JP7573008B2 - Microbubble generator and cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a microbubble generator and a cleaning device.

Conventionally, micro-bubble generators have been known that can rapidly reduce the pressure of a liquid, such as water, passing through a flow path by locally reducing the cross-sectional area of the flow path, thereby precipitating the dissolved air in the liquid and generating micro-bubbles.

JP 2018-23936 A

However, the conventional configuration left room for improvement in terms of efficiently generating fine bubbles while suppressing a decrease in flow rate.

Therefore, we provide a microbubble generator that can efficiently generate microbubbles while suppressing a decrease in flow rate, and a cleaning device equipped with a microbubble generator.

The micro-bubble generator of the embodiment comprises a main body having a flow path that connects an inlet and an outlet and allows liquid to pass through, and a collision section that generates micro-bubbles in the liquid by reducing the cross-sectional area of the flow path, the main body having a downstream narrowing section that is connected to the outlet and gradually reduces the cross-sectional area of the flow path, and the collision section is provided in the downstream narrowing section.

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view illustrating an example of a drum-type washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an example of a state in which the fine bubble generator according to the first embodiment is incorporated into a water injection case. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a flow path member is removed from the fine-bubble generator according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the micro-bubble generator according to the first embodiment as viewed from the upstream side. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the micro-bubble generator according to the first embodiment, taken along line X5-X5 in FIG. 4, with a flow path member removed. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the collision portion according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the micro-bubble generator according to the first embodiment taken along line X7-X7 in FIG. FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another example of a state in which the fine bubble generator according to the first embodiment is incorporated into a water injection case; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 6 and showing an example of a collision portion according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 6 and showing an example of a collision portion according to a third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 6 and showing another example of the collision portion according to the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 6 , illustrating an example of a collision portion according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an example of a case in which a fine bubble generator is provided upstream of a water supply valve in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional side view showing an example of a dishwasher according to a sixth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a top view showing an example of a flush toilet device according to a seventh embodiment.

Below, several embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Elements that are substantially the same in each embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and description will be omitted. Furthermore, in each embodiment, the terms "first," "second," ..., attached to components, etc., are merely intended to distinguish between similar components, and do not indicate superiority or inferiority between components or time factors.

First Embodiment
First, in the first embodiment, an example in which a fine bubble generator is applied to a washing machine as a cleaning device will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 8. The washing machine 10 shown in Fig. 1 is a drum-type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub 14 faces horizontally or the oblique axis type inclined downward toward the rear. The washing machine is not limited to a drum-type washing machine, but may be a vertical-axis washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub faces vertically. The washing machine 10 may be equipped with a drying function such as a heater type or a heat pump type, or may not be equipped with such a drying function. The washing machine 10 may also be equipped with an automatic treatment agent dispenser that can automatically dispense laundry treatment agents such as detergents and finishing agents. The automatic treatment agent dispenser has a treatment agent tank that can store an amount of laundry treatment agent used for multiple washing operations, and is a device that can automatically dispense a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank into the water tub for each washing operation.

The washing machine 10 is equipped with an outer case 11, a door 12, a water tub 13, a rotating tub 14, a motor 15, a drainage mechanism 16, and a water injection device 20. The washing machine 10 is also equipped with a well-known operation panel and control device, etc., although details are not shown. In FIG. 1, the side of the installation surface of the washing machine 10, i.e., the vertically lower side, is the lower side of the washing machine 10, and the opposite side of the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upper side, is the upper side of the washing machine 10. The left side of the paper in FIG. 1, i.e., the side of the door 12 relative to the outer case 11, is the front side of the washing machine 10, and the right side of the paper in FIG. 1, i.e., the opposite side of the door 12 relative to the outer case 11, is the rear side of the washing machine 10.

The outer box 11 is formed into a rectangular hollow box shape as a whole by a combination of metals such as stainless steel plate and resin materials. The outer box 11 forms the outer shell of the washing machine 10. The outer box 11 also has an opening 111 on the front side that connects the inside and outside of the outer box 11. The door 12 is provided on the front side of the outer box 11 and opens and closes the opening 111. With the door 12 open, the user can put clothes in and take them out of the spin tub 14 through the opening 111.

The water tank 13 and the rotating tank 14 are both formed into a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The water tank 13 is capable of storing water inside. The water tank 13 is disposed within the outer box 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The rotating tank 14 is disposed rotatably within the water tank 13 and is driven to rotate by a motor 15. The motor 15 is provided on the outside of the bottom of the water tank 13 and has the function of driving the rotating tank 14 to rotate relative to the water tank 13.

The drain mechanism 16 is for draining the water in the water tub 13 to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drain mechanism 16 can be configured with a drain valve 161 and a drain hose 162. The drain valve 161 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. One end of the drain hose 162 is connected to the drain valve 161, and the other end is pulled out to the outside of the washing machine 10. When the drain valve 161 is opened while water is stored in the water tub 13, the water stored in the water tub 13 is drained to the outside of the washing machine 10 through the drain hose 162. In other words, the drain valve 161 opens and closes a drain path for draining the water stored in the water tub 13 to the outside.

The water injection device 20 is for injecting water supplied from an external water source such as a water tap into the water tank 13. The water injection device 20 has a water supply valve 21, a water supply case 22, a water supply hose 23, and a micro-bubble generator 30. The water supply valve 21 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. The water supply valve 21 opens and closes the path from the external water source through the water supply case 22 to the water tank 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the water supply valve 21 has an inlet 211 and an outlet 212. The inlet 211 is connected to an external water source such as a water faucet (not shown) via the water supply hose 100. The outlet 212 is connected to, for example, the water supply case 22.

The water injection case 22 has a function of receiving water supplied from an external water source and supplying the water into the water tub 13 via the water injection hose 23. The water injection case 22 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and can be formed into a long box shape along the front-to-rear direction of the washing machine 10. The water injection case 22 is configured to be able to store laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener inside. As shown in FIG. 2, the water injection case 22 has a connection part 221 and a communication part 222. The connection part 221 and the communication part 222 communicate between the inside and the outside of the water injection case 22. The connection part 221 is formed, for example, into a cylindrical shape with a step on the inner circumferential surface.

The connection part 221 connects the water supply valve 21 and the water supply case 22. Water that passes through the water supply valve 21 flows into the water supply case 22 through the connection part 221. As shown in FIG. 2, the outflow part 212 of the water supply valve 21 is directly connected to the connection part 221. Direct connection means that no other member is interposed between the members that are connected to each other. A seal member 24 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the outflow part 212 and the inner peripheral surface of the connection part 221. The seal member 24 is composed of, for example, an O-ring made of synthetic resin. The seal member 24 is pressed by the outer peripheral surface of the outflow part 212 and the inner peripheral surface of the connection part 221, and the outflow part 212 and the connection part 221 are connected in a watertight state.

The communication part 222 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape with a substantially constant inner diameter. The inner diameter of the communication part 222 is, for example, smaller than the inner diameter of the connection part 221. The communication part 222 is located downstream of the connection part 221. In other words, the connection part 221 is located upstream of the communication part 222. The downstream side means the downstream side in the direction in which the water supplied from the external water source flows. The upstream side means the upstream side in the direction in which the water supplied from the external water source flows.

The water injection hose 23 is for injecting water that has flowed into the water injection case 22 from an external water source into the water tub 13. As shown in FIG. 1, one end of the water injection hose 23 is connected to the water injection case 22, and the other end is connected to the water tub 13. When water flows into the water injection case 22 while a laundry treatment agent is stored in the water injection case 22, the laundry treatment agent in the water injection case 22 mixes with the water flowing in the water injection case 22, and then passes through the water injection hose 23 and flows into the water tub 13.

The fine bubble generator 30 has a function of generating fine bubbles, including ultra-fine bubbles, in liquid, such as water supplied from an external water source, when the liquid passes through the inside of the fine bubble generator 30 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2. Ultra-fine bubbles are bubbles with a particle diameter of 50 nm to less than 1,000 nm. Because of their small particle diameter, ultra-fine bubbles can penetrate into intricate areas, and can exert a cleaning effect to remove dirt from objects that cannot be removed by other fine bubbles such as microbubbles. In addition, ultra-fine bubbles have the properties of having a nano-order particle diameter, small buoyancy, and high hydrophobicity, which makes them difficult to dissolve in water, and therefore they have a long residence time in liquid.

The micro-bubble generator 30 is provided downstream of the water supply valve 21 and inside the water supply case 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the micro-bubble generator 30 is attached in a state in which it is supported between the outflow portion 212 and the connection portion 221. The micro-bubble generator 30 is attached, for example, in a state in which it is sandwiched between the outflow portion 212 and the connection portion 221. A seal member 25 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the micro-bubble generator 30 and the inner peripheral surface of the connection portion 221. The seal member 25 is, for example, composed of an O-ring made of synthetic resin. The seal member 25 is pressed by the outer peripheral surface of the micro-bubble generator 30 and the inner peripheral surface of the connection portion 221, and the micro-bubble generator 30 and the connection portion 221 are connected in a watertight state. The micro-bubble generator 30 may be configured to be fixed to the outflow portion 212 and the connection portion 221 by press-fitting.

The micro-bubble generator 30 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and has a diameter and overall length of, for example, several mm to several tens of mm, specifically, a maximum diameter of about 15 mm and a length of about 10 mm. As shown in FIG. 2, the micro-bubble generator 30 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape with a flange. The micro-bubble generator 30 has a main body 40, a flow path member 50, and a collision portion 60. The main body 40 is located on the upstream side of the micro-bubble generator 30, and the flow path member 50 is located on the downstream side of the micro-bubble generator 30. The main body 40 and the flow path member 50 are configured to be able to be combined with each other separately. The main body 40 and the flow path member 50 are not limited to being separate, and may be configured as an integral unit.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the main body 40 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape having a step on the outer circumferential surface. The main body 40 has an inlet 41, an outlet 42, and a flow path 43. The inlet 41 and the outlet 42 are formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape. The inlet 41 is a portion through which water flows from the outside of the main body 40 into the inside. Water that has passed through the water supply valve 21 from an external water source is introduced into the main body 40 through the inlet 41. The outlet 42 is a portion through which water flows out from the inside of the main body 40 to the outside. The inner diameter of the outlet 42 is smaller than the inner diameter of the inlet.

The outlet 42 is connected to the flow path member 50. Water introduced into the main body 40 flows from the outlet 42 through the flow path member 50 into the water injection case 22, and then merges with the laundry treatment agent in the water injection case 22 and is supplied to the water tub 13. The outlet 42 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape whose inner diameter does not change. The inner diameter of the outlet 42 is set to be approximately the same as the inner diameter of the communication part 222 of the water injection case 22. In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the outlet 42 is set to be approximately 3 mm.

The flow path 43 is provided inside the main body 40, connects the inlet 41 and the outlet 42, and allows liquid to pass through. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the flow path 43 includes an upstream narrowed section 431, a straight section 432, and a downstream narrowed section 433. The upstream narrowed section 431, the straight section 432, and the downstream narrowed section 433 are provided around the entire circumference of the inner surface of the main body 40. The upstream narrowed section 431 is provided on the inlet side, i.e., the upstream side, of the main body 40. The upstream narrowed section 431 is connected to the inlet 41 and is provided between the inlet 41 and the outlet 42. The upstream narrowed section 431 is formed so as to gradually reduce the cross-sectional area, i.e., the inner diameter, of the flow path 43 from the inlet 41 to the middle part in the direction in which the main body 40 extends. In this embodiment, the upstream tapered section 431 is formed in a so-called truncated cone tapered tube shape that continuously and gradually reduces the cross-sectional area, i.e., the inner diameter, of the flow path 43. The upstream tapered section 431 may also be configured to gradually reduce the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43 in a stepped manner. In addition, the upstream tapered section 431 may be configured integrally with the main body 40, or may be a separate body.

The straight section 432 is provided downstream of the upstream narrowed section 431. The straight section 432 is formed in a cylindrical shape, a so-called straight tube shape, in which the inner diameter does not change, i.e., the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43, i.e., the area through which liquid can pass, does not change. The inner diameter of the straight section 432 is set to be approximately the same as the minimum inner diameter of the upstream narrowed section 431.

The downstream narrowed section 433 is provided on the outflow side, i.e., downstream side, of the main body 40. The downstream narrowed section 433 is provided between the straight section 432 and the outlet section 42, and is connected to the outlet section 42. The downstream narrowed section 433 is provided closer to the outlet section 42 than the upstream narrowed section 431. In other words, the upstream narrowed section 431 is provided closer to the inlet section 41 than the downstream narrowed section 433. The downstream narrowed section 433 is formed so as to gradually reduce the cross-sectional area, i.e., the inner diameter, of the flow path 43 from the straight section 432 to the middle part in the direction in which the main body 40 extends. In this embodiment, the downstream narrowed section 433 is formed in a so-called truncated cone-shaped tapered tube shape that gradually reduces the cross-sectional area, i.e., the inner diameter, of the flow path 43 continuously and gradually. The downstream narrowed section 433 may be configured to gradually reduce the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43 in a step-like manner. Additionally, the downstream narrowing section 433 may be configured integrally with the main body section 40 or may be a separate section.

The cross-sectional area of the flow path 43 is narrowed stepwise by the upstream narrowed section 431 and the downstream narrowed section 433. The liquid flow, which becomes turbulent when passing through the upstream narrowed section 431, is rectified by the straight section 432, and then the cross-sectional area of the flow path is narrowed further by the downstream narrowed section 433, thereby stabilizing the liquid flow and increasing the flow rate. The lengths Lu, Ld of the upstream narrowed section 431 and the downstream narrowed section 433 can be set to the same or different lengths. In this embodiment, the length Lu of the upstream narrowed section 431 is set to be longer than the length Ld of the downstream narrowed section 433.

The inclination angles θu and θd of the upstream throttling section 431 and the downstream throttling section 433 relative to the horizontal can be set to the same or different angles. The inclination angles θu and θd can be set, for example, in the range of 10° to 30°. In this embodiment, the inclination angle θu of the upstream throttling section 431 relative to the horizontal and the inclination angle θd of the downstream throttling section 433 relative to the horizontal are set to the same angle. When the inclination angles θu and θd are set to different angles, it is preferable to set the inclination angle θd larger than the inclination angle θu. This suppresses the increase in flow velocity in the upstream throttling section 431, thereby suppressing pressure loss.

2, the flow path member 50 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a step on the inner circumferential surface, and has a flow path 51 inside. The total length of the flow path member 50 is longer than the total length of the main body 40, for example. The flow path member 50 communicates between the main body 40 and the communication part 222 of the water injection case 22. The inner diameter of the upstream part of the flow path member 50 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the downstream part of the main body 40. The downstream part of the main body 40 is configured to be inserted into the upstream part of the flow path member 50 in a substantially fitted state. The main body 40 and the flow path member 50 can be combined by inserting the downstream part of the main body 40 into the upstream part of the flow path member 50. The inner diameter of the downstream part of the flow path member 50 is set to be approximately the same as the inner diameter of the communication part 222 and the inner diameter of the outlet part 42.

The collision section 60 is for generating fine bubbles in the liquid passing through the flow path 43 by locally reducing the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43. The ratio of the cross-sectional area of the collision section 60 to the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43 can be set to about 25% to 45%. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the collision section 60 is located near the downstream end of the main body section 40, and at least a portion of it is provided in the downstream narrowed section 433. In this embodiment, the collision section 60 is provided in the outlet section 42 and a portion of the downstream narrowed section 433. The collision section 60 is formed integrally with the main body section 40, for example, by injection molding a synthetic resin material. The collision section 60 is not limited to being integral with the main body section 40, and may be formed separately.

As shown in FIG. 4, the collision section 60 divides the flow path 43 into a plurality of parts (in this case, three parts) in the radial direction of the center of the flow path 43 along the direction in which the liquid flows. In other words, the flow path 43 is divided into three flow paths 43a when passing through the collision section 60. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the collision section 60 is composed of three protrusions 61 formed, for example, in a rod shape, and is formed to protrude from the inner circumferential surfaces of the downstream narrowing section 433 and the outlet section 42 toward the inside of the flow path 43. In this embodiment, the protrusions 61 protrude from the inner circumferential surfaces of the downstream narrowing section 433 and the outlet section 42 toward the center of the cross section of the flow path 43. The protrusions 61 are connected at their tips and integrated into a roughly Y-shape.

The multiple protrusions 61 are arranged at equal intervals from each other in the circumferential direction of the cross section of the flow path 43. The multiple protrusions 61 are not limited to being spaced at equal intervals, but may be spaced at unequal intervals. The area of the gap formed between each protrusion 61 is the minimum cross-sectional area through which water can pass in the micro-bubble generator 30. As shown in FIG. 6, the multiple protrusions 61 can be four or more. In other words, the flow path 43 can be configured to be divided into four or more parts by the multiple protrusions 61. In the example of FIG. 6, the collision section 60 is formed, for example, in a substantially cross shape as a whole by the multiple protrusions 61. In this case, the flow path 43 is divided into four flow paths 43b when passing through the collision section 60.

As shown in FIG. 7, the protrusion 61 has an upstream wall 611, an enlarged diameter portion 612, and a downstream wall 613. The upstream wall 611 constitutes the upstream end of the protrusion 61. The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the upstream wall 611 is formed into a so-called bullet-shaped curved surface so as to be convex in the opposite direction to the direction in which the liquid flows in the flow path 43, i.e., toward the upstream side. The longitudinal direction means the direction along the direction in which the liquid flows in the flow path 43. The width direction means the direction perpendicular to the direction along the direction in which the liquid flows in the flow path 43, and means the direction along the up-down direction of the washing machine 10 when the fine bubble generator 30 is attached to the washing machine 10.

The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the upstream wall 611 may be a triangle pointed toward the upstream side. The expanding diameter section 612 is connected to the upstream wall 611 and is formed so as to expand in a substantially linear manner from the upstream side to the downstream side. The expanding diameter section 612 is not limited to a linear expansion, and may be configured to expand in a curved manner. In other words, the cross-sectional shape of the protruding portion 61 is smaller on the upstream side than on the downstream side in the direction in which the liquid flows in the flow channel 43. The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the protruding portion 61 changes smoothly in the direction in which the liquid flows in the flow channel 43.

The downstream wall 613 is connected to the enlarged diameter portion 612 and constitutes the downstream end of the protrusion 61. The cross-sectional shape of the downstream wall 613 in the longitudinal direction is, for example, substantially rectangular. The downstream end face of the downstream wall 613 is located on the same plane as the downstream end face of the main body 40. The downstream face of the protrusion 61 is configured to be on the same plane, that is, flush with the downstream face of the main body 40. In addition, when considering only the shape of the downstream end of the protrusion 61, the longitudinal dimension of the downstream wall 613 is smaller than the width dimension of the downstream wall 613. In addition, the longitudinal dimension of the downstream wall 613 is set to be substantially the same as the longitudinal dimension of the outlet 42. Therefore, the inner diameter of the gap formed between the outlet 42 and the downstream wall 613 is constant.

Here, if the longitudinal dimension L of the protrusion 61 is made smaller than the width dimension W in the cross section of the protrusion 61, the angle of the surface at which the enlarged diameter portion 612 faces the liquid flowing through the flow path 43 becomes large, and the flow resistance of the protrusion 61 to the liquid flowing through the flow path 43 increases, which may lead to a decrease in the flow rate. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the longitudinal dimension L of the protrusion 61 is larger than the width dimension W in the cross section of the protrusion 61. This makes it possible to reduce the flow resistance of the protrusion 61 to the liquid flowing through the flow path 43 and increase the flow rate. In this embodiment, the ratio of the longitudinal dimension L to the width dimension W of the protrusion 61 is set to, for example, about 3:2. The longitudinal dimension L of the protrusion 61 is set to, for example, about 0.7 mm to 1.1 mm, and the width dimension W of the protrusion 61 is set to, for example, about 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm.

When water flows into the upstream side of the micro-bubble generator 30, the cross-sectional area of the flow path is narrowed in the upstream narrowing section 431, which is formed to gradually reduce the inner diameter, and the flow speed is increased based on the so-called Bernoulli's theorem of fluid dynamics, and cavitation occurs due to reduced pressure. The water flow is then rectified by the straight section 432, and the flow speed is further increased by the downstream narrowing section 433. Fine bubbles are generated by the shear force acting when the high-speed flow collides with the collision section 60 and the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure area, for example, -1.0 MPa or less, formed near the downstream end face of the collision section 60. As a result, the micro-bubble generator 30 can precipitate a large amount of air dissolved in the water passing through the micro-bubble generator 30 as micro-bubbles, and supply micro-bubble water containing a larger amount of micro-bubbles than before passing through the micro-bubble generator 30.

According to the embodiment described above, the micro-bubble generator 30 includes a main body 40 and a collision section 60. The main body 40 has a flow path 43 that connects the inlet 41 and the outlet 42 and allows liquid to pass through. The collision section 60 generates micro-bubbles in the liquid by reducing the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43. The main body 40 has a downstream narrowing section 433. The downstream narrowing section 433 is connected to the outlet 42 and gradually reduces the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43. The collision section 60 is provided in the downstream narrowing section 433.

Accordingly, by narrowing the flow path 43 with the downstream narrowing section 433 and the collision section 60, the flow rate of the liquid can be effectively increased. And by increasing the flow rate of the liquid flowing through the flow path 43 near the outlet section 42, fine bubbles can be efficiently generated. Also, by passing through the downstream narrowing section 433 and bringing the liquid in a stable flow state into contact with the collision section 60, pressure loss can be reduced and a decrease in the flow rate can be suppressed.

The main body 40 further has an upstream narrowing section 431. The upstream narrowing section 431 is provided closer to the inlet 41 than the downstream narrowing section 433, and gradually reduces the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43. As a result, the flow rate of the liquid flowing through the flow path 43 is increased by multiple stages between the upstream narrowing section 431 and the downstream narrowing section 433, thereby improving the pressure reduction effect on the liquid and increasing the amount of fine bubbles generated.

The downstream narrowing section 433 is provided around the entire inner circumference of the main body 40. This allows the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43 to be narrowed continuously, efficiently increasing the flow rate of the liquid flowing through the flow path 43. This increases the amount of fine bubbles generated.

The collision section 60 is composed of a plurality of protrusions 61. The plurality of protrusions 61 are formed protruding from the inner circumferential surface of the main body 40 toward the inside of the flow path 43, and are provided at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the main body 40. The plurality of protrusions 61 are connected within the flow path 43. This allows the strength of the collision section 60 to be increased by connecting the plurality of protrusions 61 together within the flow path. This improves the reliability of the micro-bubble generator 30. In addition, by connecting the plurality of protrusions 61 together within the flow path 43, the flow path 43 can be divided into a plurality of parts. This allows the flow rate of the liquid in the divided flow paths 43 to be increased. This allows the amount of micro-bubbles generated to be improved.

As shown in FIG. 8, the micro-bubble generator 30 may be configured without the flow path member 50. In this case, the micro-bubble generator 30 is configured with a main body 40 and a collision part 60. The main body 40 is connected to the communication part 222 of the water injection case 22. In other words, the main body 40 is directly connected to the water injection case 22. In the example of FIG. 8, the water introduced into the main body 40 flows out from the outlet part 42 into the water injection case 22, and then merges with the laundry treatment agent in the water injection case 22 and is supplied to the water tank 13. This allows the number of parts of the micro-bubble generator 30 to be reduced, thereby reducing the assembly man-hours. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the water injection device 20 incorporating the micro-bubble generator 30 can be reduced.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the collision portion 60. In the second embodiment, a protrusion 62 is provided instead of the protrusion 61 of the first embodiment. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the tips of the multiple protrusions 61 are connected, whereas in the present embodiment, the multiple protrusions 62 each have a cone-shaped end at the tip, are not connected, and are independent. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the flow path 43 is not partitioned by the multiple protrusions 62.

The protrusion 62 can be configured with a cross-sectional shape similar to that of the protrusion 61. The protrusion 62 has an upstream wall 621, an expanded diameter portion 622, and a downstream wall 623. The cross-sectional shapes of the upstream wall 621, the expanded diameter portion 622, and the downstream wall 623 of the protrusion 62 are similar to those of the upstream wall 611, the expanded diameter portion 612, and the downstream wall 613 of the protrusion 61, respectively, and therefore will not be described.

This second embodiment also provides the same effect as the first embodiment. In addition, since the multiple protrusions 62 are not connected to each other within the flow path 43, the proportion of the cross-sectional area of the collision portion 60 in the internal cross-sectional area of the main body 40 can be reduced, and the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43 can be secured. This makes it possible to secure the flow rate.

Third Embodiment
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. This third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the fine-bubble generator 30 includes a collision portion 71 instead of the collision portion 60 of the first embodiment. Specifically, while the collision portion 60 of the first embodiment is formed of a plurality of protrusions 61, the collision portion 71 of this embodiment is formed of a single member. In other words, while the collision portion 60 is formed of three protrusions 61, the collision portion 71 of this embodiment is formed of two protrusions.

The collision section 71 is formed of, for example, a plate-like or rod-like member, and is provided so as to cross the flow path 43. In other words, the flow path 43 is divided into two flow paths 43c when passing through the collision section 60. In this embodiment, the collision section 71 extends linearly from one point on the inner surface of the downstream narrowed section 433 and the outlet section 42 through the center of the cross section of the downstream narrowed section 433 and the outlet section 42, i.e., the center of the flow path 43, to another point on the inner surface of the downstream narrowed section 433 and the outlet section 42, in this case the opposite surface. Therefore, the cross-sectional areas of the flow paths 43c divided by the collision section 71 are approximately equal and are the minimum cross-sectional area through which the liquid can pass in the micro-bubble generator 30.

The collision portion 71 can be configured with a cross-sectional shape similar to that of the protrusion 61. The collision portion 71 has an upstream wall portion 711, an enlarged diameter portion 712, and a downstream wall portion 713. The cross-sectional shapes of the upstream wall portion 711, the enlarged diameter portion 712, and the downstream wall portion 713 of the collision portion 71 are similar to those of the upstream wall portion 611, the enlarged diameter portion 612, and the downstream wall portion 613 of the protrusion 61, respectively, so that the description will be omitted. In addition, as shown in FIG. 10, the collision portion 71 is provided, for example, substantially horizontally with respect to the installation surface of the washing machine 10. The collision portion 71 is not limited to being substantially horizontal with respect to the installation surface of the washing machine 10, but may be inclined with respect to the horizontal or may be substantially vertical. In addition, the collision portion 71 is not limited to being configured to pass through the center of the flow path 43, and may be configured to cross the flow path 43 without passing through the center of the flow path 43. Furthermore, the collision portion 71 is not limited to a linear extension, but may extend in other shapes, such as a curved or bent shape.

This third embodiment can also provide the same effects as the above embodiments. In addition, by minimizing the number of flow paths 43 separated by the collision section 71, the cross-sectional area of the flow paths 43 can be secured and a decrease in flow rate can be suppressed. Furthermore, by bridging the collision section 71 between the downstream narrowing section 433 and the inner circumferential surface of the outlet section 42, the strength against external forces in the vicinity of the outlet section 42 can be increased. This improves the reliability of the micro-bubble generator 30.

As shown in FIG. 11, the collision portion 71 may be provided in a plurality of locations spaced apart from each other in the downstream narrowing portion 433 and the outlet portion 42. In the example of FIG. 11, two collision portions 71 are provided. The number of collision portions 71 is not limited to two, and may be three or more. In this case, the flow path 43 is divided into three or more flow paths 43c by the multiple collision portions 71. By providing multiple collision portions 71, the strength against external forces in the vicinity of the outlet portion 42 can be further increased.

Fourth Embodiment
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 12. The fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in that the fine-bubble generator 30 includes a collision portion 72 instead of the collision portion 71 of the third embodiment. The cross-sectional shape of the collision portion 72 can be configured similarly to that of the collision portion 71. The collision portion 72 of this embodiment has a plurality of main body portions 721 and an annular portion 722. The main body portion 721 is formed of, for example, a plate-shaped or rod-shaped member, and is formed to protrude from the inner circumferential surfaces of the downstream tapered portion 433 and the outlet portion 42 toward the inside of the flow path 43. The plurality of main body portions 721 are provided, for example, symmetrically with respect to the center of the flow path 43. The plurality of main body portions 721 may be asymmetric with respect to the center of the flow path 43.

The annular portion 722 is formed, for example, in a circular ring shape, and is provided between a plurality of main body portions 721. In this embodiment, the center of the annular portion 722 coincides with the center of the flow path 43. The annular portion 722 has a through hole 723. The through hole 723 is provided at the center of the annular portion 722, and is formed by penetrating the collision portion 72 in the thickness direction. In this configuration, the flow path 43 is partitioned into two flow paths 43d and one circular flow path 43e when passing through the collision portion 72. The cross-sectional area of the flow path 43e is set to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of the flow path 43d.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the downstream narrowed portion 433 is provided in two places by cutting out a part of the inner circumferential surface of the main body 40 in the circumferential direction. In this case, the part of the inner circumferential surface of the main body 40 where the downstream narrowed portion 433 is not provided is formed so that the straight portion 432 and the outlet portion 42 are connected. As a result, by providing the downstream narrowed portion 433 in the region corresponding to the collision portion 72 on the inner circumferential surface of the main body 40, the liquid with the increased flow rate is effectively brought into contact with the downstream narrowed portion 433, while ensuring a large cross-sectional area of the flow path 43 in the part where the downstream narrowed portion 433 is not present, it is possible to simultaneously generate fine bubbles and ensure a sufficient flow rate.

The fourth embodiment can achieve the same effects as the above embodiments. Here, by providing the through-hole 723 in the collision portion 72, the flow path resistance tends to be small. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the flow rate can be increased.

In addition, in this embodiment, the through hole 723 is provided in the center of the flow path 43. The center of the flow path 43 is where the flow velocity is the fastest within the flow path 43. Therefore, by providing the through hole 723 in the center of the flow path 43, the flow velocity of the liquid can be effectively increased. This is expected to increase the amount of fine bubbles generated.

Fifth Embodiment
The fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13. In the fifth embodiment, the installation position of the fine bubble generator 30 in the washing machine 10 is different from that of each of the above-mentioned embodiments. Specifically, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the fine bubble generator 30 is provided downstream of the water supply valve 21, whereas the fine bubble generator 30 in this embodiment is provided upstream of the water supply valve 21. In this embodiment, the water injection device 20 has a cylindrical member 26. The cylindrical member 26 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape having a step on the outer circumferential surface. As shown in FIG. 13, one end of the cylindrical member 26 is connected to the inlet portion 211 of the water supply valve 21, and the other end is connected to the water supply hose 100. The cylindrical member 26 is detachably attached to the inlet portion 211 and the water supply hose 100 by, for example, screw fitting. In this case, the threaded portion formed in the inlet portion 211 can be provided so as to be located above the upper surface 112 of the outer box 11.

In this embodiment, the fine bubble generator 30 is built into the cylindrical member 26. The fine bubble generator 30 is composed of a main body 40 and a collision part 60. When the water supply valve 21 is opened, the water that flows into the cylindrical member 26 from the external water source through the water supply hose 100 flows through the fine bubble generator 30 as it passes through the cylindrical member 26 and into the water supply valve 21. With this fifth embodiment, the same effects as those of the above embodiments can be obtained. In addition, for example, for an existing washing machine that does not have a fine bubble generator 30, a fine bubble generating function can be added to the existing washing machine by attaching the cylindrical member 26 between the water supply valve 21 and the water supply hose 100. Furthermore, for example, if the fine bubble generator 30 breaks down, the cylindrical member 26 can be removed from the water supply valve 21 and the water supply hose 100, and the failure of the fine bubble generator 30 can be easily dealt with by replacing the parts.

In addition, when the fine-bubble generator 30 is provided upstream of the water supply valve 21 as in the fifth embodiment, it is not possible to compensate for the flow rate reduction caused by the fine-bubble generator 30 by branching the downstream side of the water supply valve 21, as was possible when the fine-bubble generator 30 was provided downstream, and the water supply rate to the washing machine 10 is determined only by the flow rate of the fine-bubble generator 30. Therefore, the fine-bubble generator 30 of the present invention, which can increase the water supply rate compared to conventional fine-bubble generators, can fully demonstrate its effects even in this fifth embodiment.

Sixth Embodiment
Next, the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 14. In the sixth embodiment, the washing device is applied to a dishwasher 80. As is well known, the dishwasher 80 includes an outer box 81, a door 82, a washing tank 83, a dish basket 84, a washing nozzle 85, a circulation device 86, a heater 87, and a water supply mechanism 88. The outer box 81 constitutes the outer shell of the dishwasher 80, and is formed as a rectangular box with an opening at the front as a whole from, for example, a stainless steel plate. The door 82 is provided on the front side of the outer box 81 and opens and closes the opening of the outer box 81. With the door 82 open, a user can put in and take out dishes D from the washing tank 83 through the opening. The washing tank 83 is provided in the outer box 81, and is formed as a rectangular box with an opening at the front as a whole from, for example, a stainless steel plate. The dish basket 84 is for storing dishes D. The dish basket 84 is configured to be able to put in and take out dishes D from the inside and outside of the washing tank 83 when the door 82 is open.

The cleaning nozzle 85 is provided in the cleaning tank 83 below the dish basket 84. When cleaning liquid, a mixture of water and detergent, is supplied to the cleaning nozzle 85, the cleaning liquid is sprayed from the tip of the cleaning nozzle 85. The circulation device 86 is provided, for example, at the bottom of the outer box 81. The circulation device 86 can be configured to have a switching valve 861 and a pump 862. The switching valve 861 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. The switching valve 861 is configured to be able to selectively switch between a circulation path for circulating the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank 83 and a drainage path for draining the water stored in the cleaning tank 83 to the outside. The pump 862 functions as a circulation pump for circulating the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 83 through the circulation path, and also functions as a drainage pump for draining the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 83 through the drainage path.

The heater 87 is provided, for example, at the bottom of the cleaning tank 83. The heater 87 has a function of heating the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank 83 to make it hot water. The water supply mechanism 88 is for supplying water supplied from an external water source such as a water supply into the cleaning tank 83. The water supply mechanism 88 has a water supply valve 881, a water supply pipe 882, and a water supply port 883. The water supply valve 881 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. The water supply pipe 882 is, for example, a metal pipe, and one end is connected to the water supply valve 881 and the other end is connected to the water supply port 883. The water supply port 883 is provided, for example, at the top of the cleaning tank 83. The water supply port 883 is for supplying water supplied from an external water source into the cleaning tank 83. When the water supply valve 881 is opened, water supplied from an external water source is supplied through the water supply pipe 882 and the water supply inlet 883 into the cleaning tank 83. In other words, the water supply valve 881 opens and closes the path from the external water source to the water supply inlet 883 via the water supply pipe 882.

The water supply port 883 has an attachment portion 883a. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, the fine bubble generator 30 is built into the attachment portion 883a. As a result, the fine bubble generator 30 generates fine bubbles, including ultrafine bubbles, in the water supplied from an external water source when the water passes through the inside of the fine bubble generator 30 in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 14. When the water supply valve 881 is opened with the detergent in the cleaning tank 83, the detergent in the cleaning tank 83 and the fine bubble water generated by passing through the fine bubble generator 30 are mixed in the cleaning tank 83. Then, the pump 862 and the heater 87 are driven, and the fine bubble water mixed with the cleaning liquid and turned into warm water is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 85 toward the tableware D, and the tableware D is washed. According to the sixth embodiment, in the dishwasher 80 equipped with the fine bubble generator 30, the washing performance can be improved by the effect of the fine bubbles while suppressing a decrease in the flow rate.

Seventh Embodiment
Next, a seventh embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 15. In this seventh embodiment, the flushing device is applied to a flush toilet device 90. As is well known, the flush toilet device 90 includes a toilet bowl 91 and a water supply mechanism 92. The toilet bowl 91 functions as a flushing tank. The toilet bowl 91 includes a toilet bowl 911 and a rim 912 provided on the outer periphery of the upper end of the toilet bowl 911.

The water supply mechanism 92 has a water supply valve 921, a main water supply pipe 922, a toilet bowl water supply pipe 923, a rim water supply pipe 924, and a detergent supply device 925. The water supply valve 921 is configured to be electromagnetically openable. One end of the main water supply pipe 922 is connected to the water supply valve 921, and the other end is branched into two and connected to the toilet bowl water supply pipe 923 and the rim water supply pipe 924. The toilet bowl water supply pipe 923 is for supplying water supplied from an external water source into the toilet bowl 911. The toilet bowl water supply pipe 923 has a discharge part 923a, which is provided at the tip of the toilet bowl water supply pipe 923 and supplies water to the toilet bowl 911. The rim water supply pipe 924 is for supplying water supplied from an external water source to the rim 912. The rim water supply pipe 924 has an outlet 924a. The outlet 924a is provided at the tip of the rim water supply pipe 924 and is the part that supplies water to the rim 912.

When the water supply valve 921 is opened, water supplied from an external water source is supplied from the main water supply pipe 922 through the toilet bowl water supply pipe 923 and the rim water supply pipe 924 into the toilet bowl 91. In other words, the water supply valve 921 opens and closes the path from the external water source to the toilet bowl 91 through the water supply pipes 922, 923, and 924. The detergent supply device 925 has a function of automatically supplying a detergent into the toilet bowl 91 through the detergent supply pipe 925a, for example, when the water supply valve 921 is opened and water is supplied into the toilet bowl 91 through the water supply pipes 922, 923, and 924.

The main water supply pipe 922 also has an attachment portion 922a. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the fine bubble generator 30 is built into the attachment portion 922a. As a result, the fine bubble generator 30 generates fine bubbles, including ultra-fine bubbles, in the water supplied from an external water source when the water passes through the inside of the fine bubble generator 30 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 15. When the water supply valve 921 is opened, the cleaning agent in the toilet bowl 91 and the fine bubble water generated by passing through the fine bubble generator 30 are mixed in the toilet bowl 91. The toilet bowl 91 is then flushed with the fine bubble water mixed with the cleaning agent. In this seventh embodiment, the flush toilet device 90 equipped with the fine bubble generator 30 can also improve the flushing performance by the effect of the fine bubbles while suppressing a decrease in the flow rate.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the micro-bubble generator has been described using specific values, but these specific values are merely examples and can be changed as appropriate. In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined in any desired manner.
Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims.

10... washing machine (cleaning equipment), 30... fine bubble generator, 40... main body, 41... inlet, 42... outlet, 43... flow path, 431... upstream narrowing, 433... downstream narrowing, 60, 71, 72... collision, 61, 62... protrusion, 723... through hole, 80... dishwasher (cleaning equipment), 90... flush toilet device (cleaning equipment)

Claims (10)

a main body portion having a flow path connecting the inlet portion and the outlet portion and through which a liquid can pass;
a collision section that generates microbubbles in the liquid by reducing a cross-sectional area of the flow path,
the main body portion has a downstream side tapered portion that is connected to the outlet portion and gradually reduces a cross-sectional area of the flow path , and an upstream side tapered portion that is provided closer to the inlet portion than the downstream side tapered portion and gradually reduces a cross-sectional area of the flow path ,
the collision portion is provided on an inner circumferential surface of an outlet portion of the downstream tapered portion , and is formed in a shape such that a cross section along a direction in which liquid flows through the flow channel is larger on the downstream side than on the upstream side;
Microbubble generator. The downstream tapered portion is provided around the entire inner circumferential surface of the main body.
The fine bubble generator according to claim 1 . The downstream tapered portion is provided on a part of an inner circumferential surface of the main body.
The fine bubble generator according to claim 1 . the collision portion is formed by a plurality of protrusions formed to protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion toward the inside of the flow path and spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion,
The plurality of protrusions are connected within the flow path.
The fine bubble generator according to claim 2 . the collision portion is formed by a plurality of protrusions formed to protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion toward the inside of the flow path and spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion,
The plurality of protrusions are independent within the flow path.
The fine bubble generator according to claim 2 . The collision portion is formed so as to cross the flow path.
The fine bubble generator according to claim 1. The collision portion has a through hole formed penetrating the collision portion in a thickness direction.
The fine bubble generator according to claim 6 . The through hole is provided in the center of the flow path.
The fine bubble generator according to claim 7 . The collision portion is provided in plurality at intervals.
The fine bubble generator according to claim 8 . Equipped with a fine bubble generator according to any one of claims 1 to 9 ,
Cleaning equipment.

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