Liquid purification or separation – With alarm – indicator – register – recorder – signal or... – Transparent
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2001-07-10
Drodge, Joseph W. (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
With alarm, indicator, register, recorder, signal or...
Transparent
C210S167150, C210S192000, C422S186070, C422S186150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06258260
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ozonizer for generating ozone from the oxygen contained in air, and more particularly, to an ozonizer well adapted for use in 24-hour working baths, circulating water purifiers such as a Jacuzzi, ozonized water generators, water purifiers and the like. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a water purifier equipped with an ozonizer for use with 24-hour working baths, Jacuzzis, ponds, water tanks and pools, and to a method of cleaning the ozonizer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ozone has conventionally been used in industrial as well as household applications for purifying and deodorizing water and the like. A relatively small-sized apparatus for generating ozone for household use employs a creeping discharge element including a filamentary discharge electrode and a surface induction electrode disposed opposite each other and a dielectric layer interposed therebetween. A voltage is applied between the electrodes to thereby excite discharge on the filamentary discharge electrode. This type of creeping discharge element is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,318.
More particularly, such ozonizers include a creeping discharge element, a power circuit and a resin case for housing the creeping discharge element and power circuit. The creeping discharge element is typically composed of a dielectric layer formed from ceramic, a filamentary discharge electrode disposed on one surface of the dielectric layer, and a surface induction layer disposed on the other surface of the dielectric layer opposite the filamentary discharge electrode. The power circuit applies a voltage between the filamentary discharge electrode and surface induction electrode so as to excite a discharge from the filamentary discharge electrode.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 8-171979, the present applicant proposed an ozonizer employing a creeping discharge element for use in the circulating water purifier of a 24-hour working bath. This ozonizer is described below with reference to
FIGS. 8A-8D
.
FIG. 8B
shows a plan view of the ozonizer
310
.
FIG. 8A
shows a plan view of a cover
330
that attaches to the ozonizer.
FIG. 8C
shows the ozonizer of
FIG. 8B
as viewed in the direction of arrow C of FIG.
8
B.
FIG. 8D
shows a sectional view along line
8
D—
8
D of FIG.
8
B.
As shown in
FIG. 8D
, a creeping discharge element, i.e. an ozonizing element, is formed as part of a high-voltage generating board
350
including a high-voltage-generating circuit element
352
. Specifically, the high-voltage generating board
350
is formed from a dielectric having a surface induction electrode
366
embedded in a portion thereof and a filamentary discharge electrode
368
disposed on the top surface thereof. The high-voltage generating board
350
is disposed within a housing
320
such that the filamentary discharge electrode
368
mounted on the high-voltage generating board
350
faces an opening
320
a
formed in the housing
320
. The cover shown in
FIG. 8A
is attached to the housing
320
so as to close the opening
320
a
, to thereby prevent ozone leakage from the housing
320
.
Large-sized creeping discharge type ozonizers for industrial use employ pure oxygen or dry air as a starting material, whereas small-sized ozonizers for household use employing the above-described creeping discharge element use untreated air as a starting material. Accordingly, small-sized ozonizers are disadvantageous in that when the creeping discharge element is used continuously, the material of the creeping discharge element reacts with nitrogen or the like in air to form an ammonium salt on the element surface. The ammonium salt hinders creeping discharge with a resulting failure in the proper generation of ozone. Thus, for such small-sized creeping discharge type ozonizers, it is important to check whether ozone continues to be generated. Hitherto, this checking was difficult to conduct.
More particularly, because untreated air has a humidity higher than that of artificially-produced dry air, large amounts of nitrogen oxides are produced when ozone is generated by discharge.
The nitrogen oxides chemically react with ammonia present in the air to produce ammonium nitrate. The thus-produced ammonium nitrate covers the filamentary discharge electrode.
Accordingly, the density of the electric field generated by the filamentary discharge electrode is reduced. Also, ammonium nitrate covering the filamentary discharge electrode absorbs water present in the air and becomes electrically conductive, thus increasing the apparent area of the filamentary discharge electrode. As a result, the capacitance of the dielectric increases.
That is, in a conventional ozonizer, because ammonium nitrate covers the filamentary discharge electrode, the density of the electric field generated by the filamentary discharge electrode is reduced. The capacitance of the dielectric increases, resulting in reduced ozone generation.
Conventionally, therefore, the ozonizer is disassembled, and adhering ammonium nitrate is wiped off from the filamentary discharge electrode using water or a solvent. That is, a conventional ozonizer must be maintained through manual labor.
After cleaning, the creeping discharge element resumes discharging to thereby generate ozone. However, a high electric potential of several kilovolts is applied to the creeping discharge element even though the current flowing through the element is very small. Therefore, it is dangerous for an ordinary household user to clean the element. That is, even though designed for household use, conventional ozonizers are difficult to maintain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ozonizer which is easy to maintain and a water purifier equipped with the ozonizer.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ozonizer, a water purifier and a method of cleaning the ozonizer which allows for easy removal of at least ammonium nitrate among those substances adhering to a discharge element without the need for manual cleaning and which dispenses with the need for touching the discharge element.
The above objects have been achieved according to a first aspect of the present invention by providing an ozonizer which comprises an ozonizing discharge element, an electric circuit for applying a voltage to said ozonizing discharge element so as to produce an ozone-generating discharge; a housing having an opening formed therein for receiving said ozonizing discharge element, a cover which seals the ozonizing discharge element in said housing, and means for turning off the voltage applied to said ozonizing discharge element when the cover is removed.
In the ozonizer according to the above first aspect of the present invention, it is safe to clean the ozonizing discharge element because the voltage applied to the ozonizing discharge element is turned off when the cover is removed.
In the ozonizer, preferably at least part of the cover or housing is transparent so as to enable visual detection of the discharge state of the ozonizing discharge element. Instead of visual inspection, for example, a light sensor which detects a discharge light of the ozonizing discharge element through the transparent cover or housing may be placed outside the transparent cover or housing to confirm the discharge state of the ozonizing discharge element. Thus, the ozonizer is easy to maintain.
According to a second aspect, the present invention provides an ozonizer which comprises an ozonizing discharging element, an electric circuit for applying a voltage to said ozonizing discharge element so as to produce an ozone-generating discharge, a housing having an opening formed therein for receiving said ozonizing discharge element, and a cover which seals the ozonizing discharge element in said housing, wherein at least part of said cover or housing is transparent so as to enable visual detection of the discharge state of the ozonizing discharge
Morita Naotoshi
Wakita Sachio
Drodge Joseph W.
NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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