apparatus

Abstract

The device of the present disclosure includes a resin composition that emits a water-soluble substance; a support member that supports the resin composition; a tank that houses the support member and a liquid; a supply port that supplies the tank with the liquid; and a discharge port that is provided at a position lower than the supply port in a predetermined state to discharge the liquid from the tank. The resin composition is exposed from an opening portion provided in the support member, and the distance from the supply port to the resin composition is shorter than the distance from the discharge port to the resin composition. Thus, a device that properly discharges a water-soluble substance is provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a device that utilizes a liquid. Background Technology

[0002] Household appliances that utilize liquid stored in a container to improve usability are known. Patent Document 1 discloses a structure for a steam iron that uses water stored in a container to remove wrinkles from clothing.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-51592 Summary of the Invention

[0006] When using household appliances as described above, calcium and magnesium present in water accumulate as limescale on the inner surface of the appliance. In the steam iron described in Patent Document 1, limescale accumulation on the inner surface of the appliance is suppressed by placing an anti-scaling agent into the water-cooled container. However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, since the water inside the container is constantly in contact with the anti-scaling agent, the release of the anti-scaling agent is accelerated, which may shorten the duration of the limescale accumulation suppression effect.

[0007] This disclosure is an invention for solving the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a device for properly releasing water-soluble substances.

[0008] The apparatus disclosed herein includes: a resin composition that releases a water-soluble substance; a support member that supports the resin composition; a tank that houses the support member and a liquid; a supply port that supplies the liquid to the tank; and a discharge port that, in a predetermined state, is located below the supply port to discharge the liquid from the tank, wherein the resin composition is exposed from an opening in the support member, and the distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition.

[0009] The device according to this disclosure is capable of appropriately releasing water-soluble substances. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a side view showing the structure of the device according to Embodiment 1.

[0011] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 A breakdown diagram of the structure of the case.

[0012] Figure 3 It means Figure 1 An enlarged view of the structure of the case.

[0013] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A partial sectional view of the situation.

[0014] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of the equipment.

[0015] Figure 6 It is a chart representing the test results of an evaluation experiment.

[0016] Figure 7 This is a side view showing the structure of the device according to Embodiment 2.

[0017] Figure 8 This is an enlarged diagram showing the relationship between the support component and the resin composition.

[0018] Figure 9 This is a side view showing the structure of the device according to Embodiment 2.

[0019] Figure 10 This is a chart representing the results of the evaluation of Experiment 1.

[0020] Figure 11 This is a graph showing the table representing the test results of evaluation test 2. Detailed Implementation

[0021] (An example of a method that the device can adopt)

[0022] The disclosed apparatus includes: a resin composition that releases a water-soluble substance; a support member that supports the resin composition; a tank that houses the support member and a liquid; a supply port that supplies liquid to the tank; and a discharge port that, in a predetermined state, is located below the supply port to discharge liquid from the tank, wherein the resin composition is exposed from an opening in the support member, and the distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition. Here, the predetermined state can exemplify a position where the supply port is positioned higher than the discharge port in the vertical direction. Here, the discharge port is the part from which liquid is discharged from the tank; however, when a pipe is disposed within the tank and the pipe penetrates the tank to discharge liquid to the outside of the tank, the tip of the pipe within the tank can be used as the discharge port. In summary, it refers to the portion of the liquid outside the tank that is close to the tank when liquid is discharged from the tank.

[0023] According to the above-described apparatus, the distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition, thus the liquid supplied from the supply port to the tank easily comes into contact with the resin composition. Therefore, water-soluble substances are appropriately released from the resin composition into the liquid.

[0024] According to one example of the device, in the predetermined state, the resin composition is positioned below the line connecting the supply port and the discharge port.

[0025] According to the above-described apparatus, the resin composition is located near the supply port. Therefore, the liquid supplied to the tank from the supply port easily comes into contact with the resin composition. Consequently, water-soluble substances are appropriately released from the resin composition into the liquid.

[0026] According to one example of the device, the resin composition further comprises a water-insoluble resin.

[0027] The aforementioned equipment can properly retain water-soluble substances.

[0028] According to one example of the device, a gap is formed between the support member and the resin composition when the support member supports the resin composition.

[0029] According to the aforementioned device, the liquid supplied from the supply port to the tank seeps into the gap. Therefore, the resin composition and the liquid can easily come into contact.

[0030] According to one example of the device, the support member further includes a protrusion that contacts the resin composition.

[0031] The above-described equipment reliably forms a gap between the support member and the resin composition.

[0032] According to one example of the device, the protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the support member, and the height of the protrusion is 0.3 to 0.8 mm.

[0033] According to the above-mentioned device, the height of the protrusion is appropriately set so that water-soluble substances from the resin composition are appropriately released.

[0034] According to one example of the device, the support member and the resin composition are tightly fitted without any gaps.

[0035] According to the above-described device, the penetration of liquid into the support member and the resin composition can be controlled. Furthermore, the flowing liquid can come into contact with the resin composition exposed at the opening of the support member.

[0036] According to one example of the device, the opening is located in the portion that comes into contact with the liquid, and the size of the opening is configured such that the surface area of ​​the resin composition exposed from the opening is 1 to 50% of the total surface area of ​​the resin composition.

[0037] With the above-described device, the area of ​​the opening is appropriately set so that water-soluble substances from the resin composition can be released at an appropriate concentration over a long period of time.

[0038] (Implementation Method 1)

[0039] The device 10 of Embodiment 1 will be described below.

[0040] The device 10 in this embodiment is an electric household appliance that achieves various effects by utilizing a liquid. An example of a liquid is water. Device 10 includes, for example, a steam iron, a garment steamer, an air conditioner, a washing machine, a dishwashing and drying machine, and an electric kettle. Figure 1 The example of the household appliance shown is a steam iron. Hereinafter, device 10 will be described as a steam iron. The main components constituting device 10 are the outer casing 11, the base surface 20, and the canister 30. Furthermore, device 10 is configured in a predetermined state where the base surface 20 is horizontally positioned. Additionally, when device 10 is configured in a predetermined state, the side with the base surface 20 is sometimes shown as the lower side.

[0041] The housing 11 constitutes the exterior of the device 10 and houses various elements constituting the device 10. These elements housed within the housing 11 include, for example, at least one of a control unit, storage unit, operation unit, power supply unit, pump, and heater. The control unit is, for example, a microcomputer that controls the output of the pump and heater. The storage unit is, for example, a volatile memory that stores information necessary for controlling the pump and heater. The operation unit consists of buttons or switches, for example, outputting operation signals to the control unit to change the output of the pump and heater. The power supply unit is a battery that provides electricity. When the device 10 is connected to an external power source, the power supply unit can be omitted. The pump, for example, moves the liquid in the tank 30 towards the vaporization chamber. The heater heats the liquid in the vaporization chamber to form steam. An example of a heater is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. The material constituting the housing 11 can be any material with heat resistance. In one example, the material constituting the housing 11 is polycarbonate. The housing 11 also includes a handle 12 suitable for a user to hold.

[0042] The base surface 20 supplies steam to the clothing, for example, whether in contact with or not. In one example, a pump is driven, supplying liquid from the tank 30 into the vaporization chamber, and a heater heats the liquid in the vaporization chamber to generate steam. The generated steam is then ejected to the outside through a steam passage and an opening provided in the base surface 20.

[0043] The tank 30 is disposed within the outer casing 11 and stores liquid in the internal space S. An example of the liquid is water. The tank 30 includes a supply port 31 for supplying liquid into the internal space S and a discharge port 32 for discharging liquid from the internal space S. The supply port 31 is configured to be opened and closed using a cap (not shown). The discharge port 32 is configured to be opened and closed using a valve (not shown). The discharge port 32 is connected, for example, to a vaporization chamber. The tank 30 is made of any water-resistant material. In one example, the material constituting the tank 30 is polycarbonate. The tank 30 may also be configured to be detachable from the device 10. Preferably, when the device 10 is configured in a predetermined state, the supply port 31 is positioned vertically higher than the discharge port 32. The shapes of the supply port 31 and the discharge port 32 are arbitrary. In one example, the supply port 31 and the discharge port 32 are circular.

[0044] The device 10 also includes a support member 40 and a resin composition 50. (See reference...) Figures 2-4 This describes the support member 40 and the resin composition 50. The support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are disposed in the internal space S of the tank body 30.

[0045] The support member 40 is configured to support the resin composition 50. The support member 40 includes a first support member 41 and a second support member 42. The first support member 41 and the second support member 42 are separable. The material constituting the support member 40 can be any material. In one example, the material constituting the support member 40 is an unsaturated polyester. The length of the support member 40 is determined by the size of the resin composition 50. In one example, the support member 40 is formed to be a predetermined length longer than the length of the resin composition 50. The predetermined length is, for example, 2 mm.

[0046] The first support member 41 supports the lower end of the resin composition 50. The first support member 41 is fixed relative to the tank 30, thereby suppressing relative movement with respect to the tank 30. The fixing means is, for example, embedding with resin.

[0047] The second support member 42 supports the upper end of the resin composition 50. The second support member 42 is fixed relative to the first support member 41, thereby suppressing relative movement with respect to the first support member 41. The fixing means, for example, is that one of the first support member 41 and the second support member 42 has a recess and the other has a protrusion, so that the second support member 42 can be inserted or rotated.

[0048] The second support member 42 also includes an opening 43. The opening 43 is configured such that it opens the internal space S2 of the support member 40, and at least a portion of the resin composition 50 protrudes and is exposed relative to the internal space S of the tank 30. The length of the resin composition 50 protruding from the opening 43 is, for example, in the range of 2 to 5 mm. The opening 43 can be configured in any shape. In one example, the opening 43 is circular.

[0049] The support member 40 also includes a protrusion 44 on its inner surface 40A, projecting toward the internal space S2. The protrusion 44 is provided on at least one of the first support member 41 and the second support member 42. Preferably, the protrusion 44 is provided on both the first support member 41 and the second support member 42. More preferably, multiple protrusions 44 are provided on both the first support member 41 and the second support member 42. The protrusion 44 forms a gap G between the inner surface 40A of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50. The distance between the protrusion 44 and the resin composition 50 is configured to be 0.3 to 0.8 mm. The protrusion 44 is configured to protrude 0.3 to 0.8 mm from the inner surface 40A of the support member 40.

[0050] The resin composition 50 comprises a water-insoluble resin and a water-soluble substance. The ratio of the water-insoluble resin to the water-soluble substance is arbitrary. In one example, the water-soluble substance is in the range of 20 to 90% by weight. Preferably, the water-soluble substance is in the range of 40 to 70% by weight. The water-insoluble resin is composed of any material that is insoluble in water. Preferably, it is composed of a material whose glass transition temperature is in a first predetermined range and whose melting point is in a second predetermined range. The first predetermined range is, for example, -130°C or higher. The first predetermined range is, for example, 100°C or lower.

[0051] The second predetermined range is, for example, above -80°C. The second predetermined range is, for example, below 250°C. Examples of materials constituting water-insoluble resins include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and acrylic-modified polyethylene.

[0052] A water-soluble substance is a substance that has a predetermined effect by dissolving in water. One example of this predetermined effect is the inhibition of the accumulation of metal ions within the tank 30. In one example, the water-soluble substance is a chelating agent that forms a complex with the metal ions. Examples of chelating agents include sodium polyacrylate, sodium salts of acrylic acid / maleic acid copolymers, sodium salts of acrylic acid / sulfonic acid monomer copolymers, 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, iminodiacetic acid, aminotriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, citric acid, and cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid.

[0053] Reference Figure 5 This describes the positions of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 inside the tank 30.

[0054] Preferably, the first support member 41 is fixed to the same surface as the inner surface 30A of the tank 30 where the outlet 32 ​​is located, when the device 10 is configured in a predetermined state. At least a portion of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are located closer to the base surface 20 than the line L1 connecting the center of gravity P1 of the supply port 31 and the center of gravity P2 of the outlet. Preferably, the entire support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are located closer to the base surface 20 than the line L1.

[0055] The distance D1 between the center of gravity P1 of the supply port 31 and point P3 on the resin composition 50 is shorter than the distance D2 between the center of gravity P2 of the discharge port 32 and point P3 on the resin composition 50. Point P3 on the resin composition 50 is formed by setting distance D1 as the shortest distance. Distances D1 and D2 are also defined separately when at least one of the supply port 31, discharge port 32, and resin composition 50 is provided in multiple locations. Preferably, in all cases, distance D1 is shorter than distance D2.

[0056] The method for manufacturing resin composition 50 is described.

[0057] A water-insoluble resin and a water-soluble substance are metered and then heated and kneaded to form a strand of resin composition 50. In one example, the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are in equal amounts. The heating and kneading is performed, for example, using a twin-bar extrusion kneader at 200°C. The strand is then shredded to form granules. By injection molding the granules, a resin composition 50 of a predetermined shape is formed. One example of the predetermined shape of resin composition 50 is an ellipsoid. In another example, the predetermined shape is a plate shape, a sphere shape, or a cylindrical shape. Figure 1 The resin composition 50 shown is ellipsoidal. The length of the resin composition 50 along its major and minor axes is arbitrarily determined based on the size of the tank 30 of the device 10 used. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its major axis is in the range of 10 to 40 mm. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its major axis is in the range of 20 to 30 mm. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its minor axis is in the range of 5 to 20 mm. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its minor axis is in the range of 7 to 15 mm.

[0058] The inventors of this application conducted an evaluation test to confirm the effectiveness of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50. In the evaluation test, multiple resin compositions 50 with different residual rates of water-soluble substances were prepared. The resin compositions 50 with different residual rates were placed one by one into multiple support members 40 with different lengths between the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 in the gap G, and the dissolution concentration was measured.

[0059] Resin compositions 50 were individually added to beakers, and 350 ml of water was added. The weight of each resin composition 50 was 10 g. After adding water for 10 minutes, the water in the beakers was extracted, and the concentration of the functional water-soluble substances in the water was measured. The dissolved concentration was determined by measuring the total amount of carbon in the organism. After water extraction, the resin compositions 50 of each comparative example and embodiment were dried. The drying time was 24 hours. The weight of the dried resin compositions 50 was measured, and the residual rate of the water-soluble substances was calculated. By repeating this process, multiple resin compositions 50 with different residual rates were prepared. Specifically, resin compositions 50 with residual rates ranging from 1.0 to 0.3 were prepared, each differing by approximately 0.1 mm. The support members 40 with protrusions 44 having lengths ranging from 0.3 to 0.9 mm each differed by approximately 0.1 mm.

[0060] Water is poured into the opening 43 of the support member 40 through a funnel, exposing the resin composition 50. 350 ml of pure water, free of impurities, is used for 30 seconds. After 10 minutes, the water is recovered, the dissolution concentration is measured, and the dissolution concentration and residual rate are plotted on a graph. This process is repeated multiple times. The dissolution concentration and residual rate shown are the average values ​​of the results from multiple trials.

[0061] Reference Figure 6 This explains the results of the evaluation experiment. Figure 6 The vertical axis represents the dissolution concentration (ppm). Figure 6 The horizontal axis represents the residual rate. Each point represents the dissolution concentration at a predetermined residual rate. Figure 6 The straight lines in the diagram represent approximate lines. When the resin composition 50 is supported by a support member 40 with a protrusion 44 having a length of 0.9 mm, similar to the case where water is in contact with the entire surface of the resin composition 50, the dissolution concentration remains at a high level even as the residual rate decreases. On the other hand, when the resin composition 50 is supported by a support member 40 with a protrusion 44 having a length of 0.3 to 0.8 mm, a high dissolution concentration is observed at a residual rate of around 1.0, while the dissolution concentration decreases as the residual rate becomes around 0.5.

[0062] Based on the results of the evaluation experiment, the following insights were drawn.

[0063] When the resin composition 50 is supported by the support member 40 with a length of 0.3 to 0.8 mm for the protrusion 44, a higher dissolution concentration is observed when the residual rate is high, and a lower dissolution concentration is observed when the residual rate is low. Therefore, a large amount of water-soluble substances can be released during initial use, and the service life of the resin composition 50 can be set for a longer period of time.

[0064] The function of device 10 in this embodiment will be explained.

[0065] The user places resin composition 50 into the support member 40 located inside the tank 30 of device 10. The user adds water to the tank 30. Resin composition 50 releases water-soluble substances into the tank 30. After using device 10, the water is removed from the tank 30, and resin composition 50 is placed in a dry state. The user adds water to the tank 30 again for the next use. Resin composition 50 slowly releases water-soluble substances into the tank 30.

[0066] (Implementation Method 2)

[0067] The device 110 of Embodiment 2 will now be described. The difference from Embodiment 1 is that it is configured to have a tight seal between the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 without any gap. Furthermore, the difference is that the area of ​​the resin composition 50 exposed from the opening 43 is set to 1-50% of the total surface area of ​​the resin composition 50. Embodiment 2 will be described focusing on these differences.

[0068] The device 110 of this embodiment is an electric household appliance that achieves various effects by utilizing a liquid. An example of a liquid is water. Figure 7 The example of the household appliance shown is a steam generator. Hereinafter, device 110 will be described as a steam generator.

[0069] The main components constituting the device 110 are the tank 30, the housing 60, the hose 70, and the iron 80. As an example, the housing 60 is described when the device 110 is configured in a predetermined state. Furthermore, when the device 110 is configured in the predetermined state, the bottom side of the housing is sometimes shown as the lower side.

[0070] The housing 60 constitutes the exterior of the device 110 and houses various elements constituting the device 110. These elements housed within the housing 60 include, for example, at least one of a control unit, a storage unit, an operation unit, a power supply unit, a pump 61, and a heater 63. The control unit, for example, is a microcomputer that controls the output of the pump 61 and the heater 63. The storage unit, for example, is a volatile memory that stores information necessary for controlling the pump 61 and the heater 63. The operation unit consists of buttons or switches, for example, outputting operation signals to the control unit to change the output of the pump 61 and the heater 63.

[0071] The power supply unit is a battery that supplies electricity. When device 110 is connected to an external power source, the power supply unit can be omitted. Pump 61, for example, moves the liquid in tank 30 towards boiler 62. Heater 63 heats the liquid in boiler 62 to generate steam. An example of heater 63 is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. The material constituting the casing can be any material with heat resistance. In one example, the material constituting the casing is polycarbonate.

[0072] The hose 70 connects the steam generation outlet of the boiler 62 and the vaporization chamber of the iron 80. Steam generated within the boiler 62 of the casing 60 is delivered to the iron 80 through the hose 70. The material constituting the hose 70 can be a heat-resistant material, such as nitrile rubber, silicone, or vinyl chloride rubber. Alternatively, the outer surface of the hose 70 may be covered with a tube made of braided fiberglass.

[0073] The iron 80 has an outer casing, including a handle 12 suitable for a user to hold. The internal components of the casing include at least one of a control unit, a storage unit, an operating unit, and a heater. The control unit, for example, is a microcomputer that controls the output of the heater. The storage unit, for example, is a volatile memory that stores information needed for controlling the heater. The operating unit consists of buttons or switches, for example, outputting operating signals to the control unit to change the output of the heater.

[0074] Regarding the power supply unit of the iron 80, if the device 110 is connected to an external power source, the power supply unit structure can be omitted. The heater reheats the steam generated in the boiler inside the housing and transmitted through the hose 70. An example of the heater is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. The material constituting the housing can be any material with heat resistance. In one example, the material constituting the housing is polycarbonate.

[0075] The base surface 20 of the iron 80 supplies steam to the clothing, for example, whether in contact with or not. In one example, a pump 61 is driven, supplying liquid from the tank 30 to the boiler 62. The liquid in the boiler 62 is heated by a heater 63, thereby generating steam. The generated steam is then reheated in the vaporization chamber of the iron 80 through a hose 70 and ejected to the outside through an opening provided in the base surface 20.

[0076] The tank 30 is fitted into the housing and stores liquid in its internal space S. An example of the liquid is water. The tank 30 includes a supply port 31 for supplying liquid into the internal space S and a pipe 90 for discharging liquid from the internal space S. The pipe 90 extends from the inside of the tank to the outside. An outlet 32 ​​is provided at the top of the pipe 90 inside the tank. The supply port 31 is configured to supply water by being detached from the housing. The pipe 90 with the outlet 32 ​​is connected, for example, to a pump path. The tank 30 can be made of any water-resistant material. In one example, the material constituting the tank 30 is polycarbonate. The tank 30 can also be configured to be detachable from the device 10. Preferably, when the device 110 is configured in a predetermined state, the supply port 31 is positioned higher in the vertical direction than the outlet 32. The shapes of the supply port 31 and the outlet 32 ​​are arbitrary. In one example, the supply port 31 is plate-shaped, and the outlet port 32 is round at the top of the tube 90.

[0077] The device 110 includes a support member 40 and a resin composition 50. (See reference...) Figures 8-11 This describes the support member 40 and the resin composition 50. The support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are disposed in the internal space S of the tank body 30.

[0078] The support member 40 covers the resin composition 50 except for a portion thereof. The material constituting the support member 40 can be any material. In one example, the material constituting the support member 40 is a thermoplastic resin. The support member 40 is constructed in a state of close contact with the resin composition 50. That is, the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 are constructed without gaps. The covering of the support member is formed with a constant thickness. The predetermined thickness is, for example, 2 mm.

[0079] The support member 40 is fixed relative to the supply port 31, thereby suppressing relative movement of the supply port 31 relative to the tank body 30. The fixing means includes, for example, a hook provided on the support member. The support member is fixed by hooking the hook onto the supply port.

[0080] An opening 43 is provided in the support member 40. The opening 43 is located in the support member 40 at a portion where liquid is supplied to the tank 30. At least a portion of the resin composition 50 is exposed through the opening 43 to the internal space S of the tank 30. The resin composition 50 of the opening 43 and the support member 40 other than the opening 43 are configured as a convex shape protruding from the opening 43 or a concave shape recessed from the opening 43. The opening 43 can be configured in any shape. In one example, the opening 43 is square.

[0081] The size of the opening 43 is configured such that the area of ​​the resin composition 50 exposed by the self-supporting member 40 is 1 to 50% of the total surface area of ​​the resin composition 50.

[0082] Resin composition 50 comprises a water-insoluble resin and a water-soluble substance. The ratio of the water-insoluble resin to the water-soluble substance is arbitrary. In one example, the water-soluble substance is in the range of 20 to 90% by weight. Preferably, the water-soluble substance is in the range of 40 to 70% by weight. The water-insoluble resin is composed of any material that is insoluble in water. Preferably, it is composed of a material whose glass transition temperature is in a first predetermined range and whose melting point is in a second predetermined range. The first predetermined range is, for example, above -130°C. The first predetermined range is, for example, below 100°C. The second predetermined range is, for example, above -80°C. The second predetermined range is, for example, below 250°C. Examples of materials constituting the water-insoluble resin are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and acrylic-modified polyethylene.

[0083] A water-soluble substance is a substance that has a predetermined effect by dissolving in water. One example of this predetermined effect is the inhibition of the accumulation of metal ions within the tank 30. In one example, the water-soluble substance is a chelating agent that forms a complex with the metal ions. Examples of chelating agents include sodium polyacrylate, sodium salts of acrylic acid / maleic acid copolymers, sodium salts of acrylic acid / sulfonic acid monomer copolymers, 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, iminodiacetic acid, aminotriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, citric acid, and cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid.

[0084] Reference Figure 9 This describes the positions of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 inside the tank 30.

[0085] The distance D1 between the center of gravity P1 of the supply port 31 and point P3 on the resin composition 50 is shorter than the distance D2 between the center of gravity P2 of the discharge port 32 and point P3 on the resin composition 50. Point P3 on the resin composition 50 is formed by setting distance D1 as the shortest distance. Distances D1 and D2 are also defined separately when at least one of the supply port 31, discharge port 32, and resin composition 50 is provided in multiple locations. Preferably, in all cases, distance D1 is shorter than distance D2.

[0086] The method for manufacturing resin composition 50 is described.

[0087] A water-insoluble resin and a water-soluble substance are metered and then heated and kneaded to form a strand of resin composition 50. In one example, the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble substance are in equal amounts. The heating and kneading is performed, for example, using a twin-bar extrusion kneader at 200°C. The strand is then shredded to form granules. By injection molding the granules, a resin composition 50 of a predetermined shape is formed. One example of the predetermined shape of resin composition 50 is a plate shape. Another example of the predetermined shape is a sphere or a cylinder. Figure 1 The resin composition 50 shown is plate-shaped. The length of the resin composition 50 along its major axis and minor axis is arbitrarily formed according to the size of the tank 30 of the device 10 used. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its major axis is in the range of 70 mm or less. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its major axis is 55 mm or less. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its minor axis is 35 mm or less. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its minor axis is in the range of 30 to 35 mm. Preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its thickness is in the range of 15 mm or less. More preferably, the length of the resin composition 50 along its thickness is in the range of 10 mm or less. Additionally, surface finishing of the resin composition 50 can be performed to prevent water splashing back during water injection. An example of surface finishing is groove formation.

[0088] The inventors of this application conducted evaluation tests to confirm the effectiveness of the support member 40 and the resin composition 50 of this application. In the first evaluation test (referred to as evaluation test 1), multiple resin compositions 50 with different residual rates of water-soluble substances were prepared, and the support member 40 was wrapped around each resin composition 50 in a manner with different opening areas, and the dissolution concentration was measured.

[0089] Resin compositions 50 were individually added to the water inlet of the tank, with 1700 ml of water added. The weight of each resin composition 50 was 20 g. Ten minutes after adding water, the water in the beaker was extracted, and the concentration of the functional water-soluble substances in the water was measured. The dissolved concentration was determined by measuring the total amount of carbon in the organism. After water extraction, the resin compositions 50 of each comparative example and embodiment were dried. The drying time was 24 hours. The weight of the dried resin compositions 50 was measured, and the residual rate of the water-soluble substances was calculated. By repeating this process, multiple resin compositions 50 with different residual rates were prepared. Specifically, resin compositions 50 with residual rates ranging from 1.0 to 0.25 were prepared, each differing by approximately 0.25. The support member 40 was covered with an opening 43 that constituted 2 to 20% of the total surface area of ​​each resin composition 50 with a different residual rate.

[0090] Water is poured into the support member 40 through the exposed opening 43 of the resin composition 50 using a funnel. 1700 ml of pure water, free of impurities, is used for 30 seconds. After 10 minutes, the water is recovered, the dissolution concentration is measured, and the dissolution concentration and residual rate are plotted on a graph. This process is repeated multiple times. The dissolution concentration and residual rate shown are the average results of multiple trials.

[0091] Reference Figure 10 This explains the results of evaluation experiment 1. Figure 10 The vertical axis represents the dissolution concentration (ppm). Figure 10 The horizontal axis represents the residual rate. Each point represents the dissolution concentration at a predetermined residual rate. Figure 10 The straight line in the diagram represents an approximate line.

[0092] When the proportion of the dissolution area of ​​the resin composition 50 exposed at the opening 43 of the support member 40 is 20%, the surface area in contact between water and the resin composition 50 is relatively large. Therefore, even if the residual rate decreases, the dissolution concentration remains at a high level. On the other hand, as the proportion of the exposed area of ​​the opening 43 of the resin composition 50 exposed at the support member 40 decreases, the dissolution concentration decreases at any residual rate.

[0093] Based on the results of Evaluation Test 1, the following insights were obtained. A proportional relationship was observed between the dissolution area ratio and the dissolution concentration of the resin composition 50 dissolving from the opening 43 of the self-supporting member 40. Therefore, by setting the dissolution area ratio of the resin composition 50 dissolving from the opening 43 of the self-supporting member 40, a predetermined dissolution concentration can be controlled. Furthermore, by controlling the dissolution concentration, water-soluble substances can be dissolved for a longer period, and the service life of the resin composition 50 can be extended.

[0094] In the second evaluation test, multiple resin compositions 50 with different contents of water-soluble substances were prepared, and the support member 40 was wrapped around each resin composition 50 in a manner with different opening areas. The dissolution concentration was then measured. The dissolution concentration was measured using the same method as in the first evaluation test.

[0095] Reference Figure 11 This describes the results of the second evaluation experiment (referred to as evaluation experiment 2). Figure 11 The horizontal axis represents the percentage (%) of the dissolution area of ​​the resin composition 50 at the opening 43 of the support member 40. Figure 11 The vertical axis represents the percentage (%) of water-soluble substances in resin composition 50. The data in the table represent the initial dissolution concentration (ppm) of resin composition 50 under various conditions. The initial dissolution concentration is proportional to the ratio of the dissolution area from the opening 43 to the percentage of water-soluble substances.

[0096] Therefore, by combining the content of water-soluble substances and the proportion of the dissolution area from the opening, a predetermined dissolution concentration can be set. For example, if it is desired to set the initial dissolution concentration to 15-20 ppm or less, the proportion of the dissolution area of ​​the opening 43 can be set to 10% and the content of water-soluble substances to 70-50%. Furthermore, if the proportion of the dissolution area of ​​the opening 43 is set to 3-4% and the content of water-soluble substances is set to 40%, the initial dissolution concentration can be set to be lower. By setting the initial dissolution concentration to be lower, the water-soluble substances in the resin composition 50 can be dissolved for a longer period of time, and the service life of the resin composition 50 can be extended.

[0097] The function of the device 110 in this embodiment will be explained.

[0098] The user inserts the support member 40, which covers the resin composition 50, into the tank 30 located in the device 110 through a predetermined opening. The user adds water into the tank 30. The resin composition 50 releases water-soluble substances into at least the tank 30. Because the water injected from the water inlet of the tank 30 accumulates in the lower tank space, the resin composition 50 is configured to be in a dry state, free from water immersion. The user adds water into the tank 30 again for the next use. The resin composition 50 then slowly releases water-soluble substances into at least the tank 30.

[0099] (Modified Example)

[0100] The description of the embodiments is an example of the ways in which the device of this disclosure can be used, and is not intended to limit the methods. In addition to the embodiments, this disclosure can be used, for example, in combinations of variations of the embodiments shown below and at least two non-contradictory variations.

[0101] The resin composition 50 may also include a porous material. The porous material, for example, retains at least a portion of the water-insoluble resin and the water-soluble material within the pores. The porous material is, for example, composed of at least one of porous glass, activated carbon, zeolite, and porous concrete. Preferably, the porous material is porous glass. More preferably, the porous glass is amorphous silica. The porous material is, for example, formed in granular form. The particle size, specific surface area, pore size, and oil absorption of the porous material can be arbitrarily set to values ​​suitable for slow release. In one example, the average particle size of the porous material is 5 μm. In another example, the specific surface area of ​​the porous material is 700 m². 2 / g. In one example, the pore size of the porous material was 11 nm. The oil absorption capacity of the porous material was 400 ml / 100 g.

[0102] • The water-soluble substances can be changed according to the intended function. Water-soluble substances can also be antioxidants with antioxidant properties, surfactants used to improve wettability, and antibacterial agents. Examples of antioxidants include isoascorbic acid, kojic acid, and ascorbic acid. Examples of surfactants include ionic or nonionic surfactants. Examples of antibacterial agents include copper bromide, copper chromate, silver nitrate, aluminum sulfate, and iodine.

[0103] The disclosed device can be used, for example, in household and commercial appliances that utilize liquids, such as steam irons, garment steamers, air conditioners, washing machines, dishwashing dryers, and electric kettles.

[0104] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0105] 10, 110, Equipment; 20, Base surface; 30, Tank; 31, Supply port; 32, Discharge port; 40, Supporting member; 41, First supporting member; 42, Second supporting member; 44, Protrusion; 50, Resin composition; 60, Shell; 61, Pump; 62, Boiler; 70, Hose; 80, Iron; D1, Distance; D2, Distance; G, Gap; L1, Line.

Claims

1. A device, wherein, The device includes: A resin composition that releases water-soluble substances; A support member that supports the resin composition; A tank that houses the supporting components and the liquid; A supply port that supplies liquid to the tank; and The outlet, in a predetermined state, is positioned below the supply port to discharge liquid from the tank. The resin composition is exposed from the opening in the support member, and the distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition. The resin composition further comprises a water-insoluble resin, and the water-soluble substance in the resin composition is in the range of 20% to 70% by weight. With the support member supporting the resin composition, A gap is formed between the support member and the resin composition. The support member also includes protrusions that contact the resin composition. The protrusion is located on the inner surface of the support member. The height of the protrusion is 0.3–0.8 mm. The opening is located in the part that comes into contact with the liquid. The opening is configured such that the surface area of ​​the resin composition exposed from the opening is 1 to 50% of the total surface area of ​​the resin composition.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, In the predetermined state, the resin composition is positioned below the line connecting the supply port and the discharge port.

3. A device, wherein, The device includes: A resin composition that releases water-soluble substances; A support member that supports the resin composition; A tank that houses the supporting components and the liquid; A supply port that supplies liquid to the tank; and The outlet, in a predetermined state, is positioned below the supply port to discharge liquid from the tank. The resin composition is exposed from the opening in the support member, and the distance between the supply port and the resin composition is shorter than the distance between the discharge port and the resin composition. The resin composition further comprises a water-insoluble resin, and the water-soluble substance in the resin composition is in the range of 20% to 70% by weight. With the support member supporting the resin composition, There is no gap between the support member and the resin composition, and the support member is in close contact with the resin composition. The opening is located in the part that comes into contact with the liquid. The opening is configured such that the surface area of ​​the resin composition exposed from the opening is 1 to 50% of the total surface area of ​​the resin composition.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein, In the predetermined state, the resin composition is positioned below the line connecting the supply port and the discharge port.

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