JP3980949B2 - Stain-free bleaching method and apparatus for seafood ornaments - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing stains on marine products such as natural products such as natural pearls, cultured pearls, shells, and shells, which are stored in a light-transmitting container and bleached.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, the bleaching method for marine products such as pearls, shells, and sharks, especially the bleaching method for pearls, is a fluorescent lamp so that the illuminance on the surface of the container containing the pearls is about 5000 to 10,000 lux. In this case, the pH of the chemical solution to be placed in the container is kept at a neutral or substantially neutral pH of about 7, and the temperature of the chemical solution is stored at about 15 ° C., and hydrogen peroxide (chemical formula H ₂ O ₂ ) An aqueous solution is bleached by continuing the oxidation reaction for about 10 to 100 days.
[0003]
However, according to this conventional method, it takes a lot of time and labor, and spots and yellow pigments may not be bleached, and in addition, white skin roughness and spots (so-called processing scratches) on the pearl surface occur, resulting in a reduction in commercial value. There was a problem to do.
[0004]
In the above-mentioned stain, blood cells and fungi adhere to the nucleus surface during incision and transplantation to the epithelium and the mother shell of the pearl nucleus, and the antigen-antibody reaction debris to these blood cells and fungi are not processed in the body. In many cases, a sac is formed, the nacreous layer is secreted, and those that remain inside the nacreous layer result in pearl spots.
[0005]
In order to solve such problems caused by the conventional method, a pearl bleaching method described in JP-A-8-266318 has already been invented.
In the bleaching method disclosed in this publication, a transition metal compound such as iron sulfate or an aluminum compound such as aluminum sulfate is added as a photocatalyst to an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution to a concentration of 1 to 50 ppm, and light is emitted. This is a method of rapidly bleaching in a short time (20 hours) after irradiation.
[0006]
In other words, in order to efficiently draw out the photocatalytic reaction, the solvent containing the transition metal compound and the aluminum compound described above is used, and this is penetrated into the pearl to promote the photocatalytic reaction by applying light. Since free oxygen is generated, reductive bleaching is attempted with this free oxygen.
[0007]
However, according to this method, it is highly probable that the metal catalyst remains in the pearl after the bleaching treatment, and these pearls are, for example, extremely reactive with active oxygen (natural oxygen) under natural light. (Oxygen rich in nature) occurs continuously, and the excessive active oxygen destroys the protein and calcium carbonate crystals that make up the pearl, leading to deterioration of the pearl layer and fading change within a short period of time. It was.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention pays attention to the fact that stains and yellow pigments contained in marine products such as pearls, shells and coral originally contain trace amounts of metals such as Fe and Cu. Effective use as a photocatalyst and irradiation with intense light of 25,000 lux or more provides a good photocatalytic effect, suppresses the occurrence of processing scratches (white skin roughness and spots on the surface), and smoothness in a short time An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for removing a stain on a marine product ornament product that can perform stain removal and bleaching and can improve the bleaching whiteness.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The marine product ornament stain-removing method according to the present invention is a marine product ornament stain-removing bleaching method in which a marine product ornament is contained in a translucent container to perform stain-free bleaching, and the illuminance on the outer surface of the container Is irradiated with light so as to be 25,000 lux or more.
[0010]
Pearls, shells and corals can be used as the marine product ornaments having the above-described configuration. Moreover, as a translucent container, a transparent container is desirable. Further, the illuminance is preferably 50,000 lux or more, more preferably 100,000 lux or more, and further preferably 150,000 lux or 200,000 lux or more in terms of the light amount and the processing time.
[0011]
According to the above configuration, the outer surface of the container is irradiated with light so that the illuminance is 25,000 lux or more. Therefore, a very large amount of light (from the outside to a very small amount of metal contained in the decorative article ( (Visible light having a wavelength of 380 to 780 nm) is irradiated, and the photocatalyst is induced. Active oxygen is generated when the photocatalyst is generated, and the active oxygen can remove stains and bleach.
[0012]
In addition, since a very small amount of metal originally contained in marine products such as pearls is catalyzed by applying a large amount of light without adding a metal compound separately to the solvent as in the conventional example, abnormalities in the processed pearls There is no risk of generation of active oxygen and the accompanying pearl degradation or fading.
[0013]
In this way, by irradiating strong light of 25,000 lux or more (preferably 50,000 lux or more), a good photocatalytic effect is obtained, and processing scratches (white skin roughness and spots on the surface) are suppressed. In addition, smooth stain removal and bleaching can be performed in a short period of time, and the bleaching whiteness can be improved.
In addition, if it is less than 25,000 lux, the above-mentioned photocatalytic effect hardly occurs.
[0014]
In one embodiment of the present invention, a projector that irradiates a marine product ornament with light through the container and a light source that is separated from the projector are connected by an optical fiber.
As the light source having the above configuration, various light sources such as a fluorescent lamp, a halogen lamp, a xenon lamp, a sodium lamp, a metal halide lamp, a mercury lamp, and the like can be used.
[0015]
According to the above configuration, since the light source and the projector are connected using the optical fiber, the light source can be moved away from the projector, and as a result, the bleaching solution is not easily affected by heat. That is, the required illuminance can be ensured with cold light.
[0016]
In addition, it is desirable to hold the inside of the container at a predetermined temperature and irradiate the light, and this predetermined temperature is preferably around 10 ° C. which does not exceed 15 ° C. The entire spot-bleached bleaching area including the projector and the projector may be kept at a predetermined temperature by an air conditioner, and the container is placed in a light-transmitting air-conditioning box and only the inside of the air-conditioning box is locally air-conditioned (or partially (Air conditioning) may be configured, and air blowing means such as a fan may be used to maintain a predetermined temperature. Thus, if the inside of the container (that is, the reaction temperature of the bleaching solution) is maintained at a predetermined temperature, the generation of processing scratches can be suppressed.
In other words, if the reaction temperature of the bleaching solution exceeds 15 ° C, the rate of occurrence of processing flaws increases rapidly, and if kept at a temperature well below 10 ° C, the reaction rate slows down, not only takes time and labor, but also a long time. Experiments have revealed that processing flaws increase due to peroxide reaction.
[0017]
In one embodiment of the present invention, the marine product ornament is set to a natural or cultured pearl without holes or perforated.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to appropriately remove the pearl from the spot and to bleach the pearl, and in particular, in the case of the pierced one, the chemical solution can easily permeate from the hole, so that the degree of bleaching can be improved.
[0018]
The bleaching apparatus according to the present invention is a bleaching apparatus for bleaching marine product ornaments, and the illuminance on the outer surface of the vessel and the container is 25,000 lux or more. Thus, a projector that irradiates light is provided.
[0019]
According to the above configuration, the above-mentioned projector irradiates the outer surface of the container with light so that the illuminance is 25,000 lux or more. Therefore, for a very small amount of metal contained in the ornament . A large amount of light ( visible light having a wavelength of 380 to 780 nm ) is irradiated from the outside , and the photocatalyst is induced. Active oxygen is generated when the photocatalyst is generated, and the active oxygen can remove stains and bleach.
[0020]
In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a projector that irradiates light to a marine product ornament through the container, and an optical fiber that connects a light source separated from the projector.
[0021]
According to the above configuration, since the light source and the projector are connected using the optical fiber, the light source can be moved away from the projector, and as a result, the bleaching solution is not easily affected by heat. That is, the required illuminance can be ensured with cold light.
[0022]
In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided means for maintaining the inside of the container at a predetermined temperature.
According to the above configuration, since the inside of the container ( that is, the reaction temperature of the bleaching solution ) can be maintained at a predetermined temperature by the above-described means, the generation of processing scratches can be suppressed.
[0023]
In other words, if the reaction temperature of the bleaching solution exceeds 15 ° C, the rate of occurrence of processing flaws increases rapidly, and if kept at a temperature well below 10 ° C, the reaction rate slows down, not only takes time and labor, but also a long time. Experiments have revealed that processing flaws increase due to peroxide reaction.
[0024]
【Example】
An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
The drawings show the stain vent bleaching process and apparatus of pearls (natural pearl or cultured pearl) as an example of a stain vent bleaching process and apparatus of the marine ornaments, but first, referring to FIG. 1, used in this method device The configuration of will be described.
[0025]
A translucent container 2 for accommodating a plurality of pearls 1 is provided, and a pearl 1 and a bleaching solution 3 as objects to be processed are accommodated in the container 2.
Here, the above-mentioned container 2 is made of a transparent body, and has a bottom with a side (short side) of about 5 cm at the bottom, a side of the bottom (long side) of about 25 cm, and a height of about 10 cm. Although it is formed in a rectangular tube shape, it is not limited to these numerical values. In addition, when the container 2 is configured in a rectangular tube shape, light is more evenly irradiated as compared with a cylindrical one.
[0026]
In addition, the above-mentioned bleaching solution 3 has a pH of 7-7. In order to obtain a bleaching effect, several wt% hydrogen peroxide solution, an alcohol as an organic solvent, a surfactant for protecting the pearl 1 film, and pH. 5 pH stabilizers for maintaining neutrality or substantially neutrality.
[0027]
The projectors 4 are respectively arranged so as to face both other sides (long side) of the container 2, and infrared, far-infrared, and ultraviolet (ultraviolet radiation, wavelengths 2000 to 3800 angstroms) depending on the type of raw material. A cut filter 5 that blocks light) is provided. The arrangement position of the filter 5 may be any position between the light source 6 and the light projecting side of the projector 4. Moreover, you may comprise the container 2 itself with the transparent body which has the interruption | blocking function.
[0028]
Further, the projector 4 and the light source 6 are connected by an optical fiber 7, the light source 6 is moved away from the container 2 as much as possible, and the light from the light source 6 is guided to the projector 4 by the optical fiber 7. It is configured to irradiate the pearl 1 as uniformly as possible through a slit (not shown) provided in the projector 4 through almost the entire other side of the container 2.
[0029]
As the light source 6, various light sources such as a fluorescent lamp, a halogen lamp, a xenon lamp, a sodium lamp, a metal halide lamp, and a mercury lamp can be used. In this embodiment, a metal halide lamp (a discharge in which mercury and a metal halide are enclosed) is used. Lamp) is used to set the illuminance at 25,000 lux or more on the outer peripheral surfaces 2a, 2a on the light irradiation side of the container 2.
[0030]
The above illuminance is preferably 50,000 lux or more, more preferably 100,000 lux or more, and further preferably 150,000 lux or more, 200,000 lux or more in consideration of the amount of light and shortening of the processing time.
[0031]
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, in order to maintain the temperature of the bleaching solution 3 in the container 2 at a predetermined temperature (around 10 ° C. not exceeding 15 ° C.), the entire bleaching bleaching area 9 including the container 2 and the projector 4 is The air conditioner ( not shown ) is configured to maintain the predetermined temperature by means of a means for maintaining the inside of the container 2 at a predetermined temperature. Instead of this structure, the container 2 has good light transmission as shown in FIG. Even if it is arranged in the air conditioning box 10 constituted by a transparent member and only the air conditioning box 10 ( means for keeping the inside of the container 2 at a predetermined temperature ) is locally air-conditioned, the energy consumption can be reduced. Good.
[0032]
Next, a method for removing stains and bleaching the pearl 1 using the bleaching apparatus shown in FIG. 1 or 2 will be described.
The plurality of pearls 1 and the bleaching solution 3 are accommodated in the container 2 described above, and the light source 6 is driven to irradiate the pearl 1 from the projector 4 through the container 2. In this case, the illuminance of the outer surface 2a of the container 2 is set to be 25,000 lux or more, preferably 50,000 lux or more, and at least the inside of the container 2 is air-conditioning means ( means for maintaining the inside of the container 2 at a predetermined temperature). ) At the above-mentioned predetermined temperature.
[0033]
The above-mentioned pearl 1 contains a very small amount of metal such as Fe and Cu, and a large amount of light is irradiated from the outside to the trace metal, so that these metals are photocatalyzed, Active oxygen is generated, and this active oxygen can remove stains and perform bleaching.
[0034]
FIG. 3 shows the characteristics of bleaching whiteness between those irradiated with light having an illuminance of 25,000 lux and those irradiated with light having an illuminance of 5000 lux in order to compare the effect of the method of this embodiment with the method of the conventional example. Indicates.
[0035]
The characteristic a shown in FIG. 3 is an example product using a general bleaching assistant mainly composed of H ₂ O ₂ (hydrogen peroxide) and alcohol as a bleaching solution while irradiating light having an illuminance of 25,000 lux. The characteristics of
Characteristic b is a characteristic of an example product when irradiating light with an illuminance of 25,000 lux and using only alcohol as a solvent,
Characteristic c is a characteristic of a conventional product using a general bleaching assistant mainly composed of H ₂ O ₂ (hydrogen peroxide) as a bleaching solution and alcohol while irradiating light with an illuminance of 5000 lux.
Characteristic d is a characteristic of a conventional product when irradiating light with an illuminance of 5000 lux and using only alcohol as a solvent.
[0036]
As is apparent from the above characteristic diagram, the bleaching whiteness of the method according to the embodiment of the present invention is greatly improved over the conventional characteristics c and d as indicated by the characteristics a and b. In particular, when a medium mainly composed of H ₂ O ₂ and alcohol is used as a bleaching solution (see characteristic a), good results can be obtained in which the bleaching whiteness is further improved corresponding to the light irradiation time. It was.
[0037]
With the conventional methods of characteristics c and d, since the illuminance is 5000 lx and sufficient illuminance cannot be ensured, the photocatalytic effect hardly occurs and the bleaching whiteness does not reach 40%.
Next, the results of actual measurement of the processing scratch generation rate by the method of this example and the processing scratch generation rate by the method of the comparative example are shown.
[0038]
[Example 1]
A diameter of 7 mm ^phi, there is a stain on the inside (middle stain) through pearls (pearls through hole is processed) the standard bleaching solution of Ehime Yue product (hydrogen peroxide and bleach composed mainly of alcohol) 3 As a result of maintaining the illuminance of 50,000 lux while keeping the inside of the container 2 at 15 ° C. and bleaching, bleaching was completed in 28 days. As a result of actually measuring the processing scratches of the pearl 1 after the completion of the bleaching, the processing scratch generation rate was 0%. The bleaching solution 3 was exchanged twice. The same effect as described above could be obtained even when the illuminance was bleached at 25,000 lux.
[0039]
[Comparative Example 1]
A diameter of 7 mm ^phi, there is a stain on the inside (middle stain) through pearls (pearls through hole is processed) the standard bleaching solution of Ehime Yue product (hydrogen peroxide and bleach composed mainly of alcohol) 3 As a result of maintaining the illuminance of 5000 lux while keeping the inside of the container 2 at 15 ° C. and bleaching, it took 52 days to complete the bleaching. As a result of actually measuring the processing scratches on the pearl 1 after the bleaching was completed, the processing scratch generation rate was 3.4%. The bleaching solution 3 was exchanged three times.
[0040]
[Example 2]
A diameter of 8 mm ^phi, there is a stain on the inside (middle stain) through pearls (pearls through hole is processed) the standard bleaching solution of Ehime Yue product (hydrogen peroxide and bleach composed mainly of alcohol) 3 As a result of maintaining the illuminance of 120,000 lux while keeping the inside of the container 2 at 10 ° C. and bleaching, bleaching was completed in 17 days. As a result of actually measuring the processing scratches of the pearl 1 after the completion of the bleaching, the processing scratch generation rate was 0%. The bleaching solution 3 was exchanged once.
[0041]
[Example 3]
Can not bleaching stain the bleaching process according to the conventional method, in lineal remaining in inventory defective products 8 mm ^phi, with pearl pearl Kataana (holes are processed only in one, in the position far stains from Anaguchi 50 pieces of pearls, which have not penetrated the bleaching solution and cannot be bleached by the conventional method, are placed in a standard bleaching solution (bleaching solution mainly composed of hydrogen peroxide and alcohol) 3 and the container 2 is kept at 10 ° C. As a result of securing the illuminance of 120,000 lux while bleaching and bleaching again, 47 of 50 pearls 1 could be spotted, and commercialization was possible with a high probability of 94%. As a result of actually measuring the processing scratches of the pearl 1 in this case, the processing scratch generation rate was 0%. The bleaching solution 3 was exchanged once.
[0042]
As is clear from the comparison between the above-mentioned Examples 1, 2, 3 and Comparative Example 1, in the bleaching treatment method of this example, almost all the pearls are appropriately bleached and bleached, and the product is quickly commercialized. The product quality of pearls could be maintained because there were no processing scratches.
[0043]
As described in detail above, the method for removing stains on marine product ornaments in the above-described embodiment is the method for removing stains on marine product ornaments in which marine product ornaments (see Pearl 1) are accommodated in a translucent container 2 and bleached. In this bleaching method, light (see cold light 8) is irradiated so that the illuminance of the outer surface 2a of the container 2 is 25,000 lux or more, preferably 50,000 lux or more.
[0044]
According to this configuration, the outer surface 2a of the container 2 is irradiated with light (visible light) so that the illuminance is 25,000 lux or more, so a very small amount contained in the ornament (see Pearl 1). A large amount of light is irradiated from the outside to these metals, and these metals act as a photocatalyst. At this time, active oxygen is generated, and this active oxygen can remove stains and perform bleaching.
[0045]
In addition, since a very small amount of metal (such as Cu or Fe) originally contained in marine products such as pearls 1 is effectively used without adding a metal compound as a solvent as in the conventional example, the active oxygen after processing is reduced. There is no risk of occurrence and associated pearl degradation or fading.
[0046]
In this way, by irradiating strong light of 25,000 lux or more, preferably 50,000 lux or more, a good photocatalytic effect can be obtained, and the generation of processing scratches (white rough skin and spots on the surface) is suppressed, Smooth stain removal and bleaching can be performed in a short period of time, and whitening degree can be improved.
[0047]
Further, a projector 4 that irradiates a marine product ornament (see pearl 1) through the container 2 and a light source 6 that is separated from the projector 4 are connected by an optical fiber 7. According to this configuration, since the light source 6 and the projector 4 are connected using the optical fiber 7, the light source 6 can be moved away from the projector 4, and as a result, the bleaching solution 3 is not easily affected by heat. That is, the required illuminance can be ensured by the cold light 8.
[0048]
Further, the container 2 is irradiated with light while being kept at a predetermined temperature (around 10 ° C. not exceeding 15 ° C.).
According to this configuration, since the inside of the container 2 (that is, the reaction temperature of the bleaching solution 3) is maintained at a predetermined temperature, the generation of processing scratches can be suppressed.
That is, it has been clarified through experiments that when the reaction temperature of the bleaching solution 3 exceeds 15 ° C., the generation rate of processing scratches occurs.
[0049]
In addition, the marine ornament is set on a natural or aquacultured pearl 1 with no holes or holes.
According to this configuration, the stain and bleaching of the pearl 1 can be appropriately performed, and especially for those that have been drilled, the chemical solution easily penetrates from the hole, so that the bleaching degree can be improved more efficiently. Can be planned.
[0050]
Furthermore , it is a bleaching apparatus for removing stains on marine product ornaments ( refer to pearl 1 ) in the above embodiment, wherein the translucent container 2 for accommodating marine ornaments and the illuminance of the outer surface of the vessel 2 is 2 And a projector 4 for irradiating light so as to be 10,000 lux or more.
[0051]
According to this configuration, the above-mentioned projector 4 irradiates the outer surface of the container 2 with light so that the illuminance becomes 25,000 lux or more. Therefore, a very small amount of metal contained in the decorative article is irradiated. On the other hand, a large amount of light ( visible light having a wavelength of 380 to 780 nm ) is irradiated from the outside , and the photocatalyst is induced. Active oxygen is generated when the photocatalyst is generated, and the active oxygen can remove stains and bleach.
[0052]
Further, a projector 4 for irradiating light ( see cold light 8 ) to the marine product ornament ( see pearl 1 ) through the container 2 and an optical fiber 7 for connecting the light source 6 separated from the projector 4 are provided. Is.
[0053]
According to this configuration, since the light source 6 and the projector 4 are connected using the optical fiber 7, the light source 6 can be moved away from the projector 4, and as a result, the bleaching solution is hardly affected by heat. That is, the required illuminance can be ensured by the cold light 8.
[0054]
Furthermore, a means for keeping the inside of the container 2 at a predetermined temperature ( see air conditioning means, air conditioning box 10 ) is provided.
According to this configuration, since the inside of the container 2 ( that is, the reaction temperature of the bleaching solution ) can be maintained at a predetermined temperature by the above-described means, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of processing scratches.
[0055]
In other words, if the reaction temperature of the bleaching solution exceeds 15 ° C, the rate of occurrence of processing flaws increases rapidly, and if kept at a temperature well below 10 ° C, the reaction rate slows down, not only takes time and labor, but also a long time. Experiments have revealed that processing flaws increase due to peroxide reaction.
[0056]
In the correspondence between the configuration of the present invention and the above-described embodiment,
The marine product ornament of this invention corresponds to the pearl 1 of the example ,
The means for maintaining the inside of the container at a predetermined temperature corresponds to the air conditioning means or / and the air conditioning box 10 ,
The present invention may be applied to a stain-bleaching method for other seafood ornaments such as shells and corals other than the pearl 1.
[0057]
In order to prevent the influence of the heat generation amount of the light source, it is of course possible to use a means for releasing heat such as a blower fan or a cooling means, and the cooling part is set to at least one of the light source part and the container part. May be.
[0058]
Furthermore, the light may be irradiated not only in two directions of the container but also from three directions or four directions including at least one of the upper and lower sides, and the container may be set so that pearls are arranged in a line.
[0059]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, traces such as Fe and Cu are effectively used as photocatalysts for stains and yellow pigments contained in marine products such as pearls, shells and corals, and have a powerful strength of 25,000 lux or more. since those for irradiating a light, good photocatalytic effect can be obtained, processed scratches to suppress the occurrence of (white rough skin and spots of the surface), it can be carried out smoothly stain vent in a short time, a bleaching, There is an effect of improving the whiteness of bleaching.
[Brief description of the drawings]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a stain removal bleaching method and apparatus for a marine product ornament of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a local air conditioning system using an air conditioning box.
FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing a change in bleaching whiteness with respect to illuminance on the outer surface of the container.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Pearl (fishery ornaments)
2 ... Container 2a ... Outer surface 4 ... Projector 6 ... Light source 7 ... Optical fiber 8 ... Cold light (light)
10 ... Air-conditioning box ( means )

Claims (6)

It is a bleaching method of a marine product ornament that contains a marine product ornament in a translucent container and bleaches the stain,
A stain-free bleaching method for marine ornaments that irradiates light so that the illuminance of the outer surface of the container is 25,000 lux or more. A projector for irradiating the marine product ornaments with light through the container;
The method for removing bleaching of marine product ornaments according to claim 1, wherein the light source separated from the projector is connected by an optical fiber. 3. The method of bleaching a marine product ornament according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the marine product ornament is set to a natural or cultured pearl without holes or perforated. A bleaching device for bleaching seafood ornaments without spotting,
A translucent container for storing marine ornaments;
A projector that emits light so that the illuminance of the outer surface of the container is 25,000 lux or more.
Bleaching equipment. A projector for irradiating the marine product ornaments with light through the container;
And an optical fiber for connecting a light source separated from the projector
The bleaching apparatus according to claim 4. Means for maintaining the inside of the container at a predetermined temperature
The bleaching apparatus according to claim 4 or 5.

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