of the bottom of the water tank 2, a guide portion 6 made of a rod-like body is protruded.
A disc-shaped float 3 made of a plastic foam is disposed in the water tank 2 so as to be movable up and down, and floats on the liquid surface of the liquid heat medium 8 by buoyancy before the operation. The float 3 has a tubular portion 7 projecting from the center, and the guide portion 6 is loosely inserted into an inner hole 71 of the tubular portion 7.

The float 3 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the water tank 2, and a gap 5 is formed between the outer circumference of the float 3 and the inner circumference of the water tank 2. The gap 5 controls the speed of the up and down movement of the float 3 by the flow resistance of the liquid heat medium 8. That is, if the gap 5 is made small, the up and down movement of the float 3 becomes slow, while When the gap 5 is increased, the float 3
The up and down operation of the vehicle becomes quick.

The weight 4 is made of a synthetic resin lid member 4 for the water tank 2.
1, a metal spherical handle 42 at the upper center, and a metal connecting projection 43 at the lower center are integrally assembled. The connection convex portion 43 can be fitted into an upper end opening of the cylindrical portion 7 protruding upward from the float 3. Further, the lower end of the lid member 41 can abut on the upper end edge of the water tank 2. still,
In this embodiment, a ring-shaped accessory toy such as a bracelet, a crown, a necklace or the like is employed as the thermochromic material 9.

FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 show the operation process of this embodiment, which will be described below in order. After placing the thermochromic material 9 before discoloration on the float 3 upper surface, the weight 4
Is attached to the upper end of the cylindrical portion 7 of the float 3 (FIG. 2). Due to the weight of the weight 4, the float 3 is gradually settled, and the thermochromic material 9 is immersed in the liquid heat medium 8, so that the color changing portion 91 of the thermochromic material 9 is thermochromic.
At this time, the lower end of the lid member 41 of the weight 4 is stopped by the upper end edge of the water tank 2. At the same time, in this embodiment,
Since the rear end of the cylindrical portion 7 protruding from the lower portion of the float 3 is in contact with the bottom wall of the water tank 2, the float 3 does not rattle up and down (FIG. 3). Next, when the weight 4 is quickly removed from the upper part of the water tank 2, the float 3 floats, and the thermochromic material 9 having the color changing portion 91 in the color changing state is exposed from the liquid heat medium 8. At this time, the user enjoys the operation such that the heat discoloration object 9 automatically appears together with the heat discoloration. (FIG. 4).

Further, in this embodiment, the thermochromic material 9 is directly mounted on the upper surface of the float 3, but may be mounted on another member provided on the float 3. In addition, mounting means for temporarily fixing the thermochromic material 9 not only on the float 3 but also temporarily fixing the thermochromic material 9 or the float 3
Can also be provided. The configuration in which the attachment means is provided is effective when a thermochromic material 9 having buoyancy in the liquid heat medium 8 is applied.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the float 3. A propeller 31 is provided on the outer periphery of the disk-shaped float 3.
(Or a screw) is provided. This allows
In the course of the up / down operation, the float 3 can be rotated by the liquid heat medium 8 flowing in the gap 5 between the outer periphery of the float 3 and the inner periphery of the water tank 2, so that a more unique movement can be enjoyed.

FIG. 6 shows a modification for performing the same rotation operation as in FIG. In this case, a spiral groove 61 is provided on the outer periphery of the guide portion 6 made of a rod-like body, and a protrusion (not shown) engaging with the groove 61 is formed on the inner surface of the inner hole 71 of the cylindrical portion 7.
Is provided.

FIG. 7 shows a guide portion 6 provided on the inner peripheral wall of the water tank 2.
Here is another example. Two ridges 62 are provided on the inner peripheral wall of the water tank 2 in the vertical direction.
Is provided with a concave groove 32 to be engaged. This allows
Unstable rotation of the float 3 during the floating operation and the suspension of the floating operation is prevented.

FIGS. 8 to 11 illustrate the action of the gap 5 formed between the outer circumference of the float 3 and the inner circumference of the water tank 2 for controlling the speed of the float 3 operation.
These configurations can be appropriately adopted in the above embodiment.

In FIG. 8, the gap 5 is constant with respect to the vertical movement of the float 3 in the water tank 2. Therefore, the floating speed of the float 3 is also constant.

In FIG. 9, the gap 5 becomes smaller as the float 3 moves downward with respect to the water tank 2. That is, since the flow resistance of the liquid heat medium 8 in the gap 5 becomes larger as it goes downward, the sedimentation speed of the float 3 becomes gradually lower as it sinks, while the floating speed of the float 3 becomes gradually higher as it floats. Become.

In FIG. 10, the gap 5 increases as the float 3 moves downward with respect to the water tank 2. Therefore, the sedimentation speed of the float 3 becomes gradually higher as it descends, while the floating speed of the float 3 becomes gradually lower as it floats. That is, the operation is opposite to that of FIG.

In FIG. 11, the enlarged diameter portion 21 is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the water tank 2.
Is formed. The gap 5 is formed such that a portion formed by the enlarged diameter portion 21 is larger than other portions, and
The flotation speed temporarily increases at that point.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, the thermochromic material is rapidly and surely thermochromic by direct contact with the liquid heating medium. In addition, a unique movement of the device itself can be enjoyed together with the thermal discoloration.

In addition, since the weight is stopped at the upper end of the water tank after the float is settled, the weight is not sunk into the liquid heat medium. It is easy to remove the weight body without getting wet.

Also, by providing a gap between the outer periphery of the float and the inner periphery of the water tank, the speed of the up and down operation of the float can be controlled by utilizing the flow resistance of the liquid heat medium, and the desired floating speed can be freely adjusted. It can be set.

In addition, with the structure in which the guide part which slides up and down with the float is provided on the inner wall of the water tank, the float is prevented from being tilted or overturned, and the float can be stably moved up and down.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view before the float of FIG. 1 is settled.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view after the float of FIG. 1 has settled.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view after the float of FIG. 1 floats.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a modification of the float.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a modification of the guide section.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a modification of the guide unit.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the action of a gap formed between the outer periphery of the float and the inner periphery of the water tank.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the action of a gap formed between the outer periphery of the float and the inner periphery of the water tank.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of a gap formed between the outer periphery of the float and the inner periphery of the water tank.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of a gap formed between the outer periphery of the float and the inner periphery of the water tank.

[Explanation of Signs] 1 Thermochromic device 2 Water tank 21 Large diameter section 3 Float 31 Propeller 32 Concave groove 4 Weight 41 Cover member 42 Handle 43 Linking convex part 5 Gap 6 Guide part 61 Groove 62 Protrusion 7 Inside cylindrical part 71 Hole 8 Liquid heat medium 9 Thermal discolored material 91 Discolored part

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A thermochromic device for thermochromic discoloration by cooling or heating a thermochromic material (9), wherein a water tank (2) for accommodating a liquid heat medium (8) and a buoyancy from the liquid heat medium (8). And a float (3) which is vertically movable within the water tank (2) and on which the thermochromic material (9) is placed , and which is detachable from the float (3).
A weight body (4) for causing the plate (3) to settle,
After the sinking of the float (3), the weight (4) is
(2) A thermochromic device characterized in that it can be stopped at the upper end . 2. An outer periphery of the float (3) and the water tank.
(2) Between the inner circumference, the speed of float (3)
A gap (5) for controlling the mode is provided.
The thermochromic device according to claim 1. 3. A gutter which slides up and down with said float (3).
The id portion (6) is provided on the inner wall of the water tank (2).
The thermochromic device according to claim 1. 4. The guide part (6) is located under a water tank (2).
A rod-shaped body protruding upward from the guide part (6)
Float the cylindrical part (7) with the inserted inner hole (71)
4. The heat discoloration according to claim 3, wherein the heat discoloration is provided in (3).
apparatus. 5. The inner peripheral wall of the water tank (2).
Characterized in that it slides on the outer periphery of the float (3).
The thermochromic device according to claim 3, wherein