Claims
- 1. A flexible pressure indicator, wherein the pressure indicator comprises:a flexible display diaphragm, and, a flexible indicator diaphragm bearing a recognizable configuration or pattern, wherein said display diaphragm and said indicator diaphragm, respectively, form first and second opposing outer surfaces of said pressure indicator, said diaphragms forming a compartment within said indicator, and wherein each of the outer surfaces of the pressure indicator is structured, in response to change in pressure, to cause relative movement between the diaphragms such that, at a certain degree of compression, the pattern or configuration on the indicator diaphragm becomes visible through the display diaphragm.
- 2. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a means to amplify the relative movement between the diaphragms which results from the change in pressure.
- 3. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means to amplify the change in pressure comprisesan article having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a larger cross sectional area than the first surface; wherein the first surface is in fluid communication with one of the diaphragms and in use, a change in pressure applied to the second surface causes an amplified movement of the first surface.
- 4. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first surface comprises the indicator diaphragm.
- 5. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 3 further including a rigid structure and means for biasing the second surface against the rigid structure.
- 6. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 5 wherein the biasing means comprises one of a spring and elastomeric material.
- 7. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the display diaphragm is transparent.
- 8. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the compartment contains a liquid or gel.
- 9. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 8 wherein the liquid or gel is at least partially opaque.
- 10. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the recognisable configuration or pattern comprises a symbol or graphic projecting from the surface of the indicator diaphragm towards the display diaphragm.
- 11. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the configuration or pattern comprises at least two components, each component contacting the display diaphragm at different pressures.
- 12. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 11 wherein the at least two components have different colours.
- 13. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 11 wherein the at least two components have different visibility.
- 14. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the display diaphragm and the indicator diaphragm comprises a flexible polymer.
- 15. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 14 wherein at least one of the display diaphragm and the indicator diaphragm comprises an elastomer.
- 16. An apparatus comprising a fluid reservoir and a pressure indicator according to claim 1 wherein one of the diaphragms is in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir.
- 17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the apparatus is inflatable.
- 18. A method of indicating fluidic or mechanical pressure using a pressure indicator according to claim 1.
- 19. A ball comprising a pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1.
- 20. A pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the display diaphragm comprises a lenticular material that, upon a certain amount of compression, becomes transparent to reveal the image on the indicator diaphragm.
- 21. An inflatable object comprising a pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1.
- 22. A pressure indicator comprising:a display diaphragm; and an indicator diaphragm, said indicator diaphragm coupled to and in communication with the display diaphragm, wherein the display diaphragm comprises a compressible lenticular material and the indicator diaphragm bears a recognizable configuration or pattern, and wherein a change in pressure applied to at least one of said diaphragms causes relative movement between the diaphragms, thereby compressing the lenticular shape of said lenticular material to change the diffractive and reflective properties of the display diaphragm, thus causing an image of said recognizable configuration or pattern to be externally visible through said display diaphragm.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
9920885 |
Sep 1999 |
GB |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is the US national phase of international application PCT/GB03072 filed 9 Aug, 2000, which designated the US.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/GB00/03072 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO01/18517 |
3/15/2001 |
WO |
A |
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