JP2009266664A - Ion generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ion generating device with a low level of radiation noise, small-sized and inexpensive. <P>SOLUTION: In the ion generating device, a step-up transformer 1 is covered with a metal cap 11, a needle-shaped discharge electrode 9 is formed integrally with an output terminal 8 of the step-up transformer 1, a hole 11a is perforated in the metal cap 11 at a position opposing the chip of the discharge electrode 9, an induction electrode 12 is constituted at the edge of the hole 11a, and generated ions are discharged out of the metal cap 11 through the hole 11a. The metal cap 11 also serves as the induction electrode 12, and therefore, miniaturization and reduction of cost for the device are achieved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ion generator, and more particularly to an ion generator that generates ions by applying a high voltage between a discharge electrode and an induction electrode.

  Conventionally, ion generators that generate both positive ions and negative ions are known. Such an ion generator is provided in, for example, an air conditioner, and bipolar ions released into the air by a fan surround and inactivate airborne fungi and viruses in the air.

Conventional ion generators include an ion generator and a step-up transformer that supplies a high voltage to the ion generator, and the step-up transformer is covered with a metal cap to shield radiation noise from the step-up transformer. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). In some cases, the output terminal of the step-up transformer and the discharge electrode of the ion generation unit are integrally formed in order to reduce the size of the device (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2004-111135 A JP 2007-134120 A

  However, in the ion generator of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to separately arrange the ion generator and the step-up transformer and connect them with a high-voltage cable. there were.

  Moreover, in the ion generator of patent document 2, when a metal cap was put on the pressure | voltage rise transformer with a discharge electrode, there existed a problem that it became difficult to discharge | release ion out of a metal cap.

  Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized and low-cost ion generator with less radiation noise.

  The ion generator according to the present invention is an ion generator that generates ions by applying a high voltage between a discharge electrode and an induction electrode, and a metal that shields radiation noise of the step-up transformer that outputs a high voltage. A discharge electrode is formed integrally with the output terminal of the step-up transformer, its tip is formed in a sharp shape, protrudes from the step-up transformer, and a hole is formed at a position facing the tip of the discharge electrode of the metal case. It is opened, the edge of the hole constitutes an induction electrode, and ions are emitted out of the metal case through the hole.

  Preferably, the step-up transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding, and one end of the secondary winding is connected to the output terminal, and the other end is connected to the metal case.

  Preferably, when a current is passed between the terminals of the primary winding, a high voltage is generated between the terminals of the secondary winding, and discharge is generated at the tip of the discharge electrode to generate positive ions and negative ions.

  In the ion generator according to the present invention, the step-up transformer is housed in a metal case, the discharge electrode is formed integrally with the output terminal of the step-up transformer, the tip thereof is formed in a sharp shape and protrudes from the step-up transformer, and the metal A hole is opened at a position facing the tip of the discharge electrode of the case, the edge of the hole constitutes an induction electrode, and ions are released out of the metal case through the hole. Therefore, since both the ion generator and the step-up transformer are accommodated in the metal case, the apparatus can be reduced in size and radiation noise can be reduced. In addition, since the metal case also serves as the induction electrode, the number of parts can be reduced, and the apparatus can be reduced in size and cost.

  1 (a) to 1 (c) are diagrams showing the configuration of an ion generator according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 1 (a) is a front view, and FIG. 1 (b) is a front view. FIG. 1C is a view seen through from the side. 1A to 1C, a step-up transformer 1 is provided inside the ion generator.

  The step-up transformer 1 includes a cylindrical bobbin 2. A core (not shown) is provided at the center of the bobbin 2. Two small diameter portions 2 a and 2 b are formed on the outer peripheral portion of the bobbin 2. The width of the small diameter portion 2a is narrower than the width of the small diameter portion 2b. A primary winding 3 is wound around the small diameter portion 2a, and a secondary winding 4 is wound around the small diameter portion 2b.

  Two input terminals 5 and 6 are erected on the large-diameter portion 2c at the lower end of the bobbin 2 in the drawing, and an output terminal 7 is erected on the large-diameter portion 2d between the small-diameter portions 2a and 2b. An output terminal 8 is erected on the large-diameter portion 2e at the upper end in the drawing. The primary winding 3 is connected between the input terminals 5 and 6, and the secondary winding 4 is connected between the output terminals 7 and 8. A proximal end of a needle-like discharge electrode 9 is fixed to the output terminal 8, and the discharge electrode 9 and the output terminal 8 are integrally formed. In other words, the output terminal 8 is formed in a needle shape and constitutes the discharge electrode 9. The terminals 5 to 8 and the discharge electrode 9 protrude from the large diameter portions 2c to 2e of the bobbin 2 in the same direction.

  The step-up transformer 1 is mounted on the upper end portion of the substrate 10 in the figure so that the discharge electrode 9 does not contact the substrate 10, and each of the input terminals 5, 6 and the output terminal 7 is in a through hole of the substrate 10. It is fixed. A metal cap 11 is put on the upper ends of the step-up transformer 1 and the substrate 10. A circular hole 11 a is opened in a portion of the metal cap 11 facing the tip of the discharge electrode 9, and the edge of the hole 11 a constitutes an annular induction electrode 12.

  The lower end of the metal cap 11 is closed with a metal lid 13. A slit 13a is formed in the metal lid 13, and the lower end of the substrate 10 penetrates the slit 13a. The metal cap 11, the metal lid 13, the wiring of the substrate 10, and the output terminal 7 of the step-up transformer 1 are electrically connected to each other. The metal cap 11 and the metal lid 13 constitute a metal case that shields radiation noise generated in the step-up transformer 1.

  FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of the step-up transformer 1. In FIG. 2, the step-up transformer 1 includes a primary winding 3 connected between input terminals 5 and 6 and a secondary winding 4 connected between output terminals 7 and 8. The number of turns of the secondary winding 4 is larger than the number of turns of the primary winding 3. A needle-like discharge electrode 9 is connected to the output terminal 8, and an induction electrode 12 is connected to the output terminal 7. When a current is passed from the input terminal 6 to the input terminal 5 through the primary winding 3, a high voltage is output between the output terminals 8 and 7.

  As a result, the electric field concentrates on the tip of the discharge electrode 9, and the air in the vicinity thereof causes a dielectric breakdown to generate corona discharge. This corona discharge generates positive ions and negative ions. The generated ions are released to the outside through the hole 11 a of the metal cap 11. Further, radiation noise generated in the step-up transformer 1 is shielded by the metal cap 11 and the metal lid 13.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ion generator. In FIG. 3, the ion generator includes a drive circuit 14, a high voltage generation circuit 15, a step-up transformer 1, a discharge electrode 9, and an induction electrode 12. The drive circuit 14 and the high voltage generation circuit 15 are formed on the surface of the substrate 10. When the power supply voltage is turned on, the drive circuit 14 operates the high voltage generation circuit 15 to supply current to the primary winding 3 of the step-up transformer 1. Thereby, a high voltage is applied to the discharge electrode 9, corona discharge is generated, and ions are generated.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram comparing the radiation noise levels of the present invention and the three comparative examples 1-3. In Comparative Example 1, as shown in FIG. 5, the needle-like discharge electrode 9 and the annular induction electrode 12 are provided outside the metal cap 11, and the hole 11 a of the metal cap 11 is closed. The output terminal 8 and the discharge electrode 9 of the step-up transformer 1 are connected by a high voltage cable 16, and the induction electrode 12 is connected to the output terminal 7. The comparative example 2 is different from the comparative example 1 in that a hole 11a is formed in the metal cap 11 as shown in FIG. The comparative example 3 is different from the comparative examples 1 and 2 in that the metal cap 11 and the metal lid 13 are removed (not shown).

  The level of radiation noise was measured separately for a long wavelength component, a medium wavelength component, and a short wavelength component. As radiation noise, a component having a wavelength of medium wavelength or more (frequency is 30 MHz or less) is mainly used, and the level of the short wavelength component is low.

  When the measurement results of the present invention and Comparative Example 1 were compared, the radiation noise was the same level. From this result, it was found that the leakage of radiation noise from the hole 11a is small in the present invention. Further, when processing was performed so that no discharge occurred in the discharge electrode 9 and current was passed through the step-up transformer 1, radiation noise of the same level as in Comparative Example 1 was generated. From this, it was found that the radiation noise generated at the discharge electrode 9 and the induction electrode 12 was small. Radiation noise is considered to occur mainly in the primary winding 3 through which a large current flows.

  Further, comparing the measurement results of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, in Comparative Example 2, the noise level of the long wavelength component was increased by 8 dBm, and the noise level of the medium wavelength component was increased by 4 dBm. From this, it was found that in Comparative Example 2, the radiation noise leaked considerably from the hole 11a of the metal cap 11. This is in contrast to the present invention in which the leakage of radiation noise from the hole 11a is small. In the present invention, it is considered that the lines of electric force and ions between the discharge electrode 9 and the edge of the hole 11a shield the radiation noise.

  Further, comparing the measurement results of Comparative Examples 1 and 3, the noise level of each of the long wavelength component and the medium wavelength component was higher by 15 dBm in Comparative Example 3 than in Comparative Example 1. From this result, it was found that the shielding effect of the metal cap 11 and the metal lid 13 was great.

  In this embodiment, the discharge electrode 9 is formed integrally with the output terminal 8 of the step-up transformer 1, and the step-up transformer 1 is covered with a metal cap 11, and a hole 11a is formed in a portion of the metal cap 11 facing the tip of the discharge electrode 9. And the induction electrode 12 is formed by the edge of the hole 11a. Therefore, since the radiation noise generated by the step-up transformer 1 is shielded by the metal cap 11 or the like, it is possible to prevent the television and radio images and sound from being disturbed by the radiation noise when the ion generator is used. Further, since a part of the metal cap 11 constitutes the induction electrode 12, the number of parts can be reduced, and the apparatus can be reduced in size and cost.

  In this embodiment, the needle-like discharge electrode 9 is used. However, a sharp metal plate whose tip is processed to an acute angle may be used as the discharge electrode 9.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modified example of this embodiment, and is a diagram contrasted with FIG. FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing the step-up transformer 1 according to this modification, and is a diagram to be compared with FIG. 7 and 8, in this modified example, the step-up transformer 1 is provided with two output terminals 8, and each output terminal 8 is provided with a needle-like discharge electrode 9. The metal cap 11 has two holes 9 corresponding to the two discharge electrodes 9. In this modified example, the same effect as in the embodiment can be obtained, and the amount of generated ions is increased approximately twice.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the ion generator by one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a configuration of a step-up transformer illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the ion generator shown in FIG. It is a figure which compares the radiation noise level of this invention and Comparative Examples 1-3. It is a figure which shows the comparative example 1 shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the comparative example 2 shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a change of embodiment. FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram illustrating a configuration of a step-up transformer illustrated in FIG. 7.

Explanation of symbols

  1 step-up transformer, 2 bobbin, 2a, 2b small diameter part, 2c-2e large diameter part, 3 primary winding, 4 secondary winding, 5, 6 input terminal, 7, 8 output terminal, 9 discharge electrode, 10 substrate 11 metal cap, 11a hole, 12 induction electrode, 13 metal lid, 13a slit, 14 drive circuit, 15 high voltage generation circuit, 16 high voltage cable.

Claims (3)

In an ion generator that generates ions by applying a high voltage between a discharge electrode and an induction electrode,
A step-up transformer that outputs the high voltage;
A metal case that shields radiation noise of the step-up transformer,
The discharge electrode is formed integrally with the output terminal of the step-up transformer, the tip of the discharge electrode is formed in a sharp shape and protrudes from the step-up transformer,
A hole is opened at a position facing the tip of the discharge electrode of the metal case, the edge of the hole constitutes the induction electrode, and the ions are discharged out of the metal case through the hole. , Ion generator. The step-up transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding,
The ion generator according to claim 1, wherein one terminal of the secondary winding is connected to the output terminal, and the other terminal is connected to the metal case.   When a current is passed between the terminals of the primary winding, the high voltage is generated between the terminals of the secondary winding, and a discharge is generated at the tip of the discharge electrode to generate positive ions and negative ions. Item 3. The ion generator according to Item 2.

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