JP2536006Y2 - Ultrasonic atomizer - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic atomizer suitable for use as an inhaler having a small amount of power and a small amount of atomization.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a household atomizer for indoor humidification has been known as an ultrasonic atomizer utilizing ultrasonic vibration caused by resonance in the thickness direction of a piezoelectric ceramic. Such an atomizer for indoor humidification is one in which a piezoelectric vibrator is attached to the bottom of a water tank filled with water, and realizes a relatively large amount of atomization of several hundred cc / hour.

However, recently, an ultrasonic atomizer with a small amount of electric power of 5 W or less and suitable for driving a battery has been developed by using an inhaler for inhaling a chemical solution or the like into the throat, trachea, lungs, or the like. Is being demanded for applications.

FIG. 8 shows an ultrasonic atomizer previously proposed by the present applicant for use as an inhaler or the like as described above. The ultrasonic atomizer includes a main surface 2A and a main surface 2A of a disc-shaped piezoelectric ceramic 1. The piezoelectric vibrator 4 is formed by forming electrodes 3A and 3B on the opposite surface 2B opposite to the main surface, and the piezoelectric vibrator 4 is formed on the atomizing action surface 5 (the surface on which the electrodes are formed on the main surface). A circular plate-shaped porous or net-like thin plate 6 having substantially the same diameter is placed, and the upper and lower surfaces of the peripheral portion of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 are surrounded by an elastic annular support 7 and the groove 11 is formed.
And a liquid supply means (liquid supply pipe or the like) 8 is disposed on the atomizing surface 5 to drop an appropriate amount of liquid to be atomized, or permeate and supply using a capillary tube. It is a configuration to do. In this case, the atomizing action surface 5 of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 and the porous or net-like thin plate 6 are so formed that the dropped liquid can spread on the atomizing action surface 5 of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 by capillary action.
A minute gap is provided between the piezoelectric vibrator 4 and the lower surface. The small gap is realized by allowing the piezoelectric vibrator 4 to have a slight play and holding the porous or net-like thin plate 6 by the elastic annular support 7. ing. The hole diameter of the porous or net-like thin plate 6 is about 10 μm.
Many small holes 9 of about 100 μm are formed.

The electrode 3A on the atomizing action surface side has a folded electrode portion 3C extending to the periphery of the opposing surface 2B on the opposite side, and connects the electrode portion 3C and the electrode 3B to a high frequency power supply. By doing so, the piezoelectric vibrator 4 can be driven.

In the conventional structure shown in FIG. 8, the piezoelectric vibrator 4 is connected to a high-frequency power source to cause ultrasonic vibration due to resonance in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric ceramic 1 to be performed.
When the liquid is dropped and supplied, or the liquid is penetrated and supplied by utilizing the capillary phenomenon, the liquid is caused by the capillary phenomenon to cause minute liquid between the atomizing action surface 5 of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 and the lower surface of the porous or net-like thin plate 6. Spread into a narrow gap, and a porous or net-like thin plate 6
The micro liquid column is formed in each of the micro holes 9, and the tip portions of the plurality of micro liquid columns are emitted into the air as atomized particles by ultrasonic vibration in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric vibrator 4.

[0007]

In the configuration shown in FIG. 8, if the porous or net-like thin plate 6 is brought into close contact with the atomizing action surface 5 of the piezoelectric vibrator 4, the atomizing action face 5 will not work.
The liquid dripped cannot be spread between the lower surface of the perforated or net-like thin plate 6 and the atomization cannot be performed properly. For this reason, it is necessary to loosely hold the porous or net-like thin plate 6 so that a minute gap is formed between the atomizing action surface 5 and the lower surface of the porous or net-like thin plate 6. However, in actual assembling, the porous or net-like thin plate 6 is held together with the piezoelectric vibrator 4 by the elastic annular support member 7 so as to have an optimum minute gap with respect to the atomizing action surface 5 and to prevent variation. It can be difficult.

[0008] In view of the above, the present invention provides one or both of concave and convex portions in a porous or net-like thin plate, thereby providing a space between the atomizing action surface of the piezoelectric vibrator and the lower surface of the porous or net-like thin plate. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic atomizer that always secures a minute gap in which a liquid can spread, and that enables a stable atomizing operation.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic atomizer according to the present invention comprises a porous or net-like thin plate having one or both of a concave portion and a convex portion formed by atomizing a piezoelectric vibrator. It is configured to be arranged on the chemical action side.

[0010]

In the ultrasonic atomizer of the present invention, by forming one or both of the concave portion and the convex portion on the porous or net-like thin plate, the gap between the atomizing action surface of the piezoelectric vibrator and the lower surface of the porous or net-like thin plate is formed. Therefore, a minute gap where the liquid can spread due to the capillary phenomenon is always secured. As a result, it is not necessary to pay attention to the periphery of the perforated or net-like thin plate. For example, the perimeter of the perforated or net-like thin plate can be held in close contact with the piezoelectric vibrator and held by an annular support or the like. Therefore, assembling is easy, there is no variation, and the atomizing operation can be stabilized.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the ultrasonic atomizer according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In these figures, a circular projection 10 having a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the elastic annular support 7 is formed on the porous or net-like thin plate 6A. The perforated or net-like thin plate 6 </ b> A is overlapped so as to be in close contact with the piezoelectric vibrator 4 at the peripheral edge, and inserted into the groove 11 of the elastic annular support 7. As a result, an appropriate gap is secured between the lower surface of the porous or net-like thin plate 6A and the atomizing action surface 5 of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 in the portion of the circular convex portion 10, and the liquid supply pipe 8A or the Water supplied from a liquid absorbing zone (which binds fibers of resin, glass, etc. and sucks and supplies liquid by capillary action) 8B;
A liquid such as a chemical solution can spread on the atomizing surface 5 by capillary action. The porous or net-like thin plate 6A is a thin metal plate made of stainless steel or the like having a thickness of about several tens of μm, and has a large number of micro holes 9 having a hole diameter D of about 10 to 100 μm as shown in FIG. The configuration of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 itself is the same as that in the case of FIG. 8 described above, and the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In the configuration of the first embodiment, the liquid supply pipe 8
When a liquid such as water or a chemical liquid to be atomized is supplied onto the porous or net-like thin plate 6A from the liquid absorption zone 8A or the liquid absorption zone 8B, the liquid W is subjected to the capillary action as shown in FIG. And enters the minute gaps G between the lower surfaces of the porous or net-like thin plates 6A and spreads into the minute holes 9 of the porous or net-like thin plates 6A to form minute liquid columns. Then, the tip portions of a large number of micro liquid columns are atomized by ultrasonic vibration in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric ceramic 1, and are discharged into the air as atomized particles.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the porous or net-like thin plate 6B has a circular convex portion 20 having a diameter slightly smaller than the inner peripheral diameter of the elastic annular support 7 and the circular convex portion 20B.
And a plurality of concave portions 21 provided in the formation region. Then, the perforated or net-like thin plate 6B is overlapped so as to be in close contact with the piezoelectric vibrator 4 at the peripheral portion, and inserted into the groove 11 of the elastic annular support 7. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In this second embodiment, the porous or net-like thin plate 6
By providing the concave portion 21 in the formation region of the circular convex portion 20 of B, the lower surface of the concave portion 21 is in contact with the atomizing action surface 5 of the piezoelectric vibrator 4, resulting from bending of the perforated or net-like thin plate 6 </ b> B, aging, and the like. Or reticulated thin plate 6B at the portion of the circular convex portion 20
The gap between the lower surface of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 and the atomizing surface 5 of the piezoelectric vibrator 4 can be prevented from changing, and an appropriate gap can always be maintained.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the portion where the peripheral edge of the perforated or net-like thin plate 6C and the tip of the liquid absorbing zone 8B are in contact with each other is lowered, and the other central portion is a substantially circular convex portion 30. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In each of the embodiments described above, the case where the liquid-absorbing zone is in contact with the porous or net-like thin plate is exemplified. However, the structure is such that the liquid-absorbing zone directly contacts the atomizing action surface of the piezoelectric vibrator. An example of this case is shown in the fourth embodiment in FIG. In FIG. 6, an opening 40 is formed at a portion corresponding to the position of the tip of the liquid absorbing band 8B of the circular convex portion 10 formed on the porous or net-like thin plate 6D, and the tip of the liquid absorbing band 8B passes through the opening 40. It is in contact with the atomizing surface 5 of the piezoelectric vibrator. Then, the liquid permeated and supplied through the liquid absorption zone 8 </ b> B can effectively spread to the gap between the lower surface of the porous or net-like thin plate and the atomizing surface 5 in the circular convex portion 10. The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this case, an opening 41 is formed at a position outside the circular convex portion 10A of the porous or net-like thin plate 6E having the circular convex portion 10A, and the tip of the liquid absorption zone 8B passes through the opening 41 to form the atomizing surface 5 of the piezoelectric vibrator. Is in contact with Other structures are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In each of the above embodiments, the piezoelectric vibrator 4 is arranged horizontally.
It can also be arranged vertically. Further, in FIG.
Although a tapered hole whose hole diameter increases toward the bottom as the minute hole 9 of the porous or net-like conductive thin plate 6A is illustrated, a straight hole having the same hole diameter from top to bottom may be used. The present invention is also useful for a structure in which a piezoelectric vibrator and a porous or net-like thin plate are supported by a resin support or the like which does not have much elasticity.

[0020]

As described above, according to the ultrasonic atomizer of the present invention, the porous or net-like thin plate having one or both of the concave portion and the convex portion is provided on the atomizing action surface side of the piezoelectric vibrator. , So that an appropriate gap can always be secured between the lower surface of the perforated or net-like thin plate and the atomizing action surface, and the atomizing operation can be stabilized. Can be efficiently supplied by capillary action (surface tension) due to the minute gap between the lower surface of the porous or reticulated thin plate and the atomizing surface.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a first embodiment of an ultrasonic atomizer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view for explaining the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front sectional view of an ultrasonic atomizer previously proposed by the present applicant.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 piezoelectric ceramic 4 piezoelectric vibrator 5 atomizing action surface 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E perforated or net-like thin plate 7 elastic annular support 8 liquid supply means 9 minute hole 10, 10A, 20, 30 circular convex portion 21 Recess

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] An ultrasonic mist wherein a porous or net-like thin plate having one of a concave portion and a convex portion, or both a concave portion and a convex portion, is disposed on the atomizing surface of a piezoelectric vibrator. Chemist. 2. The ultrasonic atomizer according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral portion of the perforated or net-like thin plate is supported by an annular support together with the piezoelectric vibrator.