AU2003100747B4 - A Chemiluminescent Article - Google Patents

Description

04/09 '03 THU 17:37 FAX 61 2 9888 7600 WATERMARK [006 1 A CHEMILUMINESCENT

ARTICLE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to chemiluminescent articles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The process of chemilumlnescence is well known in the art. Basically, when certain reagents are mixed this gives rise to a chemical reaction ultimately resulting in a release of energy as light. The duration of the reaction is dependent upon the choice of reagents used. The colour of the light can be influenced by the addition of a dye to the mixture.

One well known application of the chemiluminescence process is the glowstick or lightstick. A typical construction of a glowstick consists of a glass vial, containing one reagent, housed inside a larger plastic vial, containing another reagent and a dye. Bending the plastic vial causes the glass vial to break and allows the reagents to mix and react. Shaking the glowstick encourages the mixing and accelerates the reaction.

Glowsticks have found practical usage as lamps for scuba diving and camping. Glowsticks also prove attractive as a decorative light source.

As a decorative light source, gloweticks provide a safe alternative to the use of naked flame, for example candles or sparklers. This is advantageous where the decorations are to be handled by children or where the decorations are to be handled in a fire-risk environment. However, there tends to be a reluctance to change to the use of glowsticks in cases where naked flame decorations have a strong traditional association. This reluctance Is mainly due to the difference in illuminating effect. A glowstick provides a column of light, whereas, in comparison, a candle provides a single point of light.

Prior art solutions have attempted to adapt glowsticks to mimic the shape of candles by, for example, providing a flame-shaped attachment to be fitted on one end of the glowstick. However, when the glowstick is handled like a candle it is found that the flame' emits relatively little light In comparison with the handle.

This is due to the presence of an air bubble within the glowstick. The air bubble, ordinarily, facilitates the mixture of the reagents when the glowstick is shaken.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00404326 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:42 Date 2003-09-04 04/09 '03 THU 17:38 FAX 81 2 9888 7600 WATERMARK [t007 2 However, when the glowstick is held like a candle, the air bubble rises to the top and hence there is no illuminating mixture at the 'flame',.

It is an object of the present Invention to provide a chemiluminescent article having localised illumination at the top of the article.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there Is provided a novelty chemiluminescent article having a candle shape, wherein said article imitates the lighting effect of a lit candle, said article including: a polymeric shell enclosing a hollow Interior, said hollow interior having an upper portion, defined by a flame-shaped part of the shell, and a lower portion; a liquid absorbent material arranged in said upper portion; and a first and second reagent arranged In said lower portion and separated from each other by a frangible barrier, said first and second reagents being capable of causing a chemiluminescent reaction upon mixture; wherein when a user causes the frangible barrier to break, allowing the reagents to mix, and the article is shaken, in order to accelerate the chemiluminescent reaction, at least part of the mixture is absorbed into the absorbent material providing localised light emission from the flame-shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING An illustrative embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view with parts shown in a cross section of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT In Fig. 1 there is provided a chemiluminescent article having a candle shape. The article has a shell 1 having a hollow interior. The shell 1 has a onepiece construction sealed at one end. The one-piece construction has been found to provide a more reliable form for preventing leakage. However, aside from this consideration, the shell 1 could be formed of multiple appropriately sealed parts. The shell 1 is preferably fabricated from polyethylene.

Polyethylene provides the necessary durability when subject to bending, which is required to instigate the chemilumlnescent reaction. It is envisaged that other durable polymeric materials could also be used.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00404326 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:42 Date 2003-09-04 04/09 '03 THU 17:38 FAX 81 2 9888 7600 WATERMARK 3008 3 The hollow interior has a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion is within the flame shape of the article and the bottom portion is within the handle part of the article.

Within the bottom portion there is provided a first enclosed glass receptacle 2. The first glass receptacle 2 contains a first liquid reagent 3 and a second enclosed glass receptacle 4. The second glass receptacle 4 contains a second liquid reagent 5. The first and second reagents 3,5 are selected for their compatibility for chemiluminescent reaction. The reagents 3,5 are preferably nontoxic in case the article does have accidental leakage. The selection of reagents can influence the intensity and duration of the resultant light. The first reagent 3 is an 'oxalate', preferably a solution containing phenyl oxalate ester. The second reagent 5 Is an 'actlvator', preferably a hydrogen peroxide solution. However, it will be appreciated that other reagents possessing the necessary characteristics may also be used.

To influence the colour of the light produced, a fluorescent dye can be provided. Typically, the dye is added to the 'oxalate'.

In the top portion there is provided an absorbent material 6. The selection of material is important. Sufficient quantities of the mixture must be retained on the surface to produce the desired lighting effect. On the other hand, the material must not react either chemically with the mixture to produce deleterious effects, or physically to loose structure. For example, cotton wool was found to form a sodden mass. Tests have found various synthetic fibre materials to be suitable absorbent materials. In particular, acrylic fibre cotton was noted to sufficiently absorb the mixture of the reagents without hindering the mixing or hindering the emission of light from the absorbed mixture. Further, acrylic fibre cotton did not present any reaction with the reagents either separately or as a mixture. It should be appreciated that other absorbent materials displaying the above characteristics may also be used.

To use the article, a user bends the bottom portion, thereby simultaneously breaking the glass receptacles 2,4. The reagents 3,5 are free to mix and enter the hollow interior. The user then shakes the article to encourage the mixing and accelerate the chemiluminescent reaction of the mixture. Shaking the article also causes at least some of the mixture to contact and become absorbed into the COMS ID No: SMBI-00404326 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:42 Date 2003-09-04 04/09 '03 THU 17:38 FAX 61 2 9888 7600 WATERMARK o009 4 absorbent material 6. When the article is held by the handle, a light is seen to emit from the flame shaped top portion, thereby imitating the illuminating effect of a lit candle.

The above has described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

However, the invention may be embodied with various adaptations. For example, the reagents 3,5 were shown to be separated from the absorbent material 6. The best results have been noted when the absorbent material is dry before coming into contact with the mixture. However, it will be appreciated that the invention may still work if the absorbent material pre-absorbed one of the reagents prior to mixing. In such a case, it would be unnecessary to have the first glass receptacle 2. This Is not presently preferred as there is some concern that the reagents may react deleteriously in a physical structure or chemical sense.

Similarly, the arrangement of one glass receptacle inside the other was found to be a convenient means of having both receptacles break simultaneously.

However, an alternative arrangement requiring the user to bend the handle more than once could be used. The primary consideration is that the reagents are separated by a frangible barrier until the mixture of the reagents is required.

It will be appreciated that the polymeric shell 1 is translucent or transparent to allow the emitted light from the mixture to radiate from the article, However, to Improve the imitation of the illuminating effect of a lit candle, it would only be necessary to have the flame shaped portion of the shell I translucent or transparent, In such a case, the remainder of the shell 1 could be opaque or coated with a reflective material, which would reflect the light back into the hollow interior.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00404326 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:42 Date 2003-09-04

Claims (4)

1. A novelty chemiluminescent article having a candle shape, wherein said article imitates the lighting effect of a lit candle, said article including: a polymeric shell enclosing a hollow interior, said hollow interior having an upper portion, defined by a flame-shaped part of the shell, and a lower portion; a liquid absorbent material arranged in said upper portion; and a first and second liquid reagent arranged in said lower portion and separated from each other by a frangible barrier, said first and second reagents being capable of causing a chemiluminescent reaction upon mixture, wherein when a user causes the frangible barrier to break, allowing the reagents to mix, and the article is shaken, in order to accelerate the chemiluminescent reaction, at least part of the mixture is absorbed into the absorbent material providing localised light emission from the flame-shape.

2. The chemiluminescent article of claim 1, wherein the frangible barrier, separating the first and second reagents, is an enclosed receptacle containing the first reagent.

3. The chemiluminescent article of claims 1 or 2, wherein the liquid absorbent material is separated from the first and second liquid reagents by another frangible barrier.

4. The chemiluminescent article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein substantially all the mixture is absorbed into the absorbent material. The chemiluminescent article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid absorbent material is a synthetic fibre. DATED this 4 th day of September 2003 WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS COMS ID No: SMBI-00404326 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:42 Date 2003-09-04