WO2012057062A1 - Siphon tube - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] Although there is an advantage in the extraction of liquid from a container by means of a siphon tube in that the container is not required to have a special shape, it is difficult to start the siphoning. When a valve or the like is provided in the liquid extraction path to facilitate the start of the siphoning, the ability to reduce the size is lost, and the risk of malfunction increases. [Solution] A minimal configuration that enables siphoning to start merely by tilting the container, by employing, for the interval between the inner walls in the curved portion of the siphon tube, dimensions with which the capillary effect predominates, without providing movable parts.

Description

Siphon tube

The present invention relates to a siphon tube for taking out a liquid from a container.

Siphon's principle has long been used to transport liquids, from civil engineering flood control and various factory equipment to household items.

The method of taking out a liquid from a container using a siphon tube is superior in the following points to a method of taking out using a takeout port and a faucet provided at the lower part of a container in a relatively small scale system.
・ Even if there is no outlet for a container already filled with liquid, installing the siphon tube later enables continuous and intermittent use of the liquid.
-The container itself does not need a structure for liquid removal. Since a container that does not have a protruding structure and can accommodate a plurality of stacked containers can be used, it is possible to improve the portability of a single set of equipment and to reduce the transportation cost when transporting many items.
-It is possible to configure without using a movable member in the liquid extraction path, and there is little risk of failure.

Similarly, it has the following advantages over extraction using a pump.
-Since there are no moving parts for pumping out in the path, there is little risk of failure.
-Can be configured at low cost.
-Easy to downsize.

In addition, the original method of removing the liquid by simply tilting the container and removing the liquid from the edge of the container is possible even when the container does not have a removal structure. The amount of liquid that spills wastefully outside the container can be reduced.
There are advantages in terms.

When using a siphon tube, it is necessary to generate a siphon or pressure siphon state in the tube at the start of liquid removal.

When the external starting means is not used and there is no valve or pump structure in the liquid path of the siphon tube, the following methods have been used, but each has the following problems.

・ Soaking the entire siphon tube in a liquid, filling the tube with the liquid, sealing the inside of the tube, and placing it in a usable state. It must be longer than the length and may not be possible depending on the container shape.
This is not necessarily the case when the siphon tube is flexible, but in general when the amount of liquid is small, the deeper the container, the more difficult it is to start taking out.
Difficult to implement when it is not desirable for the liquid to come into contact with human hands.

• Method of sucking air from the take-out port and filling the siphon tube with liquid If pumping out of the port becomes a safety or sanitary problem, use a pump as described in Patent Document 1 below. If it is a small diameter siphon tube,
This is an effective method because it can relatively easily reduce the residual air at the top, but the expansion of the pump structure is an impediment to downsizing. In addition, the risk of failure increases with the increase in materials.

・ From the mouth that can be opened and closed on the top of the siphon tube
As a method of filling the siphon tube by injecting a liquid, this method is mainly used for large-scale construction. The priming water must be injected not only at the take-out port but also at the suction port side soaked in the liquid, which is cumbersome to implement in a small system.
In addition, it is difficult to implement when it is not preferable that the liquid touches human hands.

On the other hand, as an example in which a valve or a pump structure is provided in the liquid path of the siphon tube, there are methods described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 below.
In any case, when taking out the liquid from the container, the siphon or pressure siphon state can be easily generated. However, since the valve or the pump structure itself or an operation unit having a size suitable for operation is added, it is difficult to reduce the size. In addition, since moving parts are used in the liquid extraction path, the risk of failure is inevitably higher than when there are no moving parts.

Next, the generation principle of the siphon or pressure siphon used in the present invention will be described.

ここでρ (kg/m^3)は液体の密度、g (m/s^2)は重力加速度、γ (N/m)は液体の表面張力である。毛管長は、g=9.8 (m/s^2)となる地球上では一般に２から３ミリメートル程度である。詳細は例えば次項非特許文献１などに開示されているため、説明は省略する。 The solid, in this case, the liquid in contact with the inner surface of the siphon tube, is in a state in which the capillary effect prevails over gravity over a distance of about the capillary length κ ^ (− 1) shown in the following equation from the contact portion.

Where ρ (kg / m ^ 3) is the density of the liquid, g (m / s ^ 2) is the acceleration of gravity, and γ (N / m) is the surface tension of the liquid. The capillary length is generally about 2 to 3 millimeters on the earth where g = 9.8 (m / s ^ 2). Details are disclosed in, for example, Non-Patent Document 1 and so on, and the description thereof is omitted.

The transition to the siphon state will be described with reference to FIGS. The numbers given in the figures are common to the three figures, 101 is the side wall of the container containing the liquid, 102 is the siphon tube, 103 is the liquid level in the container, 104 is the liquid level in the siphon tube, 105 is the siphon tube 102 and The liquid level in the space sandwiched between the container side walls 101, and the arrow 106 are indicators (notes will be described later) indicating the capillary length in the figure.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the container is placed flat, and the liquid level 103 in the container and the liquid level 104 in the siphon tube are substantially in the vertical direction except for the vicinity in contact with the siphon tube 102 / side wall 101. . The liquid level 105 in the narrowed space is at a slightly higher level.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which the container is tilted before the transition to the siphon state, and the liquid level 103 in the container is at a slightly higher level than the edge of the side wall 101 and is not spilled by the surface tension. . At this time, the liquid level 104 in the siphon tube is in contact with the upper surface in the tube at a position higher by about the capillary length 106 than the liquid level 103 in the container. The liquid level 105 rises to the edge surface of the side wall 101.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a state in which the container is tilted to an angle at which it shifts to the siphon state. The liquid level 103 in the container is further raised, and is higher by about the capillary length than the container edge. At this point, the level difference between the upper surface of the inner wall of the siphon tube 102 and the liquid level 103 in the container is not more than the capillary length 106 even at the highest part, and the liquid level 104 in the siphon pipe is guided to the outside of the container beyond the highest part.

The liquid that has moved to the outside of the container is predominantly affected by gravity when the distance between the inner surfaces of the siphon tube is greater than twice the capillary length. The liquid level 104 in the siphon tube actually goes down the siphon tube 102 toward the outside of the container through the state shown in FIG. Soon, the liquid level passes through the end of the siphon tube and reaches the space outside the container, and a siphon or pressure siphon state is established. If the space of the liquid level 105 is sufficiently smaller than the capillary length 106, the surface tension is dominant, and the liquid level 105 does not proceed out of the container.

Based on the above principle, it is possible to take out the liquid suitably by adopting an appropriate material and shape according to the liquid and the usage environment.

The capillary length index 106 shown in FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 is a guideline for explanation only, and is originally a different value influenced by the contact angle between the liquid and each part and the angle between the wall surface and gravity, Practically, the operating condition value combining the two indicators in FIG. 9 may be regarded as about twice or less the capillary length by subtracting the wall thickness of the tube and the float from the container.

When the cross-sectional area of the siphon tube is increased, the size requirement between the inner walls of the siphon tube 102 is almost determined as described above, but the shape is difficult. However, it is possible to cope with the manufacturing precision to some extent.

In actual examination, the material of the siphon tube was stainless steel / brass / polycarbonate / acrylic / PET, and the cross section at the tube end was a circle with an inner diameter of 6 mm or less. The material of the container is confirmed with pottery / glass / steel / stainless steel / titanium / plastic cup, and the liquid is confirmed with water and hot water.

Japanese Patent No. 132797 JP 2000-209978 A Gongko Sho 24-6552 Publication

Dejenne et al./Takeyuki Okumura, `` Surface tension physics 2nd edition: Shizuku, Awa, Mizutama, Sazanami no Sekai ''.

The problem to be solved is that the operation of starting the extraction of the liquid by the siphon tube is generally complicated, and when this problem is solved, it is difficult to reduce the size of the instrument, and the risk of failure increases.

The present invention provides a siphon or pressure siphon phenomenon by tilting the container by setting the shape of the curved portion in contact with the edge of the container of the siphon tube to a distance between the inner walls that is not more than twice the capillary length of the liquid over a certain range. Is the most important feature.

The siphon tube of the present invention has an advantage that the liquid can be easily taken out by tilting the container, and since no member is added, the instrument does not become large and does not easily break down.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a configuration when a siphon tube is used. Example 1 FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation in use of the configuration of FIG. Example 1 FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation in use of the configuration of FIG. Example 1 FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a configuration when the siphon tube is used. (Example 2) FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation in use of the configuration of FIG. (Example 2) FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation in use of the configuration of FIG. (Example 2) FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing details of the operation of the siphon tube. (Background technology) FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing details of the operation of the siphon tube. (Background technology) FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing details of the operation of the siphon tube. (Background technology)

The siphon tube of the present invention will be described in two embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration in use of the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein 1 is a container, 2 is a liquid, 3 is a siphon tube (hereinafter, the siphon tube 3 is up to FIG. 3). Since the siphon tube 3 has a protruding portion on the outer side of the container, the siphon tube 3 is in a state of being inclined due to weight while being installed at the edge of the container 1.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state at the start of taking out the liquid. In a state where the liquid level in the container 1 is sufficiently raised from the edge of the container, a siphon or pressure siphon state is established according to the principle described in the background art, and a liquid discharge flow 4 is generated.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the inclination of the container 1 is slightly returned after the state of FIG. In this state, since the downstream tip of the siphon tube 3 is still lower than the liquid level in the container 1, the extraction flow 4 continues. In other words, it is possible to continue the extraction within a wider inclination range than the conditions for starting the extraction, and it is possible to adjust the extraction speed within this range.

The stoppage of the removal is performed when the liquid level in the container 1 becomes lower than the downstream tip of the siphon tube 3 due to the outflow of liquid, or the tilt of the container 1 is returned or further tilted. Occurs when a state higher than the liquid level inside is made.
It is also possible to take out almost all of the liquid in the container 1 by continuously increasing the inclination of the container 1 in accordance with the outflow of the liquid without stopping the taking-out.

This configuration is particularly suitable for applications that place importance on the storage and portability of a complete set of equipment because the liquid extraction from the container 1 can be easily started / stopped with only a single siphon tube 3 component. The siphon tube 3 can be further improved in storage / portability depending on the application, such as making the portion other than the curved portion flexible as a divided configuration.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration in use of the second embodiment of the present invention, wherein 5 is a siphon tube of the second embodiment, 6 is an extension tube, and 7 is a connection for connecting the siphon tube 5 and the extension tube 6 in an airtight manner. Reference numeral 8 denotes a support for holding the extension tube 6 and the siphon tube 5 in the container 1. A characteristic is that the curved portion of the siphon tube 5 is turned approximately 180 degrees, and the extension tube 6 once drops the height of the bottom level of the container 1 and then lifts the downstream tip to the height of the edge of the container 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state at the start of liquid take-out. As in Example 1, the siphon or pressure siphon state is established here. After the liquid level falls to the turning portion of the extension pipe 6, the liquid level again travels through the extension pipe 6 at a position lower than the liquid level in the container 1 and passes through the downstream end, and a take-out flow 9 is generated.

FIG. 6 is a diagram in which the container 1 is returned to the original posture after FIG. 5. The difference from the first embodiment is that the take-out flow 9 disappears in this state, but the siphon state is not canceled and the liquid level remains at the position 10 before the downstream end of the extension pipe 6. If the container 1 is tilted again in this state, the downstream tip of the extension pipe 6 is at a lower level than the liquid level in the container 1 even if the liquid level in the container 1 does not reach the edge of the container 1. At that point, the extraction flow 9 is restored. In this configuration, once the siphon condition occurs, it cannot be resolved unless the liquid is completely removed or the siphon tube is removed.

The configuration of the second embodiment is very effective when the liquid is extracted and used little by little while finely adjusting the strength of the extraction flow 9. The connecting portion 7 facilitates cleaning by allowing the siphon tube 5 and the extension tube 6 to be divided. By adopting a bendable elastic material for the extension tube 6, the storage property and portability can be realized without greatly deteriorating.

Note that the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The present invention can be widely applied to instruments and devices that take out liquid from containers.

Used in industries that manufacture equipment and devices that extract liquid from containers.

1 container 2 liquid 3 siphon tube (Example 1)
5 Siphon tube (Example 2)
6 Extension pipe (Example 2)

Claims (1)

In the siphon tube that takes out the liquid in the container,
The shape of the curved portion in contact with the edge of the container has a distance between the inner walls that is less than twice the capillary length of the liquid over a certain range,
A siphon tube that generates a siphon or pressure siphon phenomenon by tilting the container.

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