WO2019225618A1

WO2019225618A1 - Portable washing device

Info

Publication number: WO2019225618A1
Application number: PCT/JP2019/020154
Authority: WO
Inventors: Koji Sakata; Mio KITTA
Original assignee: T-Fourth Co., Ltd.; Fumufumu Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2018-05-21
Filing date: 2019-05-21
Publication date: 2019-11-28
Also published as: JP2019201699A; JP7117714B2

Abstract

Portable washing device (101) including a vibrator (120) that generates ultrasonic vibration, and a support portion (130) that is coupled to the vibrator (120) and faces the vibrator (120) to support an object to be washed (150), whereby the support portion (130) may further include another vibrator (122) disposed to face the object to be washed (150) on the opposite side of the vibrator (120) with respect to the object to be washed (150), the portable washing device (101) may further include a hinge (140, 142, 144) that couples a part of the support portion (130) with a part of the vibrator (120), and the support portion (130) may rotate with respect to the vibrator (120) with the hinge (140) serving as a rotation axis.

Description

PORTABLE WASHING DEVICE

　　The present invention relates to a portable washing device.

　　There has been an apparatus for washing clothes using ultrasonic vibration (for example, see Patent Literature 1).

[PTL 1]　　Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-120875

　　The above-described washing apparatus is large-scale equipment, which is difficult for individuals to carry and use it.

General Disclosure

　　One aspect of the present invention may be the following portable washing device. The portable washing device may include a vibrator. The vibrator may generate ultrasonic vibration. The above-described portable washing device may include a support portion. The support portion may be coupled to the vibrator. Further, the support portion may support an object to be washed. The object to be washed supported by the support portion may face the vibrator.

　　The above-described support portion of the portable washing device may include another vibrator. The other vibrator may face the object to be washed. Further, the other vibrator may be disposed on the opposite side of the vibrator with respect to the object to be washed.

　　The above-described portable washing device may include a hinge. The hinge may couple a part of the support portion with a part of the vibrator. The support portion may rotate with respect to a vibrating portion with the hinge serving as a rotation axis.

　　The above-described portable washing device may include a drive unit. The drive unit may drive the vibrator. The drive unit may be coupled to the vibrator in a manner capable of operating intermittently. The drive unit may generate a drive voltage. The vibrator may include a piezoelectric element. The drive voltage may be applied to the piezoelectric element. The drive voltage may periodically change.

　　The above-described portable washing device may have a waterproof structure that prevents water from entering inside the portable washing device that is immersed in water. The portable washing device may operate with a part of or all of the device being immersed in water.

　　The summary clause does not necessarily describe all necessary features of the embodiments of the present invention. The present invention may also be a sub-combination of the features described above.

Fig. 1 shows an appearance of a portable washing device 101. Fig. 2 shows a form in the case where the portable washing device 101 is carried. Fig. 3 shows an operating state of the portable washing device 101. Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of the portable washing device 101. Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of another portable washing device 102. Fig. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of still another portable washing device 103. Fig. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of still another portable washing device 104. Fig. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of still another portable washing device 105. Fig. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of still another portable washing device 106.

　　Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described. The following embodiment does not limit the claimed invention. In addition, all combinations of features described in the embodiment are not necessarily essential to solution of the invention.

　　Fig. 1 shows an appearance of a portable washing device 101. The portable washing device 101 includes a main body 110 and a support portion 130, which are coupled at one end by a hinge 140.

　　The main body 110 includes an outer shell 112, a vibrator 120, and a vibration plate 121. The outer shell 112 has a thin dome shape projecting downward in the drawing. The vibration plate 121 has a flat disk shape, and is supported by the inner surface of the outer shell 112 via a waterproof seal portion 124 at a position slightly recessed from the upper end of the outer shell 112. The vibration plate 121 may be formed of a plate material such as a hard resin, metal, or the like that efficiently transmits the generated vibration.

　　Note that the surface of the vibrator 120 and the end face of the outer shell 112 of the main body 110 may be shaped to be located on the same plane from the viewpoint of bringing an object to be washed 150 (see Fig. 3) sandwiched between the main body 110 and the support portion 130 into close contact at the time of using the portable washing device 101.

　　The waterproof seal portion 124 is formed of an elastic material such as an elastomer, and seals the space between the outer shell 112 and the vibration plate 121 in a watertight manner. Therefore, even when the portable washing device 101 is immersed in liquid, the liquid does not enter into the space surrounded by the outer shell 112 and the vibration plate 121.

　　The vibrator 120 has a disk shape having a diameter equal to or smaller than that of the vibration plate 121, and is in close contact with the lower surface of the vibration plate 121 in the drawing in the space surrounded by the outer shell 112 and the vibration plate 121. Therefore, when the vibrator 120 vibrates, the vibration is transmitted to the vibration plate 121, and is further radiated toward the support portion 130 inside the outer shell 112.

　　The support portion 130 includes an outer shell 132 and a support plate 134. The outer shell 132 has a thin dome shape projecting upward in the drawing symmetrically with respect to the outer shell 112 of the main body 110. The support plate 134 is disposed on the same plane as the lower end of the outer shell 132 in the drawing, and forms a flat support surface on the lower surface of the support portion 130 in the drawing.

　　In the support plate 134, at least the surface facing the vibration plate 121 may be formed of a hard material that does not absorb the vibration in the ultrasonic band generated by the vibrator 120. Furthermore, the support plate 134 may be formed of a highly rigid material that reflects the vibration radiated from the vibration plate 121 and amplifies the action of the vibration on the object to be washed 150.

　　The outer shell 112 of the main body 110 and the outer shell 132 of the support portion 130 are coupled to each other by the hinge 140 at one end on the back side of the drawing plane. Accordingly, the support portion 130 is also coupled to the vibrator 120. In the illustrated state, the main body 110 and the support portion 130 are away from each other on the opposite side to the one end coupled by the hinge 140, and the entire portable washing device 101 is open at one end like a bivalve.

　　Fig. 2 shows a form in the case where the portable washing device 101 is carried. Since the support portion 130 rotates with respect to the main body 110 with the hinge 140 serving as a rotation axis, the portable washing device 101 can close the end portions of the

outer shells

112 and 132 that are separated in the state illustrated in Fig. 1. Accordingly, the surface of the vibrator 120 can be accommodated inside the ellipsoidal shell formed by the

outer shells

112 and 132, and can be protected.

　　In addition, the entire shape of the portable washing device 101 is made thin by closing the

outer shells

112 and 132, which makes it easy to carry. Note that the diameter of the

outer shells

112 and 132 is about several centimeters, for example, and it can be made into a size that can be settled approximately in a palm in the illustrated folded state.

　　Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a usage state of the portable washing device 101. When the portable washing device 101 is used, the object to be washed 150 is sandwiched between the once opened main body 110 and the support portion 130, and then the

outer shells

112 and 132 are closed. The object to be washed 150 enters a state along the support plate 134 of the support portion 130, and is held at a position facing the vibrator 120. Accordingly, in the portable washing device 101, even a soft material such as a textile product is held in a state of facing the vibrator 120 in parallel.

　　Note that the object to be washed 150 is preferably an object of a relatively thin film or seed, such as textile products including clothes, handkerchiefs, and the like, in light of the form of the portable washing device 101 that the object to be washed 150 is sandwiched between the main body 110 and the support portion 130. As will be described later, the object to be washed 150 is washed in the state of being immersed in a wash fluid such as water.

　　The portable washing device 101 sandwiching the object to be washed 150 is connected with an external unit 200 to be described later, and then immersed in washing water 182 stored in a container 180. Here, any container capable of storing liquid, such as a basin, a bowl, a bucket, and a vat, can be used as the container 180. Further, a washstand bowl, a bathtub, or the like may be used as the container 180 instead of the independent container 180.

　　The washing water 182 may be simple tap water, but it is also possible to use water mixed with a surfactant, alkaline electrolytic water (so-called alkaline ionized water) generated for washing, or the like. In addition, when a stain to be removed by washing is an oil-soluble lipstick, paint, or the like, an organic solvent may be added to the surfactant. When the portable washing device 101 starts washing, it is preferable to be the state in which a space between a portion attached with a stain on the object to be washed 150 and the vibrator 120 is filled with the washing water 182 without a gas such as atmospheric air existing therebetween.

　　The external unit 200 includes a power supply 170, a switch 190, and a drive unit 160. The power supply 170 is a supply source of power consumed at the time of operating the portable washing device 101. The switch 190 is an electric switch that controls whether to supply the power output from the power supply 170 to the drive unit 160. Note that, in addition to the switch 190 that a user intentionally turns on and off, there may be further provided a timer that automatically shuts off the power supply 170 from the drive unit 160 when a predetermined operation time has elapsed. Accordingly, power consumption can be reduced, and overheating of vibrator 120 and the like can be prevented.

　　The drive unit 160 is configured as, for example, an oscillation circuit operated by the power supplied from the power supply 170, and in the present embodiment, generates drive power whose voltage fluctuates in a cycle of the so-called ultrasonic band. More specifically, vibration having a frequency of equal to or more than 10 kHz and equal to or less than 100 kHz may be used. For example, in the case of washing a textile product such as clothes, vibration in a band of equal to or more than 20 kHz and equal to or less than 50 kHz can be preferably used.

　　The external unit 200 is coupled to the portable washing device 101 via a power supply cord 172 including a pair of insulated wires 171 and a connecting portion 116, for example. Inside the portable washing device 101, the two insulated wires 171 separated at the connecting portion 116 are electrically coupled to the vibrator 120.

　　Note that the waterproof seal portion 115 also seals the space between the connecting portion 116 and the outer shell 112 in a watertight manner. Accordingly, damage on the drive unit 160 due to a short circuit of the insulated wire 171, which is caused by the power supply cord 172 and the connecting portion 116 to which the drive power supplied from the external unit 200 is applied contacting the washing water 182, is prevented.

　　The vibrator 120 to which the drive power is supplied from the drive unit 160 is, for example, a piezoelectric element formed of a piezoelectric material formed by compression molding, sintering, or the like. Since a volume of the piezoelectric element changes depending on the magnitude of the applied voltage, it converts an electric signal whose voltage fluctuates into mechanical vibration. Moreover, the vibration of the vibrator 120 is transmitted to a medium inside the outer shell 112 via the vibration plate 121.

　　Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the portable washing device 101 in operation. The drive power is supplied from the external unit 200 connected to the outside of the portable washing device 101 to the vibrator 120 of the portable washing device 101.

　　　　Here, when the switch 190 is turned on in the external unit 200, power is supplied from the power supply 170 to the drive unit 160. The power supplied here is, for example, a DC voltage supplied from a charged secondary battery. Note that a power source of the power supply 170 is not limited to the secondary battery, and may be a dry-cell battery or may be a power supply adapter that converts a commercial power source into a DC voltage.

　　The drive unit 160 generates and outputs, from the supplied power, a drive voltage whose voltage periodically changes. Here, the fluctuation cycle of the drive voltage generated by the drive unit 160 is preferably a so-called ultrasonic band of equal to or more than 20 kHz. While the ultrasonic band generally indicates a band higher than the human audible band, it may have a frequency of approximately several hundred Hz in a case where sufficient amplitude can be obtained for the drive power.

　　The vibrator 120 vibrates the vibration plate 121 according to the vibration amplitude and the vibration cycle of the drive voltage when the drive voltage is applied from the drive unit 160, and the vibration of the vibration plate 121 vibrates the washing water 182. The object to be washed 150 sandwiched between the vibration plate 121 and the support plate 134 receives the impact based on the ultrasonic vibration generated by the vibrator 120 via the washing water 182. This impact detaches the stain attached to the object to be washed 150, and the object to be washed 150 is washed.

　　Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of another portable washing device 102. The portable washing device 102 has a structure same as that of the portable washing device 101 illustrated in Fig. 3 and the like except for parts to be described below. Accordingly, common constituent elements are denoted by the same reference signs, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

　　The portable washing device 102 has a structure different from that of the portable washing device 101 in that the drive unit 160 electrically and directly connected to the vibrator 120, which is incorporated in the outer shell 112 of the main body 110, is provided. Accordingly, the power supply 170 that supplies power from the outside of the portable washing device 102 may supply simple power instead of the drive power that periodically changes.

　　Therefore, for example, a general-purpose power supply such as a so-called mobile battery can be used by setting the power supply voltage to 5 V defined by the universal serial bus (USB) standard. In addition, a USB terminal or the like provided in the personal computer can be used as the power supply 170. However, it is preferable to input power of about 20 W to allow the

portable washing devices

101 and 102 to achieve the desired washing effect. Therefore, when the power supply voltage is 5 V, current supply capability of about 4 A is required for the power supply.

　　Fig. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of another portable washing device 103. The portable washing device 103 has a structure same as that of the portable washing device 102 illustrated in Fig. 5 except for parts to be described below. Accordingly, common constituent elements are denoted by the same reference signs, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

　　The portable washing device 103 has a structure different from that of the portable washing device 102 in that the power supply 170 incorporated in the outer shell 132 of the support portion 130 is provided. The power supply 170 is, for example, a secondary battery, and is coupled to the drive unit 160 incorporated in the main body 110 via the power supply cord 172. Accordingly, the portable washing device 103 can be used alone without using an additional member such as the external unit 200.

　　Note that in the example illustrated in Fig. 6, the outer shell 132 of the support portion 130 also includes a connecting portion 136 connected to the power supply 170. Accordingly, the power supply 170 and the drive unit 160 are electrically coupled to each other by the power supply cord 172 disposed outside the

outer shells

112 and 132. Furthermore, the respective connecting

portions

116 and 136 are sealed by the

waterproof seal portions

115 and 135 in a watertight manner so that the connecting

portions

116 and 136 do not contact the washing water.

　　Also, in Fig. 6, the power supply cord 172 connected via the connecting

portions

116 and 136 is expressly illustrated as described above to clarify the structure. However, it is practically preferable that the power supply cord 172 is made not to be exposed to the outside through the inside of the

outer shells

112 and 132.

　　Further, the portable washing device 103 may include a connecting portion connected to the outside to charge the secondary battery of the power supply 170. Furthermore, a power feeding coil may be provided inside the outer shell 132 of the support portion 130 so that the power supply 170 can be charged without a connecting portion exposed to the outside being provided.

　　Fig. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of another portable washing device 104. The portable washing device 104 has a structure same as that of the portable washing device 103 illustrated in Fig. 6 except for parts to be described below. Accordingly, common constituent elements are denoted by the same reference signs, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

　　The portable washing device 104 has a structure different from that of the portable washing device 103 in that the outer shell 132 of the support portion 130 includes a transformer 174 and a power supply cord 175. The power supply cord 175 penetrates a part of the outer shell 132 to electrically connect the inside and the outside of the outer shell 132. The portion of the outer shell 132 through which the power supply cord 175 penetrates is sealed by a waterproof seal portion 137 in a watertight manner. Accordingly, when the portable washing device 104 is immersed in the washing water 182, the washing water 182 can be prevented from entering inside the outer shell 132.

　　The power supply cord 175 is connected to the transformer 174 at one end inside the outer shell 132. The other end of the power supply cord 175 is attached with an attachment plug 176 to be inserted into a so-called wall socket outside the outer shell 132. Accordingly, power from a commercial power source is supplied to the transformer 174 via the power supply cord 175.

　　The transformer 174 converts an AC voltage supplied from a commercial power source into a DC voltage for driving the drive unit 160, and supplies power to the drive unit 160 via the power supply cord 172. Further, drive power is supplied from the drive unit 160 to the vibrator 120 through an insulated wire 173. Accordingly, the portable washing device 104 can receive ample supply of power from the commercial power source to operate. The transformer 174 may be made to be usable overseas so that the portable washing device 104 can be used while traveling.

　　Note that in the example illustrated in Fig. 6, the power supply cord 175 directly connects the transformer 174 to the attachment plug 176. However, by providing a switch between the transformer 174 and the attachment plug 176, the portable washing device 104 can be easily used in the case where the container 180 for the washing water 182 is away from the wall socket.

　　Fig. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of another portable washing device 105. The portable washing device 105 has a structure same as that of the portable washing device 101 illustrated in Fig. 3 and the like except for parts to be described below. Accordingly, common constituent elements are denoted by the same reference signs, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

　　The portable washing device 105 has a structure different from that of the portable washing device 101 in that the support portion 130 includes another vibrator 122 and vibration plate 123. The vibrator 122 and the vibration plate 123 are disposed symmetrically opposed to the main body 110 side. Further, a waterproof seal portion 125 seals a space between the periphery of the vibration plate 123 and the inner surface of the outer shell 132 of the support portion 130 in a watertight manner.

　　Note that the portable washing device 105 does not incorporate the drive unit 160, the power supply 170, the transformer 174, and the like. One ends of

insulated wires

177 and 178 are connected to the

vibrators

120 and 122, and the other ends thereof are connected to the connecting

portions

116 and 136. Accordingly, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the portable washing device 105 uses the external unit 200 including the drive unit 160, the power supply 170, and the switch 190 by connecting it to the connecting

portions

116 and 136.

　　Moreover, the

waterproof seal portions

115 and 135 are provided around the connecting

portions

116 and 136, respectively. Accordingly, water from the connecting

portions

116 and 136 is prevented from entering the insides of the

outer shells

112 and 132.

　　In the portable washing device 105, the vibration plate 123 also serves as the support plate 134 for the vibrator 120 on the main body 110 side. At the same time, the vibration plate 121 on the main body 110 side also serves as the support plate 134 for the vibrator 122 on the support portion 130 side.

　　With the structure as described above, it becomes possible to apply ultrasonic vibration to the object to be washed 150, which is sandwiched between the main body 110 and the support portion 130 in the portable washing device 105, from the front and back sides. Accordingly, detergency exerted by the portable washing device 105 is enhanced, and it becomes possible to wash highly adhesive contamination, such as highly viscous and wettable cosmetics and condiment.

　　Note that the phase of the ultrasonic vibration generated by the pair of

vibrators

120 and 122 may be the same or different. In addition, when the intensity of the ultrasonic vibration applied to the object to be washed 150 is excessively high, the impact generated by the ultrasonic waves may damage the object to be washed 150. Accordingly, the external unit 200 that applies the drive power to the portable washing device 105 may be provided with a function of adjusting, for example, the voltage amplitude, cycle, and the like of the drive power to be supplied.

　　Fig. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a structure of another portable washing device 106. Also, a part of the object to be washed 150 is also illustrated in Fig. 9 for the sake of explanation.

　　The portable washing device 106 has a structure same as that of the portable washing device 105 illustrated in Fig. 8 except for parts to be described below. Accordingly, common constituent elements are denoted by the same reference signs, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

　　The portable washing device 106 has a structure different from that of the portable washing device 105 in that the main body 110 and the hinge 140 are coupled to each other via a short link portion 148 and another hinge 144. Also, the portable washing device 106 has a structure different from that of the portable washing device 105 in that the support portion 130 and the hinge 140 are coupled to each other via a short link portion 146 and another hinge 142.

　　The pair of

link portions

146 and 148 is coupled to the support portion 130 or the main body 110 in a rotatable manner with the other hinges 142 and 144 serving as rotation axes. In addition, the pair of

link portions

146 and 148 is coupled to each other in a rotatable manner with the hinge 140 serving as a rotation axis. Here, each of the

hinges

142 and 144 has a rotation axis in parallel with the hinge 140.

　　Accordingly, in the portable washing device 106, the distance between the vibrator 120 in the main body 110 and the support plate 134 in the support portion 130 can be enlarged while they are maintained in parallel. Accordingly, as illustrated in the drawing, the entire surface of the vibrator 120 can operate with uniform conditions with respect to the object to be washed 150 when the thick object to be washed 150 is to be washed.

　　Note that the structure of the portable washing device 106 described above is suitable for the case of washing the thick object to be washed 150. Accordingly, it is obvious that a structure including a single vibrator 120 may be employed while the structure of sandwiching the object to be washed 150 with the pair of

vibrators

120 and 122 is effective for enhancing the detergency exerted by the ultrasonic vibration.

　　As described above, according to the present invention, there are provided the

portable washing devices

101, 102, 103, 105, and 106 that protect the vibrator 120 inside the

outer shells

112 and 132 at the time of carrying to be easy to carry, and open the main body 110 and the support portion 130 and sandwich the object to be washed 150 in use to be capable of performing washing efficiently. Accordingly, washing based on ultrasonic vibration can be easily used on the go.

　　Note that in the example described above, the

portable washing devices

101, 102, 103, 105, and 106 are formed using the thin dome-shaped circular

outer shells

112 and 132. However, the shape of the

outer shells

112 and 132 is not limited to the dome shape. For example, the

outer shells

112 and 132 may have a disk shape having a substantially uniform depth, or may be other shapes such as a rectangular shape. Also, in a case where the power supply 170 and the like are not accommodated on the support portion 130 side, the support portion 130 may be a solid plate-shaped member. Furthermore, the shapes of the

outer shells

112 and 132 may be different from each other.

　　Also, in the example described above, the structure in which the main body 110 and the support portion 130 are coupled to each other by the hinge 140 has been described. However, the structure for coupling the main body 110 with the support portion 130 is not limited to the hinge, and for example, they may be coupled to each other by a string-shaped member or a rod-shaped member, or may be coupled to each other by a structure other than a mechanical coupling structure, such as magnetic force.

　　Furthermore, the hinge 140 may have a detachable structure so that the main body 110 and the support portion 130 can be separated. Accordingly, limitation on the thickness of the object to be washed 150 to be sandwiched between the main body 110 and the support portion 130 is eliminated.

　　While the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the technical scope of the invention is not limited to the above described embodiments. It is apparent to persons skilled in the art that various alterations and improvements can be added to the above-described embodiments. It is also apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such alterations or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the invention.

　　The operations, procedures, steps, and stages of each process performed by an apparatus, system, program, and method shown in the claims, embodiments, or diagrams can be performed in any order as long as the order is not indicated by "prior to," "before," or the like and as long as the output from a previous process is not used in a later process. Even if the process flow is described using phrases such as "first" or "next" in the claims, embodiments, or diagrams, it does not necessarily mean that the process must be performed in this order.

101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106　　Portable washing device
110　　Main body
112, 132　　Outer shell
115, 124, 125, 135, 137　　Waterproof seal portion
116, 136　　　　Connecting portion
120, 122　　Vibrator
121, 123　　Vibration plate
130　　Support portion
134　　Support plate
140, 142, 144　　Hinge
146, 148　　Link portion
150　　Object to be washed
160　　Drive unit
170　　Power supply
171, 173, 177, 178　　Insulated wire
172, 175　　Power supply cord
174　　Transformer
176　　Attachment plug
180　　Container
182　　Washing water
190　　Switch
200　　External unit

Claims

　　A portable washing device, comprising:
　　a vibrator that generates ultrasonic vibration; and
　　a support portion that is coupled to the vibrator and faces the vibrator to support an object to be washed.
　　The portable washing device according to claim 1, wherein
　　the support portion further includes another vibrator disposed to face the object to be washed on an opposite side of the vibrator with respect to the object to be washed.
　　The portable washing device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:
　　a hinge that couples a part of the support portion with a part of the vibrator, wherein
　　the support portion rotates with respect to the vibrator with the hinge serving as a rotation axis.
　　The portable washing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:
　　a drive unit that drives the vibrator, the drive unit being coupled to the vibrator in a manner capable of operating intermittently.
　　The portable washing device according to claim 4, wherein
　　the drive unit generates a drive voltage that periodically changes, and
　　the vibrator includes a piezoelectric element to which the drive voltage is applied.