JP2011009235A - Ion generating method, ion generating electrode, and ionizer module - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flat, micro-discharge type ion generating electrode that generates a self-balanced ions.SOLUTION: An ion generating electrode includes: a substrate 6; positive and negative ion generating elements 1 and 2 that are held on the substrate 6 and energized by positive and negative high voltage supplies, respectively; positive and negative bias elements 3 and 4 that are held on the substrate 6 corresponding to the positive and negative ion generating elements 1 and 2, respectively; and a dielectric layer 5 arranged between the bias elements 3 and 4 that correspond to the ion generating elements 1 and 2, respectively. A positive and negative high voltage is applied to the first and second ion generating elements or to the first and second bias elements. The first and second bias elements or the first and second ion generating elements to which no high voltage is applied is isolated from the ground or other circuits.

Description

The present invention includes a dielectric, a bias element formed in the dielectric, and an ion generating element formed on the surface of the dielectric, and a high voltage is supplied between the bias element and the ion generating element to generate ions. And an ion generating electrode and an ionizer module used in this method.

  The present invention also relates to a self-balancing ion generator that can generate both positive and negative ions. More specifically, the present invention balances positive and negative ions without using a sensor or feedback control system. The present invention relates to an ion generator that can generate an output.

  Furthermore, the present invention relates to an ion generation module including an ion generation electrode and a high voltage source.

  In order to obtain the desired effect, it is known to generate a large number of ions in the air using an air ionizer. One use of these ionizers is to remove dust, fibers, smoke and the like from the surrounding air, to clean and freshen the room air. Another application is to prevent static electricity from accumulating on objects in the room or equipment, and to suppress electrostatic discharge (ESD) and dust collection caused by charging the static electricity.

  In particular, in the production site of semiconductor products such as integrated circuits and electronic components, and liquid crystal related products such as flat panel displays, which must be prevented from being contaminated by fine dust or dust, or damaged or defective due to electrostatic discharge, static elimination and charging A number of ionizers are used to prevent this. Normally, an ionizer is configured to generate both positive and negative ions, but if more ions are generated on one pole than ions on the other pole, the object is placed on the pole with more ions. There is a risk of charging. Therefore, in many cases, when ions are generated, it is required to control the ion balance so that positive ions and negative ions are generated in the same amount and close to zero volts when measured by a charge plate monitor. This ion balance control is achieved by adjusting the high voltage supplied to the ion generating electrode until the charge plate monitor reads the desired balance.

  Several techniques and techniques are known for increasing the ion concentration in the air. Of particular note is the use of microdischarge devices for generating ions. In the microdischarge device, the ion generating element is formed on the top of the dielectric layer, and the bias element or the reference element is formed inside the dielectric layer. A high voltage is applied between the ion generating element and the bias element, and a high electric field sufficient to decompose and ionize gas molecules is generated on the surface of the electrode.

  Patent Document 1 (US Pat. No. 7,160,365) discloses an ion generating electrode that is formed on a two-layer substrate and is fed from an alternating current (AC) high voltage source with a reference grounded. The first layer is used as an ion generating element, and the intermediate layer is used as a reference element. The reference element is embedded in the substrate and is not used to generate ions.

  Patent Document 2 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,254,006) discloses an ion generating element formed on a two-layer substrate and grounded by a reference and fed from a 40 KHz alternating current (AC) high voltage source. Yes. The first layer is used as an ion generating element, and the intermediate layer is used as a reference electrode. The reference electrode is embedded in the substrate and is not used to generate ions. The present invention is mainly used for an air conditioner, a cleaner, and a refrigerator.

  Patent Documents 3 and 4 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2003-249327 and 2003-323964) generate ions that are formed on a two-layer substrate and grounded from a reference and fed from a pulsed direct current (DC) high voltage source. An element is disclosed. The first layer is used as an ion generating element, and the intermediate layer is used as a reference electrode. The reference electrode is embedded in the substrate and is not used to generate ions.

  Patent Document 5 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-228641) discloses an ion generating element that is formed on a three-layer substrate and is fed from a pulsed direct current (DC) high voltage source with a reference grounded. The first layer and the third layer are used as an ion generating element, and the intermediate layer is used as a reference electrode. The reference electrode is embedded in the substrate and is not used to generate ions.

  These three prior arts disclosed above have the following three items in common design.

  First, both designs require the reference (reference point) to be grounded. Since the reference is typically a fixed known potential that is a zero reference point, grounding the reference source is a common practice. By grounding the reference point for positive and negative high voltages, the designer can know exactly how many volts the voltage between the electrodes is. This allows the designer to predict how the circuit will operate given a certain applied voltage, and more importantly, knowing the output of the ionizer as expected and controlling it. Can do.

  Second, in the design of the ion generating electrode, these ion generating elements all have a bias element or reference element embedded in the dielectric layer and grounded. This bias element is a passive component designed to provide a constant reference voltage to the ion generating element. Again, the designer knows and controls the output of the ionizer as prescribed. Furthermore, these bias elements are made in strips and do not have means to concentrate or enhance the electric field.

  Thirdly, none of these designs has a means to control ion balance. In such a design, it is expected that the ion output of the ionizer will not remain constant for a long time. In the manufacture of electronic components that are easily affected by static electricity, there are several factors that can cause unstable ion output and balance, such as temperature and humidity changes in the ion generation environment, electrode wear and contamination, and voltage fluctuations in the power supply line. There is a factor. As described above, in the manufacturing site of electronic parts and the like that are easily affected by static electricity, fluctuations in ion balance may adversely affect the product, resulting in product failure or malfunction.

  US Pat. No. 5,055,963 discloses a housing having an air inlet / outlet, a plurality of sharply pointed electrodes, and a high voltage source that applies positive and negative voltages to each electrode. Discloses a self-balancing bipolar ionizer with a fan for controlling the flow of ions. The present invention essentially maintains an equal generation amount of positive and negative ions without using an ion sensor or feedback circuit for controlling the ion balance.

  However, the sharp and sharp electrode used in the present invention is difficult to clean because the electrode tip, which is the ion generation point, is easily covered with dust and particles, and the electrode tip does not generate ions due to wear. was there. In terms of maintenance, the ion generating electrode formed on the flat and smooth strip is clearly superior to the sharply pointed ion generating electrode.

US Pat. No. 7,160,365 US Pat. No. 7,160,365 JP 2003-249327 A JP 2003-323964 A JP 2006-228641 A US Pat. No. 5,055,963

  The present invention is for solving the above-mentioned problems and problems. More specifically, the present invention relates to the advantages of a self-balancing control ion generator and an ion generation electrode having a flat and smooth shape and a microelectrode using the same. It combines the advantages of a discharge device.

  One problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an ion generating electrode having a flat shape and comprising a substrate material, a dielectric layer, a conductive ion generating element, a conductive bias element, a via, and a pad. That is. A related problem is to provide an ion generating electrode that is easier to clean and maintain than a needle-like or pointed wire-like electrode. Yet another related problem is that a large number of fine electric field enhancing portions (projecting in a plane on the same plane with respect to the main body of the ion generating element so as to concentrate or strengthen the electric field formed by the ion generating element ( (Hereinafter referred to as a fine electric field enhancing portion). In this way, ions can be generated more efficiently.

  Another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an ion generator capable of generating the same amount of positive and negative ions without using an ion sensor or an electronic circuit for feedback control.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, the ion generating electrode is formed on a flat and smooth substrate having a plurality of layers, for example, four layers. The ion generating electrode has an insulating property with a first conductive ion generating element disposed in the uppermost layer, a dielectric thereunder, and a first conductive bias element disposed in the first intermediate layer. From the substrate material, another second conductive bias element disposed in the second intermediate layer, another dielectric, and a second conductive ion generating element disposed in the bottom layer of the substrate It is configured. The first conductive ion generating element is paired with the first conductive bias element, and the second conductive ion generating element is paired with the second conductive bias element.

  The present invention is not limited to a four-layer substrate, and those skilled in the art will understand that it can be applied to a two-layer or three-layer substrate. As an example, an embodiment in which an ion generating electrode is formed on a two-layer substrate is shown in an embodiment of the invention described later. Again, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment of FIG. In practice, it is possible to design with 5 layers, 6 layers or more, but this is not preferable because it increases the cost.

  In order to generate ions using the ion generating electrode, a high voltage signal is applied between the ion generating element and the bias element paired therewith. The high voltage signal may be a direct current DC, an alternating current AC, a high frequency alternating current HF-AC, a pulse DC, or a pulse AC. The high voltage signal may or may not have a DC bias.

  Further, by way of example, positive ion generation can be achieved by applying a positive high voltage DC pulse to the ion generating element and simultaneously applying a negative high voltage DC pulse to the bias element. As a result of applying such a high voltage, a strong electric field is generated near the electrode, polarizing air molecules in the air, pulling electrons away from the air molecules, and generating positive air ions as a result.

  Further, in the same manner, negative ions are generated by applying a negative high voltage DC pulse to the ion generating element and applying a positive high voltage DC pulse to the bias element. Electrons emitted from the electrode are combined with air molecules, and as a result, negative air ions are generated.

  In order to effectively neutralize the object, a fan or the like is used to move air ions from the electrode to the target object. In one embodiment, a fan or the like is placed upstream of the electrode. Alternatively, the fan or the like may be located downstream of the electrode.

  Three configurations are used to achieve the self-balancing function, which are referred to as active bias (active bias), isolated bias (isolation bias), and isolated emitting element (isolation radiating element). However, the details will be described in “DETAILED DESCRIPTION”. Similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,963, an important point to achieve the self-balancing function is to insulate the high voltage circuit and the electrode from ground.

  In summary, the present invention solves the problem of ion balance control without requiring an ion balance feedback control circuit. In this way, the ionizer is less complex, more compact and more economical.

It is a figure which shows the active bias provided in the 4 layer board | substrate by this invention. It is a figure which shows the active bias provided in the 2 layer board | substrate by this invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing active bias provided on two two-layer substrates according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the isolated bias provided in the 4 layer board | substrate by this invention. It is a figure which shows the isolated bias provided in the 2 layer board | substrate by this invention. It is a figure which shows the isolated bias provided on two two-layer board | substrates by this invention. It is a figure which shows the isolated emitting element provided in the 4 layer board | substrate by this invention. It is a figure which shows one aspect | mode of the isolated emitting element provided in the 2 layer board | substrate by this invention. It is a figure which shows the other aspect of the isolated emitting element provided in the 2 layer board | substrate by this invention. It is a figure which shows the isolated emitting element provided on two two-layer board | substrates by this invention. It is a figure which shows the basic structure of an ion generator. It is the figure which looked at the ion generating element and bias element which have a fine electric field reinforcement part from the upper surface and from the diagonal. It is sectional drawing of the 4 layer base electrode in which an ion generating element and a dielectric layer have the same plane. It is a perspective view of the 1st louver type board which can be removed. It is a perspective view of the 2nd louver type board which can be removed. It is a perspective view of the 3rd louver type board which can be removed. It is a perspective view of the louver of the desktop ionizer with a built-in fan. It is a perspective view of a cleaning roller. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an ionizer module with and without an air assist assembly. It is a perspective view of the ionizer module assembled in the form of a board. In the ionizer of this invention, it is a perspective view of the front side of the electrode which has a circular air hole in the form of a square spiral. In the ionizer of this invention, it is a perspective view of the back side of the electrode which has a slit-shaped air hole in the form of a square spiral. In the ionizer of this invention, it is a perspective view of the front side of the electrode which has a circular air hole with a notch circular form. It is a perspective view which shows the relationship between the ion generating electrode of the ionizer of this invention, a high voltage power supply, an air intake or taking-out port, and an air hole. In FIG. 15A, it is sectional drawing which shows the normal use condition which blows off air from an air hole. In FIG. 15C, it is sectional drawing which shows the state used as an air cleaner which attracts | sucks air from an air hole. It is a wave form diagram which shows the voltage fluctuation by the side of the positive electrode at the time of noise entering the DC high voltage source of the ionizer of the form of FIG. It is a wave form diagram which shows the voltage fluctuation by the side of the positive electrode at the time of noise entering into the pulse DC high voltage source of the ionizer of the form of FIG. It is a wave form diagram which shows the voltage fluctuation by the side of the positive electrode at the time of noise entering into the rectangular wave AC high voltage source of the ionizer of the form of FIG.

1. DEFINITIONS The terms used in this application are defined herein as follows to facilitate explanation and aid in understanding concepts, but these definitions limit the scope of the present invention. It is not intended to be.

  The bias element is part of an ion generating electrode that is incorporated within the dielectric material. This bias element supplies a reference voltage for the ion generating element.

  The charge plate monitor is a device for measuring a static elimination speed and ion balance, which are basic performance indicators of an ionizer, and includes a conductive plate capable of charging a voltage that is regarded as static electricity.

  A dielectric is an insulating material that can maintain an electric field even with a small current. In the present invention, this dielectric is an ion generating electrode portion used to separate the ion generating element and the bias element and prevent an electrical short circuit therebetween.

  The breakdown voltage is a reference measurement of the resistance of a material that can withstand high electric field stress without causing breakdown.

  The ion generating element is an ion generating electrode part made of a conductive material that forms a part of the ion generating electrode, is formed of a conductive material, and is exposed to the surrounding air and generates ions. Also called an emitter.

  The ground is a reference point for measuring other voltages in the electric circuit. This is a common return path for the current and is physically connected directly to ground.

  Ion balance is the voltage observed on an insulated conductive plate of a charge plate monitor placed in an ionized environment, which is also referred to as an offset voltage.

  The ion generating electrode is a device used to generate ions, and is composed of a substrate material, a dielectric material, a conductive ion generating element, a conductive bias element, a via (through hole), and a pad.

  An ionizer is a device designed to generate positive ions, negative ions, or both.

  The ionizer module is a device including only an ion generating electrode and a high voltage circuit, which are the minimum basic components for constituting an ionizer. This device is designed to generate positive and / or negative ions when powered by an external DC or AC power source.

   A pad is a conductive element that is on an electrode and is used to connect external components such as electrodes, ICs, wires, connectors, and the like.

  The substrate is an electrode substrate on which processing is performed to form a new film or layer of material such as conductive layers, dielectrics and deposited coatings or any of these.

  A via is a conductive element on an electrode that is used to interconnect conductors on different layers of the electrode.

2. Basic Structure of Ion Generator FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the basic structure of the ion generator 110. The ion generator 110 includes an ion generating electrode 111, a high voltage source 112, a fan 113 that moves ions toward an object or a target region, or the like.

2.1 Ion generating electrode 111
Referring to FIG. 1A, the ion generating electrode (indicated by reference numeral 111 in FIG. 4) is designed as a four-layer substrate 6. The electrode 111 includes a conductive ion generating element 1 arranged in the uppermost layer, a dielectric layer 5 as a subsequent layer, a conductive bias element 3 on the first intermediate layer 61, and an insulating substrate 6. And another conductive bias element 4 on the second intermediate layer 62, another dielectric layer 5, and finally the ion generating element 2 on the lowermost layer. The uppermost layer is paired with the first intermediate layer 61, and the lowermost layer is paired with the second intermediate layer 62.

  The ion generating elements 1 and 2 may be conductors of any material as long as they are compatible with the substrate 6 used therein. Preferred materials for use in the ion generating elements 1 and 2 are hard and strong, and can withstand high temperatures and high voltages during ion generation. For example, it can be formed using a conductive material such as aluminum, copper, gold, silicon, tungsten, titanium, conductive glass, ceramic, or the like.

  In order to reinforce the electric field between the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the bias elements 3 and 4, the ion generating elements 1 and 2 are in the same plane as the main body of the ion generating elements 1 and 2, as shown in FIG. Are provided with a number of fine electric field enhancing portions FP extending. The electric field enhancing portion FP can have various forms and shapes, for example, a triangular shape, a square shape, a rectangular shape, a semicircular shape, a comb shape, and the like. The bias elements 3 and 4 can generate ions even if they are linear like a conductor strip, but instead, the bias elements 3 and 4 also have a triangle, square, rectangle, semicircle, comb shape, etc. The same electric field enhancing portion can be formed, and thereby more ions can be generated. If a fine electric field enhancing portion is provided in both of the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the bias elements 3 and 4, acceleration of ion generation is achieved.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the bias elements 3 and 4 have similar or identical electric field enhancing portions extending from the main conductor. FIG. 5 illustrates various embodiments of the present invention. The electric field enhancing portion has a large number of parallel lines forming a comb shape.

   Referring to FIG. 5, various shapes illustrating several formable electrode designs are shown. In FIG. 5A, the electric field enhancing part FP from the ion generating elements 1 and 2 faces the electric field enhancing part FP of the bias elements 3 and 4. In FIG. 5B, the bias elements 3 and 4 have electric field enhancing portions FP arranged on both the left and right sides, while these electric field enhancing portions FP are electric field enhancing portions of the ion generating elements 1 and 2 arranged on the left and right, respectively. Paired with FP. In FIG. 5C, the left electric field enhancing portion FP that is a pair of the bias elements 3 and 4 and the ion generating elements 1 and 2 is alternate with the right pair. In FIG. 5D, the electric field enhancing portions FP of the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the bias elements 3 and 4 overlap each other. FIG. 5E is the reverse of FIG. 5B. 5F is almost the same as FIG. 5B, but differs in that the bias elements 3 and 4 are displaced from the corresponding ion generating elements 1 and 2. These are just a few examples from the many possible embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art can form various combinations based on the illustrated example.

  Another component of the ion generating electrode 111 is a dielectric 5 formed on the bias elements 3 and 4. The main function of this dielectric is to form a barrier between the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the bias elements 3 and 4 to prevent arc discharge generated between the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the bias elements 3 and 4. It is. The typical thickness of this dielectric is 1.00 μm to 100 μm, and the dielectric breakdown voltage of the dielectric 5 is 30 V / μ or more. These dielectrics 5 should have a very high breakdown voltage and should be as thin as possible. This is preferable in practicing the present invention. More specifically, when the dielectric 5 is thinned, the voltage applied to the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the bias elements 3 and 4 can be further reduced.

  Other elements constituting the ion generating electrode 111 are the via 7, the pad, and the substrate 6. The via 7 is used to electrically connect conductive elements existing in different layers. The pad electrically connects the electrode 111 and the high voltage source 112. Finally, the substrate 6 is a base material on which all layers and components thereof are assembled. The ion generating electrode 111 can be provided on several substrates such as PCB (printed circuit board), flexible circuit, silicon wafer, MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), ceramic, glass, and the like.

  One skilled in the art will appreciate that the electrode 111 can be provided on a two-layer or three-layer substrate with some preferred variations. As shown below, the electrode 111 on the two-layer substrate 6 is described as a modification of the present invention. Although repeated, these descriptions are not intended to limit the design or specifications to those illustrated. In fact, the ion generating electrode 111 can be provided on the substrate 6 of five layers, six layers or more, but the associated cost increases as the number of layers increases.

  In a preferred embodiment, for use in a narrow and small area, the electrode 111 is designed to be as small as possible and compact as a whole. Alternatively, the electrode 111 can be made larger by enlarging its overall design specifications, but the larger electrode 111 also increases the applied voltage required to generate ions.

2.2 High voltage power supply 112
In order to generate ions, a high voltage is applied between the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the bias elements 3 and 4 paired therewith. This high voltage signal can be direct current (DC), alternating current (AC), high frequency alternating current (HF-AC), pulse AC. Moreover, the high voltage signal may or may not be DC biased.

  As a matter of course, the applied voltage should be as small as possible in order to minimize damage to the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the dielectric 5. In a dielectric layer having a thickness of 50 μm and a withstand voltage of 100 V / μm, a typical supply voltage is about 3 kV (peak-to-peak). If pulsed DC is used, the peak of the positive DC pulse is 1500V and the peak of the negative DC pulse is -1500V.

  In a preferred embodiment, the applied high voltage signal uses two opposing DC pulses, positive and negative, and no DC bias. Positive and negative pulses are opposite in polarity but have the same waveform and amplitude. The pulse frequency is several hertz to several hundred kilohertz. The high voltage source 112 is formed using a pulse transformer, a piezoelectric transducer, a high voltage AC transformer, a voltage multiplier, and the like.

2.3 Fan or blower 113
Several devices are used to quickly carry ions from the electrode 111 to the object or region of interest. One is a fan or blower 113 that also becomes part of the ion generator 110. The fan or blower 113 may be external to and independent from the ion generator 110 or may be part of the ion generator 110. As other means for transferring ions, compressed air from a pressurized air tank or an air compressor may be used.

3. Three Embodiments of the Invention The present invention comprises three embodiments: (a) an active bias shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, (b) an isolated bias shown in FIGS. 2A-2C, and (c) a diagram. It is classified as an isolated generating element shown in 3A to 3D.

3.1 Active Bias A first embodiment of the present invention is the active bias design 10, 20, 30 shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. FIG. 1A shows an active bias design 10 implemented using a four-layer electrode 111. This is because the conductive ion generating element 1 on the uppermost layer, the dielectric layer 5, the conductive bias element 3 on the first intermediate layer 61, the insulating substrate 6, another conductive layer provided on the second intermediate layer 62. The conductive bias element 4, another dielectric layer 5, and finally the conductive ion generating element 2 on the lowermost layer.

  In the active bias design 10, the ion generating element 1 and the bias element 4 are electrically connected to one polarity of the high voltage source 112. The bias element 3 and the ion generating element 2 are electrically connected to the other polarity of the high voltage source 112. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the ion generating element 1 and the bias element 4 are electrically connected to the positive side of the high voltage source 112, and the bias element 3 and the ion generating element 2 are connected to the high voltage source 112. It is electrically connected to the negative side. In this configuration, the uppermost layer side generates positive ions and the lowermost layer side generates negative ions. In this configuration, the uppermost layer and the lowermost layer of the electrode have different polarities.

  According to the above configuration, any fluctuations in the high voltage sources 8, 9 will affect both positive and negative ion generations simultaneously with the same intensity. That is, both positive and negative ion generation amounts are affected at the same strength with the same strength. In other words, in the generation of positive ions, the effect of the decrease or increase of the ion amount due to the fluctuation of the applied voltage on the positive side has the same effect on the generation of negative ions, causing the decrease or increase of the ion amount, Therefore, the ion balance is always kept constant. This will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1B shows another embodiment of an active bias design 20 implemented on a two-layer substrate. Its function is the same as in FIG. 1A, except that ions are generated on one side of the substrate. In actual electrode fabrication, the positive ion generating element 1 and the negative ion generating element 2 should be kept at an appropriate distance in order to minimize ion recombination.

  FIG. 1C shows yet another embodiment in which the active bias design 30 is implemented on two two-layer substrates, in this case using two pairs of electrodes. Its function is the same as that of FIG. 1A, except that ions are generated at two pairs of electrodes.

3.2 Isolated Bias A second embodiment of the present invention is the isolated bias design 40, 50, 60 shown in FIGS.
In FIG. 2A, the isolated bias design 40 is applied on the four-layer substrate 6. The uppermost ion generating element 1 is electrically connected to one pole of the high voltage source, and the lowermost ion generating element 2 is electrically connected to the other pole of the high voltage source. The bias elements 3 and 4 on the first intermediate layer 61 and the second intermediate layer 62 are electrically connected together, and are separated (isolated) from the ground and other circuits.

  More specifically, when the uppermost ion generating element 1 is connected to the positive high voltage source 8 and the lowermost ion generating element 2 is connected to the negative high voltage source 9, the uppermost ion generating element 1 is generated. The element 1 generates positive ions, and the lowermost ion generating element 2 generates negative ions. In this configuration, the uppermost layer and the lowermost layer of the electrode have different polarities.

  The conductive bias elements 3 and 4 on the intermediate layer provide a reference voltage for the ion generating element. Bias elements 3 and 4 start with a net charge and voltage of zero. When a positive DC pulse is applied to the uppermost ion generating element 1, a negative DC pulse is induced in the bias element 3. When a negative DC pulse is applied to the lowermost ion generating element 2, a positive DC pulse is induced in the bias element 4.

  As a result of applying positive and negative DC pulses, negative charges are accumulated in the bias element 3 of the first intermediate layer 61, positive charges are accumulated in the bias element 4 of the second intermediate layer 62, and polarization is caused in the inner layer. Occurs. Since these intermediate layers are isolated from other circuits, according to the law of charge conservation, the charges are equally divided into two charges having different polarities between the first intermediate layer 61 and the second intermediate layer 62. As a result, a balanced reference voltage is provided to the uppermost ion generating element 1 and the lowermost ion generating element 2 to generate positive and negative equivalent amounts of ions.

  FIG. 2B shows another embodiment in which an isolated bias design 50 is provided on the two-layer substrate 6. Its function is the same as that of the isolated bias 40 design, except that ions are generated on one side of the substrate 6.

  FIG. 2C shows still another embodiment in which an isolated bias design 60 is provided on two two-layer substrates 6. Its function is the same as that of the isolated bias 40 of FIG. 2A, except that ions are generated on the two electrodes.

3.33 Isolated Ion Generator Element The third embodiment of the present invention is the design of the isolated ion generator elements 70, 80, 90, 100 shown in FIGS. 3A-3D.

  Referring to FIG. 3A, the isolated ion generator design 70 is shown using a four-layer substrate. The bias element 3 on the first intermediate layer 61 is electrically connected to one pole of the high voltage source, and the bias element 4 of the second intermediate layer 62 is electrically connected to the other pole of the high voltage source. ing. The uppermost ion generating element 1 and the lowermost ion generating element 2 are electrically connected and isolated from the ground and other circuits.

When the bias element 3 on the first intermediate layer is connected to the positive high voltage source 8 and the bias element 4 on the second intermediate layer is connected to the negative high voltage source 9, the ion generating element 1 in the uppermost layer is , Negative ions are generated, and the lowermost ion generating element 2 generates positive ions. In this configuration, the uppermost layer and the lowermost layer of the electrodes have different polarities.

The uppermost ion generating element 1 and the lowermost ion generating element 2 start with a net zero charge and voltage. When a positive DC pulse is applied to the bias element 3 on the first intermediate layer, a negative DC pulse is induced in the uppermost ion generating element 1. When a negative DC pulse is applied to the bias element 4 of the second intermediate layer 2, a positive DC pulse is induced in the lowermost ion generating element 2. As a result of applying positive and negative DC pulses, negative charges move to the top layer and positive charges move to the bottom layer. Since the top layer and the bottom layer are isolated from other circuits, according to the law of charge conservation, the charge is equally divided into two charges having different polarities between the top layer and the bottom layer. As a result, a balanced voltage is provided to the uppermost layer and the lowermost layer, and positive and negative equal amounts of ions are generated.

  FIGS. 3B and 3C show an embodiment of isolated ion generating element designs 80, 90 on a two-layer substrate 6. Its function is the same as that of FIG. 3A, except that ions are generated only on one side of the substrate 6.

  FIG. 3D shows still another embodiment in which two double-layer substrates 6 are used and an isolated ion generating element design 100 is applied thereto. The function is the same as that of FIG. 3A, but one electrode is used for each pole, and ions are generated only on one side (upper) of the upper substrate 6 and one side (lower) of the lower substrate 6. The point to do is different.

  In all the electrode configurations described above, any fluctuations in the high voltage source 8, 9 will affect both positive and negative ion generation simultaneously and with the same intensity. Thus, increasing or decreasing the generation of positive ions has the same effect on the generation of negative ions and decreases or increases negative ions. Therefore, the balance of positive and negative ions is always kept good.

The electrode design shown in FIGS. 1-3 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but these electrodes are implemented using two or more electrodes, each having two or more layers. can do.

  As described above, the basic structure of the ion generating electrode 111 of the present invention is that the positive-side conductive ion generating element 1 and bias element 3 urged from the positive electrode of the high voltage source, and the negative electrode of the high voltage source. The negative-side conductive ion generating element 2 and the bias element 4 which are energized from the positive and negative ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the dielectric layer 5 disposed between the bias elements 3 and 4. Therefore, even if noise enters the high voltage source, there is a feature that the potential difference between positive and negative based on this noise does not change. This will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 16 shows the positive / negative voltage difference in each pair when the ion generating electrode 111 having the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and the bias elements 3 and 4 of FIG. 6 is energized from the common DC high voltage source 112. ing. In FIG. 6, a positive DC voltage is applied from the high voltage source 112 to the positive side ion generating element 1 and the bias element 4, and a negative DC voltage is applied to the negative side ion generating element 2 and the bias element 3 from the high voltage source 112. A voltage is applied, but if noise N enters a positive or negative voltage, this appears both positively and negatively. For example, when the noise N1 enters the applied voltage V + of the positive ion generating element 1, the same noise N4 enters the corresponding bias element 4, but these noises N1 and N4 appear both positively and negatively. There is no change. Similarly, when noise N2 enters the applied voltage V− of the negative ion generating element 2, the same noise N3 enters the corresponding bias element 3, but these noises N2 and N3 appear both positively and negatively. There is no change in the difference. In this way, it can be seen that even if noise enters the DC high voltage source, the positive and negative ion generating elements 1 and 2 do not affect the ion generation balance state.

  FIG. 17 shows a case where the high voltage source 112 supplies a rectangular wave-like pulsed DC voltage, and FIG. 18 shows a case where a high voltage source 112 supplies a pulsed AC voltage. The voltage difference including the noises N1 and N4 between the bias element 4 and the voltage difference including the noises N2 and N3 between the negative-side ion generating element 2 and the corresponding bias element 3 are equal to each other. Does not affect the occurrence.

4). Other Embodiments of the Present Invention Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

4.1 Odd number of ion generating elements It has been established that positive ion generation requires more energy than negative ion generation. In order to compensate for this imbalance and equalize the amount of ions generated, many ion generators apply a higher voltage to the positive ion generation electrode than the negative ion generation electrode to balance the ion output. The disadvantage of this approach is that the higher voltage positive ion generating electrode wears faster and the accumulation of dust increases.

  In the present invention, the ion generation electrode 111 has a larger number of pairs of ion generation elements 1 and 2 and bias elements 3 and 4 (hereinafter simply referred to as ion generation pairs) on the positive side than on the negative side. I have. The ratio of the number of positive ion generation pairs to the number of negative ion generation pairs is 1 to 2. If more ion generation pairs are used to generate positive ions than negative ion generation, the size of the high voltage source 112 used for each pole will be equal or as close as possible. In other words, this means that the wear and stress on the respective electrodes 111 become uniform. The ratio of the number of positive ion generation pairs to the number of negative ion generation pairs is not 1 to 2, but the length of the positive ion generation pair is set to be longer than the length of the negative ion generation pair. The length ratio (ratio to positive and negative) is also 1 to 2.

4.2 Doping of ion generating element Another method corresponding to the above problem is to dope the ion generating elements 1 and 2 in order to improve the generation of ions. Positive ion generation element electrodes can be positively doped to improve the generation of positive ions, and negative ion generation element electrodes can be negatively doped to improve negative ion generation. Each doping level can be adjusted so that the ion generator can maintain ion balance at a predetermined applied voltage. Instead, the amount of ions generated and the balance can be improved by combining the method described in 4.2 and the method described in 4.1.

4.3 Existing Technology of Doping Using Semiconductor as an Example In order to dope impurities into a semiconductor, a technique using diffusion or ion implantation is generally used. Diffusion is achieved by a method in which a semiconductor wafer is placed in a furnace and heated by flowing an inert gas containing a necessary dopant. For example, diffusion of Si (silicon) is performed by placing a solid source such as BN (boron nitride) in a heating furnace, heating the substrate from 800 ° C. to 1200 ° C., and flowing an inert gas. As a result, B (boron) is added to the Si substrate at a high concentration. In addition, ion implantation is performed by ionizing impurities such as B, P (phosphorus), As (arsenic), In (indium), and Sb (antimony) by using an ion implantation apparatus and accelerating them to give energy. Ion implantation method. The distribution of impurities formed thereby can be controlled by the mass of accelerated impurity ions and acceleration energy, and thus has the following characteristics.
(1) Since the amount of impurities can be controlled by the amount of charge, the amount of impurities to be injected can be accurately controlled, and the reproducibility of the impurity distribution is good.
(2) When doping impurities, a wide range of doses of 10 ¹⁰ to 10 ¹⁴ / cm ² can be controlled.
(3) Impurities can be doped at a low temperature.
(4) By controlling the acceleration voltage, impurities can be injected into the substrate through the oxide film or nitride film on the substrate surface.

4.4 Flat Electrode by Planarization of Substrate Surface In many ionizer manufacturing sites, it is desirable to have an ionizer that is easy to clean and maintain. In the prior art, the ion generating elements 1 and 2 are formed so as to protrude from the uppermost surface of the dielectric layer 5. Thus, when the ion generating elements 1 and 2 are projecting, dust and dust are attracted to the ion generating elements 1 and 2 and are likely to adhere.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ion generating elements 1 and 2 are designed to be flush with the dielectric layer 5 as shown in FIG. In order to achieve this, the dielectric layer 5 is made thicker so that a groove matching the shape of the ion generating element 1 can be provided. Conductive material is deposited in the grooves and polished so that the surface of the substrate 6 is smooth and flat. Various other approaches for obtaining a flat and smooth surface are possible. The methods described here are exemplarily listed from many possible methods, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these.

  If the ion generating elements 1 and 2 do not protrude from the surface of the substrate 6 as in the embodiment of FIG. 6, it is possible to reduce the suction and adhesion of dust to the ion generating electrodes 1 and 2. Since the surface of the electrode 111 is flat and smooth, it is easy to slide a cloth or wiper on the surface, so that the electrode 111 can be easily cleaned. Instead, the ion generating elements 1 and 2 may be recessed or protruded from the dielectric layer 5. The protrusion of the ion generating elements 1 and 2 has the disadvantage of sucking and adhering dust in the gas, but the surface area exposed to gas molecules increases and the amount of ion generation increases, so in clean rooms with very high cleanliness etc. When used, it is advantageous to have a protrusion.

4.5 Removable louver-type electrode ion generating electrodes, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, have a horizontal arrangement indicated by reference numeral 130, a vertical arrangement indicated by reference numeral 140, and a horizontal / vertical combination arrangement indicated by reference numeral 150. It can be designed as a removable louver type. In this configuration, ions are generated in individual partitions of the louver and become parallel when jumping out of the louver. In these configurations, the ions can concentrate and jump out at a faster speed. This allows the ions to be carried further away from the ionizer before each ion recombines with the opposite polarity ion. Further, the removable designs 130, 140, 150 further simplify cleaning and maintenance. As an example, FIG. 10 shows an example in which a louver electrode is provided on a desktop ionizer 160 with a built-in fan.

  Another embodiment is one or more electrodes 111 formed in a cylindrical shape, which are concentrically arranged coaxially with the central axis of the fan motor. The individual electrodes 111 arranged concentrically can be angled from 0 ° (horizontal) to 45 ° with respect to the fan airflow. It goes straight and prevents the spread of ions, and the angle of 45 ° spreads the air blown by the fan vertically and horizontally to diffuse the ions.

4.6 Built-in Cleaning Roller and Wiper In another aspect of the present invention, the ion generator 110 includes a cleaning roller or wiper 171 for cleaning dust and particles on the surface of the electrode 111 as shown in FIG. It has. Cleaning is performed by manually moving the cleaning roller or wiper left and right. The cleaning roller or wiper can be removable, thereby facilitating cleaning and maintenance of the cleaning roller or wiper itself.

4.7 Ion Generating Device Using Ion Generating Electrode The ion generating electrode 111, the high voltage source 112, the fan and other air blowing systems 113 can be used for many different types of ionizers. Also, the ion generator 110 can be mounted as a desktop or ceiling-mounted (overhead) ionizer with one or more fans. The ion generating electrode 111 and the high voltage source 112 can be incorporated as a gun-type or nozzle-type ionizer using compressed air for carrying ions. Alternatively, the ion generating electrode 111 and the high voltage source 112 can be incorporated as a bar-type ionizer that uses compressed air or external air flow to carry ions.

  In addition to these, the ion generator 110 can be integrated into an electrostatic copying machine, an electrostatic separator, an electrostatic coating machine, an air cleaner, an air conditioner, a spin dryer, a surface cleaner, or the like. The ion generator 110 can also be used as an ionizer for home use or in an automobile.

4.8 Ionizer Module The ion generating electrode 111 and the high voltage source 112 can be designed very small due to their unique design, and can be designed as small ionizer modules 181 and 182 as shown in FIG. it can. The ionizer module 181 can be assembled without a fan or blower system 113 to be smaller. In actual use, the ionizer module utilizes the airflow present in the environment of use so that it functions efficiently. The ionizer module can be used by supplying a low voltage such as DC24V.

  The ionizer module 180 is best suited for applications in tight spaces that cannot be installed with conventional ionizers. As one example for realizing this miniaturization, the ionizer module 180 can be assembled thereon using a printed circuit board (PCB) including the ion generating electrode 111 and the high voltage source 112.

  Alternatively, the ionizer module 182 can include an air assist assembly that improves the performance of the ionizer by providing means to carry ions more quickly to an object or region of interest. As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the air auxiliary assembly includes an air intake 184, a number of circular or slit air holes 183 (or air outlets), and a passage from the air intake 184 to the air holes 183. It consists of. In order to carry ions, the air assist assembly can use compressed dry air or nitrogen used in semiconductor and liquid crystal manufacturing plants. When the apparatus is used as an air cleaner, as shown in FIG. 15 (C), the air flow of the air auxiliary assembly is completely opposite to that of FIGS. 15 (A) and 15 (B), and the air intake port 184 takes out the air. The air hole 183 becomes an air suction hole (air intake port). In FIG. 15, reference numeral 185 denotes a cavity disposed between the ion generating electrode 111 and the air intake or extraction port 184, and 114 denotes a high-voltage wiring.

  Instead of the above, the ionizer module can be assembled on a circuit board 190 on which a plurality of ion generating electrodes 111 and a high voltage source circuit 112 are mounted, as shown in FIG. With an appropriate air flow, the ionizer can generate more ions that can be spread over a wide area.

  In addition, the ionizer module 180 can be designed with a wire connector, ribbon connector, RJ11 connector or edge connector for quick installation and removal and ease of maintenance.

  Still another embodiment of the present invention is to directly mount the ion generating electrode 111 and the high voltage source circuit 112 on the main board or the motherboard. With this method, it is possible to save space in an ionizer or an apparatus that requires an ionizer and to save time and effort to design another module.

4.9 Electrode Shape In the forms of FIGS. 1 to 6, it is shown that the ion generating elements and bias elements constituting the electrodes have a linear comb shape, but the shapes of these elements are as follows. Not limited to any form. For example, a spiral shape as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B and a notch circle shape as shown in FIG. In FIG. 14, a dotted circle indicates a connection part of the high voltage power source.

  According to the present invention, the advantages of a self-balancing control ion generator are the same as those of a flat and smooth ion generating electrode and a microdischarge device using the same, and an ion sensor or an electronic device for feedback control. Without using a circuit, the same amount of positive and negative ions can be generated, which has high industrial applicability.

1, 2 Ion generating element 3, 4 Bias element 5 Dielectric layer 6 Substrate 7 Via 8 Positive high voltage power supply 9 Negative high voltage power supply 10, 20, 30 Active bias design 40, 50, 60 Isolated bias design 61 First 1 intermediate layer 62 2nd intermediate layer 70, 80, 90, 100 isolated ion generating element 110 ion generator 111 ion generating electrode 112 high voltage source 113 fan or blower 114 high voltage wiring 130, 140, 150 louver of ion generating electrode Design of different types 171 Wiper 181 and 182 Ionizer module 183 Air outlet 184 Air inlet 185 Cavity 190 Circuit board N, N1, N2, N3, N4 Noise

Claims (4)

First and second ion generating elements; first and second bias elements that are paired with the first and second ion generating elements; respectively, the first and second ion generating elements, and the first And the second bias element, and the first and second ion generator elements or the first and second bias elements have positive and negative high voltages. The first and second ion generating elements or the first and second ion generating elements or the first and second ion generating elements are isolated from the ground or another circuit by applying a voltage, respectively. Positive and negative ions are respectively generated from the second bias element, and the high voltage is any one of direct current DC, alternating current AC, high frequency alternating current HF-AC, pulse DC, and pulse AC. . An ion generating electrode for use in the ion generating method according to claim 1, comprising: a substrate; first and second ion generating elements held on the substrate; and the first and second ions held on the substrate. A first bias element and a second bias element each paired with a generation element; a first and second ion generation element; and a dielectric layer disposed between each of the first and second bias elements. , Applying positive and negative high voltages to the first and second ion generating elements or the first and second bias elements, respectively, and the first and second bias elements or the first and second ion generating elements. Is isolated from the ground or other circuit to generate positive and negative ions from the first and second ion generating elements or the first and second bias elements, respectively, and the high voltage is DC DC, AC AC, High frequency alternating current HF-AC, pulse D , The ion generating electrode, characterized in that either the pulse AC.
Ion generating electrode. 3. The ion generating electrode according to claim 2, wherein the first and second bias elements or the first and second ion generating elements isolated from the ground or another circuit are common elements. An ion generating electrode characterized by that. The ion generating electrode according to claim 2, a positive and negative high voltage power source for energizing the ion generating electrode, an air inlet, an air outlet, and an air passage from the air inlet to the air outlet. And an air auxiliary assembly with a cavity, wherein the air inlet or the air outlet is provided in the ion generating electrode.

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