KR102038961B1 - Shower apparatus using UV-LED - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a shower device using UV-LED, which is provided between a water supply pipe and a shower nozzle and receives water supplied from the water supply pipe and guides the water to the shower nozzle; And an ultraviolet irradiator for irradiating ultraviolet rays of different wavelengths to the water passing through the retention portion.

Description

Shower apparatus using UV-LED {Shower apparatus using UV-LED}

The present invention relates to a shower device, and more particularly, to a shower device configured to sterilize Legionella bacteria causing a respiratory disease by using a UV-LED (Light-Emitting Diode).

In general, the shower is provided at the end of the hose or water pipe connected from the water supply pipe is configured to spray water to the user.

The shower device as described above, in addition to the original function of spraying water to the user, the massage function to provide the effect of massage or acupressure by hitting the user's body part with strong water pressure, and to provide various functions such as antibacterial function. It is being developed.

In particular, recently, a shower device configured to sterilize or disinfect harmful components exposed to water through water when using a shower has been actively developed.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2015-0032044 discloses a shower configured to decompose chlorine or toxic organic substances added to tap water using a light emitting diode chip (LED) emitting ultraviolet rays.

In addition, Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2008-0093535 discloses a shower head for kitchen water, which is configured to sterilize germs harmful to a human body using a UV lamp that emits ultraviolet rays.

However, the above prior art document has only a structure of simply irradiating ultraviolet rays to the water sprayed from the shower nozzle, or has a simple structure of irradiating ultraviolet rays to the supply water flowing along the inside of the shower nozzle. Because of this, it is difficult to secure sufficient disinfecting ability for sterilization of microorganisms. In particular, it is not possible to ensure sufficient ultraviolet irradiation time for the sterilization of microorganisms while the feed water passes through the inside of the apparatus.

In general, tap water has chlorine residual that is responsible for disinfecting microorganisms. However, in the case of hot water pipes, residual chlorine in the water is volatilized, which is a very good environment for the growth of microorganisms. To date, the development of means and apparatus for effectively sterilizing Legionella bacteria, which are pathogenic bacteria transferred through hot water pipes, is very limited.

For reference, Legionella is the main cause of severe pneumonia infected with the respiratory tract. Therefore, if the immune system is exposed to a large number of people due to shower water in places where people with low immunity live, such as hospitals and nursing homes, There is a problem of spreading infectious diseases. Moreover, the Legionella bacteria grow easily in the biofilm of the hot water pipe, which increases the risk.

In a structure such as a shower device that instantaneously sprays water to a user, even when using ultraviolet light, it is difficult to secure ultraviolet irradiation time required to completely remove Legionella bacteria.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, before the water supplied to the user is sprayed in the shower nozzle so that the microorganisms in the water can be sufficiently exposed to the ultraviolet wavelength of various areas using the UV-LED An object of the present invention is to provide a shower device using UV-LED, which is configured to structure or sterilize Legionella causing a respiratory disease.

The present invention provides a shower device using UV-LED, which is provided between a water supply pipe and a shower nozzle and receives water supplied from the water supply pipe and guides the water to the shower nozzle; And an ultraviolet irradiator for irradiating ultraviolet rays having different wavelengths to the water passing through the retention portion.

In addition, the retention portion, the housing is provided with an inlet connected to the water supply pipe, and the outlet for guiding the water introduced from the inlet to the shower nozzle; And a plurality of partition walls provided inside the housing and forming a flow path of water introduced into the inlet.

In addition, the inlet may be provided in the housing and the outlet may be provided in at least one of the lower surface of the housing.

In addition, the separating wall may guide the water introduced into the housing through the inlet in different directions, and may define a flow passage for guiding the water to flow in the zigzag direction in the interior of the housing.

In addition, one end of the plurality of separation walls may be connected to one inner wall or the other inner wall of the housing in a state in which the plurality of separation walls are spaced apart from each other.

The ultraviolet irradiation part may include a plurality of LEDs respectively disposed on one inner wall or the other inner wall of the housing disposed between the plurality of separation walls to irradiate ultraviolet light to water flowing in a wave direction, and the plurality of LEDs. May irradiate ultraviolet rays in a direction facing the flow direction of water.

The ultraviolet irradiation unit may sequentially irradiate UV-A ultraviolet rays, UV-B ultraviolet rays, and UV-C ultraviolet rays to water flowing into the inlet and flowing in the wave direction.

In addition, a photocatalytic material may be coated on the inner surface and the separation wall of the housing.

In addition, the housing or the partition wall may be made of an ultraviolet reflector including aluminum or Teflon.

The shower device using the UV-LED according to an embodiment of the present invention has a structure that can be delivered to the user after the water supplied from the water supply pipe is sufficiently irradiated with ultraviolet rays having different wavelengths, the user is a water-borne pathogen It is effective in preventing the risk of exposure to the body.

In addition, the shower device using the UV-LED according to an embodiment of the present invention, because it can sterilize or sterilize pathogenic microorganisms contained in the water with a simple structure, it can be manufactured at a lower manufacturing cost than the conventional sterilization system.

In addition, the shower device using the UV-LED according to an embodiment of the present invention, can be used compatible with a variety of water supply device as well as shower.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a shower device using UV-LED according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view from above of the retention portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a cross-sectional view viewed from above of a direction in which water flows and an ultraviolet ray is irradiated in the housing illustrated in FIG. 2;
Figure 4 is an experimental graph showing the bactericidal effect of Legionella bacteria when individually irradiated UV-LED of the conventional ultraviolet mercury lamp and three maximum wavelengths.
5 is an experimental graph showing the bactericidal effect of Legionella against the conventional UV mercury lamp and three different wavelengths of UV-LEDs individually irradiated and sequentially irradiated with UV-LEDs of various wavelengths.
FIG. 6 shows the sterilization of Legionella bacteria for the case of irradiating ultraviolet rays to a general petri dish using a conventional ultraviolet mercury lamp and three different wavelengths of UV-LEDs and for irradiating ultraviolet rays to a petri dish containing a reflective material. Experimental graph showing the effect.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings.

However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, only the present embodiments to make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims.

Hereinafter, a shower device using UV-LEDs according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In describing the present invention, specific descriptions of related well-known functions or configurations are omitted in order not to obscure the subject matter of the present invention.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a shower device using a UV-LED according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view from above of the retention portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a housing shown in Figure 2 The cross-sectional view of the water flowing in the direction of and the direction of the ultraviolet radiation from above.

First, the shower device 100 using the UV-LED according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the water supplied from the water supply pipe can be sufficiently irradiated with ultraviolet rays to sterilize or sterilize Legionella bacteria. can do.

Shower device 100 using the UV-LED according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, is provided between the water supply pipe 1 and the shower nozzle (2), the water supply pipe (1) UV irradiation unit 300 for irradiating ultraviolet rays having different areas to the water retention portion 200 and the water passing through the retention portion 200 receives the water supplied from the guide to the shower nozzle (2); It may include.

The retention part 200 has an inlet port H1 connected to the water supply pipe 1, and outlet ports H2 and H2 ′ for guiding water introduced from the inlet port 211 to the shower nozzle 2. A plurality of housings 210 and a plurality of inner walls of the housing 210 may be provided, and a separation wall 220 may be formed to form a flow path of water introduced into the inlet 211.

The housing 210 may have a form of an enclosure as a whole. That is, the inlet 211 is provided between the upper plate 211 formed in the center portion, the outlet (H2, H2 ') is formed between the lower plate 212 and the upper plate 211 and the lower plate 213 formed in the corner of the The upper plate 211 and the lower plate 212 may be connected to each other, and may include a body 213 which provides a space portion in which the water introduced from the inlet H1 may stay.

The housing 210 as described above is illustrated in the drawings as having a shape of a housing having a flat cross section of a square in one embodiment of the present invention, but is not limited thereto. For example, it may be provided in the form of an enclosure having a flat cross section of a cylinder or polygon.

The dividing wall 220 guides water introduced into the housing 210 through the inlet H1 in different directions, and the water flows in a wave direction, that is, in a zigzag direction. A flow path guiding to flow may be partitioned inside the housing 210.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one end of the separation wall 220 may be connected to an inner wall of the body 213 of the housing 210. In other words, the plurality of separating walls 220 may be connected to one inner wall of the body 213 and the other inner wall facing one inner wall of the body 213 in a state in which the plurality of separating walls 220 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. Here, the other end in the longitudinal direction of the separation wall 220 forms a state spaced apart from one inner wall or the other inner wall of the body 213 by a predetermined interval.

Therefore, the water flowing into the inlet (H1) formed in the upper plate 211 of the housing 210 can be flowed by branching in the direction of the arrow A and B shown in Figure 2, wherein the plurality of separation walls ( Water 220 may be guided to the outlets H2 and H2 while flowing in the zigzag direction.

The retention part 200 configured as described above has a residence time so that a sufficient amount of ultraviolet rays for sterilization can be irradiated before the water supplied from the water supply pipe 1 is sprayed to the user through the shower nozzle 2. It has a role to secure. In addition, the separating wall 220 increases the residence time of water introduced into the housing 210 and at the same time increases the amount of ultraviolet radiation per unit area so that the bacteria contained in the water can be sterilized or sterilized efficiently by the ultraviolet irradiation unit 300. It serves to guide the direction of water flow in the form of a wave.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ultraviolet irradiation part 300 includes a plurality of first LEDs provided at one inner wall or the other inner wall of the housing 210 disposed between the plurality of separation walls 220. To third LEDs 301, 302, and 303.

That is, the plurality of first to third LEDs 301, 302, and 303 may be provided on inner walls of the body 213 of the housing 210 disposed between the plurality of separation walls 220.

The first to third LEDs 301, 302, and 303 as described above may irradiate ultraviolet rays in a direction facing the flow direction of water introduced into the inlet H1, and at this time, may flow into the inlet and flow in a wave direction. UV-A ultraviolet rays having a wavelength range of 315-400 nm, UV-B ultraviolet rays having a wavelength range of 285-315 nm, and UV-C ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 200-280 nm can be sequentially irradiated with water.

That is, the water flowing into the inside of the body 213 through the inlet (H1), flowing in the arrow A direction and arrow B direction of Figure 2, in the inner wall center portion and the other inner wall center portion of the body 213 Ultraviolet rays in the UV-A region may be irradiated from the first LED 301 disposed to face each other.

Ultraviolet rays of the UV-A region irradiated from the first LED 301 may have a wavelength close to the wavelength region for promoting a high oxidation process using a photocatalyst. That is, ultraviolet rays of the UV-A region may be used to inactivate microorganisms by promoting the oxidation process by photocatalytic reaction to generate oxidative or hydroxyl radicals (OH ·).

Therefore, the photocatalyst material is preferably coated on the inner surface of the housing 210, that is, the inner surface of the body 213 and the outer surface of the separation wall 220, wherein the photocatalyst material is titanium dioxide or titanium dioxide. It may be an included material. Accordingly, the Legionella bacteria irradiated with UV-A ultraviolet rays by the first LED 302 may be sterilized or sterilized by a photochemical reaction with a photocatalyst material. In other words, the Legionella bacteria may be inactivated by oxidative or hydroxyl radicals produced by the photocatalytic reaction.

The water irradiated with ultraviolet rays in the UV-A region by the first LED 301 irradiates the ultraviolet rays in the UV-B region from the second LED 302 disposed between the inner wall center portion and the inner wall end portion of the body 213. I can receive it. That is, the second LED 302 may be disposed between an inner wall center portion of the body 213 on which the first LED 301 is disposed and an inner wall end of one side of the body 213 on which the third LED 303 will be described later. Can be arranged.

Since the ultraviolet ray of the UV-B region irradiated from the second LED 302 has a wavelength region close to the relative maximum absorption wavelength in the protein region of the pathogenic bacterium, it is secondary irradiated to the water flowing into the housing 210. desirable.

In addition, the water irradiated with ultraviolet rays of the UV-B region by the second LED 302 may be sequentially irradiated with ultraviolet rays of the UV-C region from the third LED 303 disposed at the inner wall end of the body 213. Can be.

Since the ultraviolet rays of the UV-C region irradiated by the third LED 303 have a wavelength close to the relative maximum absorption wavelength absorbed by the DNA of the nucleic acid of the gene of the pathogenic bacterium, the UV rays of the third LED 303 are third-order to the water flowing into the housing 210. It is preferable to investigate.

Here, the housing 210 and the separation wall 220 is preferably made of a reflective material, for example, aluminum or Teflon material that can reflect the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation unit 300.

Shower device 100 using the UV-LED according to an embodiment of the present invention having the configuration as described above, the water supplied from the water supply pipe can be delivered to the user after being sufficiently irradiated with ultraviolet rays having different wavelengths Since it has the effect of preventing the risk that the user is exposed to Legionella bacteria.

When the shower device using the UV-LED according to the embodiment of the present invention is used, microorganism inactivation is performed at least 2 log against Legionella even with low light intensity. 4 to 6 will be described in detail below. The data presented in FIGS. 4-6 below are measured by methods commonly used in the art.

Figure 4 is a graph quantitatively showing the bactericidal effect of Legionella bacteria using a conventional UV mercury lamp (LP-UV) and three different wavelength UV-LED according to the method commonly used in this field. On the x-axis, the ultraviolet dose was expressed as energy, and on the y-axis, the sterilization effect was expressed as Log inactivity. Overall, UV-LED's sterilization efficiency is higher than existing UV mercury lamp.

FIG. 5 compares the sterilization effect with respect to the case of sequentially irradiating with three different types of UV-LEDs, which are conventional UV mercury lamps under conditions such that the amount of UV irradiation is the same. In case of using individual UV-LEDs, the effect of sequential irradiation was better.

Figure 6 shows the sterilization effect for the case of using the reflective material in the Petri dish in the sterilization experiment using a conventional UV mercury lamp, three different types of UV-LED under the condition that the UV irradiation amount is the same. It was shown that more than 2 times bactericidal effect could be obtained only by reflecting material.

Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described so far, various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the claims below, but also by the equivalents of those claims.

100: Shower device using UV-LED
200: retention portion 210: housing
211: upper plate 212: lower plate
213 body 220 partition wall
300: ultraviolet irradiation unit 301: first LED
302: second LED 303: third LED

Claims (9)

In the shower device using UV-LED,
A retention part provided between a water supply pipe and a shower nozzle and receiving water supplied from the water supply pipe to guide the shower nozzle;
It includes; ultraviolet irradiation unit for irradiating the ultraviolet light of different wavelengths to the water passing through the retention portion,
The retention portion,
A housing having an inlet connected to the water supply pipe and an outlet for guiding water introduced from the inlet to the shower nozzle; And
A plurality of partition walls provided inside the housing and forming a flow path of water introduced into the inlet;
The housing,
A top plate having the inlet formed in a central portion thereof;
A lower plate on which the outlet is formed at a corner; And
A body provided between the upper plate and the lower plate to connect the upper plate and the lower plate to each other, and to provide a space in which the water introduced from the inlet can stay;
The inlet is provided in the housing and the outlet is a shower device using a UV-LED, characterized in that provided at least one on the lower plate.
delete delete The method of claim 1,
The dividing wall guides the water introduced into the interior of the housing through the inlet in different directions, and partitions a flow path in the interior of the housing to guide the water to flow in the zigzag direction. Shower device using LED.
The method of claim 4, wherein
The plurality of separation walls are shower devices using UV-LED, characterized in that one end is connected to one inner wall or the other inner wall of the housing in a state spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval.
The method of claim 5,
The ultraviolet irradiation unit,
It includes a plurality of LEDs provided on each of the inner side wall or the other inner wall portion of the housing disposed between the plurality of separation walls to irradiate the ultraviolet light to the water flowing in the wave direction,
The plurality of LED is a shower device using a UV-LED, characterized in that for irradiating ultraviolet rays in a direction facing the water flow direction.
The method of claim 6,
The ultraviolet irradiation unit,
Shower device using a UV-LED, characterized in that to sequentially irradiate UV-A ultraviolet rays, UV-B ultraviolet rays and UV-C ultraviolet rays to the water flowing into the inlet flows in the wave direction.
The method of claim 6,
Shower device using UV-LED, characterized in that the photocatalyst material is coated on the inner surface and the separation wall of the housing.
The method of claim 6,
The housing or the partition wall is a shower device using UV-LED, characterized in that made of an ultraviolet reflector containing aluminum or Teflon.

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