JP7489585B2 - device - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to devices that utilize liquids.

There are known home appliances that improve usability by using liquid stored in a tank. The example described in Patent Document 1 discloses the configuration of a steam iron that uses water stored in a tank to remove wrinkles from clothes.

JP 2000-51592 A

When using such home appliances, calcium and magnesium present in the water accumulate as limescale on the interior surface of the appliance. In the steam iron described in Patent Document 1, a limescale binding inhibitor is placed in a water-permeable container to prevent limescale from accumulating on the interior surface of the appliance. However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the water in the tank is constantly in contact with the limescale binding inhibitor, which may result in the limescale binding inhibitor being released more quickly and shortening the duration of the limescale accumulation inhibition effect.

The present disclosure is an invention intended to solve the above problems and aims to provide a device that can suitably release water-soluble substances.

The device disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising a resin composition that releases a water-soluble substance, a support member that supports the resin composition, a tank that contains the support member and a liquid, a supply port that supplies liquid to the tank, and a discharge port that is located below the supply port in a predetermined state and discharges liquid from the tank, wherein the resin composition is exposed from an opening provided in the support member, and the distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition.

The device disclosed herein allows for the optimal release of water-soluble substances.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the configuration of the case in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the configuration of the case in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the case of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the device of FIG. 1 . 13 is a graph showing the test results of the evaluation test. FIG. 11 is a side view showing the configuration of the device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the relationship between a support member and a resin composition. FIG. 11 is a side view showing the configuration of the device according to the second embodiment. 13 is a graph showing the test results of evaluation test 1. FIG. 13 is a table showing the test results of evaluation test 2.

(Example of the form that the device can take)
The device according to the present disclosure is a device including a resin composition that releases a water-soluble substance, a support member that supports the resin composition, a tank that contains the support member and a liquid, a supply port that supplies the liquid to the tank, and a discharge port that is disposed below the supply port in a predetermined state and discharges the liquid from the tank, the resin composition being exposed from an opening provided in the support member, and the distance between the supply port and the resin composition being shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition. Here, the predetermined state can be exemplified by a state in which the supply port is disposed so as to be higher in the vertical direction than the discharge port. Here, the discharge port is a portion that discharges the liquid from the tank, but in the case where a tube is disposed in the tank and the tube penetrates the tank to discharge the liquid outside the tank, the tip of the tube in the tank can be the discharge port. In short, it refers to a portion other than the tank through which the liquid passes when discharging the liquid in the tank from the tank, which is closer to the tank.

In the above device, the distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition, so the liquid supplied from the supply port to the tank is likely to come into contact with the resin composition. This allows the water-soluble substance to be suitably released from the resin composition into the liquid.

According to one example of the device, in the specified state, the resin composition is located below a line connecting the supply inlet and the discharge outlet.

According to the above-mentioned device, the resin composition is provided in a location close to the supply port. Therefore, the liquid supplied from the supply port to the tank is likely to come into contact with the resin composition. Therefore, the water-soluble substance is preferably released from the resin composition into the liquid.

According to one example of the device, the resin composition further contains a water-insoluble resin.

The above device allows for optimal retention of water-soluble substances.

According to one example of the device, when the support member supports the resin composition, a gap is formed between the support member and the resin composition.

With the above device, the liquid supplied to the tank from the supply port penetrates into the gap. This makes it easy for the resin composition to come into contact with the liquid.

According to one example of the device, the support member further includes a protrusion that contacts the resin composition.

The above device ensures that a gap is formed between the support member and the resin composition.

According to one example of the device, the protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the support member, and the height of the protrusion is 0.3 to 0.8 mm.

According to the above device, the height of the protrusions is suitably set, so that the water-soluble substances are suitably released from the resin composition.

According to one example of the device, there are no gaps between the support member and the resin composition and they are in close contact with each other.

The device described above can control the infiltration of liquid between the support member and the resin composition. In addition, the flowing liquid can come into contact with the resin composition exposed through the opening of the support member.

According to one example of the device, the opening is provided in a portion that comes into contact with the liquid, and the size of the opening is configured so that the surface area of the resin composition exposed through the opening is 1 to 50% of the total surface area of the resin composition.

With the above device, the area of the opening can be suitably set, allowing the water-soluble substance from the resin composition to be released at an appropriate concentration over a long period of time.

(Embodiment 1)
The device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described below.

The device 10 of this embodiment is a home appliance that is electrically operated and obtains various effects by using a liquid. An example of the liquid is water. The device 10 is, for example, a steam iron, a garment steamer, an air conditioner, a washing machine, a dishwasher and an electric kettle. An example of the home appliance shown in FIG. 1 is a steam iron. In the following, the device 10 will be described as a steam iron. The main elements constituting the device 10 are a housing 11, a base surface 20, and a tank 30. Note that placing the device 10 in a predetermined state includes a state in which the base surface 20 is placed horizontally. In addition, when the device 10 is placed in a predetermined state, the base surface 20 side may be expressed as being downward.

The housing 11 forms the exterior of the device 10 and houses various elements that make up the device 10. The various elements housed in the housing 11 are, for example, at least one of a control unit, a memory unit, an operation unit, a power supply unit, a pump, and a heater. The control unit is, for example, a microcomputer, and controls the output amount of the pump and the heater. The memory unit is, for example, a volatile memory, and stores information necessary for controlling the pump and the heater. The operation unit is composed of buttons or switches, and outputs an operation signal to the control unit for changing the output amount of the pump and the heater, for example. The power supply unit is a battery that supplies power. When the device 10 is connected to an external power source, the configuration of the power supply unit can be omitted. The pump, for example, moves the liquid in the tank 30 to the vaporization chamber. The heater heats the liquid in the vaporization chamber to form steam. An example of a heater is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. Any material having heat resistance is selected as the material that constitutes the housing 11. In one example, the material constituting the housing 11 is polycarbonate. The housing 11 further includes a grip portion 12 suitable for being gripped by a user.

The base surface 20 supplies steam to the clothes, for example, in a state of contact or not in contact with the clothes. In one example, the pump is driven, and as the pump is driven, liquid in the tank 30 is supplied to the vaporization chamber, and steam is generated by heating the liquid in the vaporization chamber with a heater. The generated steam then passes through a steam passage and is sprayed to the outside through an opening provided in the base surface 20.

The tank 30 is provided in the housing 11 and stores liquid in the internal space S. An example of the liquid is water. The tank 30 includes a supply port 31 that supplies liquid to the internal space S of the tank 30 and a discharge port 32 that discharges the liquid present in the internal space S of the tank 30. The supply port 31 is configured to be openable and closable by a lid (not shown). The discharge port 32 is configured to be openable and closable by a valve (not shown). The discharge port 32 is connected to, for example, a vaporization chamber. The tank 30 is made of any material that is water resistant. In one example, the material that constitutes the tank 30 is polycarbonate. The tank 30 may be configured to be removable from the device 10. Preferably, when the device 10 is placed in a predetermined state, the position of the supply port 31 is provided at a position vertically higher than the position of the discharge port 32. The shape of the supply port 31 and the discharge port 32 is any shape. In one example, the shape of the supply port 31 and the discharge port 32 is circular.

The device 10 further includes a support member 40 and a resin composition 50. The support member 40 and the resin composition 50 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. The support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are provided in the internal space S of the tank 30.

The support member 40 is configured to be capable of supporting the resin composition 50. The support member 40 includes a first support member 41 and a second support member 42. The first support member 41 and the second support member 42 are configured to be separable. Any material may be selected as the material for the support member 40. In one example, the material for the support member 40 is unsaturated polyester. The length of the support member 40 is determined by the size of the resin composition 50. In one example, the support member 40 is formed to be longer than the length of the resin composition 50 by a predetermined length. The predetermined length is, for example, 2 mm.

The first support member 41 supports the lower end of the resin composition 50. The first support member 41 is fixed to the tank 30 so that relative movement with respect to the tank 30 is suppressed. The fixing means is, for example, embedding in resin.

The second support member 42 supports the upper end of the resin composition 50. The second support member 42 is fixed to the first support member 41 so that relative movement with respect to the first support member 41 is suppressed. The fixing means is, for example, a recess on one of the first support member 41 and the second support member 42 and a protrusion on the other, and the second support member 42 is fitted or rotated.

The second support member 42 further includes an opening 43. The opening 43 is configured to open the internal space S2 of the support member 40 and expose at least a portion of the resin composition 50 by protruding into the internal space S of the tank 30. The length of the resin composition 50 protruding from the opening 43 is within a range of 2 to 5 mm, for example. The opening 43 may have any shape. In one example, the shape of the opening 43 is circular.

The support member 40 further includes a protrusion 44 that protrudes from the inner surface 40A toward the internal space S2. The protrusion 44 is provided on at least one of the first support member 41 and the second support member 42. Preferably, the protrusion 44 is provided on both the first support member 41 and the second support member 42. More preferably, a plurality of protrusions 44 are provided on both the first support member 41 and the second support member 42. The protrusion 44 forms a gap G between the inner surface 40A of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50. The protrusion 44 is configured so that the distance between the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 is 0.3 to 0.8 mm. The protrusion 44 is configured to protrude 0.3 to 0.8 mm from the inner surface 40A of the support member 40.

The resin composition 50 includes a water-insoluble resin and a water-soluble substance. The ratio of the water-insoluble resin to the water-soluble substance is any ratio. In one example, the water-soluble substance is in the range of 20 to 90 weight percent. Preferably, the water-soluble substance is in the range of 40 to 70 weight percent. The water-insoluble resin is composed of any material that is insoluble in water. Preferably, the resin is composed of a material that has a glass transition temperature within a first predetermined range and a melting point within a second predetermined range. The first predetermined range is, for example, -130°C or higher. The first predetermined range is, for example, 100°C or lower.

The second specified range is, for example, -80°C or higher. The second specified range is, for example, 250°C or lower. Examples of materials that constitute the water-insoluble resin are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and acrylic-modified polyethylene.

The water-soluble substance is a substance that has a predetermined action when dissolved in water. One example of the predetermined action is the inhibition of accumulation of metal ions in the tank 30. In one example, the water-soluble substance is a chelating agent that forms a complex with the metal ion. Examples of chelating agents are sodium acrylates such as sodium polyacrylate, sodium acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymer, and sodium acrylic acid/sulfonic acid monomer copolymer, 1-hydroxyethane-11-diphosphonic acid, iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, citric acid, and cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid.

Referring to Figure 5, the position of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 inside the tank 30 will be explained.

Preferably, the first support member 41 is fixed to the same surface as the inner surface 30A of the tank 30 on which the discharge port 32 is provided when the device 10 is placed in a predetermined state. At least a portion of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are provided on the base surface 20 side of a line L1 connecting the center of gravity P1 of the supply port 31 and the center of gravity P2 of the discharge port. Preferably, the entire support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are provided on the base surface 20 side of the line L1.

The distance D1 between the center of gravity P1 of the supply port 31 and the point P3 on the resin composition 50 is shorter than the distance D2 between the center of gravity P2 of the discharge port 32 and the point P3 on the resin composition 50. The point P3 on the resin composition 50 is a point that constitutes the distance D1 as the shortest distance. Even when at least one of the supply port 31, the discharge port 32, and the resin composition 50 is provided in multiple numbers, the distance D1 and the distance D2 are defined for each. Preferably, the distance D1 is shorter than the distance D2 in all cases.

A method for manufacturing resin composition 50 is described.

The water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are weighed, and the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are heated and kneaded to form a strand of the resin composition 50. In one example, the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are equal in amount. The heated kneading is performed, for example, using a twin-screw extrusion kneader at 200°C. The strand is chopped to form pellets. The pellets are injection molded to form the resin composition 50 in a predetermined shape. An example of the predetermined shape of the resin composition 50 is an elliptical sphere. In another example, an example of the predetermined shape is a plate shape, a sphere shape, or a cylinder shape. The shape of the resin composition 50 shown in FIG. 1 is an elliptical sphere. The length of the long axis direction and the length of the short axis direction of the resin composition 50 are arbitrarily formed according to the size of the tank 30 of the device 10 to be used. Preferably, the length of the long axis direction of the resin composition 50 is within the range of 10 to 40 mm. More preferably, the length of the long axis direction of the resin composition 50 is within the range of 20 to 30 mm. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the minor axis direction is within a range of 5 to 20 mm, and more preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the minor axis direction is within a range of 7 to 15 mm.

The inventors of the present application conducted an evaluation test to confirm the effects of the support member 40 and resin composition 50 of the present application. In the evaluation test, multiple resin compositions 50 with different residual rates of water-soluble substances were prepared, and the resin compositions 50 with different residual rates were placed one by one in multiple support members 40 with different lengths between the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 in the gap G, and the elution concentration was measured.

The resin compositions 50 were placed one by one in a beaker, and 350 ml of water was added. The weight of the resin composition 50 was 10 g. 10 minutes after the water was added, the water in the beaker was collected and the concentration of the functional water-soluble substance in the water was measured. The elution concentration was measured by measuring the total amount of organic carbon. After collecting the water, the resin compositions 50 of each comparative example and example were dried. The drying time was 24 hours. The weight of the dried resin composition 50 was measured and the residual rate of the water-soluble substance was calculated. By repeating this procedure, multiple resin compositions 50 with different residual rates were created. Specifically, resin compositions 50 with residual rates that differed in increments of approximately 0.1 within the range of 1.0 to 0.3 were created. The length of the protrusions 44 of the support member 40 differed in increments of approximately 0.1 mm within the range of 0.3 to 0.9 mm.

Water was poured using a funnel toward the opening 43 in the support member 40 where the resin composition 50 was exposed. 350 ml of pure water containing no impurities was poured over 30 seconds. After 10 minutes, the water was collected, the elution concentration was measured, and the elution concentration and the residual rate were plotted on a graph. The above procedure was carried out multiple times. The elution concentration and residual rate shown are the average values of the results of multiple runs.

The results of the evaluation test will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The vertical axis of FIG. 6 indicates the elution concentration (ppm). The horizontal axis of FIG. 6 indicates the residual ratio. Each dot represents the elution concentration when the residual ratio is a predetermined value. The straight lines in FIG. 6 indicate approximation lines. When the resin composition 50 is supported by a support member 40 with a protrusion 44 length of 0.9 mm, the result is the same as when water contacts the entire surface of the resin composition 50, and the elution concentration remains at a high level even when the residual ratio decreases. On the other hand, when the resin composition 50 is supported by a support member 40 with a protrusion 44 length of 0.3 to 0.8 mm, when the residual ratio is around 1.0, a high elution concentration is shown, while the elution concentration decreases as the residual ratio becomes about 0.5.

The following insights can be obtained from the results of the evaluation test:

When the resin composition 50 is supported by a support member 40 with protrusions 44 of 0.3 to 0.8 mm in length, a high elution concentration is observed when the residual rate is high, while the elution concentration decreases when the residual rate is low. This makes it possible to achieve a large release of water-soluble substances during initial use and to set the usage period of the resin composition 50 to a long period.

The operation of the device 10 in this embodiment will be described.

The user pours the resin composition 50 into the support member 40 in the tank 30 provided in the device 10. The user pours water into the tank 30. The resin composition 50 releases the water-soluble substance at least into the tank 30. After using the device 10, the water is removed from the tank 30 and the resin composition 50 is placed in a dry state. The user pours water into the tank 30 again the next time the device is used. The resin composition 50 gradually releases the water-soluble substance at least into the tank 30.

(Embodiment 2)
The device 110 of the second embodiment will be described below. The difference from the first embodiment is that the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are in close contact with each other without any gap between them. Furthermore, the area of the resin composition 50 exposed from the opening 43 is 1 to 50% of the total surface area of the resin composition 50. The second embodiment will be described with a focus on these differences.

The device 110 of this embodiment is a home appliance that is electrically operated and obtains various effects by utilizing a liquid. An example of a liquid is water. The example of the home appliance shown in FIG. 7 is a steam generator. In the following, the device 110 will be described as a steam generator.

The main elements that make up the device 110 are the tank 30, the housing 60, the hose 70, and the iron 80. As an example, a case will be described in which the device 110 is arranged so that the housing 60 is horizontal when placed in a specified state. Furthermore, when the device 110 is placed in a specified state, the bottom side of the housing may be expressed as the lower side.

The housing 60 forms the external appearance of the device 110 and houses various elements that make up the device 110. The various elements housed within the housing 60 are, for example, at least one of a control unit, a memory unit, an operation unit, a power supply unit, a pump 61, and a heater 63. The control unit is, for example, a microcomputer, and controls the output amount of the pump 61 and the heater 63. The memory unit is, for example, a volatile memory, and stores information necessary for controlling the pump 61 and the heater 63. The operation unit is composed of buttons or switches, and outputs an operation signal to the control unit for changing the output amount of the pump 61 and the heater 63, for example.

The power supply unit is a battery that supplies power. When the device 110 is connected to an external power source, the power supply unit can be omitted. The pump 61, for example, moves the liquid in the tank 30 to the boiler 62. The heater 63 heats the liquid in the boiler 62 to form steam. An example of the heater 63 is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. Any material having heat resistance is selected as the material constituting the housing. In one example, the material constituting the housing is polycarbonate.

The hose 70 is connected to both the steam generation outlet of the boiler 62 and the vaporization chamber of the iron 80. Steam generated in the boiler 62 of the housing 60 passes through the hose 70 and is sent to the iron 80. A heat-resistant material is selected as the material for the hose 70. For example, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, silicone, or polyvinyl chloride rubber. The outer surface of the hose 70 may also be covered with a tube braided with glass fibers.

The exterior of the iron 80 is composed of a housing and has a grip portion 12 suitable for a user to hold. The elements that make up the interior of the housing are, for example, at least one of a control portion, a memory portion, an operation portion, and a heater. The control portion is, for example, a microcomputer, and controls the amount of output of the heater. The memory portion is, for example, a volatile memory, and stores information necessary for controlling the heater. The operation portion is composed of buttons or switches, and outputs an operation signal to the control portion, for example to change the amount of output of the heater.

The power supply unit of the iron 80 can be omitted when the device 110 is connected to an external power source. The heater reheats the steam that is generated in a boiler inside the housing and passes through the hose 70. An example of the heater is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. Any material having heat resistance is selected as the material constituting the housing. In one example, the material constituting the housing is polycarbonate.

The base surface 20 of the iron 80 supplies steam to the clothes, for example, in a state of contact or not in contact with the clothes. In one example, the pump 61 is driven, and as the pump 61 is driven, the liquid in the tank 30 is supplied to the boiler 62, and the liquid in the boiler 62 is heated by the heater 63 to generate steam. The generated steam then passes through the hose 70, is reheated in the vaporization chamber of the iron 80, and is sprayed to the outside through an opening provided in the base surface 20.

The tank 30 is fitted into the housing and stores liquid in the internal space S. An example of the liquid is water. The tank 30 includes a supply port 31 that supplies liquid to the internal space S of the tank 30 and a tube 90 that discharges the liquid present in the internal space S of the tank 30. The tube 90 penetrates from inside the tank to outside the tank. The tube 90 includes a discharge port 32 at the tip of the tube 90 in the tank. The supply port 31 is configured to be able to supply water by removing it from the housing. The tube 90 provided with the discharge port 32 is connected to, for example, a pump path. The tank 30 is made of any material that is water resistant. In one example, the material that constitutes the tank 30 is polycarbonate. The tank 30 may be configured to be removable from the device 10. Preferably, when the device 110 is placed in a predetermined state, the position of the supply port 31 is provided at a position vertically higher than the position of the discharge port 32. The shapes of the supply port 31 and the discharge port 32 are any shape. In one example, the supply port 31 has a plate shape, and the discharge port 32 has a circular shape at the tip of the tube 90 .

The device 110 includes a support member 40 and a resin composition 50. The support member 40 and the resin composition 50 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11. The support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are provided in the internal space S of the tank 30.

The support member 40 covers the resin composition 50 except for a portion of the resin composition 50. Any material may be selected as the material for the support member 40. In one example, the material for the support member 40 is a thermoplastic resin. The support member 40 is configured in close contact with the resin composition 50. In other words, the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are configured with no gaps between them. The coating of the support member is formed to a constant thickness. The predetermined thickness is, for example, 2 mm.

The support member 40 is fixed to the supply port 31 of the tank 30 so that relative movement with respect to the supply port 31 is suppressed. The fixing means is, for example, a hook provided on the support member. The hook is hooked onto the supply port to fix it.

The support member 40 has an opening 43. The opening 43 is provided in a portion of the support member 40 to which the liquid supplied to the tank 30 is supplied. The opening 43 is configured so that at least a portion of the resin composition 50 is exposed to the internal space S of the tank 30. The resin composition 50 at the opening 43 and the support member 40 other than the opening 43 are configured so that the resin composition 50 has a convex or concave shape on the same surface or from the opening 43. The opening 43 is configured in any shape. In one example, the shape of the opening 43 is rectangular.

The size of the opening 43 is configured so that the area of the resin composition 50 exposed from the support member 40 is 1 to 50% of the total surface area of the resin composition 50.

The resin composition 50 includes a water-insoluble resin and a water-soluble substance. The ratio of the water-insoluble resin to the water-soluble substance is any ratio. In one example, the water-soluble substance is in the range of 20 to 90 weight percent. Preferably, the water-soluble substance is in the range of 40 to 70 weight percent. The water-insoluble resin is composed of any material that is insoluble in water. Preferably, the water-insoluble resin is composed of a material whose glass transition temperature is within a first predetermined range and whose melting point is within a second predetermined range. The first predetermined range is, for example, -130°C or higher. The first predetermined range is, for example, 100°C or lower. The second predetermined range is, for example, -80°C or higher. The second predetermined range is, for example, 250°C or lower. Examples of materials that constitute the water-insoluble resin are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and acrylic modified polyethylene.

The water-soluble substance is a substance that has a predetermined action when dissolved in water. One example of the predetermined action is the inhibition of accumulation of metal ions in the tank 30. In one example, the water-soluble substance is a chelating agent that forms a complex with the metal ion. Examples of chelating agents are sodium acrylates such as sodium polyacrylate, sodium acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymer, and sodium acrylic acid/sulfonic acid monomer copolymer, 1-hydroxyethane-11-diphosphonic acid, iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, citric acid, and cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid.

Referring to Figure 9, the position of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 inside the tank 30 will be explained.

The distance D1 between the center of gravity P1 of the supply port 31 and the point P3 on the resin composition 50 is shorter than the distance D2 between the center of gravity P2 of the discharge port 32 and the point P3 on the resin composition 50. The point P3 on the resin composition 50 is a point that constitutes the distance D1 as the shortest distance. Even when at least one of the supply port 31, the discharge port 32, and the resin composition 50 is provided in multiple numbers, the distance D1 and the distance D2 are defined for each. Preferably, the distance D1 is shorter than the distance D2 in all cases.

A method for manufacturing resin composition 50 is described.

The water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are weighed, and the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are heated and kneaded to form a strand of the resin composition 50. In one example, the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are equal in amount. The heated kneading is performed, for example, using a twin-screw extrusion kneader at 200°C. The strand is chopped to form pellets. The pellets are injection molded to form a resin composition 50 of a predetermined shape. An example of the predetermined shape of the resin composition 50 is a plate shape. In another example, an example of the predetermined shape is a sphere or a cylinder. The shape of the resin composition 50 shown in FIG. 1 is a plate shape. The length of the long axis direction and the length of the short axis direction of the resin composition 50 are arbitrarily formed according to the size of the tank 30 of the device 10 to be used. Preferably, the length of the long axis direction of the resin composition 50 is within a range of 70 mm or less. More preferably, the length of the long axis direction of the resin composition 50 is 55 mm or less. Preferably, the length of the short axis direction of the resin composition 50 is 35 mm or less. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the minor axis direction is within a range of 30 to 35 mm. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the thickness direction is within a range of 15 mm or less. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the thickness direction is within a range of 10 mm or less. The resin composition 50 may be subjected to a surface treatment so as to prevent water from splashing when poured. An example of the surface treatment is the formation of a groove shape.

The present inventors conducted evaluation tests to confirm the effects of the support member 40 and resin composition 50 of the present application. In the first evaluation test (referred to as Evaluation Test 1), multiple resin compositions 50 with different residual rates of water-soluble substances were prepared, and the support member 40 was coated with each resin composition 50 so that the area of the opening was different, and the elution concentration was measured.

The resin compositions 50 were placed one by one into the tank water inlet, and 1700 ml of water was added. The weight of the resin composition 50 was 20 g. 10 minutes after the water was added, the water in the beaker was collected and the concentration of the functional water-soluble substance in the water was measured. The elution concentration was measured by measuring the total amount of organic carbon. After collecting the water, the resin compositions 50 of each comparative example and example were dried. The drying time was 24 hours. The weight of the dried resin composition 50 was measured and the residual rate of the water-soluble substance was calculated. By repeating this procedure, multiple resin compositions 50 with different residual rates were created. Specifically, resin compositions 50 with residual rates ranging from 1.0 to 0.25 and varying by approximately 0.25 were created. The support member 40 was covered so that the openings 43 were 2 to 20% of the total surface area of each of the resin compositions 50 with different residual rates.

Water was poured from the support member 40 toward the opening 43 where the resin composition 50 was exposed, using a funnel. 1700 ml of pure water containing no impurities was poured over 30 seconds. After 10 minutes, the water was collected, the elution concentration was measured, and the elution concentration and the residual rate were plotted on a graph. The above procedure was carried out multiple times. The elution concentration and residual rate shown are the average values of the results of multiple runs.

The results of evaluation test 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 10. The vertical axis of Figure 10 indicates the leaching concentration (ppm). The horizontal axis of Figure 10 indicates the residual rate. Each dot represents the leaching concentration when the residual rate is a specified value. The straight lines in Figure 10 indicate approximation lines.

When the leaching area ratio of the resin composition 50 from the opening 43 provided in the support member 40 is 20%, the area of contact of water with the surface of the resin composition 50 is large. Therefore, even if the remaining amount rate decreased, the leaching concentration remained at a high level. On the other hand, as the area ratio of the resin composition 50 from the opening 43 provided in the support member 40 decreased, the leaching concentration decreased at all remaining rates.

The results of evaluation test 1 reveal the following: There is a proportional relationship between the elution area ratio of the resin composition 50 from the opening 43 of the support member 40 and the elution concentration. This makes it possible to control the elution concentration to a predetermined level by setting the elution area ratio from the opening 43 provided in the support member 40. Furthermore, by controlling the elution concentration, water-soluble substances can be eluted over the long term, and the usage period of the resin composition 50 can be set to be long.

In the second evaluation test, multiple resin compositions 50 with different water-soluble substance contents were prepared, and the support member 40 was coated with each of the resin compositions 50 so that the area of the opening was different. The elution concentration was then measured. The measurement of the elution concentration was performed in the same manner as in the first evaluation test.

The results of the second evaluation test (referred to as evaluation test 2) will be explained with reference to Figure 11. The horizontal axis of Figure 11 indicates the elution area ratio (%) of the resin composition 50 from the opening 43 provided in the support member 40. The vertical axis of Figure 11 indicates the content (%) of water-soluble substances in the resin composition 50. The data in the table indicates the initial elution concentration (ppm) of the resin composition 50 under each condition. A proportional relationship was observed between the initial elution concentration, the elution area ratio from the opening 43 and the content of water-soluble substances.

For this reason, a predetermined elution concentration can be set by combining the content of the water-soluble substance and the elution area ratio from the opening. For example, if it is desired to set the initial elution concentration to 15 to 20 ppm or less, the elution area ratio of the opening 43 can be set to 10% and the content of the water-soluble substance to 70 to 50%. Furthermore, if the elution area ratio of the opening 43 is set to 3 to 4% and the content of the water-soluble substance to 40%, the initial elution concentration can be set low. By setting the initial elution concentration low, it becomes possible to elute the water-soluble substance in the resin composition 50 over the long term, and the use period of the resin composition 50 can be set long.

The function of device 110 in this embodiment will be described.

The user places the support member 40 covering the resin composition 50 into the tank 30 provided in the device 110 through a specified opening. The user pours water into the tank 30. The resin composition 50 releases water-soluble substances into at least the tank 30. Water poured from the water supply port of the tank 30 collects in the tank space at the bottom, so the resin composition 50 is placed in a dry state without being immersed in water. The user pours water into the tank 30 again the next time they use it. The resin composition 50 gradually releases water-soluble substances into at least the tank 30.

(Modification)
The description of the embodiments is merely an example of a form that the device according to the present disclosure may take, and is not intended to limit the form. In addition to the embodiments, the present disclosure may take a form that combines at least two of the following modified embodiments, which are not mutually inconsistent.

The resin composition 50 may further include a porous material. The porous material holds at least a part of the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble material inside the pores, for example. The porous material is composed of at least one of porous glass, activated carbon, zeolite, and porous concrete, for example. Preferably, the porous material is porous glass. More preferably, the porous glass is amorphous silica. The porous material is formed, for example, in a particulate form. The particle size, specific surface area, pore size, and oil absorption of the porous material are arbitrarily set to values suitable for providing sustained release properties. In one example, the particle size of the porous material is 5 μm on average. In one example, the specific surface area of the porous material is 700 m ² /g. In one example, the pore size of the porous material is 11 nm. The oil absorption of the porous material is 400 ml/100 g.

- The water-soluble substance can be changed depending on the desired effect. The water-soluble substance may be an antioxidant with an antioxidant effect, a surfactant for improving wettability, an antibacterial agent, etc. Antioxidants are, for example, erythorbic acid, kojic acid, and ascorbic acid. Surfactants are, for example, ionic or nonionic surfactants. Antibacterial agents are, for example, copper bromide, copper chromate, silver nitrate, aluminum sulfate, and iodine.

The devices disclosed herein can be used in home and commercial appliances that use liquids, such as steam irons, garment steamers, air conditioners, washing machines, dishwashers and dryers, and electric kettles.

10, 110: Equipment 20: Base surface 30: Tank 31: Supply port 32: Discharge port 40: Support member 41: First support member 42: Second support member 44: Protrusion 50: Resin composition 60: Housing 61: Pump 62: Boiler 70: Hose 80: Iron D1: Distance D2: Distance G: Gap L1: Line

Claims (7)

A resin composition that releases a water-soluble substance;
A support member for supporting the resin composition;
a tank for containing the support member and a liquid;
A supply port for supplying liquid to the tank;
a discharge port that is provided below the supply port in a predetermined state and discharges liquid from the tank,
The resin composition further comprises a water-insoluble resin, and a ratio of the water-insoluble resin to the water-soluble substance is within a range of 20 weight percent to 70 weight percent of the water-soluble substance;
The resin composition is exposed from an opening provided in the support member,
The distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition.
device. In the predetermined state, the resin composition is provided below a line connecting the supply port and the discharge port.
10. The device of claim 1. In a state in which the support member supports the resin composition,
A gap is formed between the support member and the resin composition.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 . The support member further includes a protrusion that contacts the resin composition.
The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The protrusion is provided on an inner surface of the support member,
The device of claim 4 , wherein the height of the protrusion is 0.3 to 0.8 mm. In a state in which the support member supports the resin composition,
The device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein there is no gap between the support member and the resin composition, and the support member and the resin composition are in close contact with each other. The opening is provided in a portion that comes into contact with a liquid,
The device according to claim 6 , wherein the opening is configured so that a surface area of the resin composition exposed from the opening is 1 to 50% of a total surface area of the resin composition.

Images