JPH05149882A - Chemiluminescent element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a cylindrical chemoluminescent element capable of being obtained by cutting a very long tube made of flexible translucent material containing a second tube made of flexible synthetic material filled with second liquid capable of conducting chemoluminescent reaction of the same length and filled with first chemoluminescent liquid into small pieces. CONSTITUTION: The chemoluminescent element comprises two concentric tubes 1, 2 made of translucent material, filled with component of chemoluminescent composition for forming chemoluminescence when the tubes are mixed. The inner tube 2 has at least one notch 5, which breaks the tube when the tube is bent.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A chemiluminescent element is composed of a flexible, semitransparent tube or tube filled with a liquid capable of emitting light when actuated by bending it.

The principle and technique of generating such light, called "chemiluminescence", is well known. For example, these are described in US Pat. No. 4,678,608.

In recent years, there have been semi-transparent tubes filled or unfilled with a liquid capable of producing chemiluminescence. This device is used in particular as a fishing lure or for signage, decoration, entertainment or advertising.

Two types of chemiluminescent elements, one commonly referred to as activators, emit light when placed in contact so that they can mix with each other. It is possible to mix these and then lead this into a translucent plastic tube, seal its ends and then freeze the whole so as to stop the chemiluminescent action. In use, the tube is returned to ambient temperature and the desired light emission begins. This known method, while having the advantage of being simple, has a number of drawbacks, the main of which is the need to have a frozen enclosure element or instrument until its use.

In the more conventional method, various methods have been used which consist of the use of a tube or tube made of a translucent plastic material containing a first liquid and an inner glass tube of a capillary containing an active agent. To be done. The two liquids remain separated until the user decides to simply bend the assembly to break the inner glass tube and allow them to mix. This failure causes the two liquids to mix and thus give rise to chemiluminescence.

[0006] Despite the fact that such devices are currently commercially available in large quantities, they have various drawbacks. The biggest drawback is
An inevitable limitation on the length of the inner glass tube, generally up to 0.5
m. In fact, overly long glass tubes are vulnerable to premature failure by the user or during handling, shipping or packaging operations, or even during manufacture.

Furthermore, the glass is not chemically inert with respect to the working solution over a long period of time and will change the chemical during storage. There is also some unpleasant pre-emptive feel to the use of broken glass, and some users fear that sharp debris may pierce the plastic outer wall and injure their hands.

The length limitation of glass capillaries greatly complicates continuous manufacture, while the outer tube cannot be continuously dispensed during the manufacturing process.

In recent years, various techniques have been proposed which allow the realization of a cylindrical chemiluminescent element having a second plastic tube instead of a glass tube in its outer periphery. Some of the above-mentioned drawbacks associated with the use of glass have been overcome. This technique uses a slide with a cutting blade that can longitudinally cut the inner tube along the entire length of the inner tube; US Pat.
See 029049. Unfortunately, the application of this technique makes it impossible to produce a continuous series of elements. In practice, the sliding body must be put in each product separately. This drawback is especially troublesome when considering the production of relatively short products.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a second chemiluminescent solution which is filled with a first chemiluminescent solution and which is of the same length and is capable of undergoing a chemiluminescent reaction.
Tubular chemiluminescent illumination obtained by cutting a very long tube of flexible translucent synthetic material containing a second tube of flexible synthetic material filled with Suggest a feature.

This long tubular assembly formed of two concentric tubes would be divided into elements of the desired length. This division is obtained by placing closure means at various locations along the tube at regular or irregular intervals, followed by cutting at the closure points.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the inner tube may have one or more spirals, transverse directions, or diagonals about its central axis on its outer wall over its entire length or a portion thereof. Notches, cracks, crevices, notches, etc. are provided.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, INCLUDING PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Within the framework of the description of the invention, the term "scoring" refers to cuts, cuts, notches, crevices, crevices, grooves, with or without removal of material.
Grooving, spiral cutting, etc. However, the nicks act on a significant part of the wall thickness, preferably in the range from about 10% to about 60% of said thickness, but never completely through the wall thickness. The score is applied to the tube during the manufacturing process, for example by means of a knife or cutting element. A preferred method is to provide a spiral notch over the length of the tube, which has a thread-like appearance and can be applied by techniques similar to those used for threading.

When the user wishes to chemiluminece the device, it is sufficient to bend the tubular element in a manner similar to that used for a device with a glass inner tube. The plastic inner tube ruptures, releasing its contents and mixing with the ingredients contained in the outer tube.

A very important advantage provided by the present invention over the use of glass tubes is that the inner tube is notched after the notch is made over the entire length of the long tube. The whole length can be put into the outer tube continuously.
As far as the filling of the liquid components into the two tubes is concerned, this too can be done in a single operation over a very long length, and it is even possible to carry out both liquids simultaneously. In order to obtain an industrial quantity, that is, a large number of light emitting elements, a long double tube assembly is closed (blocked) at various places by heating, etc., and divided or divided by cutting work. That is enough.

The synthetic material used for the inner and outer tubes or cylinders, which may be the same or different, is preferably a thermoplastic material, ie a material which reversibly softens or melts under the action of heat. .. For the inner tube or cylinder,
The use of polyolefin terephthalates, such as the polyethylene terephthalate family of materials, is preferred. These materials are sufficiently dense and inert with respect to the chemiluminescent liquid that those skilled in the art will be familiar. Polypropylene can also be used and is provided with sufficient wall thickness. A polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene,
Alternatively, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, preferably homopolymerized polyethylene terephthalate, are also suitable for the outer tube or barrel and the like.

According to a particular embodiment, an inner tube is used which is composed of a material of the polyethylene terephthalate family and has a layer of coextruded polyolefin on both sides of its surface or on one of its surfaces. This shape improves the sealing compatibility of the outer tube with the polyolefin by fusing at elevated temperatures and further improves the chemical inertness of the inner tube to the polyethylene terephthalate for chemiluminescent liquids.

The product according to the invention can be, for example, in the form of a tubular assembly containing an inner tube having an outer diameter of eg 2.7 mm and an inner diameter of eg 1.7 mm, such as a hobby item (necklace, headband, Suitable for use as a bracelet). The outer surface of this tube has a pitch of about 2 m
m, and the depth of cut is, for example, about 0.30 mm. The inner tube having a length of about 50 cm is put into an outer tube having an outer diameter of, for example, 6 mm and an inner diameter of, for example, 4 mm and having the same length, and is integrated and closed at both ends by lap molding. The inner tube is named after Akzo,
P-E-T-day, Arnite (PETD, Arnite,
Made from polyethylene terephthalate, such as that sold under the tradename D04-300, containing an 85% solution of hydrogen peroxide in dimethyl phthalate and a catalytic amount of a catalyst such as sodium salicylate. The outer tube is named DSM (DSM) from Stamylon LD
Made of polyethylene as released under M, brand name). The annular space between the two tubes is the screw (2,4,5,5-
It is occupied by a solution of a chemiluminescent compound such as trichloro-6-carbopentoxyphenyl) oxylate and the fluorophore in dibutyl phthalate.

According to the present invention, the blocking and cutting are carried out continuously,
In each case, several methods for producing the finished light emitting device are also proposed, and such methods are particularly economical and suitable for industrial production.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, a continuous score of the inner tube is obtained using a rotating knife blade placed obliquely with respect to the knife center axis. When the inner tube is subjected to the action of a rotating blade, the tube is subjected to a force that pushes it longitudinally along its central axis, which force is advantageously used to introduce the resulting scored tube into the outer tube. To be done.

When the inner tubes are inserted over their entire length into the outer tubes, the tubes are filled with the liquid they each contain. These two fillings are performed by methods known to those skilled in the art.

After completion of filling, the assembly of two coaxial tubes is cut to the desired length, with each cut providing individual lighting elements.

For this purpose, it is preferable to make a closure or block along the tubular assembly at a distance depending on the desired length of the chemiluminescent element, as described above. In practice, it is possible in this way to carry out a production run of a large number of appliances of the same length. However, it should be understood that the above lengths can be varied during manufacture.

One of the proposed methods for making a closure or block is to pass the double tube assembly into a station that suspends the acceptance, where it is sufficient to soften the material from which the tube is made. It involves depositing a thermoplastic material having a high lap molding temperature in a suitable small mold and, after cooling, forming a block that acts as a plug.

In some cases, in order to avoid weakening the tubular assembly at the point where the overmolding takes place, the nicks in the inner tube are interrupted in the areas where it is desired to overmold. However, this embodiment is unnecessary in most cases.

It is sometimes useful and preferable not to directly overmold a tubular assembly containing two chemiluminescent elements at the point of closure. Thus, the tubular assembly first passes through a station or work station that is subject to localized pressure or throttling to remove liquid from the area to be closed prior to passing into the overmolding station. At this time, these liquids are effectively returned and retained on both sides of the area to be closed. In this way, the presence of these liquids at the sealing site is eliminated in order to prevent a reduction in the effect of lap molding.

The squeezing or throttling action is obtained, for example, by heating the tubular assembly in the area in question, followed by a centrally directed action of the compressed air in said area, followed by a final cooling. These operations can be performed in the same station or in multiple consecutive stations.

The compression associated with the compressed air can be carried out in a rigid cylinder with its inlet and outlet closed by an annular joint which allows the tubular assembly to slide, or in an equivalent device.

The same effect can be obtained by a rubber part that receives a liquid thrust or by a cylindrical rubber membrane or by using a metal layer.

According to another modification, this configuration can be obtained by cold working without reheating.

These various types of construction approaches depend largely on the nature of the material selected for the wall of the tubular assembly.

In some cases, rather than in the form of a symmetrical squeeze of each part of the tubular assembly, it is squeezed by a simple squeeze that locally flattens the assembly so that there is no liquid at the point of receiving the overmold. Similar results are obtained by performing This solution is particularly suitable for small diameter tubular assemblies.

According to the embodiment described above, the material injected to carry out the overmolding, in principle, has a local fusion of both the material of the outer tube and the material of the inner tube in order to obtain a good leak-tight seal. Must be hot enough to produce

It is also possible to avoid working with materials that are injected at very high temperatures. The tubular assembly is subject to cutting, which consists of removing a small portion of the assembly at the point where the overmolding occurs, before the overmolding is applied and after being pressed or squeezed. The size of the portion is smaller than the size required for lap molding. The overmolded material may not only locally surround the tubular assembly itself, but may also penetrate into the geometric center of the assembly at the point where it is interrupted. In this way, the overmolding material seals the assembly without being used at an elevated temperature sufficient to locally fuse the two cut ends of the coaxial tube. This acts at this point as a cap surrounding the interrupted end of the tubular assembly.

At the following station, the overmolded block undergoes a final transverse cut at a removed point in a small portion of the tubular assembly, at which point the overmolded material reaches the geometric center. be able to.

To remove a small portion of the above-mentioned tubular assembly at the point of overmolding, for example, a double knife device can be used, which is cut from the assembly and found between two blades. The small part is removed mechanically. It is also possible at this point to reheat the tubular assembly to provide a longitudinal pull such that the closed portion is pulled into two pieces. This latter method involves passing the overmolded block of the tubular assembly through a tight and heated metal tube and injecting it into a chamber thus molded. I can do it.

Another possible modification to obtain a series of closures or closures is to place the assembly in a station where the tubular assembly is temporarily stopped so as to accept the amount of heat that can melt the walls of the assembly in the appropriate chambers. Including passing. at the same time,
The tubular assembly is subject to axial compression and the melted material is pushed and shortened until the plug is formed by the melting of the wall.
At this time, the liquid is returned and held in the pipe outside the sealed area.

Following this operation, the melted plug is cooled. Cooling can occur either at the same station or at a location at the next station reached by passage of the tubular assembly. Then, as in the other embodiments, a cutting operation cuts the tubular assembly at the formed plug points. A knife, saw, or other equivalent means can be used for this purpose. According to a modification of this embodiment, the instant the cooling of the melted plug begins, it can be separated into individual appliances by simply twisting it along the central axis of the tubular assembly.

According to yet another embodiment for obtaining a series of closures, at each point where closure is desired a ring of metal or other wrinkle-shrinkable material is placed, which at this point shrinks. It is squeezed and crushed by an essentially centrally acting action that strongly and permanently tightens the tubular element. Installation of the rings can be carried out continuously by passage of the tubular assembly into a suitable work station. It is also possible to push the tubular assembly directly into the metal tube, in which case the ring will be removed from it in place by the cutting performed just before the shrinking operation. After the crimping operation, the tubular assembly is passed to the next station where the existing ring is cut at its center.

The above-described overmolding operation can be carried out with any suitable impression that gives the molded block a special shape that can be used, for example, by the end user to handle this lighting element. Shapes such as hooks, rings, etc. can be provided. The mold can also include a logo or decorative design that can be transferred to the overmolding material of the lighting element.

The present invention will be better understood by a review of the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of example only.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a part of a double tubular element. The outer tube 1 contains the liquid 3 and the inner tube 2, and the inner tube is provided with a continuous spiral notch 5 on the outer wall thereof.
Is coaxial and contains the liquid 4.

FIG. 2 shows the part described in FIG. 1, which is bent along the central axis 6 and the bending action causes the notches to extend at 7 and 8 through the entire wall thickness, whereby Liquids 3 and 4 easily pass and mix. Beyond an angle, bending generally breaks the inner tube further, thus leading to full actuation of the chemiluminescent device.

FIG. 3 shows an overmolding operation for the parts described above in FIG. 1, in which case the seal was made with the exclusion of liquid material. The area provided with the blockage selected as a function of the desired length is squeezed or squeezed at 12 and 13 and the overmolding material 9 covers part of said area. The overmolding material is cut at 10 with a knife 11.

FIG. 4 shows a different closing process in which the tubular assembly is squeezed and squeezed at 12 and 13, parts of the assembly are removed at 14, and the overmolding material 9 is added. Covering the central longitudinal axis of the tubular assembly. Again, the knife 11 separates the plugs at 10 to provide a separate tubular assembly.

FIG. 5 shows another modification, in which
The metal member 15 can be contracted around a tubular member and the latter can be transversely cut at its center to form a chemiluminescent element of the desired length.

It is clear that the device according to the invention can be applied in applications other than the production of chemiluminescent lamps. The materials contained within the two tubular compartments may exhibit a variety of other applications, especially when mixing them, with immediate exotherm, cooling, gluing, or other suitable physical or chemical properties. Can create a physical effect.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment,
Changes may be made in detail or structure without exceeding the scope of the invention.

The embodiment of the present invention is as follows.

1. 2 of flexible translucent material, each having an outer wall and a different diameter, thereby defining two compartments
A concentric tube, each compartment filled with liquid, said element being a cylindrical element closed at each of its straight ends, the inner tube never completing this on its outer wall. A tubular element characterized by having a notch that passes through a part of the element without passing through it.

2. Cylindrical element according to embodiment 1, characterized in that the score is transverse, spiral or oblique with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the tubular element.

3. Cylindrical element according to embodiment 1, which is capable of producing chemiluminescent light when two liquids are mixed.

4. A tubular element according to embodiment 1, characterized in that the notch penetrates into the outer wall of the inner tube to a distance varying by about 10 to 60% of the wall thickness.

5. A tubular element according to embodiment 1, characterized in that the inner tube is made of a material of the polyethylene terephthalic family.

6. A tubular element according to embodiment 1, characterized in that the inner tube is made of polyethylene terephthale.

7. A tubular element according to embodiment 1, characterized in that the inner tube is made of a material of the polyethylene terephthalic family and a polyolefin layer is coextruded on one or both of its surfaces.

8. The inner tube contains the oxalate and the fluorescent agent,
A tubular element according to embodiment 1, wherein the outer tube contains a peroxide.

9. Small diameter tubes are inserted into their larger diameter tubes over their entire length so as to form a tubular assembly, the inner tube having a knurled outer surface and each tube being of said insertion. Seal the tubular assembly over its length, either before or after, with regular or irregular spacing at a length between the seals that corresponds to the desired length for the final tubular element. The method for continuously manufacturing a tubular element according to claim 1, wherein

10. A tubular element according to embodiment 1, characterized in that the outer tube accommodates a second knurled inner tube whose rupture properties are the same as or different from that of the first inner tube.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-section of a portion of a double tubular element.

FIG. 2 shows the situation when the part illustrated in FIG. 1 is bent.

FIG. 3 shows a lap forming operation of a double tubular element.

FIG. 4 shows different closing methods for double tubular elements.

FIG. 5 illustrates another modified closure method for a dual tubular element.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Comprising two concentric tubes of flexible translucent material, each having an outer wall and a different diameter, thereby defining two compartments, each compartment being filled with liquid. , A cylinder characterized in that the element is a tubular element closed at each of its straight ends, the inner tube having a notch in its outer wall that passes through a portion thereof which never passes through it. State element. 2. Small diameter tubes are inserted into their large diameter tubes over their entire length so as to form a tubular assembly, the inner tube having a knurled outer surface and further comprising: The tube is filled with a chemical solution before or after said insertion and the length of the tube at regular or irregular intervals between the seals corresponds to the desired length of the final tubular element. A continuous process for producing tubular elements according to claim 1, characterized in that the assembly is closed.