Color memory toy set

• US 5,011,445 A
• Filed: 02/08/1990
• Issued: 04/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Pilot Ink Co. Ltd (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: The Pilot Ink Co. Ltd (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kito, Tsutomu, Shibahashi, Yutaka, Nakasuji, Norikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US07/476,941
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 446/14, 446/385, 446/491, 401/1, 401/2, 434/328, 427/148, 427/150
• US Class Current: 446/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/1031 using colour indicators
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/22 Optical, colour, or shadow toys puzzles with optical elements A63F9/0613; kaleidoscopes G02B27/08
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/284 Organic thermochromic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 430/114 Initiator containing

Abstract

A color memory toy set has a color memory toy with surface, at least one portion of the surface being provided with a color memory temperature-sensitive color changing layer colored with a coloring material including a color memory temperature-sensitive dye exhibiting hysteresis characteristics in response to temperature change between a colored state and a colorless state or between a color (I) state and a color (II) state. The toy set also includes a writing pen for either causing an image to appear or disappear on the color memory temperature-sensitive layer by drawing the image on the layer to change the color state of the drawn portion into a first state, or for causing an image to appear or disappear on the color memory temperature-sensitive layer by drawing the image on the layer to change the color state of the drawn portion to a second state.

Claims

1. A color memory toy set, comprising:

a color memory toy having a surface, at least one portion of said surface being provided with a color memory temperature-sensitive color changing layer colored with a coloring material comprising a color memory temperature-sensitive dye exhibiting hysteresis characteristics in response to temperature change between either (i) a colored state and a colorless state or (ii) a first color state and a second color state; and

at least one simulated writing pen, said simulated writing pen comprising a pen body with a metal simulated writing tip end and a hollow pipe, wherein hot water as a heat medium or pieces of ice or cold water as a chilling medium can be freely inserted and removed therefrom so as to respectively form a hot-pen or a cold-pen thereby;

wherein said hot-pen causes at least a part of an image to appear or disappear on said color memory temperature-sensitive layer by drawing an image on said layer whereby to change the color state of the drawn portion into a first state and said cold-pen causes at least a part of an image to appear or disappear on said color memory temperature-sensitive layer by drawing an image on said layer whereby to change the color state of the drawn portion to a second state.

2. A color memory toy set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said color memory temperature-sensitive dye includes (i) an electron-supplying coloring organic compound, (ii) an electron-accepting compound and (iii) an ester compound causing the hysteresis characteristics,

wherein a lower color-changing temperature t₁ (°

C.) and a higher color-changing temperature t₂ (°

C.) of said dye are arbitrarily selected from the temperature range of 0°

-50°

C., and are determined to satisfy the following equation;

5≦

t₂ -t₁ ≦

35 (t₂ >

t₁),

wherein one of the color states or a coexisting state of the two color states is arbitrarily selected by chilling said color memory temperature-sensitive color changing layer below t₁ (°

C.) or heating said layer over t₂ (°

C.), and

wherein the selected state is maintained in the temperature range of t₁ to t₂ irrespective of the temperature change.

3. A color memory toy set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hollow pipe and metal tip end are integral and said hollow pipe is contained in an external barrel contacting said hollow pipe.

4. A color memory toy set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hollow pipe is detachable from said writing tip.

5. A color memory toy set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said writing tip end is provided with an embossed image.

6. A color memory toy set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pen body is provided with a reversible thermochromatic color changing layer.