WO2023030290A1 - Spray device and ultrasonic cleaning machine having same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a spray device capable of spraying an appropriate amount of liquid to a spray object and an ultrasonic cleaning machine having same. The ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention comprises: an ultrasonic vibration part having a horn (31) connected to an ultrasonic vibrator (32); a control device for controlling the ultrasonic vibration part; a battery for supplying power to the control device; a storage tank for containing water; and a water supply pump for supplying the water contained in the storage tank to the ultrasonic vibration part, wherein an adjustment part (A) for adjusting the amount of water to be supplied to a front end face (31a) of the horn (31) is provided in a path for guiding the water discharged by the water supply pump to the front end face (31a) of the horn (31).

Description

Spray device and ultrasonic cleaning machine equipped with the spray device technical field

The present invention relates to, for example, a spray device capable of adding moisture to clothes, and an ultrasonic cleaner provided with the spray device.

Background technique

Conventionally, there is an ultrasonic cleaner that removes dirt adhering to clothing by ultrasonic waves (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). The ultrasonic cleaner of Patent Document 1 has: a main body cover covering the main part; a bracket cover covering a holding part for holding the base of the ultrasonic horn at the front end side of the main body cover; and a tapered horn cover fixing on the bracket cover. In this ultrasonic cleaner, a long hole is provided on the front end side of the horn cover, and the front end of the horn portion of the ultrasonic horn protrudes from the long hole.

When using the ultrasonic cleaner of Patent Document 1 to remove dirt adhering to clothes, it is necessary to separately prepare water for washing clothes and use this water to add moisture to clothes. For example, when the clothes are soaked in water contained in a container to contain water in the clothes, most of the clothes except for the dirt-adhered parts will be immersed in the water, and the clothes are likely to be over-wet.

prior art literature

patent documents

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2018-12050

Contents of the invention

The problem to be solved by the invention

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a spray device and an ultrasonic cleaner capable of spraying an appropriate amount of liquid to a spray object.

solutions to problems

The spray device of the present invention is characterized in that, it is equipped with: an ultrasonic vibration part having a horn connected with an ultrasonic vibrator; a control device for controlling the ultrasonic vibration part; a battery for supplying power to the control device; a storage tank (tank), accommodating a liquid; and a pump for supplying the liquid contained in the tank to the ultrasonic vibrating part in a path for guiding the liquid discharged by the pump to the front end surface of the horn An adjustment unit for adjusting the amount of liquid to be supplied to the front end surface of the horn is provided.

Preferably, in the spraying device of the present invention, the liquid whose liquid volume is adjusted by the adjustment unit spreads and moves to the outer peripheral surface of the horn while forming a water film on the outer peripheral surface of the horn. The front end surface is sprayed in the form of mist on the front end surface of the horn.

Preferably, in the spraying device of the present invention, there is a case for accommodating the storage tank and the pump, the case includes a front end cover, and the front end cover is arranged at the base end of the horn. An insertion opening through which the front end portion of the horn protrudes is formed around the periphery, and the adjustment portion is constituted by a gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the horn and the edge of the insertion opening.

Preferably, in the spraying device of the present invention, the spraying device is used with the front end surface of the horn facing vertically downward or obliquely downward.

Preferably, in the spray device of the present invention, the gap is uniformly formed over the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the horn.

Preferably, in the spray device of the present invention, the gap is set within a range of 0.5 to 2 mm.

Preferably, in the spray device of the present invention, the pump is driven by pressing a switch, and the pump discharges the liquid at a rate of 0.5 to 3 ml/min while the switch is pressed.

Preferably, in the spray device of the present invention, the pump is driven by pressing a switch, and when the switch is pressed, the pump discharges 0.02-0.1 ml of liquid.

Preferably, in the spraying device of the present invention, the storage tank is capable of storing a plurality of liquids, and the pump is provided for each of the plurality of liquids.

The ultrasonic cleaner of the present invention includes any one of the above-mentioned spraying devices.

Invention effect

According to the present invention, by adjusting the amount of the liquid to be supplied to the front end surface of the horn by the adjustment part in the use state with the front end surface of the horn facing downward, the liquid can be made to flow along the outer peripheral surface of the horn. Move towards the front face of the horn. In this way, since the front end surface of the horn is vibrating ultrasonically, the liquid is sprayed in the form of mist on the front end surface of the horn. Therefore, for example, when water is contained in the laundry when the laundry is washed, it is possible to prevent the laundry from being overly wet.

According to the present invention, since the liquid spreads and moves to the front end surface of the horn while forming a water film on the outer peripheral surface of the horn, mist liquid can be properly sprayed from the front end surface of the horn.

According to the present invention, the adjustment portion for adjusting the amount of liquid to be supplied to the front end surface of the horn is formed by the gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the horn and the edge of the insertion port, thereby reducing the number of parts.

According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately move the liquid flowing out from the gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the horn and the edge of the insertion port to the front end surface of the horn.

According to the present invention, in the use state in which the front end surface of the horn is directed downward, the mist liquid can be sprayed from the front end surface of the horn no matter which direction the horn is inclined. Therefore, the atomized water can be sprayed no matter how the spray device is used (handled).

According to the present invention, the clearance as the adjustment part is set in an optimum range.

According to the present invention, for example, when the liquid stored in the storage tank is water, the amount of water supplied to the horn is set within an optimum range. Therefore, the balance of water consumption, storage tank capacity, and cleaning performance can be optimized.

According to the present invention, for example, when the liquid stored in the tank is detergent, the amount of detergent supplied to the horn is set within an optimum range. Therefore, the balance of cleaning performance, storage tank capacity, and water consumption can be optimized.

According to the present invention, for example, when water and detergent are stored in the sump, water and detergent can be independently supplied to the horn, so that the amount of water, water force, and detergent amount can be optimized to efficiently wash clothes. Thereby, it is possible to perform washing according to the user's preference.

According to the present invention, water and detergent can be pre-stored in the ultrasonic cleaner, so it is not necessary to prepare additional water and detergent when washing clothes.

Description of drawings

1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an ultrasonic cleaner 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(a) shows a state where a cover 2a is attached, and FIG.

In FIG. 2, (a) and (b) are the plan view and side view of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in the state which removed the cover 2a shown in FIG. 1(b).

Among Fig. 3, (a) is the figure that observes the ultrasonic cleaning machine 1 of the state shown in (b) of Fig. 1 (b) from the front end side, and (b) observes (b) of Fig. 1 from the rear end side. ) is a diagram of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in a state where the cover 2a is removed.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the case 2 , omitting the illustration of the upper cover 11 .

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the housing 2 , with illustration of the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 omitted.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the internal structure of the housing 2 , with illustration of the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 omitted.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along line a1 - a1 of FIG. 2( b ).

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along line a2 - a2 of FIG. 2( b ).

In FIG. 9 , (a) is a plan view near the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 , and (b) is a right side view of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 .

In FIG. 10, (a) is a perspective view which shows the structure of the inner peripheral surface of the cap 2a, (b) is a perspective view which shows the state which accommodated the liquid suction tube 81,82 in the cap 2a.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in FIG. 1( a ).

In FIG. 12, (a) is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1, and (b) is a view of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 viewed from the front end side.

In FIG. 13, (a)-(c) are figures explaining the operation|movement at the time of spraying from the front-end|tip surface 31a of the horn 31 which ultrasonically vibrates.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which water droplets fall from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 .

FIG. 15 is a view of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 to which the five types of front covers 13 used in the evaluation test were attached, viewed from the front end side.

FIG. 16 is an evaluation test result of how the injection operation changes when the clearance T between the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 and the horn 31 changes.

FIG. 17 is a timing chart showing an example of use of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 .

In FIG. 18 , (a) is a cross-sectional view near the front end of ultrasonic cleaner 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a view of ultrasonic cleaner 101 viewed from the front end side.

In FIG. 19, (a)-(c) are figures explaining the operation|movement at the time of spraying from the front-end|tip surface 31a of the horn 31 which vibrates ultrasonically.

In FIG. 20 , (a) is a cross-sectional view near the front end of an ultrasonic cleaner 301 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a view of the ultrasonic cleaner 301 viewed from the front end side.

Explanation of reference signs

1: Ultrasonic cleaning machine; 2: Cabinet; 3a: Water supply switch; 3b: Detergent supply switch; 13: Front cover; 16: Insertion port; 30: Ultrasonic vibrating part; Amplifier; 31a: front end surface of the horn; 40: control device; 50: battery; 60: storage tank; 70: pump part; 71: water supply pump; 72: detergent supply pump; A: adjustment part; T :gap.

Detailed ways

Hereinafter, the ultrasonic cleaner 1 provided with the spray device which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated in detail based on drawing. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an ultrasonic cleaner 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(a) shows a state where a cover 2a is attached, and FIG. (a) and (b) of FIG. 2 are plan views and side views of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in the state shown in (b) of FIG. 1 with the cover 2a removed. (a) of FIG. 3 is a view of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in a state in which the cover 2a shown in FIG. 1 (b) is removed from the front end side, and (b) of FIG. 3 is a view of FIG. (b) is a diagram of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in a state where the cover 2a is removed.

(first embodiment)

The ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the present embodiment has a housing 2 having a substantially rectangular cross section. The box body 2 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a cover 2a is detachably arranged at the front end thereof. The upper surface of the box body 2 is provided with: a water supply switch 3a, which is pressed when water is sprayed from the ultrasonic cleaner 1; a detergent supply switch 3b, which is pressed when detergent flows out from the ultrasonic cleaner 1; water supply The cover 5a is opened when water is supplied into the tank 2 , and the detergent supply cover 5b is opened when detergent is supplied into the tank 2 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the housing 2 has an upper cover 11 , a lower cover 12 , a front end cover 13 , and a bottom cover 14 . It should be noted that, in the following description, the upper cover 11 side in FIG. For the left and right, the side on which the cover 2a is detached will be described as the front end, and the opposite side will be described as the rear end.

The upper cover 11 has two upper wall portions 11b extending downward from the ends along the long sides of the substantially rectangular upper surface 11a, and the lower cover 12 has the ends along the long sides of the substantially rectangular lower surface 12a. Two lower wall portions 12b extending upward, respectively. The upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 are respectively connected to the front ends of the two upper wall parts 11b and the front ends of the two lower wall parts 12b to form a cylindrical shape.

In the state where the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 are connected, the front end cover 13 is attached to the front end side, and the bottom cover 14 is attached to the rear end side. Accordingly, in a state where the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 are connected, both ends in the longitudinal direction are blocked by the front end cover 13 and the bottom cover 14 , thereby forming a hollow interior.

The front end cover 13 has a substantially flat mounting portion 13a attached to the front ends of the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12, and a protruding portion 13b tapered from the mounting portion 13a toward the front end. The front end cover 13 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape as a whole, and is disposed around a base end portion of a horn 31 which will be described later. An insertion opening 16 is formed at the front end of the protruding portion 13 b of the front end cover 13 , and the front end portion of the horn 31 protrudes from the insertion opening 16 .

As shown in FIG. 3( b ), the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 and the charging terminal 6 a are provided on the bottom cover 14 . By long pressing (about 1 second) the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6, the ultrasonic cleaner 1 can be switched from the power-off state to the power-on state, and can also be switched from the power-on state to the power-off state. The ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 is provided with an LED, and the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 itself lights up when the ultrasonic cleaning machine 1 is in a power-on state, and turns off when the ultrasonic oscillation switch 1 is in a power-off state. A charging cable is connected to the terminal 6 a for charging when the ultrasonic cleaner 1 is charged.

4 to 6 are plan views, perspective views, and side views showing the internal structure of the housing 2 . It should be noted that the illustration of the upper cover 11 is omitted in FIG. 4 , and the illustration of the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 are omitted in FIGS. 5 and 6 . As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the inside of the box body 2 contains: an ultrasonic vibrating part 30; a control device 40, which controls the ultrasonic cleaning machine 1; a battery 50, which supplies power to the control device 40; a storage tank 60, which is used to accommodate water and detergent; and a pump unit 70 for supplying water and detergent from the storage tank 60 to the ultrasonic vibration unit 30 .

The ultrasonic vibration unit 30 has a horn 31 having a substantially cylindrical front end. The front end surface 31a of the horn 31 is circular. The front end portion of the horn 31 protrudes outward from the insertion opening 16 of the front end cover 13 . Two ultrasonic transducers 32 are connected to the proximal end of the horn 31 (see FIG. 12 ). The ultrasonic vibrator 31 is connected to a control board 41 described later, and is controlled to vibrate at 38 kHz to 51 kHz. In this manner, by controlling the ultrasonic vibrator 32 to vibrate, the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 vibrates ultrasonically.

The control device 40 has a control board 41 disposed on the inner side of the lower cover 12 .

The battery 50 has a battery support stand 51 extending in the longitudinal direction of the case 2 , a battery 52 housed in the battery support stand 51 , and a battery cover 53 . The battery support stand 51 is a member for accommodating the battery 52 and is arranged above the control board 41 . The battery cover 53 is a member for engaging with the battery support stand 51 in a state of covering the battery 52 housed in the battery support stand 51 from above.

The storage tank 60 is a member for storing water and detergent used in ultrasonic cleaning. The storage tank 60 is disposed above the control board 41 and the battery 50 , and the longitudinal length of the storage tank 60 is shorter than the longitudinal length of the battery support stand 51 . The storage tank 60 is arranged on the rear end side of the battery support stand 51 .

As shown in FIG. 7 , a recess 61 extending in the longitudinal direction is formed at the lower end of the storage tank 60 , and protruding support portions 62 extending downward are respectively formed on the left and right sides of the recess 61 . In the case 2 , the battery 52 and the battery cover 53 are arranged in the recess 61 of the storage tank 60 . Therefore, the protruding support portions 62 on the left and right sides are arranged outside the battery 52 and the battery cover 53 . In this way, the storage tank 60 is arranged so as to straddle the battery 52 and the upper part of the battery cover 53 .

As shown in FIG. 7 , the inside of the tank 60 is hollow, and the box 2 has two independent spaces 63a, 63b adjacent to each other in the left-right direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the box 2). In addition, in the sectional view of FIG. 7, since the front-end side of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 was seen from the rear-end side, it reversed left and right. The space 63a arranged on the left side of the housing 2 serves as a water storage space 63a for storing water, and the space 63b arranged on the right side of the housing 2 serves as a detergent storage space 63b for storing detergent.

The upper end portion of the partition wall 64 that divides the space 63a and the space 63b inside the storage tank 60 is arranged at the center portion in the left-right direction of the storage tank 60, but the lower end portion of the partition wall 64 is arranged on the right side of the center portion in the left-right direction. The storage space 63a is larger than the detergent storage space 63b. In this way, when ultrasonic cleaning is performed in the ultrasonic cleaner 1, the amount of water used is more than the amount of detergent used, so the storable amount of water in the storage tank 60 is larger than the storable amount of detergent. . In addition, in this embodiment, the water storage capacity of the storage tank 60 is about 8 ml, for example.

As shown in FIG. 11 , a water supply portion 65 a as an opening communicating with the water storage space 63 a and a detergent supply portion 65 b as an opening communicating with the detergent storage space 63 b are formed on the upper surface of the sump 60 . The water supply part 65a is arrange|positioned so that it can be opened and closed by the cover part 5a for water supply, and the detergent supply part 65b is arrange|positioned so that it can be opened and closed by the cover part 5b for detergent supply.

On the left surface of the storage tank 60, a transparent part 66a for confirmation is formed, and the transparent part 66a for confirmation is used to confirm the storage amount of water in the water storage space 63a of the storage tank 60 from the outside of the casing 2. The right surface of 60 is formed with a confirmation transparent part 66b for confirming the amount of detergent stored in detergent storage space 63b of sump 60 from the outside of housing 2 . It should be noted that two openings 8 are formed on the left side and the right side of the box body 2, respectively facing the transparent part 66a for confirmation and the transparent part 66b for confirmation of the storage tank 60 accommodated in the box body 2. , the transparent part 66a for confirmation and the transparent part 66b for confirmation are arranged in the opening 8, respectively.

The pump unit 70 supplies the water and detergent stored in the storage tank 60 to the ultrasonic vibration unit 30 . The pump unit 70 is provided with: a pump 71 for water supply, which is connected to the outflow portion 67a of the water storage space 63a for storing water through a connection pipe 71a; The outflow part 67b of the detergent storage space 63b is connected. The water supply pump 71 and the detergent supply pump 72 are arranged in the vertical direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing 2). The water supply pump 71 is arranged above the detergent supply pump 72 . As the water supply pump 71 and the detergent supply pump 72, for example, tube pumps are used.

A connection pipe 71 b is connected to the outflow side of the water supply pump 71 , and a discharge portion 71 c formed at the tip of the connection pipe 71 b is arranged in the front end cover 13 . A connection pipe 72 b is connected to the outflow side of the detergent pump 72 , and a discharge portion 72 c formed at the tip of the connection pipe 72 b is arranged in the front end cover 13 . In this way, the water and the detergent supplied to the ultrasonic vibration unit 30 from the water storage space 63 a and the detergent storage space 63 b of the sump 60 are discharged in the front end cover 13 , respectively.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the discharge portion 72c of the connection pipe 72b connected to the detergent supply pump 72 is arranged on the front end side of the discharge portion 71c of the connection pipe 71b connected to the water supply pump 71 . Accordingly, the water discharge position (discharge portion 71c for water supply discharge) in front end cover 13 is farther from insertion port 16 than the detergent discharge position (discharge portion 72c for detergent discharge) in front end cover 13 .

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 according to the present embodiment, when the detergent is discharged from the discharge portion 72c into the front end cover 13 , the detergent moves toward the insertion port 16 on the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 13 . At this time, part of the detergent may remain in a state of adhering to the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 13 . Then, when water is discharged from the discharge portion 71c into the front end cover 13 , the water moves on the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 13 toward the insertion port 16 . At this time, since the water discharge position is arranged on the rear end side of the detergent discharge position, even if part of the detergent adheres to the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 13, when this part moves to the insertion port 16 Water can also remove the attached detergent.

The water supply pump 71 is driven by pressing the water supply switch 3a provided on the upper surface 11a of the housing 2, and the detergent supply pump is driven by pressing the detergent supply switch 3b provided on the upper surface 11a of the housing 2. 72. It should be noted that although the description is omitted, the water supply pump 71 and the water supply switch 2a are connected to the control board 41 through unillustrated wiring, and the detergent supply pump 72 and the detergent supply switch 2b are connected through unillustrated wiring. It is connected to the control board 41 .

As shown in FIG. 1( a ), the cover 2 a detachably arranged at the front end of the case 2 is arranged so as to accommodate the liquid suction tubes 81 and 82 . 9( a ) is a top view of the vicinity of the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 , and FIG. 9( b ) is a right side view of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 .

The liquid suction pipe 81 is used when supplying water to the sump 60 . As shown in (a) of FIG. 9 , the liquid suction tube 81 has a substantially disk-shaped operation storage portion 81 a and a cylindrical portion 81 b connected to the operation storage portion 81 a. The operation storage portion 81a has a hollow inner space. The cylindrical part 81b communicates with the internal space of the operation storage part 81a, and communicates with the external space at the front end. In the liquid suction tube 81, when a pressing force acts on the operation storage portion 81a, the volume of the inner space of the operation storage portion 81a decreases. Then, when the pressing force no longer acts on the operation storage portion 81a, the volume of the inner space of the operation storage portion 81a increases and returns to the original state.

The suction pipe 82 is used when supplying detergent to the sump 60 . The liquid suction pipe 82 is formed in substantially the same shape as the liquid suction pipe 81, and has a substantially disk-shaped operation storage portion 82a and a cylindrical portion 82b connected to the operation storage portion 82a. The liquid suction tube 82 can operate similarly to the liquid suction tube 81 .

As shown in (a) of FIG. 10, two locking pieces 10a, 10b are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cover 2a. The locking piece 10a is a plate-shaped member protruding downward from the upper inner peripheral surface of the cover 2a. A concave engaging portion 10c ₁ is formed at the lower end portion of the locking piece 10a. The width of the engaging portion 10c ₁ is substantially the same as the width of the outer shape of the cylindrical portion 81b of the liquid suction tube 81 . Similarly, the locking piece 10b is a plate-shaped member protruding upward from the lower inner peripheral surface of the cover 2a. A concave engaging portion 10c ₂ is formed at the lower end portion of the locking piece 10b. The width of the engaging portion 10c ₂ is substantially the same as the width of the outer shape of the cylindrical portion 82b of the liquid suction tube 82 .

Therefore, as shown in (b) of FIG _. , the pipette 81 can be accommodated in the cover 2a. Similarly, by inserting the liquid suction tube 82 into the cap 2a from the operation storage portion 82a side and engaging the cylindrical portion 82b with the engaging portion 10c ₂ of the locking piece 10b, the liquid suction tube 82 can be accommodated in the cap 2a. Inside the cover 2a.

As shown in (b) of FIG. 1 and (a) of FIG. 3 , two accommodation recesses 13c ₁ , 13c ₂ are formed in the mounting portion 13 a of the front end cover 13 . The accommodation recess 13c ₁ is formed above the protrusion 13b of the front end cover 13 , and the accommodation recess 13c ₂ is formed below the protrusion 13b of the front end cover 13 . The housing recess _13c1 has substantially the same width as the outer shape of the cylindrical portion 81b of the pipette 81, and the housing recess _13c2 has substantially the same width as the outer shape of the cylindrical portion 82b of the pipette 82.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10( b ), when the cap 2 a housing the liquid suction tubes 81 and 82 is attached to the front end of the case 2 so as to cover the front end cover 13 , the cylindrical portion 81 b of the liquid suction tube 81 The cylindrical portion 82b of the liquid suction tube 82 is inserted into the accommodation recess 13c ₁ of the front end cover 13 , and the cylindrical portion 82b of the liquid suction tube 82 is inserted into the accommodation recess 13c ₂ of the front end cover 13 .

The flow of the case where water is supplied into the water storage space 63a of the sump 60 using the liquid suction pipe 81 will be described. First, the cover 2a is removed from the front end of the case 2, and the liquid suction tubes 81 and 82 are taken out from the cover 2a. Then, water is put into the cap 2a, and the cylindrical portion 81b of the liquid suction tube 81 is inserted into the water in a state where a pressing force acts on the operation storage portion 81a of the liquid suction tube 81. Then, when the pressing force no longer acts on the operation storage portion 81a and the volume of the inner space of the operation storage portion 81a increases and returns to the original state, water is sucked into the inner space of the operation storage portion 81a. The liquid suction tube 81 is taken out from the cover 2a, and the cylindrical portion 81b is inserted into the inside of the water supply portion 65a opened by the water supply cover portion 5a, and the pressing force is applied to the operation storage portion 81a of the liquid suction tube 81. . In this way, the water sucked into the operation storage portion 81 a of the liquid suction pipe 81 is supplied into the water storage space 63 a of the sump 60 . By repeating this operation a plurality of times, water is supplied into the water storage space 63 a of the sump 60 .

The flow in the case of supplying the detergent into the detergent storage space 63b of the sump 60 using the suction pipe 82 is the same as the above-mentioned flow, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted. It should be noted that, in the case of water supply, it is preferable to insert the cylindrical portion 81b of the liquid suction pipe 81 into the inside of the water that has been put in the cap 2a to suck water, but in the case of supplying detergent, the The cylindrical part 82b of the liquid suction tube 82 is inserted into the inside of the detergent put into the container different from the cap 2a, and sucks a detergent.

The configuration of the vicinity of the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 will be described based on FIG. 12 . 12( a ) is a sectional view of the vicinity of the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 , and FIG. 12( b ) is a view of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 viewed from the front end side.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 12 , an insertion opening 16 having a substantially circular cross section is formed at the front end of the protruding portion 13 b of the front end cover 13 , and the front end portion of a substantially cylindrical horn 31 protrudes from the insertion opening 16 . . In this way, the front end cover 13 is disposed so as to cover the entire circumference of the horn 31 without the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 13 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 being in contact. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12( b ), a gap T of substantially the same width is formed over the entire circumference between the edge of the insertion port 16 of the protruding portion 13 b of the front end cover 13 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 . .

In this way, the above-mentioned gap T serves as a gap for the water to be supplied to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 in the path for guiding the water discharged into the front end cover 13 by the water supply pump 71 to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 . The adjustment part A which adjusts the amount of water functions. That is, in the present embodiment, the amount of water to be supplied to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 is adjusted by the gap T described above.

Based on (a) to (c) of FIG. 13 , the operation when spraying from the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 that vibrates ultrasonically in the state of use of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 will be described.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 13, the ultrasonic cleaner 1 is used with the front-end|tip facing obliquely downward. In the state of use of the ultrasonic cleaner 1, when water is discharged into the front end cover 13 from the discharge part 71c of the connection pipe 71b connected to the water supply pump 71, the discharged water is sprayed on the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 13. Move to the insertion port 16. At this time, the water moving on the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 13 may move as water droplets, or may move as a thin water film instead of water droplets.

In this way, although the water moving toward the insertion port 16 tends to move to the outside through the insertion port 16, since the gap T formed between the edge of the insertion port 16 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 is set to The smaller the width, the amount of water flowing out from the above-mentioned gap T to the outside is limited. Therefore, water gradually flows out from the gap T to the outside, and moves toward the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 .

At this time, as shown in (b) of FIG. 13 , the water flowing out from the gap T to the outside of the horn 31 forms a thin water film on the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 due to surface tension. The front end surface 31a moves. Then, when the water forming a thin water film reaches the front end surface 31a of the horn 31, since the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 is ultrasonically vibrated, as shown in (c) of FIG. The front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 becomes misty, and mist water is jetted obliquely downward.

It should be noted that, for example, when the gap T formed between the edge portion of the insertion port 16 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 is set to a large width, the insertion port of the front end cover 13 16 The amount of water flowing out to the outside increases. In this way, a thin water film will not be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 due to surface tension, but will flow out from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 as shown in FIG. 14 and fall as water droplets.

Therefore, in the ultrasonic cleaner 1 , in order to prevent the water flowing out from the insertion port 16 from falling from the insertion port 16 as water droplets, the gap T is set to a small width. In this way, in the ultrasonic cleaner 1, the gap T is used to restrict the flow of water flowing out from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 to form a thin water film on the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31. The amount of water flowing out of the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 to the outside. Therefore, it is considered that the amount of water that forms a thin water film on the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 after flowing out from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 is smaller than the amount of water that forms a single water drop.

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the present embodiment, it is very important to set the width of the gap T above. Therefore, an evaluation test will be described, which is performed for setting the gap T between the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 and the horn 31 .

(Setting of gap T between insertion port 16 of front end cover 13 and horn 31 )

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1, based on FIGS. 15 and 16 , the width of the gap T formed between the edge of the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 and the width of the horn 31 When the inclination angle changes, an evaluation test of how the spray operation of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 changes will be described.

(method of evaluation test)

Using five types of front end covers 13 , it was evaluated how the spraying operation of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 changes when the width of the gap T and the inclination angle of the horn 31 are changed.

FIG. 15 is a view of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 to which the five types of front end covers 13 used in the evaluation test were attached, viewed from the front end side. Insertion openings 16 having different diameters are respectively formed in the five types of front end covers 13 , and horns 31 of the same diameter are disposed inside the insertion openings 16 . Therefore, in the front end covers (a) to (e) shown in FIG. mm, 0.75mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm.

The inclination angle of the horn 31 is an inclination angle θ of the horn 31 with respect to horizontal inclination. For example, as shown in FIG. 16 , when the ultrasonic cleaner 1 is tilted such that the lower end of the protruding portion 13b of the front end cover 13 is horizontal, the inclination angle θ of the horn 31 is 20 degrees relative to the horizontal.

At this time, as a result of the evaluation test shown in FIG. 16 , when the front end cover (a) was used, it was found that the mist was always sprayed from the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 . It can be seen that when the front end covers (b) and (c) are used, most of the water is sprayed from the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 in a mist form, but water droplets sometimes fall from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 . It can be seen that when the front end covers (d) and (e) are used, water droplets fall from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 unless sprayed in a mist form from the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 .

It can be seen that if the inclination angle θ of the horn 31 is set to 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal, not only when the front end cover (a) is used, but also when the front end cover (b) is used, the angle of inclination of the horn 31 The front end face 31a is always sprayed in the form of mist. It can be seen that when the front end covers (c) to (e) are used, most of the water is sprayed from the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 in a mist form, but water droplets sometimes fall from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 .

It can be seen that if the inclination angle θ of the horn 31 is set to 40 degrees with respect to the horizontal, not only when the front end covers (a) and (b) are used, but also when the front end cover (c) is used, the change from the change The front end surface 31a of the stem 31 is always sprayed in the form of mist. It can be seen that when the front end covers (d) and (e) are used, most of the water is sprayed from the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 in a mist form, but water droplets sometimes fall from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 .

It can be seen that if the inclination angle θ of the horn 31 is set to 50 degrees with respect to the horizontal, not only the cases (a) to (c) using the front end cover are used, but also the case of using the front end cover (d) from The front end surface 31a of the horn 31 is always sprayed in the form of mist. It can be seen that when the front end cover (e) is used, most of the water is sprayed in a mist form from the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 , but water droplets sometimes fall from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 .

It can be seen that if the inclination angle θ of the horn 31 is set to 90 degrees with respect to the horizontal, in any of the cases (a) to (e) where the front end cover is used, fog will always appear from the front end surface 31a of the horn 31. shape spray.

Thus, it can be seen that in the ultrasonic cleaner 1, the width of the gap T between the edge of the insertion port 16 formed in the front end cover 13 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 is set to 0.5 mm or 0.75 mm. , 1 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2 mm, by setting the inclination angle θ of the horn 31 to at least any of 20 degrees, 30 degrees, 40 degrees, 50 degrees, and 90 degrees, the It is sprayed from the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 in a mist form.

(Setting of the amount of water supplied when the water supply switch 3a is operated)

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 , a method of setting the amount of water to be discharged from the discharge unit 71 c into the front end cover 13 when the water supply switch 3 a is operated will be described based on Table 1 .

In the present embodiment, water is continuously supplied at a predetermined ratio (predetermined amount of water per minute) while the water supply switch 3a is pressed, and thus the predetermined ratio is derived by the following evaluation test.

(method of evaluation test)

The amount of water required for washing off the stains when various stains were applied to the stained fiber (cotton 100%) was measured. Specifically, as various stains, one drop of chili oil and seasoning sauce was added dropwise, and the stains were applied to the fibers to be stained. Then, the amount of water jetted from the jetting part 71c into the front end cover 13 was changed in various ways, and the cleaning time, the amount of water used, and the spraying operation of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 were evaluated.

[Table 1]

For example, it can be seen that in the case of about 1.8ml/min and about 2.6ml/min, the water is always sprayed in mist form from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1, and the washing time is short. It can be seen that in the case of a water volume of about 0.7ml/min, the water is always sprayed from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in the form of mist, and the force of spraying is weak, and the cleaning time is relatively long. It can be seen that in the case of a water volume of about 0.5ml/min, the water is always sprayed from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in the form of mist, and the force of spraying is weak, and the cleaning time is longer. In addition, it can be seen that in the case of a water volume of about 3 ml/min, water is sprayed in a mist form from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in many cases, but water droplets sometimes fall from the insertion port 16 of the front end cover 13 .

Like this, it can be seen that when the water supply switch 3a is operated, by setting the amount (predetermined ratio) of water spouted from the spout portion 71c into the front end cover 13 at 0.5 to 3ml/min, the water flows from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1. It is sprayed in the form of mist.

From the results of the evaluation test described above, it can be seen that when the amount of water discharged from the discharge portion 71c into the front end cover 13 is too small, the cleaning time becomes longer. In addition, the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 vibrates ultrasonically, and the temperature thereof may rise, but is cooled by the water supplied to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 . If the amount of water supplied to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 is too small, the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 cannot be sufficiently cooled. In addition, the amount of water that can be stored in the water storage space 63a of the storage tank 60 is 8ml. If the amount of water discharged from the discharge part 71c into the front end cover 13 is too much, the water in the storage tank 60 will be emptied in a short time. .

Table 2 shows the advantages/disadvantages of the case where the amount of water discharged from the discharge part 71c into the front end cover 13 is large and small.

[Table 2]

Therefore, taking these factors into consideration, the amount of water discharged from the discharge part 71c into the front end cover 13 is preferably 1.0 to 2 ml/minute, more preferably 1.6 to 1.7 ml/minute.

(Setting of the amount of detergent supplied when the detergent supply switch 3b is operated)

In ultrasonic cleaner 1 , a method of setting the amount of detergent to be discharged from discharge unit 72 c into front end cover 13 when detergent supply switch 3 b is operated will be described based on Table 3 .

In the present embodiment, the predetermined amount of detergent to be discharged every time the detergent supply switch 3 b is pressed is derived by the following evaluation test.

(method of evaluation test)

The amount of detergent required to cover the entirety of the stains when various stains were applied to the stained target fiber (100% cotton) was measured. Specifically, as various stains, one drop of chili oil, wine, soy sauce, pork chop sauce, barbecue sauce, sesame oil, and oyster sauce was added dropwise to coat the stains on the fibers to be stained, and then left to stand for 5 minutes. In this way, each stain spreads to a predetermined size in the stained fiber. For example, as shown in Table 3, chili oil spread to a substantially circular size with a diameter of 20 mm, and soy sauce spread to a substantially circular size with a diameter of 25 mm.

[table 3]

The amount of detergent required to attach the detergent to each of the expanded soils to cover the entire soil was measured. Thus, for example, in the case of chili oil, the amount of detergent required to cover the entire dirt with a diameter of 20 mm is 0.075 to 0.1 ml, and in the case of soy sauce, the amount of detergent required to cover the entire dirt with a diameter of 25 mm is 0.1 ml .

Thus, it can be seen that by setting the amount of detergent discharged from the discharge part 72c into the front end cover 13 every time the detergent supply switch 3b is pressed, an appropriate amount is supplied from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1. detergent.

(How to use the ultrasonic cleaner 1)

An example of use of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 will be described based on FIG. 17 . FIG. 17 is a timing chart showing an example of use of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 .

As shown in Table 4, the cleaning process in the ultrasonic cleaner 1 is performed in the order of the detergent coating process, the washing/rinsing process, and the drying process.

[Table 4]

No. project process Remark 1 Ultrasonic on - Can receive detergent, water switch action 2 detergent spit out Detergent coating Can spit out at any time (user arbitrary) 3 Water spit + ultrasonic drive wash, rinse Drive only during button press (user arbitrary) 4 Ultrasound only drying - 5 Ultrasonic off - Detergent and water switches cannot be accepted

As shown in the time diagram of Figure 17, when the ultrasonic cleaning machine 1 is in the power-off state at time t1, even if the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 is pressed (clicked), it will not be accepted as a power-on operation, so the ultrasonic cleaning Machine 1 does not switch to the power-on state.

Therefore, at time t2, even if the detergent supply switch 3b is operated, the detergent supply operation is not accepted, and thus the detergent does not flow out from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 . Similarly, at time t3, even if the water supply switch 3a is operated, the water supply operation is not accepted, so water is not sprayed from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in mist form.

When the time t4 ultrasonic cleaning machine 1 is in the power-off state, if the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 is pressed for a long time (for example, about 1 second), it will be accepted as a power-on operation, and the ultrasonic cleaning machine 1 is switched to the power-on state . Thus, at time t5 the ultrasound is turned on and the ultrasound oscillation switch 6 is lit. In this way, when the ultrasonic cleaner 1 is switched to the power-on state, water may be supplied to the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 to vibrate the horn 31 ultrasonically, so the ultrasonic wave is automatically turned on.

When the time t6 ultrasonic cleaner 1 is in the power-on state, if the detergent supply switch 3b is operated in order to make the detergent flow out from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1, the ultrasonic wave is turned off, the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 is extinguished, and the detergent The feed pump 72 is turned on. In this way, when the detergent is made to flow out from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1, the horn 31 does not need to vibrate ultrasonically, so the ultrasonic waves are automatically turned off. Detergent supply pump 72 is turned on for a predetermined time so that a predetermined amount of detergent is discharged when detergent supply switch 3b is operated once, and detergent supply pump 72 is kept on for a predetermined time.

Therefore, when time t7 has elapsed from time t6 to time t7, detergent supply pump 72 is turned off, ultrasonic waves are turned on, and ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 is turned on.

At time t8, when the water supply switch 3a is operated to spray water from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 in a mist form, the water supply pump 71 is turned on. While the water supply switch 3 a is being operated, water continues to be spouted into the front cover 13 . It should be noted that the water supply amount of the water supply pump 71 is controlled by duty ratio control. At time t9, when the water supply switch 3a is no longer operated, the water supply pump 71 is turned off.

At time t10, when the detergent supply switch 3b is operated to make detergent flow out from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 again, the ultrasonic waves are turned off, the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 is turned off, and the detergent supply pump 72 is turned on. Then, the ON state of the detergent supply pump 72 continues for a predetermined time. Therefore, when time t11 is reached after a predetermined time elapses from time t10 , the ultrasonic waves are turned on and the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 is turned on.

At time t12, when the water supply switch 3a is operated to spray water again in a mist form from the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 1, the water supply pump 71 is turned on. While the water supply switch 3 a is being operated, water continues to be spouted into the front cover 13 . While the water supply switch 3a is being operated, water continues to be spouted into the front cover 13, but the ultrasonic wave is set to be automatically turned off when a predetermined time (for example, 90 seconds) elapses.

Therefore, when time t13 has elapsed from time t12 for a predetermined time (for example, 90 seconds), the ultrasonic waves are automatically turned off, water supply pump 71 is turned off, and ultrasonic cleaner 1 is switched to a power-off state.

Then, at time t14, when the operation of the water supply switch 3a is stopped and the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 is pressed and held (for example, for 1 second), the power-on operation is accepted, and the ultrasonic cleaner 1 switches to the power-on state. Next, at time t15, the ultrasonic wave is turned on. Then, when water is not discharged into the front end cover 13, the state where the ultrasonic waves are turned on continues.

At time t16, when the ultrasonic oscillation switch 6 is pressed for a long time (for example, for 1 second), it is accepted as a power-off operation, and the ultrasonic cleaner 1 switches to the power-off state.

The operation method of the ultrasonic cleaning machine 1 is summarized, as shown in Table 5.

[table 5]

As described above, the ultrasonic cleaning machine 1 of the present embodiment is equipped with: the ultrasonic vibrating part 30, which has the horn 31 connected with the ultrasonic vibrator 32; the control device 40, which controls the ultrasonic vibrating part 30; power supply; the storage tank 60 for containing water; and the water supply pump 71 for supplying the water contained in the storage tank 60 to the ultrasonic vibrating part 30, and for guiding the water discharged by the water supply pump 71 to the horn An adjustment portion A for adjusting the amount of water to be supplied to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 is provided in the path of the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 .

When such a structure is adopted, in the use state where the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 faces downward, by adjusting the amount of water to be supplied to the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 by the adjustment part A, the water can be adjusted. It moves along the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 toward the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 . In this way, since the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 is ultrasonically vibrating, water is sprayed in the form of mist on the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 . Therefore, for example, when water is contained in the laundry when the laundry is washed, it is possible to prevent the laundry from being overly wet. In addition, since water can be stored in advance in the ultrasonic cleaner 1, it is not necessary to prepare additional water when washing clothes.

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the present embodiment, the water whose water volume is adjusted by the adjustment part A propagates and moves to the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 in a state where a water film is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31, On the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 , it is sprayed in the form of mist.

When such a structure is adopted, the water spreads and moves to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 in a state where a water film is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 , so that the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 can properly Spray mist of water.

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the present embodiment, there is a housing 2 for accommodating the storage tank 60 and the pump 71, and the housing 2 includes a front end cover 13 arranged around the base end portion of the horn 31. Furthermore, an insertion opening 16 through which the front end portion of the horn 31 protrudes is formed, and the adjustment portion A is constituted by a gap T formed between the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 and the edge of the insertion opening 16 .

When such a structure is adopted, the gap T formed between the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 and the edge of the insertion port 16 constitutes a mechanism for adjusting the amount of water to be supplied to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 . The adjustment part A can thereby reduce the number of parts.

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the present embodiment, the ultrasonic cleaner 1 is used in a state where the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 is directed vertically downward or obliquely downward.

With such a configuration, the water flowing out from the gap T formed between the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 and the edge of the insertion port 16 can be appropriately moved to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 .

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the present embodiment, the gap T is uniformly formed over the entire circumference of the horn 31 .

With such a structure, in the use state where the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 faces downward, mist can be sprayed from the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 no matter which direction the horn 31 is inclined. shaped water. Therefore, no matter how the ultrasonic cleaner 1 is used (handled), atomized water can be sprayed.

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the present embodiment, the gap T is set within a range of 0.5 to 2 mm.

When such a structure is adopted, the gap T as the adjustment portion A is set in an optimum range.

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of this embodiment, the water supply pump 71 is driven by pressing the water supply switch 3a, and the pump 71 discharges water at a rate of 0.5 to 3ml/min while the water supply switch 3a is pressed.

When such a structure is adopted, the amount of water supplied to the horn 31 is set within an optimum range. Therefore, the balance of water consumption, storage tank capacity, and cleaning performance can be optimized.

In the ultrasonic cleaning machine 1 of this embodiment, the detergent supply pump 72 is driven by pressing the detergent supply switch 3b, and when the detergent supply switch 3b is pressed, the detergent supply pump 72 discharges 0.02 to 0.1ml of detergent agent.

With such a configuration, the amount of detergent supplied to the horn 31 is set within an optimum range. Therefore, the balance of cleaning performance, storage tank capacity, and water consumption can be optimized.

In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the present embodiment, the storage tank 60 can store water and detergent, and the pumps 71 and 72 are installed according to the water and detergent.

With such a structure, since water and detergent can be independently supplied to the horn 31, the amount of water, the potential of water, and the amount of detergent can be optimized to efficiently wash clothes. Thereby, it is possible to perform washing according to the user's preference.

(second embodiment)

The difference between the ultrasonic cleaner 101 of the present embodiment and the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the first embodiment lies in the shape of the front end cover 113 . It should be noted that, among the configurations of the ultrasonic cleaner 101, the same configuration as that of the ultrasonic cleaner 1 according to the first embodiment will be omitted in detail.

The structure of the front-end vicinity of the ultrasonic cleaner 101 is demonstrated based on FIG. 18. FIG. (a) of FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the vicinity of the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 101, and (b) of FIG. 18 is a view of the ultrasonic cleaner 101 viewed from the front end side.

The front end cover 113 has a substantially flat mounting portion 113a attached to the front ends of the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12, and a protruding portion 113b tapered from the mounting portion 113a toward the front end. The front end cover 113 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape as a whole, and is arranged around the base end portion of the horn 31 . As shown in (a) of FIG. 18 , an insertion opening 16 having a substantially circular cross section is formed at the front end of the protruding portion 13 b of the front end cover 113 , and the front end portion of the substantially cylindrical horn 31 protrudes from the insertion opening 116 . .

A bent portion 113t bent toward the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 is formed at the tip of the protruding portion 113b of the front end cover 113 . The bent portion 113t has a predetermined thickness, and has a horn facing surface 113t ₁ facing the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 and a stepped surface 113t ₂ facing the rear end side in the front end cover 113 . The horn facing surface 113t ₁ is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to extend a predetermined thickness from the front end direction toward the rear end direction in a direction parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 . The step forming surface 113t ₂ extends in a direction perpendicular to the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 , and a step portion tn is formed at a boundary portion with the tapered inner peripheral surface 13t ₃ . An insertion opening 116 is formed at the front end of the front end cover 113 , that is, at the front end of the curved portion 113 t.

In this way, the front end cover 113 is arranged to cover the entire circumference of the horn 31 , and the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 113 does not contact the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18( b ), a gap T of substantially the same width is formed over the entire circumference between the edge of the insertion port 116 of the protruding portion 113 b of the front end cover 113 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 . .

The above gap T is defined as the amount of water to be supplied to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 in the path for guiding the water discharged into the front end cover 13 by the water supply pump 71 to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 . The adjustment unit A for adjustment functions. That is, in the present embodiment, the amount of water to be supplied to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 is adjusted by the gap T described above.

Based on (a) to (c) of FIG. 19 , the operation when spraying from the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 that vibrates ultrasonically in the state of use of the ultrasonic cleaner 101 will be described.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 19, the ultrasonic cleaner 101 is used with the front-end facing obliquely downward. In the state of use of the ultrasonic cleaner 101, when water is discharged into the front end cover 113 from the discharge part 71c of the connection pipe 71b connected to the water supply pump 71, the discharged water will flow on the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 13. Move up and move toward the insertion port 116. At this time, the water moving on the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 113 may move as water droplets, or may move as a thin water film instead of water droplets.

In this way, although the water moving toward the insertion port 116 tends to move outside through the insertion port 116 , since the gap T formed between the edge of the insertion port 116 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 is set to Since the width is small, water will be accumulated at the step portion tn near the insertion port 116 in the front end cover 113 . Then, the water accumulated in the vicinity of the insertion port 116 in the front end cover 113 gradually flows out from the gap T and moves toward the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 . At this time, as shown in (b) of FIG. 19 , the water flowing out from the gap T moves to the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 in a state of forming a thin water film on the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 . .

Then, when the water forming a thin water film reaches the front end surface 31a of the horn 31, since the front end surface 31a of the horn 31 is ultrasonically vibrated, as shown in (c) of FIG. The front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 becomes misty, and mist water is jetted obliquely downward.

The ultrasonic cleaner 101 of the present embodiment can obtain the same effect as the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the first embodiment.

(third embodiment)

The difference between the ultrasonic cleaner 301 of the present embodiment and the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of the first embodiment lies in the shape of the front end cover 313 and the shape of the horn 31 . In addition, the detailed description is abbreviate|omitted about the structure of the ultrasonic cleaner 301 which is the same as the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of 1st Embodiment.

The structure of the front-end vicinity of the ultrasonic cleaner 301 is demonstrated based on FIG. 20. FIG. (a) of FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the vicinity of the front end of the ultrasonic cleaner 301, and (b) of FIG. 20 is a view of the ultrasonic cleaner 301 viewed from the front end side.

The front end cover 313 has a substantially flat mounting portion 313a attached to the front ends of the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12, and a protruding portion 313b tapered from the mounting portion 313a toward the front end. The front end cover 313 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape as a whole, and is arranged around the base end portion of the horn 331 . As shown in (a) of FIG. 20 , an insertion opening 316 having a substantially rectangular cross section is formed at the front end of the protruding portion 313 b of the front end cover 313 , and the front end portion of a substantially cylindrical horn 331 protrudes from the insertion opening 316 . In this way, the front end cover 313 is arranged to cover the entire circumference of the horn 331, and the inner peripheral surface of the front end cover 313 does not contact the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31. Therefore, as shown in (b) of FIG. 20 , a gap T of substantially the same width is formed over the entire circumference between the edge of the insertion port 316 of the protruding portion 313 b of the front end cover 313 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 331 . .

The ultrasonic cleaner 301 of this embodiment can acquire the same effect as the ultrasonic cleaner 1 of 1st Embodiment.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, the structure of this embodiment is not limited to the said structure, Various deformation|transformation is possible.

For example, in the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, the case of using the horn 31 having a substantially cylindrical front end portion has been described, and in the above-mentioned third embodiment, the case of using the horn 31 with a substantially cylindrical front end portion has been described. The case of the horn 331 was described, but the shape of the horn is arbitrary. In addition, the material of the horn is also arbitrary, for example, a horn made of aluminum or stainless steel can be used.

In the first embodiment described above, the gap T formed between the edge of the insertion port 16 of the protruding portion 13b of the front end cover 13 and the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 has substantially the same width over the entire circumference so that the Regardless of which direction the horn 31 faces, mist water is sprayed from the front end surface 31 a of the horn 31 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. The width of the gap T may vary unevenly in the circumferential direction. In addition, when the direction (holding method) when using the ultrasonic cleaner 1 is determined, as long as the width of the above-mentioned gap T formed below the horn 31 is set appropriately in the direction (holding method), It can spray water in the form of mist. It should be noted that the same applies to the second and third embodiments.

In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the adjustment portion A for adjusting the amount of water to be supplied to the horn 31 is constituted by the gap T formed between the outer peripheral surface of the horn 31 and the edge of the insertion port 16 . , but the structure of the adjustment part A is not limited to this. It should be noted that the same applies to the second and third embodiments.

In the first embodiment described above, the horn 31 is used with the front end surface 31a facing obliquely downward. However, the horn 31 may be used with the front end surface 31a facing vertically downward. It should be noted that the same applies to the second and third embodiments.

In the first embodiment described above, the case where the storage tank 60 can store water and detergent as multiple types of liquids and the water supply pump 71 and the detergent supply pump 72 are provided for each of the multiple types of liquids is performed. description, but not limited to. In the ultrasonic cleaner 1 (spray device) of the present invention, the storage tank 60 may store only any one of water and detergent. In addition, the storage tank 60 may also store liquids other than water and detergent. It should be noted that the same applies to the second and third embodiments.

In the first to third embodiments described above, the ultrasonic cleaner 1 provided with the spray device of the present invention has been described, but the spray device of the present invention may be installed in a device different from the ultrasonic cleaner 1 .

Various modifications can also be made in other structures within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.

Claims (10)

A spraying device is characterized in that it has: The ultrasonic vibration part has a horn connected with the ultrasonic vibrator; a control device for controlling the ultrasonic vibration unit; a battery to supply power to said control device; a tank for containing liquid; and a pump for supplying the liquid contained in the storage tank to the ultrasonic vibrating part, An adjustment unit that adjusts the amount of liquid to be supplied to the front end surface of the horn is provided in a path for guiding the liquid discharged from the pump to the front end surface of the horn. The spray device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid whose liquid volume has been adjusted by the adjustment part spreads and moves to the front end surface of the horn in a state where a water film is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the horn, and on the front end surface of the horn Be sprayed as mist. The spraying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, having a tank containing said sump and said pump, The housing includes a front end cover that is disposed around a base end portion of the horn and is formed with an insertion port through which the front end portion of the horn protrudes, The adjustment portion is constituted by a gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the horn and the edge of the insertion port. The spraying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The spray device is used with the front end surface of the horn facing vertically downward or obliquely downward. The spraying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The gap is uniformly formed throughout the entire circumference of the horn. The spraying device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The gap is set within a range of 0.5 to 2 mm. The spraying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The pump is driven by pressing a switch, and the pump discharges liquid at a rate of 0.5 to 3 ml/min while the switch is pressed. The spraying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The pump is driven by pressing a switch, and when the switch is pressed, the pump spits out 0.02-0.1 ml of liquid. The spraying device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The storage tank can store various liquids, The pump is provided for each of the plurality of liquids. An ultrasonic cleaner, characterized in that, Equipped with the spray device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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