WO2021166592A1

WO2021166592A1 - Device

Info

Publication number: WO2021166592A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/003191
Authority: WO
Inventors: 智史大城; 友則糸賀; 谷　知子; 宇野　克彦; 勤古田
Original assignee: パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社
Priority date: 2020-02-21
Filing date: 2021-01-29
Publication date: 2021-08-26
Also published as: CN115135829A; JP7489585B2; JPWO2021166592A1

Abstract

A device according to the present invention comprises: a resin composition which releases a water-soluble substance; a support member which supports the resin composition; a tank that houses therein the support member and a liquid; a supply port through which the liquid is supplied to the tank; and an discharge port which is disposed below the supply port in a predetermined state and through which the liquid in the tank is discharged. The resin composition is exposed through an opening provided to the support member. The distance between the supply port and the resin composition is less than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a device that is capable of suitably releasing a water-soluble substance.

Description

device

This disclosure relates to equipment that uses liquids.

Home appliances that improve usability by using the liquid stored in the tank are known. In the example described in Patent Document 1, a configuration of a steam iron that removes wrinkles of clothes by using water stored in a tank is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-15592

When using the above-mentioned home appliances, calcium and magnesium existing in water accumulate as scale on the inner surface of the home appliances. In the steam iron described in Patent Document 1, the accumulation of water stains on the inner surface of home electric appliances is suppressed by putting a water stain bond inhibitor in a water-permeable container. However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, since the water in the tank and the descaling inhibitor are in constant contact with each other, the descaling inhibitor can be released faster, and the duration of the descaling inhibitory effect may be shortened. be.

The present disclosure is an invention for solving the above problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for suitably releasing a water-soluble substance.

The equipment according to the present disclosure includes a resin composition that releases a water-soluble substance, a support member that supports the resin composition, a tank that houses the support member and the liquid, and a supply port that supplies the liquid to the tank. A device provided below the supply port in a predetermined state and provided with a discharge port for discharging a liquid from the tank, wherein the resin composition is exposed from an opening provided in the support member. The distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition.

According to the equipment according to the present disclosure, a water-soluble substance can be preferably released.

The side view which shows the structure of the apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. The exploded view which shows the structure of the case of FIG. The enlarged view which shows the structure of the case of FIG. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the case of FIG. A partially enlarged view of the device of FIG. A graph showing the test results of the evaluation test. The side view which shows the structure of the apparatus of Embodiment 2. FIG. The enlarged view which shows the relationship between a support member and a resin composition. The side view which shows the structure of the apparatus of Embodiment 2. FIG. The graph which shows the test result of the evaluation test 1. The figure which shows the table which shows the test result of the evaluation test 2.

(Example of possible forms of equipment)
The equipment according to the present disclosure includes a resin composition that releases a water-soluble substance, a support member that supports the resin composition, a tank that houses the support member and the liquid, and a supply port that supplies the liquid to the tank. A device provided below the supply port in a predetermined state and provided with a discharge port for discharging a liquid from the tank, wherein the resin composition is exposed from an opening provided in the support member. The distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition. Here, the predetermined state can be exemplified as a state in which the supply port is arranged so as to be higher in the vertical direction than the discharge port. Here, the discharge port is a part where the liquid is discharged from the tank, but when the tube is arranged in the tank and the tube penetrates the tank and discharges the liquid to the outside of the tank, the tip of the tube in the tank is used. It can be an outlet. In short, when the liquid in the tank is discharged from the tank, the part other than the tank through which the liquid passes, which is close to the tank.

According to the above equipment, since the distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition, the liquid supplied from the supply port to the tank easily comes into contact with the resin composition. Therefore, the water-soluble substance is preferably released into the liquid from the resin composition.

According to an example of the device, in the predetermined state, the resin composition is provided below the line connecting the supply port and the discharge port.

According to the above equipment, the resin composition is provided near the supply port. Therefore, the liquid supplied from the supply port to the tank easily comes into contact with the resin composition. Therefore, the water-soluble substance is preferably released into the liquid from the resin composition.

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

According to the above equipment, a water-soluble substance can be suitably retained.

According to an example of the device, a gap is formed between the support member and the resin composition in a state where the support member supports the resin composition.

According to the above equipment, the liquid supplied from the supply port to the tank enters the gap. Therefore, the resin composition and the liquid are likely to come into contact with each other.

According to an example of the device, the support member further includes protrusions that come into contact with the resin composition.

According to the above equipment, a gap between the support member and the resin composition is surely formed.

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

According to the above equipment, since the height of the protrusions is preferably set, the water-soluble substance from the resin composition is preferably released.

According to an example of the device, the support member and the resin composition are in close contact with each other without any gap.

According to the above equipment, it is possible to control the infiltration of liquid between the support member and the resin composition. In addition, the liquid that has flowed can come into contact with the resin composition exposed from the opening of the support member.

According to an example of the device, the opening is provided in a portion in contact with the liquid, and the surface area of the resin composition exposed from the opening is 1 to 50% of the total surface area of the resin composition. The size of the opening is configured as described above.

According to the above equipment, since the area of the opening is preferably set, the water-soluble substance from the resin composition can be released at a suitable concentration for a long period of time.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the device 10 of the first embodiment will be described.

The device 10 of the present embodiment is a home electric appliance that operates electrically and obtains various effects by using a liquid. An example of a liquid is water. The device 10 is, for example, a steam iron, a garment steamer, an air conditioner, a washing machine, a dishwasher / dryer, and an electric kettle. An example of a home appliance shown in FIG. 1 is a steam iron. Hereinafter, the device 10 will be described as a steam iron. The main elements constituting the device 10 are the housing 11, the base surface 20, and the tank 30. Note that arranging the device 10 in a predetermined state includes a state in which the base surface 20 is arranged so as to be horizontal. Further, when the device 10 is arranged in a predetermined state, the base surface 20 side may be expressed as downward.

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

The base surface 20 supplies steam to the garment, for example, in a state of contact or non-contact with the garment. In one example, a pump is driven, the liquid in the tank 30 is supplied to the vaporization chamber as the pump is driven, and the liquid in the vaporization chamber is heated by a heater to generate steam. Then, the generated steam passes through the steam passage and is ejected to the outside through the opening provided in the base surface 20.

The tank 30 is provided in the housing 11 and stores the liquid in the internal space S. An example of a liquid is water. The tank 30 includes a supply port 31 for supplying a liquid to the internal space S of the tank 30 and a discharge port 32 for discharging the liquid existing in the internal space S of the tank 30. The supply port 31 is configured to be openable and closable by a lid (not shown). The discharge port 32 is configured to be openable and closable by a valve (not shown). The discharge port 32 is connected to, for example, a vaporization chamber. The tank 30 is made of any water resistant material. In one example, the material that makes up the tank 30 is polycarbonate. The tank 30 may be configured to be removable with respect to the device 10. Preferably, when the device 10 is arranged in a predetermined state, the position of the supply port 31 is provided at a position higher in the vertical direction than the position of the discharge port 32. The shape of the supply port 31 and the discharge port 32 is arbitrary. In one example, the shape of the supply port 31 and the discharge port 32 is circular.

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

The support member 40 is configured to be able to support the resin composition 50. The support member 40 includes a first support member 41 and a second support member 42. The first support member 41 and the second support member 42 are separably configured. Any material is selected as the material constituting the support member 40. In one example, the material that makes up the support member 40 is unsaturated polyester. The length of the support member 40 is determined by the size of the resin composition 50. In one example, the support member 40 is formed so as to be longer than the length of the resin composition 50 by a predetermined length. The predetermined length is, for example, 2 mm.

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

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

The second support member 42 further includes an opening 43. The opening 43 is configured to open the internal space S2 of the support member 40 and expose at least a part of the resin composition 50 by projecting with respect to the internal space S of the tank 30. The length of the resin composition 50 protruding from the opening 43 is, for example, in the range of 2 to 5 mm. The opening 43 has an arbitrary shape. In one example, the shape of the opening 43 is circular.

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

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

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

A water-soluble substance is a substance that has a predetermined action when eluted with water. An example of a predetermined action is suppression of metal ion accumulation in the tank 30. In one example, the water-soluble substance is a chelating agent that forms a complex with a metal ion. Examples of chelating agents include sodium polyacrylate, sodium acrylic acid / maleic acid copolymer, sodium acrylic acid / sulfonic acid-based monomer copolymer, sodium acrylate, 1-hydroxyethane-11-diphosphonic acid, imino. Diacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, citric acid, and cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid.

The positions of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 inside the tank 30 will be described with reference to FIG.

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

The distance D1 between the center of gravity P1 of the supply port 31 and the point P3 on the resin composition 50 is shorter than the distance D2 between the center of gravity P2 of the discharge port 32 and the point P3 on the resin composition 50. The point P3 on the resin composition 50 is a point formed with the distance D1 as the shortest distance. When at least one of the supply port 31, the discharge port 32, and the resin composition 50 is provided, the distance D1 and the distance D2 are defined, respectively. Preferably, the distance D1 is shorter than the distance D2 in all cases.

The method for producing the resin composition 50 will be described.

The water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are weighed, and the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are heat-kneaded to form a strand of the resin composition 50. In one example, the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are in equal amounts. The heat kneading is carried out under the condition of 200 ° C. using, for example, a twin-screw extrusion kneader. The strands are shredded to form pellets. By injection molding the pellets, the resin composition 50 having a predetermined shape is formed. An example of a predetermined shape of the resin composition 50 is an elliptical sphere. In another example, an example of a predetermined shape is a plate shape, a spherical shape, or a cylindrical shape. The shape of the resin composition 50 shown in FIG. 1 is an elliptical sphere. The length in the major axis direction and the length in the minor axis direction of the resin composition 50 are arbitrarily formed according to the size of the tank 30 of the equipment 10 to be used. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the major axis direction is in the range of 10 to 40 mm. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the major axis direction is in the range of 20 to 30 mm. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the minor axis direction is in the range of 5 to 20 mm. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the minor axis direction is in the range of 7 to 15 mm.

The inventor of the present application conducted an evaluation test for confirming the effects of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 of the present application. In the evaluation test, a plurality of resin compositions 50 having different residual ratios of water-soluble substances are prepared, and one for each of the plurality of support members 40 having different lengths between the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 in the gap G. Resin compositions 50 having different residual rates were added, and the elution concentration was measured.

The resin composition 50 was put into the beaker one by one, and 350 ml of water was added. The weight of the resin composition 50 is 10 g. Water in the beaker was sampled 10 minutes after the water was added, and the concentration of the functional water-soluble substance in the water was measured. The elution concentration was measured by measuring the total amount of carbon in the organism. After collecting water, the resin compositions 50 of each Comparative Example and Example were dried. The drying time is 24 hours. The weight of the dried resin composition 50 was measured, and the residual ratio of the water-soluble substance was calculated. By repeating this procedure, a plurality of resin compositions 50 having different residual ratios were prepared. Specifically, resin compositions 50 having a residual ratio in the range of 1.0 to 0.3, which differed approximately every 0.1, were prepared. The support member 40 varies approximately every 0.1 mm within the range of the length of the protrusion 44 of 0.3 to 0.9 mm.

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

The results of the evaluation test will be described with reference to FIG. The vertical axis of FIG. 6 shows the elution concentration (ppm). The horizontal axis of FIG. 6 indicates the residual rate. Each dot represents the elution concentration when the residual rate is a predetermined value. The straight line in FIG. 6 indicates an approximate line. When the resin composition 50 is supported by the support member 40 having a protrusion 44 having a length of 0.9 mm, it is the same as when water comes into contact with the entire surface of the resin composition 50, and the residual ratio is reduced. However, the elution concentration remained at a high level. On the other hand, when the resin composition 50 is supported by the support member 40 having a protrusion 44 having a length of 0.3 to 0.8 mm, when the residual ratio is around 1.0, a high elution concentration is exhibited, but the resin composition 50 remains. The elution concentration decreased as the rate reached about 0.5.

The following findings can be obtained from the results of the evaluation test.

When the resin composition 50 is supported by the support member 40 having a protrusion 44 having a length of 0.3 to 0.8 mm, a high elution concentration is exhibited when the residual rate is high, while a high elution concentration is exhibited when the residual rate is low. , The elution concentration decreased. Therefore, a large amount of the water-soluble substance can be released at the time of initial use, and the period of use of the resin composition 50 can be set long.

The operation of the device 10 of the present embodiment will be described.

The user puts the resin composition 50 in the support member 40 in the tank 30 provided in the device 10. The user fills the tank 30 with water. The resin composition 50 releases the water-soluble substance into at least the tank 30. After use of the device 10, water is removed from the tank 30 and the resin composition 50 is placed in a dry state. The user fills the tank 30 with water again at the next use. The resin composition 50 slowly releases the water-soluble substance into at least the tank 30.

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

The device 110 of the present embodiment is a home electric appliance that operates electrically and obtains various effects by using a liquid. An example of a liquid is water. An example of a home appliance shown in FIG. 7 is a steam generator. Hereinafter, the device 110 will be described as a steam generator.

The main elements constituting the device 110 are the tank 30, the housing 60, the hose 70, and the iron 80. As an example, a case where the housing 60 is arranged horizontally when the device 110 is arranged in a predetermined state will be described. Further, when the device 110 is arranged in a predetermined state, the bottom surface side of the housing may be expressed as downward.

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

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

The hose 70 is connected to both the steam generation outlet of the boiler 62 and the vaporization chamber of the iron 80. The steam generated in the boiler 62 of the housing 60 passes through the hose 70 and is sent to the iron 80. As the material constituting the hose 70, a material having heat resistance is selected. For example, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, silicone and vinyl chloride rubber. Further, the outer surface of the hose 70 may be covered with a tube braided with glass fiber.

The appearance of the iron 80 is composed of a housing and includes a grip portion 12 suitable for the user to grip. The elements constituting the inside of the housing are, for example, at least one of a control unit, a storage unit, an operation unit, and a heater. The control unit is, for example, a microcomputer, and controls the output amount of the heater. The storage unit is, for example, a volatile memory and stores information necessary for controlling the heater. The operation unit is composed of buttons or switches, and outputs, for example, an operation signal for changing the output amount of the heater to the control unit.

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

The base surface 20 of the iron 80 supplies steam to the clothes, for example, in contact with or without contact with the clothes. In one example, the pump 61 is driven, the liquid in the tank 30 is supplied to the boiler 62 as the pump 61 is driven, and the liquid in the boiler 62 is heated by the heater 63 to generate steam. Then, the generated steam passes through the hose 70, is reheated in the vaporization chamber of the iron 80, and is ejected to the outside through the opening provided in the base surface 20.

The tank 30 is provided so as to be fitted to the housing and stores the liquid in the internal space S. An example of a liquid is water. The tank 30 includes a supply port 31 for supplying a liquid to the internal space S of the tank 30, and a tube 90 for discharging the liquid existing in the internal space S of the tank 30. The tube 90 penetrates from the inside of the tank to the outside of the tank. A discharge port 32 is provided at the tip of the tube 90 in the tank. The supply port 31 is configured to be able to supply water by removing it from the housing. The tube 90 provided with the discharge port 32 is connected to, for example, a pump path. The tank 30 is made of any water resistant material. In one example, the material that makes up the tank 30 is polycarbonate. The tank 30 may be configured to be removable with respect to the device 10. Preferably, when the device 110 is arranged in a predetermined state, the position of the supply port 31 is provided at a position higher in the vertical direction than the position of the discharge port 32. The shape of the supply port 31 and the discharge port 32 is arbitrary. In one example, the supply port 31 has a plate shape, and the discharge port 32 has a circular shape at the tip of the tube 90.

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

The support member 40 covers the resin composition 50 except for a part of the resin composition 50. Any material is selected as the material constituting the support member 40. In one example, the material constituting the support member 40 is a thermoplastic resin. The support member 40 is configured in close contact with the resin composition 50. That is, the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are formed in a state where there is no gap. The coating of the support member is formed to a certain thickness. The predetermined thickness is, for example, 2 mm.

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

The support member 40 is provided with an opening 43. The opening 43 is provided in the support member 40 at a portion where the liquid supplied to the tank 30 is supplied. At least a part of the resin composition 50 is exposed from the opening 43 to the internal space S of the tank 30. The resin composition 50 of the opening 43 and the support member 40 other than the opening 43 are configured such that the resin composition 50 has a convex shape or a concave shape from the same surface or the opening 43. The opening 43 has an arbitrary shape. In one example, the shape of the opening 43 is square.

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

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

The method for producing the resin composition 50 will be described.

The water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are weighed, and the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are heat-kneaded to form a strand of the resin composition 50. In one example, the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are in equal amounts. The heat kneading is carried out under the condition of 200 ° C. using, for example, a twin-screw extrusion kneader. The strands are shredded to form pellets. By injection molding the pellets, the resin composition 50 having a predetermined shape is formed. An example of a predetermined shape of the resin composition 50 is a plate shape. In another example, one example of a predetermined shape is a spherical shape or a cylindrical shape. The shape of the resin composition 50 shown in FIG. 1 is a plate shape. The length in the major axis direction and the length in the minor axis direction of the resin composition 50 are arbitrarily formed according to the size of the tank 30 of the equipment 10 to be used. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the major axis direction is within the range of 70 mm or less. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the major axis direction is 55 mm or less. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the minor axis direction is 35 mm or less. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the minor axis direction is in the range of 30 to 35 mm. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the thickness direction is within the range of 15 mm or less. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 in the thickness direction is within the range of 10 mm or less. The surface of the resin composition 50 may be treated so that the water does not bounce off during water injection. An example of surface treatment is groove formation.

The inventor of the present application conducted an evaluation test for confirming the effects of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 of the present application. In the first evaluation test (referred to as evaluation test 1), a plurality of resin compositions 50 having different residual ratios of water-soluble substances are prepared, and the support member 40 is set to the resin composition 50 so that the area of the opening is different. They were coated one by one and the elution concentration was measured.

The resin composition 50 was put into the water supply port of the tank one by one, and 1700 ml of water was added. The weight of the resin composition 50 is 20 g. Water in the beaker was sampled 10 minutes after the water was added, and the concentration of the functional water-soluble substance in the water was measured. The elution concentration was measured by measuring the total amount of carbon in the organism. After collecting water, the resin compositions 50 of each Comparative Example and Example were dried. The drying time is 24 hours. The weight of the dried resin composition 50 was measured, and the residual ratio of the water-soluble substance was calculated. By repeating this procedure, a plurality of resin compositions 50 having different residual ratios were prepared. Specifically, resin compositions 50 having a residual ratio in the range of 1.0 to 0.25 were prepared, which differed approximately every 0.25. The support member 40 was coated so that the opening 43 was 2 to 20% of the total surface area of each of the resin compositions 50 having different residual ratios.

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

The result of the evaluation test 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The vertical axis of FIG. 10 shows the elution concentration (ppm). The horizontal axis of FIG. 10 indicates the residual rate. Each dot represents the elution concentration when the residual rate is a predetermined value. The straight line in FIG. 10 indicates an approximate line.

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

The following findings can be obtained from the results of evaluation test 1. There is a proportional relationship between the elution area ratio of the resin composition 50 from the opening 43 of the support member 40 and the elution concentration. From this, it is possible to control a predetermined elution concentration by setting the elution area ratio from the opening 43 provided in the support member 40. Further, by controlling the elution concentration, the water-soluble substance can be eluted for a long period of time, and the period of use of the resin composition 50 can be set long.

In the second evaluation test, a plurality of resin compositions 50 having different water-soluble substance contents contained in the resin composition 50 are prepared, and the support member 40 is set to 1 of the resin composition 50 so that the area of the opening is different. Covered one by one. Then, the elution concentration was measured. The elution concentration was measured by the same method as in the first evaluation test.

The result of the second evaluation test (referred to as evaluation test 2) will be described with reference to FIG. The horizontal axis of FIG. 11 shows the elution area ratio (%) of the resin composition 50 from the opening 43 provided in the support member 40. The vertical axis of FIG. 11 shows the content (%) of the water-soluble substance in the resin composition 50. The data in the table show the initial elution concentration (ppm) of the resin composition 50 under each condition. The initial elution concentration was proportional to the elution area ratio from the opening 43 and the content of the water-soluble substance.

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

The operation of the device 110 of the present embodiment will be described.

The user inserts the support member 40 for coating the resin composition 50 into the tank 30 provided in the device 110 through a predetermined opening. The user fills the tank 30 with water. The resin composition 50 releases the water-soluble substance into at least the tank 30. Since the water injected from the water supply port of the tank 30 collects in the lower tank space, the resin composition 50 is arranged in a dry state so as not to be immersed in the water. The user fills the tank 30 with water again at the next use. The resin composition 50 slowly releases the water-soluble substance into at least the tank 30.

(Modification example)
The description of the embodiments is an example of possible embodiments of the device according to the present disclosure and is not intended to limit those embodiments. In addition to the embodiments, the present disclosure may take, for example, a modification of the embodiment shown below and a combination of at least two variants that do not contradict each other.

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

・ The water-soluble substance can be changed according to the predetermined action. The water-soluble substance may be an antioxidant having an antioxidant effect, a surfactant for improving wettability, an antibacterial agent, or the like. Antioxidants are, for example, erythorbic acid, kojic acid, ascorbic acid. The surfactant is, for example, an ionic or nonionic surfactant. Antibacterial agents are, for example, copper bromide, copper chromate, silver nitrate, aluminum sulphate, iodine.

The equipment related to the present disclosure can be used for household and commercial home appliances that use liquids such as steam irons, garment steamers, air conditioners, washing machines, dishwashers and dryers, and electric kettles.

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

Claims

A resin composition that releases a water-soluble substance and
A support member that supports the resin composition and
A tank for accommodating the support member and the liquid,
A supply port that supplies liquid to the tank and
A device provided below the supply port in a predetermined state and provided with a discharge port for discharging a liquid from the tank.
The resin composition is exposed from an opening provided in the support member and is exposed.
The distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition.
device.
In the predetermined state, the resin composition is provided below the line connecting the supply port and the discharge port.
The device according to claim 1.
The resin composition further comprises a water-insoluble resin.
The device according to claim 1 or 2.
In a state where the support member supports the resin composition,
A gap is formed between the support member and the resin composition.
The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
The support member further comprises protrusions that come into contact with the resin composition.
The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the support member.
The device according to claim 5, wherein the height of the protrusion is 0.3 to 0.8 mm.
In a state where the support member supports the resin composition,
The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein there is no gap between the support member and the resin composition, and the support member and the resin composition are in close contact with each other.
The opening is provided at a portion that comes into contact with the liquid.
The device according to claim 7, wherein the opening is configured so that the surface area of the resin composition exposed from the opening is 1 to 50% of the total surface area of the resin composition.