Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Electric charge generating or conducting means – Modification of environmental electric charge
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-10
2004-09-14
Ngo, Hung V. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Electric charge generating or conducting means
Modification of environmental electric charge
C361S232000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06791814
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ion generating apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART
Ion generating apparatuses have previously been used for cleaning, disinfection and deodorization of the air in rooms or automobiles. Most of such apparatuses have an AC power source portion, a step-up transformer and a needle electrode, all of which being housed in an enclosure, in which a high AC voltage raised by the transformer is applied to the needle electrode to thereby activate corona discharge, and ions generated by the discharge are emitted from an ion emitting hole opened in the enclosure. Both negative ions and positive ions are possibly generated by the ion generating apparatus, where negative ions are generally believed to be more excellent in cleaning, deodorizing and disinfectant effects.
A problem will however arise in that airborne dust, oil or other dirty matters may adhere onto the ion generating electrode so as to finally cover the discharge plane thereof during a long-term use of such ion generating apparatus. Once such situation occurs, the discharge for generating ions will badly be interfered, which may result in lowered ion generation efficiency, and more worse discontinuance of the ion generation.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-111427 discloses an apparatus having a needle cathode for generating ions and a grounded anode opposed thereto to thereby generate negative ions, in which the distance between both ends of the cathode and anode positioned in parallel is properly adjusted to thereby successfully prevent dirt adhesion, as well as to suppress ozone smell and to raise the negative ion generation efficiency. In this prior art, a problem however resides in that the dirt adhesion onto the needle cathode per se cannot be prevented at all.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ion generating apparatus capable of removing dirt adhered on the ion generating electrode in a simple and effective manner, and furthermore capable of efficiently preventing the ion generation efficiency from being degraded due to dirt adhesion or suppressing of such degradation.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To solve the foregoing problems, an ion generating apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that comprising an ion generating electrode for generating negative ions while being applied with a negative high voltage; a high-voltage generating portion for ion generation for applying high voltage for generating ions to the ion generating electrode; and an electric cleaning mechanism for burning out attachment adhered on the ion generating electrode by electric heating.
According to the constitution of the present invention, the electric cleaning mechanism is provided to burn out dirt adhered on the ion generating electrode through electric heating, so that the dirt can be removed in a thorough and simple manner, and thus the apparatus can successfully prevent the ion generation efficiency from being degraded due to dirt adhesion. In particular, in case of the ion generating electrode having a sharp end, dirt adhesion to such portion where the ion generating field concentrates will considerably ruin the ion generating efficiency. Burning out of the attachment on the end portion of the ion generating electrode using the electric cleaning mechanism will be extremely beneficial to avoid such nonconformity. In this case, an object of the cleaning will be attained to a sufficient degree if only the dirt adhered onto the sharp end portion of the electrode, which is responsible for the ion generation, is selectively removed, which is also advantageous in simplifying the apparatus since there is no need to excessively raise the electric heating capacity of the electric cleaning mechanism.
The ion generating electrode may also be composed so as to generate ions by corona discharge using an counter electrode. The counter electrode in this case may also function as a dust collecting electrode. On the other hand, such composition may not always ensure a desirable ion generating efficiency since generated negative ions may be attracted by the counter electrode and may adhere thereon or decompose. So that, it is advantageous to compose the ion generating electrode as a lone electrode without being accompanied by any counter electrode for discharge, in terms of raising the ion generating efficiency if the dust collecting electrode is not specifically needed. While a mode of electric discharge for generating ions in this case may be understood as analogous to corona discharge, it is different in a precise meaning from generally-understood corona discharge since no apparent counter electrode is involved. However in many cases, a discharge mode similar to corona discharge may be established since some conductive members outside the apparatus can eventually act as the counter electrode even though such members were not intended for functions of an electrode.
The electric cleaning mechanism may be such that comprising a spark-discharge counter electrode for spark discharge located as being opposed to the ion generating electrode, and a spark-discharge, high-voltage generating portion for applying high voltage for the spark discharge between the ion generating electrode and the spark-discharge counter electrode, so that the attachment adhered on the ion generating electrode can be burnt out by spark-by-discharge generated between such ion generating electrode and such spark-discharge counter electrode upon being applied with a high voltage. Using spark discharge, heat generated by spark can efficiently be concentrated on the surface of the electrode to thereby remove the adhered dirt in a more complete manner. The ion generating electrode having a sharp end is advantageous in activating spark discharge for the cleaning without failure if such sharp end, where the electric field tends to concentrate, is opposed with the spark-discharge counter electrode.
An opposition distance (referred to as “gap distance”, hereinafter) between the ion generating electrode and the spark-discharge counter electrode during spark discharge depends on the magnitude of applied voltage, where a preferable range thereof for ensuring desirable spark generation is 2 mm or less, and more preferably 1 mm or less for applied voltage of up to 4,000 V or around. Spark for the discharge may be generated in a continuous manner, or intermittent manner so as to avoid excessive temperature rise of the electrode.
It is allowable for such case to provide a moving mechanism for the spark-discharge counter electrode which relatively moves it closer to or more distant from the ion generating electrode at least between a furthest position allowing ion generation from the ion generate electrode and a closest position allowing generation of the spark-by-discharge between the spark-discharge counter electrode and ion generating electrode. Keeping the spark-discharge counter electrode away from the ion generating electrode during the ion generation will successfully prevent undesirable spark discharge from occurring during a period essentially responsible for the ion generation. It is, however, also allowable to fix the gap distance between the spark-discharge counter electrode and the ion generating electrode, and to activate spark discharge by applying a higher voltage than that for the ion generation.
The electric cleaning mechanism may be such that including a resistance heating mechanism for burning out attachment adhered on the ion generating electrode by heating such ion generating electrode through resistance heating. By effecting resistance heating in at least an area to be cleaned of the ion generating electrode, the attachment such as dirt can efficiently be removed. The resistance heating mechanism may be such that comprising a current-fed member movable between a contact position allowing it to contact with the ion generating electrode and a distant position apart from such ion generating electrode, and a power source portion for current-fed heating for feeding e
Adachi Yoshiichi
Kato Yuji
Ngo Hung V.
Nihon Pachinko Parts Co., Ltd.
Snider Ronald R.
Snider & Associates
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