GB2314444A

GB2314444A - An ornamental device

Info

Publication number: GB2314444A
Application number: GB9703217A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-06-18
Filing date: 1997-02-17
Publication date: 1997-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2017-02-17
Also published as: GB2314444B; GB9612673D0; GB9703217D0

Abstract

An ornamental device is disclosed consisting of a transparent container 10 enclosing two or more immiscible liquids 11,12 of different density and a plurality of particles 13 to which the first less dense liquids adheres to a greater extent than the second more dense liquid. When the container 10 is agitated, the particles 13 form a temporary suspension in the first liquid 11 and then gradually collect in a mass 14 of higher density than the second liquid 12. Portions of this mass 14 fall through the second liquid 12 under their own weight but droplets of the first liquid tend to escape and rise back up to rejoin the remainder of the first liquid, thereby creating a pleasing visual effect. The device may include means to mount the container so that it may be rotated to agitate the liquids (Figure 2). The device may take the form of a spinning top (Figure 3). The liquids may be oil and water, and may be colored, The particles may be glitter, metal dust, beads or foil shapes. An agitator, such as a stone or a ball bearing, may be included in the device to assist in the dispersion of the mass and formations of the temporary suspension. The device may include lighting means for the container. The container may be provided with a diffraction grating to create lighting effects.

Description

AN ORNAMENTAL DEVICE The present invention relates to a device for use as a decoration or ornament, an item of jewellery or as an aid to relaxation and meditation. The device may also be used as an aid to teaching art, science and technology.

Certain devices are known which make use of coloured liquids or a mixture of liquid and particles to create a decorative effect. For example, lamps are known which include a transparent cylinder containing two immiscible liquids, one or both of which are coloured. A heating device is arranged beneath the cylinder such that the heat causes globules of one of the liquids to rise through the other. As the globules reach the top of the cylinder they cool and fall once again creating a pleasing visual effect.

Another example of such an ornamental device is a transparent plastic container containing a model, for example of a village scene, filled with a liquid and a number of tiny particles. When the device is shaken the particles spread throughout the liquid and then fall back to the bottom of the container to give the impression of a snowfall.

The present invention provides an ornamental device comprising a container containing at least first and second immiscible liquids each having a different density from the other and a plurality of particles to which the first less dense liquid adheres to a greater extent than the second more dense liquid; wherein upon agitation of the container, the particles form a temporary suspension in the first liquid and thereafter collect in a mass having a higher density than the second liquid such that one or more portions of the mass fall from the first liquid through the second liquid and droplets of the first liquid escape from the fallen portions and rise to rejoin the remainder of the first liquid until an equilibrium is reached.

In one embodiment of the invention, the device further comprises means to mount the container so that it is rotatable to cause agitation of the liquids.

Preferably, such an embodiment further comprises motor means to automatically rotate the container.

In another embodiment of the invention, the device is in the form of a spinning top.

Preferably, in such an embodiment, formations are provided in the container to encourage upward movement of the particles upon spinning of the device.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the device is an item of jewellery.

In one aspect of the invention at least one of the liquids is an oil.

A suitable oil is a vegetable oil.

In another aspect, one of the liquids is water.

Preferably, at least one of the liquids is coloured.

The particles may comprise glitter, metal dust, beads, foil shapes, or any combination thereof.

Advantageously, the device further includes an agitator member to assist dispersion of the mass and formation of the temporary suspension.

Preferably, such an agitator member comprises a stone or ball bearing.

The device may further comprise lighting means to illuminate the contents of the container.

In one aspect of such an embodiment the lighting means is arranged externally of the container.

In a second aspect the lighting means is arranged internally of the container.

Advantageously, the device further comprises a diffraction grating in the container to create light effects.

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates an ornamental or decorative device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 3 illustrates a device in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.

Referring first to Figure 1, the device comprises a transparent sealed container 10 which is filled with a mixture consisting of two immiscible liquids each having a different density and a different viscosity from the other. If left undisturbed, the less dense liquid 11 settles in a coherent layer above the denser liquid 12. By way of example, the less dense liquid 11 may comprise vegetable oil and the more dense liquid 12 may comprise water. However, any other combination of immiscible liquids having different densities and viscosities could be used.

Preferably, the less dense oil layer 11 is dyed to give it an attractive colour and to distinguish it from the more dense water layer. The oil can be coloured using a wax dye such as that used to colour liquid candle wax/oil. Such dyes have the property that they do not also colour the water, only the oil.

Another effect can be achieved by adding to the oil a relatively heavy powder, for example, gold powder such as that used by artists.

The layer of water 12 may also be dyed but for maximum visual effect there should be a sharp contrast between the colours of the water and the oil or whichever combination of liquids is used.

A plurality of small particles 13 are added to the mixture. These particles 13 may comprise glitter, beads, shapes such as stars made from metal foil and so on. Preferably, the particles are coloured and/or shiny so as to be easily visible and to give a pleasing visual effect. The particles in any one container may comprise various shapes, sizes and weights to give further aesthetic appeal. The liquids 11,12 are chosen so that there is greater adhesion between the particles and one of the liquids than between the particles and the other liquid. In this case the oil adheres to the particles more strongly than the water does, so that the particles become coated by the oil.

If the container 10 is agitated, the particles 13 become distributed throughout the less dense oil layer 11 and form a temporary suspension, i.e the particles will gradually settle towards the bottom of the oil layer 11 although the speed at which they do so depends on the viscosity of the oil and the weight of the various particles. As the oil-coated particles 13 settle they coagulate together in a mass 14 and, because the resulting mass 14 is more dense than water, it tends to fall from the oil layer through the water to the base of the container 10. Often this initially takes the form of a continuous column of coagulated oil and particles flowing downwardly from the oil layer 11 under its own weight. This column will eventually detach from the oil layer 11 and form one or more individual masses 14 which fall through the water layer 12. The (or each) mass 14 settles at the bottom of the container 10 but the oil, being less dense than water, tends to rise upwardly once again towards the upper layer of oil 11. Thus, smaller droplets 15 of oil, which may include some of the particles 13, tend to escape from the accumulated mass 14 at the bottom of the container 10 and rise back up to the oil layer 11. As such droplets 15 rejoin the oil layer 11 they may encourage further coagulated masses 14 to detach from the oil layer 11 and fall through the water layer 12. Thus, a pleasing visual effect is achieved for an observer. This upward and downward motion continues until a state of equilibrium is reached.

The rate at which the oil 11 falls and rises and the time taken to reach an equilibrium state can be adjusted by changing the type and quantity of the particles added. Small glitter particles alone will tend to fall very slowly whereas larger, denser beads will fall much quicker. Preferably, a combination of glitter with some heavier particles is used so that the heavier particles tend to encourage the mass 14 of oil to fall from the oil layer and a pleasing degree of motion can be achieved for an observer. Typically, a timescale of approximately 3 to 5 minutes to reach equilibrium produces a pleasing display but this can be altered to suit the preferences of the observer.

Although the example illustrated contains only two layers of liquid 11,12, it is possible to use three or more layers of different immiscible liquids.

The particles 13 may then be chosen such that some are heavy enough to fall through all three liquids whilst some will only fall through two so as to alter the effect obtained when equilibrium is reached and the particles 13 are allowed to settle.

Over a period of time, if the container 10 is left undisturbed without further agitation many of the oil-coated particles 13 will fall from the oil layer 11 and the coagulated mass 14 of oil and particles will accumulate at the bottom of the container 10.

When this happens it can be difficult to reunite the mass 14 with the main layer of oil 11 and to form once again a suspension of particles in the oil. In order to help achieve this, an agitator member 16 such as a considerably larger and heavier particle such as a stone, heavy bead or ball bearing may be included.

When the container 10 is shaken the large particle 16 encourages the mass 14 to break up and aids dispersion of the particles 13 to recreate a suspension of particles in the oil.

Many different types of container 10 may be used to house the mixture. For example, the container may consist of a simple glass or transparent plastic bottle of any desired shape. Coloured or translucent containers 10 may also be used but obviously this may make it harder to see the contents and detract from the decorative effect. Any other type of container 10 could also be used, for example a flat shallow container consisting of two transparent panes held in a frame. Alternatively, one pane could be translucent or opaque or could be formed with a laser diffraction pattern to create different visual effects. A device of this sort could be mounted pivotally on a support so that it could be inverted whenever desired to cause movement of the liquids.

Turning now to Figure 2, this shows a second embodiment of the invention in which the container 10 is in the form of a shallow cylinder or hollow disk.

As in the previous example, the container 10 is filled with two immiscible liquids 11,12 and a plurality of particles 13 which become coated by one of the liquids. However, in Figure 2 the liquids 11,12 and the particles 13 have been omitted for clarity. In this embodiment, the container 10 is mounted so as to be rotatable about the axis X-X and it is attached to means to cause it to rotate, for example an electric motor 17 and connecting shaft 18. In Figure 2, the mounting and motor arrangement is shown schematically but it will be appreciated by the skilled person that any convenient arrangement can be used to achieve automatic rotation of the container 10.

In this form, the device is preferably arranged such that the axis X-X is horizontal. Upon rotation of the container 10 the contents are prevented from reaching the equilibrium state and the motion of the two liquids 11,12 and the particles 13 is continuous in order to provide a continuously changing visual effect.

Further aesthetic effects can be achieved if one or more internal surfaces of the container 10 consist of a material to which one of the liquids adheres to a significant extent. For example, when the two liquids comprise oil and water, the oil will tend to adhere to plastic or metal surfaces to a much greater extent than, for example, to a glass surface and therefore will tend to slide up and down the surface apparently unaided. If the surface in question comprises a laser-drawn diffraction grating, additional light effects are achieved, further enhancing the appearance of the device.

In Figure 2, such a surface in the form of a socalled "laser disk" 19 forms the rear internal wall of the container 10. In this case, the various effects combine to achieve maximum visual impact. Use of a component such as a diffraction grating made from a material to which one of the liquids adheres is of course equally applicable to the non-rotating container of Figure 1 or to any other embodiment of the invention.

Yet more visual effects can be achieved by the use of different lighting techniques (not shown). For example, the container 10 may be lit by an external source, for example, from below, or conventional submersible lights may be arranged within the liquids in the container. Thus, it is clear that the basic effect of the invention achieved by the two immiscible liquids, one containing particles, can be enhanced in many ways to provide a variety of interesting and pleasing results.

The invention may also be embodied in the form of a spinning top as illustrated in Figure 3. This embodiment comprises a hollow container 10 with an axial stem 20 which protrudes from its top and bottom to allow it to be spun in the same way as a conventional top. The container 10 may be substantially spherical or it may be shaped to generally diverge from the bottom towards the top, e.g it may be conical or in the form of an upturned bell shape. Inside the container 10, in the same way as previous embodiments, there are at least two immiscible liquids 11,12 and a plurality of particles 13. Preferably, the particles 13 are sufficiently heavy that in the equilibrium state the majority will collect at the bottom of the container 10. When the top is spun and rotates about the axis Y-Y of stem 19, in the same way as a conventional spinning top, the centrifugal effect will cause the particles 13 to move outwardly and upwardly as shown by arrows A resulting in their mixing with the uppermost liquid layer 11.

Thereafter, the same effect will occur as in the previously described embodiments in that the particles will collect in a dense mass which will fall in one or more portions through the lower layer of more dense liquid, while droplets of the less dense liquid will escape from the fallen portions and rise up once more.

Shaped formations such as upwardly pointing arrow heads may be provided on the interior surface of the container 10 in order to encourage upward motion of the particles 13 during spinning.

A device in accordance with any embodiment of the invention may be used simply as a decoration or executive toy" or as an aid to relaxation and meditation since the movement of the oil globules provides a calming visual effect. The invention may also be embodied in the form of items of jewellery, for example pendants or bangles made from hollow tubes of perspex containing the liquids and particles.

Yet another use for a device in accordance with the invention is as an educational aid. The device may be used to illustrate and explain scientific principles such as viscosity, density, immiscibility etc or as an art medium.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An ornamental device comprising a container containing at least first and second immiscible liquids each having a different density from the other and a plurality of particles to which the first less dense liquid adheres to a greater extent than the second more dense liquid; wherein upon agitation of the container, the particles form a temporary suspension in the first liquid and thereafter collect in a mass having a higher density than the second liquid such that one or more portions of the mass fall from the first liquid through the second liquid and droplets of the first liquid escape from the fallen portions and rise to rejoin the remainder of the first liquid until an equilibrium is reached.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means to mount the container so that it is rotatable to cause agitation of the liquids.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising motor means to automatically rotate the container.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is in the form of a spinning top.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein formations are provided in the container to encourage upward movement of the particles upon spinning of the device.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is an item of jewellery.

7. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the liquids is an oil.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the oil is a vegetable oil.

9. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one of the liquids is water.

10. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the liquids is coloured.

11. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the particles comprise glitter, metal dust, beads, foil shapes, or any combination thereof.

12. A ornamental device as claimed in any preceding claim, further including an agitator member to assist dispersion of the mass and formation of the temporary suspension.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the agitator member comprises a stone or a ball bearing.

14. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising lighting means to illuminate the contents of the container.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the lighting means is arranged externally of the container.

16. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the lighting means is arranged internally of the container.

17. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a diffraction grating in the container to create light effects.

18. An ornamental device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.