JP7488022B2 - Folded electrodes and parallel plate electrode structure and laminated electrode pair using the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a folded electrode, a parallel electrode plate structure using the folded electrode, and a stacked electrode pair.

Conventionally, electrolytic water generating devices are known that electrolyze water to produce electrolytic water by adding hydrogen or oxygen to water or adjusting the liquid properties of the water so that it can be used for a variety of purposes, such as drinking, bathing, external application on the skin, and cleaning.

Such electrolytic water generating devices include, for example, water conditioners and showers that discharge electrolytic water, devices that are submerged in water such as bath water and disperse electrolytic water, and even pots and water bottles. These devices have built-in electrode pairs (hereinafter also referred to as electrolytic electrode pairs) that contact water to electrolyze it.

In principle, an electrolysis electrode pair can be used if it has a pair of positive and negative electrodes arranged at an appropriate distance, but in order to improve the efficiency of electrolysis and the amount of electrolyzed water produced, an electrolysis electrode pair consisting of multiple flat electrode plates stacked at regular intervals (hereinafter also referred to as a stacked electrode pair) has been proposed.

This stacked electrode pair allows each of the overlapping electrode plates to alternately have relatively different potentials, such as "positive, negative, positive, negative...", which increases the electrolysis area and improves the electrolysis efficiency and the amount of electrolyzed water produced.

In order to form a stacked electrode pair, every other electrode plate must be electrically connected to the other electrode plates, which have the same potential. To achieve this, an electrode plate assembly made of a single metal flat plate with multiple electrode plate sections connected via bridge sections is folded at the bridge sections so that the electrode plate sections overlap (hereinafter referred to as a folded electrode). A stacked electrode pair is known in which an electrolytic electrode pair is formed by combining these folded electrodes as a positive/negative pair (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In a stacked electrode pair that uses such folded electrodes, the electrode plates of the same potential are electrically connected in advance at the bridge portion, making it easier to assemble the electrolysis electrode pair compared to a stacked electrode pair in which each electrode plate is separate.

Utility Model Registration No. 3207066

As mentioned above, electrolysis electrode pairs are used in various electrolysis water generating devices, but in the case of relatively small devices such as showers, it is desirable for the electrolysis electrode pair to be smaller. Also, in other devices, it is desirable for them to be small and lightweight.

In this regard, stacked electrode pairs, which make it easier to secure the electrolytic surface area, are relatively advantageous. However, in the case of stacked electrode pairs that use the conventional folded electrodes described above, the connection bases of the bridges of the folded electrodes must be folded at right angles with high precision to prevent interference between the overlapping electrode plates and short circuits.

In addition, the narrower the gap between the electrode plates of the stacked electrode pair, the more advantageous it is for electrolysis efficiency. However, the narrower the gap, the more precision is required for forming the right angles at the connection base of the bridge section. This bending process must be performed at two right angles per bridge section, and since it must be performed for every bridge section, manufacturing is quite cumbersome.

The present invention was made in consideration of these circumstances, and provides a folding electrode that can more easily fold the electrode plate connector at the bridge portion.

The present invention also provides a parallel electrode plate structure using the same folded electrode, with each electrode plate portion parallel to each other, and a stacked electrode pair employing these folded electrodes and parallel electrode plate structures.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the folded electrode of the present invention (1) comprises an electrode plate assembly made of a single metal flat plate in which multiple electrode plate sections are connected via bridge sections, and the electrode plate sections overlap each other with gaps between them due to a roughly semicircular arc-shaped bent structure formed in the bridge section.

The folded electrode according to the present invention also has the following features.
(2) The folded electrode is formed so that, in a free state, the gap between the opposing electrode plate portions gradually narrows as the electrode plate portions become more distant from the bridge portion connecting the two electrode plate portions.
(3) The folded electrode is formed so that, in a free state, the gap between the opposing electrode plate portions gradually widens as the electrode plate portions become more distant from the bridge portion connecting the two electrode plate portions.

The parallel electrode plate structure according to the present invention is a parallel electrode plate structure in which the electrode plate portions of the folded electrodes (4) and (2) are arranged approximately parallel to each other, and a spacer is interposed in the inner gap between the opposing electrode plate portions, and each electrode plate portion is biased in the expanding direction to be arranged approximately parallel.

The parallel electrode plate structure according to the present invention is also characterized in that the electrode plate portions of the folded electrodes described in (5) and (3) are arranged approximately parallel to each other, and that a holder is disposed on the outside of the opposing electrode plate portions, biasing the electrode plate portions in a narrowing direction to arrange them approximately parallel.

The laminated electrode pair according to the present invention further comprises a folded electrode as described in (6)(1) having a bent structure in which the electrode plate portions are substantially parallel to each other, and an intermediate electrode plate disposed in the gap between the electrode plate portions of the folded electrode and applied with a relatively opposite potential.

In addition, as another aspect of the stacked electrode pair according to the present invention, (7) is provided with a folded electrode in which each electrode plate portion is arranged approximately parallel to each other by the parallel electrode plate structure described in (4) or (5), and an intervening electrode plate that is applied with a relatively opposite potential and is arranged in the gap between the electrode plate portions of the folded electrode.

The stacked electrode pair according to the present invention also has the following features.
(8) The end of the intermediate electrode plate is disposed closer to the bridge portion than the center of curvature of the bent structure at the bridge portion of the folded electrode.
(9) The intermediate electrode plate is an electrode plate portion of a second folded electrode.

The folded electrode of the present invention is made up of an electrode plate assembly made of a single metal flat plate in which multiple electrode plate sections are connected via bridge sections, and the electrode plate sections are overlapped with gaps due to the approximately semicircular arc-shaped bent structure formed in the bridge section, which makes it easier to bend the electrode plate assembly at the bridge sections.

In addition, if the folded electrode is formed so that in the free state, the gap between the opposing electrode plate portions gradually narrows as it moves away from the bridge portion connecting the two electrode plate portions, it is not necessary to perform the bending operation so that the electrode plate portions are exactly parallel to each other, making the bending operation easier. In addition, when the electrode plate portions are arranged approximately parallel to each other, they can be biased in the expanding direction, and the restoring force that tries to return from this biased parallel state to the narrowed free state can be used to firmly maintain the parallel state of each electrode plate.

In addition, if the folded electrode is formed so that in the free state, the gap between the opposing electrode plate portions gradually widens as it moves away from the bridge portion connecting the two electrode plate portions, it is not necessary to perform the bending operation so that the electrode plate portions are exactly parallel to each other, making the bending operation easier, and when the electrode plate portions are arranged approximately parallel to each other, they can be biased in a direction that narrows the electrode plate portions, and the parallel state of the electrode plates can be firmly maintained by utilizing the restoring force that tries to return from this biased parallel state to the widening free state.

The parallel electrode plate structure according to the present invention is a parallel electrode plate structure in which the electrode plate parts of the folded electrode of (2) described above are arranged approximately parallel to each other, and a spacer is interposed in the inner gap between the opposing electrode plate parts, and each electrode plate part is biased in the expanding direction and arranged approximately parallel, so that the parallel state of each electrode plate can be firmly maintained by utilizing the biasing force of each electrode plate part in the expanding direction.

In addition, in the parallel electrode plate structure in which the electrode plate portions of the folded electrode of (3) described above are arranged approximately parallel to each other, if a holder is placed on the outside of the opposing electrode plate portions and the electrode plate portions are biased in a narrowing direction to be arranged approximately parallel, the parallel state of the electrode plates can be firmly maintained by utilizing the biasing force in the narrowing direction of each electrode plate portion.

The stacked electrode pair according to the present invention includes a folded electrode having a bent structure in which the electrode plate portions are substantially parallel to each other, as described above in (1), or a folded electrode having a parallel electrode plate structure as described above in (4) or (5), in which the electrode plate portions are substantially parallel to each other, and an intervening electrode plate that is applied with a relatively opposite potential and is disposed in the gap between the electrode plate portions of the folded electrode. This simplifies the folding operation of the folded electrode, making it possible to provide a stacked electrode pair that is easy to construct.

In addition, by arranging the end of the intermediate electrode plate closer to the bridge portion of the folded electrode than the center of curvature of the bent structure at the bridge portion, it is possible to minimize uneven wear of the intermediate electrode plate itself, the opposing electrode plate portion, and the bridge portion due to electrolysis near the end of the intermediate electrode plate.

In addition, if the intermediate electrode plate is the electrode plate portion of the second folded electrode, both the positive and negative electrodes will become folded electrodes, and uneven wear caused by electrolysis can be mutually suppressed.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of a stacked electrode pair according to the present embodiment. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an interposed electrode plate and an electrode plate connecting body. FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of a stacked electrode pair. FIG. 13 is an illustration showing a folded electrode with an overhang structure and a parallel electrode plate structure. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an intermediate electrode plate having spacers arranged thereon. FIG. 13 is an illustration showing a folded electrode with an underhang structure and a parallel electrode plate structure. 10A to 10C are explanatory diagrams showing the process of attaching a blocking plate and constructing a stacked electrode pair. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a stacked electrode pair equipped with a blocking plate. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a structure in the vicinity of a bridge portion of a stacked electrode pair according to the embodiment; FIG. 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams showing the configuration of an electrode plate connected body and a stacked electrode pair. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an electrode plate connector. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a stacked electrode pair. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a stacked electrode pair. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use in a hydrogen water generating device for a bath. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use in an electrolytic hydrogen water shower head. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use in an electrolytic hydrogen water shower head. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of an electrolytic hydrogen water generating device. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use in an electrolytic hydrogen water generating device.

The present invention relates to a folding electrode that is made up of an electrode plate assembly made of a single metal flat plate with multiple electrode plate sections connected via bridge sections, and in which the electrode plate sections overlap each other via gaps due to a bending structure formed in the bridge sections, and provides a folding electrode that can more easily fold the electrode plate assembly at the bridge sections.

The present invention also provides a parallel electrode plate structure using the same folded electrode, with each electrode plate portion parallel to each other, and a stacked electrode pair employing these folded electrodes and parallel electrode plate structures.

The folded electrodes, parallel electrode plate structure, and stacked electrode pair of this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of a stacked electrode pair B1 that employs a folded electrode A1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the stacked electrode pair B1 includes an electrode stack 10 and two conductive rods 11a and 11b that extend from the electrode stack 10. By applying voltages of relatively different potentials to the conductive rods 11a and 11b, water that comes into contact with the electrode stack 10 can be electrolyzed.

The electrode stack 10 is composed of a folded electrode A1 and an interposed electrode plate 12 interposed in the gap between the folded electrodes A1, and has a structure in which multiple plate-shaped electrode plates (three in the case of the stacked electrode pair B1 according to this embodiment) are stacked while forming a certain gap. In particular, in this embodiment, the gap between the electrodes of the electrode stack 10 is 0.3 to 1.0 mm, forming a narrow electrode body with excellent electrolysis efficiency.

As shown in FIG. 2(a), the intermediate electrode plate 12 is a metal plate having substantially the same shape (substantially rectangular in plan view) as the electrode plate portion 14 of the folded electrode A1 described below, and functions as the counter electrode of the folded electrode A1. Although this is an optional configuration, the intermediate electrode plate 12 has multiple elongated holes 12a formed therein, which are configured to facilitate the introduction of water between the electrode plates. In addition, a conductive rod 11b is connected to the intermediate electrode plate 12, as shown by the dashed line.

On the other hand, the folded electrode A1 shown in FIG. 1 is formed by bending the electrode plate connector 13 shown in FIG. 2(b). The electrode plate connector 13 is obtained by punching or the like from a single metal flat plate, and has multiple electrode plate sections 14 (two in this embodiment) and bridging sections 15 that electrically connect each electrode plate section 14. The folded electrode A1 is formed by bending the electrode plate connector 13 along a line that crosses each bridging section 15, as shown by a dashed line.

The electrode plate portion 14 is the counter electrode of the intermediate electrode plate 12 and functions as an electrode plate that exerts the electrolytic function of the folded electrode A1. Although this is an optional configuration, the folded electrode A1 according to this embodiment also has a plurality of elongated holes 14a formed in the electrode plate portion 14 that extend in the connection direction of the electrode plate portion 14 (the vertical direction in FIG. 2(a)), so that water can be easily introduced between the electrode plates.

In addition, a conductive rod 11a is connected to the electrode plate portion 14 as shown by the dashed line, making it possible to supply a current at a predetermined voltage to the folded electrode A1. The conductive rod 11a may be attached to the electrode plate portion 14 before folding the electrode plate connector 13, or it may be attached after folding.

The bridge portion 15 is a portion for electrically connecting the electrode plate portions 14 together while forming an integrated structure. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, the folded electrode A1 according to this embodiment is characterized in that the bent structure formed in the bridge portion 15 is substantially semicircular. The number of bridge portions 15 is not particularly limited, and may be a single bridge portion, but multiple bridge portions may be provided as shown in FIG. 2(b). Providing multiple bridge portions 15 is preferable because it is easy to accurately ensure the parallelism between the electrode plates when the electrode plate connector 13 is bent to form a folded electrode, a parallel electrode plate structure, or a stacked electrode pair, and it also increases the structural strength.

Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross section of the stacked electrode pair B1 in Figure 1 taken along line P1-P1. Note that for the sake of convenience, the spacing, thickness, positional relationship, detailed configuration, etc. between the folded electrode A1 and the interposed electrode plate 12 may be partially omitted or exaggerated, and this also applies to the other drawings. When forming the folded electrode A1, the bridging portion 15 is folded along the folding line shown on the electrode plate connector 13 in Figure 2 (b), and at this time, a roughly semicircular arc-shaped bent structure is formed in the bridging portion 15, as shown in Figure 3.

This configuration makes it possible to make the bending process extremely easy, without the need for the cumbersome task of bending the two bases of the bridge section at right angles with high precision as in conventional folded electrodes. The bent structure can be formed by pressing or other methods in addition to bending. The bent structure is typically a natural bent structure formed by bending, and therefore does not need to be precisely in the shape of a semicircular arc. Each electrode plate portion 14 and the intermediate electrode plate 12 of the folded electrode A1 can have a plate thickness of, for example, 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, more preferably 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm, and can be made of, for example, platinum-plated titanium plate.

The semicircular arc bending structure of the folded electrode A1 may be stronger, i.e., sharper, than a bending structure in which the electrode plate portions are substantially parallel to each other in a free state (hereinafter also referred to as a parallel bending structure), as shown in the left diagram of FIG. 4, for example. In the following description, for convenience, such a bending structure that is sharper than the parallel bending structure is also referred to as an overhang structure.

When forming a bent structure, if such an overhang structure is permitted, it is not necessary to form the bridge section 15 so that the electrode plate sections 14 are precisely parallel to each other, making the bending process easier.

In addition, when constructing a parallel electrode plate structure in which each electrode plate portion 14 of the folded electrode A1 having an overhang structure is arranged approximately parallel to each other, as shown in the right diagram of Figure 4, a spacer 16 may be interposed in the inner gap between the opposing electrode plate portions 14 to maintain the parallelism of the electrode plate portions 14.

As a specific example, the installation of the spacer 16 can be performed by forming a fitting hole 17 for the spacer 16 in the intermediate electrode plate 12, fitting the spacer 16 into the fitting hole 17 so that it protrudes from both sides, as shown in FIG. 5, and engaging the locking claws 16a of the spacer 16 to maintain a distance from the electrode plate portion 14 arranged on the front and back sides of the intermediate electrode plate 12.

By configuring in this way, when each electrode plate portion 14 is arranged approximately parallel to each other, it is possible to bias each electrode plate portion 14 in the expanding direction, and this biasing force, i.e., the force tending to return to its original position, can be used to firmly maintain the parallel state of each electrode plate.

Furthermore, this bending structure can also be bent weaker than the parallel bending structure shown in the left diagram of Figure 6 in the free state, i.e., more gently. In the following explanation, for convenience, such a bending structure that is bent more gently than the parallel bending structure is also referred to as an underhang structure.

When forming this underhang structure, as with the formation of the overhang structure described above, it is not necessary to perform bending work so that the electrode plate portions are precisely parallel to each other when constructing a parallel electrode plate structure, making the bending work easier.

In addition, when constructing a parallel electrode plate structure in which each electrode plate portion 14 of the folded electrode A1 having an underhang structure is arranged approximately parallel to each other, as shown in the right diagram of Figure 6, a holder 18 may be arranged on the outside of the opposing electrode plate portions 14 to keep the electrode plate portions 14 parallel to each other.

By adopting such a configuration, when the electrode plate portions 14 are arranged approximately parallel to each other, they can be biased in a direction narrowing the electrode plate portions 14, and this biasing force, i.e., the force of restoration, can be used to firmly maintain the parallel state of the electrode plates. Note that even in the parallel electrode plate structure of the folded electrode A1 having this underhang structure, a spacer 16 may be interposed between the electrode plates, as in the case of the overhang structure shown in the left diagram of Figure 4.

The efficiency of electrolysis in electrolytic water generators is affected by the quality of the water used. Water has different hardness depending on the region, i.e. the amount of mineral components such as calcium and magnesium dissolved in the water. The electrical conductivity (electrical conductivity) of water varies depending on the hardness, and water with high hardness has high electrical conductivity, which reduces the electrolysis voltage. When the electrolysis voltage decreases, it becomes difficult for the generated gas to turn into microbubbles, and the efficiency of the generated hydrogen dissolving in the water decreases.

For this reason, it is desirable to set the voltage higher for electrolytic water generators used in areas with high hardness, but this requires major design changes that are time-consuming and costly, such as changing the circuitry and the shape of the electrolytic electrodes.

Therefore, in order to deal with such cases without requiring major design changes, this embodiment also proposes mounting a blocking plate 23 between the electrode plate portion 14 and the intermediate electrode plate 12, as shown in the left diagram of Figure 7.

This blocking plate has a shape that allows it to be placed between the electrode plates of an existing laminated electrode pair, and by inserting it, it is possible to partially block the space between the electrode plates, effectively reducing the electrode area. By changing the area of this blocking plate, the electrolysis voltage can be adjusted, making it easy to set the appropriate electrolysis voltage according to the hardness.

The blocking plate is preferably made of an insulating, water-resistant material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, PMMA resin, or ABS resin.

For example, in the case of this embodiment, a blocking plate 23 is attached to one side of the intervening electrode plate 12, and the intervening electrode plate 12 with the blocking plate 23 attached is folded and interposed between the electrode plate portions 14 of the electrodes A1 as shown in the right diagram of Figure 7 to form a stacked electrode pair B1.

As shown in FIG. 8(a), the stacked electrode pair B1 constructed in this manner prevents electrolysis in the area of the gap between the electrode plate portion 14 and the interposed electrode plate 12 where the blocking plate 23 is attached, and the effective area of the electrodes is reduced, thereby increasing the electrolysis voltage, making it possible to easily set an appropriate electrolysis voltage according to the hardness of the water.

The blocking plate 23 does not necessarily have to be provided in only one place, but can be applied anywhere between the intermediate electrode plate 12 and the electrode plate portion 14. For example, as shown in FIG. 8(b), blocking plates 23 can be attached to both the front and back sides of the intermediate electrode plate 12, and can be appropriately adjusted to limit the electrolysis area depending on the water hardness, etc.

As described above, the present invention provides a stacked electrode pair constructed using the folded electrode A1 and the intermediate electrode plate 12. In cases where the electrode plate portions 14 of the folded electrode A1 are originally parallel to each other, or where the electrode plate portions 14 are originally non-parallel due to an overhang structure or an underhang structure but are arranged substantially parallel to each other due to the parallel electrode plate structure according to the present embodiment, the positional relationship between the folded electrode A1 and the intermediate electrode plate 12 may be such that the end portion 12b of the intermediate electrode plate 12 is arranged closer to the bridge portion 15 than the curvature center position Q1 of the bent structure at the bridge portion 15 of the folded electrode A1, as shown in FIG. 9(a). For example, in the example of FIG. 9(a), the end portion 12b of the intermediate electrode plate 12 is arranged closer to the bridge portion 15 by a length of d4 than the curvature center position Q1. In the following description, for convenience, such a structure is also referred to as the bridge portion approach structure of the intermediate electrode end.

The lengths d2 and d3 from the end 12b to the opposing surface of the bridge portion 15 are set to approximately d1±20% of the length d1 of the electrode plate gap.

This configuration allows the bridging portion 15 of the folded electrode A1 to contribute to electrolysis without waste, and also minimizes uneven wear of the interposed electrode plate 12 itself near the end of the interposed electrode plate 12, the opposing electrode plate portion 14, and the bridging portion 15 due to electrolysis.

Figure 9(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a more suitable example of the bridge portion approach structure of the interposed electrode end. In Figure 9(b), the end 12b of the interposed electrode plate 12 is positioned closer to the bridge portion 15 than the curvature center position Q1 by a length d5, similar to the bridge portion approach structure of the interposed electrode end shown in Figure 9(a), but the configuration is different in that the shape of this end 12b is made into a round shape.

By configuring it in this way, the length from the end 12b to the opposing surface of the bridge portion 15 can be made approximately the same length as the length d1 of the gap between the electrode plates, further reducing uneven wear.

The explanation of the folded electrode so far has focused on the example of the folded electrode A1, which is composed of an electrode plate connector 13 having two electrode plate sections 14, as shown in FIG. 2(b), but the number of electrode plate sections 14 is not particularly limited as long as there are multiple electrode plate sections 14.

For example, as shown in FIG. 10(a), it is possible to construct an electrode plate connector 19 having three electrode plate sections 14, or an electrode plate connector having a greater number of electrode plate sections 14.

For example, the electrode plate assembly 19 shown in FIG. 10(a) is made up of a single metal flat plate with three electrode plate sections 14 connected via bridge sections 15, and by forming an alternating bent structure such as mountain folds and valley folds, or valley folds and mountain folds, around imaginary lines L1 (shown by dashed lines) and L2 (shown by dashed lines) that cross the bridge sections 15, a folded electrode A2 can be constructed that has three overlapping electrode plate sections 14 as shown in FIG. 10(b).

When constructing a stacked electrode pair B2 using this folded electrode A2, the intervening electrode plates 12 may be disposed in the gaps between the folded electrodes A2, as shown by the dashed lines. In this case, the stacked electrode pair B2 may of course have the above-mentioned overhang structure, underhang structure, or bridge portion approach structure at the end of the intervening electrode, or the above-mentioned parallel electrode plate structure may be adopted.

In addition, the intervening electrode plate interposed in the electrode plate portion 14 of the folded electrode does not necessarily have to be a single electrode plate as shown in FIG. 2(a). Both may be folded electrodes, with one functioning as the intervening electrode plate for the other.

That is, as shown in FIG. 11(a), for example, a bent structure is formed in the bridge portion 15 of an electrode plate connector 20 having three electrode plate portions 14 to form a first folded electrode A3, while a bent structure is formed in the bridge portion 15 of an electrode plate connector 21 having two electrode plate portions 14 shown in FIG. 11(b) to form a second folded electrode A4, and a stacked electrode pair B3 as shown in FIG. 12(a) can be formed by interposing one folded electrode in the gap between the other folded electrode. When interposing the folded electrodes, the length K1 between the bridge portions 15 of one (e.g., the first folded electrode A3) can be made larger than the length K2 from the bridge portion 15 closest to one side to the other end of the other (e.g., the second folded electrode A4), so that the interposing work can be easily performed.

Figure 12(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross section taken along the line P2-P2 in Figure 12(a). The stacked electrode pair B3 thus constructed can be dramatically simplified in the construction of the stacked electrode pair, since the electrode plate portions 14 of both the first folded electrode A3 and the second folded electrode A4, which are of the same polarity, are electrically connected in advance by the bridging portions 15.

In addition, in this laminated electrode pair B3, by providing a bridge portion approach structure at the end of the intervening electrode, both the positive and negative electrodes become folded electrodes, and uneven wear due to electrolysis can be mutually suppressed.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that this stacked electrode pair B3 may also have the above-mentioned overhang structure or underhang structure.

For example, if the stacked electrode pair B3 has an overhang structure, a parallel electrode plate structure can be formed by interposing a spacer member 22 between each electrode plate portion 14 as shown in FIG. 13.

In other words, this spacer member 22, which has a generally rectangular appearance, has a slit-shaped groove 22a engraved on one side thereof, and by inserting a given electrode plate portion 14 into this groove 22a from the side portion of the stacked electrode pair B3, the biasing force in the expanding direction of the spacer member 22 resulting from the overhang structure firmly maintains the gap between each electrode plate portion 14 while maintaining the integrated state of the stacked electrode pair B3.

Next, we will explain examples of using stacked electrode pairs that employ the folded electrodes and parallel electrode plate structure described above in this embodiment.

[First example of use]
The first use example is a device that is submerged in water, such as bath water, to disperse electrolytic water, more specifically, a hydrogen water generating device D1 for a bath that diffuses hydrogen and hydrogen water generated by electrolysis of water into the bath water.

As shown in FIG. 14(a), the bath hydrogen water generator D1 is a device that is placed on the bottom 31 of the bathtub 30 and supplies electrolyzed hydrogen water to the bath water 34 in the bathtub 30.

As shown in FIG. 14(b), the hydrogen water generator D1 for bathing consists of a decorative housing 32 that is circular when viewed from above and has a generally flat corner-free shape, and contains a hydrogen water generator main body 33.

The hydrogen water generating main body 33 is watertight so that it will not get wet even if it is submerged, and is equipped with a secondary battery and a control/charging board inside, allowing it to store and supply the energy required for electrolysis of bath water.

In addition, four stacked electrode pairs B1 are provided on the upper periphery of the hydrogen water generating main body 33. Each stacked electrode pair B1 is electrically connected to the control/charging board via conductive rods 11a and 11b, and the electrolysis of water in contact with the electrode pairs is performed by controlling these.

The electrolytic hydrogen water produced by electrolysis is dispersed into the bath water through the outlet 32a formed in the upper part of the decorative housing 32 as shown in FIG. 14(a).

The bath hydrogen water generator D1 with such a configuration is equipped with the stacked electrode pair B1 according to this embodiment as electrodes for electrolysis, so electrolytic hydrogen water can be efficiently produced while utilizing the limited power stored in the secondary battery in the hydrogen water generator main body 33.

[Second example of use]
The second example of use is a shower that spouts electrolytic water, more specifically, an electrolytic hydrogen water shower head D2 that can provide hydrogen or hydrogen water generated by electrolysis of water for bathing. Fig. 15 shows an exploded view of the electrolytic hydrogen water shower head D2.

As shown in FIG. 15, the electrolytic hydrogen water shower head D2 is composed of a shower body 40 and a power storage body 41. The shower body 40 has a stem portion 42 and a head portion 43. The stem portion 42 is further composed of an outer cylinder body 44 and an electrolytic portion 45.

The power storage unit 41 serves to store electricity to supply the energy required to perform electrolysis in the shower body 40. Specifically, a secondary battery is housed inside the power storage unit 41, and by attaching it to the back surface 43a of the head unit 43, it is configured to be able to supply electricity to the electrolysis unit 45 of the shower body 40.

The outer cylinder 44 is a tapered cylindrical member that expands upward and functions as a gripping part that is held by the user. It also serves as an outer cylinder that surrounds the outside of the electrolysis part 45, which will be described next.

In addition, a male thread portion 44a is formed on the lower part of the outer cylinder body 44, and it can be connected to a hose that supplies hot and cold water from a water supply facility (not shown) via a specified metal fitting, etc.

In addition, a female thread portion 44b is formed on the upper part of the outer cylinder body 44, and is configured to be connectable to a male thread portion 43c formed on the outer periphery of the connection port 43b of the head portion 43.

The electrolysis section 45 is a component that guides the supplied hot water to the head section 43 and electrolyzes the hot water. It functions as an inner cylinder housed inside the outer cylinder body 44, and together with the outer cylinder body 44 constitutes the stem section 42 with a double cylinder structure.

Specifically, the electrolysis unit 45 has an inlet 45a for hot and cold water at the bottom and an outlet 45b for electrolyzed hydrogen water generated within the electrolysis unit 45 at the top. Hot and cold water supplied from a hose is introduced into the electrolysis unit 45 via the inlet 45a and electrolyzed, and the electrolyzed hydrogen water is supplied from the electrolysis unit 45 to the head unit 43 via the outlet 45b. The electrolyzed hydrogen water that reaches the head unit 43 is sprayed from the spray unit 43b formed on the front surface of the head unit 43.

In addition, an anode terminal 45c and a cathode terminal 45d are provided on the upper part of the electrolysis section 45, allowing power to be supplied from the power storage body 41 to the stacked electrode pair B3 housed inside the electrolysis section 45.

Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of the electrolysis unit 45. The electrolysis unit 45 is composed of a lid unit 50, a stacked electrode pair B3, a case body 52, and a connecting ring 53.

The lid 50 is a member for closing the upper opening of the case body 52, and a base 55 formed on the top surface of the disk-shaped lid body 54 has an outlet 45b protruding from approximately the center, and electrode rod exposure holes 55a, 55b are formed on the sides of the outlet 45b.

The electrode rod exposure holes 55a, 55b are holes for exposing the conductive rods 60a, 60b of the stacked electrode pair B3 (described later) to the outer surface of the electrolysis section 45 to form the anode terminal 45c and the cathode terminal 45d, and a gasket 55c is provided on the inner circumference of each hole to prevent water from leaking out of the electrolysis section 45.

The case body 52 has a cylindrical barrel portion 52a with a bottom that tapers gradually downward, and its interior defines an electrode assembly housing space 52c that houses the stacked electrode pair B3.

The connecting ring 53 is a ring-shaped member that is screwed onto the lid 50 with the case body 52 inserted therethrough to integrally form the electrolysis unit 45.

The stacked electrode pair B3 is an electrode pair formed by combining the first folded electrode A3 and the second folded electrode A4 as described above. Here, a conductive rod 60a is disposed on the bridge portion 15 of the first folded electrode A3, and a conductive rod 60b is disposed on the bridge portion 15 of the second folded electrode A4, enabling the supply of power required for electrolysis in the stacked electrode pair B3. The reference symbol 50a shown on the upper part of the lid portion 50 is a connection member for connecting a conductor or the like to the conductive rods 60a, 60b exposed from the electrode rod exposure holes 55a, 55b.

The electrolytic hydrogen water shower head D2 having such a configuration is equipped with the stacked electrode pair B3 according to this embodiment, and therefore can efficiently generate electrolytic hydrogen water while utilizing the limited power stored in the secondary battery in the power storage body 41.

In addition, in this second usage example, the stacked electrode pair B3 is arranged so that the extension direction of each electrode plate portion 14 is aligned with the flow direction of water inside the case body 52.

As a result, water can flow between each electrode plate section 14 without impeding the water pressure from the water supply equipment, etc., allowing a sufficient amount of hot and cold water to be discharged from the head section 43.

[Third Use Example]
Next, a third use example will be described. As shown in Fig. 17, the third use example relates to a portable electrolytic water generator in the shape of a water bottle, and more specifically, to an electrolytic hydrogen water generator D3 that can provide drinking hydrogen and hydrogen water generated by electrolysis of water.

Figure 18 (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the electrolytic hydrogen water generator D3. As shown in Figure 18 (a), the electrolytic hydrogen water generator D3 is composed of a device body 70 configured to be able to contain water, and a lid 71 that closes the upper opening of the device body 70.

The device main body 70 has a hollow housing 72 with the internal space divided into upper and lower parts by a partition wall 72a, with the upper part being a water storage space 73 that functions as a water storage section for storing water, while the lower part is a control system storage space 74 for storing a control mechanism, etc.

A battery 75, a switch 76, and a connector 77 are arranged in the control system housing space 74 and are electrically connected to the control unit 78.

The battery 75 is a secondary battery that supplies the power consumed by the electrolytic hydrogen water generating device D3, and the switch 76 is a switch for controlling the operation and stopping of the electrolytic hydrogen water generating device D3.

The connector 77 is where the plug 79a of the AC adapter 79 is inserted when charging the battery 75, and charging of the battery 75 is performed via the power cable 79b and the control unit 78. By unplugging the plug 79a from the connector 77 when in use, the electrolytic hydrogen water generator D3 can be carried around without being tied to a commercial power source, and electrolytic hydrogen water can be prepared at any time.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 18(b), a stacked electrode pair B3 is arranged in the water storage space 73 with the aforementioned spacer member 22 interposed therebetween, so that drinking water supplied to the water storage space 73 can be electrolyzed.

As shown in FIG. 17, the user H carries the electrolyzed hydrogen water generator D3 in a bag or the like, so that vibrations are generated in the electrolyzed hydrogen water generator D3 whenever the user H moves. In other words, the housing 72 of the electrolyzed hydrogen water generator D3 itself becomes a vibration source, and imparts vibrations to the stacked electrode pair B3, thereby improving the efficiency of generating electrolyzed hydrogen water.

The electrolytic hydrogen water generating device D3 having such a configuration is equipped with the stacked electrode pair B3 according to this embodiment, and therefore is portable and therefore requires small size and light weight. In addition, even though it is a device that is used in a state disconnected from a commercial power source, it can achieve good electrolysis efficiency and excellent electrolytic water generation efficiency even when the housing and battery are small.

As described above, the folded electrode of this embodiment makes it possible to more easily fold the electrode plate connector at the bridge portion.

In addition, by using the same folded electrode and adopting a parallel electrode plate structure in which each electrode plate portion is parallel to each other, or a stacked electrode pair that adopts such a folded electrode or parallel electrode plate structure, it is possible to firmly maintain the parallel state of each electrode plate by utilizing the biasing force, and to minimize uneven wear due to electrolysis.

Furthermore, by adopting the folded electrode according to this embodiment, the parallel electrode plate structure using the folded electrode, and the stacked electrode pair in an electrolytic water generating device, it is possible to provide an electrolytic water generating device that simplifies the manufacturing assembly of the electrolytic water generating device while enabling efficient electrolysis and suppressing problems such as short circuits and uneven wear due to narrow electrode gaps.

Finally, the above-mentioned explanations of each embodiment are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, even if the embodiment is different from the above-mentioned embodiments, various modifications can be made depending on the design, etc., as long as they do not deviate from the technical concept of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Electrode stacking portion 12 Interposed electrode plate 12b End portion 13 Electrode plate connecting body 14 Electrode plate portion 15 Bridge portion 16 Spacer 18 Holder 19-21 Electrode plate connecting body 22 Spacer member A1 Folded electrode A2 Folded electrode A3 First folded electrode A4 Second folded electrode B1 Stacked electrode pair B2 Stacked electrode pair B3 Stacked electrode pair D1 Bath hydrogen water generator D2 Electrolytic hydrogen water shower head D3 Electrolytic hydrogen water generator Q1 Position of center of curvature

Claims (7)

a folded electrode comprising an electrode plate assembly made of a single metal flat plate in which a plurality of electrode plate portions are connected via bridge portions, and in which the electrode plate portions are overlapped with each other via gaps due to a substantially semicircular arc-shaped bent structure formed in the bridge portions;
An intervening electrode plate disposed in a gap between the electrode plate portions of the folded electrode and applied with a relatively opposite potential,
The intermediate electrode plate has a fitting hole directly below the bridge portion of the folded electrode ,
A spacer is fitted into the fitting hole in a state where the spacer protrudes from both sides,
A laminated electrode pair, characterized in that the spacer maintains a distance between the folded electrodes arranged on the front and back sides of the intermediate electrode plate. The laminated electrode pair according to claim 1, characterized in that the folded electrodes are formed so that in a free state, the gap between the opposing electrode plate portions gradually narrows as they move away from the bridge portion connecting the two electrode plate portions. The laminated electrode pair according to claim 1, characterized in that the folded electrodes are formed so that in a free state, the gap between the opposing electrode plate portions gradually widens as they move away from the bridge portion connecting the two electrode plate portions. The laminated electrode pair according to claim 2, characterized in that the electrode plate portions of the folded electrodes are arranged approximately parallel to each other in a parallel electrode plate structure, and a spacer is interposed between the inner gaps of the opposing electrode plate portions, and the electrode plate portions are biased in the expanding direction and arranged approximately parallel. The laminated electrode pair according to claim 3, characterized in that the electrode plate portions of the folded electrodes are arranged approximately parallel to each other in a parallel electrode plate structure, and a holder is disposed on the outside of the opposing electrode plate portions, biasing the electrode plate portions in a direction narrowing the electrode plate portions and arranging them approximately parallel. The laminated electrode pair according to claim 1, characterized in that the end of the intermediate electrode plate is arranged closer to the bridge portion than the center of curvature of the bent structure at the bridge portion of the folded electrode. The stacked electrode pair according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate electrode plate is an electrode plate portion of a second folded electrode.

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