KR101962430B1 - Ultrasonic cleaning stattion using dual frequency - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic cleaning device using dual frequency, and more specifically, to an ultrasonic cleaning device using dual frequency, which prevents a standing-wave phenomenon, cleans various objects to be cleaned, performs cleaning with improved efficiency, and improves user convenience.

Description

[0001] ULTRASONIC CLEANING STATUS USING DUAL FREQUENCY [0002]

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus using dual frequencies, and more particularly, to an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus using a dual frequency, which is capable of preventing a standing wave phenomenon, cleaning various items to be cleaned, performing cleaning with higher efficiency, And more particularly, to an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus using frequency.

Generally, washing work such as fruit or tableware has been performed manually by housewives. Recently, however, a dishwasher for automatically cleaning fruit or tableware has been developed and used.

Such dishwasher washing methods can be classified into two types.

First, there is a nozzle spray type cleaning method in which the cleaning water is injected at a high pressure through a nozzle, and the second is a cleaning method in which a dish is called a water inside the washer, as in "Korea Patent Publication No. 2006-0024752 And an ultrasonic wave generator that generates ultrasonic waves to attach the ultrasonic waves to the surface of the fruit or the surface of the fruit.

The above ultrasonic cleaning method minimizes the damage such as breakage or surface breakage when cleaning materials such as vegetables and fruits which are thin or hard, and in the case of materials such as tableware, There is an advantage that it can be washed to the same place.

As for the cleaning method using the ultrasonic waves, the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus (registration No. 20-0486983, registration dated 2018.7.17), ultrasonic washing machine (registration No. 20-0486982, registration dated 2018.7.17), and ultrasonic washing machine Registration No. 10-1761344, July 17, 2019) discloses improved forms of an ultrasonic cleaner.

When an ultrasonic wave is generated in water, micro bubbles are generated by vibration of a sound wave and then disappear, which is called cavitation.

When microbubbles are repeatedly produced and destroyed by the cavitation phenomenon, very high pressure and high temperature are accompanied. If the object to be washed is contained in the water, the contaminants attached to the surface of the object to be washed are removed by the high- In the patent of the ultrasonic cleaner filed by the applicant of the present invention, the apparatus for cleaning the contaminants using the above principle is an ultrasonic cleaner.

As the frequency of the ultrasonic waves applied to the washing liquid increases, the linearity of the ultrasonic waves increases and the penetration power increases. However, since the size of the generated bubbles becomes finer, the strength of cavitation becomes weak. Therefore, in the case of the object to be cleaned which has a fine shape and requires precise cleaning, the use of high frequency is advantageous for improving the cleaning efficiency.

On the other hand, as the frequency of the ultrasonic wave applied to the cleaning liquid is lowered, the size of the generated bubbles becomes larger and the cavitation strength becomes stronger. However, there is a problem that the penetrating force is weakened and there is a rectangular region in which the ultrasonic waves do not reach.

In addition, there is a problem that the standing wave phenomenon occurs due to the ultrasonic wave continuously generated in the ultrasonic washing machine, and thus the overall washing force is deteriorated. Also, the resonance frequency, which can provide the optimum efficiency according to the change of the physical environment in the ultrasonic washing machine, There is a problem that the cleaning efficiency is decreased according to the change of the environment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus using dual frequency that can prevent standing waves, clean various items to be cleaned, perform cleaning with higher efficiency, and improved user convenience.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic cleaner comprising: a first oscillator for generating a first oscillation signal for oscillating a transducer and applying the first oscillation signal to the transducer; And a second oscillator unit for generating a second oscillation signal for oscillating the transducer and applying the second oscillation signal to the transducer; A first transducer including at least one transducer for generating a vibration in response to a first oscillation signal received from the oscillator; And a second transducer including at least one transducer for generating a vibration in response to a second oscillation signal received from the oscillator; And a control unit for controlling the elements including the oscillator unit, wherein the first oscillation signal includes an electrical signal of a first frequency band, and the second oscillation signal includes a second frequency, different from the first frequency band, Wherein the ultrasonic cleaner includes an ultrasonic cleaner and an ultrasonic cleaner.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the control unit independently controls the frequency of the first oscillation signal of the first oscillator unit based on a signal received from the transducer of the first transducer unit, And an oscillator control unit for controlling the frequency of the second oscillation signal of the second oscillator unit based on a signal received from the transducer of the dougher unit.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the oscillator control unit includes: a first step of varying a frequency of a current input to the transducer in a first range according to a predetermined interval; And a second step of updating the driving frequency at a frequency at which the output of the transducer meets predetermined conditions, and the first oscillation signal or the second oscillation signal may be generated at the driving frequency.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the oscillator control unit further includes a third step of, after the second step, varying a frequency of a current input to the transducer in a second range around a previous drive frequency according to a predetermined interval ; And a fourth step of updating the driving frequency at a frequency at which the output of the transducer meets predetermined conditions.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the oscillator control unit performs the first step after the fourth step if the change of the environment inside the ultrasonic cleaner or the fluctuation of the driving state of the ultrasonic cleaner is sensed, If the change in the internal environment of the washer or the change in the driving state of the ultrasonic cleaner is not sensed, the third step may be performed after the fourth step.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the transducer of the first transducer portion is disposed on the inner bottom surface, the inner side surface, the inner front surface, and the inner rear surface of the ultrasonic cleaner, and the transducer of the second transducer portion Wherein the direction of the vibration applied by the transducer of the first transducer portion is different from the direction of the vibration exerted by the transducer of the second transducer on the other of the inner bottom surface, the inner side surface, the inner front surface and the inner rear surface of the ultrasonic cleaner The direction may not be parallel.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the ultrasonic cleaner includes a communication module capable of wirelessly communicating with the user terminal, and the control unit transmits information on the operation state of the ultrasonic cleaner to the user terminal, And a use natural part for controlling the operation of the ultrasonic cleaner based on the information received from the user terminal.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the ultrasonic cleaner includes a communication module capable of wirelessly communicating with a user terminal, and the control unit transmits information on an abnormal state of the ultrasonic cleaner to the user terminal, Management nature eastern;

According to an embodiment of the present invention, cleaning to remove various particles by ultrasonic cleaning by a plurality of frequencies can be performed.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to exhibit a high cleaning power while drastically reducing noise due to the operation of the ultrasonic cleaner.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the generation of standing waves in the ultrasonic cleaner can be minimized, thereby enhancing the cleaning force.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to exhibit an effect of uniformly performing cleaning in the inner space of the ultrasonic cleaner.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the effect of enhancing the cleaning force inside the ultrasonic cleaner can be exerted by maximizing the output of the transducer.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide the user who uses the ultrasonic cleaner more convenient.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the user who manages the ultrasonic cleaner can be provided with more convenient usability.

1 shows an ultrasonic cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention in its entirety
2 schematically shows a bottom surface of an ultrasonic cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 schematically illustrates an internal electronic configuration of an ultrasonic cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 schematically illustrates the arrangement of a transducer according to some embodiments of the present invention.
5 schematically illustrates operation of the oscillator control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 conceptually illustrates the search of the operating frequency of the oscillator controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 shows experimental results according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 schematically illustrates the arrangement of transducers in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 9 shows examples of display screens of an application executed in a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 shows examples of display screens of an application executed in a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the following, various embodiments and / or aspects are now described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more aspects. However, it will also be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that such aspect (s) may be practiced without these specific details. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of one or more aspects. It is to be understood, however, that such aspects are illustrative and that some of the various ways of practicing various aspects of the principles of various aspects may be utilized, and that the description set forth is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents.

In addition, various aspects and features will be presented by a system that may include multiple devices, components and / or modules, and so forth. It should be understood that the various systems may include additional devices, components and / or modules, etc., and / or may not include all of the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in connection with the drawings Must be understood and understood.

As used herein, the terms "an embodiment," "an embodiment," " an embodiment, "" an embodiment ", etc. are intended to indicate that any aspect or design described is better or worse than other aspects or designs. . The terms 'component', 'module', 'system', 'interface', etc. used in the following generally refer to a computer-related entity, And a combination of software and software.

It is also to be understood that the term " comprises "and / or" comprising " means that the feature and / or component is present, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, components and / It should be understood that it does not.

Also, terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various elements, but the elements are not limited to these terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as a first component. And / or < / RTI > includes any combination of a plurality of related listed items or any of a plurality of related listed items.

Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, unless otherwise defined, are intended to be inclusive in a manner that is generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Have the same meaning. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries are to be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the contextual meaning of the related art and, unless explicitly defined in the embodiments of the present invention, are intended to mean ideal or overly formal .

1 shows an ultrasonic washing machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention in its entirety.

1, the ultrasonic cleaner 10 includes a body case 11 capable of receiving an object to be cleaned therein, at least one wheel 13 capable of moving the body case 11, And a control panel 400 for allowing the user to input an operation command to the ultrasonic cleaner 10 and confirm the operation state of the ultrasonic cleaner 10.

 The user moves the ultrasonic cleaner 10 to a desired position via the wheel 13 and then changes the height of the support 12 so that the ultrasonic cleaner 10 is fixed to the floor by the support 12 , And then the ultrasonic cleaner 10 is operated. This is to prevent the ultrasonic cleaner 10 from unintentionally moving or shaking due to the vibration generated in the ultrasonic cleaner 10.

The ultrasonic cleaner 10 includes an oscillator unit 100 and a transducer vibrating by the oscillator unit 100. The transducer may be composed of a piezoelectric element or the like.

The user can set the ON / OFF state of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 and the operation mode of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 by operating the control panel 400 of the ultrasonic cleaner 10.

2 schematically shows a bottom surface of an ultrasonic cleaner 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of transducers are disposed on the inner bottom surface of the ultrasonic cleaner 10. One surface of the transducer is directly or indirectly contacted with the inner space of the ultrasonic cleaner 10. For example, when the wash water is housed in the ultrasonic washer 10 together with water, one side of the transducer may contact the mixture of wash water and water directly or indirectly (through the intermediate member).

FIG. 3 schematically shows an internal electronic configuration of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic cleaner 10 includes an oscillator unit 100; A control unit 300; A communication module 500; A control panel 400; A first transducer 210; And a second transducer (220). Other embodiments of the present invention may include elements other than the components shown in FIG. 3, and are not limited to two transducer sections as shown in FIG. 3, Embodiments that include the transducer portions described above may also be included in other embodiments of the present invention.

The oscillator unit 100 includes a first oscillator unit 110 for generating a first oscillation signal for oscillating the transducer and applying the first oscillation signal to the transducer; And a second oscillator unit 120 for generating a second oscillation signal for oscillating the transducer and applying the second oscillation signal to the transducer.

The first oscillator unit 110 and the second oscillator unit 120 may be independently controlled and operated by the controller 300. The first oscillator unit 110 and the second oscillator unit 120 generate an oscillating electric signal such as a sinusoidal wave that oscillates the transducer. The magnitude and frequency of the electric signal generated in the first oscillator unit 110 and the second oscillator unit 120 may be controlled by the controller 300. [ The frequency may correspond to a frequency of a current or voltage of the electric signal output from the first oscillator unit 110 or the second oscillator unit 120. [ The first oscillator unit 110 and the second oscillator unit 120 may each include a VCO oscillation circuit capable of varying an oscillation frequency.

The first transducer 210 generates vibration according to a first oscillation signal received from the oscillator and the second transducer 220 oscillates according to a second oscillation signal received from the oscillator .

Specifically, the first transducer 210 receives an electric signal or power from the first oscillator 110, and the second transducer 220 receives an electric signal or power from the second oscillator Receive.

Each of the first transducer 210 and the second transducer 220 includes at least one transducer, and preferably includes a plurality of transducers. Wherein the first oscillation signal includes an electrical signal in a first frequency band and the second oscillation signal includes an electrical signal in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, Vibrations of two or more different frequency bands can be transmitted.

With this configuration, it is possible to carry out uniform cleaning of cleaning products having particles of various sizes, and also to solve the problem of cleaning by single ultrasonic waves such as standing wave development.

Meanwhile, although the transducer of the first transducer unit 210 and the transducer of the second transducer unit 220 have frequency bands capable of generating good vibration, The resonance frequency point may vary depending on the state and characteristics of each of the transducers and the state inside the ultrasonic cleaner 10.

Specifically, each of the transducers transmits vibration to the fluid in a state of being directly or indirectly in contact with a fluid (for example, a washing liquid) disposed in the inner space of the ultrasonic cleaner 10. When the state of the inside of the ultrasonic cleaner 10, for example, the weight of the fluid fluctuates or the physical form of the cleaning material fluctuates in a state of continuously contacting the fluid, the transducers may generate the maximum output The resonance frequency of the resonator becomes finely fluctuated.

The control unit 300 controls components including the oscillator unit 100. Specifically, the control unit 300 controls the operation of the first oscillator unit 110 and the second oscillator unit 120 in a direction in which the transducers can generate the maximum output.

The controller 300 includes a cleaner controller 310 for controlling the operation of the oscillator 100 to control the overall cleaning mode. A control panel controller 320 for controlling input / output of the control panel 400; And a mobile interworking unit 330 that provides an interworking function with a user terminal such as a smart phone or a tablet.

The cleaning control unit 310 includes a mode setting unit 311 for setting a mode for at least one of the intensity, waveform, and frequency of the power output from the oscillator unit 100. The user can select the bubble mode, the vegetable mode, the auto mode, the turbo mode, and the like through the control panel 400 or the user terminal, and the mode setting unit 311 can set the mode of the oscillator unit 100 Sets the overall mode of the output power.

The oscillator controller 312 controls the first oscillator unit 110 and the second oscillator unit 120 to output the highest efficiency in a selected mode or a normal use state to prevent a standing wave shape and minimize noise And perform fine tuning of the frequency.

The mobile interlocking unit 330 may include a use nature unit 331 for allowing a user terminal to interface with the control unit 300 by executing an application from a user's location of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 10; And a control unit 332 for allowing the user terminal to interface with the control unit 300 by executing the application from the manager position of the ultrasonic cleaner 10.

The ultrasonic cleaner 10 includes a communication module 500 capable of wirelessly communicating with a user terminal and is connected to the use natural part 331 and the management natural operation part 332 through the communication module 500. [ Lt; / RTI >

The use natural movement unit 331 transmits information on the operation state of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 to the user terminal and controls the operation of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 based on the information received from the user terminal.

The control unit 332 may transmit information about an abnormal state of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 to the user terminal.

Figure 4 schematically illustrates the arrangement of a transducer according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Preferably, the first transducer 210 and the second transducer 220 each include two or more transducers.

FIG. 4 illustrates various embodiments in which the transducer is disposed in a state in which the internal space of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 in which the cleaning liquid and the cleaning liquid are accommodated is expanded.

4, the inner space of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 can be divided into an inner bottom surface 11.1, an inner left surface 11.5, an inner right surface 11.3, an inner front surface 11.4, and an inner rear surface 11.2. have.

4 (A) shows a first transducer 210 including transducers operating in a first frequency band on the inner bottom surface 11.1 and a second transducer 210 including transducers operating in a second frequency band. A duo part 220 is disposed.

4B shows a first transducer 210 including transducers operating in a first frequency band on the inner bottom surface 11.1 and a transducer 210 operating on the inner rear surface in the second frequency band. A second transducer portion 220 is disposed.

4C shows a first transducer 210 with transducers operating in a first frequency band and an inner left side 11.5 and an inner right side 11.3 on the inner bottom 11.1, A second transducer 220 is disposed which includes transducers operating in a second frequency band.

4D shows a first transducer 210 including transducers operating in a first frequency band and a second transducer including transducers operating in a second frequency band on the inner rear surface 11.2. The western part 220 is disposed.

Preferably, the transducer of the first transducer 210 is disposed on one of the inner bottom surface 11.1, the inner side surface, the inner front surface, and the inner rear surface of the ultrasonic cleaner 10, A transducer of the transducer unit 220 is disposed on the other of the inner bottom surface 11.1, the inner side surface, the inner front surface, and the inner rear surface of the ultrasonic cleaner 10.

Thus, when vibration is applied to the cleaning object at two or more different angles, the cleaning of the cleaning object can be performed more evenly.

4 (B) and 4 (C), the direction of the vibration applied by the transducer of the first transducer unit 210 is preferably the direction of the vibration applied by the transducer of the second transducer Are not parallel. That is, by arranging the directions of vibration so as to be orthogonal to each other, more uniform vibration can be penetrated. Also, according to this arrangement, the standing wave phenomenon can be further reduced and the cleaning efficiency can be increased.

The transducer of the first transducer 210 and the transducer of the second transducer 220 may be part of the inner bottom surface 11.1 of the ultrasonic cleaner 10, The transducer of the first transducer section 210 and the transducer of the second transducer section 220 are disposed on either the inner side 11.3 or 11.5, the inner side 11.4, and the inner side 11.2, The transducer of the second transducer 220 is connected to the inner bottom surface 11.1, the inner side surface 11.3 or 11.5, the inner front surface 11.4, and the inner rear surface 11.4 of the ultrasonic cleaner 10, 11.2).

5 schematically illustrates operation of the oscillator controller 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The oscillator control unit 300 independently controls the frequency of the first oscillation signal of the first oscillator unit 110 based on a signal received from the transducer of the first transducer unit 210, And controls the frequency of the second oscillation signal of the second oscillator unit 120 based on the signal received from the transducer of the second transducer unit 220.

That is, the oscillator unit 100 includes a first oscillator unit 110 for supplying a power or an electric signal to the first transducer unit 210 and a second oscillator unit 110 for supplying a power or an electric signal to the second transducer unit 220 And the second oscillator unit 120 controls the first oscillator unit 110 and the second oscillator unit 120 independently.

Hereinafter, the step of independently controlling the first oscillator unit 110 or the second oscillator unit 120 by the oscillator controller 300 will be described.

In step S10, the oscillator control unit 300 varies the frequency of the current input to the transducer in the first range with respect to the first oscillator unit 110 or the second oscillator unit.

Preferably, the transducer of the first transducer 210 corresponds to a transducer operating in the 28 kHz frequency band, and the transducer of the second transducer 220 corresponds to a transducer operating in the 40 kHz frequency band. .

The first range may be different depending on the transducer portion. For example, when the oscillator to be controlled by the oscillator controller 300 is a transducer composed of a transducer having a frequency band of 28 kHz, the oscillator controller 300 may correspond to a predetermined range around the 28 kHz, If the oscillator to be controlled is a transducer composed of a transducer having a frequency band of 40 Hz, it may be within a predetermined range centered on the 40 kHz.

As described above, each transducer has a frequency that can produce the highest efficiency or the highest output in the corresponding operating frequency band. However, when the transducer is directly or indirectly in contact with the cleaning liquid or the like, the frequency at which the highest efficiency or the highest output can be finely changed is finely changed.

In step S10, the frequencies of the oscillation signals of the first oscillator unit 110 and / or the second oscillator unit 120 are varied at predetermined time intervals at predetermined frequency intervals to find the corresponding highest frequency at the present time.

Preferably, in step S10, the frequency of the oscillation signal is varied from 100 times to 400 times per second.

In step S11, the output of the transducer updates the driving frequency to a frequency that meets predetermined conditions.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the first transducer unit 210 and the second transducer unit 220 transmits an output signal to the control unit 300. The first transducer unit 210 and the second transducer unit 220 may transmit the power consumption or the output amount of all or one or more transducers to the control unit 300 in real time .

Thereafter, the oscillator controller 300 updates the frequency when the output of the received transducer meets predetermined conditions to the driving frequency.

Preferably, the predetermined condition may be whether or not the output of the frequency variable transducer at step S10 is at its maximum and / or whether the output of the transducer is at or above a predetermined value.

By performing the fine frequency adjustment of the optimum efficiency at the initial starting point in the step S11, the ultrasonic cleaner 10 can be more efficiently driven.

In step S12, the first oscillator unit 110 applies a driving power or an electrical signal to the first transducer unit 210 at an updated driving frequency for a preset time.

The inventor of the present invention derives a fine frequency value of the maximum operating efficiency of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 and continuously maintains the frequency of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 when the operating noise is increased or the washing efficiency is reduced due to standing waves Respectively. It was also found that the optimum frequency may fluctuate due to changes in the inside of the washing water.

Therefore, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, steps S13, S14, and S15 are additionally performed.

In step S13, the oscillator controller 300 controls the frequency of the current input to the transducer in the second range around the driving frequency updated in step S11 for the first oscillator 110 or the second oscillator, do.

For example, when the transducer to be controlled has a frequency band of 28 kHz, the first range corresponds to 25 kHz to 31 kHz, and in S11, the drive frequency is updated to 27.0 kHz.

Thereafter, the second range may range from 26.0 kHz to 28.0 kHz, which is an error range of a predetermined range, for example, 1 kHz based on 27.0 kHz. Preferably, the interval size of the second range (2 kHz in the case above) is set smaller than the interval size of the first range (6 kHz in the case above).

The second range is determined by the previously updated drive frequency.

As described above, each transducer has a frequency that can produce the highest efficiency or the highest output in the corresponding operating frequency band. However, when the transducer is directly or indirectly in contact with the cleaning liquid or the like, the frequency at which the highest efficiency or the highest output can be finely changed is finely changed.

Also, in the case of maintaining the frequency at the highest frequency, the use of a plurality of transducers may cause a standing wave phenomenon, which may considerably reduce the cleaning efficiency of some areas. In addition, when the frequency is continuously maintained, the vibration may overlap and noise may be generated.

In order to prevent such a phenomenon in the present invention, after setting the driving frequency primarily by the step S11, the frequency value is finely varied around the driving frequency as in the steps S13 and S14.

Preferably, the frequency of the oscillation signal is varied at intervals of 100 to 400 times per second in step S12.

In step S13, the output of the transducer updates the driving frequency to a frequency that meets predetermined conditions.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the first transducer unit 210 and the second transducer unit 220 transmits an output signal to the control unit 300. The first transducer unit 210 and the second transducer unit 220 may transmit the power consumption or the output amount of all or one or more transducers to the control unit 300 in real time .

In step S14, the oscillator controller 300 updates the frequency at which the output of the received transducer corresponds to a predetermined condition to the driving frequency.

Preferably, the preset condition may be whether or not the output of the frequency variable transducer at step S12 is at its maximum and / or whether the output of the transducer is at or above a predetermined value.

More preferably, the predetermined condition is that the difference from the previous drive frequency is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and at the same time, the output of the transducer reaches a preset condition (for example, Of the frequency that is equal to or less than a predetermined value).

By the step S13, the standing wave phenomenon is prevented from being centered on the driving frequency set in step S11, and the ultrasonic washing machine 10 is driven more efficiently by adjusting the fine frequency of the optimum efficiency at the initial starting point .

Thereafter, in step S15, the oscillator unit 100 applies a current of a driving frequency to the transducer.

That is, the oscillator control unit 300,

A first step of varying a frequency of a current input to the transducer in a first range according to a predetermined interval; And a second step of updating the driving frequency at a frequency at which the output of the transducer meets predetermined conditions, and the first oscillation signal or the second oscillation signal is generated at the driving frequency.

Then, the oscillator controller 300 varies the frequency of the current input to the transducer in the second range around the previous driving frequency according to a predetermined interval after the second step. And a fourth step of updating the driving frequency at a frequency at which the output of the transducer meets predetermined conditions.

After the step S15, when the oscillator control unit 300 senses the change of the environment inside the ultrasonic cleaner 10 or the fluctuation of the driving state of the ultrasonic cleaner 10, the first step is performed after the fourth step do.

For example, the ultrasonic cleaner 10 may be provided with various changes in environment such as temperature of the internal space of the ultrasonic cleaner 10, the level of the cleaning liquid, changes in the amount of the cleaning liquid input and output, the weight of the cleaning liquid and the cleaning liquid, Or sensing the ON / OFF of the ultrasonic cleaner 10, the change of the operation mode, and the like, the drive frequency search is performed again from step S10.

On the other hand, when the above change is not sensed, that is, when the ultrasonic cleaner 10 operates under the same or similar conditions, steps S13 to S15 are repeatedly performed.

FIG. 6 conceptually illustrates the search of the operating frequency of the oscillator controller 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6A, steps S10 and S11 are performed, and the point at which the output of the transducer is at its maximum is updated to the first operating frequency, i.e., the driving frequency.

Thereafter, the steps S12 and S13 are performed in FIG. 6 (B). In this case, the second range corresponding to the frequency search range corresponds to a predetermined error range centered on the first operation frequency. After confirming that the maximum output occurs at the second operating frequency, which is a frequency different from the first operating frequency, as shown in FIG. 6B, the second operating frequency is updated to the driving frequency.

Thereafter, the steps S12 and S13 are performed again in FIG. 6 (C). In this case, the second range corresponding to the frequency search range corresponds to a predetermined error range centered on the second operation frequency. After confirming that the maximum output occurs at the third operating frequency, which is a frequency different from the second operating frequency, as shown in Fig. 6B, the third operating frequency is updated to the driving frequency.

As described above, in the present invention, the frequency of the power source applied to each transducer changes during the frequency search and is applied to the transducer for a predetermined time (this time may be very short or absent) at the changed frequency, The frequency search continuously changes the frequency of the power source applied to each transducer.

As a result, the transducer can achieve the effect of preventing the standing wave phenomenon and solving the noise problem while maintaining the maximum output.

7 shows experimental results according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a photograph of a result of performing a foil test in one direction at the same frequency by transducers in one frequency band. FIG. As shown in FIG. 7 (A), it can be confirmed that cavitation does not occur in some areas due to standing wave phenomenon or the like.

FIG. 7B is a photograph of a result of performing a foil test while varying the frequency according to the operation of the oscillator sub-controller 312 described above with transducers of two frequency bands. It can be confirmed that cavitation has occurred as a whole as shown in FIG. 7 (B).

7C is a photograph of a result of performing a foil test in which transducers of one frequency band are subjected to vibration in two directions (vertical and horizontal to the bottom surface) at the same frequency. As shown in FIG. 7C, it can be confirmed that cavitation does not occur in some areas due to standing wave phenomenon or the like.

7D shows a result of performing a foil test in two directions (vertical and horizontal) with transducers having two frequency bands while varying the frequency according to the operation of the oscillator sub- It is a photograph. It can be confirmed that cavitation has occurred as a whole as shown in FIG. 7 (D).

As shown in FIG. 7, when frequency is varied while using two frequency bands as in the preferred embodiments of the present invention (FIGS. 7B and 7D), more homogeneous cavitation can be induced Thereby making it possible to perform more homogeneous and strong washing.

Figure 8 schematically illustrates the arrangement of transducers in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

The inventor of the present invention has derived a rule that can significantly reduce noise in a specific arrangement in the process of arranging a plurality of transducers in various forms.

In order to uniformly transmit the cleaning force as a whole, it is preferable that the plurality of transducers are arranged so as to vibrate in directions orthogonal to each other, rather than being arranged so as to vibrate in one direction (see FIGS. 7B and 7D) )

However, it has been found that when the transducers are arranged orthogonally, the noise can be greatly reduced in a specific case, especially when the number of transducers is relatively small.

In the case where the surface of the inner space of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 is composed of the bottom surface, the left surface, the right surface, the rear surface, and the front surface as shown in FIG. 4, on the left surface, right surface, rear surface, Or the second oscillator).

8, a transducer connected to the same oscillator unit 100 (the first oscillator unit 110 or the second oscillator unit 120) is connected by a straight line.

For example, when less than 10 transducers are supplied with power by one oscillator unit 100 as shown in FIG. 8C, noise may be generated when the transducers are disposed on the rear side.

On the other hand, even if the transducer is disposed on the left side, right side, rear side, and front side as in FIGS. 8A and 8B (less than 10), ten or more transducers, together with other transducers, It is possible to prevent the noise from being connected to the unit 100.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show examples of display screens of an application executed in a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, the ultrasonic cleaner 10 includes a communication module 500 capable of wirelessly communicating with a user terminal, and the controller 300 controls the operation of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 (331) for transmitting information on the operation state and controlling the operation of the ultrasonic cleaner (10) based on the information received from the user terminal.

9 (A) shows a display screen of a smartphone terminal in a process of pairing the smartphone terminal and the ultrasonic cleaner 10.

After the pairing, the user confirms the current operating state of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 as shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C and FIGS. 10A to 10D, So that the operation of the ultrasonic cleaner 10 can be controlled.

In detail, the use natural movement unit 331 transmits operation information of the present ultrasonic cleaner 10 to the user terminal, and the application running on the user terminal displays operation information according to a predetermined method, Provides an interface for controlling the ultrasonic cleaner 10, and receives a user's input.

Then, the using natural-movement unit 331 controls the operation of the ultrasonic cleaner 10, specifically, the operation of the cleaning control unit 310 based on the input of the user.

Meanwhile, the control unit 300 includes a control unit 332 for transmitting information about an abnormal state of the ultrasonic cleaner to the user terminal.

The manager can pair or connect to the ultrasonic cleaner 10 in an administrator mode with his / her user terminal of the smartphone, and the ultrasonic cleaner can transmit information on the inclination of the cleaner itself, the oscillator, And the user terminal of the administrator can confirm the information through the application.

The apparatus described above may be implemented as a hardware component, a software component, and / or a combination of hardware components and software components. For example, the apparatus and components described in the embodiments may be implemented within a computer system, such as, for example, a processor, a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) , A programmable logic unit (PLU), a microprocessor, or any other device capable of executing and responding to instructions. The processing device may execute an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications running on the operating system. The processing device may also access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to execution of the software. For ease of understanding, the processing apparatus may be described as being used singly, but those skilled in the art will recognize that the processing apparatus may have a plurality of processing elements and / As shown in FIG. For example, the processing unit may comprise a plurality of processors or one processor and one controller. Other processing configurations are also possible, such as a parallel processor.

The software may include a computer program, code, instructions, or a combination of one or more of the foregoing, and may be configured to configure the processing device to operate as desired or to process it collectively or collectively Device can be commanded. The software and / or data may be in the form of any type of machine, component, physical device, virtual equipment, computer storage media, or device , Or may be permanently or temporarily embodied in a transmitted signal wave. The software may be distributed over a networked computing device and stored or executed in a distributed manner. The software and data may be stored on one or more computer readable recording media.

The method according to an embodiment may be implemented in the form of a program command that can be executed through various computer means and recorded in a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like, alone or in combination. The program instructions to be recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and configured for the embodiments or may be available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magnetic media such as floppy disks; Magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include machine language code such as those produced by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the embodiments, and vice versa.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. For example, it is to be understood that the techniques described may be performed in a different order than the described methods, and / or that components of the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, Lt; / RTI > or equivalents, even if it is replaced or replaced.

Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims are also within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (8)

As an ultrasonic cleaner,
A first oscillator unit for generating a first oscillation signal for oscillating the transducer and applying the first oscillation signal to the transducer; And a second oscillator unit for generating a second oscillation signal for oscillating the transducer and applying the second oscillation signal to the transducer;
A first transducer including at least one transducer for generating a vibration in response to a first oscillation signal received from the oscillator; And a second transducer including at least one transducer for generating a vibration in response to a second oscillation signal received from the oscillator; And
And a control unit for controlling a component including the oscillator unit,
Wherein the first oscillation signal includes an electrical signal in a first frequency band and the second oscillation signal includes an electrical signal in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, Vibrations of different frequency bands can be transmitted,
Wherein,
And controls the frequency of the first oscillation signal of the first oscillator unit based on a signal received from the transducer of the first transducer unit and controls the frequency of the first oscillator signal of the second transducer unit based on the signal received from the transducer of the second transducer unit, And an oscillator control unit for controlling the frequency of the second oscillation signal of the second oscillator unit,
Wherein the oscillator control unit includes: a first step of varying a frequency of a current input to the transducer in a first range according to a predetermined interval; And a second step of updating the driving frequency at a frequency at which the output of the transducer meets predetermined conditions, and wherein the first oscillation signal or the second oscillation signal is generated at the driving frequency,
A third step of varying a frequency of a current input to the transducer in a second range around the previous driving frequency according to a predetermined interval after the second step; And a fourth step of updating the driving frequency at a frequency at which the output of the transducer meets predetermined conditions.
delete delete delete The method according to claim 1,
The oscillator control unit includes:
Wherein the first step is performed after the fourth step if the change of the environment inside the ultrasonic cleaner or the fluctuation of the driving state of the ultrasonic cleaner is sensed,
Wherein the third step is performed after the fourth step if the change in the environment inside the ultrasonic cleaner or the fluctuation in the driving state of the ultrasonic cleaner is not sensed.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the transducer of the first transducer unit is disposed on one of an inner bottom surface, an inner side surface, an inner front surface, and an inner rear surface of the ultrasonic cleaner,
Wherein the transducer of the second transducer is disposed on the other of the inner bottom surface, the inner surface, the inner front surface, and the inner rear surface of the ultrasonic cleaner,
The direction of the vibration applied by the transducer of the first transducer portion is not parallel to the direction of the vibration applied by the transducer of the second transducer.
The method according to claim 1,
The ultrasonic cleaner includes a communication module capable of wirelessly communicating with a user terminal,
Wherein,
The ultrasonic cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic cleaner comprises: an ultrasonic cleaner having a plurality of ultrasonic cleaners;
The method according to claim 1,
The ultrasonic cleaner includes a communication module capable of wirelessly communicating with a user terminal,
Wherein,
And transmits information on an abnormal state of the ultrasonic cleaner to the user terminal.

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