Water particles blower module

Abstract

To provide a water particles blower module which can displace areas of a human body which an air flow reaches by controlling respective blowers a plurality of blower units are provided with while it is possible to cause the air flow generated by the plurality of blower units with enough strength to reach the human body.SOLUTION: A water particles blower module includes: a plurality of blower units 2a to 2h which include cartridges 22 and blowers 23 generating fine water and generate air flows containing the fine water generated by the cartridges 22 by driving the blowers 23; a cushioning space 4 collecting a plurality of air flows generated by the plurality of blower units 2a to 2h; and an opening 50 discharging the air flows collected in the cushioning space 4 to the human body. By controlling air capacity of the blower 23 by the blower unit, an area to be blown that is an area of the human body which the air flow discharged by the opening 50 reaches is displaced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water particle blower that emits an airflow containing water particles toward a human body. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, devices have been proposed for use in beauty or medical care, etc., that generate a current (wind) containing moisture and release it toward the skin of the human body. As an example of such a device, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-116130 proposes a device that includes a moisture absorption and desorption unit that can switch between an adsorption state in which moisture in the air is adsorbed and a moisture release state in which the adsorbed moisture is released depending on whether or not it is energized, and a blower means that generates an air current, and that can release a current containing moisture toward the face of a user lying on a bed by controlling the energization state of the moisture absorption and desorption unit and the direction of the wind generated by the blower means. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-116130 A (paragraphs 0016-0019, Figure 2) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the technology of Patent Document 1, the moisture-laden airflow generated by the blowing means diffuses into the surrounding area as soon as it is released from the device, which means that the area reached by the moisture-laden airflow when in operation is wide, meaning that the airflow can only be directed at the same area of ​​the body at any one time.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional art, and aims to provide a water particle blowing device that can make the airflow generated by multiple blowing units reach the human body with sufficient strength, while also making it possible to change the area of ​​the human body that the airflow reaches by controlling each blower provided in the multiple blowing units. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the water particle blowing device of the present invention includes a water particle generating section that generates water particles and a blower, and a plurality of blowing units that generate an airflow containing the water particles generated by the water particle generating section by driving the blower; a buffer space that is partitioned by a partition wall and collects the multiple airflows generated by the plurality of blowing units; an opening that is formed in part of the partition wall and releases the airflow collected in the buffer space toward the human body; and a control device that can control the air volume of the blowers included in the plurality of blowing units on a blowing unit basis, and the control device displaces the blown area, which is the area of ​​the human body that the airflow released from the opening reaches, by controlling the air volume of the blowers on a blowing unit basis. Furthermore, with regard to the "blowed area, which is the area of ​​the human body that the airflow released from the opening reaches," it is possible for the airflow to reach only the blown area (the wind does not reach areas of the human body other than the blown area), or it is possible for the airflow to reach mainly the blown area (the wind also reaches surrounding areas other than the blown area, but is weaker than the blown area). [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The water particle blower according to the present invention has the above-described configuration. By providing a buffer space and an opening partitioned by partition walls for each blower unit, the generated airflow can reach the human body with sufficient strength. Furthermore, by controlling each blower of each blower unit individually, the area of ​​the human body that the airflow reaches can be varied. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a fine water generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the fine water generating device according to the present embodiment, seen from the right side. [Figure 3] 1 is a top view of a fine water generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the fine water generating device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of the main body with the front filter installed on the front side removed. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the blower unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a blower unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a basic control pattern of the blower unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing an operation panel. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the buffer space and the airflow generated by the blower unit. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart of an operation processing program according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the operating pattern of the fine water generating device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Below, we will explain in detail, with reference to the drawings, an embodiment of the water particle blowing device of the present invention, in particular, a fine water generating device 1 that emits fine water particles (hereinafter referred to as fine water) with a particle size of a few nanometers as water particles.

[0010] Here, the fine water generator 1 of this embodiment is used for cosmetic and medical purposes, in which fine water is emitted toward treatment targets such as human skin and hair. The fine water to be emitted by the fine water generator 1 is water particles of 50 nanometers or less, more appropriately, extremely small size of a few nanometers (e.g., 1 nm to 2 nm), which is about 1 / 1000th the size of steam. As will be described later, when such fine water is emitted toward the treatment target, human skin, the size of the fine water is smaller than the water pathways in the skin, so it can reliably reach and remain in the necessary places inside the skin, thereby providing a significant effect of providing moisture for a long period of time. However, the water particles to be emitted by the fine water generator 1 are not limited to the above size, and may be smaller or larger than the above size.

[0011] First, the schematic configuration of the fine water generator 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a front view of the fine water generator 1 according to this embodiment, Figure 2 is a side view of the fine water generator 1 according to this embodiment as seen from the right side, and Figure 3 is a top view of the fine water generator 1 according to this embodiment.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the fine water generating device 1 of this embodiment basically has a main body 3 having multiple (eight in this embodiment) blower units 2a to 2h therein that generate air currents containing fine water, and a partition wall 5 provided on the front side of the main body 3 and forming a buffer space 4 that collects the multiple air currents generated by the blower units 2a to 2h.

[0013] First, the main body 3 of the fine water generator 1 will be explained below using Figures 4 and 5 in addition to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the fine water generator 1. Figure 5 is a front view of the main body 3 with the front filter 13 installed on the front removed.

[0014] 4, the main body 3 includes a main body case 10 forming the outer wall of the main body 3, a plurality of (eight in this embodiment) air blowing units 2a-2h housed inside the main body case 10, a control unit 11 also housed inside the main body case 10 and controlling the air blowing units 2a-2h, a power supply board 12 supplying power to the air blowing units 2a-2h and the control unit 11, a front filter 13 arranged in front of the air blowing units 2a-2h, a rear filter 14 arranged on the rear of the air blowing units 2a-2h, and a filter cover 15 that holds the rear filter 14. An operation panel 16 that is operated by a user is also arranged at the top of the main body case 10.

[0015] Each of the components of the main body 3 will be described below in order. The main body case 10 is molded from a resin material such as polypropylene or ABS resin, and has a cylindrical shape that is slightly tilted backward as shown in Figure 2. Inside, blower units 2a to 2h, a control unit 11, a power supply board 12, etc., which will be described later, are arranged, and fixing members for fixing each of these components to the main body case 10 are also provided. An operation panel 16, which will be described later, is arranged at the top of the main body case 10, and feet 21, which serve to provide stability and anti-slip properties to the floor on which the fine water generator 1 is placed, are attached at a total of four points on the bottom.

[0016] Next, the blower units 2a to 2h will be described. In this embodiment, there are a total of eight blower units 2a to 2h. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, blower unit 2a and blower unit 2b are arranged in the uppermost row of the main body case 10, blower unit 2c, blower unit 2d, and blower unit 2e are arranged in the middle row, and blower unit 2f, blower unit 2g, and blower unit 2h are arranged in the lowermost row. That is, the blower units are arranged in a ratio of 2:3:3. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the blower units 2a to 2h are arranged at an inclination such that the blowing direction (axial direction) is slightly upward relative to the horizontal, in accordance with the inclination of the main body case 10. However, the number and arrangement of the blower units 2a to 2h are not necessarily limited to the above example and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the number of blower units 2a to 2h may be seven or fewer or nine or more. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the orientation of the air blowing units 2a to 2h relative to the main body case 10 is fixed, but the orientation of the air blowing units 2a to 2h may be made adjustable automatically or manually.

[0017] The air blowing units 2a-2h, arranged relative to the main body case 10 as described above, include cartridges 22 that generate fine water droplets, a blower 23, and a temperature sensor 24 for detecting the temperature of the cartridges 22. By driving the blower 23, the air blowing units 2a-2h generate airflow containing the fine water droplets generated by the cartridges 22. As will be described in detail later, the basic operation of the air blowing units 2a-2h is to drive the blower 23 to generate an airflow while passing the generated airflow through the cartridges 22 located downstream. The power supply board 12 can switch the power supply state of the cartridges 22. When the power supply is not switched on, the cartridges 22 are cooled by the airflow and absorb (adsorb) moisture from the airflow passing through them (moisture absorption state). When the cartridges 22 are then powered on, the temperature inside the cartridges 22 rises, and the moisture adsorbed in the moisture absorption state is released as fine water droplets (moisture release state). In the moisture release state, the fine water droplets generated within the cartridges 22 are drawn into the airflow, generating an airflow containing the fine water droplets. When the fine water generator 1 is in operation, the above moisture absorption and desorption states are basically repeated, thereby generating fine water from moisture in the air and releasing an airflow containing the generated fine water. Therefore, the fine water generator 1 of this embodiment does not require a water refill tank for supplying water, which is provided in general humidifiers.

[0018] 6 is an exploded perspective view showing blower unit 2a in particular on an enlarged scale. Although the eight blower units 2a to 2h arranged in main body 3 are arranged in different locations, they basically have the same configuration, and the following description will be given taking blower unit 2a as an example.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 6 , the cartridge 22 and the blower 23 are both cylindrical and have corresponding diameters (which may, but need not necessarily, be the same). The cartridge 22 and the blower 23 are arranged coaxially and overlap each other in the front-to-back direction relative to the main body case 10, with the blower 23 positioned behind the cartridge 22. Note that because FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view, a gap appears between the cartridge 22 and the blower 23. However, in reality, there is no gap between the cartridge 22 and the blower 23, and the airflow generated by the blower 23 essentially passes through the downstream cartridge 22 without diffusing. A front filter 13 is disposed on the front (air outlet) of the cartridge 22 to capture foreign matter (e.g., dust) in the airflow emitted through the cartridge 22. Although not shown in FIG. 6 , a rear filter 14 (see FIG. 4 ) is disposed on the rear (air inlet) of the blower 23 to capture foreign matter (e.g., dust) in the outside air before it is drawn into the blower 23.

[0020] Next, the internal structure and function of the cartridge 22 and the blower 23 provided in the blower units 2a to 2h will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the blower unit 2a. As shown in FIG. 7 , the cartridge 22 includes a substantially cylindrical case 31 and a micro-particle water generating element 32 housed therein. The blower 23 is a propeller-type fan driven by a motor (not shown), with a propeller 34 housed in the substantially cylindrical case 33. The blower 23 may be a sirocco fan or the like. The case 31 of the cartridge 22 and the case 33 of the blower 23 have substantially the same inner diameter, forming a single cylindrical flow path 35 within the blower unit 2a. When the motor rotates forward, the blower 23 draws air into the flow path 35 through the rear filter 14 and an inlet port 36, which is an opening on the rear side of the case 33. The air drawn into the flow path 35 flows through the micro-particle water generating element 32 of the cartridge 22 and is blown to the outside through the front filter 13 and an outlet port 37, which is an opening on the front side of the case 31. This generates an airflow. The airflow generated from each blower unit 2a-2h is collected in buffer space 4 as described below and then released toward the human body being treated. The motor of blower 23 can also be rotated in reverse, and in this case, the air flows in the opposite direction to the above, with air being drawn in through outlet 37, an opening on the front side of case 31, via front filter 13, and then blown out through inlet 36, an opening on the rear side of case 33, via rear filter 14. The rotation speed of the motor (air volume of blower 23) can also be controlled, and in this embodiment in particular, the air volume can be adjusted to two levels: "weak" and "strong."

[0021] The fine water generating element 32 of the cartridge 22 has a substrate and a conductive polymer film formed on the surface of the substrate. The substrate is made of a conductive material such as a metal material such as a stainless steel metal or a copper metal, a carbon material, or a conductive ceramic material. In this embodiment, a stainless steel metal foil containing aluminum is used. The fine water generating element 32 may have multiple substrates formed in a flat plate shape, or may have a substrate formed in a honeycomb or spiral shape, so that the surface area of ​​the substrate (conductive polymer film) can be as large as possible and air can pass through.

[0022] On the other hand, the conductive polymer film is formed of a conductive polymer compound such as a thiophene-based conductive polymer. In this embodiment, the conductive polymer film is formed of PEDOT / PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) / poly(styrenesulfonic acid)), a thiophene-based conductive polymer. PEDOT / PSS has a core-shell structure with a PEDOT core and a shell of sulfonic acid groups, which are acidic functional groups capable of hydrogen bonding. Furthermore, the conductive polymer film has a stacked structure in which the PEDOT / PSS shells are aligned, and nanochannels, which are nanometer-sized flow paths, for example, 2 nanometers, are formed between each shell. Because many sulfonic acid groups are present within these nanochannels, when the moisture content on the surface of the conductive polymer film is high and the moisture content inside is low, moisture on the surface moves inside the film via the sulfonic acid groups in the nanochannel due to the concentration difference between the surface and the inside. This allows the conductive polymer film to absorb (adsorb) moisture. Furthermore, when moisture is absorbed inside the cartridge and the moisture content is low on the surface and high inside, moisture migrates to the surface via the sulfonic acid groups in the nanochannels due to the concentration difference between the surface and the interior. This allows moisture to be released as fine water droplets from the conductive polymer membrane without applying an electric charge. Furthermore, increasing the temperature of the conductive polymer membrane by applying current from the power supply substrate 12 promotes faster release of moisture (fine water droplets) compared to when moisture migrates due to concentration difference alone. Furthermore, lowering the temperature of the conductive polymer membrane by blowing air from the fan 23 while the power supply substrate 12 is turned off promotes faster moisture absorption compared to when moisture migrates due to concentration difference alone. In this way, the cartridge 22 (fine water generating element 32) can be switched between a moisture absorption state in which the conductive polymer membrane absorbs moisture from the air as the temperature decreases, and a moisture desorption state in which the absorbed moisture is released from the conductive polymer membrane as the temperature increases. The moisture absorption and moisture desorption states can be switched by controlling the current supplied to the cartridge 22. The thickness of the conductive polymer film can be determined appropriately depending on the required amount of moisture absorption (desorption) of fine water. For example, when the conductive polymer film is formed to have a thickness of 1 to 30 micrometers, it can absorb enough moisture to release fine water in about 10 seconds to several tens of seconds.

[0023] Furthermore, the cartridge 22 generates uncharged (uncharged, uncharged) water particles with a particle size of 50 nanometers or less, for example, 2 nanometers or less, from the conductive polymer membrane of the water particle generating element 32. The reason for this particle size is thought to be that the size of the nanochannel is 2 nanometers or less, and water is released from the nanochannel due to increased water mobility and increased pressure caused by a temperature rise in the conductive polymer membrane. Furthermore, even if the water particles aggregate after being released, their particle size is distributed in the range of 50 nanometers or less.

[0024] Meanwhile, the temperature sensor 24 is a sensor for detecting the temperature of the cartridge 22. The control unit 11 can detect whether the cartridge 22 is operating normally based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 24. For example, if the temperature difference of the cartridge 22 caused by switching the power supply is equal to or greater than a threshold value (for example, 15°C), it is deemed to be operating normally. On the other hand, if the temperature of the cartridge 22 becomes abnormally high compared to the expected temperature while the power is supplied, processing such as stopping the power supply is also performed.

[0025] The control unit 11 is a control unit (MCU, MPU, etc.) located within the main body case 10 that controls the entire micro-particle water generator 1. It includes a CPU as a calculation and control device, RAM used as working memory when the CPU performs various calculation processes, a ROM storing control programs as well as the operation processing program (FIG. 11) and operation patterns (FIG. 12) described below, and internal storage devices such as flash memory for storing programs read from the ROM. It also includes a timer or other means for measuring the passage of time. The control unit 11 is also connected to a selector switch 38 that switches between energizing and de-energizing the cartridges 22 (micro-particle water generating elements 32) of the air blowing units 2a-2h as shown in FIG. 7, and can control the selector switch 38 (switching the energization ON / OFF). The control unit 11 is also connected to a selector switch 39 that switches the operation status, rotation direction (forward or reverse rotation), and air volume (two levels: weak or strong) of the blowers 23 of the blower units 2a to 2h, and can control the selector switch 39 (switching operation ON / OFF, rotation direction, and air volume). While only the blower unit 2a is shown in FIG. 7, the other blower units 2b to 2h can also use selector switches to control the power supply state of the cartridge 22, operation status, rotation direction, and air volume of the blowers 23, and each unit has its own selector switch. In other words, each unit can be individually controlled. The control unit 11 is also connected to an operation panel 16, and the control unit 11 can detect user operations performed on the operation panel 16 based on signals output from the operation panel 16.

[0026] Next, a description will be given of basic control patterns of the air blowing units 2a to 2h controlled by the control unit 11 with reference to Fig. 8. The control patterns of the air blowing units 2a to 2h are roughly divided into two patterns: (A) bidirectional rotation control and (B) unidirectional rotation control. First, (A) bidirectional rotation control will be described. Bidirectional rotation control is a pattern in which the blower 23 rotates forward and backward. By stopping the supply of electricity to the cartridge 22 (fine water generating element 32) and rotating the blower 23 backward, the fine water generating element 32 is cooled and moisture is absorbed into the conductive polymer film, which has become relatively low temperature due to cooling. Next, by stopping the blower 23 and applying electricity to the cartridge 22, heating is performed to raise the temperature of the fine water generating element 32. Then, by applying electricity to the cartridge 22 and rotating the blower 23 forward, moisture is released from the conductive polymer film, which has become relatively high temperature, and the water is discharged to the outside by blowing air. In this way, cooling, moisture absorption, heating, and moisture release constitute one cycle, and each blower unit 2a-2h is controlled by repeating this cycle. Furthermore, with bidirectional rotation control, air is blown toward the treatment target during moisture release, but air is not blown toward the treatment target during cooling, moisture absorption, or heating. Depending on the temperature state of the fine water generating element 32, moisture absorption occurs during cooling and moisture release occurs during heating. Next, (B) unidirectional rotation control will be explained. Unidirectional rotation control is a pattern in which the blower 23 is rotated only in the forward direction, and cooling and moisture absorption are performed by stopping the supply of electricity to the cartridge 22 and rotating the blower 23 in the forward direction. The blower 23 is also rotated in the forward direction not only for moisture release but also for heating. Therefore, cooling and moisture absorption are the same operation, and heating and moisture release are the same operation. In this way, with unidirectional rotation control, air is blown toward the treatment target not only during moisture release but also during cooling, moisture absorption, and heating. Note that during heating, the blower 23 may be stopped and no air may be blown, as with bidirectional rotation control.

[0027] In the fine water generator 1 of this embodiment, the control unit 11 may control the air blowing units 2a-2h using either the (A) bidirectional rotation control or the (B) unidirectional rotation control pattern. Alternatively, the control unit 11 may switch between the (A) bidirectional rotation control and the (B) unidirectional rotation control depending on the situation. However, in either the (A) bidirectional rotation control or the (B) unidirectional rotation control, while the fine water generator 1 is in operation, the control unit 11 controls the eight air blowing units 2a-2h so that the periods for cooling, absorbing moisture, and heating shown in FIG. 8 are offset from one another. In other words, during the period when cooling, absorbing moisture, and heating are performed, the blowing unit cannot emit an airflow containing fine water, but in this embodiment, there are eight blowing units 2a to 2h, and by staggering the periods when cooling, absorbing moisture, and heating are performed (so that at least one blowing unit is always in a period where moisture is released), even if there is a blowing unit that cannot emit an airflow containing fine water, the fine water generating device 1 as a whole can always emit an airflow containing fine water.

[0028] Furthermore, in the fine water generator 1 of this embodiment, by controlling the airflow strength of the blower 23 for each unit when the blower units 2a to 2h are discharging moisture as described below, it is also possible to displace the blown area, which is the area of ​​the human body that is reached by the airflow containing the fine water discharged from the blower units 2a to 2h. Details will be described later.

[0029] 1 to 5, the power supply board 12 is provided with a power circuit that receives power such as AC 100V from an external power source via a power cord, converts it as needed into power suitable for driving each component, such as the drive motor of the blower 23 and the cartridge 22 (micro-particle water generating element 32), and outputs it. Note that a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery may also be provided, in which case power can be supplied from the secondary battery even when not connected to an external power source.

[0030] 4, front filter 13 is disposed in front of blower units 2a to 2h (air outlet), and captures foreign matter (such as dust) in the airflow discharged through blower units 2a to 2h. Front filter 13 can be removed from main body 3 by the user, and it is recommended that the user clean front filter 13 or replace it with a new one after a certain period of time has passed.

[0031] 4, rear filter 14 is disposed opposite the rear surfaces (air intakes) of blower units 2a to 2h, and is fixed in place by filter cover 15 while being sandwiched between main body case 10 and rear filter 14. Rear filter 14 captures foreign matter (such as dust) in the outside air before it is sucked into blower 23 (however, when blower 23 rotates in reverse, the roles of rear filter 14 and front filter 13 are reversed). Rear filter 14 can be easily removed from main body 3 by the user by removing filter cover 15, and it is recommended that the user clean rear filter 14 or replace it with a new one after a certain period of time has passed.

[0032] Next, the operation panel 16 located on the top of the main body case 10 will be described. FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the operation panel 16. As shown in FIG. 9, the operation panel 16 is provided with various operation means, such as buttons and dials, that can be operated by a user operating the fine water generator 1. Specifically, the operation panel 16 includes a power button 41 for turning the fine water generator 1's main power on or off, a timer selection button 42 for setting the operation time (the time until the device is automatically turned off), a pattern selection dial 43 for selecting an operation pattern, a start button 44 for starting operation according to the set operation time and operation pattern, and a time elapsed lamp 45 for indicating the time elapsed since operation started. In this embodiment, the user can select seven operation patterns, Pattern 1 to Pattern 7, using the pattern selection dial 43. Each pattern is associated with a different target area, which is the area of ​​the human body that the airflow containing fine water emitted from the air blowing units 2a to 2h reaches (the position and size of the target area differ for each pattern). The user selects an operation pattern based on the target area to which the airflow containing fine water is particularly desired to be applied. For example, if you want to direct airflow containing fine water to your entire face, select "Pattern 3," and if you want to direct it specifically to your hair and forehead, select "Pattern 2." Note that "blown area" does not mean that the airflow reaches only the blown area (the wind does not reach areas of the human body other than the blown area), but rather that the airflow reaches the blown area as the center, meaning that the wind also reaches surrounding areas other than the blown area, albeit weakly.

[0033] 1 to 3, the buffer space 4 and the partition wall 5 of the fine water generator 1 will be described. The partition wall 5 is made of a resin material such as polypropylene or ABS resin, and is particularly molded from a permeable resin material. The partition wall 5 is provided on the front side of the main body 3 and has a dome shape with a curved surface that covers the air outlets of the air blowing units 2a to 2h, and the space partitioned by the partition wall 5 becomes the buffer space 4.

[0034] The partition wall 5 has an opening 50 formed from the bottom to the front. The fine water generator 1 of this embodiment is used by being installed above the head of a user 51 who is to be treated and who is lying on his back (upper side as seen from the lying user), with the front facing the user 51, as shown in Fig. 10. In this case, the opening 50 is formed so as to be in a position facing the head of the user 51 who is to be treated, as shown in Fig. 10. More specifically, the opening is shaped so that the area of ​​the opening is larger on the front side facing the user 51 than on the side sides, as shown in Fig. 1.

[0035] The buffer space 4 formed by the partition wall 5 has the function of temporarily collecting (converging) the multiple air currents generated by the blower units 2a-2h by the air currents generated by the blower units 2a-2h flowing along the partition wall 5 having a curved surface as shown in Fig. 10. The air currents collected in the buffer space 4 are then released toward the user 51 who is the treatment target through the opened opening 50. As described above, the opening 50 is formed at a position facing the head of the user 51 who is the treatment target. As a result, the multiple air currents generated by the blower units 2a-2h can be prevented from diffusing to the surroundings as soon as they are released from the device, and it becomes possible for the air currents to reach the target treatment target sufficiently.

[0036] The shape of the buffer space 4 can be changed as appropriate as long as it can collect multiple air currents generated from the blower units 2a to 2h. The optimal shape is determined by the number and arrangement of the blower units 2a to 2h.

[0037] Next, the operation processing program executed by the control unit 11 in the fine water generating device 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a flowchart of the operation processing program according to this embodiment. Here, the operation processing program is executed after the main power of the fine water generating device 1 is turned on, and is a program for executing the operation of releasing an airflow containing fine water onto the treatment target. In addition, the program shown in the flowchart in Fig. 11 below is stored in a memory or the like provided in the control unit 11, and is executed by an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU.

[0038] First, in step (hereinafter abbreviated as S) 1, the control unit 11 determines whether the power button 41 has been operated to turn on the main power, based on a signal from the operation panel 16 (see FIG. 9). If it is determined that the power button 41 has been operated to turn on the main power (S1: YES), the process proceeds to S2. On the other hand, if it is determined that the power button 41 has not been operated (S1: NO), the process waits until the main power is turned on.

[0039] In S2, the control unit 11 prepares the fine water generator 1 for operation when the main power is turned on. Specifically, it performs initial setting, preparation for starting each component, error checking, etc. In the initial setting in S2, the selector switch 38 is controlled to turn off the power supply to the cartridge 22. In addition, the selector switch 39 is controlled to stop the operation of the blower 23. In addition, in the initial setting, initial values ​​(for example, an operating time of 10 minutes and an operating pattern of pattern 1) are set for the operating time and operating pattern that can be set based on user operation, as described below. In addition, the initial values ​​for the operating time and operating pattern may be stored, for example, in a flash memory or the like from the time the power was last turned off, and the stored settings may be used as the initial values.

[0040] Next, in S3, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the fine water generating device 1 is ready to operate. If it is determined that the fine water generating device 1 is ready to operate (S3: YES), the process proceeds to S4. On the other hand, if it is determined that the fine water generating device 1 is not ready to operate (S3: NO), the process continues to prepare for operation.

[0041] In S4, the control unit 11 determines whether the timer selection button 42, in particular, has been operated based on a signal from the operation panel 16. If it is determined that the timer selection button 42 has been operated (S4: YES), the current operation time is changed based on the operation of the timer selection button 42 (S5). For example, in this embodiment, the operation time can be selected from "10 minutes," "20 minutes," and "30 minutes." Each time the timer selection button 42 is pressed, the control unit 11 changes the operation time in the following order: 10 minutes → 20 minutes → 30 minutes → 10 minutes → .... The operation time set in S5 is the time from when the start button 44 is pressed to start operation until operation ends, as described below. The fine water generator 1 automatically ends operation when the set operation time has elapsed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the timer selection button 42 has not been operated (S4: NO), the process proceeds to S6.

[0042] In S6, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the pattern selection dial 43 has been operated, based on a signal from the operation panel 16. If it is determined that the pattern selection dial 43 has been operated (S6: YES), the control unit 11 changes the current operation pattern based on the operation of the pattern selection dial 43 (S7).

[0043] In this embodiment, the user can select seven operating patterns using the pattern selection dial 43: pattern 1 to pattern 7. Each pattern corresponds to a different blown area, which is the area of ​​the human body that the airflow containing fine water released from the air blowing units 2a to 2h reaches. For example, the user selects an operating pattern based on the blown area that the user particularly wants the airflow containing fine water to hit. Figure 12 shows the correspondence between the operating patterns and the blown areas.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 12, each operation pattern is associated with not only the blown area but also the air volume of each of the blower units 2a to 2h (more specifically, the blower 23 included in each of the blower units 2a to 2h). For example, "Pattern 1" is associated with "weak" as the airflow rate for each of the airflow units 2a to 2h. When operating at the airflow rate of "Pattern 1," the airflow emitted from opening 50 flows as shown in FIG. 12 and hits the area of ​​the face above the nose, so the area to be blown is "above the nose." Therefore, if the user wants to hit the area "above the nose" with an airflow containing fine water, in particular, with airflow, the user selects "Pattern 1." Furthermore, "Pattern 2" corresponds to the airflow volume of each of the airflow units 2a to 2h, with "strong" being associated with the airflow units 2a and 2b located in the upper row, and "weak" being associated with the airflow units 2c to 2h located in the middle and lower rows. When operating with the airflow volume of "Pattern 2," the airflow emitted from the opening 50 flows as shown in FIG. 12 and hits the hair and the forehead area of ​​the face, mainly, so the area to be blown is the "hair and forehead." Therefore, the user selects "Pattern 2" when they want to hit the "hair and forehead" with an airflow containing fine water. Furthermore, "Pattern 3" corresponds to the airflow volume of each of the airflow units 2a to 2h, with "weak" being associated with the upper and lower airflow units 2a, 2b, and 2f to 2h, and "strong" being associated with the middle airflow units 2c to 2e. When operating with the airflow volume of "Pattern 3," the airflow emitted from the opening 50 flows as shown in FIG. 12 and hits the entire face evenly, so the area to be blown is the "entire face." Therefore, if the user wants the airflow containing fine water to hit the "entire face" evenly, they should select "Pattern 3." Furthermore, "Pattern 4" is the airflow volume of each of the airflow units 2a-2h, with "weak" corresponding to the airflow units 2a-2e located in the upper and middle rows, and "strong" corresponding to the airflow units 2f-2h located in the lower row. When operating with the airflow volume of "Pattern 4," the airflow emitted from the opening 50 flows as shown in FIG. 12 and hits the area of ​​the face from the nose to the chest, so the area to be blown is "the face from the nose down and the chest." Therefore, the user selects "Pattern 4" when they want to hit the area of ​​the face from the nose down and the chest in particular with an airflow containing fine water. Furthermore, "Pattern 5" is associated with the airflow of each of the air blowing units 2a-2h, with "strong" being associated with the leftmost air blowing units 2c and 2f, and "weak" being associated with the remaining air blowing units 2a, 2b, 2d, 2e, 2g, and 2h. When operating with the airflow of "Pattern 5," the airflow emitted from opening 50 flows as shown in FIG. 12 and hits the right half of the face, so the area to be blown is the "right side of the face." Therefore, if the user wants to hit the "right side of the face" with an airflow containing fine water, the user should select "Pattern 5." Furthermore, "Pattern 6" is the airflow rate of each of the airflow units 2a-2h, with "strong" being associated with the rightmost airflow units 2e and 2h, and "weak" being associated with the remaining airflow units 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2f, and 2g. When operating with the airflow rate of "Pattern 6," the airflow emitted from opening 50 flows as shown in FIG. 12 and hits the left half of the face, primarily, so the area to be blown is the "left side of the face." Therefore, if the user wants to hit the "left side of the face" with an airflow containing fine water, the user should select "Pattern 6." Furthermore, "Pattern 7" is associated with "strong" as the airflow volume for each of the air blowing units 2a to 2h. When operating at the airflow volume of "Pattern 7," the airflow emitted from opening 50 flows as shown in FIG. 12, and strong airflow hits a wide area including the entire face as well as the chest, so the area to be blown is "Entire Face (Strong)." Note that the area to be blown is similar to "Pattern 3," but "Pattern 7" hits a wider area and the airflow is stronger. Therefore, the user selects "Pattern 7" when they want to hit a wide area, including the "entire face," with a strong airflow containing fine water.

[0045] The combinations of the airflow volume and the blown area of ​​each of the blower units 2a-2h (more specifically, the blowers 23 included in each of the blower units 2a-2h) for each of the patterns 1-7 shown in FIG. 12 are stored in advance in a storage area such as a ROM. Then, when the start button 44 is operated, the control unit 11 reads out the control details of the blower units 2a-2h associated with the current operation pattern and controls the blower units 2a-2h (S9), as described below. Since each of the patterns 1-7 is associated with a blown area as shown in FIG. 12, the user's selection of operation pattern 1 also corresponds to the selection of the blown area. In other words, the user can specify the blown area to which the user particularly wants the airflow to be directed using the operation pattern, and the airflow volume of the blower units 2a-2h can be controlled according to the control pattern corresponding to the specified blown area, thereby allowing a sufficiently strong airflow to be directed around the specified area. Note that the blown area shown in Figure 12 does not mean that the airflow reaches only the blown area (the wind does not reach areas of the human body other than the blown area), but rather that the airflow reaches mainly the blown area, i.e., the wind also reaches surrounding areas other than the blown area, albeit weakly.

[0046] The pattern selection dial 43 is a dial-type operating means, and by rotating the pattern selection dial 43, it is possible to change the operation pattern from among the above-mentioned patterns 1 to 7. On the other hand, if it is determined that the pattern selection dial 43 has not been operated (S6: NO), the process proceeds to S8.

[0047] In S8, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the start button 44 has been operated, in particular, based on a signal from the operation panel 16. If it is determined that the start button 44 has been operated (S8: YES), the process proceeds to S9. On the other hand, if it is determined that the start button 44 has not been operated (S8: NO), the process returns to S4.

[0048] In S9, the control unit 11 starts the operation of the fine water generator 1. Specifically, the control unit 11 controls the air blower units 2a-2h using either the (A) bidirectional rotation control or (B) unidirectional rotation control pattern described in FIG. 8. As described above, the power supply to the cartridge 22 and the drive control of the air blower 23 are performed in the order of "cooling," "moisture absorption," "heating," and "moisture release." Note that when operation is first started, the power supply starts with "cooling." However, if the temperature of the cartridge 22 is already sufficiently low, the power supply may start with "moisture absorption." Furthermore, the airflow strength of the air blower 23, at least during moisture release, follows the current operating mode set in S7. For example, when pattern 2 is set, the air blower units 2a and 2b will have a "strong" airflow, while the air blower units 2c-2h located in the middle and bottom rows will have a "weak" airflow. Furthermore, the power supply to the cartridge 22 and the drive control of the air blower 23 are controlled individually for each air blower unit 2a-2h. The strength of the airflow during times other than when releasing moisture may also be set according to the current operation mode set in S7.

[0049] Thereafter, in S10, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the timing for switching the operation has arrived. If it is determined that the timing for switching the operation has arrived (S10: YES), the operation is switched (S11). Here, switching the operation refers to switching between "cooling," "moisture absorption," "heating," and "moisture release" as shown in FIG. 8. The timing for switching the operation is managed by time, and basically, the operation is switched when a preset time has elapsed since the previous operation switch (however, this does not include cases such as when an abnormality is detected by the temperature sensor 24).

[0050] The "cooling," "moisture absorption," "heating," and "moisture release" operations do not necessarily have to be performed for the same amount of time; they may be performed for different periods. The control unit 11 also controls the eight blower units 2a-2h so that the periods during which they perform "cooling," "moisture absorption," and "heating" are staggered. That is, during the periods during which they perform "cooling," "moisture absorption," and "heating," the blower units cannot emit airflow containing fine water. However, in this embodiment, there are eight blower units 2a-2h, and by staggering the periods during which they perform "cooling," "moisture absorption," and "heating" (ensuring that at least one blower unit is always performing moisture release), even if some blower units are unable to emit airflow containing fine water, the fine water generator 1 as a whole can always emit airflow containing fine water. Therefore, the determination in S10 and the operation switching in S11 are performed for each blower unit 2a-2h.

[0051] On the other hand, if it is determined that the timing to switch the operation has not yet arrived (S10: NO), the process proceeds to S12.

[0052] In S12, the control unit 11 determines whether the time elapsed since the start of operation in S9 has reached the operation time set in S5. If it is determined that the time elapsed since the start of operation has reached the operation time set in S5 (S12: YES), operation termination processing is performed (S13). For example, the selector switch 38 is controlled to turn off the power supply to the cartridge 22. Furthermore, the selector switch 39 is controlled to stop the operation of the blower 23.

[0053] On the other hand, if it is determined that the time elapsed since the start of operation has not reached the operation time set in S5 (S12: NO), the operation of the fine water generator 1 continues.

[0054] The fine water generator 1 executing the above-described operation processing program can emit the generated fine water in an uncharged (uncharged) state. Therefore, by exposing the user's skin to the fine water emitted from the fine water generator 1, the user can achieve a long-term moisturizing effect on the skin. It is generally said that the gaps between the stratum corneum of human skin are approximately 50 nanometers. As described above, the fine water generator 1 emits fine water of several nanometers or less in an uncharged (uncharged) state. This allows the emitted fine water to easily penetrate efficiently into the stratum corneum (inside the skin), resulting in a less decrease in the moisture content of the stratum corneum over time. Therefore, the fine water can provide a long-term moisturizing effect on the skin, and can be expected to, for example, improve fine wrinkles caused by dryness, improve skin texture, improve sagging and firmness, suppress excessive sebum secretion, and moisturize atopic skin (dry skin). In contrast, the water particles emitted by conventional devices are charged, making it difficult for them to maintain their fine particle shape after emission. Water particles that do not penetrate the stratum corneum (inside the skin), for example, if their particle size is larger than 50 nanometers, cannot penetrate toward the epidermis along with the beauty ingredients, and as a result, the penetration effect of the beauty ingredients cannot be enhanced.In addition, negatively charged water particles in particular are attracted to positively charged skin, making it difficult for them to penetrate into the stratum corneum (inside the skin).

[0055] As described above in detail, the fine water generator 1 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of blower units 2a-2h, each including a cartridge 22 that generates fine water and a blower 23, which generates an airflow containing the fine water generated by the cartridge 22 by driving the blower 23; a buffer space 4 that collects the airflows generated by the plurality of blower units 2a-2h; and an opening 50 that releases the airflow collected in the buffer space 4 toward the human body. By controlling the airflow volume of the blower 23 on a blower unit basis, the blown area, which is the area of ​​the human body that the airflow released from the opening 50 reaches, is displaced, allowing the generated airflow to reach the human body with sufficient strength. Furthermore, by controlling each blower included in the plurality of blower units on a blower unit basis, the area of ​​the human body that the airflow reaches can be displaced. In addition, there are multiple control patterns for the blower 23 by the control unit 11, and each of the multiple control patterns is associated with a blown area and the air volume of the blower on a blower unit basis to achieve the blown area.When a blown area is specified, the control unit 11 controls the air volume of the blower in accordance with the control pattern corresponding to the specified blown area (S7, S9).Therefore, by specifying an area where the user particularly wants the airflow to be directed, it is possible to direct a sufficiently strong airflow around the specified area. In addition, the control unit 11 displaces the position or size of the area to be blown on the human body by controlling the air volume of the blower 23 on a blowing unit basis, so that by controlling the air volume of the blower 23, it is possible to adjust the position and size of the area to which the airflow is particularly desired to be directed. Furthermore, since the fine water particles contained in the airflow are uncharged, the released fine water particles can easily penetrate the stratum corneum (inside the skin) efficiently, and as a result, the moisture content of the stratum corneum is less likely to decrease over time. Therefore, the fine water particles can provide a moisturizing effect on the skin for a long period of time, and can be expected to, for example, improve fine wrinkles caused by dryness, improve skin texture, improve sagging and firmness, suppress excessive sebum secretion, and moisturize atopic skin (dry skin).

[0056] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various improvements and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, patterns 1 to 7 shown in Fig. 12 are given as the operation patterns of the fine water generator 1, but the operation patterns are not limited to the patterns shown in Fig. 12. For example, if the air volume of the blower 23 could be adjusted to three or more stages instead of two, it would be possible to increase the number of operation patterns. Furthermore, the number of blower units 2a to 2h does not have to be eight, and may be seven or less, or nine or more.

[0057] In this embodiment, the user selects one of patterns 1 to 7 using the pattern selection dial 43, and the selected pattern is used until the end of the operation, but the pattern may be changed over time. For example, the operation pattern may be changed sequentially over time, such as pattern 1 → pattern 2 → pattern 3 → ...

[0058] Furthermore, the uses of the fine water generator 1 are not limited to cosmetic purposes, and for example, when applied to dry eye prevention devices (such as eye masks) and fine water is discharged onto the eyes or face of the user, it is expected that the penetration of the fine water will prevent dry eyes. Furthermore, when the fine water generator 1 is applied to an inhaler or ventilator and fine water is discharged onto the mucous membranes in the user's mouth, it is expected that the penetration of the fine water into the mucous membranes will improve the moisturizing and humidifying effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1...Fine water generating device (water particle blower), 2a to 2h...Blower unit, 3...Main body, 4...Buffer space, 5...Partition wall, 11...Control unit (control device), 16...Operation panel, 22...Cartridge (water particle generating unit), 23...Blower, 32...Fine water generating element, 50...Opening

Claims

1. a plurality of blower units each including a water particle generating section that generates water particles and a blower, the blower being driven to generate an airflow containing the water particles generated by the water particle generating section; A buffer space partitioned by a partition wall and configured to collect a plurality of air currents generated by the plurality of blowing units; an opening formed in a part of the partition wall for discharging the airflow collected in the buffer space toward a human body; a control device capable of controlling the air volume of the blowers included in the plurality of blower units on a blower unit basis, The control device is a water particle blowing device that displaces the blown area, which is the area of ​​the human body that the airflow released from the opening reaches, by controlling the air volume of the blower on a blowing unit basis.

2. There are a plurality of control patterns of the blower by the control device, and each of the plurality of control patterns is associated with the blown area and an air volume of the blower on a blowing unit basis for realizing the blown area, The water particle blowing device according to claim 1 , wherein when the blown area is designated, the control device controls the air volume of the blower according to a control pattern corresponding to the designated blown area.

3. The water particle blowing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device displaces a position or a size of the blown area on the human body by controlling the air volume of the blower on a blowing unit basis.

4. 3. The water particle blowing device according to claim 1, wherein the water particles contained in the air flow are in an uncharged state.

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