DE9001322U1 - Separation clock - Google Patents

Description

8998

Klocke Packaging Service GmbH, Rudolf-Diesel-Strasse, 7504 Weingarten Separation clock.

The invention relates to a clock in which time is measured by continuous demixing of two components located in a common receiving volume, for example by separating the components of a homogeneous mixture by the action of gravity.

Such clocks are known in a wide variety of designs; they have the advantage of being highly aesthetically appealing, as they offer the viewer a certain level of entertainment through the separation processes, especially of differently colored components, which usually goes beyond the scientifically precise time measurement.

On the other hand, in practice there are many areas of application for time measurement where high precision, especially in the second range, is less important than a practical estimation of a period of time, which is usually in the minute range. Examples of this can be found in the medical field, where the duration of a radiation treatment or a medical bath should be roughly displayed.

The object of the invention is to create a clock based on the known principle that is extremely simple to manufacture and can therefore also be used, for example, as a product addition or promotional item.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the common receiving volume of the two components is formed from a transparent plastic deep-drawn part and a cover film sealed onto its edge areas.

Such a concept is known from the packaging sector, J . for example in the pharmaceutical sector, where a tablet or a specific dosage of active ingredient is accommodated in the receiving volume.

The basic idea of the invention is to use such a "packaging" for the two components; by handling this clock appropriately, the receiving volume then also serves as a "clock hand" since this is where the continuous separation of the components takes place.

The technology of such a "time measurement packaging" is well known and can be very efficiently applied to the watch according to the invention.

One embodiment of the invention provides that the receiving volume of the plastic deep-drawn part is divided into a first part as a mixing volume s? and a second part connected to it as a display volume, wherein in particular the display volume adjoins the mixing volume in a tubular or channel-shaped manner and is connected to it.

The spatial concentration and division of the storage volume essentially enables adaptation to the components used, for example water and oil, on the one hand, and to the desired display duration of the clock on the other. A tube- or channel-shaped display volume forms a clear display

like a thermometer, in which a noticeable separation of the two components can be observed.

In addition, this implementation allows, in a further development, that the cover film has markings on its sealing side for time information, which are optically recognizable through the edge areas of the deep-drawn part and are spatially assigned to this display volume; this creates a simple linear scale that is also easy to implement from a production point of view, by applying the markings to the underside (sealing side) of the cover film, which remains visible through the transparent plastic film of the deep-drawn part.

The spatial design of this clock, which is made up of plastic parts, cover film and liquid mixture, can be adapted to the respective purpose by designing the edge areas, for example, a hanging opening can be provided in the edge area in such a way that when hanging up the display volume is always below the mixing volume, which simultaneously (after mixing the components) sets the separation in motion and thus, so to speak, sets the clock in motion.

An example of such a clock is shown in the drawing:

In a manner customary in packaging technology, a package is formed from a plastic deep-drawn part 10 and a cover film 11 sealed onto it, which encloses a bowl-like volume 1OA.1OB in the deep-drawn part 10. The tight seal is achieved by sealing the cover film 11 onto the plastic deep-drawn part 10 in the common edge area R.

In the embodiment shown, the receiving volume is divided into a first partial volume 1OA and a second partial volume 1OB that adjoins it in the form of a channel and is less deep than the cup-like first partial volume 1OA.

The majority of these two volumes are filled with a two-component mixture, for example an emulsion of oil and water, with both components having a different specific gravity.

This watch works as follows:

First, the second receiving volume 1OB is emptied into the first partial volume 1OA, and the emulsion is mixed there until a homogeneous mixture is achieved, which is noticeable, for example, in a certain uniform color (for example, pink). The first partial volume 1OA therefore serves functionally as a mixing volume.

The clock is then brought into the vertical position shown in the figure along the axis X-X, for example by hanging it on its suspension opening M, in which the channel-shaped second part 1OB comes to lie parallel to this axis and below the mixing volume 1OA. This mixture then empties from the mixing volume 1OA into the display volume 1OB and the liquid level B in the mixing volume 1OA, as shown in the figure, results.

As a result of the different specific weight of the two components, the water (colored dark red, for example) increasingly settles at the lower end (at the "zero" mark) of the display volume 1OB and the resulting boundary layer A between (heavier) water and (lighter) emulsion migrates upwards in the display volume 1OB along the HA markings as the two components increasingly separate, acting practically like a "clock hand". Due to the different colors (pink and dark red in the example chosen), this boundary layer A is easy to follow visually. The reading therefore corresponds to the reading of a surface moving parallel to a scale, as is known from a mercury line thermometer.

The markings HA shown as examples are applied to the sealing side of the cover film 11 and can be seen through the transparent film of the plastic deep-drawn part 10.

With this watch, the user can therefore easily track the passage of a certain predetermined time period, for example the pass and end of bathing time in a medical bath or irradiation time under a medical irradiation source.

The extremely simple design of this versatile watch also allows for visual adaptation in terms of color and/or shape to a specific product in which the watch is sensibly used, for example in conjunction with a plastic bottle containing a medicinal bath essence, in which the maximum time indicated on the watch should not be exceeded.

Here, for example, the hanging opening M can be designed in such a way that the watch can be hung around the bottle neck of a corresponding bath essence plastic bottle, but later, for example, around the outlet tap of a bath fitting.

To increase the advertising value, the shape and color of the clock’s outer contour or the design of the volume could be coordinated with the shape and color of the bottle for the bath essence. The invention therefore represents an article that is extremely simple to produce but can be used effectively for advertising and has a high practical value.

Claims (5)

t · · ■ • · I Protection claims 1. A clock in which time is measured by continuous separation of two components in a common receiving volume, for example by separating the components of a homogeneous emulsion by gravity,
characterized in that the common receiving volume is formed from a transparent plastic deep-drawn part (10) and a cover film (11) sealed onto its edge regions (R). 2. Clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving volume of the plastic deep-drawn part (10) is divided into a first part (10A) as a mixing volume and a second part (10B) connected to it as a display volume. 3. Clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the display volume (10B) is connected to the mixing volume (10A) in a tubular or channel-shaped manner and is connected to it. 4. Clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover film (11) has markings (HA) for time information on its sealing side, which are optically recognizable through the edge regions (R) of the deep-drawn part (10) and are spatially assigned to the display volume (10B). 5. Clock according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a suspension opening (M) is provided in the edge region (R), such that when suspended the display volume (10B) is below the mixing volume (10A).