JP7645505B2 - Ozone water spraying device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ozone water spraying device that sprays ozone water in the form of a shower or mist.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes an ozone spray that generates ozone by electrolyzing water stored in a container and sprays ozone water containing the generated ozone.

The ozone spray of Patent Document 1 comprises a container that holds raw water, a head attached to the container, a first tube and a second tube that connect the head to the container, and an electrolytic cell attached to the second tube. The head is provided with a nozzle, a trigger, and a piston-cylinder mechanism. The electrolytic cell is placed at the bottom of the container and generates ozone by electrolyzing the raw water. When the trigger is operated, ozone water is generated by electrolysis in the electrolytic cell, and the generated ozone water is sent to the nozzle by the piston-cylinder mechanism, and the ozone water is sprayed from the nozzle.

Patent No. 6249200

In the above ozone spray, a piston-cylinder mechanism, which serves as a water delivery device, is positioned downstream of the electrolytic cell in the water flow from the container to the nozzle, and takes in the ozone water generated in the electrolytic cell and discharges it to the nozzle.

When ozonated water passes through a water supply device in this way, there is a risk that the oxidizing power of ozone will cause deterioration of the components of the water supply device that come into contact with the ozonated water, for example, corrosion of metal parts.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide an ozone water spraying device that can prevent deterioration of water supply device parts due to contact with ozone water.

The ozone water spraying device according to the main aspect of the present invention includes a generating section for generating ozone water containing ozone in water, and a discharging section for discharging the ozone water generated by the generating section in the form of a shower or mist. Here, the generating section includes a water storage section for storing water, a water supply device for sending water drawn up from the water storage section to the discharging section, and an ozone generating section for passing the water sent from the water supply device while generating ozone and causing the passing water to contain the generated ozone. The ozone generating section includes a rod-shaped anode, a linear cathode wound in a spiral shape around the outer periphery of the anode, an ion exchange membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode, and a case in which the anode, the cathode, and the ion exchange membrane are arranged and which has a flow path inside through which water flows along a first direction in which the anode extends. The case is formed with an inlet that opens in the first direction at a position away from the anode in the first direction and allows the water delivered from the water delivery device to flow into the flow path. The flow path is provided with a spiral groove on a wall surface of a region between the inlet and the anode as a turbulence generating section that disturbs the flow of the water that has flowed into the flow path to generate turbulence.

According to the above embodiment, water is drawn up from the water storage unit and sent out from the water supply unit, and the sent out water passes through the ozone generating unit to generate ozone water, and the generated ozone water is sent to the release unit. As a result, the generated ozone water does not pass through the water supply unit, so that deterioration such as corrosion caused by the oxidizing power of ozone is prevented from occurring in the components of the water supply unit that come into contact with the ozone water.
Furthermore, the generation of turbulence in the flow path makes it easier for water to reach the valleys of the spirally wound cathode, and the water comes into contact with the ion exchange membrane, which increases the efficiency of ozone generation. The turbulence also makes it easier for the generated ozone to be broken down into fine particles, making it easier for it to dissolve in water. This makes it easier to generate ozone water with a high ozone concentration.

In the ozone water spraying device according to this embodiment, the ozone generating unit may include a flow path through which the water delivered from the water delivery device flows, and an anode and a cathode disposed within the flow path. In this case, the generating unit may further include a blocking unit that blocks the water present within the flow path from flowing toward the water delivery device when the water delivery device stops delivering water.

The above configuration allows water to remain in the flow path when the water supply from the water supply device is stopped. This makes it less likely that electricity will be passed between the anode and cathode when there is no water in the flow path, and makes the anode and cathode less likely to be damaged.

The present invention provides an ozone water spraying device that can prevent deterioration of water supply device parts due to contact with ozone water.

The effects and significance of the present invention will become clearer from the description of the embodiments shown below. However, the following embodiment is merely an example of how the present invention can be put into practice, and the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ozone sprayer according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of an ozone sprayer according to an embodiment, with the inside seen through. FIG. 3 is a front view of the pump according to the embodiment. FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view of an electrolysis unit according to an embodiment, and FIG. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view of the electrolysis unit taken along line AA' in FIG. 4(a). FIG. 5(a) is a front view of an ozone electrode unit fixed to a sealing body according to an embodiment, and FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of an anode covered with an ion exchange membrane according to an embodiment. 6(a) and (b) are respectively a front view and a cross-sectional side view of a shower outlet according to an embodiment. 7(a) and (b) are a front view and a side cross-sectional view, respectively, of a mist emission portion according to an embodiment. FIG. 8(a) is a perspective view of an electrolysis unit according to Modification Example 1, and FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of the electrolysis unit taken along line BB' in FIG. 8(a).

Below, an ozone spray, which is one embodiment of the ozone water spraying device of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ozone sprayer 1. Figure 2 is a side view of the ozone sprayer 1 with the inside visible.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the ozone sprayer 1 includes a generating section 20, a water guide section 30, a shower discharge section 40, a mist discharge section 50, an operating section 60, and a power supply section 70 in a housing 10. The shower discharge section 40 and the mist discharge section 50 correspond to the discharge section of the present invention.

The housing 10 is composed of a body 10a, a neck 10b, and a head 10c. The body 10a has a generally cylindrical shape with a bottom, with its upper portion tapering inward toward the neck 10b. A long and narrow display window 11 is formed in the body 10a. The body 10a is also provided with a mode switching button 12 and a mode display unit 13. Each time the mode switching button 12 is pressed, the operation mode switches between an ozone shower mode in which ozone water is released in a shower from the shower release unit 40, and an ozone mist mode in which mist containing ozone is released from the mist release unit 50. The mode display unit 13 includes an LED that can be lit in multiple colors, and lights up in a color that corresponds to the operation mode.

The neck 10b is approximately cylindrical and extends in the vertical direction. An operation button 61 protrudes forward from the front of the neck 10b. The head 10c has a predetermined shape and extends in the front-to-rear direction. On the front surface of the head 10c, a circular outlet 14 corresponding to the shower outlet 40 is formed on the lower side, and a circular outlet 15 corresponding to the mist outlet 50 is formed on the upper side.

The generating unit 20 includes a container 21 for storing water, an electric pump 22 for selectively sending water drawn from the container 21 to the shower discharge unit 40 and the mist discharge unit 50, and an electrolysis unit 23 for passing the water sent from the pump 22, electrolyzing the passing water to generate ozone, and incorporating the generated ozone into the water. The container 21 is disposed at the rear of the body 10a, and the electrolysis unit 23 is disposed in front of the container 21 in the body 10a. The pump 22 is disposed above the container 21 in the neck 10b. The container 21 corresponds to the water storage unit of the present invention, the pump 22 corresponds to the water delivery device of the present invention, and the electrolysis unit 23 corresponds to the ozone generating unit of the present invention.

The container 21 is translucent. The container 210 stores water such as pure water or tap water. The container 21 is formed with a protrusion 211 having a shape corresponding to the display window 11. The protrusion 211 is exposed to the outside from the display window 11. The user can check the amount of water in the container 21 through the display window 11. The container 21 also has a water inlet 212 at the rear of the upper part for adding water to the container 21.

An opening 16 corresponding to the water inlet 212 is formed in the body 10a. A cap 17 is removably fitted into the opening 16, and the water inlet 212 is closed by the cap 17.

Figure 3 is a front view of pump 22.

Referring to FIG. 3, the pump 22 is a small pump of a diaphragm drive type, and includes a head portion 221, an intake port 222, an exhaust port 223, and a drive portion 224. Inside the head portion 221, a pump chamber 226 having a diaphragm 225 is provided. The intake port 222 and the exhaust port 223 are connected to the pump chamber 226. Inside the intake port 222, a check valve 227 is provided, which opens only when water is sucked into the pump chamber 226. Inside the exhaust port 223, a check valve 228 is provided, which opens only when water is discharged from the pump chamber 226. The drive portion 224 includes a plunger, a solenoid, etc., and drives the diaphragm 225 to perform a reciprocating motion. As the diaphragm 225 reciprocates, water is sucked into the pump chamber 226 through the intake port 222, and water is discharged from the pump chamber 226 through the exhaust port 223. The check valve 228 corresponds to the blocking portion of the present invention.

The suction pipe 24 is connected to the suction port 222. The suction port 241 at the tip of the suction pipe 24 is located at the bottom of the container 21. One end of the discharge pipe 25 is connected to the discharge port 223.

Figure 4(a) is a perspective view of the electrolysis unit 23, and Figure 4(b) is a cross-sectional view of the electrolysis unit 23 taken along line A-A' in Figure 4(a). Figure 5(a) is a front view of the ozone electrode unit 110 fixed to the sealing body 120, and Figure 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the anode 111 covered with the ion exchange membrane 113.

Referring to Figures 4(a) to 5(b), the electrolysis section 23 includes an ozone electrode unit 110, a sealing body 120, and a case 130.

The ozone electrode unit 110 includes a rod-shaped anode 111, a linear cathode 112 wound in a spiral shape around the outer periphery of the anode 111, and an ion exchange membrane 113 interposed between the anode 111 and the cathode 112. The ion exchange membrane 113 is attached to the outer periphery of the anode 111 and covers the outer periphery.

The ozone electrode unit 110 has its base end connected to a cylindrical bracket 140. An anode lead terminal 141 and a cathode lead terminal 142 extend upward from the bracket 140. Inside the bracket 140, the anode 111 is connected to the anode lead terminal 141, and the cathode 112 is connected to the cathode lead terminal 142.

The sealing body 120 includes a cylindrical screw portion 121 with a male screw and a hexagonal column-shaped head 122. An O-ring 123 made of rubber or the like is attached to the base of the screw portion 121. A cylindrical recess 124 is provided in the screw portion 121, and two through holes 125, 126 connected to the recess 124 are provided in the head 122. A bracket 140 is inserted and fixed in the recess 124, and the anode lead terminal 141 and the cathode lead terminal 142 protrude above the head 122 through the corresponding through holes 125, 126, respectively. In this way, the ozone electrode unit 110, i.e., the base end of the anode 111 covered with the ion exchange membrane 113 and wound with the cathode 112, is fixed to the sealing body 120 via the bracket 140.

The case 130 has a cylindrical shape with one end closed and the other end open. The ozone electrode unit 110 is housed in the case 130, and the open end of the case 130 is closed by the threaded portion 121 of the sealing body 120. A female thread is formed on the inner wall surface of the case 130 corresponding to the threaded portion 121, and this female thread engages with the male thread. The gap between the sealing body 120 and the case 130 is water-sealed by an O-ring 123.

The inside of the case 130 is a flow path 131 except for the part blocked by the screw part 121 of the sealing body 120. The flow path 131 is long in the direction in which the anode 111 extends. The ozone electrode unit 110 is placed at the center of the flow path 131. A recess 132 is provided at the closed end of the case 130 at the center position of the flow path 131. The tip of the anode 111 fits into the recess 132 and is held by the recess 132. As a result, the anode 111, i.e., the ozone electrode unit 110, is held in a double-supported state by the sealing body 120 and the recess 132, and is in a straight state with respect to the flow path 131. The recess 132 corresponds to the holding part of the present invention.

The inner and outer diameters of the case 130 at the portion that is closed by the screw portion 121 of the sealing body 120 are smaller than the inner and outer diameters of the other portions that form the flow path 131. This allows the diameter of the flow path 131 to be kept small, and the flow rate of water flowing through the flow path 131 to be reduced. For example, when the diameter R1 of the ozone electrode unit 110 is approximately 4.0 mm, the inner diameter of the other portions, i.e., the diameter R2 of the flow path 131, can be set to 5.0 mm.

The circumferential surface of the case 130 has an inlet 133 formed at the tip of the ozone electrode unit 110, and an outlet 134 formed at the base of the ozone electrode unit 110. The inlet 133 and the outlet 134 open in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in which the anode 111 extends. In the first direction, the flow path 131 becomes longer, and the case 130 becomes longer. The inlet 133 and the outlet 134 protrude from the circumferential surface of the case 130 in the second direction. The diameters of the inlet 133 and the outlet 134 are smaller than the diameter of the flow path 131. The diameters of the inlet 133 and the outlet 134 may be approximately equal to the diameter of the flow path 131.

The inlet 133 is connected to the discharge pipe 25 leading to the pump 22. The outlet 134 is connected to the shared pipe 31 leading to the shower discharge section 40 and the mist discharge section 50.

The electrolysis unit 23 is arranged in the housing 10 so that its long dimension is in the vertical direction of the ozone spray 1, i.e., vertically.

When the pump 22 operates in the generation unit 20, water in the container 21 is sucked in through the water intake port 241 and sent to the electrolysis unit 23 through the water intake pipe 24, the pump 22, and the discharge pipe 25. In the electrolysis unit 23, electricity is applied between the anode 111 and the cathode 112. The water that flows into the flow path 131 from the inlet 133 hits the wall of the flow path 131 and is turned at a right angle, and flows through the flow path 131 along the ozone electrode unit 110. A part of the water flowing through the flow path 131 comes into contact with the ion exchange membrane 113 between the anode 111 and the cathode 112, and the water that comes into contact is electrolyzed to generate ozone. The generated ozone dissolves in the water, and ozone water is generated. At this time, in the flow path 131, when the water that flows in from the inlet 133 hits the wall and is turned at a right angle, the flow is disturbed and turbulence is generated. This allows water to easily reach the valleys of the spirally wound cathode 112, making it easier for the water to come into contact with the ion exchange membrane 113, thus increasing the efficiency of ozone generation. In addition, the generated ozone is more easily broken down into fine particles by the turbulent flow, making it easier to dissolve in water. This makes it easier to generate ozone water with a high ozone concentration.

The ozone water that flows through the flow path 131 is redirected at a right angle when it hits the sealing body 120 and flows out from the outlet 134.

Referring to FIG. 2, the water guide section 30 includes a common pipe 31, a shower pipe 32, a mist pipe 33, a shower valve 34, and a mist valve 35.

The common pipe 31 is connected to the outlet 134 of the electrolysis unit 23. The shower pipe 32 and the mist pipe 33 branch off from the common pipe 31 and are connected to the shower discharge unit 40 and the mist discharge unit 50, respectively. The shower pipe 32 and the mist pipe 33 are each composed of two pipes, and the shower valve 34 and the mist valve 35 are disposed between the two pipes. The shower valve 34 and the mist valve 35 are electromagnetic valves, and constitute a switching unit 36 that switches whether the ozone water flowing out of the generation unit 20 is to flow to the shower pipe 32 or the mist pipe 33. The switching unit 36 is disposed in the head 10c of the housing 10. The switching unit 36 may be disposed in the neck 10b of the housing 10.

When the pump 22 and electrolysis unit 23 are not operating, the shower valve 34 and the mist valve 35 are closed, and when the pump 22 and electrolysis unit 23 are operating, one of the valves is opened. The ozone water that flows out of the generation unit 20, i.e., the electrolysis unit 23 and flows through the common pipe 31 due to the water supply pressure of the pump 22, is sent to the shower discharge unit 40 through the shower pipe 32 if the shower valve 34 is open, and is sent to the mist discharge unit 50 through the mist pipe 33 if the mist valve 35 is open.

Figures 6(a) and (b) are a front view and a side cross-sectional view, respectively, of the shower discharge section 40.

Referring to Figures 2, 6(a) and (b), the shower discharge part 40 is disposed on the front side of the head part 10c of the housing 10. A circular recessed discharge port 41 is provided on the front side of the shower discharge part 40. The discharge port 41 is approximately the same size as the discharge port 14 on the front side of the head part 10c and is connected to the discharge port 14.

A circular discharge plate 42 is attached to the discharge port 41. A number of holes 42a are formed in the discharge plate 42. A connection port 43 is provided at the rear of the shower discharge part 40, and the shower pipe 32 is connected to this connection port 43. Inside the shower discharge part 40, a flow path 44 is formed from the connection port 43 to the discharge port 41. As shown by the dashed-dotted arrow in Figure 6(b), the ozone water sent to the shower discharge part 40 by the shower pipe 32 is forcefully discharged in a shower-like manner from the multiple holes 42a of the discharge plate 42, i.e., sprayed.

Figures 7(a) and (b) are a front view and a side cross-sectional view, respectively, of the mist emission section 50.

Referring to Figures 2, 7(a) and (b), the mist emission unit 50 is disposed in front of the head 10c of the housing 10 and above the shower emission unit 40. The mist emission unit 50 includes a housing 51, an ultrasonic vibrator 52 and a water tank 53.

A circular recess 511 is formed on the front surface of the housing 51, and a disk-shaped ultrasonic transducer 52 is attached to this recess 511. The ultrasonic transducer 52 has a vibration surface 521 that has many micropores and vibrates ultrasonically.

The water tank 53 is disposed at the top of the housing 51. The volume of the water tank 53 is significantly smaller than the volume of the container 21. An inlet pipe 531 is formed on the top surface of the water tank 53. The inlet pipe 531 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the housing 51. The mist pipe 33 is connected to the inlet pipe 531.

The water tank 53 has a portion that extends diagonally downward toward the recess 511 of the housing 51, and an outlet 532 is provided at the tip of the portion. The outlet 532 is connected to the vibration surface 521 of the ultrasonic transducer 52 within the recess 511. The vibration surface 521 serves as an outlet for the ozone water, and is connected to the outlet 15 on the front surface of the head 10c.

The water tank 53 stores ozone water sent to the mist emission section 50 by the mist pipe 33. When the ultrasonic vibrator 52 operates, the vibration surface 521 vibrates ultrasonically. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the ozone water that comes into contact with the vibration surface 521 at the outlet 532 of the water tank 53 is atomized and emitted from a number of micropores.

Referring to FIG. 2, the operation unit 60 is provided on the front side of the neck portion 10b of the housing 10, and is operated when spraying ozone water with the ozone sprayer 1. The operation unit 60 includes an operation button 61, and when the operation button 61 is pressed, an internal contact opening and closing switch is turned on.

The power supply unit 70 includes a rechargeable battery 71 and a charging device 72. The rechargeable battery 71 is, for example, a lithium ion battery, and outputs power to drive electrical components such as the pump 22, the electrolysis unit 23, and the switching unit 36. When the ozone sprayer 1 is placed on a charger (not shown), power is supplied from the charger to the charging device 72, and the rechargeable battery 71 is charged by the charging device 72.

Now, with the ozone spray 1, the operating mode can be switched using the mode switching button 12, allowing the device to selectively operate in either the ozone shower mode or the ozone mist mode.

When the operation button 61 is pressed while the ozone shower mode is selected, the shower valve 34 opens and the pump 22 and electrolysis unit 23 operate for a predetermined time (e.g., 3 seconds). As a result, the ozone water generated in the electrolysis unit 23, i.e., the generation unit 20, is sent to the shower discharge unit 40, and a shower of ozone water is sprayed from the discharge port 41 of the shower discharge unit 40 for a predetermined time. The user can clean an object, such as a toilet bowl or a kitchen sink, by spraying the ozone water onto the object.

On the other hand, when the operation button 61 is pressed while the device is set to the ozone mist mode, the mist valve 35 is opened and then the pump 22 and electrolysis unit 23 operate for a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds). This causes a predetermined amount of ozone water to accumulate in the water tank 53. The ultrasonic vibrator 52 then operates, and mist containing ozone is released from the vibration surface 521, which is the outlet of the mist release unit 50. The ultrasonic vibrator 52 operates until almost all of the ozone water stored in the water tank 53 has been released. The user can deodorize the room by diffusing the mist containing ozone throughout the room. The user can also deodorize an object such as clothing by bringing the mist containing ozone into contact with the object.

When the pump 22 and electrolysis unit 23 are operating, water is drawn up from the container 21 and discharged from the pump 22. The discharged water passes through the electrolysis unit 23 to generate ozone water, which is then sent to the shower discharge unit 40 or the mist discharge unit 50. As a result, the ozone water does not pass through the pump 22, and deterioration such as corrosion caused by the oxidizing power of ozone is prevented from occurring in the components of the pump 22 that come into contact with the ozone water.

When the pump 22 stops operating and the water output from the pump 22 is stopped, the check valve 228 provided at the outlet 223 is closed. This prevents water such as ozone water that is not sent to the shower discharge section 40 or the mist discharge section 50 and is present in the flow path 131 of the electrolysis section 23 from flowing toward the pump 22, and the water remains in the flow path 131. This prevents current from flowing between the anode 111 and the cathode 112 when there is no water in the flow path 131 the next time the operation button 61 is pressed, and prevents the anode 111 and the cathode 112 from being damaged by so-called dry burning.

<Effects of the embodiment>
According to this embodiment, the generated ozone water does not pass through the pump 22, so that deterioration such as corrosion of the components of the pump 22 that come into contact with the ozone water due to the oxidizing power of ozone is prevented.

In addition, according to this embodiment, when the water supply from the pump 22 is stopped, water can be left in the flow path 131, so that it is less likely that electricity will be passed between the anode 111 and the cathode 112 when there is no water in the flow path 131, and the anode 111 and the cathode 112 are less likely to be damaged. Furthermore, there is no need to place the electrolysis unit 23 at the bottom of the container 21 so that water is always present in the flow path 131, and the electrolysis unit 23 can be placed outside the container 21, making it easier to place the electrolysis unit 23.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the electrolysis unit 23 includes a case 130, and the ozone electrode unit 110 is arranged inside the case 130, and a flow path 131 is formed through which water flows along the first direction in which the anode 111 of the ozone electrode unit 110 extends. Furthermore, the case 130 is formed with an inlet 133 that opens in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and allows water sent out from the pump 22 to flow into the flow path 131. According to this configuration, the water that flows in from the inlet 133 hits the wall surface of the flow path 131 and is redirected at a substantially right angle, at which point the flow of water is disturbed and turbulence is generated. As a result, water is more likely to flow to the valley portion of the spirally wound cathode 112, and water is more likely to come into contact with the ion exchange membrane 113, thereby increasing the efficiency of ozone generation. In addition, the generated ozone is more likely to be finely divided by the turbulence and is more likely to be dissolved in water. Therefore, ozone water with a high ozone concentration is more likely to be generated.

When the inlet 133 is provided so as to open in the first direction at the closed end of the case 130, the discharge pipe 25 extending from the pump 22 located above the electrolysis unit 23 will wrap around underneath the electrolysis unit 23 and connect to the inlet 133. This increases the size of the electrolysis unit 23 in the longitudinal direction. In this regard, if the inlet 133 is provided so as to open in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction at the circumferential surface of the case 130 as in the present embodiment, the discharge pipe 25 will not wrap around underneath the electrolysis unit 23 and connect to the inlet 133. This reduces the size of the electrolysis unit 23 in the longitudinal direction.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the sealing body 120 and the recess 132 can hold the anode 111 in the case 130 so that it is straight with respect to the flow path 131, so that the gap between the anode 111 and the wall surface of the flow path 131 can be made uniform. This makes it easier for water to spread between the anode 111 and the cathode 112, i.e., to the ion exchange membrane 113, and improves the efficiency of ozone generation.

If the anode 111 is tilted relative to the flow path 131 and the gap between the anode 111 and the wall of the flow path 131 is no longer uniform, water will not easily reach the ion exchange membrane 113 in the areas where the gap has disappeared or narrowed, making it difficult to increase the efficiency of ozone generation.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited in any way to the above embodiment, and various modifications to the embodiment of the present invention are possible.

<Modification 1>
FIG. 8(a) is a perspective view of an electrolysis unit 23A according to Modification Example 1, and FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of the electrolysis unit 23A taken along line BB' in FIG. 8(a).

Instead of the electrolysis unit 23 in the above embodiment, the electrolysis unit 23A in this modified example can be used in the ozone sprayer 1. The electrolysis unit 23A is disposed within the body 10a of the housing 10, similar to the electrolysis unit 23.

The electrolysis unit 23A in this modified example has a case 130A that is different from the case 130 of the electrolysis unit 23.

In case 130A, the end that is not blocked by sealing body 120 is open, and this opening becomes inlet 133. Flow path 131 is configured to be longer than anode 111 of ozone electrode unit 110, and inlet 133 is located away from anode 111 in a first direction in which anode 111 extends, and opens in the first direction. Flow path 131 has a spiral groove 135 formed in the wall surface of the region from inlet 133 to anode 111.

The diameter of the inlet 133 and the outlet 134 is equal to the diameter of the flow path 131. The diameter of the inlet 133 and the outlet 134 may be smaller than the diameter of the flow path 131.

In the electrolysis section 23A of this modified example, the water flowing into the flow path 131 from the inlet 133 is disturbed by the water on the wall side flowing in a spiral manner as it is guided into the groove portion 135, resulting in turbulence in the flow path 131. This makes it easier for water to reach the valley portion of the spirally wound cathode 112 and makes it easier for the water to come into contact with the ion exchange membrane 113, thereby increasing the efficiency of ozone generation. In addition, the generated ozone is more easily broken down by the turbulent flow, making it easier to dissolve in water. This makes it easier to generate ozone water with a high ozone concentration.

In this modified example, the groove portion 135 corresponds to the turbulence generating portion of the present invention.

<Other changes>
In the above embodiment, the diaphragm type pump 22 is used as a water supply device for sending the water sucked up from the container 21 to the shower discharge part 40 and the mist discharge part 50. However, other types of pumps, such as a piston type pump, may be used. When the pump 22 is used, the check valve 228 provided at the discharge port 223 functions as a blocking part that blocks the flow of water from the flow path 131 of the electrolysis part 23 to the pump 22 side, but when a piston type pump is used, the check valve also provided at the discharge port functions as a blocking part. On the other hand, when a pump without a check valve is used, for example, an electromagnetic valve may be disposed as a blocking part between the discharge port of the pump and the discharge pipe 25, and the electromagnetic valve may be opened and closed in conjunction with the operation and stop of the pump.

In addition, a piston-cylinder mechanism may be used as the water delivery device instead of the electric pump 22. When the trigger is operated, the piston-cylinder mechanism operates in conjunction with this operation, and water drawn from the container 21 is sent to the shower discharge section 40 or the mist discharge section 50. In this case, for example, an electromagnetic valve may be placed as a blocking section in the pipe through which water is sent from the piston-cylinder mechanism.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in order to generate ozone water, an ozone electrode unit 110 consisting of a rod-shaped anode 111, a linear cathode 112 wound in a spiral shape around the outer periphery of the anode 111, and an ion exchange membrane 113 interposed between the anode 111 and the cathode 112 is used as an electrolysis unit 23 arranged in a flow path 131 of a case 130. However, as an electrolysis unit with a different configuration, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent No. 5710691, an electrolysis unit having a membrane-electrode assembly as an ozone electrode unit, consisting of a rod-shaped anode, a cathode having a curved cathode claw portion that grips the anode, a diaphragm arranged on the cathode claw portion that separates the anode and the cathode, and an anode terminal connected to the anode, may be used.

Furthermore, in order to generate ozone water by adding the generated ozone to the water passing through the flow path 131, an ozone generating unit having a configuration other than that of generating ozone by electrolysis of water, as in the electrolysis unit 23, may be used. For example, an ozone generating unit configured to generate ozone from air using a discharge type ozone generator, send the generated ozone to the flow path, add ozone to the water flowing through the flow path, and generate ozone water may be used.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the ozone spray 1 is provided with a shower discharge section 40 that discharges ozone water in a shower-like form. However, instead of the shower discharge section 40, the ozone spray 1 may be provided with a discharge section having a nozzle with a hole diameter that discharges ozone water in a mist-like form with a larger particle size than the mist discharge section 50.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the mist emission unit 50 is configured to include a water tank 53 in which the ozone water from the generation unit 20 is stored, and an ultrasonic vibrator 52 that atomizes the ozone water stored in the water tank 53 by ultrasonic vibration. However, the mist emission unit 50 is not limited to the above configuration, and may be configured, for example, to have a nozzle that emits the ozone water in a mist form.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the ozone spray 1 is provided with both the shower emission section 40 and the mist emission section 50 as emission sections that emit ozone water in the form of a shower or mist, but it may be provided with only one of them.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case 130 is formed with the inlet 133 and the outlet 134 opening in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in which the anode 111 extends. However, the second direction in which the inlet 133 and the outlet 134 open may be tilted from the perpendicular direction as long as it intersects with the first direction. However, when considering the ease of water flow and the likelihood of turbulence occurring within the flow path 131, it is desirable for the second direction to be perpendicular to the first direction. In this case, "perpendicular" includes "almost perpendicular."

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a recess 132 is provided at the closed end of the case 130 as a holding portion for holding the end of the anode 111, but a holding portion of any configuration may be provided as long as it is capable of holding the end of the anode 111.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the sealing body 120 is configured to include a cylindrical screw portion 121 and a hexagonal column-shaped head portion 122. However, the sealing body 120 may have any configuration as long as it can close the open end of the case 130.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the switching unit 36 for switching whether the ozone water flowing out from the generation unit 20 flows into the shower pipe 32 or the mist pipe 33 is composed of two electromagnetic valves, the shower valve 34 and the mist valve 35. However, the switching unit 36 may be composed of a three-way valve. In this case, the common pipe 31 is connected to the inlet of the three-way valve. Also, the shower pipe 32 and the mist pipe 33 are composed of a single pipe, and are respectively connected to one outlet and the other outlet of the three-way valve.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the container 21, electrolysis unit 23, and power supply unit 70 are disposed inside the body 10a of the housing 10. However, the entire body 10a may be used as the container, i.e., the water storage unit, and the electrolysis unit 23 and power supply unit 70 may be disposed in the neck 10b or head 10c of the housing 10. In this case, the electrolysis unit 23 and power supply unit 70 are sized so that they can be disposed in the neck 10b or head 10c.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when the operation button 61 is operated, the electrolysis unit 23 may be operated a predetermined time (for example, 1 second) after the pump 22 is operated, i.e., current may be passed between the anode 111 and the cathode 112. In this case, even if there is no water in the flow path 131 of the electrolysis unit 23 before operation, such as when the ozone spray 1 is used for the first time after refilling the container 21 with water, current can be passed between the anode 111 and the cathode 112 once water is present in the flow path 131, thereby further protecting the anode 111 and the cathode 112.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a detection unit capable of detecting the water level in the container 21 is provided, and when the detection unit detects that the water level has dropped to a level where the pump 22 cannot pump up the water, the pump 22 and the electrolysis unit 23 may not operate even if the operation button 61 is operated. In this way, it is possible to prevent current from passing between the anode 111 and the cathode 112 without water passing through the flow path 131 of the electrolysis unit 23, and the anode 111 and the cathode 112 can be further protected.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned modified example 1, a spiral groove portion 135 is provided in the region of the flow path 131 from the inlet 133 to the anode 111 as a turbulence generating portion that disturbs the flow of water that has flowed into the flow path 131 to generate turbulence. However, other configurations that can generate turbulence, such as a spiral ridge, may be used as the turbulence generating portion.

In addition, various modifications of the embodiment of the present invention are possible within the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims.

20 Generation unit
40 Shower discharge part (discharge part)
50 Mist emission section (emission section)
21 Container (water storage section)
22 Pump (water supply device)
23 Electrolysis section (ozone generation section)
23A Electrolysis section (ozone generation section)
111 Anode 112 Cathode 113 Ion exchange membrane 120 Sealing body 130 Case 130A Case 131 Flow path 132 Recess (holding portion)
133 inlet 135 groove portion (turbulent flow generating portion)
228 Check valve (blocking part)

Claims (2)

A generating unit for generating ozone water in which ozone is contained in water;
A discharge unit that discharges the ozone water generated by the generation unit in a shower or mist form,
The generation unit is
A water storage section for storing water;
a water supply device that pumps water from the water storage section to the discharge section;
an ozone generating section that generates ozone while passing the water sent from the water supply device, and causes the passing water to contain the generated ozone;
The ozone generating unit includes:
A rod-shaped anode;
a linear cathode wound in a spiral shape around the outer periphery of the anode;
an ion exchange membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode;
a case in which the anode, the cathode, and the ion exchange membrane are disposed, the case having an internal flow path through which water flows along a first direction in which the anode extends;
The case is provided with an inlet that opens in the first direction at a position away from the anode in the first direction and allows the water delivered from the water delivery device to flow into the flow path,
The flow path has a spiral groove provided on a wall surface of a region between the inlet and the anode as a turbulence generating section for generating a turbulent flow by disturbing the flow of water flowing into the flow path.
An ozone water spraying device. 2. The ozone water spraying device according to claim 1,
The generating unit further includes a blocking unit that blocks the water present in the flow path from flowing toward the water supply device when the water supply device stops supplying water.
An ozone water spraying device.

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