JPS648586B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an atomization device for atomizing various liquids such as liquid fuel, water, and chemical solutions. This invention relates to an injection type atomizer that uses the vibration of a child to inject liquid from a nozzle and atomize it.

Conventional Structure and Problems Conventionally, this type of atomizing device has been mainly used as an ink atomization device of an inkjet recording device, and FIG. 1 shows one example of a typical structure.

In FIG. 1, an orifice 2 is provided at one end of an ink chamber 1, and a vibrating body consisting of a diaphragm 3 and a piezoelectric vibrator 4 is provided at the other end. Further, the ink chamber 1 is connected to an ink tank 6 through a pipe 5. When a voltage as shown in FIG. 2 is supplied to the piezoelectric vibrator 4, the piezoelectric vibrator 4 and the diaphragm 3 undergo deflection vibration as indicated by the broken line in FIG. The pressure wave caused by this vibration is transmitted to the orifice 2 through the ink in the ink chamber 1, and ink particles 7 are ejected.

However, such conventional atomizing devices have the following drawbacks.

That is, as described above, since the pressure wave generated by the piezoelectric vibrator 4 is transmitted to the orifice 2 using the ink in the ink chamber 1 as a medium, if the ink contains a large amount of dissolved air,
Bubbles are generated due to the so-called cavitation phenomenon, which prevents the pressure waves described above from being transmitted to the orifice 2, resulting in a disadvantage that the ink particles 7 cannot be ejected normally. Therefore, the ink must contain extremely little dissolved air, requires specially treated ink, and lacks versatility.

Furthermore, the piezoelectric vibrator 4 tends to deteriorate in characteristics due to high temperatures and cannot be used at high temperatures. Also,
Although not shown, the piezoelectric vibrator 4 has parts such as electrodes that are easily corroded, making it difficult to use it in high humidity or acidic atmospheres.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an atomization device that solves these conventional problems.

The first purpose is to provide an atomization device that can stably atomize various common liquids such as water, liquid fuel, and chemical solutions that contain large amounts of dissolved air without being affected by cavitation bubbles. It is to be.

Furthermore, the second objective is to maintain good performance and high reliability even in adverse environments such as high temperatures, high humidity, and acidic atmospheres without causing any inconveniences such as property deterioration or skin erosion. It is an object of the present invention to provide an atomization device that can guarantee the properties of the atomizer.

Structure of the Invention The present invention includes a pressurizing chamber filled with liquid, a nozzle plate having a nozzle facing the pressurizing chamber, an electric vibrator, and a vibration transmission for transmitting vibrations of the electric vibrator to the nozzle plate. The nozzle is vibrated by exciting the bending vibration of the nozzle plate by the vibration of the electric vibrator, and the liquid is sprayed from the nozzle.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS FIG. 3a is a front view of an atomizing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3b is a sectional view of the same atomizing device.
In the same figure, the pressurized chamber 8 has a diameter of 5 to 20 mm and a depth of 1
It has a cylindrical shape of ~10 mm, and is provided within a metal body 9. One side of the pressurized chamber 8 has a thickness of 30 μm
It is covered with a metal nozzle plate 11 with a diameter of 30 μm to 200 μm in the center of the nozzle plate 11.
A plurality of nozzles 12 are provided. A plate-shaped radial vibrating body 14 having an opening 13 and a thickness of 0.5 to 2 mm is attached to the nozzle plate 11.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a pressure vibrator that vibrates in the thickness direction, and is fixed to the amplitude-increasing horn vibrating body 16 with a nut 17.

A long vibration transmission rod 18 for transmitting vibrations is provided at the tip of the horn vibrating body 16, and the other end of this vibration transmission rod 18 is fixed to the radial vibration body 14. Further, the horn vibrating body 16 is fixed to the pipe 19 at its vibration nodes, as will be described later.

The pressurizing chamber 8 is connected by a pipe 19 to a leveler 20 having a substantially constant liquid level A, and further connected to a negative pressure generator 22 by a pipe 21.

During the spraying operation, the liquid level B in the pipe 19 is sucked up by the negative pressure -P generated by the negative pressure generator, and becomes balanced with the liquid level C in the pipe 21, thereby filling the pressurizing chamber 8 with liquid. Achieved as shown.

Next, an AC voltage as shown in FIG. 4 a, b or c is supplied to the piezoelectric vibrator 15, and the piezoelectric vibrator vibrates through its thickness. This thickness vibration (longitudinal vibration) is amplified in amplitude by the horn vibrating body 16 and transmitted to the radial vibrating body 14 by the vibration transmission rod 18 . Radial vibrator 1
4 and the nozzle plate 11 as shown in the figure, the radial vibration of the radial vibrating body 14 excited by the longitudinal vibration transmitted from the vibration transmission rod 18 is as shown by the broken line in the figure. This causes a bending vibration of the nozzle plate 11. Therefore, since the nozzle 12 is greatly vibrated in its axial direction, the liquid in the pressurizing chamber 8 is pressurized only in the vicinity of the nozzle 12 and
The droplets 23 are ejected. Further, a liquid corresponding to the injected liquid is self-suctioned from the pipe 19 due to the surface tension of the liquid generated in the nozzle 12, thereby achieving a self-priming pump action.

In this way, since the configuration is such that the maximum point of pressure fluctuation occurs very close to the nozzle 12, the area where dissolved air is likely to become bubbles due to cavitation is very close to the nozzle 12. Therefore, the configuration produces a favorable result in that the bubbles are sprayed from the nozzle 12 before they grow large due to cavitation and obstruct the spraying operation, thereby ensuring stable spraying operation even when the liquid contains a large amount of dissolved air. I can do it.

5a, b, and c are explanatory diagrams of the vibration system of FIG. 3, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. 3 indicate corresponding structures. Figure a is a front view, figure b is a cross-sectional view, and the piezoelectric vibrator 15a is connected to vibrate in opposite phase.
The longitudinal vibration of 15b is amplified in amplitude by the horn vibrating body 16 and transmitted to the radial vibrating body 1 via the vibrating power rod 18.
4, and the phase relationship of the vibration is shown in Figure c.
It is configured to have vibrational nodes and antinodes as shown in the figure.

In other words, the configuration is such that the vibrations of the piezoelectric vibrators 15a and 15b are efficiently transmitted and the radial vibrations of the radial vibrator 14 are excited.

The radial vibration of the radial vibrating body 14 excites the bending vibration of the nozzle plate 11, and the droplets 23 are ejected.

As is clear from the figure, the positional relationship between the nozzle plate 11 and the piezoelectric vibrators 15a and 15b can be freely controlled by the configuration using the vibration transmitting section consisting of the radial vibrating body 14, the vibration transmitting rod 18, and the horn vibrating body 16. As long as the vibration system is well matched, it is possible to completely isolate the location where the piezoelectric vibrators 15a and 15b are placed from the location where the nozzle plate 11 is placed.

This means that even when spraying is carried out at high temperatures, high humidity, or even in acidic atmospheres,
This means that the piezoelectric vibrators 15a and 15b can be isolated from such a bad environment. In other words, it is possible to provide an atomizing device that can guarantee high performance and high reliability even under adverse environments, and it is possible to provide an atomizing device that is extremely versatile.

Radial vibrator 1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 5
The atomization device using the vibration transmission section including the sixth
Various embodiments are possible as shown in FIG. 7 or 8a, b.

In FIG. 6, the nozzle plate 11 has an area slightly larger than the opening 13 of the radial vibrator 14, and the complete radial vibration of the radial vibrator 14 causes the nozzle plate 1 to
1 flexural vibration is excited.

In FIG. 7, a projection 25 is provided at the center of the nozzle plate 11, and droplets 23 fly in a direction determined by the shape of the projection 25 and the arrangement of the nozzles 12. In FIG.

8a and 8b, a radial vibrating body 14 is provided in the center and connected to the nozzle plate 11, and nozzles 1 are arranged around it.
2, it is possible to spray a large amount of water.

FIG. 9b is a sectional view of an atomizing device showing still another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9a is a diagram showing the phase relationship of vibration.

In the figure, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 3b indicate corresponding structures.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a cylindrical transmission section forming a cylindrical vibration transmission section, which transmits longitudinal vibration due to expansion and contraction vibration of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator 15 to the nozzle plate 11 at the tip in a vibration phase relationship as shown in FIG. The nozzle plate 11 is excited to bend and vibrate, and droplets 23 are ejected. The pressurizing chamber 8 includes a part of the cylindrical transmission section 26 and the nozzle plate 1.
1. A partition plate 27 is provided at the vibration node a, and a liquid supply path 28 is connected to the partition plate 27.

Although the entire interior of the cylindrical transmission section 26 may be used as the liquid supply path, since vibration energy loss due to the liquid occurs, it is more efficient to use a separate configuration as shown in the figure.

Even if the cylindrical transmission part 26 is used in this way, the positional relationship between the nozzle plate 11 and the piezoelectric vibrator 15 can be freely selected, and spraying operation can be realized in a bad environment while guaranteeing high performance and high reliability. It is possible to provide an atomization device that can.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the nozzle plate with the nozzle facing the pressurizing chamber is energized by an electric vibrator via the vibration transmission part, and the bending vibration of the nozzle plate is excited to cause the nozzle to move. Since the structure is designed to atomize liquid by shaking the air, it is possible to stably atomize even ordinary liquids containing a large amount of dissolved air without being affected by cavitation. It is possible to provide an atomization device that can guarantee good performance and high reliability even under adverse environments such as humid or acidic atmospheres. Therefore, its industrial value is extremely large.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional atomizing device, FIG. 2 is a driving voltage waveform diagram of the same device, and FIGS. 3 a and b are a front view and a sectional view of an atomizing device of an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 4a, b, and c are drive voltage waveform diagrams according to the spray amount of the same device, Figures 5a, b, and c are explanatory diagrams of the vibration system of the same device, and Figures 6 and 7 are the main ones, respectively. A sectional view showing a partial configuration of an atomizing device according to another embodiment of the invention, FIGS. a and b are a vibration phase explanatory diagram and a sectional view of an atomizing device showing yet another embodiment, respectively; 8... Pressure chamber, 11... Nozzle plate, 12... Nozzle,
14, 16, 18... Vibration transmission part, 14... Radial vibrator, 15, 15a, 15b... Piezoelectric vibrator (electrical vibrator), 16... Horn vibrator, 18... Vibration transmission rod, 26... Cylindrical transmission part (vibration transmission section), 28...
Liquid supply path.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A pressurized chamber filled with a liquid, a nozzle plate having a nozzle provided facing the pressurized chamber, an electric vibrator, and a vibration of the electric vibrator transmitted to the nozzle. an atomizer comprising: a vibration transmitting section that transmits the vibration to a plate; the atomizer is configured to excite the bending vibration of the nozzle plate by the vibration of the electric vibrator to vibrate the nozzle and spray liquid from the nozzle. 2. The atomization device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the vibration transmission section is provided with an amplitude increasing section. 3 The electric vibrator is configured to vibrate through the thickness, and a radial vibrator is provided in a part of the vibration transmission section,
3. The atomization device according to claim 1, wherein the radial vibrating body biases the nozzle plate. 4. The atomization device according to claim 3, wherein the radial vibrating body is provided with an opening, and the radial vibrating body and the nozzle plate are mutually attached so that the nozzle faces the opening. 5. Claim No. 5, wherein the vibration transmitting section is constituted by a cylindrical vibrating body, a nozzle plate is provided at the tip of the cylindrical vibrating body, and liquid is supplied through the inside of the cylindrical vibrating body. The atomization device according to item 1. 6. The atomization device according to claim 5, wherein a liquid supply path is provided inside the cylindrical vibrating body.