Patent Publication Number: US-2012036747-A1

Title: Flowing sand picture

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This Application is being filed as a Divisional of application Ser. No. 12/692,899, filed 25 Jan. 2010, currently pending. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to sand pictures and more particularly, to a flowing sand picture, which has granular materials of different sizes, colors and specific gravities held in a liquid inside a transparent, flat box-like picture frame such that when the transparent, flat box-like picture frame is turned upside down, the granular materials float up and down through one another, showing a picture of dynamic variation. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a flowing sand picture according to the prior art. According to this design, the flowing sand picture comprises a transparent flat box-like picture frame  1  having sealed therein a fluid  11  (water or oil) and a granular material  12  (for example, sand) that has a specific gravity higher than the fluid  11 . When the transparent flat box-like picture frame  1  is turned upside down, the granular material  12  flows down in the fluid  11  rapidly and bubbles  13  are produced and flowing upwards in the fluid  11 . The upwardly flowing bubbles  13  slow down the downward flowing speed of the granular material  12 . Thus, a variation of picture is seen. 
     According to the aforesaid prior art design, the bubbles  13  will disappear within a very short time after the transparent flat box-like picture frame  1  is still. When the bubbles disappeared, the multi-layer picture pattern disappears too. Further, the scene in which bubbles are mixed in the sand is not attractive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a flowing sand picture, which causes granular materials of different specific gravities to flow through one another in two reversed directions in a fluid when it is turned upside down, thereby showing a picture of dynamic variation. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a flowing sand picture comprises a transparent, flat box-like picture frame, a fluid sealed in the transparent, flat box-like picture frame, multiple heavy granular materials sealed in the transparent, flat box-like picture frame, each heavy granular material having a specific gravity higher than the fluid, and multiple lightweight granular materials sealed in the transparent, flat box-like picture frame, each lightweight granular material having a specific gravity lower than the fluid. 
     When the transparent, flat box-like picture frame is turned upside down, the heavy granular materials float down in the fluid and the lightweight granular materials float up in the fluid through the heavy granular materials, showing a picture of dynamic variation. 
     Further, a rack may be provided to support the transparent, flat box-like picture frame for allowing the transparent, flat box-like picture frame to be rotated relative to the rack. Further, the heavy granular materials and the lightweight granular materials can be prepared in different colors and/or different sizes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a flowing sand picture according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic front view of a flowing sand picture according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the flowing sand picture kept stilled. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the flowing sand picture in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a flowing sand picture in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic front view of a flowing sand picture in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing the flowing sand picture kept stilled. 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the flowing sand picture in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a flowing sand picture in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , a flowing sand picture in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a transparent, flat box-like picture frame  2 , a fluid  21  filled in the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  2 , multiple heavy granular materials  22  filled in the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  2  and multiple lightweight granular materials  23  filled in the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  2 . Each heavy granular material  22  has a specific gravity higher than the fluid  21 . Each lightweight granular material  23  has a specific gravity lower than the fluid  21 . It is to be understood that the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  2  has a filling hole (not shown), which is sealed after filling of the fluid  21 , the heavy granular materials  22  and the lightweight granular materials  23 . When the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  2  is turned upside down, the lightweight granular materials  23  float rapidly upwards in the fluid  21  and the lightweight granular materials  23  sink in the fluid  21  through gaps  231  among the upwardly floating lightweight granular materials  23  subject to the effect that the lightweight granular materials  23  have more buoyancy than the fluid  21  and the effect that each heavy granular material  22  has a specific gravity higher than the fluid  21 . During upward movement of the lightweight granular materials  23  and downward movement of the heavy granular materials  22  in the fluid  21 , a picture of dynamic variation is seen. Further, the amount of the lightweight granular materials  23  must be properly controlled. If the amount of the lightweight granular materials  23  is excessively high, the lightweight granular materials  23  will prohibit the heavy granular materials  22  from falling to the bottom side in the fluid  21 . If the amount of the lightweight granular materials  23  is excessively low, the heavy granular materials  22  will fall to the bottom side in the fluid  21  rapidly, the duration of the dynamic variation of the picture will be greatly shortened. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flowing sand picture in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception of that the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  2  is pivotally supported on a rack  24  so that the user can swing the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  2  back and forth on the rack  24 . 
       FIGS. 6˜8  illustrate a flowing sand picture in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. The flowing sand picture according to this third embodiment comprises a transparent, flat box-like picture frame  3 , a fluid  31  filled in the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  3 , multiple lightweight granular materials  32  filled in the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  3  and multiple barriers  33  fixedly mounted in the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  3  at selected locations and spaced from one another by gaps  34 . The barriers  33  can be made from transparent acrylic or glass in any of a variety of shapes. Each lightweight granular material  32  has a specific gravity lower than the fluid  31 . Further, the barriers  33  can be arranged in straight or curved lines at different elevations. When the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  3  is turned upside down, the lightweight granular materials  32  float rapidly upwards in the fluid  31  through the gaps  34 , showing a picture of dynamic variation. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a flowing sand picture in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This fourth embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid third embodiment with the exception of that the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  3  is pivotally supported on a rack  35  so that the user can swing the transparent, flat box-like picture frame  3  back and forth on the rack  35 . 
     Further, the aforesaid heavy granular materials  22 , lightweight granular materials  23  and lightweight granular materials  32  can be made in different sizes and different colors for showing a color variation. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.