Air purifiers

Abstract

To provide a novel air purifier that can be manufactured at a lower cost than before and has excellent long-lasting antibacterial and antiviral actions.SOLUTION: A container 10 is formed by a net having strength and air permeability, the inside of the container is filled with shavings 20 generated when a copper material is cut by a milling machine or a lathe, and a decorative body 30 is arranged on the upper surface of the container. An air purifier can have a structure in which the container 10 has a rectangular shape, a crossbar 11 having a downwardly bent end portion is placed on the upper end of the container 10, and a mounting hole 13 for the decorative body 30 is formed in the crossbar.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an indoor air purifier that utilizes the antibacterial and antiviral properties of copper. [Background technology]

[0002] It has long been widely known that copper has antibacterial and antiviral properties. The mechanism is thought to be that copper ions create holes in the virus's envelope membrane, or that the free radicals generated by the copper ions decompose the genetic material. Furthermore, a research team from the National Institutes of Health (NHI) in the United States found that the novel coronavirus survives for 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel surfaces, 24 hours on cardboard, and only 4 hours on copper, confirming that copper also has antiviral properties against the novel coronavirus.

[0003] Antibacterial materials utilizing such antibacterial and antiviral properties have also been proposed in the past. Patent Document 1 describes dispersing extremely fine copper alloy powder with particle diameters of 1 nm to 1 μm on the surface of an article. Patent Document 2 describes an antibacterial fabric using composite fibers containing copper alloy yarn. Patent Document 3 discloses an antibacterial composition in which copper powder is mixed with Portland cement. However, these conventional antibacterial and antiviral materials process copper into a fine powder or fine fibers to increase the surface area, which has the problem of high manufacturing costs.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes the creation of artificial flowers from resin or fiber onto which an antibacterial material has been sprayed or which have antibacterial material kneaded into them, and placing them indoors to achieve deodorizing and antibacterial effects as well as aesthetic effects as interior decoration. However, it is inevitable that the deodorizing and antibacterial effects will gradually decrease over time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-65375 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-143272 [Patent Document 3] Utility Model Registration No. 3135466 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, to provide a novel air purifier that can be manufactured more cheaply than conventional ones, and has excellent durability of antibacterial and antiviral effects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventor, whose business is processing copper products, focused on the large amount of shavings that are generated when cutting copper materials on lathes or milling machines. These shavings have been disposed of as waste until now, but he came up with the idea that they could be used to manufacture air purifiers that utilize the antibacterial and antiviral properties of copper at extremely low cost.

[0008] The present invention was made based on the above findings, and is characterized by forming a container from a strong and breathable net, filling the inside of this container with shavings generated when cutting copper material, and placing a decorative body on the top surface of the container.

[0009] The net can be a stainless steel net. The container can be rectangular, with a crossbar bent downwards on its top, and a mounting hole for the decorative object formed in the crossbar. The shavings can be shavings generated when cutting copper material with a milling machine or lathe. These shavings can be packed in a compressed state into the container. The decorative object can be an artificial flower, and its central axis can be inserted into the mounting hole in the crossbar. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The air purifier of the present invention can be manufactured very inexpensively because it uses shavings generated when cutting copper material, which was previously disposed of as waste. These shavings are fine and have a large surface area. Moreover, by filling the shavings inside a container made of a strong, breathable net, the shavings are prevented from scattering while allowing air to circulate, and fine copper pieces are not scattered even when the device is installed indoors.

[0011] By placing the air purifier of the present invention indoors, when bacteria and viruses floating in the air come into contact with the surface of copper material shavings, the antibacterial and antiviral effects of the copper ions can reduce their activity. Furthermore, because copper has antifungal and deodorizing properties, it can also suppress mold growth and deodorize the room. Moreover, the air purifier of the present invention's effectiveness lasts semi-permanently and does not decrease. Furthermore, because the air purifier of the present invention has a decorative element placed on the top surface of the container, it also functions as an interior decoration, making it highly practical as an air purifier that also serves as an interior decoration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is an external perspective view showing a second embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a plan view with the decorative element removed. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which the crossbar has been moved. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, in which 10 is a container formed from a strong, breathable net. The material of this net is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of strength and rigidity, it is preferably made of metal, and in this embodiment, it is made of stainless steel netting, which is unlikely to rust. In this embodiment, this stainless steel net is used to form the sides and bottom of the container 10, resulting in a cubic container 10 with a side length of 10 to 15 cm. The top of the container 10 is open, and the bottom does not necessarily have to be made of netting. In this way, copper shavings 20 are filled inside 10.

[0014] The air purifier of the present invention captures airborne bacteria and viruses on the copper surface and reduces their activity by bringing indoor air into contact with copper shavings 20 through the side of container 10. For this reason, it is preferable that the mesh size of the net be large enough not to impede air circulation, but small enough to prevent copper shavings 20 from flying out.

[0015] The shavings 20 generated when cutting copper material with a milling machine vary in size depending on the cutting conditions and the type of copper material, but are generally in the form of small pieces. It is preferable to sift the shavings as needed and fill the container 10 with pieces of a roughly uniform size. The shavings 20 generated when cutting with a lathe have a fine spiral shape, and the large internal space of the spiral has the advantage of increasing the contact area with air. These shavings 20 can be placed directly into the container 10, but they can also be compressed into a uniform shape using a press machine to improve their fit into the container 10. The pressing pressure used here is preferably such that the shavings 20 adhere to each other while maintaining their shape. Completely crushing the shavings into a tightly packed state is undesirable, as it reduces surface area and impairs breathability. Therefore, a compression ratio of approximately 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 is preferable.

[0016] The copper material used in the present invention may be pure copper or a copper alloy. For example, shavings 20 from various copper alloys, such as alumina dispersion strengthened copper, silver-containing copper, beryllium-containing copper, chromium-zirconium-containing copper, and cobalt-containing copper, can be used. These copper materials are widely used as industrial materials, and the amount of shavings 20 generated is large, making them easily available. Although the alloy components do not have antibacterial or antiviral properties, they do not inhibit the antibacterial or antiviral properties of copper.

[0017] The shavings 20 packed into the container 10 have numerous gaps between them, resulting in a very large contact area between the copper surface and the air. Furthermore, the complex, intricate shapes of the spaces formed inside the shavings 20 ensure that airborne bacteria and viruses are captured by the copper surface, just like a mask. This effectively reduces the activity of airborne bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, these shavings 20 do not scatter into the air like copper powder or copper fibers, and cannot be accidentally inhaled. Furthermore, copper is a safe metal used in pots and pans, so even if young children accidentally touch or lick it, there is no harm to the human body.

[0018] Although simply filling the interior of the container 10 with copper shavings 20 will have the effect of purifying the air in a room, in the present invention, a decorative body 30 is placed on the top surface of the container 10 to create an interior decoration. In this embodiment, a crossbar 11 is placed between two opposing sides of the rectangular container 10. This crossbar 11 is made of a metal plate, such as stainless steel, with its end 12 bent downward, and also functions to prevent the container 10 from deforming.

[0019] As shown in the figure, the crossbar 11 has a number of mounting holes 13 formed therein for inserting the decorative body 30. The position of the crossbar 11 is determined by the position of the crossbar 11 in the container 10 as shown in FIG. heart It can be a position, or as shown in Figure 4, of You can slide it into position.

[0020] In Figure 1, artificial flowers are used as decorative objects 30, with their central axes 31 inserted into the mounting holes 13 of the crossbar 11. However, as shown in Figure 2, the central axes 31 of the artificial flowers can also be inserted into the gaps in the shavings 20 from a location where there is no crossbar 11. By placing artificial flowers on the top surface of the container 10 in this way, it is possible to create an appearance that resembles flowers planted in a pot. However, decorative objects 30 are not necessarily limited to artificial flowers, and can be modified as needed to include dolls, international flags, etc.

[0021] The shape of the container 10 may be rectangular as in the above embodiment, or may be cylindrical as shown in FIG.

[0022] The air purifier of the present invention configured as described above is intended to be placed in a corner of a room, but it can also be hung from a hanging cord. Furthermore, since allowing air to circulate allows airborne bacteria and viruses to be captured by the copper surface, enhancing the effect of reducing the activity of bacteria and viruses, it is desirable to place it in a location where air can circulate, such as near a window. Furthermore, placing an electric fan or small fan nearby can further enhance the air contact effect.

[0023] As explained above, the air purifier of the present invention utilizes copper shavings, which have previously been disposed of as waste, making it inexpensive to manufacture and providing excellent antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and deodorizing effects. Furthermore, because the air purifier of the present invention utilizes the antibacterial and antiviral properties of copper, these effects last almost permanently. Furthermore, by placing decorative body 30 on the top surface of the air purifier of the present invention, it is suitable for use as an interior decoration. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 10 containers 11 Crossbar 12 End 13 Mounting hole 20 shavings 30 Decorations 31 Center axis

Claims

1. This air purifier is characterized in that a container is formed from a strong and breathable net, the inside of the container is filled with shavings generated when cutting a copper material, and a decorative body is placed on the top surface of the container.

2. 2. The air purifying device according to claim 1, wherein the net is a stainless steel net.

3. 3. The air purifier according to claim 1, wherein the container is rectangular, a crossbar with a downwardly bent end is placed on the top end of the container, and a mounting hole for the decorative body is formed in the crossbar.

4. An air purifier as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the shavings are filled in a container in a compressed state.

5. An air purifier as described in claim 3, characterized in that the decorative body is an artificial flower, the central axis of which is inserted into the mounting hole of the crossbar.

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