JP2008240375A - Electrostatic atomizer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrostatic atomizer which is installed in a toilet bowl, which can supply a sufficient quantity of atomized liquid without the need for much labor for replenishment, and which makes the degree of freedom of an installation place and an installation direction high. <P>SOLUTION: This electrostatic atomizer 1, which is installed in the bowl-shaped toilet bowl 20, generates the charged particulate liquid by applying a high voltage to an atomization electrode 6 for retaining the atomized liquid, and ejects it into the toilet bowl 20. A cooling means for generating dew condensation water by cooling high-humidity air in the toilet bowl 20 is provided as a means for supplying the atomized liquid to the atomization electrode 6. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrostatic atomizer installed in a toilet.

Conventionally, it has been proposed to provide an electrostatic atomizer in a toilet seat device installed on a toilet (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4). However, the electrostatic atomizer has a structure in which the liquid that becomes the atomizing liquid is stored in the liquid reservoir, and there is a problem that the user needs to replenish the liquid continuously in the liquid reservoir. . Moreover, since it is a structure provided with this liquid storage part, there also existed a problem that the installation location and installation direction of an electrostatic atomizer were added, and the freedom degree of installation was low.
JP 2005-155150 A JP-A-2005-155152 JP 2005-336844 A JP 2005-336845 A

  The present invention was invented in view of the above problems, and an electrostatic atomizer installed in a toilet can supply a sufficient amount of atomizing liquid without requiring replenishment, Moreover, it is an object to provide a high degree of freedom in the installation location and installation direction.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is installed in a bowl-shaped toilet bowl 20, and a high voltage is applied to the atomizing electrode 6 that holds the atomized liquid to generate a charged particulate liquid in the toilet bowl 20. It is the electrostatic atomizer 1 to discharge | release, Comprising: As a means to supply the atomization liquid to the atomization electrode 6, the cooling means which cools the air in the toilet bowl 20 and produces | generates dew condensation water was comprised. By doing in this way, dew condensation water can be produced | generated using the high humidity air in the toilet bowl 20, and this can be utilized as an atomization liquid. That is, since it is possible to supply a sufficient amount of the atomizing liquid to the atomizing electrode without the need for a configuration such as a liquid reservoir, the user does not need to supply the atomizing liquid. Moreover, since the configuration of the liquid reservoir or the like is not necessary, the degree of freedom in the installation location and installation direction is high.

  Further, the electrostatic atomizer 1 having the above-described configuration includes the seating sensor 4 that detects the seating of the human body on the toilet seat 2 installed in the toilet 20, and charged fine particles based on the detection signal of the seating sensor 4. It is preferable to turn the liquid production on and off. In this way, unnecessary discharge of the charged fine particle liquid can be prevented, and the electrostatic atomizer 1 can be operated efficiently.

  Moreover, the electrostatic atomizer 1 having the above-described configuration includes the entrance / exit sensor 5 that detects the entrance / exit of the human body into the toilet room, and generates the charged fine particle liquid based on the detection signal of the entrance / exit sensor 5. It is also preferable to turn on / off. In this way, unnecessary discharge of the charged fine particle liquid can be prevented, and the electrostatic atomizer 1 can be operated efficiently.

  Here, it is also preferable to turn off the generation of the charged fine particle liquid after a predetermined time T has elapsed since the detection of the predetermined sensor. By doing in this way, it becomes possible to operate the electrostatic atomizer 1 more efficiently.

  Moreover, in the electrostatic atomizer 1 of the said structure, it is also suitable to provide the odor sensor which detects an odor, and to turn on and off the production | generation of a charged fine particle liquid based on the detection signal of an odor sensor. In this way, unnecessary discharge of the charged fine particle liquid can be prevented, and the electrostatic atomizer 1 can be operated efficiently.

  Furthermore, as the cooling means for generating condensed water, the heat exchange device 7 having the cooling unit 7a and the heat radiating unit 7b is provided, and as the heat radiation promoting unit for promoting the heat radiation from the heat radiating unit 7b of the heat exchange device 7, It is also preferable to provide a water supply path 11 for conveying cooling water from a water storage tank 10 installed in the toilet bowl 20 to the heat radiating portion 7b. By doing so, it is possible to effectively use the existing configuration to improve the heat radiation amount from the heat radiating unit 7b, thereby improving the cooling capacity of the cooling unit 7a and realizing power saving.

  The invention according to claim 1 can supply a sufficient amount of the atomizing liquid to the electrostatic atomizing apparatus installed in the toilet without requiring replenishment, and also allows freedom of installation location and installation direction. There is an effect that it can be made high.

  In addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 1, the invention according to claim 2 prevents unnecessary discharge of the charged fine particle liquid based on the detection signal of the seating sensor, and the electrostatic atomizer can be efficiently used. There is an effect that it can be operated.

  In addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 1, the invention according to claim 3 prevents unnecessary discharge of the charged fine particle liquid based on the detection signal of the entrance / exit sensor, and makes the electrostatic atomizer more efficient. There is an effect that it can be operated.

  In addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 2 or 3, the invention according to claim 4 provides the electrostatic atomizer more efficiently by providing it so as not to generate the charged fine particle liquid over a predetermined time. There is an effect that it can be operated.

  In addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 1, the invention according to claim 5 prevents unnecessary discharge of the charged fine particle liquid based on the detection signal of the odor sensor, and the electrostatic atomizer can be efficiently used. There is an effect that it can be operated.

  Moreover, in addition to the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the invention according to claim 6 improves the heat radiation amount from the heat radiation part by effectively utilizing the existing configuration, thereby the cooling part. It is possible to improve the cooling capacity and to realize power saving.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. 1 and 2 show an example of an electrostatic atomizer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electrostatic atomizer 1 of this example is installed on the lower side of the toilet seat device body 15 placed on the upper surface of the rear part of the toilet bowl 20 having a bowl shape. Exposed. In addition, each direction, such as front and rear and up and down directions used in the text, is based on the state installed in the toilet bowl 20.

  The toilet seat device body 15 includes an annular toilet seat 2 that is connected to be rotatable up and down, and a toilet lid 3 that is also connected to be turned up and down and covers the entire upper surface of the toilet seat 2. In addition, a seating sensor 4 for detecting the seating of the human body on the toilet seat 2 and an entrance / exit room sensor 5 for detecting the entrance / exit of the human body in the toilet space where the toilet 20 is installed are provided on the front surface of the toilet seat apparatus body 15. It is.

  The electrostatic atomizer 1 generates a fine mist-like charged fine particle liquid having a nanometer size particle size and discharges it into the internal space S1 of the toilet 20, and performs sterilization and deodorization by the action of the charged fine particle liquid. As schematically shown in FIG. 2, a heat exchange device 7 comprising an elongated rod-like atomizing electrode 6 and a Peltier module serving as means for supplying the atomizing liquid to the atomizing electrode 6. And by applying a high voltage to the atomizing electrode 6 between the counter electrode 8 and a ring-shaped counter electrode 8 installed at a position facing the tip of the atomizing electrode 6, the atomizing electrode 6 A main body is formed by a voltage applying means (not shown) for generating a charged fine particle liquid based on the atomized liquid to be held and a discharge port 9 for discharging the generated charged fine particle liquid to the outside.

  The heat exchanging device 7 has a cooling part 7a made of a cooling plate and a heat radiating part 7b made of a radiating fin, and the atomizing electrode 6 itself is provided by standing the atomizing electrode 6 on the cooling part 7a. The dew condensation water used as the atomization liquid is generated on the surface of the atomization electrode 6. Further, a water supply path 11 for circulating the water stored in the water storage tank 10 extends downward from the water storage tank 10 installed on the upper surface of the rear part of the toilet bowl 20. By exposing the heat dissipating part 7b of the heat exchange device 7 in the middle of the water supply path 11, the water stored in the water supply path 11 is utilized as cooling water. In other words, in the present example, the water supply path 11 forms a heat radiation promoting means that promotes heat radiation from the heat radiating portion 7b and improves the cooling capacity of the cooling portion 7a of the heat exchange device 7.

  The discharge port 9 for discharging the charged fine particle liquid into the toilet 20 is located on the upper rear side of the internal space S1 of the toilet 20 and is opened forward, and the charged fine particle liquid is directed forward. (See arrow A in the figure).

  The internal space S <b> 2 in which the atomizing electrode 6 in the case 13 that forms the outline of the electrostatic atomizer 1 is located is communicated with the internal space S <b> 1 of the toilet 20 through the discharge port 9. That is, in the electrostatic atomizer 1 of this example, the air in the internal space S1 of the toilet 20 that is in a high humidity environment is used, and this is cooled in the communicating internal space S2 to generate dew condensation water. Thus, it is possible to supply a sufficient amount of the atomizing liquid quickly and without providing a liquid reservoir.

  FIG. 3 shows a control example in the case of controlling on / off of the operation of the electrostatic atomizer 1 based on the detection result of the seating sensor 4. In this control example, when it is detected by the seating sensor 4 that the human body is not seated on the upper surface of the toilet seat 2 (hereinafter referred to as “seat off state”), the voltage to the heat exchange device 7 composed of the Peltier module The application (that is, the generation of condensed water thereby) and the application of a high voltage to the atomizing electrode 6 (that is, the generation and discharge of the charged fine particle liquid thereby) are both turned off. While the seating sensor 4 detects that the human body is seated on the upper surface of the toilet seat 2 (hereinafter referred to as “seat-on state”), the voltage application to both the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 is turned on. In this control, both the voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 are turned off when a predetermined time T has elapsed since the seating sensor 4 detects that the seating is off.

  FIG. 4 shows a control example in the case of controlling on / off of the operation of the electrostatic atomizer 1 based on the detection result of the entrance / exit sensor 5. In this control example, when it is detected by the entrance / exit sensor 5 that the user is in the exiting state, the voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 is both turned off. While the entrance / exit sensor 5 detects that the room is in the entrance state, the voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomization electrode 6 is both turned on, and the entrance / exit sensor 5 detects that the exit state has been entered. In this control, the voltage application to both the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 is turned off when a predetermined time T has elapsed.

  FIG. 5 shows another control example in the case of controlling on / off of the operation of the electrostatic atomizer 1 based on the detection result of the entrance / exit sensor 5. This control example is different from the control example shown in FIG. 4 in that the voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 is always on regardless of the detection result of the entrance / exit sensor 5. That is, the atomizing electrode 6 is controlled to be constantly cooled, and the condensed water is always generated and held on the surface of the atomizing electrode 6.

  FIG. 6 shows still another control example in the case of controlling on / off of the operation of the electrostatic atomizer 1 based on the detection result of the entrance / exit sensor 5. In this control example, as compared with the control examples shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 is intermittently repeated at regular intervals regardless of the detection result of the entrance / exit sensor 5. The point of driving is different. In other words, the atomizing electrode 6 is always controlled to be intermittently cooled, and an appropriate amount of condensed water is generated and held on the surface of the atomizing electrode 6.

  Furthermore, in FIG. 7, an odor sensor (not shown) for detecting the odor in the internal space S2 of the toilet 20 is provided, and the operation of the electrostatic atomizer 1 is turned on and off based on the detection signal of the odor sensor. The example of control in the case of controlling is shown. In this control example, when the output of the odor sensor is lower than the reference value, the odor detection is turned off, when it exceeds the reference value, the odor detection is turned on, and when it is detected that the odor detection is turned off, Both voltage application to the exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 are turned off. Then, while it is detected by the odor sensor that the odor detection is in the on state, the voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 is both turned on.

  In FIG. 8, the electrostatic atomizer 1 of the other example in embodiment of this invention is shown. The basic configuration of this example is the same as that of the electrostatic atomizer 1 of the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, but in this example, the entire electrostatic atomizer 1 is placed below the toilet seat body 15. And a discharge port 9 for discharging the charged fine particle liquid is formed in the lower surface of the toilet seat apparatus body 15. Accordingly, the charged fine particle liquid generated in the electrostatic atomizer 1 is discharged downward from the upper rear portion of the internal space S1 of the toilet 20 through the discharge port 9 (see arrow A ′ in the figure), and the internal space S1. The inside is sterilized and deodorized. In addition, although not illustrated, in this example, the electrostatic atomizer 1 is installed with the attitude | position which orient | assigned the front-end | tip part of the atomization electrode 6 below. Since the structure for storing and transporting the atomized liquid is unnecessary and the degree of freedom in the installation location and the installation direction is high, the installation as in this example can be easily realized.

  FIG. 9 shows still another example of the electrostatic atomizer 1 in the embodiment of the present invention. The basic configuration of this example is the same as that of the electrostatic atomizer 1 of the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, but in this example, the toilet lid is rotatably installed on the toilet seat device body 15. In the state where the electrostatic atomizer 1 is installed on the inner surface of 3 and the toilet lid 3 is closed, the discharge port 9 is formed so as to discharge the charged fine particle liquid toward the internal space S1 of the toilet 20 through the central opening of the toilet seat 2. It is characterized in that it is open. Accordingly, the charged fine particle liquid generated in the electrostatic atomizer 1 is discharged downward from the upper central portion of the internal space S1 of the toilet 20 through the discharge port 9 (see arrow A ″ in FIG. 9B). In this example, the structure for storing and transporting the atomized liquid is unnecessary and the degree of freedom in the installation location and installation direction is high. The above-mentioned installation location and installation direction are easily realized.

  In this example, it is preferable to provide an open / close sensor (not shown) for detecting the opening / closing of the toilet lid 3 and to turn on / off the generation of the charged particulate liquid based on the detection signal of the open / close sensor. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, when the opening / closing sensor detects that the toilet lid 3 is in the open state, the voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 are both turned off. And it is preferable to turn on both voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 only while the opening / closing sensor detects that the toilet lid 3 is in the closed state. Thereby, in the state where the toilet lid 3 is closed and the internal space S1 of the toilet 20 is sealed, the air in the internal space S1 is cooled to generate condensed water, and charged fine particle liquid is generated and generated based on the condensed water. The inside of the toilet 20 can be effectively sterilized and deodorized by discharging. In addition, you may control to turn off the voltage application to the heat exchange apparatus 7 or the atomization electrode 6 when predetermined time passes since it was detected that the toilet lid 3 was in the open state.

  Moreover, it is good also as control as shown in FIG. 11, FIG. The control example shown in FIG. 11 is a control example in the case of controlling on / off of the operation of the electrostatic atomizer 1 based on the detection result of the seating sensor 4. In this control example, when the seating sensor 4 detects that the seating is on, both the voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 are turned off, and the seating sensor 4 sets the seating off state. While being detected, voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 is both turned on. The voltage application to the heat exchanging device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 is turned on when the seating sensor 4 detects that the seating is off, and the voltage application is performed when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the voltage application. You may control to turn off.

  The control example shown in FIG. 12 is a control example in the case of controlling on / off of the operation of the electrostatic atomizer 1 based on the detection result of the entrance / exit sensor 5. In this control example, when it is detected by the entrance / exit sensor 5 that the entrance state is detected, the voltage application to both the heat exchange device 7 and the atomization electrode 6 is turned off, and the entrance / exit sensor 5 sets the exit state. While being detected, voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 is both turned on. The voltage application to the heat exchange device 7 and the atomizing electrode 6 is turned on from the time when the entry / exit sensor 5 detects that the room has been left, and the voltage application is performed when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the voltage application. You may control to turn off.

It is a perspective view which shows the installation state of an example electrostatic atomizer in embodiment of this invention. It is a partial cross section figure for demonstrating the installation state of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above. It is a time chart explaining the example of control based on the seating sensor of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above. It is a time chart explaining the example of control based on the entrance / exit sensor of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above. It is a time chart explaining another example of control based on the entrance / exit sensor of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above. It is a time chart explaining another example of control based on the entrance / exit sensor of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above. It is a time chart explaining the example of control based on the odor sensor of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above. It is a side view which shows the installation state of the electrostatic atomizer of the other example in embodiment of this invention. The installation state of the electrostatic atomizer of the other example in embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a perspective view of the state which opened the toilet lid, (b) is a side view of the state which closed the toilet lid. is there. It is a time chart explaining the example of control based on the opening / closing sensor of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above. It is a time chart explaining the example of control based on the seating sensor of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above. It is a time chart explaining the example of control based on the entrance / exit sensor of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electrostatic atomizer 2 Toilet seat 4 Seating sensor 5 Entrance / exit sensor 6 Atomization electrode 7 Heat exchange device 7a Cooling part 7b Heat radiation part 10 Water storage tank 11 Water supply path 20 Toilet T Predetermined time

Claims (6)

  An electrostatic atomization device that is installed in a bowl-shaped toilet and generates a charged fine particle liquid by applying a high voltage to the atomization electrode that holds the atomization liquid, and discharges the liquid into the toilet. An electrostatic atomizer comprising cooling means for cooling the air in the toilet and generating condensed water as means for supplying the atomizing liquid to the apparatus.   The electrostatic fog according to claim 1, further comprising a seating sensor that detects seating of a human body on a toilet seat installed in a toilet bowl, wherein the generation of the charged fine particle liquid is turned on and off based on a detection signal of the seating sensor. Device.   2. The electrostatic atomization according to claim 1, further comprising an entrance / exit sensor for detecting entrance / exit of a human body into the toilet room, and on / off generation of the charged fine particle liquid based on a detection signal of the entrance / exit sensor. apparatus.   The electrostatic atomizer according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the generation of the charged fine particle liquid is turned off after a predetermined time has elapsed since the detection of the predetermined sensor.   The electrostatic atomizer according to claim 1, further comprising an odor sensor for detecting odor, wherein the generation of the charged fine particle liquid is turned on / off based on a detection signal of the odor sensor.   As the cooling means for generating condensed water, a water storage tank provided in a toilet bowl as a heat radiation promoting means having a heat exchange device having a cooling part and a heat radiation part and promoting heat radiation from the heat radiation part of the heat exchange device. The electrostatic atomizer as described in any one of Claims 1-5 which comprises the water supply path which conveys cooling water to the said thermal radiation part.

Images