Charging device and air purifier

Abstract

To charge dust, fine particles, and viruses efficiently, improve charging efficiency, and clean air easily.SOLUTION: A charging apparatus 8 applies voltage to a discharge electrode 35 arranged in a distribution passage of an air flow and generates corona discharge between ground-connected counter electrodes 31 and 32, and itself. The counter electrodes 31 and 32 are disposed so as to block the distribution passage of the air flow, and formed in a flat plate shape having a plurality of openings 45 and 46. The discharge electrodes 35 are a discharge brush 48 bundling a large number of wires, and disposed plurally corresponding to the plurality of openings 45 and 46. The tip part of the discharge electrode 35 is disposed separately from the openings 45 and 46 without penetrating the openings 45 and 46 on the center line of the openings 45 and 46.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging device that charges dust particles and the like in dust-containing air by corona discharge, and an air purifier equipped with the charging device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in home and commercial air purifiers and industrial electrostatic precipitators, charging devices are used that charge particles such as fine dust and mist in dust-laden air by corona discharge generated by application of high voltage.

[0003] For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a charging device is known in which a second charging section of a diffusion charging type having a second discharge electrode and a second opposing electrode is arranged downstream of a first charging section of a collision charging type having a first discharge electrode and a first opposing electrode.

[0004] Furthermore, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, in a discharge device used in an air purifier that purifies, sterilizes, or deodorizes the air in a room, for example, a corona discharge occurs between the discharge portion of a discharge electrode to which a high voltage is applied and an induction electrode, generating highly energetic particles such as electrons, ions, ozone, radicals, and active species from the air, and the generated particles are carried in the air blowing direction by the air blown inside the air purifier and released to the outside.

[0005] Also, known discharge electrodes include a needle-shaped discharge electrode described in Patent Document 1 and a brush-shaped discharge electrode formed by bundling the bases of multiple fibrous conductors described in Patent Document 2. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-131830 A [Patent Document 2] WO2018 / 055784A1 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the charging device disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, when the fine particles generated from the processing machine become highly concentrated due to the suction conditions, or when the first charging section is unable to sufficiently charge the fine particles due to the deterioration of the charging performance of the first charging section over the course of operation time, the fine particles cannot be reliably charged by the second charging section. Specifically, the second charging section charges the fine particles by passing through a space in which ions emitted from the second discharge electrode are dispersed and suspended in the air, but the fine particles do not necessarily pass near the emitted ions, so that it is not possible to reliably charge all the fine particles. Therefore, the dust collecting section arranged downstream of the charging section cannot collect (capture) uncharged particles, and therefore when a high concentration of fine particles is sucked in, the dust collecting efficiency is reduced, and problems such as fine dust leaking from the exhaust port occur.

[0008] In addition, in the charging device disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, ions are generated using a brush-shaped discharge electrode consisting of multiple bundled roots of fibrous conductors. However, in order to maintain discharge performance, a protective member is used to efficiently circulate airflow around the discharge electrode, which creates the problem that charging performance against fine particles in the air cannot be improved.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a charging device and an air purifier that can efficiently charge dust, fine particles, and viruses to improve charging efficiency and easily purify the air. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first charging device of the present invention is a charging device that applies a voltage to a discharge electrode arranged in an airflow passage to generate a corona discharge between the discharge electrode and an earthed counter electrode, the counter electrode being arranged so as to block the airflow passage and formed in a flat plate shape having a plurality of openings, the discharge electrode being a discharge brush made of a number of bundled wires and arranged in multiple numbers corresponding to the plurality of openings, and the central tip of the bundle of discharge brushes of the discharge electrode being arranged on the center line of the opening, spaced apart from the opening without penetrating the opening.

[0011] In the second charging device of the present invention, the opposing electrodes are arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the airflow direction, respectively, on either side of the discharge electrode, and the discharge electrode is characterized in that it comprises an upstream discharge electrode facing the upstream side of the airflow direction and a downstream discharge electrode facing the downstream side.

[0012] In a third charging device of the present invention, the upstream discharge electrode and the downstream discharge electrode are provided in plurality so as to correspond to the openings of the upstream and downstream counter electrodes, respectively.

[0013] In a fourth charging device of the present invention, the openings of the upstream and downstream opposing electrodes are provided in equal numbers and have the same opening area.

[0014] The fifth charging device of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of support members each having a plurality of holding portions for holding the discharge brush, and the support members are arranged side by side at equal intervals within the flow passage.

[0015] In a sixth charging device of the present invention, the supporting member is a long, plate-like conductor made of metal, and the holding portion is formed integrally with the supporting member.

[0016] The seventh charging device of the present invention is characterized in that a brush unit, in which brushes are attached at regular intervals in the form of a metal foil band, is joined to the support member, and the base of the discharge brush is crimped and held in the holding part.

[0017] In the eighth charging device of the present invention, the support member is a long plastic body, and is characterized in that a brush unit in which brushes are attached at regular intervals to a metal foil strip and a holding portion that holds the base of the discharge brush are integrally formed by insert molding.

[0018] In the ninth charging device of the present invention, the support member is characterized in that its shape in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction has a fluid shape that generates vortexes and / or turbulence in the air flow flowing around the support member.

[0019] In a tenth charging device of the present invention, the support member contains titanium dioxide and has antibacterial and antifouling properties due to photocatalysis.

[0020] The air purifier of the present invention is an air purifier equipped with the above-mentioned charging device, which comprises an intake port, an exhaust port, a blowing means, and a dust collecting device arranged downstream of the charging device, and is characterized in that the charging device charges dust, fine particles, and viruses contained in the air sucked in from the intake port by the blowing means, and then the dust collecting device adsorbs them, and clean air is discharged from the exhaust port. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, various excellent effects can be obtained, such as efficiently charging dust, fine particles, and viruses to improve charging efficiency and easily purifying the air. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional plan view of a charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a view taken along the arrow A in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 5A to 5C are explanatory diagrams showing a manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 5A to 5C are explanatory views showing a manufacturing process of a discharge electrode member of a second example in a charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10A to 10C are explanatory views showing a manufacturing process of a discharge electrode member of a third example of the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional plan view of a charging device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a view taken along the arrow B in FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a modified example of the discharge electrode member in the charging device according to the other embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] First, an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the air purifier according to this embodiment from the upstream side of the air flow, and Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the air purifier according to this embodiment.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the air purifier according to this embodiment includes a housing 1 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, with an intake chamber 2 provided on the left side of the housing 1 (the front left side of FIG. 1) and an exhaust chamber 3 provided on the right side of the housing 1 (the rear right side of FIG. 1). The intake chamber 2 is formed in a flat box shape, with an intake port 4 opening on its front side (the front right side of FIG. 1), back side (the rear left side of FIG. 1) and top side. The exhaust chamber 3 is formed in a box shape with a chamfered inclined surface on the lower side, with an exhaust port 5 opening on its top side. In addition, a high-voltage power supply unit 23, which also serves as an opening and closing door, is attached to the front of the housing 1 in an openable and closable manner. In FIG. 1, the housing 1 and the like are shown by two-dot chain lines for convenience so that the internal state of the air purifier can be seen.

[0026] Inside the housing 1, a pre-filter 7, a charging device 8, a dust collecting device 9, a deodorizing unit 10, and a suction fan 11 are arranged in series in that order along the flow direction of the dust-laden air (the direction of the arrow in Figure 1).

[0027] The prefilter 7 is a roughly rectangular coarse filter (not shown), and the deodorizing unit 10 is a roughly rectangular filter in which fine powder of an adsorbent such as zeolite that adsorbs odor components is supported on the surface of a honeycomb-shaped substrate having a large number of fine air flow holes along the flow direction of the dust-containing air. The dust collector 9 is configured by alternately arranging at equal intervals an electrode plate connected to a high-voltage DC power supply for dust collection and a ground plate connected to earth, but may simply be a dust collector equipped with an electrically charged filter. Details of the charging device 8 will be described later.

[0028] 2, in the air purifier of this embodiment, each device is connected to a control unit having a memory 12 and a CPU 13 via an interface 14, and each device operates under the control of the CPU 13. A display unit 15 displays an operating state, an operation unit 16 has input keys and the like, and a UV irradiation unit 17 irradiates UV lamps 24 (see FIG. 1) provided inside the housing 1.

[0029] The detection unit 18 functions as a safety device for detecting the open state of the door and cutting off the high voltage and fan motor. The solenoid drive unit 19 drives a shutter 20 that blocks the intake and exhaust flow paths when the machine is not in operation. The motor drive unit 21 controls a fan motor 22. The high-voltage power supply unit 23 is configured to boost the AC source power supply with a high-voltage transformer, convert the AC current to DC in a voltage multiplier, and further boost the voltage to generate a high voltage of several KV. The high-voltage power supply unit 23 also functions as an output control unit for controlling the output of the high voltage applied to the charging device 8 and the dust collecting device 9.

[0030] Next, the charging device 8 of the air purifier according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 8. Here, Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the charging device 8 from the upstream side of the air flow, Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the charging device 8 from the downstream side of the air flow, Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a part of the charging device 8 in an enlarged manner, Fig. 6 is a plan sectional view showing a part of the charging device 8 in an enlarged manner, Fig. 7 is a view seen from the arrow A in Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member of the charging device 8.

[0031] The charging device 8 includes a frame 30 having a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the direction of flow of the dust-containing air, an upstream ground electrode plate 31 as a counter electrode arranged inside the frame 30 on the upstream side of the flow direction of the dust-containing air, a downstream ground electrode plate 32 as a counter electrode arranged inside the frame 30 on the downstream side of the upstream ground electrode plate 31 in the direction of flow of the dust-containing air and parallel to the upstream ground electrode plate 31, and a discharge electrode member 33 arranged between the upstream ground electrode plate 31 and the downstream ground electrode plate 32. The upstream ground electrode plate 31 and the downstream ground electrode plate 32 are connected to earth. The discharge electrode member 33 includes a support substrate 34 as a support member and a discharge electrode 35 held by the support substrate 34.

[0032] The frame body 30 is configured to include left and right support columns 36, 37 erected to face each other, an upper connecting member 38 provided between the upper ends of the support columns 36, 37, and a lower connecting member 39 provided between the lower ends of the support columns 36, 37. An upper mounting member 40 is horizontally supported below the upper connecting member 38 via an insulator 41 on each of the upper ends of the left and right support columns 36, 37, and a lower mounting member 42 is horizontally supported on each of the lower ends of the left and right support columns 36, 37 via an insulator 43. As a result, the upper mounting member 40 and the lower mounting member 42 are supported by the frame body 30 in an insulated state.

[0033] The lower mounting member 42 has a plurality of cutouts (not shown) formed in the shape of upper and lower slits at a predetermined interval. A power supply member 44 is attached to the right end of the upper mounting member 40, and the high-voltage power supply unit 23 is connected to the power supply member 44. A high voltage of several kV supplied from the high-voltage power supply unit 23 is applied to the power supply member 44, the upper mounting member 40, the support substrate 34, and the discharge electrode 35, and forms substantially cone-shaped charged areas EA1 and EA2 by corona discharge between the tip (brush tip) of the discharge electrode 35 and the openings 45 and 46, as shown in FIG. 6 described later. The high voltage supplied is preferably about 5 kV, although it depends on the concentration of dust in the air and the configuration of each member.

[0034] 3, the upstream ground electrode plate 31 is formed as a flat plate made of a single rectangular conductive metal (stainless steel in this embodiment) with a large number of round hole-shaped upstream openings 45 formed therein, and is attached to the frame 30 in a direction that blocks the flow of dust-containing air (direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the dust-containing air). The upstream openings 45 are arranged in a plurality of rows (14 openings x 14 rows = 196 openings in this embodiment) and are arranged at regular intervals in a staggered pattern so that half the upstream openings 45 are shifted up and down between adjacent rows on the left and right.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 4, the downstream ground electrode plate 32 is formed as a flat rectangular plate of conductive metal (stainless steel in this embodiment) with a large number of circular downstream openings 46 formed therein, and is attached to the frame 30 in a direction that blocks the flow of dust-containing air (direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the dust-containing air). The downstream openings 46 of the downstream ground electrode plate 32 are arranged vertically in a row (7 openings x 7 rows = 49 openings in this embodiment) and aligned at regular intervals. The area of ​​each of the downstream openings 46 of the downstream ground electrode plate 32 and the total area are both larger than the upstream openings 45 of the upstream ground electrode plate 31.

[0036] As shown in Figs. 5 to 7, the support substrate 34 is made of a metal and is configured as a long plate-shaped conductor. The support substrate 34 is provided between every other row of the upstream openings 45 adjacent to the left and right of the upstream ground electrode plate 31, and is arranged to match the center of the downstream opening 46 of the downstream ground electrode plate 32. In this embodiment, seven support substrates are provided. As a result, the support substrates 34 are arranged so as not to interfere with the upstream openings 45 of the upstream ground electrode plate 31 when viewed from the flow direction of the dust-containing air, and the distance between the support substrates 34 is maintained to an extent that no abnormal discharge occurs. In this embodiment, the support substrates 34 are arranged in a direction parallel to the flow direction of the dust-containing air and perpendicular to the upstream ground electrode plate 31 and the downstream ground electrode plate 32.

[0037] The upper end of the support substrate 34 is supported by the upper mounting member 40 by a spring (not shown) interposed between a hook hole (not shown) formed in the upper end and the upper mounting member 40. The lower end of the support substrate 34 is formed in a hook shape, and is supported by the lower mounting member 42 by being hooked into the notch.

[0038] The support substrate 34 is integrally formed with a crimping portion 47 as a holding portion, and the crimping portion 47 is configured to include an upstream crimping portion 47a extending toward the upstream opening 45 side and a downstream crimping portion 47b extending toward the downstream opening 46 side. The upstream crimping portions 47a are formed in a number corresponding to the number of adjacent two rows of upstream openings 45 (in this embodiment, 14 pieces x 2 rows = 28 pieces), and the downstream crimping portions 47b are formed in a number corresponding to the number of downstream openings 46 in one row (in this embodiment, 7 pieces). The support substrate 34 may be made of any material having electrical conductivity, but is preferably made of a copper plate or an aluminum plate in consideration of the workability of the crimping process, which requires extensibility.

[0039] The discharge electrode 35 is a discharge brush 48 consisting of a number of wires bundled together, and is configured to include an upstream discharge electrode 35a held by the upstream crimped portion 47a so as to extend from the support substrate 34 toward the upstream ground electrode plate 31 and arranged corresponding to each upstream opening 45, and a downstream discharge electrode 35b held by the downstream crimped portion 47b so as to extend from the support substrate 34 toward the downstream ground electrode plate 32 and arranged corresponding to each downstream opening 46.

[0040] The upstream discharge electrode 35a is formed by extending from the upstream crimped portion 47a of each stage toward the upstream ground electrode plate 31 (i.e., upstream of the support substrate 34 in the flow direction of the dust-containing air) and bending in a staggered manner. The central tip of the bundle of discharge brushes 48 of the upstream discharge electrode 35a is disposed on the center line of the upstream openings 45 adjacent to both the left and right sides of the support substrate 34, spaced apart from the upstream openings 45 without penetrating the upstream openings 45. As a result, as shown in Fig. 6, a substantially constant discharge gap G1 is maintained between the tip of the discharge brush 48 of the upstream discharge electrode 35a and the peripheral portion of the upstream opening 45 of the upstream ground electrode plate 31, and the charged area EA1 formed by the corona discharge between the upstream discharge electrode 35a and the upstream opening 45 has a substantially conical shape, so that a uniform and stable discharge state can be formed.

[0041] The downstream discharge electrode 35b extends horizontally and linearly from the downstream crimped portion 47b of each stage toward the downstream ground electrode plate 32 (i.e., downstream from the supporting substrate in the flow direction of dust-containing air), and the tip of the discharge brush 48 of the downstream discharge electrode 35b is disposed on the center line of the downstream opening 46, spaced apart from the downstream opening 46 without penetrating the opening 46. As a result, as shown in Fig. 6, a substantially constant discharge gap G2 is maintained between the tip of the discharge brush 48 of the downstream discharge electrode 35b and the peripheral edge of the downstream opening 46, and the charged area EA2 formed by the corona discharge between the downstream discharge electrode 35b and the downstream opening 46 forms a substantially conical shape facing in the opposite direction to the upstream side, thereby forming a uniform and stable discharge state.

[0042] The discharge brush 48 of the discharge electrode 35 has a bundled portion formed into a brush shape by bundling a large number of fibrous wires. The wires are made of non-magnetic stainless steel fibers with a diameter of 12 μm, and the stainless steel used is SUS304, which contains 18% Cr and 8% Ni, and is highly marketable, economical, and corrosion-resistant. Note that the wires are preferably made of non-magnetic stainless steel, and other materials may be used, such as SUS316, which contains 18% Cr, 12% Ni, and molybdenum (Mo).

[0043] One discharge electrode 35 is formed by bundling, for example, about 100 wires. The discharge electrode 35 may be formed by bundling 10 to 200 wires with a diameter of 5 to 25 μm. The multiple discharge electrodes 35 are provided in a state of extending from the support substrate 34 toward the upstream and downstream sides in the flow direction, and when a high voltage is applied to the discharge electrode 35, in addition to the repulsion between the wires, the flowing air directly hits the tips of the wires, so that the wires are separated from the bundled part, and a corona discharge can be generated in a strong electric field. The protruding length of the wires from the crimped part is preferably about 5 mm for the number of bundled wires and wire diameter described above. In FIG. 5, the tip side of the wire of the discharge electrode 35 is shown in an open state, which shows a state of use in which a high voltage is applied. This is because, when a high voltage is applied, charges corresponding to the polarity of the high voltage are accumulated in each wire, causing the wires to repel each other.

[0044] In addition, corona discharge actually occurs only in a portion of the many wires, and since corona discharge alternates between these and other wires from moment to moment, the approximately conical shape of the charged areas EA1 and EA2 changes slightly from moment to moment.

[0045] As described above, the discharge brushes 48 of the upstream discharge electrode 35a and the downstream discharge electrode 35b form a substantially linear bundle when no high voltage is applied, and the center of the discharge brush 48 is the center of the bundle of brushes. Strictly speaking, when a high voltage is applied, the center of the bundle of discharge brushes 48 changes from moment to moment, but for the sake of simplicity, this point is not taken into consideration here.

[0046] In addition, with the above-mentioned protruding length and diameter of the wire from the crimped portion, the tip of the discharge brush 48 does not sag due to the weight of the wire, regardless of the position of the support substrate 34 when not applying high voltage, so the distance from the peripheral portion of the upstream opening 45 or the downstream opening 46 is stably maintained, and corona discharge can be started appropriately when high voltage is applied. Similarly, when high voltage is applied and the tips of the multiple wires of the discharge brush 48 repel each other and move away from each other, the openings can be kept at an appropriate degree of opening. That is, when the upstream opening 45 or the downstream opening 46 is viewed from the direction A in FIG. 6, the tips of the discharge brush 48 are within the diameter range of the corresponding opening, so that stable charged areas EA1 and EA2 are always generated even if the multiple wires generating corona discharge are changed from moment to moment.

[0047] Next, the operation of the air purifier according to the embodiment of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1, dust-containing air that flows into the housing 1 from the intake port 4 by driving the suction fan 11 is filtered by a prefilter 7 and then flows into the charging device 8.

[0049] 3 to 6, in the charging device 8, the dust-containing air passes through the upstream opening 45 of the upstream ground electrode plate 31, and then passes through the downstream opening 46 of the downstream ground electrode plate 32. When passing through the upstream opening 45 of the upstream ground electrode plate 31 and the downstream opening 46 of the downstream ground electrode plate 32 in this way, particles such as fine dust or mist, fine viruses, etc. in the dust-containing air are charged, and after being collected in the dust collector 9, the air passes through the deodorizing unit 10. As a result, the dust-containing air is filtered to become clean air, and is discharged from the exhaust port 5 to the outside of the air purifier.

[0050] As described above, according to the air purifier of the embodiment of the present invention, uniform and stable discharge areas are formed by corona discharge between the upstream discharge electrode 35a and the upstream opening 45, and between the downstream discharge electrode 35b and the downstream opening 46, so that fine dust particles, mist, viruses, etc. in the dust-laden air can be uniformly charged.

[0051] In addition, by employing the discharge brush 48 for the discharge electrode 35, the tips of the many discharge brushes 48 are alternately discharged, so that the tips are less likely to become dirty, stable discharge can be performed for a long period of time, and durability can be improved.

[0052] In addition, the upstream grounding electrode plate 31 and the downstream grounding electrode plate 32 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the dust-containing air, and a large number of openings 45, 46 are formed in the upstream grounding electrode plate 31 and the downstream grounding electrode plate 32. As a result, the upstream grounding electrode plate 31 and the downstream grounding electrode plate 32 have the function of an earth plate for the charging device 8 and also have the function of straightening the dust-containing air, so there is no need to provide a separate straightening plate, which allows costs to be reduced.

[0053] Furthermore, since a crimped portion is formed on the support substrate 34 as a holding portion 47 extending from the end, the held discharge electrode 35 is moved away from the end of the support substrate 34, making it easier to generate an uneven electric field, thereby improving discharge performance.

[0054] Next, the manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member 33 in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Here, Fig. 8(1), (2), and (3) are explanatory diagrams sequentially showing the manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member 33 in the embodiment of the present invention. Note that Fig. 8 shows a state in which no high voltage is applied to the wires, so the tip of the bundle of wires is not open as in Fig. 5.

[0055] 8(1), a metal thin plate is punched by a press to integrally form the upstream crimped portion 47a and the downstream crimped portion 47b, and then the crimped portions 47a and 47b are bent up into a V shape to manufacture the support substrate 34. In this case, a U shape may be used instead of the V shape. Meanwhile, a discharge brush 48 formed into a brush shape by bundling a predetermined number of fibrous wires is supplied to each of the crimped portions 47a and 47b.

[0056] 8(2), the discharge brush 48 supplied to each crimping portion 47a, 47b is crimped together with the crimping portion 47a, 47b to be held by each crimping portion 47a, 47b, and then the tip of the discharge brush 48 is cut so that it protrudes a predetermined length from the crimping portion 47a, 47b. This operation is then performed sequentially for each of the crimping portions 47a, 47b on the upstream and downstream sides of each stage.

[0057] Finally, as shown in FIG. 8(3), the base portions of the upstream crimped portions 47a are alternately bent in directions a and b, and then a metal protective plate 49 is bonded to the surface of the support substrate 34 for reinforcement.

[0058] As a result, the discharge electrode member 33 having the discharge electrode 35 on the supporting substrate 34 can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

[0059] Even if the thickness of the support substrate 34 is set in consideration of the ease of crimping, it is not necessary to attach the protective plate 49 as long as the strength (bending strength against airflow during use and strength sufficient to prevent deformation when handled during cleaning) is sufficient.

[0060] Next, a manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member 33 of the second example in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Here, Figs. 9(1), (2), and (3) are explanatory diagrams sequentially showing the manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member 33 of the second example in the embodiment of the present invention. Note that Fig. 9 shows a state in which no high voltage is applied to the wire, so the tip of the wire is not open as in Fig. 5.

[0061] 9(1), a metal thin plate is punched by a press to integrally form an upstream crimped portion 47a and a downstream crimped portion 47b, and then each crimped portion 47a, 47b is bent up into a V shape to manufacture the support substrate 34. Meanwhile, an aluminum tape type brush 50 is prepared as a brush unit having a predetermined number of discharge brushes 48 attached at predetermined intervals from a metal foil belt 51 made of aluminum tape so that the brush unit protrudes a predetermined length on the upstream and downstream sides, respectively, and is attached to the surface of the support substrate 34, and the discharge brushes 48 are supplied to each of the crimped portions 47a, 47b.

[0062] 9(2), the discharge brush 48 supplied to each of the crimping portions 47a, 47b is crimped together with the crimping portions 47a, 47b to be held by each of the crimping portions 47a, 47b. This operation is performed sequentially for each of the crimping portions 47a, 47b on the upstream and downstream sides of each stage.

[0063] Finally, as shown in FIG. 9(3), the base portion of the upstream crimped portion 47a is alternately bent in directions a and b, and then a metal protective plate 49 is joined onto the metal foil strip 51 of the aluminum tape on the surface of the support substrate 34 for reinforcement.

[0064] In this manner, the discharge electrode member 33 having the discharge electrode 35 on the support substrate 34 is manufactured. In this case, since the aluminum tape type brush 50, which is widely available commercially as a member for the purpose of static elimination, is used, there is no need to prepare manufacturing equipment for supplying the discharge brush 48 in the manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member 33, and therefore the initial cost can be reduced. Therefore, the discharge electrode member 33 can be manufactured more easily and at lower cost.

[0065] Next, a manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member 33 of the third example in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Here, Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member 33 of the third example in the embodiment of the present invention. Note that Fig. 10 shows a state in which no high voltage is applied to the wire, so the tip of the wire is not open as in Fig. 5.

[0066] In the manufacturing process of the discharge electrode member 33 of this embodiment, as in the above-described second embodiment, a commercially available aluminum tape type brush 50 is used. A resin material is used as the base material of the support substrate 34, and the aluminum tape type brush 50 and the holding portion 52 that holds the base of the discharge brush 48 are integrally formed by insert molding the support substrate 34.

[0067] In this way, by using the metal foil belt 51 made of aluminum tape, it is possible to maintain the conductivity of the discharge brush 48. Furthermore, the maintenance of the directionality and strength of the overall structure and the discharge brush 48 can be achieved by manufacturing complex shapes using a mold, taking advantage of the moldability of resin, and component costs can be reduced during mass production.

[0068] In addition, depending on the shape of the resin mold, the cross-sectional shape of the support substrate 34 can be made streamlined as shown in FIG. 10, or the surface can be given an unevenness or pattern, making it possible to control the airflow by creating a fluid shape that generates vortexes and / or turbulence in the airflow flowing around the support substrate 34.

[0069] Furthermore, by making the end faces of the support substrate 34 sharp or curved, accumulation and retention of dust contained in the airflow can be prevented and the substrate can be easily cleaned, thereby improving cleaning performance during maintenance.

[0070] Furthermore, various resin materials can be used for the support substrate 34; for example, a material containing a photocatalyst can be used to exert a deodorizing or antiviral function by using a UV irradiation lamp. This makes it possible to use an air purifier as a measure against infectious diseases. Specifically, resin materials containing titanium dioxide and having antibacterial and antifouling functions by photocatalysts are already in practical use, and it is preferable to use such materials for the support substrate 34 (see, for example, https: / / pr.fujitsu.com / jp / news / 2004 / 04 / 6.html).

[0071] Next, a charging device 60 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 11 and Fig. 12. Fig. 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the charging device 60 according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 12 is a view taken along the line B in Fig. 11. In the following description, for the sake of simplicity, detailed description of the same configuration as the charging device 8 in the above-described embodiment will be omitted.

[0072] In the charging device 60 of this embodiment, an upstream ground electrode plate 61 and a downstream ground electrode plate 62 are arranged in parallel, and a discharge electrode member 63 is arranged between the upstream ground electrode plate 61 and the downstream ground electrode plate 62.

[0073] The upstream ground electrode plate 61 and the downstream ground electrode plate 62 are each formed with a plurality of upstream openings 64 and downstream openings 65. The upstream openings 64 and downstream openings 65 are both arranged in a staggered manner and are arranged alternately in an elevational view as shown in Fig. 12. The upstream openings 64 and downstream openings 65 are formed in the same number, and are formed so that the individual areas and the total areas of the openings 64 and downstream openings 65 are also the same.

[0074] The discharge electrode member 63 is configured to include a support substrate 66 as a support member, and a discharge electrode 67 held by the support substrate 66. The discharge electrode 67 includes an upstream discharge electrode 67a held by an upstream crimped portion 68a and arranged corresponding to each upstream opening 64, and a downstream discharge electrode 67b held by a downstream crimped portion 68b and arranged corresponding to each downstream opening 65.

[0075] The upstream discharge electrodes 67a are formed so as to extend in the direction of the upstream ground electrode plate 61 (i.e., upstream of the support substrate 66 in the flow direction of the dust-containing air) and are bent in a staggered manner. The central tip of the bundle of discharge brushes 69 of the upstream discharge electrode 67a is disposed on the center line of the upstream openings 64 adjacent to both the left and right sides of the support substrate 66, spaced apart from the upstream openings 64 without penetrating the openings 64. As a result, as shown in Fig. 11, a constant discharge gap G3 is maintained between the tip of the discharge brush 69 of the upstream discharge electrode 67a and the periphery of the upstream opening 64, and a charged area EA3 formed by corona discharge between the upstream discharge electrode 67a and the upstream opening 64 has a substantially conical shape, so that a uniform and stable discharge state can be formed.

[0076] The downstream discharge electrodes 67b are formed so as to extend in the direction of the downstream ground electrode plate 62 (i.e., upstream of the support substrate 66 in the flow direction of the dust-containing air) and are bent in a staggered manner. The central tip of the bundle of discharge brushes 69 of the downstream discharge electrode 67b is disposed on the center line of downstream openings 65 adjacent to both the left and right sides of the support substrate 66, spaced apart from the downstream openings 65 without penetrating the downstream openings 65. As a result, as shown in Fig. 11, a constant discharge gap G3 is maintained between the tip of the discharge brush 69 of the downstream discharge electrode 67b and the periphery of the downstream opening 65, and a charged area EA3 formed by corona discharge between the tip of the discharge brush 69 of the downstream discharge electrode 67b and the downstream opening 65 has a substantially conical shape, so that a uniform and stable discharge state can be formed.

[0077] As described above, in the air purifier according to this embodiment, the upstream discharge electrode 67a and the downstream discharge electrode 67b of the same stage are arranged at the upstream opening 64 and the downstream opening 65 from the support substrate 66 with their bending directions and protruding directions being different from each other. This doubles the number of downstream discharge electrodes 67b compared to the charging device 8 in the above embodiment, thereby further improving the charging efficiency.

[0078] In addition, because the upstream opening 64 and the downstream opening 65 are arranged to interfere with each other in an elevational view as shown in Fig. 12, the air current passing between them does not go straight but necessarily flows in a circular motion, decreasing the flow speed. This makes it easier for the air current to flow between the upper and lower discharge areas, further improving the charging efficiency.

[0079] The planar shape of the support substrates 34, 66 is not limited to the Y-shape shown in Fig. 6 or the X-shape shown in Fig. 11 as described above, but may be, for example, a K-shape as shown in Fig. 13. In this case, when the aluminum tape type brush 50 is attached to the metallic support substrates 34, 66 and the crimped portion is bent, it is preferable to bend the crimped portion in a direction in which the metal covers the brush. This is because, if the crimped portion is bent in the opposite direction, a tensile stress is applied to the middle portion of the discharge brush 48, 69 extending integrally from the metal foil strip 51 of the aluminum tape type brush, which makes it easy for the wire to break or fall off. However, by bending the crimped portion in a direction in which the metal covers the brush, almost no stress is applied to the middle portion of the discharge brush 48, 69 extending integrally from the metal foil strip 51 of the aluminum tape type brush 50, which makes it possible to suppress the breakage or fall off of the discharge brush 48, 69 and improve durability. Furthermore, when the number of upstream openings and downstream openings is in a 2:1 relationship, although not specifically shown, a lowercase Y shape is preferable as the planar shape of the support substrates 34, 66, and it is also possible to combine these shapes to take advantage of the best features of each.

[0080] As described above, the charging device and air purifier according to the present invention can efficiently charge dust, fine particles, and viruses, improve charging efficiency, and easily purify the air.

[0081] Furthermore, as described above, with the charging device and air purifier of the present invention, various modifications can be made to the manufacturing method and structure of the support substrate, making it possible to provide optimal conditions depending on the initial cost, component cost, lot size, and investment status of manufacturing equipment.

[0082] The above description of the embodiments of the present invention describes preferred embodiments of the charging device and air purifier according to the present invention, and may include various technically preferable limitations, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these aspects unless there is a description that specifically limits the present invention. In other words, the components in the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention can be appropriately replaced with existing components, and various variations including combinations with other existing components are possible, and the description of the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention does not limit the content of the invention described in the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0083] The technology of the present invention is expected to be used in air purifiers for home and commercial use, as well as in electrostatic precipitators that suck up and collect dust and oil mist generated in processing factories, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 4 Air Intake 5. Exhaust port 8 Charging device 9 Dust collector 11 Suction fan (blowing means) 31 Upstream ground electrode plate (counter electrode) 32 Downstream ground electrode plate (counter electrode) 34 Support substrate (support member) 35 Discharge Electrode 35a Upstream discharge electrode 35b Downstream discharge electrode 45 Upstream opening 46 Downstream opening 47 Crimping part (retaining part) 48 Discharge Brush 50 Aluminum tape type brush (brush unit) 51 Metal foil strip 60 Charging Device 61 Upstream ground electrode plate 62 Downstream ground electrode plate 64 Upstream opening 65 Downstream opening 66 Support substrate (support member) 67 Discharge Electrode 67a Upstream discharge electrode 67b Downstream discharge electrode 64 Upstream opening 65 Downstream opening 69 Discharge Brush

Claims

1. A charging device for generating a corona discharge between a discharge electrode disposed in an airflow passage and a counter electrode connected to earth by applying a voltage to the discharge electrode, the counter electrode is disposed so as to block the flow passage of the airflow, and is formed in a flat plate shape having a plurality of openings; The discharge electrode is a discharge brush formed by bundling a number of wires, a plurality of central tip portions of the bundle of discharge brushes of the discharge electrode are disposed on a center line of the opening in a state spaced apart from the opening without penetrating the opening, corresponding to the plurality of openings; a support member having an elongated shape and crimped portions as a plurality of holding portions for holding the discharge brushes, the crimped portions being formed at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction; the plurality of crimped portions as the holding portions extend from a surface of an end of the support member facing the counter electrode toward the counter electrode and are formed integrally with the support member, the discharge brush being held by the crimped portions as the plurality of holding portions, The wire of the discharge brush is made of stainless steel fiber having a diameter of 5 to 25 μm.

3. A charging device according to claim 2, wherein the length of projection of said discharge brush from said crimped portions as said plurality of holding portions toward said counter electrode is 5 mm.

2. the counter electrodes are disposed on the upstream side and the downstream side of the discharge electrode in the flow direction of the airflow, 2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge electrode comprises an upstream discharge electrode facing upstream in the flow direction of the air current and a downstream discharge electrode facing downstream.

3. 3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the upstream discharge electrodes and a plurality of the downstream discharge electrodes are provided corresponding to the openings of the upstream and downstream counter electrodes, respectively.

4. 4. The charging device according to claim 3, wherein the openings of the upstream and downstream opposing electrodes are provided in equal numbers and have the same opening area.

5. 5. The charging device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said support members, said plurality of support members being arranged in parallel at equal intervals within said flow passage.

6. 6. The charging device according to claim 5, wherein the supporting member is a metallic conductor and is integrally formed with the holding portion.

7. 7. A charging device according to claim 6, wherein a brush unit having brushes attached at regular intervals in a metal foil band state is joined to the support member, and the base of the discharge brush is crimped and held in the holding portion.

8. The charging device according to claim 5, characterized in that the support member is made of plastic, and a brush unit in which brushes are attached at regular intervals to a metal foil strip and a holding portion that holds the base of the discharge brush are integrally formed by insert molding.

9. 9. The charging device according to claim 8, wherein the support member has a flowable shape in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the flowing shape generating vortexes and / or turbulence in the air flow passing around the support member.

10. 10. The charging device according to claim 8, wherein the supporting member contains titanium dioxide and has antibacterial and antifouling properties due to photocatalysis.

11. In an air purifier equipped with the charging device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The charging device includes an intake port, an exhaust port, a blower, and a dust collector disposed downstream of the charging device, This air purifier is characterized in that the dust, particles, and viruses contained in the air sucked in from the air intake by the blowing means are charged by the charging device, and then adsorbed by the dust collecting device, and clean air is discharged from the exhaust port.

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