EP1838610A1

EP1838610A1 - Vitamin c emitting filter

Info

Publication number: EP1838610A1
Application number: EP04808275A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Seong Hwan Woosung APT. LEE; Sung Hwa Towol Sungwon APT. LEE; Ok Chun Gudeok Daelim APT. HYUN
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2004-12-02
Filing date: 2004-12-02
Publication date: 2007-10-03
Also published as: CN101102961A; WO2006059812A1; KR100930323B1; KR20070089686A

Abstract

The method/device/apparatus includes a vitamin C emitting filter, a manufacturing method thereof and a use thereof are disclosed. The vitamin C emitting filter can be manufactured by immersing the carrier in a mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C or spraying the mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C onto the carrier. Also, the vitamin C emitting filter can be manufactured by coating a carrier with a silver and coating a vitamin C on the carrier coated with the silver by processing a vitamin C in the carrier. Accordingly, the vitamin C emitting filter can provide the antibacterial function without influence on the property of the vitamin C and can constantly emit the vitamin C in air.

Description

VITAMIN C EMITTING FILTER

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a vitamin C emitting filter and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to a vitamin C emitting filter, a manufacturing method thereof and a use thereof, in which silver and vitamin C are contained together to provide an antibacterial function and the vitamin C is emitted in air.

Background Art

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a well-known material to increase a human immunity function, prevent creation of wrinkles by accelerating generation of collagen, and prevent damage of skin by destructing chemical material caused by a ultraviolet infiltration into skin. Also, the vitamin C has a sugar-like structure that receives two electrons from skin, blood and other organizations and is easily oxidized to a dehydro-L- ascorbic acid and has an antioxidation effect that can prevent a cause of skin aging by suppressing oxidation or degeneration of biocomponent due to reactive oxygen, free radial and ^• peroxide. In addition, the vitamin C can improve pigmentation by suppressing generation of melanin that is closely associated with pigmentation, such as freckles and dark spots. Further, the vitamin C has various physiological activations and thus is participated in folic acid metabolism and amino acid metabolism, and suppresses an infection by accelerating a motion of leukocytes while the infection is developing.

Due to these various characteristics and effects of the vitamin C, consumers take or embrocate the vitamin C directly and demand products that emit the vitamin C in air. hi recent years, to meet the consumer's demand on well-being, vitamin-C containing

cosmetics, vitamin-C emitting showers, refrigerators, humidifiers and the like have been developed.

The vitamin C having the above-described useful effects is an organic compound where microbes are easily propagated. Thus, if such a vitamin C is applied to various products, especially an air cleaner filter, it results in an environment where microbes may be well propagated. Therefore, there occurs a problem in that the microbes as well as the vitamin C are emitted together in air or the air clear cannot play its own role in cleaning air due to the growth of microbes in the filter.

Disclosure of Invention An object of the present invention devised to solve the problem lies on a vitamin

C emitting filter, which contains and emits a vitamin C, provides sterilization and has an antibacterial ability so that the vitamin Cs own characteristic is not degraded.

Another object of the present invention devised to solve the problem lies on a method for manufacturing a vitamin C emitting filter having an antibacterial ability. A further object of the present invention devised to solve the problem lies on an application of the vitamin C emitting filter to an air cleaner, a humidifier, air conditioner, a refrigerator and the like.

The object of the present invention can be achieved by providing a vitamin C emitting filter coated with a silver and a vitamin C on a carrier. In another aspect of the present invention, provided herein is a method for manufacturing the vitamin C emitting filter, including the step of immersing the carrier in a mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C or spraying the mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C onto the carrier. Alternatively, a method for manufacturing the vitamin C emitting filter includes the steps of: coating a carrier with a silver; and coating a vitamin C on the carrier coated with the silver by processing a vitamin C in the carrier. The vitamin C emitting filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C can be applied to an air cleaner, a humidifier, an air conditioner and a refrigerator, each of which emits the vitamin C and provides an antibacterial function.

In this specification, the term "vitamin C emitting filter" represents a filter that emits a vitamin C while performing an antibacterial operation.

A carrier is determined depending on the use of the vitamin C emitting filter, that is, whether the vitamin C emitting filter is used in the air clear, the air conditioner, the humidifier or the refrigerator. There is no limit in a kind, type and size of the carrier. For example, in case where the vitamin C emitting filter is used as the air cleaner filter, any carrier can be used only if it has a function of the air cleaner filter, regardless of its kind, type and size. Also, there is no special limit in a manufacturing method. A carrier suitable for the air cleaner filter includes a glass fiber, an ion exchange fiber, a cellulose fiber or an asbestos fiber, various kinds of organic fiber, various kinds of inorganic fiber, and so on. Also, a metal, such as zinc, copper and aluminum, or a plastic can be used. In addition, theses carriers can be variously modified depending on characteristics of the materials.

A shape of the carrier can also be selected properly depending on the use of the filter. That is, the carrier can be modified depending on the products, without any special limitation. For example, the carrier can be a honeycomb type, a particle type, a net type, a filter paper type, a cotton type, a mesh type, a plate type or a foam type.

Further, the vitamin C emitting filter according to the present invention can be used as a deodorizer filter such as an activated carbon filter used in a refrigerator or other home appliances, a Hepa filter, a filter for a vehicle air cleaner, or combination thereof.

Any kind of silver can be used if only it has a germicidal power. For example, a nano silver or a colloidal silver can be used. At this point, it is preferable that the silver is activated so sufficient that it can be coated on the carrier. The nano silver represents a nano-sized silver particle. There is no special limit in a manufacturing method of the nano silver. That is, any nano silver can be used only if it is a particulate silver of 1 nanometer in size. Preferably, a dispersion solution of a nano-sized composite material can be used according to a method disclosed in Korean Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-0018227. That is, The dispersion solution of nano-sized composite materials is prepared by the following steps of: preparing a basic colloidal silica solution; preparing an electrolysis apparatus by putting a negative electrode containing aluminum and a positive electrode containing silver in the silica colloidal solution; and forming a nano-sized composite material by applying voltage to each electrode. The silver used in the present invention destructs a cell membrane of bacteria and converts an oxygen into an activated oxygen, thereby providing a strong antibacterial function. Regardless of shape, any vitamin C can be used if only it has a property of vitamin C. However, since an activation of the vitamin C is very strong in the raw, it easily reacts with air, moisture, heat, and so on. Thus, the vitamin C is rapidly oxidized with the time elapse and loses its activation. In general, the vitamin C is used after it is stabilized using various physical and chemical methods. For example, derivatives of the vitamin C, such as sodium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbate and ethoxylated ascorbic acid, can be used. Specifically, it is preferable to use 2-0-α-D-glucopyronosyl L- ascorbic acid (AA-2G) expressed as a following structural formula in view of stability and cost. There is no special limit in the concentration of the vitamin C. That is, the concentration of the vitamin C can be adjusted properly depending on the required degree of the vitamin C. [Structural Formula]

The vitamin C emitting filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C can be manufactured by immersing the carrier in a mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C or spraying the mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C onto the carrier. Alternatively, the vitamin C emitting filter can be manufactured by coating a carrier with a silver and coating a vitamin C on the carrier coated with the silver by processing a vitamin C in the carrier. That is, the filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C can be obtained by manufacturing the mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C and then coating the carrier by immersing the filter in the mixed solution or spraying the mixed solution, or coating the carrier with the silver and the vitamin C in sequence.

In the method for manufacturing the vitamin C emitting filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C, the mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C can be manufactured by adding the vitamin C to a nano silver solution including acryl binder, wetting agents and dispersing agents. However, the present invention is not limited to it. That is, there is no special limit in the method for mixing the silver and the vitamin C so that they can be coated on the carrier. The silver and the vitamin C are coated on the carrier by spraying the mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C onto a surface of the filter carrier or by immersing the carrier in the mixed solution. At this point, while there is no special limit in a mixture ratio of the vitamin C to the nano silver, it is preferable that a content of the vitamin C is in the range from 1% to 20% with respect to a total weight of the silver, more preferably 5% to 10%. If the content of the vitamin C in the mixed solution is less than 1%, the amount of the emitted vitamin C is so small that the effect of the vitamin C can be scarcely obtained in the human body. On the contrary, if the content of the vitamin C exceeds 20%, it is difficult to mix the vitamin C with the nano silver and it is not suitable in view of cost

According to another method for manufacturing the vitamin C emitting filter, the step of coating the carrier with the silver is performed by the general methods and a suitable method can be selected depending on the property of the carrier. Also, it is preferable that the silver is a nano silver or a colloidal silver. If necessary, the silver may be changed to a state suitable for coating the silver, depending on the property of the carrier. In addition, the step of coating the vitamin C on the carrier coated with the silver is performed by the general methods without any special limit. Chemical and physical methods are used to coat the vitamin C on the carrier coated with the silver. For example, after the silver is coated on the carrier by spraying the nano silver onto a surface of the carrier, a powdered AA-2G is dissolved in an appropriate solvent (e.g., water) and then sprayed onto the carrier coated with the silver. While a known technology such as an air spray can be used as the spraying method, the present invention is not limited to it. That is, any method can be used only if it evenly coats the silver and the vitamin C on the carrier. In addition to the spray method, an immersion method can be used.

Further, the carrier may be cleansed with a proper cleaning water before coating the carrier with the silver and the vitamin C or the cleaned carrier may be dried by a heat treatment. In the case of a metal carrier, it is preferable to remove an oil component attached to a surface of the carrier during the manufacturing process or storage. In case where the carrier is dried, a drying time and a drying temperature can be properly adjusted depending on a shape, kind and size of the carrier. Further, a drying step can be performed after coating the carrier with the silver and the vitamin C.

The vitamin C emitting filter according to the present invention is cut with a desired size and used as a filter for the air cleaner, the humidifier, the air conditioner, the refrigerator and so on. A size and shape of the filter can be adjusted depending on the applied products, and an arrangement or installation position can be appropriately controlled depending on -the products. In addition, the filter according to the present invention can be used singly in the same product and can be used together with the air cleaner filter and the deodorizer filter. The vitamin C emitting filter according to the present invention can be widely used in the home or business air cleaners, vehicles, refrigerators, humidifiers, air conditioners, and other home appliances. The mounting position and shape of the filter can be appropriately adjusted depending on the products.

Brief Description of Drawings The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating an absorbance of a filter on which only a vitamin C is coated and an absorbance of a vitamin C emitting filter according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an apparatus for checking an emission of a vitamin C in a vitamin C emitting filter according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating an absorbance in a wavelength where an emission of a vitamin C can be checked in air in a vitamin C emitting filter according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating a concentration of an emitted vitamin C with respect to a time in a vitamin C emitting filter according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. [Embodiment 1]

An aluminum mesh manufactured by Airfill company is contained in 2.5% NaOH for three minutes, so that an oil component is removed from the aluminum mesh.

Then, the aluminum mesh is cleaned using 2.5% NaOH. The cleaning process is repeated seven times. A heat treatment is performed on the cleaned aluminum mesh in

a drier oven in which a temperature is adjusted to 4O⁰C .

In addition, 1000-ml silver coating solution whose final concentration is 1000 ppm is manufactured by adding acryl emulsion, propylene glycol and polysiloxane to a colloidal nano silver.

After adding 100-mg AA-2G to the silver coating solution, the resulting solution is agitated at 100-200 rpm at room temperature for six hours, thereby manufacturing a silver/vitamin C coating solution. The silver/vitamin C coating solution is sprayed on the aluminum mesh by using an air spray method, thereby coating the silver and the vitamin C on the aluminum mesh together. Then, the aluminum mesh is left at room temperature for twenty-four hours and dried. In this manner, the vitamin C emitting filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C according to the present invention is obtained. [Embodiment 2] A cleaned and dried aluminum mesh is obtained in the same manner as the first embodiment.

1000-ml silver coating solution whose final concentration is 1000 ppm is manufactured by adding acryl emulsion, propylene glycol and polysiloxane to a colloidal nano silver. In addition, 1000-ml vitamin C solution whose final concentration is 100 ppm is manufactured by dissolve AA-2 G in water.

The silver coating solution is sprayed on the aluminum mesh by using an air spray method, thereby coating the silver on the aluminum mesh. Then, the vitamin C solution is sprayed on the aluminum mesh coated with the silver by using an air spray method, such that the vitamin C is coated on the aluminum mesh coated with the silver.

The aluminum mesh coated with the silver and the vitamin C is left at room temperature for twenty-four hours and dried. In this manner, the vitamin C emitting filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C according to the present invention is obtained. [Experimental Example 1]

In the vitamin C emitting filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C according to the present invention, the property of the vitamin C may be changed due to the silver. Accordingly, in order check whether or not a desired amount of the vitamin

C is correctly emitted with a desired property, an absorbance of a filter coated with the vitamin C alone and an absorbance of a filter of the first embodiment coated with both the vitamin C and the silver were measured. In the measurement of the absorbance, the filter coated with the vitamin C alone and the vitamin C emitting filter of the first embodiment were cut and immersed in an Erlenmeyer flask containing 70-ml water.

Then, an UV absorbance with respect to time was measured while agitating the two filters. The result is shown in FIG. 1. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the silver used in the present invention did not influence the property of the vitamin C. That is, it could be checked that the function of the vitamin C was not damaged due to the silver having the antibacterial function.

[Experimental Example 2] In order to check whether or not the vitamin C emitting filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C according to the present invention provides the antibacterial function, an antibacterial performance test was performed on the filter coated with the vitamin C alone and the filters coated with both the silver and the vitamin C with respect to an Escherichia coli and a Staphylococcus aureis. This antibacterial performance test was performed based on Shake Flask method of KS M 0146. A surface area of a specimen was 60 cm² and the number of bacteria was measured after a bacteria solution

is shaking-cultured at 35±1°C for twenty-four hours. The result is shown in Tables IA

and IB.

Table 1: Antibacterial Performance Test for Escherichia Coli

Table 2: Antibacterial Performance Test for Staphylococcus aureis

As can be seen from Table IA, the Vitamin C emitting filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C according to the present invention showed 99.9% antibacterial effect with respect to the Escherichia coli, while the filter coated with the vitamin C alone showed no bacterial effect. Also, as can be seen from Table IB, the vitamin C emitting filter coated with the silver and the vitamin C showed 99.9% antibacterial effect with respect to the Staphylococcus aureis. According to Table IB, although it seems that the Staphylococcus aureis is influenced by the vitamin C, it only shows that the effect is 97% and it is not a proof that the vitamin C has the antibacterial performance with respect to the Staphylococcus aureis.

[Experimental Example 3] The apparatus shown in FIG 2 is used to check whether the vitamin C emitting filters of the first and second embodiments sufficiently emit the vitamin C in air. In FIG.

2, a size of the chamber was 300X300X300 mm³, an inner temperature of the chamber

was 23+2⁰C , and an inner humidity was 75±5%Rh. The filters according to the first and

second embodiments of the present invention were cut with an air passage diameter of 120 mm and then attached to a fan. The vitamin C was emitted at an airflow velocity of

21.71 pm. After passing through an air sampler installed outside the chamber, the vitamin C was dissolved in a tank and then an UV test was performed. A sampling was performed for five hours. The result was equally measured with respect to the vitamin

C emitting filters according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention. The result of the vitamin C emitting filter according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. Also, the sampling was repeatedly performed in order to check the concentration of the emitted vitamin C. Since the vitamin C emitting filters according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention showed no special difference in the concentration of the emitted vitamin C with respect to time, only the result about the first embodiment was shown in FIG. 4. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the vitamin C emitting filter according to the present invention easily emitted the vitamin C in air. Also, as can be seen in FIG. 4, the emission of the vitamin C was constant even when the time elapsed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Industrial Applicability

In the vitamin C emitting filter according to the present invention, the silver and the vitamin C are coated on various filters including an air cleaner filter, so that the antibacterial function is provided without influence on the property of the vitamin C and also the vitamin C is constantly emitted in air. Accordingly, an immunity function can be increased in a human body exposed to the emitted vitamin C, creation of wrinkles can be prevented by accelerating generation of collagen, and damage of skin can be prevented by destructing chemical material caused by a ultraviolet infiltration into skin. In addition, the vitamin C has an antioxidation effect that can prevent a cause of skin aging. Further, the vitamin C can improve pigmentation by suppressing generation of melanin that is closely associated with pigmentation, such as freckles and dark spots.

Claims

What is Claimed is:

1. A vitamin C emitting filter coated with a silver and a vitamin C on a carrier.

2. The vitamin C emitting filter of claim I₅ wherein the carrier is a fiber selected from the group consisting of a glass fiber, an ion exchange fiber, a cellulose fiber and an asbestos fiber.

3. The vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a metal or a plastic.

4. The vitamin C emitting filter of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the carrier is one selected from the group consisting of a honeycomb type, a particle type, a net type, a filter paper type, a cotton type, a mesh type, a plate type and a foam type.

5. The vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1, wherein the carrier is an aluminum mesh.

6. The vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1, wherein the silver is a nano silver or a colloidal silver.

7. The vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1, wherein the vitamin C is one selected from the group consisting of AA-2G, sodium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbate and ethoxylated ascorbic acid.

8. The vitamin C emitting filter of claim 7, wherein the vitamin C is AA- 2G.

9. A method for manufacturing the vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1, comprising the step of immersing the carrier in a mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C or spraying the mixed solution of the silver and the vitamin C onto the carrier.

10. A method for manufacturing the vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1, comprising the steps of: coating a carrier with a silver; and coating a vitamin C on the carrier coated with the silver by processing a vitamin

C in the carrier.

11. The method of claim 9 or 10, further comprising the step of cleaning the carrier before coating the carrier with the silver and the vitamin C.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of drying the carrier after the cleaning step.

13. The method of claim 9 or 10, further comprising the step of drying the carrier after coating the carrier with the silver and the vitamin C.

14. An air cleaner comprising the vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1.

15. A humidifier comprising the vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1.

16. A refrigerator comprising the vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1.

17. An air conditioner comprising the vitamin C emitting filter of claim 1.