JP4887925B2 - Method and apparatus for cleaning with detergent foam - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cleaning method and apparatus using detergent foam.

  Conventionally, methods for cleaning a site to be cleaned, for example, a bathtub, include detergent scrub cleaning, high-pressure water cleaning, and mist cleaning. Detergent scrubbing takes a great burden on the elderly, etc., and high-pressure water cleaning is a general automatic bath cleaning method, but it generates uneven cleaning and water repellent noise and requires a high-power pump. Power consumption increases.

  On the other hand, the mist cleaning can eliminate disadvantages such as detergent scrub cleaning and high-pressure water cleaning.

In some washing machines, washing water in which a detergent is dissolved is used as a detergent foam and washed on the laundry (see Patent Document 1). Also, in the shower device (cleaning device), warm water containing detergent is sprayed from the shower nozzle, the sprayed particles contain fine bubbles, and adhere to the bather's body surface as a lump of fine detergent foam. The detergent is allowed to penetrate into the dirt while the fine lump of detergent bubbles slowly flows down from the body surface, and the dirt is lifted up by the stimulation of the sprayed particles (see Patent Document 2).
JP 2003-175293 A JP 2005-287994 A

  However, in mist cleaning, since the mist itself is a water droplet with a small size but weight, it is difficult to spread detergent components evenly throughout the bath because of its poor floatability and diffusivity. There was a problem of being bad.

  In addition, Patent Documents 1 and 2 are cleaning techniques using detergent foam, but since both are detergent foam lump (mouse-like), there is no floating or diffusibility, and it is adopted as a washing method for bathtubs, for example. However, as with mist cleaning, it is difficult to distribute the detergent components evenly throughout the bath, and improvement in cleaning performance cannot be expected.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem. Instead of mist, a fine detergent foam having excellent floating and diffusibility is supplied in a sprayed state to a closed space surrounding a site to be cleaned. An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning method and apparatus using detergent foam that can improve the cleaning performance by distributing the detergent components evenly throughout the closed space.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, claim 1 of the present invention is an infinite number of micro-sizes having a micro-size having a diameter of 2 to 40 μm and having floating and diffusibility, with the outer surface of bubbles covered with a thin film of a detergent component. A detergent foam cleaning method is characterized in that the soap bubble-shaped detergent foam is blown out and supplied in a closed space surrounding the site to be cleaned while floating like a mist by floating and diffusivity. .

According to claim 2 of the present invention, countless soap bubble-shaped detergent bubbles having a micro size having a diameter of 2 to 40 μm and having a floating and diffusibility , the outer surface of the bubble being covered with a thin film of a detergent component. A detergent foam cleaning device comprising a detergent foam generator that generates and supplies the generated detergent foam to a closed space surrounding the site to be cleaned while being blown out and spread like a mist by floating and diffusivity. Is to provide.

As in claim 3 , it is preferable that the detergent foam contains a sterilizing component together with a cleaning component.

As in claim 4 , the means for supplying the detergent foam to the closed space surrounding the site to be cleaned is wind power such as a blower fan or an air pump, and it is preferable that the air volume and direction can be adjusted.

As in claim 5 , the bubbles of the detergent foam are preferably warm air.

As in claim 6, the site to be cleaned is an inner surface of the bathtub, and the upper opening of the bathtub is closed with a lid, and a closed space surrounding the inner surface of the bathtub can be formed.

According to the cleaning method of the first aspect of the present invention and the cleaning apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, innumerable soap bubbles having a micro size of 2 to 40 μm in diameter and excellent in floating and diffusing properties instead of mist. The detergent bubbles of a small size are supplied to the closed space surrounding the site to be cleaned by blowing out and spreading like a mist due to floating and diffusive properties. Since the detergent spreads evenly over the entire space (for example, in the bathtub), the detergent component spreads evenly over the closed space, so that the cleaning performance is improved.

According to the third aspect , since the detergent foam contains the sterilizing component, the sterilizing performance is improved simultaneously with the cleaning performance.

According to the fourth aspect , wind power such as a blower fan or an air pump can be used as the detergent foam supply means, and the air volume and direction can be adjusted, so that the diffusibility is further improved.

According to the fifth aspect , since the bubbles of the detergent foam are warm air, the floatability is further improved.

According to the sixth aspect , since the closed space surrounding the inner surface of the bathtub can be formed only by closing the upper opening of the bathtub with the lid with the site to be cleaned as the inner surface of the bathtub, the inner surface of the bathtub can be easily and easily worked. Automatic cleaning to every corner will be possible.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a mist 1 as a background art, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a detergent foam 2 according to the present invention. The mist 1 is a water droplet having a weight of a minute size (for example, a diameter D of 2 to 40 μm), whereas the detergent foam (so-called soap bubble) 2 is the same minute size (for example, a diameter D) as the mist 1. Even so, since the outer surface of the bubble (air) 2a is only covered with the thin film 2b of the detergent component, its weight is about 1/1000. Is also much better.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the principle of the detergent foam generator 5, in which a detergent water adhering drum 7 such as a mesh or punching metal in which numerous fine holes 7 a are formed is provided in a tank 6 containing detergent water. The drum 7 is rotated by the motor 8 so that a thin film of detergent water is stretched in each hole 7a, and the air is blown from the blower fan 9 so that countless minute (micro-size) detergent bubbles are generated from each hole 7a of the drum 7. 2 is blown away while being formed, that is, it is diffused over a wide range.

  The detergent component of the detergent water is a surface active agent, so that a thin film of the detergent water is stretched on each hole 7 a of the drum 7. The detergent water can contain a sterilizing component together with the cleaning component.

  4 and 5 are examples of the detergent foam generator 10 of a manual pump type (or an electric pump type). The detergent water contained in the sealed tank 11 is pressurized to about 0.2 Mpa by operating the handle 12. After that, when the spray nozzle part 13 is opened, air that has been compressed and dissolved in detergent water is decompressed when sprayed from the minute holes 13a of the spray nozzle part 13, so that the dissolved air exceeds the saturated dissolution amount. Precipitates as independent fine bubbles. At this time, the bubbles are covered with a strong thin film by the detergent component (surfactant) to form fine detergent bubbles 2 and countless fine (micro size) detergents. Bubbles 2 are ejected in a sprayed state. Here, the detergent foam 2 being ejected in a sprayed state means that countless detergent foams 2 each as an independent single foam are blown out while spreading like a mist.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the blower fan 14 is provided in the spray nozzle unit 13, the countless detergent bubbles 2 are blown away, that is, diffused far away in a wide range.

  Moreover, wind force, such as the ventilation fan 14, can adjust an air volume and direction. Furthermore, it is possible to change the gas-liquid mixing ratio of air and detergent water, or to adjust the diameter and density (number of bubbles) of the detergent foam 2 according to the degree of pressurization.

  FIG. 7 is applied to a cleaning device for a bathtub 20, and a tank 22 capable of supplying tap water from a pipe 21 is provided outside the bathtub 20, and the tank 22 is formed by opening an upper lid 22 a. The detergent can be replenished, and the detergent water can be stored in the tank 22.

  Moreover, the spray nozzle part 23 is provided in the exterior of the bathtub 20, The piping 22b of the tank 22 and the air pump 24 are connected to this spray nozzle part 23. FIG.

  The air pump 24, the valve of the tap water pipe 21, the valve of the tank pipe 22b, etc. are connected to the control box 25, and the air pump 24 and each valve are controlled by the on / off operation of the controller 26. .

  During the cleaning operation, the upper opening of the bathtub 20 is closed by the lid (tub lid) 27, and a closed space surrounding the inner surface (cleaning target portion) of the bathtub 20 is formed.

  In the case of the cleaning device for the bathtub 20 as described above, when the controller 26 is operated during the cleaning operation to open the valve of the tank pipe 22b and drive the air pump 24, air is supplied to the detergent water sent from the tank 22. Since the pressure is reduced and compressed when the air compressed and compressed by the pump 24 is sprayed from the minute holes of the spray nozzle portion 23, the air dissolved above the saturated dissolution amount precipitates as independent minute bubbles, At this time, bubbles are covered with a strong thin film by the detergent component (surfactant) to form minute detergent bubbles 2, and countless minute (micro size) detergent bubbles 2 are ejected in a sprayed state. .

In this way, an infinite number of soap bubble-shaped detergent bubbles 2 having a micro size of 2 to 40 μm in diameter and excellent in floating and diffusing properties are formed in the bathtub 20 as mist by floating and diffusing properties. By blowing out and supplying while spreading, the fine detergent bubbles 2 are spread evenly throughout the bathtub 20 which is a closed space due to its excellent floating and diffusibility. Since the detergent components are evenly distributed, the cleaning performance is improved. And if the washing | cleaning object site | part is the inner surface of the bathtub 20, since the closed space surrounding the inner surface of the bathtub 20 can be formed only by closing the upper opening of the bathtub 20 with the lid | cover (tub lid) 27, the inner surface of the bathtub 20 is easy. And it becomes possible to automatically clean every corner without much trouble.

  In particular, by making the floating detergent foam 2 micro-sized, the number of foams can be increased, and the surface area is increased accordingly. Therefore, the adhesion density to the surface (inner surface) of the bathtub 20 can be increased and the wettability can be improved. A high cleaning ability using the components effectively can be obtained.

  Moreover, since the size of the detergent foam 2 is about 1000 μm (1 mm) or less, the floating / diffusibility becomes more excellent. In addition, the diameter D of the detergent foam 2 is mostly the same minute size (2 to 40 μm) as the mist 1, but naturally coalesces during floating and diffusion, and a part is about 1 mm to 10 mm (1 cm) or more, In some cases, the diameter can be increased to about 100 mm (10 cm), but even in such a case, a high cleaning ability can be maintained comprehensively.

  Furthermore, since the detergent foam 2 contains a sterilizing component, the sterilizing performance is improved simultaneously with the cleaning performance.

  Moreover, since wind force, such as the air pump 24, can be used as the supply means for the detergent foam 2, and the amount and direction of the air can be adjusted, the diffusibility is further improved.

  FIG. 8 is a modification of the cleaning device for the bathtub 20 in FIG. 7, in which a heater 28 is provided in the piping of the air pump 24 so that the bubbles of the detergent foam 2 are warm air higher than the outside air temperature. The floating property is further improved (see arrow a).

  The embodiment has been applied to washing a bathtub, but the present invention can be applied to washing a house watering facility such as a bathroom, a kitchen sink, a toilet bowl, a washbasin bowl, a shower currant with a body washing function, etc. The present invention can also be applied to washing household appliances such as dishwashers.

It is an expanded sectional view of mist as background art. It is an expanded sectional view of the detergent foam concerning the present invention. It is a principle diagram of the detergent foam generator according to the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the pump type detergent foam generator which concerns on this invention. It is a front view of the spray nozzle part of FIG. It is side surface sectional drawing of the detergent foam generator with a pump type ventilation fan which concerns on this invention. It is a system diagram of the washing | cleaning apparatus of the bathtub which concerns on this invention. It is a system diagram of the washing | cleaning apparatus of the bathtub of the modification of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

2 Detergent Foam 2a Bubble 2b Thin Film 5 Detergent Foam Generator 6 Detergent Water Tank 7 Detergent Water Adhesive Drum 8 Motor 9 Blower Fan 10 Detergent Foam Generator 11 Detergent Water Tank 13 Spray Nozzle 14 Blower Fan 20 Bathtub 22 Tank 23 Spray Nozzle Part 24 air pump 27 lid 28 heater

Claims (6)

The outer surface of the bubble is covered with a thin film of detergent components, and is a closed space that surrounds the site to be cleaned with countless soap bubble-shaped detergent bubbles with a micro size of 2 to 40 μm in diameter and floating and diffusibility. In addition, a cleaning method using detergent bubbles, characterized by floating and diffusing and blowing out while spreading like a mist. Detergent foam generator that generates countless soap bubble-shaped detergent bubbles with micro size with a diameter of 2-40μm and floating and diffusibility, with the outer surface of bubbles covered with a thin film of detergent components An apparatus for cleaning with detergent bubbles, wherein the generated detergent bubbles are blown out and supplied to a closed space surrounding a site to be cleaned while spreading like a mist due to floating and diffusibility. The cleaning device with a detergent foam according to claim 2 , wherein the detergent foam contains a sterilizing component together with a cleaning component. The detergent foam, means for supplying to the closed space surrounding the cleaned part is a wind of such a blower fan or air pump, according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that it is able to adjust the air volume and direction Cleaning device with detergent foam. The detergent foam cleaning device according to any one of claims 2 to 4 , wherein the bubbles of the detergent foam are warm air. The said washing | cleaning object site | part is an inner surface of a bathtub, The upper opening of a bathtub is closed with a lid | cover, The closed space surrounding the inner surface of a bathtub is formed, The any one of Claims 2-5 characterized by the above-mentioned. The cleaning apparatus by detergent foam as described in 1.

Images