Weather Resistance Test Equipment

Abstract

To provide a pressure device capable of discharging water in a container body while suppressing a pressure change in the container body when discharging the water in the container body in the pressurization.SOLUTION: A pressure device 2 includes a gas introduction pipe 13 for introducing gas into a pressurized container 11, a pressure regulator 16 for regulating air pressure in the pressurized container 11, a water spray pipe 17 for spraying water to a specimen S in the pressurized container 11, a drain tank 20a provided to a drain pipe 19 for discharging water in the pressurized container 11, an inflow valve 20b provided between the pressurized container 11 and the drain tank 20a, and a discharge valve 20c for discharging the water in the drain tank 20a. The pressure device suppresses pressure fluctuation in the pressurized container 11 when discharging the water in the pressurized container 11, by moving the water in the pressurized container 11 to the drain tank 20a, with the discharge valve 20c closed and the inflow valve 20b opened, and then, discharging the water in the drain tank 20a, with the inflow valve 20b closed and the discharge valve 20c opened.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a weather resistance testing device and a method for manufacturing a decorative sheet. [Background technology]

[0002] When conducting tests on thermal oxidation degradation or hydrolysis to determine how long it takes for organic or inorganic materials to deteriorate due to heat, moisture such as rain, or oxygen in the atmosphere, it is best to conduct the tests in a real environment. However, tests in a real environment take a long time to obtain test results. For this reason, accelerated tests are conducted under higher temperatures than in a real environment, with the amount and frequency of water sprays simulating rain, and with high oxygen concentrations. Examples of such tests include the PCT test (pressure cooker test) and high temperature and constant humidity test.

[0003] Furthermore, when conducting weather resistance tests to determine how long it takes for a material to deteriorate due to light and heat such as sunlight, moisture such as rain, oxygen in the atmosphere, and the like, it is best to conduct the tests in an actual environment. However, tests conducted in an actual environment can take a long time to obtain test results. Therefore, weather resistance tests are conducted using accelerated weathering test equipment with a light source with a higher light intensity than sunlight, thereby obtaining weather resistance test results for various materials at an early stage. Known examples of such weather resistance test equipment include the Sunshine Weather-O-Meter (SWOM), Metal Weather Meter (MW), Super UV (SUV), and Xenon Weather Meter (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] The Sunshine Weatherometer is equipped with a carbon arc light source. It irradiates the sample with light ranging from ultraviolet to visible light, while spraying water on the sample for a set period of time using a water spray device. This device allows for a certain shortening of the test period. The Metal Weathermeter and Super UV, on the other hand, are equipped with a metal halide lamp, a more powerful light source than the SWOM. This light source irradiates the sample with high-intensity light ranging from ultraviolet to visible light, while spraying water on the sample for a set period of time using a water spray device. Because these devices use a high-intensity light source, they can perform weather resistance tests in a shorter period of time than the Sunshine Weatherometer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 1-21891 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 1-28897 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] ESPEC Corporation, "Pressure Cooker Test," [online], [Retrieved January 11, 2022], Internet (URL: https: / / www.espec.co.jp / products / env-test / pvl / ) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The PCT test is a moisture resistance evaluation method that allows water vapor to penetrate into the sample in a short time by increasing the water vapor pressure in the test chamber to be higher than the water vapor partial pressure inside the sample at 100°C or higher (see Non-Patent Document 1).

[0008] The partial pressure of water vapor is increased by pressurizing the inside of the test chamber, so the test chamber becomes a pressurized container.

[0009] However, the PCT test only increases the partial pressure of water vapor, and has the problem that it cannot reproduce the deterioration that occurs when water, such as rain, or liquid hits the sample surface.

[0010] Furthermore, while deterioration due to humidity is primarily hydrolysis, in real-world environments, oxidation degradation due to heat also occurs at the same time as hydrolysis. The PCT test has the problem of being unable to reproduce both of these processes. Therefore, there is a need for equipment that can simultaneously perform thermal oxidation due to heat, deterioration due to water spray, and hydrolysis due to humidification within a pressurized container.

[0011] Furthermore, in the weather resistance testing devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in addition to using a light source with a high light intensity, the pressure (e.g., oxygen partial pressure) inside the device container in which the sample is placed is made higher than atmospheric pressure in order to facilitate the weather resistance testing. Furthermore, by spraying water into the device container with the pressure made higher than atmospheric pressure, it is possible to perform weather resistance testing that more closely replicates real weather conditions.

[0012] However, when water is sprayed into a container with a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure in thermal oxidation, water spray, hydrolysis tests, or weather resistance tests, discharging the sprayed water from the container poses a challenge. Because the containers in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are hermetically sealed, discharging the water accumulated in the container by spraying water simultaneously reduces the pressure in the container, temporarily preventing the pressurization effect from being achieved. Therefore, it is important to suppress the pressure drop in the container when discharging liquid from the container and quickly restore the reduced pressure to the set pressure. Therefore, a device capable of quickly restoring pressure has been desired.

[0013] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned unresolved problems, and aims to provide a weather resistance testing device and a method for manufacturing decorative sheets that can discharge water from a container body while suppressing pressure changes within the container body when the water is discharged from the container body under pressure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a weather resistance testing apparatus comprising: a container body in which a sample is placed; a gas inlet section for introducing gas into the container body; a humidity regulator for adjusting the humidity inside the container body; a pressure regulator for adjusting the air pressure inside the container body; a liquid supply section for supplying liquid into the container body; a drainage tank connected to the container body; an inlet valve that is provided between the container body and the drainage tank and can be opened and closed; and an outlet valve that is capable of discharging the liquid in the drainage tank and can be opened and closed; and a light source arranged outside the container body of the pressure testing apparatus, wherein the container body has a light-transmitting section that transmits light, and light from the light source is irradiated onto the sample placed in the container body through the light-transmitting section. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a decorative sheet, comprising the steps of: evaluating the weather resistance of a decorative sheet using the weather resistance testing device of the above aspect; determining a decorative sheet having the desired weather resistance based on the results of the evaluation; and mass-producing the determined decorative sheet. Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a decorative sheet is provided, comprising the steps of: evaluating the weather resistance of a decorative sheet using a weather resistance test device; determining a decorative sheet having desired weather resistance based on the results of the evaluation; and mass-producing the determined decorative sheet, wherein the weather resistance test device comprises a container body in which a sample is placed; a gas inlet section for introducing gas into the container body; a pressure adjustment section for adjusting the air pressure inside the container body; a liquid supply section for supplying liquid into the container body; a drain tank connected to the container body; a pressurizing device comprising an inlet valve provided between the container body and the drain tank that can be opened and closed; and a drain valve that can be opened and closed to discharge the liquid in the drain tank; and a light source disposed outside the container body of the pressurizing device. The container body has a light-transmitting portion that transmits light, and light from the light source is transmitted through the light-transmitting portion and irradiated onto a sample placed in the container body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, a weather resistance testing device can be provided that, when discharging water from a container body under pressure, can suppress pressure changes within the container body while discharging water from the container body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test apparatus to which a pressure device according to a first embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a conventional pressure device. [Figure 3] Graphs showing the pressure change inside the container body when discharging water from the container body under pressure, where (a) shows the pressure change when using a conventional pressure device, and (b) shows the pressure change when using the pressure device of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing a modified example of the pressure device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing a modified example of a drainage mechanism included in the pressurizing device. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test apparatus to which a pressure device according to a second embodiment is applied. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test apparatus to which a pressure device according to a third embodiment is applied. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test apparatus to which a pressure device according to a fourth embodiment is applied. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test apparatus to which a modified example of a pressure device according to a fourth embodiment is applied. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the pressurized container. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the pressurized container. [Figure 12] 10 is a graph showing the time required for the pressure in the pressurized container to return to the initial pressure after the water in the pressurized container is discharged. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the relationship between thickness and planar dimensions, the thickness ratio of each layer, etc., may differ from the actual ones. Therefore, specific thicknesses and dimensions should be determined by taking into consideration the following explanation. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the drawings may include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios.

[0019] Furthermore, the embodiments shown below are merely examples of devices and methods for embodying the technical concept of the present invention, and the technical concept of the present invention does not limit the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the components to those described below. The technical concept of the present invention can be modified in various ways within the technical scope defined by the claims. First Embodiment

[0020] First, a first embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, a case where a pressurizing device according to the present invention is applied to a weather resistance testing device will be described. [Weather resistance test equipment 1]

[0021] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic example of the configuration of a weather resistance test apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the weather resistance test device 1 includes a pressure device 2, a light irradiation device 3, a control unit 4, and an input unit 5. [Pressure device]

[0023] The pressurizing device 2 includes a pressurizing container (container body) 11, a sample holding section 12, a gas inlet pipe 13 (gas inlet section), a humidity regulator 14, a gas exhaust pipe 15, a pressure regulator 16 (pressure adjustment section), a water spray pipe 17 (liquid supply section), a water flow regulator 18, a drain pipe 19, a drainage mechanism 20, a temperature regulator (temperature adjustment section) 21, a liquid level gauge 22, a monitor section 26, and a hygrometer 30.

[0024] In the weathering test apparatus 1, a sample S is held in a sample holder 12 provided within a pressurized container 11. Gases such as oxygen and nitrogen are introduced through a gas inlet tube 13, while a pressure regulator 16 adjusts the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 to a predetermined internal pressure. Then, in this pressurized state, light L simulating sunlight is irradiated onto the sample S from a light irradiation device 3, water is sprayed onto the sample S from the tip of a water spray tube 17, and the sample S is heated by a temperature regulator 21. The temperature regulator 21 may cool the sample S as needed. The humidity of the gas, such as oxygen, introduced through the gas inlet tube 13 may be adjusted by a humidity regulator 14. The sample S is left in this environment for a predetermined period of time, and a weathering test is performed to determine how long the sample S will deteriorate due to light and heat, such as sunlight, moisture such as rain, and atmospheric oxygen. The weathering test apparatus 1 may further include a housing (not shown) for preventing ultraviolet light leakage, which houses the above-mentioned components, to prevent leakage of ultraviolet light or high-intensity light emitted by the light irradiation device 3. [Pressurized container]

[0025] The pressure vessel 11 is a pressurizable airtight vessel, and includes a storage section 11a for storing the sample holder 12 and the like, and a lid 11b for closing the opening of the storage section 11a. The pressure vessel 11 has, for example, a removable upper lid 11b, which is removed from the storage section 11a when the sample S is to be placed therein. After the sample S is placed therein, the lid 11b is attached to the storage section 11a so that the interior is airtight, and is secured by tightening bolts or the like at each circumferential portion. The pressure vessel 11 can be made of any material as long as it can withstand the pressure inside the pressure vessel 11, and can be made of, for example, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, iron, titanium alloy, tungsten alloy, etc.

[0026] A gas inlet pipe 13, a gas exhaust pipe 15, a water spray pipe 17, and a drain pipe 19 are connected to the storage section 11a, and the tip of each pipe is configured to be located inside the storage section 11a. This allows a predetermined test gas (oxygen, etc.) to be introduced into the pressurized container 11 from the gas inlet pipe 13, while unnecessary gas can be discharged from the gas exhaust pipe 15. Also, water can be sprayed onto the sample S from the water spray pipe 17, while unnecessary water can be discharged from the drain pipe 19. In the weather resistance test apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, the lid 11b is configured to be removable, so various pipes are connected together to the storage section 11a, but some of these pipes may also be connected to the lid 11b.

[0027] An opening 11c is provided in the center of the lid 11b in an area facing the sample holder 12 (sample S). A quartz glass plate 11d (light-transmitting portion) is airtightly fitted into this opening 11c. The quartz glass plate 11d is positioned to face the sample holder 12 and is configured to transmit the light L irradiated from the light irradiation device 3 without attenuation, so that the light L is irradiated directly onto the sample S. The quartz glass plate 11d may be a light-transmitting member made of another material as long as it can transmit the light L (particularly ultraviolet light) irradiated from the light irradiation device 3. Note that the quartz glass plate 11d constitutes a part of the pressurized container 11, and is therefore configured to maintain the atmosphere and pressure inside the pressurized container 11. [Sample holder]

[0028] The sample holder 12 is a member that holds a sample S used in a weather resistance test. The sample holder 12 is composed of, for example, a plate-shaped member 12a and a support member 12b that supports the plate-shaped member 12a. The sample S is placed on the plate-shaped member 12a and held therein by being attached with aluminum tape or the like. The plate-shaped member 12a may be attached to the support member 12b so that it is horizontal, or it may be inclined relative to the horizontal direction so that the water sprayed from the water spray tube 17 does not accumulate on the sample S. The plate-shaped member 12a may also have a built-in temperature regulator 21. The temperature regulator 21 may be configured with a built-in heater and cooling channel, and adjusts the temperature of the sample S by heating or cooling the sample S through feedback of the thermocouple value. The temperature regulator 21 enables the sample S held in the sample holder 12 to be heated or cooled to a predetermined temperature, thereby enabling a weather resistance test. When heating the sample S using the temperature regulator 21, the heating temperature is preferably above room temperature and below the decomposition temperature of the sample S. By heating to a temperature below the decomposition temperature, it is possible to adjust the balance between deterioration due to light, oxygen, humidity, etc., without promoting deterioration due to heat alone. Note that instead of or in addition to the temperature regulator 21, a gas temperature regulation mechanism for heating or cooling the gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 may be provided, or a temperature regulator may be provided in the pressurized container 11 to regulate the temperature of the container itself, or a combination of these may be used. [Light irradiation device]

[0029] The light irradiation device 3 includes a light source 3a that emits light L and an optical filter 3b that removes some wavelengths from the light emitted by the light source 3a. The light source 3a may be any light source that emits light L containing at least ultraviolet light. For example, a carbon arc lamp used in weather resistance tests, a high-pressure mercury lamp, a xenon lamp, or a metal halide lamp may be used alone or in combination with two different types of light sources. The light source 3a may be an LED light source or a laser light source. However, it is preferable to use xenon as the light source 3a, as it has a wavelength closest to that of sunlight. Furthermore, the light emitted from the light source 3a preferably contains light with a wavelength in the range of 290 nm to 390 nm, and preferably contains at least a portion of the light with a wavelength in the range of 290 nm to 390 nm. The spectral shape of the light emitted from the light source 3a is preferably similar to that of sunlight. Although light with a wavelength shorter than 290 nm may be included, it is preferable to filter out this light with the optical filter 3b. Furthermore, among the light L irradiated from the light source 3a, light with a wavelength longer than 390 nm does not directly cause deterioration of the sample S, but light with a wavelength in the infrared region in particular may be left in the light L because it has the effect of heating the sample S. On the other hand, since the temperature of the sample S is adjusted by the temperature adjuster 21 or the like as described above, infrared light with a wavelength longer than 390 nm may be cut by the optical filter 3b in order to eliminate the influence of heating by the light L.

[0030] The light irradiation device 3 is preferably configured to irradiate the sample S with the light L from the light source 3a as parallel light, but is not limited thereto. For example, the light L from the light source 3a may be configured to diverge radially to some extent. In this case, it is preferable to consider the arrangement of the sample S so that the illuminance of the light L from the light irradiation device 3 is uniform on the sample S (so that the illuminance on each sample S is the same when testing multiple samples S). By configuring the light L from the light source 3a to irradiate the sample S as parallel light, the light irradiated on the sample S becomes more uniform, preventing strong light from being irradiated on a portion of the sample S, and enabling a stable weather resistance test. When multiple samples are tested simultaneously, the irradiated light is parallel, eliminating uneven illuminance of the light irradiated on each sample S. This eliminates the need to rearrange the samples S to even out uneven illuminance during the weather resistance test (e.g., over a period of 3 to 6 months). This makes it possible to obtain more accurate weather resistance test results with less work. In this case, the optical system may be configured to include at least one collimating lens. As described above, in this weather resistance testing device, the light irradiation device is located outside the pressure vessel, and there are not many restrictions on the size of the optical system for generating parallel light, making it possible to use a more optimal optical system.

[0031] The amount of light L emitted from the light irradiation device 3 may be higher than that of sunlight. For example, the amount of light emitted from the light source 3a with a wavelength of 365 nm is 15 mW / cm. 2 More than 60mW / cm 2 The "light quantity" referred to here is a value measured using a device for measuring the light quantity at a wavelength of 365 nm (for example, Ushio Inc.'s UIT-250 photodetector UVD-S365), and is a wavelength distribution with a wavelength of 365 nm as the absolute calibration wavelength. For example, this is a value obtained by detecting the amount of light in the sensitivity wavelength range of 310 nm to 390 nm. [Gas introduction pipe]

[0032] The gas inlet pipe 13 is a pipe for introducing gas from outside the pressurized vessel 11 into the pressurized vessel 11, and is a member for changing the atmosphere inside the pressurized vessel 11 and increasing the pressure. The gas introduced into the pressurized vessel 11 from the gas inlet pipe 13 is introduced into the pressurized vessel 11 at a pressure at least equal to or greater than the pressure set by the pressure regulator 16. The gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 may be, for example, oxygen gas, nitrogen gas, or a mixture of oxygen gas and nitrogen gas. The gas inlet pipe 13 may be provided with a mass flow controller (not shown) to adjust the flow rate of the introduced gas, or when two or more gases are introduced, a gas mixer (not shown) may be provided to switch or mix the introduced gases. [Humidity regulator]

[0033] The humidity regulator 14 is connected to, for example, the gas inlet pipe 13, and is a device that adjusts the humidity of the gas by bubbling water in the humidity regulator 14 and humidifying or dehumidifying the gas introduced through the gas inlet pipe 13. The humidity regulator 14 sets the humidity inside the pressurized container 11 within a predetermined range. The humidity regulator 14 may be controlled by the control unit 4 based on a monitored signal from a hygrometer 30 provided inside the pressurized container 11, which is monitored by a monitor unit 26. Note that, although the humidity of the gas introduced is adjusted using the humidity regulator 14 here, the humidity of the gas may also be adjusted by a humidifier instead of the humidity regulator 14. [Gas exhaust pipe]

[0034] The gas exhaust pipe 15 is a pipe for discharging the gas inside the pressurized container 11. A pressure regulator 16 is attached to the gas exhaust pipe 15, and the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 is maintained at a set pressure by the pressure regulator 16. When a sensor or the like (not shown) detects that the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 has exceeded the set pressure, the pressure regulator 16 opens a valve inside the pressure regulator 16 under the control of the control unit 4, and adjusts the pressure to the set pressure. [Water spray pipe]

[0035] The water spray pipe 17 is a component for spraying water onto the sample S placed inside the pressure vessel 11. The water spray pipe 17 adjusts the flow rate of water supplied from outside the pressure vessel 11 using the water flow regulator 18, and then sprays the water onto the sample S inside the pressure vessel 11. The water flow regulator 18 adjusts the amount of water sprayed from the water spray pipe 17 onto the sample S, setting the amount of water as needed. A spray nozzle is attached to the tip of the water spray pipe 17 inside the pressure vessel 11, and this spray nozzle can spray water (in the form of a spray, mist, or shower) all over the sample S. The force of the water sprayed from the spray nozzle can also be adjusted by adjusting the water flow regulator 18. The spraying device consisting of the water spray pipe 17 and the water flow regulator 18 is a device that simulates rain in a real environment. The water to be sprayed may be pure water, tap water, water with an adjusted pH to simulate acid rain, water containing metal ions, a mixture of these, or hydrogen peroxide.

[0036] Although the case of spraying water onto the sample S has been described here, a liquid other than water may also be used, and the present invention is not limited to spraying a liquid such as water onto the sample S, but can also be applied to cases such as pouring a liquid such as water onto the sample S, or supplying a liquid into the pressurized container 11 so that the liquid does not come into contact with the sample S. [Drain pipe]

[0037] The drain pipe 19 is a member for discharging the water sprayed from the water spray pipe 17 inside the pressurized container 11 to the outside of the pressurized container 11. A drain mechanism 20 is attached to the drain pipe 19, and by operating the drain mechanism 20, unnecessary water is discharged. [Drainage mechanism]

[0038] The drainage mechanism 20 includes a drainage tank (drainage tank) 20a connected to the drainage pipe 19, an openable / closable inlet valve 20b provided on the inlet side of the drainage tank 20a of the drainage pipe 19, and an openable / closable outlet valve 20c provided on the outlet side of the drainage tank 20a of the drainage pipe 19. The inlet valve 20b and the outlet valve 20c are normally closed during the weather resistance test and are controlled to maintain the pressure and atmosphere (oxygen gas concentration, etc.) inside the pressurized vessel 11.

[0039] The volume of the drainage tank 20a is set to be equal to or less than the volume of the pressurized container 11. Specifically, the volume of the drainage tank 20a is preferably set to be equal to or less than 1 / 6 of the volume of the pressurized container 11. More preferably, it is 1 / 6 or less and 1 / 60 or more. Furthermore, the inlet valve 20b and the outlet valve 20c are controlled by the control unit 4, and the inlet valve 20b is controlled to an open state when the spraying of water from the water spray pipe 17 has finished, and is controlled to a closed state when all the water in the pressurized container 11 has moved to the drain tank 20a. On the other hand, the outlet valve 20c is controlled to an open state after the water in the pressurized container 11 has moved to the drain tank 20a and the inlet valve 20b has been controlled to a closed state, and the water stored in the drain tank 20a is discharged. [Liquid level gauge]

[0040] The pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a are provided with level gauges 22 for detecting the water level in the containers (tanks), namely, level gauge 22a for detecting the water level in the pressurized container 11 and level gauge 22b for detecting the water level in the drainage tank 20a. Information detected by the level gauges 22 (22a, 22b) is input to the control unit 4 via the monitor unit 26.

[0041] The pressurized container 11 is also provided with various sensors (not shown) that detect various conditions within the pressurized container 11, such as temperature (internal temperature or sample temperature), pressure, gas concentration, gas flow rate, etc., and the information detected by the various sensors is input to the control unit 4. The monitor unit 26 receives measurement signals from the liquid level gauge 22 and the hygrometer 30, displays these measurement signals on a display device (not shown), and transmits each measurement signal to the control unit 4. By referring to the display on the monitor unit 26, a user of the weather resistance test apparatus 1c can monitor the liquid levels in the pressurized vessel 11 and the drainage tank 20a, and the humidity in the pressurized vessel 11. [Control Unit]

[0042] The control unit 4 is a device that controls the overall operation of the weather resistance test apparatus 1, and is composed of, for example, a computer equipped with a CPU or the like. The control unit 4 is electrically connected via wiring or the like to the input unit 5, the mass flow controller (not shown) provided in the gas inlet pipe 13, the humidity regulator 14, the pressure regulator 16, the water flow regulator 18, the inlet valve 20b, the outlet valve 20c, and the temperature regulator 21. The control unit 4 controls the operation of the mass flow controller in the gas inlet pipe 13, the humidity regulator 14, the pressure regulator 16, the water flow regulator 18, the inlet valve 20b, the outlet valve 20c, the temperature regulator 21, etc., based on input information from the input unit 5, detection information from the liquid level gauge 22 and the hygrometer 30 via the monitor unit 26, the gas inlet flow rate from various sensors (not shown), the air pressure, temperature, humidity, water level, etc., inside the pressurized vessel 11. The sample S placed in the weathering test device 1 is placed under a predetermined environment. The control unit 4 is also electrically connected via wiring or the like to the light irradiation device 3 placed outside the pressurized container 11, and controls the amount of light L to be irradiated, irradiation time, intervals, etc.

[0043] Specifically, the control unit 4 controls the mass flow controller and pressure regulator 16 of the gas inlet pipe 13 to adjust the concentration of the gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 and the pressure inside the pressurized container 11. For example, the gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 may be pressurized so that the partial pressure of oxygen contained in the gas is higher than the partial pressure of oxygen in the atmosphere. The control unit 4 may also control the mass flow controller to mix the oxygen gas and nitrogen gas (inert gas) introduced through the gas inlet pipe 13 to a desired concentration. Furthermore, the control unit 4 may mix the oxygen gas and nitrogen gas (inert gas) introduced through the gas inlet pipe 13 to a desired concentration, and then pressurize the mixed gas introduced into the pressurized container 11 using a compression pump or the like.

[0044] Furthermore, in the control by the control unit 4, it is preferable that the air pressure inside the pressurized container 11 is adjusted by the pressure regulator 16 to a gauge pressure of 1 MPa or less. The oxygen concentration of the gas introduced under pressure at this time is preferably 1% to 100% as the oxygen concentration before pressurization. More preferably, it is 0.5 MPa or less as the gauge pressure. The oxygen concentration of the gas introduced under pressure is preferably 4% to 100% as the oxygen concentration before pressurization. By suppressing the air pressure in this way, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the pressurized container 11, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the size and weight of the pressurized container 11 and the weather resistance test apparatus 1.

[0045] The control unit 4 may also control the humidity regulator 14 to simulate weather resistance based on humidity in an actual environment. The humidity adjustment by the control unit 4 is performed by adjusting the humidity of the introduced gas using the humidity regulator 14 based on humidity information detected by a sensor (not shown). While humidification in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 is sufficient to a certain extent, the humidity in the pressurized container 11 is preferably 40% to 100%, and more preferably 50% to 100%. The control unit 4 controls the humidity regulator 14 to maintain this humidity range. When performing an accelerated weather resistance test, it is preferable to select the oxygen concentration in the pressurized container 11 based on the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source 3a of the weather resistance test apparatus 1, relative to the amount of oxygen required for sample degradation due to the amount of ultraviolet light contained in sunlight in an actual environment. Furthermore, increasing the pressure in the pressurized container to promote oxygen diffusion into the sample S can accelerate the degradation of the sample S.

[0046] The control unit 4 further controls the water flow regulator 18 so that when water is sprayed onto the sample S using the water spray pipe 17, the control unit 4 stops the operation of the water flow regulator 18 and then controls the inlet valve 20b to an open state. When all the water in the pressurized container 11 has moved to the drainage tank 20a, the control unit 4 controls the inlet valve 20b to a closed state. After the inlet valve 20b has switched to a closed state, the control unit 4 subsequently controls the outlet valve 20c to an open state. When all the water stored in the drainage tank 20a has been drained, the control unit 4 controls the outlet valve 20c to a closed state. The control unit 4 detects that all the water in the pressurized container 11 has moved to the drainage tank 20a, for example, based on the detection value of a level gauge 22a provided in the pressurized container 11. The control unit 4 also detects that all the water in the drainage tank 20a has been drained, for example, based on the detection value of a level gauge 22b provided in the drainage tank 20a. Furthermore, when the water level in the pressurized container 11 or the water level in the drainage tank 20a exceeds a specified value based on the detection devices of the liquid level gauges 22a and 22b, the control unit 4 determines that an abnormality has occurred, and controls the inlet valve 20b and the outlet valve 20c to discharge the water in the pressurized container 11 or the drainage tank 20a, and stops the supply of water through the water spray pipe 17, etc., in response to the occurrence of an abnormality. [Weather resistance test method]

[0047] Here, a weather resistance test method using the weather resistance test apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described.

[0048] In the weather resistance test method, first, a sample S to be used in the weather resistance test is prepared. There may be one or more samples S. Furthermore, the sample S may be a decorative sheet or a member made of various inorganic or organic materials, and is not particularly limited. Once such a sample S is prepared, the lid 11b of the pressurized container 11 is removed, and the sample S is held by, for example, attaching it to a plate-like member 12a. Thereafter, the lid 11b is airtightly attached to the storage section 11a and secured with bolts or the like. This brings the pressurized container 11 containing the sample S into a sealed state.

[0049] Next, under the control of the control unit 4, the pressure is set by the pressure regulator 16, and a predetermined flow rate of gas (oxygen gas or nitrogen gas) is introduced into the pressurized container 11 through the gas inlet pipe 13. The concentration and pressure (partial pressure) of the introduced gas are controlled to be predetermined values. Furthermore, under the control of the water flow regulator 18 by the control unit 4, water, the amount of which is adjusted, is supplied to the sample S from the nozzle of the water spray pipe 17 continuously or at predetermined intervals. Furthermore, under the control of the control unit 4, the temperature regulator 21 adjusts the temperature and keeps the sample S at a predetermined temperature (e.g., 80°C). In this state, in the weather resistance test apparatus 1, predetermined light L is irradiated from the light irradiation device 3 into the pressurized container 11 through the quartz glass plate 11d, and the sample S is irradiated. In addition, when water is sprayed onto the sample S, after the spraying is completed, the drainage mechanism 20 is activated, the inlet valve 20b is controlled to the open state, and the water in the pressurized container 11 moves to the drainage tank 20a.Then, the inlet valve 20b is switched to the closed state, and the drainage valve 20c is switched to the open state, and the water in the drainage tank 20a is drained out of the drainage tank 20a.

[0050] Subsequently, the state of light irradiation, pressurization, temperature control, and water supply is continuously carried out to test the deterioration state of the sample S. Such a test may be carried out continuously for, for example, 3 to 6 months, or may be continued for 6 months or more, or for 1 year or more. Furthermore, light irradiation, water spraying, etc. may be repeated at a predetermined cycle under a predetermined state of pressurization and temperature control. Such test conditions may be appropriately selected so as to be similar to tests under actual conditions.

[0051] In a real-world environment, sample degradation is not only caused by light but also by rain and moisture (humidity) in the air. Water adhering to the sample surface due to rain or humidity diffuses from the surface into the sample, causing degradation through hydrolysis and other factors. Therefore, the weathering test apparatus 1 allows for the selection of the amount of water spray and the humidity inside the pressure vessel 11 to accelerate water-induced degradation, similar to the relationship between the light intensity of the light source and oxygen. Furthermore, the pressure inside the pressure vessel 11 is increased to promote water diffusion into the sample. The temperature of the sample S can also be adjusted to further accelerate the reaction between the light-degraded sample and oxygen and the hydrolysis reaction caused by water. The sample temperature may be adjusted based on the light intensity from the light irradiation device 3. By appropriately selecting the light intensity, oxygen concentration, pressure, water, humidity, and temperature, the weathering test apparatus 1 allows for a balanced progression of light-induced and water-induced degradation, thereby enabling weathering test results similar to those obtained over a long period of time in a real-world environment to be obtained in a short period of time without being affected by, for example, a strong light effect alone. 〔effect〕

[0052] As described above, in the weathering test apparatus 1, the light irradiation device 3 having the light source 3a is arranged outside the pressurized container 11, and is configured to irradiate light L onto the sample S inside the pressurized container 11 from outside the pressurized container 11. In this case, since the light irradiation device 3 is outside the pressurized container 11, the light irradiation device 3 will not be damaged by a high-pressure atmosphere, etc., and even if it is damaged for some reason, the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 will not be suddenly increased, reducing the impact on the pressurized container 11. As a result, with this weathering test apparatus 1, it is possible to improve safety while facilitating weathering tests by using the pressurized container 11. Furthermore, with the weathering test apparatus 1, since the light irradiation device 3 is arranged outside the pressurized container 11, there is no need to raise safety standards. This eliminates the need to make the pressurized container 11 larger than necessary, and allows for an apparatus using a smaller pressurized container 11. This also improves safety. Furthermore, by arranging the light irradiation device 3 outside the pressurized container 11, it becomes easier to perform optical design in the light irradiation device 3, such as increasing the amount of light L to be irradiated, making it easier to select the wavelength of the light L to be irradiated, or reducing unevenness in the illuminance of the light irradiated onto the sample S. This makes it possible to approach testing in a real environment (particularly in terms of optical aspects) or to promote testing in a state close to the real environment, making it possible to promote weather resistance testing while reproducing test results in a real environment.

[0053] Furthermore, in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, when water is sprayed onto the sample S, the water in the pressurized container 11 is moved to the drainage tank 20a after the spraying is completed.

[0054] 2, in a configuration in which the pressure vessel 11 is provided with a drain pipe 19 for draining water without providing a drain mechanism 20, and the water in the pressure vessel 11 is drained by operating a valve 19a provided on the drain pipe 19, when the valve 19a is switched to an open state, the gas used for pressurization is discharged through the drain pipe 19 along with the liquid in the pressure vessel 11, and the pressure in the pressure vessel 11 drops significantly, as shown in FIG. 3(a), to near atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, the longer the valve 19a is left open, the more severe the pressure drop becomes, and the greater the pressure drop, the longer it takes to recover to the specified pressure.

[0055] However, in the weathering test apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , after spraying water onto the sample S, when discharging the water from the pressurized container 11, the inlet valve 20b is opened while the outlet valve 20c is kept closed to transfer the water from the pressurized container 11 to the drainage tank 20a. After the water from the pressurized container 11 has been transferred to the drainage tank 20a, the inlet valve 20b is closed, and then the outlet valve 20c is opened to discharge the water from the drainage tank 20a. Furthermore, the volume of the drainage tank 20a is set equal to or less than the volume of the pressurized container 11. Therefore, when discharging water from the pressurized container 11, i.e., when transferring water from the pressurized container 11 to the drainage tank 20a, a significant decrease in air pressure within the pressurized container 11 can be suppressed. In other words, the water from the pressurized container 11 can be discharged while suppressing air pressure fluctuations within the pressurized container 11. Therefore, a significant decrease in air pressure within the pressurized container 11 during the weathering test can be prevented, which would otherwise significantly reduce the reproducibility of the actual environment, and a decrease in the reliability of the weathering test can be suppressed.

[0056] That is, since the weathering test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is provided with the drainage tank 20a, when the inlet valve 20b is switched to the open state, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the pressure inside the pressurized vessel 11 drops, but does not drop to atmospheric pressure. Once the pressure drops to a pressure corresponding to the volume of the drainage tank 20a, the pressure remains at that level. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the pressure inside the pressurized vessel 11 from dropping to atmospheric pressure and to shorten the time required for the pressure inside the vessel to return to a predetermined pressure. Therefore, pressure fluctuations inside the pressurized vessel 11 can be suppressed, and the predetermined pressure can be quickly restored.

[0057] In addition, in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the light source 3a has an output of 15 mW / cm 2 More than 60mW / cm 2 It is preferable that the xenon lamp has a light output of 1000 kJ / s or less. In this case, a high amount of light L can be irradiated onto the sample S, which makes it possible to easily accelerate the weather resistance test. Furthermore, since the waveform of the wavelength of the light irradiated from the xenon (Xe) lamp is similar to that of sunlight, it is possible to easily obtain test results that are close to those obtained in a real environment. In other words, by using the above-mentioned light source, it is possible to quickly obtain test results that reproduce weather resistance tests in a real environment.

[0058] In addition, in the weather resistance test device 1 according to this embodiment, the light L from the light source 3a is at least purple. In this case, the irradiated light will contain ultraviolet light, which is contained in sunlight and is likely to cause deterioration of materials, etc., and it will be possible to easily obtain test results that reproduce tests under real environments.

[0059] In the weathering test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the light irradiation device 3 may further include an optical filter 3b that filters out at least one of ultraviolet and infrared rays with wavelengths of 290 nm or less from the light emitted by the light source 3a. Because sunlight contains only a small amount of ultraviolet rays with wavelengths of 290 nm or less, using the optical filter 3b that filters out ultraviolet rays with wavelengths of 290 nm or less makes it possible to easily obtain test results that replicate those obtained under real-world conditions. Furthermore, if the light irradiating the sample contains infrared rays, the sample will be heated by the infrared rays. However, using an optical filter that filters out infrared rays, such as when a separate, easily controlled temperature regulator 21 is provided, can reduce the effects of infrared rays during testing, enabling weathering tests to be performed under more desired test conditions.

[0060] The weathering test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment further includes a gas inlet pipe 13 for introducing a gas containing oxygen gas into the pressure vessel 11, a pressure regulator 16 for adjusting the air pressure inside the pressure vessel 11, a humidity regulator 14 for adjusting the humidity of the gas, a water spray pipe 17 for spraying a liquid onto the sample S inside the pressure vessel 11, a temperature regulator 21 for adjusting the temperature of the sample S, various sensors and a liquid level gauge 22 for detecting the amount of gas introduced, the air pressure, the humidity of the gas, the temperature of the sample, etc., and a control unit 4 for controlling the gas inlet pipe 13, the pressure regulator 16, the humidity regulator 14, the water spray pipe 17, and the temperature regulator 21 based on the detected values ​​of these sensors. This allows for more specific weathering tests to be performed to evaluate the deterioration of the sample S due to heat, water (rain), and oxygen, and also makes it possible to accelerate the weathering tests by applying pressure. In other words, the above configuration accelerates the deterioration of the sample S due to oxygen, and allows the deterioration due to light irradiation and the deterioration due to oxygen, water (rain), temperature, etc. to progress in a balanced manner, making it possible to reproduce test results similar to those of a weather resistance test conducted over a long period of time in an actual environment in a shorter period of time.

[0061] Furthermore, in the weathering test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the control unit 4 may control the mass flow controller of the gas inlet pipe 13 so that the concentration of oxygen gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 relative to the total gas is 20% or more. In this case, weathering test results closer to those under actual conditions can be obtained.

[0062] Furthermore, in the weathering test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the control unit 4 may control the mass flow controller and pressure regulator 16 of the gas inlet pipe 13 so that the oxygen partial pressure of the oxygen gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 is 0.2 MPa or more and 0.9 MPa or less. In this case, deterioration due to oxygen is further accelerated, and it becomes possible to further accelerate weathering tests that are closer to those under actual conditions. Note that the "oxygen partial pressure" used here refers to the value of the oxygen partial pressure inside the apparatus when atmospheric pressure is set to 0 MPa. [Variation 1]

[0063] In the first embodiment, the pressure device 2 according to the present invention is applied to a weather resistance test device 1 that reproduces deterioration due to sunlight. However, as shown in FIG. 4, it is also possible to use the pressure device 2 without the light irradiation device 3 and to reproduce deterioration of the sample S due to heat, water (rain), and oxygen without reproducing deterioration due to sunlight.

[0064] 4, the apparatus includes a pressurizing device 2, a control unit 4, and an input unit 5. Since the pressurizing device 2 does not have a light irradiation device 3, the quartz glass plate 11d does not have to be provided on the lid 11b' of the pressurizing container 11 in the pressurizing device 2. Furthermore, the pressurizing device 2 does not have to be housed in a housing or the like for preventing leakage of ultraviolet light.

[0065] In this way, even with the pressure device 2 that does not reproduce deterioration due to sunlight, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment. [Variation 2]

[0066] The drainage mechanism 20 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, which includes an inlet valve 20b on the inlet side of the drainage tank 20a and an outlet valve 20c on the outlet side. As shown in FIG. 5, the drainage mechanism 20' may be a cylindrical drainage tank 20a' with an open top that is directly attached to the bottom of the storage section 11a of the pressurized container 11. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the drainage tank 20a' is provided so that the bottom of the storage section 11a and the upper end of the drainage tank 20a' are flush with the interior bottom surface of the storage section 11a or so that the upper end of the drainage tank 20a' is lower than the bottom surface of the storage section 11a, and an openable inlet valve 20b' is provided at the upper end of the drainage tank 20a', i.e., on the bottom surface of the storage section 11a. A drain pipe 19' is attached to the lower end of the drainage tank 20a', and an openable outlet valve 20c' is provided on the discharge side of the drainage pipe 19'.

[0067] Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. Second Embodiment

[0068] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0069] As shown in Fig. 6, the weathering test apparatus 1a according to the second embodiment is the same as that according to the first embodiment except for the configuration of the drainage mechanism 20. The same parts as those in the weathering test apparatus 1 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0070] As shown in Fig. 6, the drainage mechanism 20-1 in the second embodiment has multiple drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n. Each of the drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n is provided on a drainage pipe 19-1 to 19-n, and the upstream sides of the drainage pipes 19-1 to 19-n are connected to the bottom of the pressurized vessel 11. Each of the drainage pipes 19-1 to 19-n is provided with an openable / closeable inlet valve 20b-1 to 20b-n on the inlet side of the drainage tank 20a-1 to 20a-n, and each of the drainage pipes 19-1 to 19-n is provided with an openable / closeable outlet valve 20c-1 to 20c-n on the outlet side of the drainage tank 20a-1 to 20a-n. Each of the drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n is also provided with a level gauge 22b-1 to 22b-n.

[0071] The total volume of the drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n that are simultaneously controlled to an open state is preferably set to 1 / 6 or less of the volume of the pressurized container 11. It is more preferable to set it to 1 / 6 or less and 1 / 60 or more.

[0072] As a result of the drainage mechanism 20-1 having such a configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the first embodiment described above, and since it is equipped with multiple drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n, water can flow into one drainage tank while being discharged from another drainage tank at the same time, so that water can be discharged from the pressurized container 11 in a shorter time and pressure fluctuations within the pressurized container 11 can be further reduced. Third Embodiment

[0073] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 7, the weather resistance test apparatus 1b according to the third embodiment is similar to the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, except that a light source 3a is provided inside the pressurized container 11-1. Therefore, the same parts are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0075] The pressurized container 11-1 is a pressurizable airtight container, and a light source 3a and a sample holder 12-1 are provided inside the pressurized container 11-1. The pressurized container 11-1 is provided with, for example, a lid (not shown), and the interior is made airtight by removing the lid, placing the sample S on the sample holder 12-1 inside the pressurized container 11-1, and then replacing the lid. The pressurized container 11-1 can be made of various materials as long as they are resistant to the pressure inside the container, and can be made of, for example, SUS, aluminum alloy, iron, titanium alloy, tungsten alloy, etc.

[0076] The light source 3a is housed in a protective tube 3c made of quartz glass or the like, and is positioned approximately in the center of the pressurized container 11-1 when viewed from above by fixing both ends of the protective tube 3c to the upper and lower surfaces of the pressurized container 11-1 so that the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3c is the vertical direction of the pressurized container 11-1.

[0077] The sample holder 12-1 is formed, for example, in the shape of a wide regular octagonal frame, with a pair of opposing two sides facing the top and bottom of the pressurized container 11-1, and is arranged to be rotatable around the protective tube 3c as an axis. The sample holder 12-1 is driven to rotate around the protective tube 3c as an axis by a driving device (not shown). The sample S is fixed to the surface of each of the six sides of the sample holder 12-1, excluding the pair of top and bottom sides, that face the protective tube 3c. This allows light L from the light source 3a to be irradiated onto the sample S provided on the surface of the sample holder 12-1 facing the protective tube 3c.

[0078] In addition, the water spray pipe 17-1 is arranged to extend through the bottom surface of the pressurized container 11-1 toward the upper surface of the pressurized container 11-1, and spray nozzles 17a are arranged to face the sample S at three positions on the water spray pipe 17-1 that face the sample S.

[0079] With this, while the sample S is fixed to the sample holder 12-1, the sample holder 12-1 is rotated and water is sprayed from the spray nozzle 17a, so that light is irradiated onto the rotating sample S and water is sprayed onto the sample S that comes to a position opposite the spray nozzle 17a.

[0080] As a result of this configuration, even if the light source 3a is a weather resistance test apparatus 1b using a pressure device 2-1 provided inside a pressure container 11-1, it is possible to obtain the same effects as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, even if the present invention is applied to the pressure device 2 shown in Fig. 4 or the weather resistance test apparatus 1a in the second embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effects. Fourth Embodiment

[0081] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 8, the weathering test apparatus 1c according to the fourth embodiment is the weathering test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, except that a pressure gauge is provided in the pressure vessel 11 and the supply amount of gas introduced into the pressure vessel 11 is controlled so as to reduce pressure fluctuations within the pressure vessel 11.

[0083] Specifically, the weathering test apparatus 1c further includes a pressure gauge 25a provided in the pressurized container 11 and a pressure gauge 25b provided in the drainage tank 20a in addition to the components of the weathering test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 . Measurement signals from these pressure gauges 25a and 25b are input to a monitor unit 26. The monitor unit 26 receives the measurement signals from these pressure gauges 25a and 25b and displays them on a display device (not shown) in the same way as measurement signals from the liquid level gauge 22 and the hygrometer 30, and also transmits each measurement signal to the control unit 4-1. By referring to the display on the monitor unit 26, a user of the weathering test apparatus 1c can monitor the pressures in the pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a, as well as the liquid levels in the pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a and the humidity in the pressurized container 11. .

[0084] Furthermore, the gas introduction pipe 13 branches off upstream of the humidity regulator 14, and the branched gas introduction pipe 13a is connected to the drainage tank 20a. A gas valve 27 is provided in the gas introduction pipe 13 on the inlet side of the humidity regulator 14, and a gas valve 28 is provided in the gas introduction pipe 13a on the inlet side of the drainage tank 20a. These gas valves 27 and 28 are gas valves with adjustable flow rates, and the flow rates are adjusted by the control unit 4-1.

[0085] Similar to the control unit 4 in the first embodiment, the control unit 4-1 controls the inflow valve 20b and the outflow valve 20c based on the detection signals from the level gauges 22a and 22b, and also controls the humidity regulator 14 based on the measurement signal from the hygrometer 30 from the monitor unit 26 so that the humidity in the pressurized container 11 becomes a predetermined humidity. Furthermore, the control unit 4-1 controls the gas valves 27 and 28 based on the measurement signals from the pressure gauges 25a and 25b from the monitor unit 26 so that the measurement values ​​of the pressure gauges 25a and 25b become a predetermined pressure. At this time, the target pressure in the drainage tank 20a is set to the same as or slightly smaller than the target pressure in the pressurized container 11. By setting the pressure in the drainage tank 20a to the same as or slightly smaller than the pressure in the pressurized container 11 in this way, pressure fluctuations in the pressurized container 11 can be suppressed when the inflow valve 20b is switched to an open state to move water from the pressurized container 11 to the drainage tank 20a.

[0086] Furthermore, the gas supplied to the drainage tank 20a is the same as the gas supplied to the pressurized container 11. Therefore, even if the gas in the drainage tank 20a flows back into the pressurized container 11 for some reason, the gas in the pressurized container 11 is the same type of gas. Therefore, it is possible to avoid problems such as variations in the weather resistance test time and deterioration state (changes in appearance) caused by a different gas flowing back from the drainage tank 20a to the pressurized container 11.

[0087] When controlling the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a, the volume of the drainage tank 20a does not need to be smaller than the volume of the pressurized container 11, and can be any volume.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the case where the gas supply amount is directly controlled so as to reduce pressure fluctuations in the pressurized container 11 in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment has been described. However, it is also possible to directly control the gas supply amount in the pressurizing device 2 shown in FIG. 4 and the weather resistance test apparatuses 1a and 1b according to the second and third embodiments, and in this case too, it is possible to obtain the same effect as in the fourth embodiment. [Modification]

[0089] In the weather resistance test apparatus 1c in the fourth embodiment, mass flow controllers (MFC) 27' and 28' may be used instead of the gas valves 27 and 28, as shown in Fig. 9. By using the mass flow controllers 27' and 28', the flow rate can be adjusted more accurately. Fifth Embodiment

[0090] Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0091] The weathering test apparatus according to the fifth embodiment is one in which the shape of the storage section 11a of the pressurized container in each of the above embodiments is specified. Here, a case where it is applied to the weathering test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment will be described, but it can also be applied to the weathering test apparatus according to the second and fourth embodiments. In addition, although not shown, it can also be applied to the weathering test apparatus according to the third embodiment. is also possible.

[0092] As described above, the weather resistance testing apparatus 1 according to the present invention is designed to suppress pressure fluctuations within the pressurized container 11 that occur when water accumulated in the pressurized container 11 is drained, and therefore it is preferable to shorten the time required to drain the water from the pressurized container 11.

[0093] Therefore, in the weather resistance testing device of the fifth embodiment, as shown in Figure 10(a), the inner bottom surface of the storage section 11a is spherical, and a drain pipe 19 is attached at the lowest position of the inner bottom of the sphere.

[0094] With this configuration, by opening the inlet valve 20b attached to the drain pipe 19, the water accumulated in the spherical part inside the pressurized container 11 can be quickly transferred to the drain tank 20a.

[0095] When the drain pipe 19 is provided at the bottom of the sphere, the position of the sample holder 12 may be shifted as shown in Figure 10(b), and in that case, the tilt angle of the plate-shaped member 12a with respect to the quartz glass plate 11d may be adjusted so that the plate-shaped member 12a and the quartz glass plate 11d are closer to parallel, thereby allowing the sample S to be sufficiently irradiated with light L. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 10(c), the angle of the plate-shaped member 12a with respect to the quartz glass plate 11d may be maintained, and the support member 12b may be tilted to allow the sample S to be sufficiently irradiated with light L.

[0096] 10(a) to 10(c), the inside of the storage section 11a may be spherical, and the inside of the lid 11b may also be spherical with a convex shape on the outside, as shown in FIG. 10(d). By doing so, pressure is dispersed, allowing the thickness of the lid 11b to be thinned, resulting in a reduction in weight. This improves the operability of the lid 11b.

[0097] 11(a), the inside of the storage section 11a may be formed to have a slope that is inclined in one direction. In this case, a drain pipe 19 may be provided at the lowest part of the slope inside the storage section 11a.

[0098] Furthermore, the inside of the storage section 11a may be formed in a mortar shape as shown in Fig. 11(b), and a drain pipe 19 may be provided at the bottom of the mortar, in which case the position of the sample holder 12 may be shifted as shown in Fig. 11(c). Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 11(d), the bottom of the mortar may be shifted from the center of the storage section 11a when viewed from above. Furthermore, the inclination of the plate-like member 12a may be left as it is, and the main body of the pressurized vessel 11 may be tilted to improve the drainage performance.

[0099] 11(a) to (d), the inside of the lid 11b may be spherical and convex outward, as shown in FIG. 10(d).

[0100] The weather resistance test apparatus according to the present embodiment has been described above, but the weather resistance test apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be applied. [Example]

[0101] Examples of the present invention will be described below.

[0102] Using the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the inlet valve 20b is opened. The pressure drop ΔP0 in the pressure container 11 and the drainage tank 20a were connected, and the amount of pressure drop ΔP0 and the equilibrium pressure in the pressure container 11 were measured. The inlet valve 20b was then closed, and the time T required for the pressure in the pressure container 11 to return to the original pressure P0 was measured. The volume of the pressure container 11 was 60 (L), and the initial pressure was P0. The volume of the drainage tank 20a was Vh (L), and the initial pressure was 0.1 MPa. The pressure is expressed in absolute pressure (atmospheric pressure: 0.1 MPa). The volume Vh (L) of the drainage tank 20a was then varied for the initial pressure P0 of the pressure container 11, i.e., the pressure inside the pressure container 11 before the inlet valve 20b was opened, when the pressure was 0.4 MPa and 0.6 MPa. The time T required for the pressure to return to the original pressure P0 was measured when gas was introduced into the pressure container 11 at each volume Vh (L). The measurement results are shown in Table 1 (when the initial pressure inside the pressurized container 11 is 0.4 MPa) and Table 2 (when the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 is 0.6 MPa). Tables 1 and 2 also show, as a comparative example, the measurement results when the drainage tank 20a is not provided.

[0103] Furthermore, Figure 12 shows a graph showing the correspondence between the volume of the drainage tank 20a and the time T required for the pressure in the pressurized container 11 to return to the original pressure P0 when the initial pressure in the pressurized container 11 is 0.4 MPa and when the pressure in the pressurized container 11 is 0.6 MPa. [Table 1]

[0104] [Table 2]

[0105] From Tables 1 and 2 and the graph of Fig. 12, it can be seen that the equilibrium pressure is higher when the drainage tank 20a is provided compared to when the drainage tank 20a is not provided. Also, when the volume of the pressurized container 11 and the volume of the drainage tank 20a are the same, the equilibrium pressure in the pressurized container 11 is 0.25 MPa when the initial pressure P0 is 0.4 MPa, and the equilibrium pressure drops to nearly half of the original pressure, and it takes 225 minutes to return to the original pressure of 0.4 MPa. When the initial pressure P0 is 0.6 MPa, the equilibrium pressure is 0.3 MPa, which drops to half of the original pressure of 0.6 MPa, and as a result, it takes 450 minutes for the pressure to return to the original pressure. Furthermore, if the volume of the drainage tank 20a is larger than the volume of the pressurized container 11, the equilibrium pressure drops further, and conversely, if the volume of the pressurized container 11 is larger than the volume of the drainage tank 20a, the equilibrium pressure increases. Therefore, considering the time it takes for the pressure in the pressurized container 11 to return to the initial pressure P0, it is preferable that the ratio of the volume of the pressurized container 11 to the volume of the drainage tank 20a be approximately 6:1 or more and 12:1 or less. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c Weathering test equipment 2.2-1 Pressure device 3 Light irradiation device 3a light source 3c protection tube 4, 4-1 Control section 10 Water flow regulator 11, 11-1 Pressurized container (container body) 11a Storage area 11b Lid 11c aperture 11d Quartz glass plate 12, 12-1 Sample holder 13, 13a Gas inlet pipe 14 Humidity regulator 15 Gas exhaust pipe 16 Pressure Regulator 17, 17-1 Water spray pipe 17a Spray nozzle 18 Water flow regulator 19, 19-1~19-n drain pipe 20, 20-1 Drainage mechanism 20a, 20a-1 to 20a-n drainage tank 20b, 20b-1 to 20b-n inlet valve 20c, 20c-1~20c-n discharge valve 21 Temperature regulator (temperature adjustment section) 22, 22a, 22b, 24b-1~24b-n Liquid level gauge 25a, 25b pressure gauge 26 Monitor section 27, 28 Gas valve 27', 28' Mass flow controller (MFC)

Claims

1. A container body in which a sample is placed; a sample holder that is provided in the container body and holds the sample; a gas inlet for introducing a gas into the container body; A pressure adjusting unit that adjusts the air pressure inside the container body; A liquid supply unit that supplies liquid into the container body; A drainage tank connected to the container body; an inlet valve that is provided between the container body and the drainage tank and can be opened and closed; an openable and closable drain valve for draining the liquid in the drain tank; A pressurizing device comprising: a light source disposed outside the container body of the pressurizing device; The container body includes a light transmitting portion that transmits light, A weather resistance testing device characterized in that light from the light source is transmitted through the light transmitting portion and irradiated onto a sample placed in the container body.

2. A weather resistance testing apparatus as described in Claim 1, characterized in that the sample holding section is equipped with a temperature regulator for adjusting the temperature of the sample.

3. A weather resistance testing apparatus as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it is configured to irradiate light from the light source onto the sample as parallel light.

4. A weather resistance testing apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the light from the light source includes at least ultraviolet light.

5. A weather resistance testing apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is provided with a gas exhaust pipe for discharging gas within the container body.

6. The liquid supply unit includes a water spray pipe for introducing liquid into the container body and a spray nozzle attached to an end of the water spray pipe on the inside of the container body, 6. A weather resistance testing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid is sprayed onto the entirety of the sample.

7. A weather resistance testing apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is provided with a humidity regulator provided in the gas inlet section and which adjusts the humidity of the gas introduced into the container body by the gas inlet section.

8. The drainage tank or tanks are provided.

8. A weather resistance testing device according to claim 1, wherein a total volume of the drainage tanks in which the inlet valves are simultaneously open is equal to or less than a volume of the container body.

9. A mass flow controller provided in the gas inlet portion and configured to adjust an amount of gas introduced into the container body; a water flow rate regulator for controlling the amount of the liquid supplied by the liquid supply unit; a humidity regulator provided in the gas inlet portion and regulating the humidity of the gas introduced into the container body by the gas inlet portion; a detection unit that detects at least one of an amount of the gas introduced into the container body, an air pressure in the container body, a humidity in the container body, and a temperature of the sample; 3. The weather resistance test apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a control unit that controls at least one of the mass flow controller, the pressure adjustment unit, the water flow regulator, the humidity regulator, and the temperature regulator based on detection information from the detection unit.

10. The gas introduced from the gas inlet portion contains oxygen gas, 10. The weather resistance test apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control unit controls the mass flow controller so that a concentration of the oxygen gas relative to the total gas in the container body is 20% or more.

11. The gas introduced from the gas inlet contains oxygen gas, The weather resistance test apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the control unit controls the mass flow controller and the pressure adjustment unit so that the oxygen partial pressure in the container body when the atmospheric pressure is 0 MPa is 0.2 MPa or more and 0.9 MPa or less.

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