US20120318809A1

US20120318809A1 - Water ball

Info

Publication number: US20120318809A1
Application number: US13/160,216
Authority: US
Inventors: Jui-An Tsai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-06-14
Filing date: 2011-06-14
Publication date: 2012-12-20

Abstract

A water ball with a bubble eliminating device is revealed. A bottom cover is connected to an opening edge on the bottom of a transparent container so as to form a closed container that is filled with a fluid. The bottom cover is disposed with a hole and a sheet with elasticity is placed over the hole to close the hole. The sheet is used to regulate pressure changes of the fluid in the water ball caused by volume changes. Thus the formation of bubbles is prevented and the crack of the enclosed container due to increased fluid pressure is prevented.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a water ball with a bubble eliminating device, especially to a water wall in which a hole on a bottom cover thereof is disposed with an elastic sheet that regulates fluid pressure changes in the water ball caused by fluid temperature and volume changes.
Generally, a decorative water ball is formed by a transparent container such as a ball-shaped container, a bottom cover and a base. The transparent container is made from glass/plastic by blow molding or injection blow molding. A mold base is produced by an injection molding machine and then a container is formed by blow forming. Next the bottom cover is used to close an opening on the bottom of the transparent container so as to form a closed container. Static decorations such as figure sculptures, a plurality of white or differently colored lustrous foil fragments or various floating objects are set into the water ball. At least one kind of fluid is filled into the container through a preset hole on the bottom cover. When there is only one kind of fluid such as water filled into the water ball, users can shake the water ball to make the foil fragments float freely. While filling two kinds of fluid such as clear oil and blue-colored water into the water ball, the floating objects floats at an interface between the water and the oil. The closed transparent container is fixed on the base. Various devices such as LED or transmission mechanisms are mounted in the base so as to improve dynamic viewing and decorative effect of the water ball.
The closed container and the fluid therein may expand and contract with changes in temperature. When the ambient temperature increases, the volume of the fluid therein also increases and presses the closed container, even causes the container to crack. When the temperature decreases, the volume of the fluid in the water ball is reduced and bubbles occur in the closed container. This has negative effect on the quality and appearance of the water ball. These are common shortcomings in water ball ornaments.
Refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,108, in order to solve the problem of bubbles in the water ball caused by thermal expansion and contraction, the bubbles generated are guided to a circular cavity arranged in the water ball. However, the bubbles still exist and the circular cavity occupies a certain space inside the water ball.
Refer to U.S. Pat. No. 7,617,624, a water ball is revealed. However, there is no structure in this device that solves the problem of bubbles generated due to thermal expansion and contraction. Thus the problem persists.
Refer to Taiwanese Pat. No. 202563 “improved water ball ornament”, a space formed between a receiving slot of a plug and a claw-shaped block is used to hide and receive bubbles generated in a container of the water ball. However, the problem of bubbles generated due to thermal changes is still present.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a water ball with a bubble eliminating device with simple structure, fewer number of components and compact volume. The water ball is disposed with an elastic sheet for regulating the fluid pressure therein so as to prevent the formation of bubbles and avoid crack caused by increased fluid pressure. Moreover without certain space being occupied, the water ball provides a larger space for arranging other components on the bottom side thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a water ball with a bubble eliminating device in which an elastic sheet is pressed against a hole on a bottom cover tightly so as to achieve a secure connection and form a stable assembly.
In order to achieve the above objects, a water ball with a bubble eliminating device according to the present invention includes a transparent container, a bottom cover and a base. The transparent container such as a ball-shaped container is for display. The bottom cover is to close an opening on the bottom of the transparent container so as to form a closed container. The base is used to load the closed container. The water ball features on that: the bottom cover of the closed container is disposed with a hole and a sheet with elasticity is placed over the hole. The sheet is made from semi-soft material with elasticity. When the volume of the fluid in the water ball expands or contracts due to temperature changes, changes of the fluid pressure caused by the volume changes in the water ball is regulate by the sheet. Thus there is no bubble generated and crack of the water ball due to larger fluid pressure can be avoided. The sheet is made from semi-soft material with elasticity. When the volume of the fluid in the water ball expands or contracts due to temperature changes, changes of the fluid pressure caused by the volume changes in the water ball is regulate by the sheet. Thus there is no bubble generated and crack of the water ball due to larger fluid pressure can be avoided.
The water ball further includes a positioning part and a locking slot mounted around the hole of the bottom cover. The positioning part is corresponding to and locked with the locking slot so that the sheet is between the positioning part and the bottom cover and is pressed against the hole firmly. Thus a secure connection is achieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an explosive view of the embodiment in FIG. 1 according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of the embodiment in FIG. 2 according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the embodiment in FIG. 1 according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Refer from FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, a water ball with a bubble eliminating device 1 according to the present invention includes a transparent container 10, a bottom cover 20 and a base 30. The transparent container 10 is a ball-shaped container made from glass, produced by blow molding and having an opening edge 11 on a bottom thereof. The transparent container 10 can also be made from plastic by blow molding or injection blow molding. The bottom cover 20 is adhered to the opening edge 11 of the transparent container 10 (made from glass) by glue or is connected to the opening edge of the transparent container 10 (made from plastic) by ultrasonic welding so as to form a closed container 2. Then the closed container 2 is fixed on the base 30 to form the water ball 1.
The water ball with a bubble eliminating device features on that: the bottom cover 20 of the closed container 2 is arranged with a hole 21 and a sheet 40 is placed over the hole 21 for closing the hole 21. By a positioning part 50, the sheet 40 is pressed against the hole 21 tightly. The sheet 40 is made from semi-soft material with elasticity and is in contact with fluid 3 in the closed container 2 elastically. Thus fluid pressure in the container is regulated by the sheet 40 so as to prevent crack of the closed container 2 caused by the increased fluid pressure.
Refer to FIG. 3, the positioning part 50 is a semi-circular part and is disposed with a locking part 51 on a bottom edge thereof. A semi-circular locking slot 22 is mounted around the hole 21 of the bottom cover 20 and is used to lock with the locking part 51 of the positioning part 50 correspondingly.
Refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a flange 41 is disposed on a periphery of the sheet 40 and the thickness of the flange 41 is larger than the thickness of a central part of the sheet 40. A semi-circular groove 23, 52 is arranged at a surface of the bottom cover 20 corresponding to the sheet 40 and at a surface of the positioning part 50 facing the sheet 40 respectively. Thus the flange 41 of the sheet 40 is disposed between the two semi-circular grooves 23, 52 so as to achieve secure and stable positioning.
When the volume of the fluid 3 in the closed container 2 changes due to changes in ambient temperature or other reasons, the fluid pressure change occurs and bubbles are formed within the closed container 2. This affects the look of the water ball. In a prior art, the bubbles generated in the closed container 2 are hidden in a preset space by turning the water ball upside down. In an embodiment of the present invention, the sheet 40 absorbs the fluid pressure variations in the closed container 2 and expands/contracts elastically along with changes in the volume of the fluid 3 so as to regulate the fluid pressure in the closed container 2 and prevent the formation of bubbles. Moreover, crack caused by increased fluid pressure inside the water ball can be avoided.
The sheet 40 is made from semi-soft material with elasticity and its volume is designed according to the volume of the closed container 2 and the expansion/contraction ratio of the fluid 3. Thus the sheet 40 is able to regulate the fluid pressure. No matter how the volume of the fluid 3 changes with the temperature variations, the sheet 4 prevents the formation of bubbles.
When the ball-shaped transparent container 10 is made from polycarbonate or acrylic resin by blow molding or injection blow molding, the transparent container 10 is integrated with the bottom cover 20 by ultrasonic welding. Moreover, the bottom cover 20 is arranged with a circular edge 24 used for ultrasonic welding. The circular edge 24 is a step component, having a higher inner step and a lower outer step, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The opening edge 11 of the transparent container 10 is connected to the lower outer step by ultrasonic welding so as to form the closed container 2. Thus the welding processes employed between the transparent container 10 and the bottom cover 20 are simplified. The bubbles trapped in the welded area can be avoided and the quality of the produced closed container 2 is improved.
Compared with conventional water balls, the present invention doesn't include a certain space for receiving bubbles. Thus the volume of the water ball is reduced. Or the space is used to arrange other components. The space required for all the components of the water ball is not occupied.
In summary, a water ball with a bubble eliminating device of the present invention uses the sheet 40 to absorb the fluid pressure change in the closed container so as to prevent crack of the closed container 2 caused by the increased fluid pressure and avoid the formation of bubbles in the closed container 2. Moreover, the present invention has more advantages such as simple structure, compact volume, etc.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A water ball with a bubble eliminating device comprising:

a transparent container having an opening edge on a bottom thereof;

a bottom cover that is connected to the opening edge on the bottom of the transparent container so as to form a closed container that is filled with a fluid; the bottom cover having a hole on a bottom thereof and at least one sheet with elasticity placed over the hole and pressing against the hole tightly by a positioning part so that the sheet absorbs pressure changes of the fluid in the closed container; and

a base on which the closed container is fixed;

wherein volume of the fluid in the closed container increases or decreases and pressure changes occur when temperature changes; the sheet is used to regulates the pressure changes so as to prevent formation of bubbles and avoid crack caused by increased pressure.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet is made from semi-soft material with elasticity.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning part is disposed with a locking part on a bottom edge thereof while a locking slot is mounted around the hole of the bottom cover; the locking part of the positioning part is corresponding to and locked with the locking slot of the bottom cover.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flange is disposed on a periphery of the sheet while the bottom cover and the positioning part respectively are arranged with a groove; the flange of the sheet is mounted between the groove of the bottom cover and the groove of the positioning part.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transparent container is a ball-shaped container made from glass by blow molding.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transparent container is a ball-shaped container made from plastic by blow molding or injection blow molding.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the transparent container and the bottom cover are connected to and integrated with each other by ultrasonic welding.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the bottom cover is disposed with a circular edge that is a step edge having a higher inner step and a lower outer step; the opening edge of the transparent container is connected to the lower outer step of the bottom cover by ultrasonic welding.