JPH0593575U - Ultrasonic atomizer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] When the atomization is performed by arranging a porous or mesh thin plate on the atomizing action surface of the piezoelectric vibrator, the problem of contamination or deformation of the porous or mesh thin plate with time use is solved. This has been solved by adopting a structure that facilitates replacement and cleaning of porous or mesh thin plates. A piezoelectric vibrator 1, a vibrator support 5 for holding a peripheral edge of the piezoelectric vibrator 1, and a case 10 in which a porous or mesh thin plate 12 are integrated are provided, and the case 10 is used as the vibrator support. 5 to detachably fit at least a part of the porous or mesh thin plate 12 to the atomizing surface 9 of the piezoelectric vibrator.
This is a structure in which they are opposed to each other with a minute gap.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an ultrasonic atomizer suitable for applications such as an inhaler having a small amount of electric power and a small amount of atomization.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Conventionally, a household atomizer for indoor humidification is known as an ultrasonic atomizer that utilizes ultrasonic vibration due to resonance of a piezoelectric ceramic in the thickness direction. This type of indoor humidification atomizer has a piezoelectric vibrator attached to the bottom of a water tank containing water, and has achieved a relatively large atomization rate of several hundred cc / hour.

However, recently, an ultrasonic atomizer with a small electric power of 5 W or less and a small atomization amount, which is suitable for battery driving, is an inhaler for inhaling a drug solution into the throat, trachea, lungs, etc. It has come to be required for such purposes.

FIG. 5 shows an ultrasonic atomizer previously proposed by the applicant of the present invention for applications such as the above-mentioned inhaler. The main surface 22 A of the disk-shaped piezoelectric ceramic 21 is shown in FIG. Also, the piezoelectric vibrator 24 is formed on the atomizing surface 29 (the surface on which the electrode is formed on the main surface) side of the piezoelectric vibrator 24 in which the electrodes 31 and 32 are formed on the facing surface 22B that is the opposite surface of the main surface. A disk-shaped perforated or net-like thin plate 27 having a diameter substantially the same as that of the piezoelectric vibrator 24 is placed on the upper and lower sides of the peripheral portion of the piezoelectric vibrator 24 and surrounded by elastic annular supports 25 to be held integrally with the perforated or net-like thin plate 27. A liquid supply means (a liquid absorption zone such as felt or glass fiber or a liquid supply pipe) 28 is arranged on the atomizing surface 29 to suck up (or drop) an appropriate amount of liquid to be atomized. In this case, the mist of the piezoelectric vibrator 24 is so arranged that the liquid supplied (sucked up or dropped) by the liquid supply means 28 can spread on the atomizing surface 29 of the piezoelectric vibrator 24 by the capillary phenomenon. A minute gap is provided between the chemical conversion surface 29 and the lower surface of the porous or net-like thin plate 27, and the minute gap has a slight play with respect to the piezoelectric vibrator 24 so that the porous or net-like thin plate 27 is elastically ring-shaped. This is realized by holding the support 25. A large number of minute through holes 26 having a hole diameter of about 10 μm to 100 μm are formed on the porous or mesh thin plate 27.

The electrode 31 on the atomizing surface side has a folded electrode portion 31A extending to the peripheral portion of the opposite surface 22B on the opposite side, and has a high frequency for driving the piezoelectric vibrator 24. The power supply 35 is connected to the electrode 31 by attaching a lead wire to the folded electrode portion 31A, and the high frequency power supply 35 is connected to the electrode 32 by soldering another lead wire to the electrode 32. Attach it, etc.

In the above configuration, the piezoelectric vibrator 24 is connected to the high frequency power source 35 to cause ultrasonic vibration due to resonance in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric porcelain 21, and the liquid supply means 28 is provided on the piezoelectric vibrator 24. When the liquid is supplied, the liquid spreads by entering into a minute gap between the atomizing surface 29 of the piezoelectric vibrator 24 and the lower surface of the porous or mesh thin plate 27 by the capillary phenomenon, and spreads. Micro liquid columns are formed by entering the micro through holes 26, and the tip portions of the many micro liquid columns are emitted into the air as atomized particles by ultrasonic vibration of the piezoelectric vibrator 24 in the thickness direction.

[0007]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 By the way, when water is atomized by the ultrasonic atomizer shown in FIG. 5, which has been previously proposed by the applicant, water stains adhere to the porous or mesh thin plate 27 and stain it. Then, stable atomization cannot be performed. Further, if the gap between the piezoelectric vibrator 24 and the porous or net-like thin plate 27 becomes excessively large due to deformation (unnecessary bending, undulation, etc.) of the porous or net-like thin plate 27 over time, the piezoelectric vibrator 24 and the porous or net-like thin plate 27 may become excessive. There was a problem that stable atomization could not be achieved due to too much water between the mesh plates.

In view of the above points, the present invention has solved the problem of stains and deformation of the porous or mesh thin plate with time use by adopting a structure that facilitates replacement and cleaning of the porous or mesh thin plate. It is intended to provide an ultrasonic atomizer.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic atomizer of the present invention is a thin plate holder that integrates a piezoelectric vibrator, a vibrator support that holds the periphery of the piezoelectric vibrator, and a porous or mesh thin plate. The thin plate holder is detachably fitted to the vibrator support so that at least a part of the multi-hole or mesh thin plate faces the atomizing surface of the piezoelectric vibrator with a minute gap. It is configured.

[0010]

[Action]

 In the ultrasonic atomizer of the present invention, since the thin plate holder integrated with the porous or mesh thin plates can be attached / detached to / from the vibrator support with one touch, the exchange of the porous or mesh thin plates (thin plate holder It is easy to replace the thin plate. Also, the porous or mesh thin plate can be cleaned with the porous or mesh thin plate removed from the piezoelectric vibrator side, which facilitates cleaning. Furthermore, during manufacturing and assembly, the piezoelectric vibrator side and the thin plate side are manufactured and assembled separately, and then the thin plate holder with the porous or mesh thin plate integrated with the vibrator support that has the piezoelectric vibrator is fitted with one touch. All that is required is that it is easy to manufacture and assemble.

[0011]

【Example】

 Embodiments of an ultrasonic atomizer according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a disk-shaped piezoelectric ceramic, and an atomization operation side electrode 3A is provided on the main surface 2A, and a counter electrode 2B is provided on the opposite surface 2B opposite to the main surface 2A. The piezoelectric vibrators 4 are formed by plating 3B, respectively. The elastic annular support 5 made of rubber or the like has a vibrator arrangement groove 6 on the inner peripheral side in order to hold the peripheral edge of the piezoelectric vibrator 4. Then, the piezoelectric vibrator 4 is fixed in the vibrator disposing groove 6 by press fitting or the like (using an adhesive as necessary). Here, in order to prevent an electrical short circuit between the electrodes 3A and 3B due to the liquid, the inner peripheral surface of the vibrator arrangement groove 6 is watertightly adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the piezoelectric vibrator 4.

On the other hand, one end of a porous or reticulated thin plate 12 is bonded and fixed to an upper end convex portion 11 formed on a resin (or metal) annular case 10 as a thin plate holder by an adhesive agent or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, both ends of the surface of the upper end convex portion 11 on which the porous or net-like thin plate 12 is mounted are ribs 13 for controlling the positions of both side edges of the porous or net-like thin plate 12. The porous or reticulated thin plate 12 is made of stainless steel or the like and has a wall thickness of several tens of μm, and a large number of minute through holes formed therein have a diameter of several μm to several tens of μm. Further, a holding portion 15 having a groove for holding the external connection electrode body 14 is integrally formed on the outer peripheral surface of the annular case 10, and the external connection electrode body 14 is inserted into the groove of the holding portion 15. It is fixed. The external connection electrode body 14 is a bent structure of an elastic metal plate such as phosphor bronze. When the annular case is attached, the tip of the electrode body 14 contacts the atomizing surface side electrode 3A of the piezoelectric vibrator 4, and the rear end portion thereof is the case. It extends to the back side.

External connection electrode bodies 17A, 17B are inserted and fixed in the resin back cover 16, and the tip ends of the external connection electrode bodies 17A, 17B come into contact with the counter electrode 3B of the piezoelectric vibrator 4, and the rear end The portion extends to the back side of the back cover 16. The external connection electrode bodies 17A and 17B are also bent structures of an elastic metal plate such as phosphor bronze.

Then, an annular case 10 in which the porous or mesh thin plate 12 and the external connection electrode body 14 are integrated is detachably fitted and attached around the elastic annular support 5 to which the piezoelectric vibrator 4 is attached, Further, the back cover 16 to which the external connection electrode bodies 17A and 17B are fixed is detachably fitted from the back side of the annular case 10. A locking rib 19 is formed on the inner edge of the back side opening of the annular case 10.

As described above, when the annular case 10 and the back cover 16 are attached, the tip portion of the porous or reticulated thin plate 12 contacts the atomizing surface 9 of the piezoelectric vibrator 4, and fog is generated around the contact portion. A region facing the atomizing surface 9 with a minute gap is formed (it may be statically in contact with the atomizing surface 9 or even when a minute gap occurs during ultrasonic vibration of the piezoelectric vibrator 4). ), The external connection electrode body 14 contacts the atomizing action surface side electrode 3A, and the external connection electrode bodies 17A and 17B contact the counter electrode 3B.

Therefore, a liquid such as water to be atomized by the liquid supplying means (a liquid absorbing zone such as felt or glass fiber or a liquid supplying pipe) 28 is used for the atomizing action surface 9 of the porous or mesh thin plate 12 and the piezoelectric vibrator 4. If a high frequency power from a high frequency power supply is supplied between the external connection electrode body 14 and 17A, 17B while supplying an appropriate amount between them, the liquid supplied by the liquid supply means 28 will be supplied to the atomizing surface 9 and the porous surface. It spreads in the minute gaps of the net-like thin plate 12 by capillarity, enters into each minute through-hole of the porous or net-like thin plate 12, and is atomized into fine particles by ultrasonic vibration due to resonance of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 in the thickness direction. .. Here, when the outer diameter of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 is 20 mm, the output frequency of the high frequency power source is about 2.4 MHz.

In the above examples, when water scale or the like adheres to the porous or reticulated thin plate 12 due to use over time, or when the porous or reticulated thin plate 12 is deformed to cause a problem in atomization operation, the elastic annular support By removing the annular case 10 that was detachably fitted around 5 and replacing it with the annular case 10 that integrates the new porous or mesh thin plate 12, the trouble of atomization operation can be easily eliminated. You can Further, the cleaning work of the porous or mesh thin plate 12 can be easily carried out by removing the annular case 10 in which the porous or mesh thin plate 12 is integrated.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the porous or mesh thin plate 12 and the annular case 10A are integrally formed by resin integral molding (simultaneous molding). Therefore, the attachment work such as adhesion of the porous or mesh thin plate 12 is not necessary, and the structure is suitable for mass production. Other structural parts are similar to those of the embodiment shown in FIGS.

[0020]

[Effect of the device]

 As described above, according to the ultrasonic atomizer of the present invention, the thin plate holder in which the porous or reticulated thin plates are integrated is detachably fitted to the vibrator support, and the porous or reticulated thin plate Since at least a part of the structure is made to face the atomizing surface of the piezoelectric vibrator with a minute gap, the following effects can be obtained. (1) If water stains adhere to the porous or reticulated thin plate with use over time, or if the porous or reticulated thin plate undergoes unnecessary deformation (bending, waviness, etc.), the porous or reticulated thin plate becomes integrated. By replacing the existing thin plate holder with one touch, you can easily eliminate the problem of atomization operation. (2) Cleaning of perforated or mesh thin plates can be easily performed by removing the thin plate holder with one touch. (3) The support portion of the piezoelectric vibrator and the support portion of the porous or mesh thin plate can be separately assembled and then combined with each other to form a finished product, which is easy to manufacture and assemble.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic atomizer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same side.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front cross-sectional view showing an ultrasonic atomizer previously proposed by the present applicant.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Disc Piezoelectric Ceramics 3A, 3B Electrodes 4 Piezoelectric Vibrator 5 Elastic Annular Support 9 Atomizing Action Surface 10, 10A Annular Case 12 Perforated or Netted Thin Plates 14, 17A, 17B External Connection Electrode 16 Back

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A piezoelectric vibrator, a vibrator support for holding a peripheral edge of the piezoelectric vibrator, and a thin plate holder integrally formed with a porous or mesh thin plate, wherein the thin plate holder is the vibrator support. An ultrasonic atomizer characterized in that at least a part of the porous or mesh thin plate is made to face the atomizing action surface of the piezoelectric vibrator with a minute gap by being detachably fitted to the piezoelectric vibrator. 2. The ultrasonic atomizer according to claim 1, wherein a part of the porous or mesh thin plate is inclined with respect to the atomizing surface. 3. The ultrasonic atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the perforated or mesh thin plate is fixed to the thin plate holder only at one end.