US3898781A

US3898781A - Transparent paving tile structure

Info

Publication number: US3898781A
Application number: US877412A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bruno Facchini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-11-26
Filing date: 1969-11-17
Publication date: 1975-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 1992-08-12

Abstract

A transparent paving tile structure having at least one closed gap therein partially filled of fluid and arranged to provide continuously moving images.

Description

United States Patent Facchini Aug. 12, 1975 TRANSPARENT PAVING TILE STRUCTURE 3,048,075 8/ 1962 Wright 272/8 P 3,387,396 6 1968 S 272 8 D Inventor: Bltuno Facchini, Vlale PaSUblO 3, D M118", Italy 3,464,132 9/1969 Matisse. 272/8 D 3,564,740 2/1971 Calfee.... 40/1062] [22] 1969 R5,649 11/1873 Bush 272/8 P [21] Appl. No.: 877,412

Primary Examiner-John E. Murtagh [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Guido Modiano; Albert Nov. 26, 1968 Italy 24190/68 Josif [52] US. Cl 52/311; 272/8 D [51] Int. Cl. G09f 3/00; G091 13/34 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 52/311; 161/5, 18;

272 p 8 40/106 21 A transparent paving tile structure having at least one closed gap therein partially filled of fluid and arranged 5 Ref re e Cited to provide continuously moving images.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1957 Flam .1 161/18 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED E 1 2 i 75 SHEET PATENYED AUG 1 2 i875 SHEET TRANSPARENT PAVING TILE STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a transparent paving tile structure arranged to provide continuously moving images visible by looking through the structure.

The main object of the present invention is that of providing a paving tile which is able of creating moving images, continuously random changing and this without making use of any device whatsoever involving the provision of a motion source of conventional kind, but merely taking advantage of the physic characteristics of certain substances. I

Another object of this invention is that the said paving tile may be manufactured at a very low cost from readily available materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other objects which will better appear hereinbelow are attained by a transparent paving tile structure according to the invention, including the improvement wherein said structure consists of at least one pair of substantially transparent plate-like elements which are jointed to one another in a manner such as to define therebetween a closed gap which is partially filled with at least one viscous fluid in which a number of various elements are suspended.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the above Figures, the structures according to the invention consist of a paving tile obtained by joining together two

transparent plate elements

1 and 2 suitably made of plastics material, preferably tight-sealed to one another to define a closed gap or interspace. To this end the opposite faces of the

plates

1 and 2 are suitably recessed except along a limited peripheral portion thus resulting in the gap being wider.

Such gap is partially filled with a viscous fluid in such a way as air bubbles are formed therein. The portion of gap filled of fluid is indicated at 3, while the bubbles are given the reference number 4. In the fluid elements 5 are suspended, which are of any nature. Thus per example they could be opaque or transparent and preferably, although not necessarily, coloured.

It should be noted that by looking through the paving tile thus obtained, for reasons explained later on the air bubbles will be seen to slowly ascend upwards according to a random movement. Thus per example the air bubbles can be split and then combined again while moving. This movement which is transmitted to the whole material in the gap is also given to the elements 5 which are caused to random move. The movement caused within the gap is approximately similar to that of the elementar particles in a cell since the particle movements are completely randomsome and free.

Preferential paths can also be provided within the gap for the moving particles.

According to the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 the opposite plate elements are more then two. Between each pair of adjacent surfaces (indicated at 6,7,8 and 9) a gap is formed containing a liquid and particles suspended therein. By looking through the packet of plate elements a composite effect is obtained which is due to, say, the elementar effects described above.

Of course it is convenient that the liquids in each gap has different viscosity rate besides colours so that the ascending movement of the particles in each gap occurs at different speed.

The above described structure is used in the form of paving tiles, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In this case the movement of the particles and

air bubbles

4 and 5 within the liquid 3 is due to the load acting on the tiles. When a person treads or steps on a tile, the latter is given a stress in the direction of arrows 10. Since the material which the plate elements consist of is slightly resilient, the stress causes a slight deformation of such elements, which is transmitted to the gap. The liquid, the air bubbles and the particles are thus caused to move due to the effect of the stress in the direction of the arrows 10. The effects due to such movements, while being enhanced by means of a light source placed below the plane containing the tiles, are equally visible even when such light source is not provided.

1. A paving tile having two parallel spaced apart walls joined at their edges to define a closed interspace therebetween, a viscous liquid partially filling said interspace and containing air bubbles therein, said walls being made of transparent resilient material there by to allow, upon treading, deformation thereof causing a random movement of said bubbles.