GB2141166A

GB2141166A - Variable colour panel assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2141166A
Application number: GB08315850A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wei-Chi Cheng
Original assignee: CHENG WEI CHI
Current assignee: CHENG WEI CHI
Priority date: 1983-06-09
Filing date: 1983-06-09
Publication date: 1984-12-12
Also published as: GB8315850D0

Abstract

A window or door panel A, consists of two layers 1 of transparent material, between which coloured or colourless liquid can be supplied so as to provide a sun-shade or light screen or merely to serve a decorative function. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Variable colour panel assembly This invention relates to a variable colour panel assembly including a panel which may serve, for example, as a window or door.

In some parts of the world, in order to reflect sunlight and/or reduce its transmission through glass windows or doors of houses, automobiles or trains, it is known to put a coloured lining between double-glazing or affix coloured paper to the surface of the glass. The chief drawback of this is that the coloured lining or paper cannot be removed at will when it-is not needed so that the outside scene cannot be viewed in its natural colour.

An object of this invention is to. provide a readily changeable coloured light-transmitting panel in which the colour can also be removed any time to recover the original state of a clear transparent panel.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a variable colour panel assembly comprising a panel consisting of at least two layers of transparent material with a space therebetween and means for interchangeably supplying colourless or coloured transparent liquid to said space so that said panel may serve as a normal colourless window or as a sun-shade or decorative colour panel respectively as and when required.

In a preferred practical embodiment two pieces of glass or any transparent material of predetermined size are put together in parallel and with a gap of about 3mm to 6mm between them. At the bottom, there is a hole for outlet or inlet of liquid. At the top, there is a ventilation orifice. The remaining edges of the glass are tightly sealed up. The hole is connected by a pipe, for example, a PVC pipe, with two liquid containers. One container is filled with coloured liquid while the other is filled with transparent liquid. Usually the space between two pieces of glass is filled with the transparent liquid. However, whenever the glass window or door needs to be covered or to serve as a sun-shade, the colourless transparent liquid will be drained out and the space refilled with the coloured liquid.

Conversely, when there is no need for the above purpose, the coloured liquid can be replaced again by colourless transparent liquid.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a preferred embodiment of the panel assembly of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a cross-section along the line X-X of Fig. 1.

As illustrated, two parallel panes of glass 1, 1, or any other transparent material, of a predetermined size are placed together to form a window or door panel or glass shade A. Between the panes 1, 1 is a narrow gap or space 2 approximately 3mm to 6mm wide.

The edges of the glass panel or shade A are tightly sealed up except for a number of holes, for reasons to be explained. At one side of the bottom of the panel A, a soft plastics pipe 3 is installed as an inlet or outlet for liquid. The bottom 4 of the panel or shade A inclines slightly to one side to enable liquid to drain out of the space 2 via the pipe 3.

Another soft plastics pipe 5 is installed at the other side of the panel or shade A and one end thereof extends to the top corner of the space 2. The other end of the pipe 5 is connected to a liquid container 8. This soft pipe 5 need not necessarily be located in the space 2. In the case of a panel or glass shade having a fixed frame, it can, for example, be installed as shown at 6 in Fig. 1. However, in the case of a panel or shade without a frame, for example a panel forming a movable window of an automobile, the pipe 5 must be installed as shown at 5. The pipe 5 or 6 is ued to permit the air in the space 2 to leave as the liquid is filled into the space 2. As liquid is drained out from the space 2 the air again enters through the said pipe 5 or 6.The pipe 5 or 6 has another function, namely allowing liquid to spill out into a container when the room temperature rises and the liquid volume expands.

In the illustrated embodiment there is a first container 7 for colourless liquid and a second container 8 for coloured liquid. Respective pumps 9, 10 for the inlet and outlet of liquid via the pipe 9 are driven by respective motors 11, 12 and have respective switches 13, 14.

There is also a guide valve 15. The apparatus may be provided with timer relays, electromagnetic switches, press buttons and so on so that it's operation can be automatically controlled.

The pump switches 13, 14 each have three positions. The first position corresponds to opening of the inlet and outlet, the second to closing of same, and the third to exchange between inlet and outlet function. When power is switched on and the switch 13 is in first position, the electric motor 11 drives the pump 9 to cause the colourless transparent liquid in the container 7 to flow into the space 2. When the space 2 is filled up with the liquid, a timer relay will cut off the power supply, and at the same time the switch 13 is moved into its second position at which the pump 9 is shut off to stop the liquid flow.

When the coloured liquid is intended to be filled in the space 2, a button is pressed to cause the switch 13 to move to its third position. The colourless liquid will then drain back to the container 7. As it just finishes draining, the timer relay cuts off the power supply to the motor 11 and the switch 13 returns to its second position thereby closing the inlet/outlet. The relay then diverts the current to drive the guide valve 15 so as to permit the coloured liquid in the container 8 to start flowing into the space 2 by the action of the pump 10. After the space 2 is filled up again, the timer relay may cut off the operation of the motor 12. Also the switch 14 in the pump 10 automatically switches to its second position so as to stop the liquid flow.

If space is available for the concealment of containers above or in the upper region of the glass panes 1, the aforesaid liquid containers can be installed there. In this instance another two empty containers may be stored under the panel or glass shade A. An electro-magnetic valve (not shown) may be provided to let the transparent or coloured liquid flow downwards into the space 2 automatically. Also, in order to remove the liquid from the space 2, the electro-magnetic valve may be opened to let the liquid flow into the container. When the containers under the panel or shade are filled up, th pump(s) may open automatically and suck the liquid back into the containers at the top of the panel or shade. The timer relay can be used to determine whether the liquid is being filled into or drained from the space by the electro-magnetic valve.

The above mentioned equipment also can be manually operated by setting up a handoperated valve. The liquid containers at the underside, when filled up, can be exchanged with the empty ones at the top.

In further embodiments the panel or shade may be made of three layers of glass with two separated narrow spaces between them and there may be a variety of liquid colours. For example, the first space may be filled with blue liquid and the other filled with red liquid so that the panel or glass shade appears a purple colour. If the two spaces are filled with the same colour liquid, the panel or glass shade will appear to have a deeper colour.

Therefore the colour may vary in depth, at will, by such adjustment.

If three or more containers with different colour liquids are available a single space may contain different colours at different times.

The space may have stains left after the coloured liquid is drained off such that the transparent liquid become tinged with colour after several colour changes. In such instance, the current transparent liquid should be replaced by fresh transparent liquid. Similarly, after being used many times, the coloured liquid may become lighter in colour so that it has to be replaced by new liquid.

If the whole equipment is installed in a vehicle, it is easy to find space for concealment of the containers, pumps, motors etc.

However, in the case of domestic windows or doors, it is necessary to reserve a special place for the ancillary equipment, that is to say the equipment supplying liquid to the panel or shade.

The liquid should be low in viscosity and should not freeze at any possible low temperature it may encounter during use. Water is usually the most suitable liquid and an antifreezing agent may be added to it to lower its freezing point. Inflammable liquids, such as alcohol, benzene, toluene etc., and corrosive liquids, i.e. acid or basic solutions should be avoided.

The liquids to be used in the same equipment should be of the same nature. The coloured liquid can be obtained by adding pigment of the transparent liquid.

Claims

1. A variable colour panel assembly comprising a panel consisting of at least two layers of transparent material with a space therebetween and means for interchangeably supplying colourless or coloured transparent liquid to said space so that said panel may serve as a normal colourless window or as a sun-shade or decorative colour panel respectively as and when required.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the panel is sealed around its edges save for a liquid inlet/outlet in the region of its bottom and a ventilation and/or overflow aperture in the region of its top.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for interchangeably supplying colourless or coloured liquid to the space comprises a first container for colourless liquid, a second container for coloured liquid, each container being connected by a pipe to the inlet/outlet of the space, a respective motor-driven pump associated with each container and a guide valve determining from which or to which container and pump liquid may flow to or from the space.

4. An assembly as claimed in,claim 2 or 3 wherein the ventilation or overflow aperture is provided at one end of a pipe which is concealed inside the space.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein each pump has a three-position switch, the first position corresponding to operation of the pump and opening of the inlet/outlet to cause liquid to flow into the space, the second position corresponding to shut down of the pump and closing of the inlet/outlet to retain liquid in the space, and the third position corresponding to shut down of the pump and opening of the inlet/outlet to permit liquid to drain from the space.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first and second containers are located adjacent the top or above the panel and serve to retain liquid and supply same to the space and further including a respective pair of containers disposed beneath the panel to receive liquid draining from the space, and supply same to the said first and second containers.

6. A variable colour panel assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

CLAIMS (13 Feb 1984)

1. A variable colour panel assembly comprising a panel consisting only of at least two layers of transparent material with a space therebetween and means for interchangeably supplying colourless or coloured transparent liquid to said space so that said panel may serve as a normal colourless window or as a sun-shade or decorative colour panel respectively as and when required, the panel remaining fully transparent when filled with either liquid.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bottom surface of the space inclines slightly downwards towards the inlet/outlet to facilitate drainage of liquid from the space.