Ultrasonic horns, ultrasonic generators, and defoamers

Abstract

The present invention provides an ultrasonic horn that can effectively amplify mechanical vibrations and output ultrasonic vibrations having a focused high sound pressure, and that can remove foam generated in a liquid or semi-solid, an ultrasonic generator equipped with an ultrasonic horn, and a defoaming device. [Solution] The device comprises a main body portion 2 having an input end 11a of mechanical vibration, a drum-shaped small diameter portion 3 having a reduced diameter region 32 extending from the main body portion 2 and gradually reducing in diameter in a curved surface manner, an intermediate region 31 extending with a uniform diameter from the reduced diameter region 32, and an expanded diameter region 33 extending from the intermediate region 31 and gradually expanding in diameter in a curved surface manner, a flange portion 4 extending from the small diameter portion 3 and having an output end 42 of ultrasonic vibration on the opposite side, and a hollow portion 5 communicating from the output end 42 of the flange portion 4 to the inside of the small diameter portion 3 and having a curved bottom surface 52, an inner surface 51 of uniform diameter, and a first tapered region 53 and a second tapered region 54 which gradually expand in diameter from the inner surface 51.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic horn, an ultrasonic generator having the ultrasonic horn, and a defoaming device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in manufacturing processes in which various liquid or semi-solid products such as beverages, paints, and yeast-based bread dough are mixed, a phenomenon peculiar to this process occurs in which foam is generated on the liquid surface (top or upper surface). Such foam may be generated, for example, in tanks in which the above-mentioned various products are stored, as well as when products are filled into containers such as bottles, cans, and PET bottles, and after being generated in the liquid, it appears on the liquid surface due to specific gravity relationships, surface tension, and the like. For this reason, in manufacturing processes for various liquid or semi-solid products, it is desirable to effectively treat the foam that is generated.

[0003] Examples of beverages that may generate foam during the production process include carbonated beverages such as carbonated soft drinks and beer, as well as non-carbonated soft drinks that contain fruit juice as an ingredient, milk beverages, soy milk beverages, etc. In addition to beverages and paints, foam may also be generated in the processes for processing foods such as soy sauce and ice cream, various chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and resources such as petroleum and gasoline, just as described above.

[0004] The phenomenon of foaming occurs not only in the process of compounding various liquids or semisolids, but also in the process of filling these into containers such as bottles as products. If foaming occurs in a liquid or semisolid product in each process, it may lead to product loss, which is undesirable from the perspective of industrial production, and there is also a risk that the foam will adhere to the product container, resulting in an undesirable appearance of the product. Furthermore, the foaming may cause some kind of malfunction in pumps, piping, and other components of the production equipment.

[0005] Due to the above circumstances, various methods for removing foam have been tried in the past in processes that handle liquid or semi-solid products. As methods for removing foam, for example, chemical treatment using an antifoaming agent, mechanical treatment using a filter, etc., and foam separation treatment using centrifugal force have been proposed. However, when a chemical treatment using an antifoaming agent is adopted, the cost is high because an expensive antifoaming agent is used, and there is a concern that the components of the antifoaming agent may change the characteristics of the product. In addition, when a mechanical treatment using a filter, etc. is adopted, although there is little concern that the characteristics of the product may be changed, there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain a defoaming effect that can maintain the product quality. In addition, when a foam separation treatment using centrifugal force is performed, there is an advantage that it can be performed in-line in the manufacturing process, but there is a problem that it is difficult to ensure the timing of the defoaming treatment during the process.

[0006] In recent years, a method of removing bubbles by applying ultrasonic waves to the surface (liquid surface) of a liquid or semi-solid where bubbles have been generated has been adopted. As an ultrasonic horn used for applying ultrasonic waves to the liquid surface, a rectangular block-shaped main body having a front surface that directs an ultrasonic field to the object to be defoamed, a reduced diameter portion on the front surface, and a concave front surface have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to the ultrasonic horn described in Patent Document 1, the above-mentioned configuration effectively transmits the high amplitude frequency of the ultrasonic waves to the front surface, and the ultrasonic field is concentrated on the concave front surface, improving the defoaming effect of the liquid. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6012745 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, in the ultrasonic horn described in Patent Document 1, the reduced diameter section extending from the rectangular block-shaped main body is structured such that only a pair of opposing side surfaces are reduced in diameter, and the concave shape of the front surface is also concave only in the cross section corresponding to the pair of opposing side surfaces. Therefore, since it is difficult to obtain a focused high sound pressure with the ultrasonic horn of Patent Document 1, there is a problem that even if ultrasonic waves are irradiated to the liquid surface using this ultrasonic horn, it is difficult to effectively remove bubbles.

[0009] As described above, if foam cannot be completely removed from a product, it may result in various types of quality degradation, such as deterioration in appearance and flavor of beverage products, deterioration in the aesthetic appearance of paint after application, and deterioration in the quality of ingredients in various chemicals.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to provide an ultrasonic horn capable of effectively amplifying mechanical vibrations generated by a transducer and outputting focused ultrasonic vibrations having high sound pressure, as well as an ultrasonic generator equipped with this ultrasonic horn. Another object of the present invention is to provide a defoaming device capable of effectively removing foam generated on the surface of various liquids or semi-solids without causing deterioration of product properties, increase in cost, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research. As a result, they have found that by providing an ultrasonic horn with a small diameter section having a specific curved shape (constricted shape) and a flange section whose diameter increases toward the output end side, and by providing a cavity section having a specific shape so as to communicate with these flange section and small diameter section, mechanical vibrations are effectively amplified and ultrasonic vibrations are focused and output. As a result, it is possible to output ultrasonic vibrations having a focused high sound pressure, and it has been found that by irradiating this ultrasonic vibration to bubbles generated on the surface of a liquid or semi-solid, for example, it is possible to effectively break the bubbles, and thus the present invention has been completed.

[0012] That is, the present invention is an ultrasonic horn that outputs ultrasonic vibration by amplifying mechanical vibrations converted from an electrical signal in a transducer by resonating in accordance with the mechanical vibrations, the ultrasonic horn comprising: a cylindrical main body portion having an input end to which the mechanical vibrations are input; a tapered region extending from one end of the main body portion opposite the input end and gradually tapering in diameter in a curved shape toward the other end opposite the one end; an intermediate region extending with a uniform diameter from a terminal end of the tapered region toward the other end and having a smaller diameter than the main body portion; and a tapered region extending from a terminal end of the intermediate region and tapering toward the other end. and a flange portion extending from the other end of the small diameter portion, the opposite end of which serves as an output end of ultrasonic vibration generated by the mechanical vibration, the flange portion gradually expanding in diameter as it approaches the output end. The hollow portion is provided with a curved bottom surface, a uniform inner surface, and at least one tapered region arranged so as to gradually expand in diameter as it approaches the output end.

[0013] In the ultrasonic horn of the present invention, in the above aspect, it is more preferable that the bottom surface of the hollow portion is semispherical.

[0014] In the ultrasonic horn of the present invention, in the above-mentioned aspect, a configuration can be adopted in which the main body portion, the small diameter portion and the flange portion are integrally formed from aluminum, titanium, or an alloy material thereof.

[0015] In the above-mentioned aspect, the ultrasonic horn of the present invention can employ a configuration in which the frequency range of the ultrasonic vibration output from the output end is 13,000 to 25,000 (Hz).

[0016] In the above aspect, the ultrasonic horn of the present invention may employ a configuration in which the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration output from the output end is in the range of 1 to 180 μm in peak-to-peak value.

[0017] The present invention provides an ultrasonic generator comprising at least a cylindrical casing, a transducer housed in the vicinity of one end of the casing and converting an electrical signal into mechanical vibration and outputting the mechanical vibration, and an ultrasonic horn housed in the vicinity of the other end of the casing and amplifying the mechanical vibration output from the transducer to output ultrasonic vibration, wherein the ultrasonic horn is any one of the ultrasonic horns according to the present invention described above.

[0018] In the above aspect, the ultrasonic generator of the present invention further comprises a cone that is housed in and fixed to the casing, connected to an output portion of the transducer, and amplifies the mechanical vibrations output from the transducer and outputs them to the ultrasonic horn, the ultrasonic horn being connected to an output portion of the cone and further amplifying the mechanical vibrations amplified by the cone to output ultrasonic vibrations, and the cone being positioned so as to support the transducer and the ultrasonic horn inside the casing.

[0019] In the ultrasonic generator of the present invention, in the above aspect, a configuration can be adopted in which an output end of the ultrasonic horn is exposed to the outside from the other end side of the casing.

[0020] In the above-mentioned aspect, the ultrasonic generator of the present invention further preferably adopts a configuration including a reflector consisting of a flat plate-like member attached to the other end of the casing, which reflects backward waves of the ultrasonic vibrations output from the ultrasonic horn toward the casing, toward the output end of the ultrasonic horn.

[0021] The present invention provides a defoaming device comprising a tank for accommodating a liquid or semisolid material to be defoamed, and an agitator for agitating the material to be defoamed accommodated in the tank, wherein the agitator is attached to a rotating shaft and disposed so as to penetrate into the material to be defoamed, has a stirrer for agitating the material to be defoamed, and further comprises a mesh member for removing foam that has risen to the surface of the material to be defoamed.

[0022] In the above-mentioned aspect, the defoaming apparatus of the present invention can employ a configuration in which the mesh member is attached to the rotating shaft, arranged along the surface of the object to be defoamed, and comprises a mesh plate which rotates together with the stirrer to scoop up foam rising to the surface.

[0023] In the above-mentioned aspect, the defoaming device of the present invention further comprises one or more ultrasonic generators which output ultrasonic vibrations toward the foam scooped up by the mesh plate, and it is preferable that the ultrasonic generator is any one of the ultrasonic generators according to the present invention described above.

[0024] In the above-mentioned aspect, the defoaming device of the present invention may further comprise any one of the ultrasonic generators according to the present invention, wherein a casing provided in the ultrasonic generator has a main pipe in which an ultrasonic horn is housed and an inlet pipe provided so as to communicate with the main pipe and for introducing the material to be defoamed from the tank into the inside of the casing, the mesh member comprises one or more mesh filters disposed inside the casing, and the ultrasonic horn outputs ultrasonic vibrations toward the foam scooped up by the mesh filter. Effect of the Invention

[0025] The ultrasonic horn of the present invention has a configuration including a drum-shaped small diameter section extending from a cylindrical main body into which mechanical vibrations are input and including an area with a specific curved surface shape, a flange section extending from this small diameter section, and a cavity section of a specific shape that communicates with the flange section and the small diameter section. By having the small diameter portion, flange portion, and cavity portion having specific shapes as described above, the mechanical vibration generated by the transducer can be effectively amplified to output focused ultrasonic vibration having high sound pressure. Then, by irradiating this ultrasonic vibration to, for example, foam generated on the surface of a liquid or semi-solid, it becomes possible to effectively break the foam.

[0026] In addition, the ultrasonic generator of the present invention includes the ultrasonic horn of the present invention described above, and can output focused ultrasonic vibrations having high sound pressure, as described above. Therefore, by irradiating the output ultrasonic vibrations to the foam generated on the surface of the liquid or semi-solid to be defoamed, effective defoaming becomes possible.

[0027] Also, according to the defoaming device of the present invention, as described above, a configuration is adopted in which a mesh member is provided for removing foam rising to the surface of the liquid or semi-solid object to be defoamed contained in the tank. This makes it possible to efficiently remove foam generated on the surface of the object to be defoamed. Furthermore, when combined with the defoaming action by irradiation with ultrasonic vibrations, it becomes possible to more effectively remove foam generated on the object to be defoamed.

[0028] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, which refers to the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of an ultrasonic horn, an ultrasonic generator, and a defoaming device according to the present invention, and is a cutaway view showing a schematic overall configuration of the defoaming device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the ultrasonic horn according to the present invention, and is a side view showing one example of the ultrasonic horn. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of an ultrasonic horn according to the present invention, and is a front view showing an example of an ultrasonic horn from the output end side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the ultrasonic horn, ultrasonic generator, and defoaming device according to the present invention, and is a cutaway view showing another example of the ultrasonic generator shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the ultrasonic horn, ultrasonic generator, and defoaming device according to the present invention, and is a cutaway view showing another example of the ultrasonic generator shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the ultrasonic horn, ultrasonic generator, and defoaming device according to the present invention, and is a cutaway view showing another example of the ultrasonic generator shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the defoaming apparatus according to the present invention, and is a perspective view showing in outline another example of the mesh plate provided in the defoaming apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the ultrasonic horn, ultrasonic generator, and defoaming device according to the present invention, and is a perspective view showing, from below, the reflecting plate provided in the ultrasonic generator of the example shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of an ultrasonic horn, an ultrasonic generator, and a defoaming device according to the present invention, and is a cutaway view showing an example in which a mesh filter is provided inside the casing of the ultrasonic generator. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the ultrasonic horn, the ultrasonic generator, and the defoaming device according to the present invention, and is an enlarged plan view of the first mesh filter shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the ultrasonic horn, ultrasonic generator, and defoaming device according to the present invention, and is a cutaway view showing another example in which a mesh filter is provided inside the casing of the ultrasonic generator. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the ultrasonic horn, ultrasonic generator, and defoaming device according to the present invention, and is an enlarged plan view of the second mesh filter shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of an ultrasonic horn, an ultrasonic generator, and a defoaming device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In addition, in order to make the features of the ultrasonic horn, ultrasonic generator, and defoaming device of the present invention easier to understand, the drawings used in the following description may show characteristic parts slightly enlarged for convenience, and the dimensional ratios of each component may differ from the actual ones. Furthermore, the materials, dimensions, etc. exemplified in the following description are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to them, and appropriate changes may be made within the scope of the present invention.

[0031] <Ultrasonic horn> The configuration of the ultrasonic horn of this embodiment will be described in detail mainly with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a front view showing the ultrasonic horn 1 from the output end 42 side.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment amplifies mechanical vibrations converted from electrical signals in a transducer (see reference numeral 30 shown in Fig. 1, etc.) by resonating (stretching and contracting) in accordance with the mechanical vibrations, and outputs ultrasonic vibrations (see reference numeral W in Fig. 1). The ultrasonic horn 1 is generally configured to include a main body portion 2 having an input end 11a to which the mechanical vibrations are input, a small diameter portion 3 extending from the main body portion 2 and having a drum shape (constricted shape) including a region having a specific curved surface shape, a flange portion 4 extending from the small diameter portion 3, and a cavity portion 5 having a specific shape communicating with the flange portion 4 and the small diameter portion 3. By including the above-mentioned configuration, the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment has an overall configuration that is generally columnar, and the positions of the small diameter portion 3 and the flange portion 4 are generally cylindrical (bottomed tube) communicating with each other, as shown in the illustrated example.

[0033] The ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment is incorporated into an ultrasonic generator 10 as shown in FIG. 1, for example, so that the mechanical vibrations output from the transducer 30 are input via the cone 20, and the mechanical vibrations are amplified and output as ultrasonic vibrations W. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment is incorporated into an ultrasonic generator 10 and provided in a defoaming device 100, thereby making it possible to irradiate ultrasonic vibrations W to bubbles B that have formed on the surface of a liquid or semi-solid object to be defoamed L, thereby removing the bubbles B.

[0034] The main body 2 is configured in a roughly cylindrical shape and has an input end 11a on the base end 11 side to which the mechanical vibration output from the transducer 30 is input directly or indirectly via the cone 20. The main body 2 functions as a base for the ultrasonic horn 1 by having screw holes 21 provided at a total of four locations in the trunk region 23 for fixing to a casing (see reference numeral 40 in FIG. 1 etc.) of the ultrasonic generator 10, the details of which will be described later.

[0035] The input end 11a is disposed on the central axis J of the ultrasonic generator 10 at the base end 11 of the main body 2, and is formed so as to protrude slightly from the base end 11. An input hole 22 is provided in the input end 11a, and an output shaft (not shown) of the transducer 30 can be inserted therein by, for example, screwing or fitting. Although detailed illustration is omitted in Figs. 2 and 3, the base end 11 and the input end 11a are formed in a circular shape in a plan view.

[0036] The above-mentioned trunk region 23 extends from the base end 11 toward one end 2b of the main body 2 via the inclined region 12. In the illustrated example, the inclined region 12 extends from the periphery of the base end 11 so as to gradually increase in diameter toward the starting end 2a of the trunk region 23, and the trunk region 23 is configured to extend with a uniform diameter from the starting end 2a to the one end 2b.

[0037] The maximum diameter of the main body 2, i.e., the diameter D1 of the trunk region 23, is not particularly limited, but can be appropriately determined while taking into consideration the range of the amplitude and frequency of the ultrasonic vibration W described later, which takes into account the efficiency of removing foam B generated on the surface of the object to be defoamed L and the durability of the ultrasonic horn 1, etc.

[0038] The small diameter portion 3 is provided so as to extend from one end 2b of the main body portion 2. Specifically, the small diameter portion 3 has a reduced diameter region 32 that extends from the one end 2b of the main body portion 2 and gradually reduces in diameter in a curved surface manner toward the other end 3a opposite to the one end 2b, an intermediate region 31 that extends with a uniform diameter from the end of the reduced diameter region 32 toward the other end 3a and has a smaller diameter than the main body portion 2, and an expanded diameter region 33 that extends from the end of the intermediate region 31 and gradually increases in diameter in a curved surface manner toward the other end 3a. Due to the above-mentioned configuration, the small diameter portion 3 has two curved surfaces in the direction along the central axis J and is roughly in a hand-held drum shape (constricted shape).

[0039] The curvature R1 of the narrowing region 32 is not particularly limited, but is preferably determined appropriately while taking into consideration the alleviation of vibration stress due to mechanical vibration in the small diameter portion 3 which is cylindrical due to the presence of a hollow portion 5 described in detail below, the removal efficiency of the foam B described above (optimum frequency setting), etc. The curvature R2 of the diameter-increasing region 33 is not particularly limited either, and is preferably determined appropriately while taking into consideration the same factors as those for the curvature R1 of the diameter-reducing region 32 described above.

[0040] The diameter D2 of the intermediate region 31 is not particularly limited either, and is determined by the relationship between the diameter D1 of the main body 2 and the curvature R1 of the tapered region 32 in the small diameter portion 3. By providing the intermediate region 31 in the small diameter portion 3 with a uniform diameter along the central axis J, the amplitude expansion can be made to approximate the theoretical value. As described above, it is preferable that the diameter D2 of the intermediate region 31 is appropriately determined in the cylindrical small diameter portion 3 while taking into consideration the alleviation of vibration stress caused by mechanical vibration, the removal efficiency of the foam B described above (setting of the optimal frequency), etc.

[0041] In the illustrated example, the diameter D2 of the intermediate region 31 is smaller than the diameter D1, which is the maximum diameter of the main body 2. However, this is not limited to this, and depending on the amplitude and frequency to be set, it is also possible to make the diameter D2 larger than the diameter D1, for example, by reviewing the overall shape of the ultrasonic horn 1.

[0042] The length of the entire small diameter portion 3 in the direction along the central axis J is not particularly limited, but is determined by the difference between the length L1 including the length of the flange portion 4, which will be described later, and the length L2 of only the flange portion 4. As with the above, it is preferable that the length of the entire small diameter portion 3 be appropriately determined while taking into consideration the efficient amplification of mechanical vibrations in the cylindrical small diameter portion 3.

[0043] As described above, the flange portion 4 is provided so as to extend from the other end 3a of the small diameter portion 3. The flange portion 4 has a tapered surface 41 configured such that the end opposite the other end 3a serves as an output end 42 of ultrasonic vibrations W generated by mechanical vibration, and the diameter of the tapered surface 41 gradually increases toward the output end 42 side.

[0044] The angle θ1 of the tapered surface 41 with respect to the central axis J is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately determined while taking into consideration that the above-mentioned amplitude enlarging action by the flange portion 4 is effectively obtained and the enlarging width is within an appropriate range. From this viewpoint, the angle θ1 of the tapered surface 41 with respect to the central axis J can be designed in the range of 0 to 80°. On the other hand, if the angle θ1 is too small, the mass of the flange portion 4 becomes too large, making it difficult to obtain the amplitude enlarging action, and if the angle θ1 is too large, the amplitude becomes excessive, and there is a risk of unintended vibration, cracks, and the like occurring. From this viewpoint, the angle θ1 is preferably about 20 to 45°.

[0045] Furthermore, the maximum diameter of the flange portion 4, i.e., the diameter D2 on the output end 42 side, is not particularly limited, and is determined by the curvature R2 of the expanded region 33 in the small diameter portion 3 described above, the angle θ1 of the tapered surface 41 with respect to the central axis J, and the length L2 of the flange portion 4. For example, as in the illustrated example, the diameter D2 of the flange portion 4 can be the same as the diameter D1 of the trunk region 23 of the main body 2 described above. Similarly to the angle θ1 described above, the diameter D2 of the flange portion 4 may be appropriately determined while taking into consideration the effect of expanding the amplitude of the mechanical vibration in the flange portion 4.

[0046] 2 and 3, the flange portion 4 has a tapered outer surface so that the diameter increases overall toward the output end 42, but is not limited to this, and may have, for example, an inverse tapered shape that slopes in the opposite direction to the illustrated example, or a curved shape that bulges outward (inverse R shape). In this way, when the flange portion is configured in an inverse R shape, it is possible to output the ultrasonic vibrations W while diffusing them.

[0047] The hollow portion 5 is provided in a concave shape so as to communicate from the output end 42 of the flange portion 4 to the inside of the small diameter portion 3. More specifically, the hollow portion 5 has a curved bottom surface 52, an inner side surface 51 having a uniform diameter, and at least one tapered region provided so as to gradually increase in diameter from the inner side surface 51 toward the output end 42. In the illustrated example, the hollow portion 5 has a two-step tapered region consisting of a first tapered region 53 and a second tapered region 54. In the illustrated example, the second tapered region 54 is disposed radially outward from the first tapered region 53 via a step 5a.

[0048] The ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment has the above-mentioned hollow portion 5, so that the small diameter portion 3 and the flange portion 4 are configured to be generally cylindrical and communicate with each other. That is, in the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment, the main body portion 2 is configured to be solid and cylindrical, while the small diameter portion 3 and the flange portion 4 are configured to be cylindrical and communicate with each other.

[0049] The maximum diameter of the hollow portion 5, i.e., the inner diameter D4 at the position of the inner surface 51, is not particularly limited and can be determined appropriately while taking into consideration the efficient amplification of mechanical vibrations in the small diameter portion 3 and flange portion 4, which are approximately cylindrical as described above.

[0050] 2 and 3, in ultrasonic horn 1 having a roughly drum-shaped structure, the amplitude expansion ratio is the area ratio between the circular cross-sectional area determined by diameter D1 of main body 2 and the sliced ​​cross-sectional area obtained by subtracting the cavity cross-sectional area determined by inner diameter D4 of cavity 5 from the circular cross-sectional area determined by diameter D3 of intermediate region 31 in small diameter portion 3. For this reason, each of the diameter D1 of main body 2, diameter D3 of intermediate region 31 in small diameter portion 3, and inner diameter D4 at the position of inner surface 51 of cavity 5 can be determined by the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration W to be targeted.

[0051] On the other hand, there is a problem that the amplitude amplification ratio in the above-mentioned structure is never directly proportional to the above-mentioned area ratio as in the calculated value. For this reason, the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment adopts a configuration in which a flange portion 4 is provided on the output side of the ultrasonic vibration W to reinforce the amplification effect.

[0052] The bottom surface 52 of the hollow portion 5 is not particularly limited in its detailed shape or curvature, so long as it is curved. However, as described above, from the viewpoint of preventing the occurrence of cracks and the like inside the hollow portion 5, it is more preferable that it be hemispherical. The curvature SR1 when the bottom surface 52 of the hollow portion 5 is made hemispherical is not particularly limited, but is uniquely determined by the inner diameter D4 of the inner surface 51 when the inner diameter D4 is uniform in the direction along the central axis J.

[0053] The first tapered region 53 is a region provided for effectively converging the ultrasonic vibrations W while compensating for the amplitude near the opening of the inner side surface 51 where the amplitude of the mechanical vibration in the cavity 5 is less likely to occur. The angle θ2 of the first taper region 53 with respect to the central axis J is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately determined while taking into consideration effectively compensating for the amplitude near the opening of the inner surface 51 as described above and effectively converging the ultrasonic vibrations W.

[0054] Like the first taper region 53, the second taper region 54 is a region provided to compensate for the amplitude of mechanical vibrations in the cavity 5 near the opening of the inner surface 51, where the amplitude is less likely to occur, and to effectively converge the ultrasonic vibrations W. The angle θ3 of the second taper region 54 with respect to the extension direction of the output end 42 is also not particularly limited, and similarly to the above, can be appropriately determined while taking into consideration effectively compensating for the amplitude near the opening of the inner surface 51 and effectively converging the ultrasonic vibration W at, for example, 4λ, which is the wavelength of air.

[0055] By providing the second tapered region 54, when removing bubbles from a defoaming target made of a liquid or semi-solid, which will be described in detail later, the effect of efficiently defoaming can be obtained even if the target is contained in a container with a narrow opening, such as a bottle.

[0056] The depth L4 of the first taper region 53 from the output end 42 is also not particularly limited, and can be determined appropriately while taking into consideration effectively focusing the ultrasonic vibrations W output from the output end 42 while compensating for the amplitude near the opening of the inner surface 51, as described above. Furthermore, it is preferable to determine the depth L4 of the first tapered region 53 while taking into consideration the balance with the depth L3 from the output end 42 of the second tapered region 54 described below. This is because if the depth L4 of the first tapered region 53 is too large, there is a risk of losing the balance of the vibration of the entire ultrasonic horn 1. As in the ultrasonic horn 1 described in this embodiment, by combining the first tapered region 53, the second tapered region 54, the flat step 5a, and further a curved surface as necessary, it is possible to appropriately respond to various specifications required for the ultrasonic horn 1.

[0057] The depth L3 of the second taper region 54 from the output end 42 is also not particularly limited, and can be determined taking into consideration the balance with the depth L4 of the first taper region 53 as described above, as well as points similar to those in the case of the depth L4 of the first taper region 53.

[0058] The distance between the first tapered region 53 and the second tapered region 54 is not particularly limited either, and may be appropriately determined while taking into consideration the reinforcing and focusing effects of the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations W, the size of the diameter D2 of the flange portion 4, and the like, as described above. In the illustrated example, the space between the first tapered region 53 and the second tapered region 54 is flat, with a step 5a interposed between them.

[0059] The ultrasonic horn 1 of the example described in this embodiment is provided with a combination of the two tapered regions as described above, so that the focusing distances of the ultrasonic waves in these two tapered regions are different from each other. This makes it possible to focus the ultrasonic amplitude more effectively and output a higher sound pressure than when a tapered region is provided alone.

[0060] In this embodiment, an example is described in which the first tapered region 53 and the second tapered region 54 are provided, each of which expands in a substantially linear cross section, as shown in the figure. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and it is also possible, for example, to configure the tapered region to have a substantially curved cross section.

[0061] In the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment, the main body 2, the small diameter portion 3, and the flange portion 4 are preferably integrally formed from the same material from the viewpoint of ensuring the mechanical strength of the ultrasonic horn 1 as a whole and effectively focusing and outputting the ultrasonic vibrations W while efficiently amplifying the mechanical vibrations. The material in such a case is not particularly limited, but for example, aluminum, titanium, or alloy materials thereof can be appropriately adopted. Among these materials, it is preferable to use titanium or a titanium alloy for the ultrasonic horn 1 from the viewpoint of being able to output the ultrasonic vibrations W while amplifying the mechanical vibrations with particularly excellent efficiency and having excellent strength characteristics. On the other hand, it is preferable to use aluminum or an aluminum alloy for the ultrasonic horn 1 from the viewpoint of being able to output the ultrasonic vibrations W by amplifying the mechanical vibrations with sufficient efficiency and being able to suppress material costs while ensuring a predetermined mechanical strength. Although it is possible to use stainless steel or iron as materials for ultrasonic horns, these materials are not preferable because they are very hard, have large internal losses due to mechanical vibrations, and are prone to heat generation and cracks.

[0062] In the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment, the frequency of the ultrasonic vibration W output from the output end 42 is not particularly limited, but may be in the range of 13000 to 25000 (Hz), for example, 19000 (Hz). By setting the frequency in such a low range for ultrasonic vibration, the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration described later can be secured to be large. This makes it possible to expand the area to which the ultrasonic vibration can be applied, and the ultrasonic vibration is less likely to attenuate. If the frequency of the ultrasonic vibration output from the output end 42 exceeds the upper limit of the above range, the above effect is difficult to obtain. In addition, if the frequency of the ultrasonic vibration output from the output end 42 is below the lower limit of the above range, the defoaming effect obtained by the ultrasonic vibration, which will be described in detail later, is difficult to obtain, and the frequency falls within the audible frequency range, which may affect the user's ears.

[0063] In addition, in the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment, the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration W output from the output end 42 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, in the range of 1 to 180 μm in peak-to-peak value. By designing each part of the ultrasonic horn 1 so that the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration W output from the output end 42 is in the above range, it becomes possible to output ultrasonic vibration with a high amplitude ratio, and it becomes possible to effectively exhibit the defoaming action described in detail later. If the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration output from the output end 42 exceeds the upper limit of the above range, the amplitude is too large and there is a risk of cracking in the ultrasonic horn 1. From these viewpoints, the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration W output from the output end 42 is more preferably in the range of 1 to 160 μm, and even more preferably in the range of 1 to 140 μm.

[0064] The ultrasonic horn 1, with the above configuration, is capable of outputting ultrasonic vibrations W with a high sound pressure of, for example, about 80 to 160 dB from the output end 42, although this is also affected by the characteristics of the transducer, the details of which will be described later.

[0065] According to the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment, as described above, the small diameter section 3 extending from the main body 2 is roughly hand-held shaped by sequentially arranging the curved reduced diameter region 32, the uniform diameter intermediate region 31, and the curved expanded diameter region 33 in the direction along the central axis J. In this manner, by forming the small diameter section 3 so as to be constricted in the direction along the central axis J, it is possible to obtain the effect of effectively amplifying the mechanical vibration transmitted from the main body 2.

[0066] Furthermore, the ultrasonic horn 1 includes a flange portion 4 and is configured to output ultrasonic vibrations W from the output end 42, which is the tip of the flange portion 4, so that the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations W is amplified by the inertia of the flange portion 4. This makes it possible to effectively focus the ultrasonic vibrations W forward of the output end 42 and obtain a higher sound pressure.

[0067] Moreover, the ultrasonic horn 1 includes a hollow portion 5 having a curved bottom surface 52 and an inner side surface 51 of uniform diameter, and the small diameter portion 3 and the flange portion 4 are configured to be roughly cylindrical, so that the mechanical vibrations are effectively amplified inside the hollow portion 5. Furthermore, the hollow portion 5 has a first tapered region 53 and a second tapered region 54 in the vicinity of the output end 42 side, which is the opening side, so that the ultrasonic vibrations W can be more effectively focused toward the front of the output end 42, making it possible to obtain even higher sound pressure.

[0068] Therefore, when the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment is used to construct an ultrasonic generator 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 and applied to a defoaming device 100, it becomes possible to perform an effective defoaming process by irradiating focused ultrasonic vibrations W having high sound pressure onto the foam B that forms on the surface of the liquid or semi-solid object L to be defoamed. Furthermore, the ultrasonic horn 1 having the above configuration can perform efficient defoaming treatment on both a defoaming object contained in a container with a small opening, such as a bottle or a plastic bottle, and a defoaming object contained in a container with a large opening, such as a large tank.

[0069] Furthermore, the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment has a simple shape and does not pose much difficulty in metal processing, so it can be manufactured at low cost.

[0070] <Ultrasonic generator> The configuration of the ultrasonic generator of this embodiment will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figs. 1, 4 to 6, and 8 (also refer to Figs. 2 and 3 which show the detailed configuration of the ultrasonic horn 1 as necessary). FIG. 1 is a cutaway view showing in outline the overall configuration of a defoaming device 100 equipped with an ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment, which is configured to include the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment described above. 4 to 6 are cutaway views showing ultrasonic generators 10A, 10B and 10C, which are other examples of the ultrasonic generator shown in FIG. 1, respectively. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the reflector 60 provided in the ultrasonic generator 10 of the example shown in FIG. 1, viewed from below.

[0071] The ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is generally configured to include a casing, a transducer 30, and the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment described above. Moreover, the ultrasonic generator 10 of the example shown in FIG.

[0072] The casing is provided as a housing in the ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment, and in the illustrated example, is composed of a first casing 40, a joint 80, and a second casing 50, which are generally cylindrical. The first casing 40 and the second casing 50 are connected via the joint 80 at a position corresponding to the cone 20. The transducer 30 is accommodated in the first casing 40, the ultrasonic horn 1 is accommodated in the second casing 50, and the cone 20 is accommodated so as to straddle the first casing 40, the joint 80, and the second casing 50. In the illustrated example, one end 50a of the second casing 50 is connected to the joint 80, and a reflector 60, the details of which will be described later, is attached to the other end 50b. In the illustrated example, the flange portion 4 (output end 42) of the ultrasonic horn 1 is exposed from the other end 50b and the reflector 60.

[0073] The transducer 30 converts an electrical signal into mechanical vibration and outputs it. In the illustrated example, it is accommodated near one end of the casing, that is, inside the first casing 40. The transducer 30 is not particularly limited as long as it is a vibrator capable of converting an AC signal received from an oscillator (not shown) into mechanical vibration. For example, a bolt-clamped Langevin type vibrator (BLT: Bolt-clamped Langevin Type Transducer) can be used.

[0074] The cone 20 is selectively provided in the ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment, and amplifies the mechanical vibration output from the transducer 30 and outputs it toward the ultrasonic horn 1. As described above, the cone 20 is housed so as to straddle each of the first casing 40, the joint 80, and the second casing 50, and although detailed illustration is omitted, it is connected to the output portion of the transducer 30 by a method such as bolting.

[0075] With the above configuration, in the ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment, the ultrasonic horn 1 is connected to the output portion 20a of the cone 20, and is configured to further amplify the mechanical vibration amplified by the cone 20 to output the ultrasonic vibration W. In addition, the output portion 20a of the cone 20 is connected by a method such as screwing or fitting to the input hole 22 of the input end 11a provided in the main body 2 of the ultrasonic horn 1 shown in Figs.

[0076] 1 and the like, the cone 20 is fixed to, for example, any one or all of the first casing 40, the joint 80, and the second casing 50 by screwing or the like at a flange-shaped portion. As a result, the cone 20 is disposed so as to support the components of the vibration system consisting of the transducer 30 and the ultrasonic horn 1 inside the casing.

[0077] In addition, in the ultrasonic generators 10, 10A, 10B, and 10C shown in the example in Fig. 1 and the examples in Fig. 4 to Fig. 6, the cone 20 is provided between the transducer 30 and the ultrasonic horn 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the ultrasonic generator of this embodiment, for example, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the output portion of the transducer 30 is directly connected to the input end 11a of the ultrasonic horn 1 without providing the cone 20.

[0078] The reflecting plate 60 is also optionally provided in the ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment, and is made of a flat plate member attached to the other end 50b of the second casing 50, as shown in the schematic cutaway view of Fig. 1 and the perspective view of Fig. 8. The reflecting plate 60 reflects the backward wave of the ultrasonic vibration outputted from the ultrasonic horn 1, which is outputted to the second casing 50 side, toward the output end 42 of the ultrasonic horn 1, thereby converting the backward wave of the ultrasonic vibration so that it travels in the same direction as the forward wave of the ultrasonic vibration.

[0079] The reflecting plate 60 is not particularly limited, and any metal material capable of effectively reflecting ultrasonic vibrations can be used without any restrictions.

[0080] In the ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment, by providing the reflector 60 having the above-mentioned configuration and converting the backward wave of the ultrasonic vibration into a progressive wave, it becomes possible to enhance the progressive wave of the ultrasonic vibration W toward the front side of the output end 42 by about 1.3 to 1.5 times as much as in the case where the reflector 60 is not provided. In addition, since the irradiation area of ​​the ultrasonic vibration W can be enlarged, it becomes possible to perform the defoaming treatment efficiently over a wide range on the surface of the defoaming object.

[0081] Although detailed illustration is omitted, the ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment may adopt a configuration in which, for example, a fluid capable of cooling the transducer 30 and the cone 20 is circulated inside the first casing 40. This makes it possible to prevent the transducer 30 and the like from becoming overheated, and therefore makes it possible to stably output ultrasonic vibrations W. The above-mentioned fluid is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include compressed air and inert gas.

[0082] When using the ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment to output ultrasonic vibrations W, if it is used in intermittent oscillation, a large stress may be applied to the vibration system, i.e., the ultrasonic horn 1, in addition to the oscillator (not shown) during the transitional period at the start of oscillation. For this reason, when using the ultrasonic generator 10 of this embodiment, it is preferable from the viewpoint of reducing the above-mentioned stress to adopt a method of controlling the output of the ultrasonic vibrations W itself, rather than oscillation by simply turning on / off the power supply to the transducer 30. Examples of such an output control method include a method of operating at an optimal value of the resonant frequency while maintaining an idling state with power supply always on.

[0083] The ultrasonic generator of this embodiment is not limited to the configuration of the ultrasonic generator 10 shown in FIG. For example, it is possible to adopt a configuration including a second casing 50A bent into a substantially L-shape, as in the ultrasonic generator 10A shown in Fig. 4. In the ultrasonic generator 10A shown in Fig. 4, the second casing 50A is configured into a substantially L-shape in which a first straight portion 55a, a bent portion 55c, and a second straight portion 55b are connected from one end 50a to the other end 50b. In the illustrated example, an adapter 81 is attached to the other end 50b.

[0084] 4, the entire ultrasonic horn 1 including the flange portion 4 is completely housed inside the second casing 50A, and the ultrasonic vibrations W output from the output end 42 are changed in direction at a right angle at the bent portion 55c, and are output from the other end 50b via the adapter 81. The adapter 81 has a reduced diameter on the downstream side, and is configured to be able to output the ultrasonic vibrations W while further focusing them.

[0085] 4, the ultrasonic generator 10A includes the second casing 50A and the adapter 81 configured as described above, so that the ultrasonic vibrations W can be focused and irradiated toward a desired position. In addition, the ultrasonic generator 10A includes the generally L-shaped second casing 50A as described above, so that the ultrasonic generator 10A can be flexibly installed when applied to a defoaming device or the like described later. Furthermore, as will be described in more detail below, by adopting a configuration including the second casing 50A and adapter 81 of the above-mentioned configuration, the ultrasonic horn 1 can be positioned at a position far away from the surface of the material L to be defoamed, thereby achieving the effect of preventing droplets of the material L to be defoamed from adhering to the ultrasonic horn 1.

[0086] In addition, in this embodiment, for example, as in the example ultrasonic generator 10B shown in Figure 5, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a second casing 50B is provided that is linear from one end 50a toward the other end 50b, and an adapter 81 and a pipe 82 are connected to the other end 50b so as to communicate with each other.

[0087] In the ultrasonic generator 10B shown in FIG. 5, the ultrasonic horn 1, including the flange portion 4, is completely housed inside the second casing 50B, and the ultrasonic vibration W output from the output end 42 travels straight through the second casing 50B and is then output via the adapter 81 and pipe 82.

[0088] According to the ultrasonic generator 10B illustrated in FIG. 5, by including a second casing 50B, an adapter 81, and a pipe 82, it is possible to irradiate the ultrasonic vibrations W toward a desired position while further focusing the vibrations, similar to the ultrasonic generator 10A illustrated in FIG. 4. Furthermore, by adopting a configuration including the second casing 50B, adapter 81, and pipe 82 of the above-mentioned configuration, the ultrasonic horn 1 can be positioned at a position far away from the surface of the object to be defoamed L, as in the case of the ultrasonic generator 10A described above, thereby obtaining the effect of preventing droplets of the object to be defoamed L from adhering to the ultrasonic horn 1.

[0089] In this embodiment, for example, as in the ultrasonic generator 10C of the example shown in Fig. 6, a third casing 50C may be further attached to the reflecting plate 60 attached to the other end 50b of the second casing 50. In the ultrasonic generator 10C of the illustrated example, one end 56a of the third casing 50C is attached so as to follow the peripheral portion 60a of the reflecting plate 60. That is, the ultrasonic generator 10C illustrated in Fig. 6 is the ultrasonic generator 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 further provided with a third casing 50C.

[0090] According to the ultrasonic generator 10C having the above-mentioned configuration, the backward wave of the ultrasonic vibration reflected by the reflecting plate 60 is converted into a progressive wave, and the progressive wave of the ultrasonic vibration W, which is significantly enhanced, is output from the other end 56b while being guided within the third casing 50C. As a result, the ultrasonic vibration W focused with high sound pressure can be irradiated over a wide area in an enhanced state, so that it becomes possible to more efficiently defoam a wide range on the surface of the object to be defoamed.

[0091] <Defoaming device> The configuration of the defoaming device of this embodiment will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 1 and Figures 4 to 6 referenced above, as well as Figure 7 (and, if necessary, also refer to Figures 2 and 3 which show the detailed configuration of the ultrasonic horn 1). FIG. 1 shows a defoamer 100 equipped with a mesh plate (mesh member) 74. FIG. 7 is a perspective view that shows a schematic view of a mesh plate 75 that is another example of the mesh plate provided in the defoaming apparatus 100 shown in FIG.

[0092] The defoaming apparatus 100 of this embodiment is generally configured to include a tank 71 that accommodates a defoamed object L, an agitator 70 that agitates the defoamed object L accommodated in the tank 71, and a mesh member for removing foam B that has risen to the surface of the defoamed object L. In the defoaming apparatus 100 of the example shown in Fig. 1, the agitator 70 has a stirring bar 73b. Moreover, the defoaming apparatus 100 of the illustrated example includes a mesh plate 74 attached to a rotating shaft 73a of the agitator 70 as the mesh member.

[0093] Furthermore, the defoaming device 100 of the example shown in FIG. 1 is further provided with an ultrasonic generator 10 including the ultrasonic horn 1 of the above-mentioned embodiment at one location, and is configured to be capable of outputting ultrasonic vibrations W toward the foam B scooped up from the surface of the object L to be defoamed by the mesh plate 74.

[0094] Tank 71 is a container that contains defoaming target L made of liquid or semisolid, which is the target of defoaming in this embodiment, and while only a schematic structure is shown in Fig. 1, it is composed of, for example, a cylindrical container with a bottom. Inside tank 71, a part of rotating shaft 73a, stirring bar 73b, and mesh plate 74 that constitute stirrer 70 are contained from the opening at the top.

[0095] The tank 71 is not particularly limited, and any container made of a material, such as metal or glass, that has resistance to various properties of the object L to be defoamed contained therein can be used without any restrictions.

[0096] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the agitator 70 is configured to include a motor 72, a rotating shaft 73a, and an agitator 73b that agitates the material L to be defoamed.

[0097] The motor 72 generates a torque for rotating the rotating shaft 73a by connecting the rotating shaft 73a to an output shaft (not shown). The motor 72 is not particularly limited, and a general AC motor or DC motor can be used without any restriction.

[0098] As described above, the rotating shaft 73a rotates by the torque of the motor 72, thereby rotating the stirrer 73b and the mesh plate 74. There are no particular limitations on the rotating shaft 73a, but in consideration of the load generated when rotating the stirrer 73b or the mesh plate 74 inside or on the surface of the object L to be defoamed which is made of a liquid or semisolid, and the resistance to various properties of the object L to be defoamed, it is preferable to employ, for example, a high-strength shaft made of a stainless steel material or the like and having corrosion resistance.

[0099] As described above, the stirrer 73b is attached to the rotating shaft 73a and disposed so as to penetrate into the defoamed material L, and rotates around the rotating shaft 73a as a central axis in association with the rotation of the rotating shaft 73a so as to stir the defoamed material L, and in the illustrated example, is configured from a rod-shaped member. For example, a plurality of stirrers 73b are provided, and in the illustrated example, the stirrers 73b are attached at three locations in total near the tip side of the rotating shaft 73a on the opposite side to the motor 72. Moreover, the stirrers 73b in the illustrated example are attached so as to extend toward the inner surface side of the tank 71 in a direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft 73a.

[0100] The stirrer 73b is not particularly limited either, and taking into consideration the load generated when rotating inside the object to be defoamed L and the resistance to various characteristics of the object to be defoamed L, for example, a rod-shaped member made of the same material as the rotating shaft 73a can be used.

[0101] In the illustrated example, the mesh plate 74 is attached to the rotating shaft 73a, and is disposed so as to follow the surface of the defoamed object L and rotates together with the stirrer 73b to scoop up the foam B that has risen to the surface of the defoamed object L, and is composed of, for example, a plate-like member on which a mesh material (net) is stretched. In Fig. 1, only the vertical cross section of the mesh plate 74 is shown, and other detailed structures are not shown, but, for example, it is composed of a roughly disk-like shape in a plan view (top view). Moreover, the mesh plate 74 in the illustrated example is composed of a frame material 74a and a net-like mesh material 74b, and is configured such that the mesh material 74b is attached to the framework of the frame material 74a.

[0102] The mesh size and material of the mesh material 74b constituting the mesh plate 74 are not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected from various mesh materials (net materials) so as to be able to scoop up even small bubbles B, taking into account the characteristics of the solute contained in the object to be defoamed L. The frame material 74a is not particularly limited, and may be made of any suitable general metal or resin material, taking into consideration the rotational load of the object to be defoamed L and the resistance to various characteristics of the object to be defoamed L.

[0103] The agitator 70 in the illustrated example is configured to be movable up and down on the paper surface in the H direction or U direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 together with the mesh plate 74 by an elevator (not shown). By moving the mesh plate 74 up and down by such an elevator, it becomes possible to effectively scoop up the foam B from the surface of the object L to be defoamed.

[0104] Furthermore, by using an elevator to move the stirrer 73b and the mesh plate 74 to the outside of the tank 71 as needed, it becomes possible to replace the defoaming material L contained in the tank 71 (e.g., replace the product), as well as to clean and maintain the tank 71, the rotating shaft 73a, the stirrer 73b, and the mesh plate 74.

[0105] Alternatively, the elevator can be used to move the stirrer 70 and the mesh plate 74 in the H direction or U direction to adjust the height positions of the stirrer 73b and the mesh plate 74 on the paper surface of Fig. 1. This makes it possible, for example, to adjust the height position of the stirrer 73b to a position where the efficiency of stirring the object L to be defoamed is maximized, or to finely adjust the height position of the mesh plate 74 to a position that is optimal for scooping up the foam B, in accordance with the surface of the object L to be defoamed.

[0106] In general, large bubbles B generated on the surface of the defoaming target L can be defoamed by the sound pressure of ultrasonic vibration, but small bubbles B have a large surface tension, and even if ultrasonic vibration is irradiated with a large sound pressure, the bubbles B may escape due to the high sound pressure, making it difficult to defoam them. In order to defoam such small bubbles B, it is very effective to adopt the method of scooping them up with the mesh plate 74 as described above.

[0107] Furthermore, when the defoaming device 100 of this embodiment is further provided with the above-mentioned ultrasonic generator 10 at one or more locations and is configured to output ultrasonic vibrations W toward the surface of the object L to be defoamed, this, in addition to the action of the mesh plate 74, makes it possible to more effectively defoam the foam B.

[0108] More specifically, to defoam small bubbles B, first the small bubbles B are scooped up by the mesh plate 74, and then ultrasonic vibration W is applied to the bubbles B on the mesh plate 74, thereby making it possible to more effectively defoam the small bubbles B. That is, in the tank 71, bubbles B of various sizes are scooped up while the mesh plate 74 is rotated, and ultrasonic vibration W is applied to the bubbles B. This makes it possible to effectively and reliably defoam all bubbles B, including small bubbles, in-line, and improve the quality of the product obtained from the object L to be defoamed.

[0109] On the other hand, when the ultrasonic vibrations W are applied at a position close to the surface (liquid level) of the defoamed object L, bubbles B may be generated due to the induction by the ultrasonic vibrations W. Furthermore, in this case, there is a disadvantage that the droplets of the defoamed object L generated by the ultrasonic vibrations W adhere to the ultrasonic horn 1, increasing the load.

[0110] In order to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages, for example, a configuration can be adopted in which the foam B is first scooped up from the surface of the object L to be defoamed using a mesh plate 74, and then the mesh plate 74 is moved by an elevator (not shown) to a position far away from the surface of the object L to be defoamed, and ultrasonic vibrations W are then irradiated onto the foam B on the mesh plate 74.

[0111] Here, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages, it is conceivable to dispose the output end 42 of the ultrasonic horn 1 at a large distance from the surface of the object to be defoamed L. However, simply separating the ultrasonic horn 1 (ultrasonic generator 10) from the surface of the object to be defoamed L may result in a significant attenuation of the sound pressure of the ultrasonic vibrations W irradiated to the foam B, which may result in a decrease in the defoaming effect.

[0112] Therefore, in this embodiment, instead of the ultrasonic generator 10 shown in Figure 1, the ultrasonic generators 10A to 10C of the examples shown in Figures 4 to 6 described above are used, thereby making it possible to adopt a configuration in which ultrasonic vibrations W can be irradiated to the foam B scooped up by the mesh plate 74 while maintaining a large distance from the surface of the object to be defoamed L to the output end 42 of the ultrasonic horn 1. That is, the ultrasonic generator 10A shown in Fig. 4 and the ultrasonic generator 10B shown in Fig. 5 each include a second casing 50A or a second casing 50B that houses the ultrasonic horn 1 therein and extends toward the other end 50b, which is the opening side. These second casings 50A and 50B also function as a waveguide that can output ultrasonic vibrations W from the other end 50b. As described above, the second casing 50A has an adapter 81 attached to the other end 50b, and the second casing 50B has an adapter 81 and a pipe 82 attached to the other end 50b. Similarly, the ultrasonic generator 10C shown in FIG. 6 is provided with a third casing 50C downstream of the second casing 50, which also functions as a waveguide capable of outputting ultrasonic vibrations W from the other end 56b.

[0113] 4 to 6, the ultrasonic horn 1 can be disposed at a position far away from the surface of the defoamed object L. This makes it possible to irradiate the foam B on the mesh plate 74 with ultrasonic vibrations W without attenuating the sound pressure, while preventing droplets of the defoamed object L from adhering to the ultrasonic horn 1 as described above.

[0114] Also, for example, when the tank 71 is small, the size of the ultrasonic generator 10 may be too large for the size of the tank 71, making installation difficult. In this way, even when the tank 71 or a container such as a bottle is small, the use of the ultrasonic generators 10A, 10B equipped with the adapter 81 (and the pipe 82) having the above-mentioned throttle shape makes it possible to efficiently perform the defoaming treatment and obtain a sufficient defoaming effect.

[0115] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to eliminate the disadvantage that splashes are generated from the defoamed material L by the above-mentioned ultrasonic vibration W, a configuration using a propeller-shaped mesh plate 75 as exemplified in Fig. 7 can also be adopted. The mesh plate 75 exemplified in Fig. 7 has a plurality of blades 75b made of a mesh material bonded together, and a plurality of blades 75b are provided on the circumferential side surface of a rotating shaft 75a that is circular in plan view and is attached to the rotating shaft 73a in Fig. 1, and in the illustrated example, the blades 75b are provided at nine locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0116] In the case where the propeller-shaped mesh plate 75 as described above is used, when the mesh plate 75 is rotated, the blades 75b overlap each other, so that the surface of the defoamed object L is hidden by the mesh plate 75. Then, the foam B is scooped up from the gaps between the blades 75b and collected by the mesh-shaped blade 75b, and the foam B on the blade 75b is irradiated with ultrasonic vibrations W to perform the defoaming treatment.

[0117] Moreover, by rotating the mesh plate 75 as described above, it is possible to break up the relatively large bubbles B. In this manner, first, the large bubbles B are broken up, and then the remaining small bubbles B are defoamed (broken up) by irradiation with ultrasonic vibrations W, thereby enabling an efficient defoaming process.

[0118] By using the mesh plate 75, the ultrasonic generator 10 irradiates ultrasonic vibrations W to the foam B scooped up on the mesh plate 75, while the surface of the object L to be defoamed below is difficult to be irradiated with ultrasonic vibrations W. This makes it possible to prevent droplets of the object L to be defoamed from adhering to the ultrasonic horn 1, making it possible to defoam the foam B of the object L to be defoamed efficiently with a low load. Furthermore, when the surface of the object L to be defoamed is directly irradiated with ultrasonic vibrations W, this may induce the generation of new foam, but by adopting a structure in which the surface of the object L to be defoamed is difficult to be irradiated with ultrasonic vibrations W as described above, the generation of new foam can be prevented.

[0119] 1, the direction of the ultrasonic vibration W output from the ultrasonic generator 10 is perpendicular to the mesh plate 74 and the object L to be defoamed, but is not limited thereto. The irradiation angle of the ultrasonic vibration W can be appropriately determined while taking into consideration the structure of the device and the characteristics of the object L to be defoamed.

[0120] Furthermore, the treatment time for defoaming the surface of the object to be defoamed L using the defoaming apparatus 100 of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately set to a treatment time that can effectively defoam the surface of the object to be defoamed L depending on various characteristics of the object to be defoamed L and the amount of the object to be defoamed L to be treated.

[0121] In addition, in this embodiment, the method of storing the object L to be defoamed in the tank 71 and removing the foam B by using the mesh plates 74, 75 alone or in combination with the ultrasonic generator 10 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the ultrasonic vibration W is irradiated directly from the ultrasonic generator 10 toward the surface of the object L to be defoamed after taking measures against splashes from the object L to be defoamed by irradiating the ultrasonic vibration W as described above.

[0122] That is, in this embodiment, whether the defoaming treatment is performed using only the mesh plates 74, 75 or the ultrasonic generator 10, a sufficient effect of defoaming the foam B generated on the surface of the defoamed object L can be obtained. On the other hand, as described above, when the ultrasonic generator 10 is used in addition to the mesh plates 74, 75, and a configuration is adopted in which ultrasonic vibrations W can be irradiated to the foam B on the mesh plate 74, the defoaming treatment can be performed more efficiently and effectively.

[0123] In this embodiment, for example, it is also possible to adopt a method in which the defoaming target L is accommodated in a bottle, a plastic bottle, or the like to make it into a semi-finished product before sealing, and ultrasonic vibrations W from an ultrasonic generator are directly irradiated from the opening of the bottle, toward the defoaming target L to remove the foam B, and then the bottle, or the like, is sealed with a cap. In this case, by using ultrasonic generators 10A and 10B equipped with an adapter 81 (and a pipe 82) having a throttle shape as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it is possible to efficiently irradiate ultrasonic vibrations W from the opening of the bottle, plastic bottle, or the like toward the surface of the defoaming target L. Note that when the defoaming treatment is carried out after the defoaming target L is accommodated in a bottle, a plastic bottle, or the like, the tank and agitator as described above can be omitted.

[0124] The defoaming target that can be subjected to defoaming treatment by the defoaming apparatus 100 of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include various liquids or semi-solids such as beverages, paints, yeast bread dough, various foods, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and resources such as petroleum and gasoline. When the defoaming object L is a beverage, examples of the beverage include various carbonated beverages such as cola and beer, non-carbonated beverages containing sugar and fruit juice, milk beverages, soy milk beverages, and the like. According to the defoaming apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, it is possible to perform efficient and effective defoaming treatment on any defoaming target (liquid or semi-solid) having any characteristics.

[0125] <Action and effect> As described above, the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment has a configuration including a drum-shaped small diameter section 3 that extends from the cylindrical main body 2 to which mechanical vibrations are input and includes a region with a specific curved shape, a flange section 4 that extends from this small diameter section 3, and a hollow section 5 of a specific shape that communicates with the flange section 4 and the small diameter section 3. By having the small diameter portion 3, the flange portion 4, and the hollow portion 5 each having a specific shape as described above, the mechanical vibration generated by the transducer 30 can be effectively amplified, and focused ultrasonic vibration W having high sound pressure can be output. Then, by irradiating this ultrasonic vibration W to foam B generated on the surface of the defoamed object L made of a liquid or semi-solid, for example, effective defoaming becomes possible.

[0126] Moreover, according to the ultrasonic generators 10, 10A to 10C of this embodiment, since they are equipped with the ultrasonic horn 1 of this embodiment, they can output ultrasonic vibrations W having focused high sound pressure, as described above. Therefore, by irradiating the output ultrasonic vibrations W to the foam B generated on the surface of the defoamed object L made of a liquid or semisolid, it becomes possible to effectively defoam the foam.

[0127] Moreover, according to the defoaming device 100 of this embodiment, a configuration is adopted that includes mesh plates 74, 75 for removing the foam B that has risen to the surface of the defoamed object L contained in the tank 71. This makes it possible to efficiently remove the foam B that has formed on the surface of the defoamed object L. Furthermore, when a defoaming action is combined by irradiating the foam B scooped up by the mesh plates 74, 75 with ultrasonic vibrations W, or when a configuration is adopted in which the defoamed object L contained in the tank 71 is introduced into the casing of the ultrasonic generator and the foam B is irradiated with ultrasonic vibrations W while being scooped up by a mesh filter, it becomes possible to more effectively remove the foam B on the surface of the defoamed object L.

[0128] <Modifications of the present invention> Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the ultrasonic horn, ultrasonic generator, and defoaming device of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present invention and the scope of the appended claims.

[0129] For example, in this embodiment, the defoaming device is mainly described as having only one ultrasonic generator, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and it is also possible to have a configuration in which a plurality of ultrasonic generators are provided and ultrasonic vibrations can be applied simultaneously to a plurality of points on the surface of the defoaming target. When such a configuration is adopted, it becomes possible to greatly increase the amount of the defoaming target that can be defoamed per unit time, which leads to an improvement in production efficiency in the manufacturing process.

[0130] In addition, in this embodiment, a configuration is described in which foam B that has risen to the surface of the object to be defoamed L is scooped up and removed inside the tank 71, such as the defoaming device 100 illustrated in Figure 1, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, as in the ultrasonic generator 10D shown in FIG. 9 or the ultrasonic generator 10E shown in FIG. 11, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which a mesh filter is placed inside the casing and the defoaming object L is introduced into the casing to remove (defoam) the foam B. FIG. 9 is a cutaway view showing an example in which a first mesh filter (mesh member, mesh filter) 76 is provided in a second casing 50D of an ultrasonic generator 10D, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged plan view of the first mesh filter 76 shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a cutaway view showing another example in which a first mesh filter 76 and a second mesh filter (mesh member, mesh filter) 77 are provided in a second casing 50E of an ultrasonic generator 10E, and FIG. 12 is an enlarged plan view of the second mesh filter 77 shown in FIG. 11. For convenience of explanation, in Figs. 9 and 11, illustration of components other than the ultrasonic generators 10D and 10E provided in the defoaming device is omitted.

[0131] In the ultrasonic generator 10D of the example shown in Fig. 9, a second casing (casing) 50D has a main pipe 57a in which an ultrasonic horn 1 is housed, and an inflow pipe 57b that is provided to communicate with the main pipe 57a and is used to introduce the defoamed material L from a tank 71 (see Fig. 1) into the inside of the second casing 50D. The ultrasonic generator 10D differs from the ultrasonic generator 10 and the like shown in Fig. 1 in that, as in the illustrated example, the second casing 50D is configured as a roughly T-shaped pipe in which the inflow pipe 57b branches off from a branching portion 57c provided in the path of the main pipe 57a.

[0132] In the ultrasonic generator 10D, a first mesh filter (mesh filter, mesh member) 76 is provided inside the second casing 50D, and in the illustrated example, the first mesh filter 76 is disposed downstream of the branching portion 57c in the main pipe 57a, that is, at one location on the opposite side to the one end 50a. As a result, although detailed illustration is omitted in Fig. 9, the ultrasonic generator 10D is configured so that the defoamed material L contained in the tank 71 (see Fig. 1) is introduced into the main pipe 57a through the inflow pipe 57b (see the arrows on the IN side and OUT side of the defoamed material L shown in Fig. 9).

[0133] In the example shown in FIG. 10, the first mesh filter 76 has a mesh material 76a stretched over almost the entire inner region of an outer frame 76c that is circular in plan view. The outer frame 76c may be a frame-shaped member made of, for example, stainless steel. As the mesh material 76a, for example, one made of the same material as the mesh material 74b constituting the mesh plate 74 described above can be used.

[0134] Although detailed illustration of the ultrasonic generator 10D is omitted, the IN side of the inflow pipe 57b constituting the second casing 50D is connected to the tank as a pipe for taking out the defoamed material L from the tank. On the other hand, the OUT side of the main pipe 57a constituting the second casing 50D is connected to the tank as a pipe for returning the defoamed material L into the tank after defoaming.

[0135] By using the ultrasonic generator 10D having the above-mentioned configuration, the foam B generated in the defoaming target L contained in the tank 71 as exemplified in FIG. 1 can be defoamed in the following manner. First, the defoamed object L contained in the tank 71 is introduced into the main pipe 57a through the inflow pipe 57b. At this time, the defoamed object L drops to the OUT side of the main pipe 57a in a defoamed state, with the foam B generated on the surface being captured by the first mesh filter 76, and is returned to the tank side. Meanwhile, the foam B captured on the first mesh filter 76 is irradiated with ultrasonic vibration W from the output end 42 of the ultrasonic horn 1, whereby the foam is broken (defoamed).

[0136] 11, a second casing (casing) 50E has a main pipe 58a in which an ultrasonic horn 1 is housed, and a liquid passage pipe (inlet pipe) 58b that is provided to communicate with the main pipe 58a and can introduce a defoamed material L from a tank 71 (see FIG. 1) into the inside of the second casing 50E. The ultrasonic generator 10E differs from the ultrasonic generator 10 and the like shown in FIG. 1 in that, as in the illustrated example, the second casing 50E is configured as a roughly T-shaped pipe in which the straight main pipe 58a is connected to a branched portion 58c provided in the path of the liquid passage pipe 58b.

[0137] In the ultrasonic generator 10E, a first mesh filter 76 and a second mesh filter (mesh filter, mesh member) 77 are provided inside the second casing 50E. In the illustrated example, the second mesh filter 77 is disposed at one location in the vicinity of the branching portion 58c in the main pipe 58a, and the first mesh filter 76 is disposed at one location downstream of the branching portion 58c in the liquid passage pipe 58b, that is, on the OUT side of the defoamed object L shown in FIG. 11. As a result, in the ultrasonic generator 10E, although detailed illustration is omitted in FIG. 11, the defoamed object L contained in the tank 71 (see FIG. 1) is passed through the liquid passage pipe 58b, and a part of the foam B floating near the surface of the defoamed object L is introduced into the main pipe 58a. On the other hand, the defoamed object L accompanied by a part of the foam B is led to the downstream side of the liquid passage pipe 58b (see the arrows on the IN side and OUT side of the defoamed object L shown in FIG. 11).

[0138] 12, the second mesh filter 77 has a mesh material 77a provided in an inner region of an outer frame 77c that is circular in plan view. In the illustrated example, the second mesh filter 77 has a slight gap between the outer frame 77c and the mesh material 77a, and this gap is defined as a through-hole 77b. As the outer frame 77c, a member made of the same material as the outer frame 77c provided in the first mesh filter 76 described above can be used. The mesh material 77a may be made of the same material as the mesh material 76a provided in the first mesh filter 76 described above.

[0139] Although detailed illustration of the ultrasonic generator 10E is omitted, the IN side of the liquid passage pipe 58b constituting the second casing 50E is connected to the tank as a pipe for taking out the defoamed material L from the tank, while the OUT side of the liquid passage pipe 58b constituting the second casing 50E is connected to the tank as a pipe for returning the defoamed material L to the inside of the tank.

[0140] By using the ultrasonic generator 10E having the above-mentioned configuration, similarly to the case where the above-mentioned ultrasonic generator 10D is used, the foam B generated in the defoaming target L contained in the tank 71 as exemplified in FIG. 1 can be defoamed in the following procedure.

[0141] First, the defoamed material L contained in the tank 71 is passed through the liquid passage pipe 58b from the IN side to the OUT side. At this time, a part of the foam B floating near the surface of the defoamed material L is introduced into the main pipe 58a, passes through the through-hole 77b provided in the second mesh filter 77, and is guided onto the mesh material 77a and captured therein. The foam B captured on the second mesh filter 77 is broken (defoamed) by being irradiated with ultrasonic vibrations W from the output end 42 of the ultrasonic horn 1.

[0142] On the other hand, bubbles B that do not rise up into the main pipe 58a and head toward the OUT side of the liquid passage pipe 58b are captured by the first mesh filter 76, and as their amount increases, they rise up into the main pipe 58a, passing through the penetration portion 77b of the second mesh filter 77 and being guided onto the mesh material 77a. The bubbles B captured on the second mesh filter 77 in this way are also broken down (defoamed) by being irradiated with ultrasonic vibrations W from the output end 42 of the ultrasonic horn 1 in the same manner as described above. The foam B is captured by the first mesh filter 76, and the defoamed object L moving in a defoamed state toward the OUT side of the liquid passage pipe 58b is returned directly to the tank side.

[0143] According to the ultrasonic generators 10D, 10E having the above-mentioned configuration, for example, when it is difficult to install an ultrasonic generator inside or near the tank 71 as shown in FIG. 1, it can be adopted as one of the defoaming means constituting a defoaming device. [Industrial Applicability]

[0144] The ultrasonic horn of the present invention can effectively amplify mechanical vibrations generated by a transducer and output ultrasonic vibrations having a focused high sound pressure, and by irradiating the ultrasonic vibrations to foam generated on the surface of various liquids or semi-solids, it is possible to effectively remove the foam without causing deterioration of product characteristics, high costs, etc. Therefore, the present invention is very useful in applications for defoaming foam generated on the liquid surface (surface) in processes for processing, for example, yeast used in beverages, paints, and bread production, foods such as soy sauce and ice cream, various chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and resources such as petroleum and gasoline. [Explanation of symbols]

[0145] 1...Ultrasonic horn 2…Main body 11...Proximal end 11a…input terminal 12…Slope area 2a…starting end 2b…one end 21…Screw hole 22…Input hole 23...Torso area 3…Small diameter part 3a…other end 31...middle area 32...Reduced diameter area 33…Expanded diameter area 4...Flange section 41...Tapered surface 42...Output terminal 5...Cavity part 5a…step 51…Inner surface 52…Bottom 53…First taper region 54...Second taper region J…Center axis 10, 10A, 10, 10C, 10D, 10E...Ultrasonic generator 20…Corn 20a…Output section 30...Transducer 40…First casing (casing) 50, 50A, 50B, 50D, 50E...Second casing (casing) 50a...one end 50b...other end 55a...first straight section 55b…Second straight section 55c...Bending part 57a…Superintendent 57b…Inflow pipe 57c…Branch 58a…Superintendent 58b…Liquid pipe (inflow pipe) 58c…Bifurcation 50C…Third casing (casing) 56a…one end 56b...other end 60...Reflector 60a...periphery 80...Joint (casing) 100…defoaming device 70...Mixer 71…Tank 72…Motor 73a...Rotating shaft 73b...Stir bar 74, 75…Mesh plate (mesh member) 74a…Frame material 74b…Mesh material 75a…Rotating shaft 75b…Blade 76...First mesh filter (mesh member, mesh filter) 76a…Mesh material 76c…Outer frame 77...Second mesh filter (mesh member, mesh filter) 77a…Mesh material 77b...Penetration part 77c…Outer frame W: Ultrasonic vibration L…Defoaming material (liquid or semi-solid) B…foam

Claims

1. An ultrasonic horn that amplifies mechanical vibrations converted from an electrical signal in a transducer by resonating in accordance with the mechanical vibrations to output ultrasonic vibrations, a cylindrical main body having an input end to which the mechanical vibration is input; a drum-shaped small diameter portion having a reduced diameter region extending from an end of the main body opposite the input end and gradually reducing in diameter in a curved surface manner as it approaches the other end opposite the one end, an intermediate region extending from a terminal end of the reduced diameter region toward the other end with a uniform diameter and having a smaller diameter than the main body, and an expanded diameter region extending from a terminal end of the intermediate region and gradually increasing in diameter in a curved surface manner as it approaches the other end, a flange portion extending from the other end of the small diameter portion, the other end being an output end of ultrasonic vibration generated by the mechanical vibration, the flange portion gradually increasing in diameter toward the output end; an ultrasonic horn comprising: a hollow portion having a curved bottom surface, a concave shape extending from the output end of the flange portion to the inside of the small diameter portion, an inner surface having a uniform diameter, and at least one tapered region having a gradually increasing diameter from the inner surface toward the output end.

2. 2. The ultrasonic horn according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the cavity is hemispherical.

3. 3. The ultrasonic horn according to claim 1, wherein the main body, the small diameter portion and the flange are integrally formed from aluminum, titanium or an alloy thereof.

4. 3. The ultrasonic horn according to claim 1, wherein the frequency range of the ultrasonic vibration output from the output end is 13,000 to 25,000 (Hz).

5. 3. The ultrasonic horn according to claim 1, wherein the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration output from the output end is in the range of 1 to 180 μm in peak-to-peak value.

6. at least, A cylindrical casing; a transducer that is accommodated in the vicinity of one end of the casing and converts an electrical signal into a mechanical vibration and outputs the mechanical vibration; an ultrasonic horn that is accommodated in the vicinity of the other end of the casing and that amplifies the mechanical vibration output from the transducer to output ultrasonic vibration; An ultrasonic generator comprising:

3. An ultrasonic generator, wherein the ultrasonic horn is the ultrasonic horn according to claim 1 or 2.

7. a cone that is housed in the casing and fixed to the casing, that is connected to an output portion of the transducer, that amplifies the mechanical vibration output from the transducer, and that outputs the amplified mechanical vibration to the ultrasonic horn; the ultrasonic horn is connected to an output portion of the cone and amplifies the mechanical vibration amplified by the cone to output ultrasonic vibration; 7. The ultrasonic generator of claim 6, wherein the cone is positioned to support the transducer and the ultrasonic horn within the casing.

8. 7. The ultrasonic generator according to claim 6, wherein an output end of the ultrasonic horn is exposed to the outside from the other end side of the casing.

9. The ultrasonic generator according to claim 8, further comprising a reflector made of a flat plate-like member attached to the other end of the casing, which reflects backward waves of the ultrasonic vibrations output from the ultrasonic horn toward the casing side, the backward waves being output toward the output end of the ultrasonic horn.

10. A tank for accommodating a liquid or semi-solid to be defoamed; A defoaming apparatus comprising: an agitator for agitating the material to be defoamed contained in the tank, the agitator is attached to a rotating shaft and disposed so as to penetrate into the material to be defoamed, and has a stirrer for stirring the material to be defoamed, The defoaming device further comprises a mesh member for removing foam rising to the surface of the object to be defoamed.

11. The defoaming apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the mesh member is attached to the rotating shaft, arranged along the surface of the object to be defoamed, and comprises a mesh plate which rotates together with the stirrer to scoop up foam floating to the surface.

12. Further, the apparatus includes at least one ultrasonic generator that outputs ultrasonic vibrations toward the foam scooped by the mesh plate, The foam-breaking device according to claim 11, characterized in that the ultrasonic generator is the ultrasonic generator according to claim 6.

13. Further comprising one or more ultrasonic generators according to claim 6, a casing provided in the ultrasonic generator includes a main pipe in which an ultrasonic horn is housed, and an inlet pipe provided to communicate with the main pipe and for introducing the defoaming material from the tank into the inside of the casing; The mesh member comprises one or more mesh filters disposed inside the casing, 11. The foam eliminating device according to claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic horn outputs ultrasonic vibrations toward the foam scooped up by the mesh filter.

Images