Description

THE BILAMINAR COVER BONE ASH STORAGE BOX

BREATHING A BREATH

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates, in general, to bone ash containers with double lids having a ventilation function, and, more particularly, to a bone ash container which has an improved ventilation structure and includes far infrared radiant material, thus preventing bone ash from decaying, and preventing smells. Background Art

[2] Death is inevitable for everyone. When a person dies, the person does not breathe anymore, the body gets cold, all moisture escapes from the body, only bone is left, and the bone decays and returns to the earth. Knowing that our bodies return to Mother Nature and thus, that there is no more self, the applicant wishes Korean people to politically come to accept cremation without reluctance.

[3] In Korean funeral culture, almost all surviving families have insisted that bodies be buried on the grounds that "burial is a tradition", "burial is a custom" or "cremation is not allowed due to religion" to the present day, when burial grounds are insufficient.

[4] However, as social leaders and celebrities set examples and surviving family members seek rational solutions according to changes in their ideas, people having gravesites are also changing their minds, and are accepting cremation culture. Cremation always reminds us of a "bone ash container" for storing bone ash.

[5] Funerals in which a bone ash container storing bone ash after the cremation of a body is entombed in a park- like place in the suburbs are becoming more popular lately.

[6] However, the container for storing bone ash is usually sealed, and thus, when the bone ash is stored for a long time, moisture caused by dew condensation generated in the container causes mildew which decays and creates bad smells, and worms as well as excrementitious gas, generated due to the intake of high-protein bone ash by bacteria, decay and discolor the bone ash and the container. These are factors that concern the surviving family and cause problems related to management of the bone ash container, such as expenditure for heating bills, etc.

[7] Considering the above problems, bone ash containers used nowadays are manufactured from paulownia coreana, stone, porcelain, jade, marble, etc. to prevent the bone ash from hardening and mildew caused by moisture generated around the containers.

[8] Furthermore, as a representative example of the conventional art, a bone ash container, which has a patterned through hole, and in which several sheets of py-

roligneous Korean paper, infused with pyroligneous liquid, are provided in the inner surface of the container, and a charcoal storage unit including a Korean paper box containing charcoal powder is provided, was proposed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-383226. However, there are the possibility of the entrance of noxious insects or bugs through the patterned through holes, which communicate with the outside. Also, the smell of decayed bone ash is dispersed outside through the patterned through holes. Furthermore, there is a disadvantage in that it is inconvenient to replace the charcoal storage unit with a new one.

[9] Moreover, because moisture easily permeates the main body of the bone ash container through the patterned through hole, dew condensation, in which moisture condenses from the atmosphere and is formed on the inner surface of the main body due to the difference in temperature between the outer surface of the main body and the inner surface thereof over the passage of time, is induced. Moisture, formed by the dew condensation, is absorbed by the bone ash, thus accelerating the decay and spoilage of the bone ash. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is difficult to preserve the bone ash for a long period. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[10] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bone ash container which has an improved ventilation structure, thus reliably preserving bone ash contained in the container.

[11] Another object of the present invention is to provide a bone ash container which is manufactured by mixing clay with far infrared radiant material and by plastically processing them at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, thus maximizing the emission of far infrared rays and anions, thereby further enhancing the bone ash decay prevention effect and deodorization effect. Technical Solution

[12] In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a bone ash container with double lids having a ventilation function, including: a container body having therein a storage space for containing bone ash, with an opening formed in an end of the container body; an inner lid inserted into the container body to openably close the opening; and an outer lid to openably close the opening of the container body outside the inner lid, with a vent hole formed at a predetermined position through the outer lid, wherein an upward hole defining part is formed at a central portion in the inner lid, the upward hole defining part communicating with an interior of the container body, and a downward protruding part is provided under a lower surface of

the outer lid at a position spaced apart from the upward hole defining part in an outward direction by a predetermined distance, thus defining an air passage along with the vent hole of the outer lid to ensure ventilation of the container body.

[13] Preferably, the inner lid may include an outer wall provided on a perimeter of the inner lid in a vertical direction, with a plurality of vent notches formed in four respective corners of the outer wall to a predetermined depth to ensure ventilation of the container body.

[14] Furthermore, the outer lid may include a handle part provided at a central portion in an upper surface of the outer lid, and the vent hole may comprises a plurality of vent holes formed in four respective corners of the outer lid at positions corresponding to the respective vent notches of the inner lid.

[15] In addition, each of the container body, the inner lid and the outer lid may be manufactured by pulverizing a far infrared radiant substance, which is made by plastically processing a mixture of 50 weight percent of soil powder (400 mesh) and 50 weight percent of mineral powder (about 400 mesh) at a high temperature of approximately 1300 ⁰ C, into a mesh size of about 400 mesh, by mixing the pulverized far infrared radiant substance with thermal resistant powder (400 mesh) at the mixture ratio of about 100: 1, and by plastically processing the mixed material at a high temperature of approximately 1300 ⁰ C.

Advantageous Effects

[16] In the bone ash container according to the present invention, vent notches and vent holes are formed in an inner lid and an outer lid, so that fresh outer air can be continuously supplied into the bone ash container and circulate therein. Furthermore, an air passage having a double wall structure can prevent moisture from directly entering the container body. In addition, the present invention can reduce differences in temperature and humidity between the interior and the exterior of the bone ash container using an air buffer space. As such, the ventilation structure of the bone ash container is markedly improved. Therefore, the present invention fundamentally prevents bone ash from decaying, thus reliably preserving the bone ash of the deceased. In addition, because unpleasant smells are prevented from being generated from the bone ash container, the surviving family can visit the bone ash container in comfort.

[17] Moreover, in the present invention, because glaze, containing far infrared radiant material, is applied to the inner and outer surfaces of the bone ash container, the effect of regulating humidity using far infrared radiant material is ensured. As well, because the present invention has superior antibacterial activity, gas is prevented from being generated from the excrement of bacilli, which take up a lot of protein from the bone

ash. Therefore, the bone ash can be reliably preserved. Brief Description of the Drawings

[18] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a bone ash container with double lids having a ventilation function, according to the present invention;

[19] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1; and

[20] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the bone ash container with the double lids having the ventilation function, according to the present invention.

[21] *Description of the elements in the drawings*

[22] 10. container body 20. inner lid

[23] 30. outer lid 110. stepped stop part

[24] 120. name card seat 202. lower surface

[25] 210. stop rim 220. upward hole defining part

[26] 230. outer wall 240. vent notch

[27] 310. vent hole 320. downward protruding part

[28] 330. handle part A. air passage having double wall structure

[29] B. air buffer space

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[30] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[31] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a bone ash container with double lids having a ventilation function, according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the bone ash container with the double lids having the ventilation function according to the present invention.

[32] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, the bone ash container of the present invention includes a container body 10, which stores bone ash therein, and an inner lid 20 and an outer lid 30, which are coupled to the upper end of the container body 10.

[33] The container body 10 has a regular hexahedral shape and includes sidewalls that extend from the bottom thereof to define a storage space therein. In addition, an opening is formed in the upper end of the container body. A stepped stop part 110, onto which the inner lid 20, which will be explained later herein, is seated, is formed in the open upper end of the container body 10.

[34] The inner lid 20 has a predetermined thickness and is inserted into the container bod y 10 to close the opening of the container body 10. A stop rim 210, corresponding to the stepped stop part 110 of the container body 10, is provided on the outer edge of the inner lid 20, so that the container body 10 is covered with the inner lid 20 by seating the stop rim 210 of the inner lid onto the stepped stop part 110 of the container body.

[35] Furthermore, an upward hole defining part 220, which communicates with the

interior of the container body 10, is formed at the center in a lower surface 202 of the inner lid 20. The upward hole defining part 220, which extends a predetermined length upwards, can serve as a handle for the inner lid 20.

[36] In addition, an outer wall 230, which has a predetermined length and width, is provided on the perimeter of the inner lid 20. A vent notch 240, through which air and heat pass, is formed through each of the four corners of the outer wall 230.

[37] The outer lid 30 has a predetermined thickness, and covers the opening the container body 10 outside the inner lid 20. Vent holes 310 are formed in the four respective corners of the outer lid 30 at positions corresponding to the respective vent notches 240 of the inner lid 20.

[38] Furthermore, a downward protruding part 320, into which the upward hole defining part 220 of the inner lid 20 is inserted, is provided under the lower surface of the outer lid 30, thus forming a double wall structure, defining an air passage (A) therein, along with the upward hole defining part 220.

[39] The air passage (A) has a vertical zigzag shape and is relatively narrow, so that noxious insects cannot permeate the container body 10 and outside air is restricted from being directly drawn into the container body 10, thereby preventing dew condensation in the bone ash container.

[40] Here, the downward protruding part 320 of the outer lid 30, which defines the air passage (A), may be constructed such that it is disposed inside the upward hold defining part 220 of the inner lid 20.

[41] As shown in FIG. 3, in the bone ash container with the double lids having the ventilation function according to the present invention, a space having a predetermined volume is defined between the inner lid 20 and the outer lid 30 by the heights of the downward protruding part 320 of the outer lid 30 and the upward hole defining part 220 of the inner lid 20.

[42] This space serves as an air buffer space (B). In detail, the air buffer space is used as a space, in which outside air stays for a short time, and serves to discharge air, which is drawn into and circulates in the container body 10, backwards. That is, in consideration of radiant cooling, which generally actively occurs at night in the place where the bone ash container is stored, the present invention provides an air space that can prevent the container from being cooled below the dew point.

[43] As such, in the present invention, the air passage (A), defined by the double wall structure, and the air buffer space (B) prevent outside air or moisture from directly permeating the container body 10, thus preventing the temperature or humidity from varying too rapidly, thereby restricting dew condensation.

[44] Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer lid 30 may be designed such that, after a handle part 330 having a taegeuk shape is carved in the center in the upper

surface of the outer lid, the vent holes 310 are formed in the respective corners of the outer lid 30 in the shapes of Gun, Gon, Gam and Li which are the four Kwaes of the taegeuk flag, that is, the national flag of Korea. Then, the outer lid generally forms the shape of the taegeuk flag, thus having an antique appearance.

[45] Here, preferably, the handle part 330 having a taegeuk shape is engraved into a structure in which the part that is held by a user is disposed inside the outer lid 30 such that it does not protrudes from the outer surface of the outer lid 30. Furthermore, a name card seat 120, which is engraved (or embossed) to have a sailboat shape, is provided in the front surface of the container body 10, so that the name card of the deceased can be attached to the name card seat 120.

[46] The material of the bone ash container with the double lids having the ventilation function according to the present invention will be described herein below.

[47] 1. Manufacture of Far Infrared Radiant Substance

[48] A far infrared radiant substance is made by mixing 50 weight percent of soil powder (about 400 mesh) with 50 weight percent of mineral powder (about 400 mesh) and by plastically processing them at a high temperature of approximately 1300 ⁰ C.

[49] To obtain the soil described above, soil, which is gathered from a hill, is mixed with water, and the water containing the soil is filtered several times using a sieve having an appropriate mesh size to eliminate impurities. Thereafter, pure soil, which is deposited at the bottom in the water, is gathered and dried. The soil obtained through this process has the shape of fine powder having a mesh size of about 400 mesh. The product, which is available on the market under the brand name "Serion", produced by the Korean company "Hyochang Mineral Co. Ltd", is used as the mineral powder of the present invention without further processing.

[50] 2. Manufacture of Bone Ash Container

[51] The far infrared radiant substance, which is made from mixing soil and mineral powder and from plastically processing them, is pulverized to obtain far infrared radiant powder having a mesh size of about 400 mesh. Thereafter, the far infrared radiant powder and thermal resistant powder are mixed at a mixture ratio ranging from about 100:1 to about 100:4.

[52] The thermal resistant powder serves to prevent the main material, that is, soil and mineral powder, from being melted at a high temperature when manufacturing using the main material. Thermal resistant powder, which is available on the market under the brand name "Naeyeolto", produced by Korean company "Korea Porcelain-Clay Co. Ltd", is used as the thermal resistant powder of the present invention without further processing.

[53] The mixture, which is obtained through the above-mentioned process, is plastically formed to have a desired shape (see, FIG. 1) at a temperature of about 1300 ⁰ C and is

magnetized by high-temperature plastic forming. [54] The far infrared radiant substance, which is the mixture of soil and mineral powder, is naturally magnetized through the plastic forming process at a high temperature of about 1300 ⁰ C. [55] The bone ash container, which is manufactured using the far infrared radiant substance described above, has an emissivity (5-20D) of 0.93 and a radiant energy

(W/m ² DD, 5O ⁰ C) of 4.31xϊQrefer to Table. 1) [56] Table 1

[57] The above test was conducted under the temperature condition of 5O ⁰ C, and the results were obtained through black body contrast measurement using an FT-I spectrometer (Korea Institute of Construction Materials, April 28, 1997).

[58] As such, the bone ash container of the present invention is manufactured by plastically processing and magnetizing the far infrared radiant substance, which is obtained by mixing soil and mineral powder with each other. Therefore, various bacilli and contamination substances, which appear while bone ash is stored, can be eliminated by far infrared rays emitted from the bone ash container.

[59] The operation of the present invention having the above-mentioned construction will be explained herein below.

[60] The container body 10 of the bone ash container according to the present invention has a size of 200mm x 200mm x 200mm in length x width x height. Each corner of the container body 10 is rounded to ensure a good external appearance. The handle part 330 of the outer lid 30 has a taegeuk shape, which is engraved to have a structure in which the part that is held by the user is disposed inside the outer lid 30 such that it does not protrude beyond the outer surface of the outer lid 30. In consideration of the external appearance, five surfaces of the outer lid, other than the bottom thereof, form an almost planar shape, in which the central portion thereof is slightly convex. Furthermore, the name card seat 120, which is engraved (or embossed) to have a sailboat shape, is provided in the front surface of the container body 10 to hold the name card of the deceased in the name card seat 120.

[61] Meanwhile, during a process of secondarily plastically forming the bone ash container, if 10% far infrared radiant material is mixed with glaze, far infrared radiation becomes more active, because far infrared rays actively cause molecular motion at temperatures higher than absolute zero, that is, -273°C. Therefore, at room temperature, which is higher than absolute zero, dew condensation is prevented by the characteristics of far infrared rays, in which the emissivity thereof, that is, emitting

power, is increased depending on the increase in temperature. That is, thanks to the heating effect of the far infrared rays, an object is prevented from being cooled below the dew point.

[62] After bone ash has been placed in the container body 10 made of far infrared radiant material, the upper end of the container body 10 is covered with the inner lid 20 and the outer lid 30 to maintain the state in which the bone ash is contained in the bone ash container, as shown in FIG. 1.

[63] In the present invention, even though the container body is covered with the lids, because the vent notches 240 and the vent holes 310, through which air and heat can circulate between the interior and the outside, are formed in the bone ash container, ventilation is reliably ensured. Furthermore, the air passage (A) having the double wall structure can prevent moisture from directly entering the container body. In addition, the air buffer space (B) can reduce the difference in temperature between the interior and the exterior of the bone ash container.

[64] As described above, the bone ash container of the present invention has the dew condensation prevention structure and is manufactured by mixing material of celadon porcelain with a ceramic substance, which is made by mixing far infrared radiant material with thermal resistant soil at an appropriate ratio and from plastically processing and magnetizing them at a high temperature of 1300 ⁰ C. Therefore, the present invention has advantages of dew concentration prevention, mildew elimination, insect proofing, antibiosis, maturation, humidity regulation, freshness maintenance, etc. Furthermore, the present invention ensures harmony between the bone ash container and the natural environment in consideration of the theory of divination based on topography. As such, the present invention can effectively preserve the bone ash and ensure the peace of disembodied spirit and the mental and physical peace of the surviving family.

[65] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. Therefore, it must be understood that the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the attached drawings are only one example of a realization of the present invention, but do not limit the scope and spirit of the invention.