Abstract:
A thermal effect switch in accordance with a preferred embodiment includes a thermal chamber and an effect switch mounted on the thermal chamber. The thermal chamber has a sealed chamber and working fluid filled therein. The sealed chamber has a vacuum chamber. The effect switch is a flexible structure configured for turning inwards and outwards, and is operated by changing inner pressure of the thermal chamber produced by heating the thermal chamber. The thermal effect switch can drive the effect switch according to the heat condition of the thermal chamber.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to thermal effect switches for the application technology using the thermal conductance in automatic reaction switches and warning switches etc. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In recent years, thermal chambers are usually used in electronic products, such as computers, etc., to be configured for conducting heat. The thermal chamber is a sealed chamber and has a little working fluid filled therein. The sealed chamber includes a vacuum chamber. A capillary construction is attached on the inner wall of the sealed chamber. If one distal end of the thermal chamber is heated, the working fluid filled therein will be vaporized and transmitted to the other distal end. In the transmitting process, the vaporized working fluid is cooled to be liquid and the heat dissipates. The conventional thermal chamber is only used to conduct heat, and have no else uses. 
         [0005]    What is needed, is to provide a thermal effect switch using a thermal chamber. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0006]    A thermal effect switch in accordance with a preferred embodiment includes a thermal chamber and an effect switch mounted on the thermal chamber. The thermal chamber has a sealed chamber and working fluid filled therein. The sealed chamber has a vacuum chamber. The effect switch is a flexible structure configured for turning inwards and outwards, and is operated by changing inner pressure of the thermal chamber produced by heating the chamber. 
         [0007]    A thermal effect switch in accordance with another preferred embodiment includes a thermal chamber and an effect switch mounted thereon. The thermal chamber has a sealed chamber and working fluid filled therein. The sealed chamber has a vacuum chamber. The effect switch is configured for send out an output signal produced according to the heat condition of the thermal chamber to form an open circuit or a close circuit. 
         [0008]    The present thermal effect switch uses an effect switch operated by the heat condition of the thermal chamber, so that the thermal effect switch can sense the heat condition. Furthermore, in the present invention, an alarm device is provided, and is driven by the above thermal effect switch. The alarm device includes a circuit controlled by the effect switch. The alarm device includes a moveable plate, two electrical conductive columns passing through the moveable plate, a power supply and an alarm. The power supply and the alarm are arranged between the two electrical conductive columns. The alarm may be a light emitting element, a sound element or a shake element. The switch moves outwards controlled by the heat condition of the thermal chamber to make the moveable plate contact with the two electrical conductive columns to form a close circuit, thereby, the alarm sends out an alert. 
         [0009]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic, exploded view of a thermal effect switch in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the thermal effect switch of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an active, cross-sectional view of the thermal effect switch of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an alarm device driven by the thermal effect switch; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an active, cross-sectional view of the alarm device of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a partial exploded view of the alarm device of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a spoon using the alarm device; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a schematic, exploded view of a thermal effect switch in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe a preferred embodiment of the present thermal effect switch, in detail. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , a thermal effect switch in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The thermal effect switch includes a thermal chamber  1  and an effect switch  2  mounted on the thermal chamber  1 . The thermal chamber  1  includes a sealed chamber  11  and a capillary structure  12  attached on the inner wall of the sealed chamber  11 . The capillary structure  12  may be instead of a hydrophilic coating. The sealed chamber  11  has a vacuum chamber  13  and a little working fluid  14  filled therein. 
         [0021]    The effect switch  2  is arranged at an optional place of the thermal chamber  1 . The effect switch  2  includes a middle protruding portion  22 , and a flexible portion  21  arranged around the periphery of the protruding portion  22 . The flexible portion  21  can turn inwards or outwards to make the protruding portion  22  move downwards or upwards. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , if a distal end of the thermal chamber  1  is heated, the working fluid  14  filled therein transforms into steam and moves quickly along the vacuum chamber  13  to dissipate heat. In this process, the inner pressure of the thermal chamber  1  changes, thereby, the effect switch  2  turns outwards since the inner pressure increases. Therefore, the effect switch  2  can be driven by the heat condition of the thermal chamber  1 . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , an alarm device  9  driven by the above thermal effect switch  1  is shown. The alarm device  9  includes a component unit  3  and an alarm unit  4 . 
         [0024]    The component unit  3  is used to receiving the effect switch  2  of the thermal effect switch  1 . The component unit  3  includes a top plate  33  and a sidewall  31  surrounding the top plate  33 . A movable plate  32  is arranged under the top plate  33  and in a space defined by the sidewall  31 . The movable plate  32  includes a flat plate  321  and an electric conductive protrusion  322 . The flat plate  321  is arranged at the fringe of the effect switch  2 . 
         [0025]    The alarm device  9  further includes two electrical conductive columns  5  perpendicular to the top plate  33  and passing through the top plate  33 . Each electrical conductive column  5  has a conductive portion  331  arranged at the bottom thereof. 
         [0026]    The alarm unit  4  is arranged on the component unit  3  and includes a number of clapboards  41 . The two electrical conductive columns  5  pass through the number of clapboards  41 . The alarm unit  4  further includes a power supply  6  and an alarm  7  arranged on the clapboards  41 . The power supply  6  may be a battery and the alarm  7  may be a light emitting element, such as light bulb or light emitting diode. The alarm  7  also may be a sound element, such as trumpet or buzzer. The alarm  7  may be also a shake element with a shake function. The alarm unit  4  further includes a printed circuit board (not shown). 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , if the thermal chamber  1  is not heated or is not over a predetermined temperature, the effect switch  2  is not driven to turn outwards and the protrusion  322  does not contact the two conductive portions  331 . Therefore, the two electrical conductive columns  5  with the protrusion  322  and two conductive portions  331  form an open circuit so that the alarm  7  will not send out an alert. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , if the thermal chamber  1  is heated to be over the predetermined temperature, the effect switch  2  turns outwards since the inner pressure increases, to make the protrusion  322  move upwards by the protruding portion  22  pushing. Then the protrusion  322  contacts with the two conductive portions  331 . Thereby, the two electrical conductive columns  5  with the protrusion  322  and the two conductive portions  331  form a close circuit since the two conductive portions  331  is made of an electric material. The alarm  7  sends out an alert, such as light, sound or shake, etc. The alarm device  9  can be used in a spoon  8  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The spoon includes the alarm device  9  arranged at one distal end thereof. If the spoon  7  feels a heat source over the predetermined temperature, the alarm device  9  will send out an alert to avoid scalding tongue and mouth. 
         [0029]    The present alarm device  9  can be used not only in the spoon, but also in other product which influences by the heat, such as dishwares, or fire protections, etc. 
         [0030]    The effect switch  2  can be arranged not only at one distal end of the thermal chamber  1 , but also at a sidewall of the thermal chamber  1  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The thermal effect switch may include a number of switches  2  arranged at different places of the thermal chamber  1 . Furthermore, the number of switches  2  may be designed and controlled by different predetermined temperatures. For example, a thermal effect switch includes the number of switches  2  mounted on the single thermal chamber  1 . A switch A is designed and driven by a temperature over 27 degrees centigrade, and be connected with a fanner. A switch B is designed and driven by another temperature over 30 degrees centigrade, and connected with an air conditioner. Therefore, if the room temperature is over 27 degrees centigrade, the switch A will be driven to activate the fanner. Furthermore, if the room temperature is over 30 degrees centigrade, the switch B will be driven to activate the air conditioner. 
         [0031]    The thermal chamber  1  is a sealed chamber having any shape, length, construction, and material. The effect switch  2  may also have any shape, construction, number and material. The thermal effect switch may have different working fluid, capillary structure and vacuum pressure decided by different characters of the thermal effect switch. The thermal effect switch may have or have not a capillary structure. The alarm unit may also replace its inner component. 
         [0032]    The switch may also be a switch sending out a signal to form an open circuit or a close circuit decided by the heat condition of the thermal chamber. 
         [0033]    The conductive portion may also be an embedding electrode. 
         [0034]    The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein, including configurations ways of the recessed portions and materials and/or designs of the attaching structures. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.