Water and / or air quality control materials and water and / or air quality control equipment

Abstract

To provide living environment maintenance products in a form that can fully demonstrate excellent effects such as antibacterial agents, aromatic deodorants, aromatic deodorants, mineral suppliers, far infrared radiation agents, and cleaning agents, especially those that clean water and air used in the living environment.SOLUTION: Water quality and / or air quality control materials are characterized in that one or more substances having water quality and / or air quality control functions are enclosed in a bag formed of a filtering material capable of collecting those substances. Water quality and / or air quality control tools 40 are characterized in that one or more of the water quality and / or air quality control materials are stored in an enclosure that is equipped with components that function as water quality and / or air quality control parts. Further, a water quality and / or air quality control household product may be characterized as being equipped with the water quality and / or air quality control tools, or may be substituted with the water quality and / or air quality control tools.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to water and / or air quality control materials that are configured in a form that is easy to handle at home and contain substances suitable for water quality control that remove odors and pollutants from water used in households such as washing machines, flush toilets, bathtubs, sinks, aquariums, and hydroponics, and that supply active ingredients to optimize the water condition depending on the application, and / or substances suitable for air quality control that remove odors and pollutants from living spaces to ensure a comfortable living environment; water and / or air quality control devices that include these water and / or air quality control materials as components that function as water and / or air quality control units; and water and / or air quality control household products that utilize the water and / or air quality control materials and water and / or air quality control devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Once material needs are satisfied, humans begin to desire a clean, disease-free, and comfortable living environment—one free of odors and protected from invisible pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses. As a result, it is now common to see antibacterial products boasting antibacterial treatments on household and kitchen utensils, food containers and packaging, clothing, stationery and toys, electrical and electronic products, housing and building materials, and vehicles and aircraft (Non-Patent Documents 1-3). Here, "antibacterial" is not limited to inhibiting or preventing the growth of fungi, bacteria, and viruses, or killing or damaging them, but also encompasses sterilization, disinfection, sterilization, bacteriostatic, bacteriostatic, antiseptic, antifungal, and antifungal effects on non-pathogenic microorganisms. It should be noted, however, that due to the many academically similar terms in this field, there is little proper understanding of the term "antibacterial," leading to many misunderstandings about the effectiveness and utility of antibacterial products.

[0003] Furthermore, deodorizing agents, also known as deodorants, air fresheners, and deodorizers, are sprayed in living spaces such as living rooms, toilets, kitchens, bathrooms, and entryways; inside household items such as shoe cabinets, refrigerators, and chests of drawers; in various public facilities such as hospitals, movie theaters, and schools; and inside transportation compartments such as automobiles, vehicles, and airplanes, and deodorizing aromas and fragrances containing deodorizing aromas in various forms are naturally kept on hand (Non-Patent Documents 4 and 5).

[0004] In order to improve the effectiveness of antibacterial and deodorizing properties, various factors such as the type of target pathogen and source of malodor, and the usage and environment of the antibacterial and deodorizing products have been taken into consideration, and the antibacterial and deodorizing mechanisms of action have been selected, leading to improvements in antibacterial agents and deodorizing agents, as well as improvements in the form of products using these (Non-Patent Documents 1 to 5). In particular, with regard to deodorizing agents, not only is the functional value of deodorizing important, but the emotional value of the fragrance that users enjoy is also important, and it has been necessary to respond to changes in fragrances over time (Non-Patent Document 6).

[0005] For example, with regard to antibacterial agents, there has been a shift from organic to inorganic antibacterial agents, particularly from the viewpoint of the durability and safety of the antibacterial effect, and various inorganic antibacterial agents have been developed (Non-Patent Document 3). In particular, many antibacterial agents have been found in which fine particles and ions of silver (Ag), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), gold (Au), platinum (Pt), etc., and their metal compounds are supported on carriers such as inorganic porous materials and hydroxyapatite (Patent Document 1).

[0006] Furthermore, anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysts, which generate highly oxidizing hydroxyl radicals upon irradiation with ultraviolet light and decompose organic substances, i.e., pathogens and sources of malodors, have attracted attention and are increasingly being used as materials with both antibacterial and deodorizing functions (Non-Patent Document 7). Therefore, visible-light-responsive Ti-based photocatalysts and tungsten oxide (WO3)-based photocatalysts have been developed that exhibit photocatalytic functions even in indoor environments, where TiO2 is exposed to minimal ultraviolet light (Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 8). Titanium-containing hydroxyapatite, which has enhanced organic adsorption properties, and titanium phosphate-based compounds, which do not require light, have also been developed as antibacterial and deodorizing agents using titanium (Ti) (Patent Documents 3 and 4).

[0007] Here, as mentioned above, "antibacterial" has a broad and comprehensive meaning, but just as it has various effects such as killing, inhibiting the growth of, and removing microorganisms, preventing the deterioration of medicines and foodstuffs that contain microorganisms, and killing and inhibiting the growth of pathogens only, "deodorizing fragrance" also has three main effects. First, it decomposes and kills the microorganisms that cause odors. Second, it chemically and physically adsorbs the odor and removes it from the system. Third, it conceals (masks) the odor with a fragrance that is stronger than the odor itself. In practice, the "deodorizing fragrance" function is often achieved by combining these effects.

[0008] Therefore, as can be seen from the deodorizing products available on the shelves of pharmacies, a wider variety of substances and forms have been developed for deodorizing air fresheners and deodorizing products than for antibacterial agents and antibacterial products (Non-Patent Documents 4-6). Examples include spray deodorizing products, and products in which liquid, gel, or solid deodorizing products are stored in a container and the deodorizing product evaporates or absorbs odors. Furthermore, the emotional value of fragrances, which are enjoyed by users, is important for aromatic components, and they must also be able to respond to changes in fragrance over time. Therefore, a wide variety of fragrances, including floral, citrus, herbal, soap, and fruit fragrances, are used.

[0009] Furthermore, as the values ​​of human lifestyles become more diverse, human demands for such clean, disease-free, and comfortable living environments are insatiable, and there is a growing demand for not only antibacterial and deodorizing fragrances but also functions that maintain and promote the health of humans, animals, and plants in everyday life, and functions that relieve the burden of daily household chores and other labor.

[0010] For example, there has been growing interest in products known as ceramic balls, which contain ceramics, a non-metallic inorganic material that has traditionally been used in ceramics, abrasives, heat exchange materials, refractory materials, and electronic and electrical components, as well as minerals and rocks, which are inorganic materials containing metals that occur naturally (Non-Patent Document 9).These ceramic balls are said to have a wide range of effects, including not only antibacterial and deodorizing effects, but also cleaning effects, mineral supplement effects, far-infrared effects, and negative ion effects, but many aspects of these effects remain unclear.

[0011] This is because ceramic balls can contain heavy metal ions such as Ag, Cu, and Zn present in minerals and rocks, as well as photocatalysts such as TiO2, giving them excellent antibacterial properties, and they can contain porous materials such as ceramics, minerals, and rocks, giving them excellent deodorizing properties that absorb odors, as typified by activated carbon and zeolite.It is also thought to be because they have the function of maintaining and improving the health of humans, animals, and plants in everyday life, such as replenishing minerals, relieving fatigue, activating cells, and improving cleaning power, as well as the function of relieving the burden of everyday housework and other labor.

[0012] For example, ceramic balls containing minerals and rocks are porous and contain abundant minerals such as sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca). Therefore, simply by attaching a filter containing ceramic balls to a water supply, mineral water can be obtained from tap water with chlorine compounds and other substances purified.

[0013] Furthermore, when such ceramic balls are made with minerals and rocks containing silicon dioxide (SiO2), and the ceramic balls are placed in a showerhead, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, the far-infrared radiation effect of SiO2 has been reported to reduce damage to hair, scalp, and skin, warm the body, and promote blood flow (Non-Patent Document 10). This far-infrared radiation effect is based on the ceramic balls' high content of SiO2, which has a high emissivity for far-infrared rays. Note that emissivity is defined as the ratio ε = W' / W between the ideal total radiant energy W, based on a "blackbody," an ideal object that absorbs all incident wavelengths of light and neither reflects nor transmits light, and the energy W' radiated by the object. SiO2 is opaque to far-infrared rays in the 3-1,000 μm wavelength range, and, according to Kirchhoff's law, which states that emissivity and absorptivity are equal, has the property of easily absorbing and emitting far-infrared rays.

[0014] Furthermore, ceramic balls containing TiO2, a photocatalyst, can have antibacterial properties, which means that in hydroponics (hydroculture), a clean water environment can be maintained for a long period of time, suppressing the growth of mold and pathogens and preventing root rot.In addition, the water quality can be changed by eluting minerals, creating a water environment that is favorable for plant growth, reducing the amount of liquid fertilizer used and improving the taste of food.

[0015] Using these ceramic balls in laundry not only improves the cleaning, antibacterial, and deodorizing effects on laundry, but also cleans, antibacterial, and deodorizes the washing machine drum and its drain pipe, thereby reducing the burden of daily housework (Patent Documents 5 and 6). This is thought to be because far-infrared radiation from SiO2 promotes water penetration into laundry, enhancing cleaning power, and the photocatalyst TiO2 exerts antibacterial and deodorizing effects. The cleaning effect can be further enhanced by using these ceramic balls in a laundry ball, which prevents laundry from tangling and enhances cleaning effectiveness through physical collisions. One way to enhance cleaning power is to incorporate magnesium (Mg) and magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), which exert cleaning effects, into the ceramic balls, and these are widely used in laundry cleaning products (Non-Patent Document 11).

[0016] As described above, the market is flooded with various products for maintaining a living environment that uses numerous antibacterial agents, deodorizing air fresheners, mineral suppliers, far-infrared emitting agents, detergents, etc., in order to create a clean, disease-free, and comfortable living environment that is free from bad odors and is protected from invisible pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses, as well as a living environment that maintains and improves the health of humans and plants in their daily lives and relieves them from the burden of everyday housework.

[0017] However, these living environment maintenance products are household goods, and compared to food and pharmaceutical products, which are subject to proper labeling by law, it is extremely difficult for the average consumer to distinguish their quality when purchasing them, and this becomes even more difficult when the intended use and the environment in which they are used are taken into consideration. As a result, there are cases in which average consumers are unable to enjoy the satisfactory effects and benefits of living environment maintenance products.

[0018] No matter how effective an antibacterial agent, deodorizer, mineral supplier, far-infrared radiator, or cleaning agent may be, in order to exert its effect, it must come into contact with liquids and gases containing pathogens and odors, particularly with water and the air in living spaces in a living environment. Therefore, a minimum specific surface area is required, and it is preferable for the particles to be in the form of particles of several microns to several tens of microns.

[0019] For example, ceramic balls produced by mixing highly effective antibacterial agents, deodorizing air fresheners, mineral-supplying agents, far-infrared emitting agents, and detergents with other ceramics and molding them are approximately 7 to 10 mm in size. This is achieved by a method similar to the method for producing konpeito sugar, which was patented in the Meiji era, in which raw materials and water are supplied to a mixer, the mixer is rotated, and the balls grow in size, and then sintered (this ceramic ball manufacturing method is referred to as the "mixer granulation method" in this specification). As a result, the specific surface area of ​​the ceramic balls themselves is small, and it is difficult to distribute the active ingredients unevenly on the ceramic ball surface, resulting in limited effectiveness. Furthermore, molding antibacterial agents, deodorizing air fresheners, mineral-supplying agents, far-infrared emitting agents, and detergents into ceramic balls requires special technology and is not easily produced.

[0020] Therefore, at present, living environment maintenance products that can fully demonstrate the excellent effects of antibacterial agents, deodorizing fragrances, mineral suppliers, far-infrared emitting agents, and cleaning agents are not available to the general consumer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0021] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-28453 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5567828 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 3678606 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 4430877 [Patent Document 5] Utility Model Registration No. 3147925 [Patent Document 6] Patent No. 5838273 [Patent Document 7] Patent No. 2567719 [Patent Document 8] Patent No. 3117614 [Patent Document 9] Patent No. 3602654 [Patent Document 10] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-84174 [Patent Document 11] Patent No. 3829640 [Patent Document 12] Patent No. 4430877 [Patent Document 13] Patent No. 5473324 [Patent Document 14] Patent No. 5567828 [Patent Document 15] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-53128 [Patent Document 16] Patent No. 3678606 [Patent Document 17] Patent No. 3275032 [Patent Document 18] Patent No. 4035622 [Patent Document 19] Patent No. 5664952 [Non-patent literature]

[0022] [Non-Patent Document 1] Shirai, Toho, "Deodorizing and Antibacterial Fibers and Surface Treatments," Surface Technology, Vol. 46, No. 11, pp. 977-982 (1995) [Non-patent document 2] Keiichiro Hiyama, "Antibacterial Treatment of Plastic Products," Journal of the Society of Textile Products Consumer Science, Vol. 40, No. 9, pp. 576-584 (1999) [Non-patent document 3] Yasushi Kikuchi, "Current Status and Issues of Antibacterial Metal Materials," Materia, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 146-150 (2000) [Non-patent document 4] Konosuke Nishida, "Deodorants and Their Effects," Journal of the Society of Textile Products Consumer Science, Vol. 29, No. 9, pp. 359-369 (1988) [Non-Patent Document 5] Shigemi Nagatomo, "Market and Development Trends of Household Air Fresheners," Journal of the Society for Odor and Fragrance Environment, Vol. 37, No. 5, pp. 355-361 (2006) [Non-patent document 6] Hideki Yada, "Changes in the scent of deodorants," Journal of the Society for Odor and Fragrance Environment, Vol. 46, No. 6, pp. 382-389 (2015) [Non-Patent Document 7] Naoya Masahashi, "Fundamentals and Latest Development Trends of Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysis", [online], [Retrieved July 2, 2021], Internet<http: / / polar.imr.tohoku.ac.jp / _userdata / photocat2010.pdf> [Non-patent document 8] Takashi Nishikawa, "Visible Light Sensitized Titanium Oxide Photocatalyst", Journal of the Japan Color Materials Association, Vol. 77, No. 10, pp. 446-450 (2004) [Non-Patent Document 9] FT·T Co., Ltd., "Top 5 ceramic ball companies recommended by professionals," [online], [Retrieved July 2, 2021], Internet<https: / / ft-f.com / ceramics / recomendation / > [Non-Patent Document 10] Masayuki Sakuta, Shigeaki Shukuri, Seitaro Takahashi, Osamu Zuko, Shoichi Okochi, Satoshi Okajima, "On the wavelength characteristics of far-infrared rays in precious stone hot baths and their effectiveness," Proceedings of the 46th Hokkaido Branch Conference of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Vol. 46, September 29, 2007, Hakodate, Hakodate, pp. 9-10 (2007) [Non-Patent Document 11] Yuri Isogai, Yoko Okada, Ayaka Nakajima, "Can you do laundry with magnesium?", [online], [Retrieved July 2, 2021], Internet<https: / / kozu-osaka.jp / cms / wp-content / uploads / 2019 / 02 / c2cbafaa4664f40a0da7b1a837b84f25.pdf> [Non-Patent Document 12] Tomohiko Iijima and Tomoaki Yukiashi, "Properties of Complex Antibacterial and Antifungal Agents and Silver-Based Inorganic Antibacterial Agents," Inorganic Materials, Vol. 6, Nov. 512-516 (1999) [Non-Patent Document 13] USE Co., Ltd., "Catalytically processed activated carbon," [online], [Retrieved July 2, 2021], Internet<http: / / www.cocowork.com / products / granular / index.html> [Non-Patent Document 14] Naoyuki Kanetake and Makoto Kobashi, "Development of Porous Materials by Combustion Synthesis," Journal of the High Temperature Society, Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 45-50 (March 2008) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0023] As explained in the background art, humans whose material desires have been satisfied are making great efforts to ensure a clean, disease-free, and comfortable living environment that is free from unpleasant odors and is protected from invisible pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses, as well as a living environment that maintains and improves the health of humans and plants in their daily lives and relieves them from the burden of daily housework. However, among the many antibacterial agents, deodorizing air fresheners, mineral supplying agents, far-infrared emitting agents, and cleaning agents that have been developed, there is no selection of products that exhibit excellent effects that can fully satisfy these demands, and no household living environment maintenance products that can effectively utilize these products have been found.

[0024] The present invention aims to provide living environment maintenance products in a form that can fully exert the excellent effects of antibacterial agents, deodorizing air fresheners, mineral suppliers, far-infrared emitting agents, detergents, etc. More specifically, the present invention aims to provide water and / or air quality control materials, water and / or air quality control tools using these materials, and water and / or air quality control household products using these materials and tools as living environment maintenance products that purify the water and air used in living environments and also have functions such as maintaining and improving the health of humans, animals, plants, etc. in everyday life and relieving the burden of housework and other daily chores. [Means for solving the problem]

[0025] In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors have developed a method for producing a porous substrate having a surface area (weight per unit area, generally expressed as g / m) capable of capturing adsorbents such as activated carbon and zeolite, antibacterial agents carrying Ag ions, and crushed rock material containing a large amount of SiO2. 2 The inventors have found that by preparing a bag in which the antibacterial agent is enclosed in a nonwoven fabric having a thickness (expressed in units of thickness), two or more of the bags can be housed in a housing having an opening through which fluid can easily move, and the housing can be installed in a living room, toilet, kitchen, etc., or thrown into a flush toilet water tank, a bathtub, an aquarium, etc., it is possible to remove pathogens and odors present in water and / or air, to exhibit far-infrared effects while bathing, and to provide a living environment maintenance product that satisfies general consumers, which allows the antibacterial agent, adsorbent, etc. to be replaced in a wide variety of ways depending on the purpose and environment of use, i.e., a water and / or air quality control material in the above-mentioned bag, a water and / or air quality control tool using this material, and a water and / or air quality control household product using these materials and tools, and have completed the present invention.

[0026] First, the present invention provides a water and / or air quality control material characterized in that one or more substances having water and / or air quality control functions are enclosed in a bag made of impermeable, captureable filter material. Therefore, the water and / or air quality control material of the present invention can use various forms of substances having water and / or air quality control functions, and can be installed as is in living rooms, toilets, kitchens, etc., and can be placed in flush toilet water tanks, bathtubs, aquariums, etc. Furthermore, because the water and / or air quality control material of the present invention is simply enclosed in a bag made of a deformable filter material, it may be preferable to use it as is or it may be preferable to further house it in a housing as described below, depending on the purpose and use, for example, damage from contact with laundry in a washing machine, cleaning effectiveness, the limited installation space required in a chest of drawers, the style of the aquarium when installed in an aquarium, and cost, and the provider and user can freely choose.

[0027] Secondly, the present invention is a water and / or air quality control device in which one or more of the above water and / or air quality control materials are housed in a housing equipped with components that function as a water and / or air quality control unit, and which is not intended for a specific use but can be used as a variety of household items or as components of household items. The housing is primarily intended to protect the device from damage due to contact with the external environment, ensure stability when installed, and package or cover the filter material to enhance its design.

[0028] Third, the present invention provides a water and / or air quality control household appliance in which one or more of the above-mentioned water and / or air quality control materials are provided with components that function as a water and / or air quality control unit and are housed in a housing for a specific purpose, or a water and / or air quality control tool as described above and characterized by being provided with a specific purpose. This means that the water and / or air quality control material or water and / or air quality control tool that functions as a water and / or air quality control unit is provided in a housing configured with a form and function suitable for the purpose and use, such as in a household appliance such as a laundry ball used in a washing machine, which preferably has not only antibacterial, deodorizing, and cleaning functions due to substances with water and / or air quality control functions, but also a cleaning promotion function by contact with laundry and a dust capture function such as hair and lint.

[0029] Thus, the basic unit that constitutes and shares water and / or air quality control devices and water and / or air quality control household appliances is the water and / or air quality control material, which is selected by combining a filter medium that cannot pass through but can capture substances having water and / or air quality control functions with substances having water and / or air quality control functions. In other words, the basic technology of the present invention is that the filter medium is limited to using a substance having water and / or air quality control functions that is larger than the maximum size of the pores it forms, while the pores in the filter medium are large enough to allow fluids such as water and air to pass through sufficiently with little resistance.

[0030] Specifically, in order for a substance having a water quality control function and / or an air quality control function to effectively exhibit antibacterial function, deodorizing fragrance function, mineral supply function, far-infrared radiation function, and cleaning function, the larger the contact area with a fluid such as water and / or air, the better, and the smaller the substance is so that the surface area becomes larger.On the other hand, the filter medium forming the bag in which the substance having a water quality control function and / or an air quality control function is enclosed must be able to collect the substance having a water quality control function and / or an air quality control function, and must have voids that allow fluids such as water and / or air to pass through without significant resistance.

[0031] Therefore, based on experimental results, the particle size of the substance having the water quality control function and / or the air quality control function is preferably about 1 μm to 5 mm, and the substance having the water quality control function and / or the air quality control function is selected within this range. If it is smaller than this lower limit, the permeability of the filter material capable of capturing these particles to fluids such as water and / or air is reduced, which is undesirable, and if it is larger than this upper limit, the water quality control function and / or the air quality control function is impaired.

[0032] On the other hand, the filter medium has at least an opening diameter of about 3 μm to 1 mm, a porosity of about 40% to 90%, and an air permeability of about 1 m 3 / m 2 s~200m 3 / m 2·s is preferable, and within this range, a filter material capable of capturing substances with water quality control function and / or air quality control function is selected. If it is less than this lower limit, it is possible to completely capture substances with water quality control function and / or air quality control function, but the filter material's ability to permeate fluids such as water and / or air is significantly reduced, which is not preferable. If it is greater than this upper limit, the substances with water quality control function and / or air quality control function that can be used are too large, the effect of water quality control function and / or air quality control function is reduced, and the substances with water quality control function and / or air quality control function that can be used are limited, which is not preferable. Moreover, it is possible to completely capture substances with water quality control function and / or air quality control function of the above particle size. In knitted fabrics, woven fabrics, and nonwoven fabrics, there are also parameters such as basis weight, thickness, fiber diameter, etc., but for the filter material of the present invention, the above three parameters are the most important for the capture of substances with water quality and / or air quality control function. This is thought to be because, as will be described later, porosity is calculated from basis weight, thickness, and fiber volume.

[0033] Thus, the substance having water quality control function and / or air quality control function must be selected functionally favorably, but there is a favorable correlation between the filter material's ability to adequately capture the substance having water quality control function and / or air quality control function and the substance having water quality control function and / or air quality control function's ability to fully exert its effect, and by organically combining these, it is possible to obtain a living environment maintenance product that satisfies general consumers, that is, a bag-shaped water quality and / or air quality control material. Below, the filter material and the substance having water quality control function and / or air quality control function that can be used in the present invention will be described in more detail.

[0034] The filter medium is preferably any one of mesh, knitted fabric, woven fabric, and nonwoven fabric. The size of usable substances having water quality control function and / or air quality control function can be determined by the mesh opening size. On the other hand, the permeability of knitted fabric, woven fabric, and nonwoven fabric can usually be determined by the basis weight and thickness. However, as will be described later, it is preferable to specify and select the size of usable substances having water quality control function and / or air quality control function from the maximum pore size of knitted fabric, woven fabric, and nonwoven fabric measured by a through-pore size distribution measuring device such as a bubble point method, water breakthrough method, mercury or non-mercury porosimetry, and gas adsorption method, which can evaluate the pore size of about 0.3 μm to 1 mm, which is the lower limit of the size of the substance having water quality control function and / or air quality control function used in the present invention. A pore size of about 1 mm or more can be confirmed by optical microscope or visual inspection.

[0035] In order to deal with the size constraints of the substance that has water quality control function and / or air quality control function, especially small substance, filter material can use the laminated filter material that the same or different two or more kinds of mesh, knitted fabric, woven fabric and nonwoven fabric are laminated to control the opening diameter.In this specification, for this laminated filter material, the filter material that comprises at least mesh will be called laminated mesh filter material, the filter material that comprises at least knitted fabric will be called laminated knitted fabric, the filter material that comprises at least woven fabric will be called laminated woven fabric, and the filter material that comprises at least nonwoven fabric will be called laminated nonwoven fabric.

[0036] Among these filter media, mesh and laminated mesh, as well as nonwoven fabric and laminated nonwoven fabric are preferably used. Mesh is a regularly woven fabric that can accurately sieve substances with water quality and / or air quality control functions. Also, there are stainless steel mesh and resin mesh, etc., but resin mesh is preferred because it has high flexibility, can use thin fiber diameters, and can select those with low pore size, porosity, and air permeability. On the other hand, nonwoven fabric has a porous structure, and can use a wide variety of fibers, such as organic and inorganic fibers, as raw materials, with a wide range of materials, thicknesses, and lengths, and can select a manufacturing method that can change various properties. Therefore, it is possible to widely and precisely control the properties according to the purpose and use, i.e., air permeability, water permeability, filtration (capturing ability), pore size, pore size, etc. In particular, synthetic fiber nonwoven fabrics have a wide variety and are most suitable for the filter media of the present invention. Therefore, nonwoven fabrics will be described in detail.

[0037] As the material for the nonwoven fabric, organic fibers such as natural fibers, such as cotton, wool, hemp, silk, and pulp, synthetic fibers, such as nylon fibers, polypropylene fibers, polyester fibers, acrylic fibers, and polyamide fibers, and inorganic fibers such as glass fibers can be used, but synthetic fibers are most preferred from the viewpoint of performance.

[0038] The manufacturing method basically consists of a fleece-forming step, which forms a fiber-accumulated layer called fleece, and an interfiber bonding step, which bonds the fibers together. The fleece-forming step includes dry, wet, spunbond, and meltblown methods, while the interfiber bonding step includes chemical bonding, which uses an emulsion or solution-based adhesive, thermal bonding, which does not use an adhesive, needlepunching, which entangles the fibers with needles, and spunlace, which entangles the fibers with a high-pressure water jet. Because of this wide variety of manufacturing methods, a wide variety of nonwoven fabrics can be provided depending on the purpose and application.

[0039] In particular, the fleece-forming method allows for a wide variety of fiber types, including fiber material, thickness, and length. The dry process is suitable for fibers approximately 10 to 100 mm long. The fibers are passed through a carding machine, where they are oriented or unoriented by varying the rotation speed of uneven rolls and airflow. This allows for the production of nonwoven fabrics with a wide range of aperture diameters. The wet process involves dispersing fibers in water, then filtering them with a mesh wire, similar to the papermaking process, and drying them on a felt to accumulate the fibers. This process is suitable for short fibers approximately 10 mm long or less, and is compatible with any fiber material, allowing the production of nonwoven fabrics with a uniform thickness and a wide range of basis weights. The spunbond process involves directly accumulating continuous, long fibers obtained by melting and spinning raw resin. This results in a fiber length equal to the length of the machine, which limits the use of synthetic fibers, but produces strong nonwoven fabrics. The meltblown method involves melting a resin and stretching it with high-temperature air sprayed from around a spinning nozzle to form thin fibers into a sheet, enabling the production of nonwoven fabrics with the smallest pore size, with a fiber diameter of approximately 0.3 μm. Therefore, nonwoven fabrics (M) produced by the meltblown method and laminated nonwoven fabrics (S) made by the spunbond method, such as laminated nonwoven fabrics with an SMS three-layer structure or an SMMS four-layer structure, are used to produce medical masks that capture more than 99% of 1-3 μm pseudoviruses and N95 masks that capture more than 95% of 0.3 μm sodium chloride (NaCl) crystals.

[0040] In this way, nonwoven fabrics and laminated nonwoven fabrics can be given a wide variety of properties, including pore size and pore rate, and can therefore be widely used as filter media for capturing substances with various properties that have water quality control functions and / or air quality control functions.

[0041] The shape of the bag formed using such a filter medium is not particularly limited, and it is preferable to sew it into a shape suitable for the purpose and use. Examples of shapes include a prismatic shape, a flat shape, a cylindrical shape, a pyramidal shape, a cone shape, a sphere shape, an oval sphere shape, a purse shape, and shapes in which a hollow or pleated shape is provided, and the hollow and pleated shapes are preferable because they have a large contact area with fluids such as water and / or air. However, it is preferable to provide an opening and closing means such as a zipper, a string, and a male / female member through which the substance having the water quality control function and / or the air quality control function to be enclosed can be replaced.

[0042] On the other hand, the substance having water quality control function and / or air quality control function is any one or more selected from antibacterial metal ion-containing bodies, antibacterial metal-containing bodies, antibacterial metal compound-containing bodies, photocatalyst-containing bodies, deodorizing inorganic porous bodies, cleansing inorganic substance-containing bodies, and inorganic porous bodies, and is sealed in a bag formed of a filter material that can capture the respective properties, and is provided as a water quality and / or air quality control material.

[0043] Examples of antibacterial metal ion-containing materials include inorganic antibacterial agents such as zeolite carrying one or more antibacterial metal ions such as Ag ions, Zn ions, and Cu ions (e.g., Zeomic (registered trademark) manufactured by Sinanen Zeomic Co., Ltd., Bactekiller (registered trademark) manufactured by Fuji Chemical Co., Ltd., and Patent Document 7), glass (e.g., Ion Pure (registered trademark) manufactured by Ishizuka Glass Co., Ltd., Million Guard (registered trademark) manufactured by Koa Glass Co., Ltd., and Non-Patent Document 12), magnesium aluminometasilicate (SiO2-Al2O3-MgO) (e.g., Ice (registered trademark) manufactured by JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Industries, Ltd.), and zirconium phosphate (e.g., Novalon (registered trademark) AQ manufactured by Toagosei Co., Ltd.). Furthermore, ceramic balls containing these inorganic antibacterial agents and having a particle size of approximately 0.1 mm to 1 mm, ceramic balls containing such inorganic antibacterial agents and having a particle size of approximately 1 mm to 5 mm produced by a mixer granulation method, and particles having a particle size of approximately 0.1 mm to 1 mm obtained by crushing such ceramic balls having a particle size of approximately 1 mm to 5 mm or larger ceramic balls produced by a mixer granulation method can also be used. Ceramic balls having a particle size of approximately 0.1 mm to 1 mm can be produced by sintering a powder compact produced by placing raw materials in a mold using a compression molding machine. Ceramic balls produced by this sintering method generally develop pores depending on the density and heating conditions of the powder compact. However, the ceramic balls of the present invention are preferably porous bodies produced under conditions that facilitate pore formation in order to increase the contact area with fluids such as water and / or air. Crushed particles of ceramic balls can also be produced using a crusher or other crusher using a crushing medium such as a hammer, roller, cutter, or ball. Depending on the purpose and application, one or more of these various antibacterial metal ion-containing materials can be selected and combined with a suitable filter medium to produce water quality and / or air quality control materials.

[0044] Examples of antibacterial metal-containing materials include zeolite, activated carbon (e.g., Non-Patent Document 13), activated alumina, hydroxyapatite (e.g., Apacider (registered trademark) manufactured by Sangi Co., Ltd.), silica gel, tobermorite (e.g., Patent Document 9), plaster, fired firebrick, coral sand (e.g., Patent Document 8), diatomaceous earth, silica stone, silica sand, perlite, igneous rock, agate, and conglomerate, which carry antibacterial metals such as Ag, Zn, Cu, Au, Pt, and nickel (Ni) / palladium (Pd) as fine particles, nanoparticles, or coatings, as well as inorganic antibacterial agents that are granular bodies of a predetermined size made of inorganic porous materials such as zeolite, activated carbon (e.g., Non-Patent Document 13), activated alumina, hydroxyapatite (e.g., Apacider (registered trademark) manufactured by Sangi Co., Ltd.), silica gel, tobermorite (e.g., Patent Document 9), plaster, fired firebrick, coral sand (e.g., Patent Document 8), diatomaceous earth, silica stone, silica sand, perlite, igneous rock, agate, and conglomerate. Furthermore, similar to the antibacterial metal ion-containing material, ceramic balls containing these inorganic antibacterial agents and having a particle size of about 0.1 mm to 1 mm, ceramic balls containing such inorganic antibacterial agents and having a particle size of about 1 mm to 5 mm produced by a mixer granulation method, and particles having a particle size of about 0.1 mm to 1 mm obtained by crushing such ceramic balls having a particle size of about 1 mm to 5 mm or ceramic balls of a larger size produced by a mixer granulation method can also be used. Here, Ag, Zn, Cu, Au, and Pt have antibacterial effects against so-called pathogens, etc., while Ni / Pd decomposes ethylene gas released from fruits and vegetables, thereby maintaining the freshness of the fruits and vegetables.

[0045] The antibacterial metal compound-containing substance may be a zeolite carrying a benzotriazole Ag compound (see, for example, Patent Document 10), sand having a surface coated with SiO2 containing an antibacterial metal or an antibacterial metal compound (Holokiller (registered trademark) Sand, manufactured by Nikko Co., Ltd.), rosin containing the inorganic antibacterial agent, zeolite embedded with a hydrophobic substance such as a higher fatty acid or a higher alcohol, activated carbon, activated alumina, hydroxyapatite, silica gel, tobermorite, plaster, fired firebrick, coral sand, diatomaceous earth, silica stone, silica sand, per Examples of suitable inorganic porous materials include granules of a predetermined size made of inorganic porous materials such as zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina, hydroxyapatite, silica gel, tobermorite, plaster, fired firebrick, coral sand, diatomaceous earth, silica stone, silica sand, perlite, igneous rock, agate, and conglomerate (see, for example, Patent Documents 11 and 12), coated with an antibacterial titanium phosphate compound that does not require light. While titanium phosphate compounds alone have antibacterial and deodorizing properties, it is more preferable for them to contain a titanium silicate compound and / or a titanium borate compound, and all of these are collectively referred to as titanium phosphate compounds. In this case, like the antibacterial metal ion-containing substance and the antibacterial metal-containing substance, ceramic balls containing these antibacterial metal compounds and their crushed bodies can also be used.

[0046] When an inorganic porous body is used as a carrier for the above antibacterial metal-containing body and antibacterial metal compound-containing body, an inorganic porous body coated with a titanium phosphate compound is particularly preferred from the viewpoints of maintaining the specific surface area of ​​the inorganic porous body, having excellent adhesive strength between the antibacterial component and the inorganic porous body, and exhibiting antibacterial activity with excellent sustained stability.

[0047] Examples of photocatalyst-containing materials include inorganic porous materials such as zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina, hydroxyapatite, silica gel, tobermorite, plaster, fired firebrick, coral sand, diatomaceous earth, silica stone, silica sand, perlite, igneous rock, agate, and conglomerate, each carrying photocatalyst microparticles or nanoparticles. The photocatalyst is preferably one or more selected from the widely used ultraviolet-responsive TiO2, visible-light-responsive TiO2, and visible-light-responsive WO3 (see, for example, Patent Documents 13 to 15). In particular, since the water quality control and / or air quality control material of the present invention is often used indoors, visible-light-responsive TiO2 and / or WO3 photocatalysts are preferred.

[0048] The photocatalyst-containing material is not limited to these, and may be a complex in which the metal ions of apatite, such as hydroxyapatite, fluoroapatite, chloroapatite, tricalcium phosphate, calcium hydrogen phosphate, or calcium hydroxyapatite, are substituted for Ti in TiO (e.g., Patent Document 16, PHOTOHAP (registered trademark) PCAP-100 manufactured by Taihei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), or a granular material of a predetermined size such as TiO particles coated with a porous calcium phosphate film or zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina, hydroxyapatite, silica gel, tobermorite, plaster, fired firebrick, coral sand, diatomaceous earth, silica stone, silica sand, perlite, igneous rock, agate, or conglomerate (e.g., Patent Document 17).

[0049] Furthermore, similar to antibacterial metal ion-containing bodies, antibacterial metal-containing bodies, and antibacterial metal compound-containing bodies, they can also be used as ultraviolet-responsive TiO2 microparticles or nanoparticles, visible-light-responsive TiO2 and WO3 microparticles or nanoparticles, and ceramic balls and their crushed bodies containing the above-mentioned photocatalyst-containing bodies.

[0050] Examples of deodorizing inorganic porous materials include granular materials of a predetermined size such as zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina, hydroxyapatite, silica gel, tobermorite, plaster, fired firebrick, coral sand, diatomaceous earth, silica stone, silica sand, perlite, igneous rock, agate, and conglomerate.

[0051] The zeolite may be either natural or synthetic. Activated carbon can be coconut shell charcoal, wood charcoal, coal, sawdust charcoal, bamboo charcoal, cocoon charcoal, coffee charcoal, etc., with cocoon charcoal, which has a large specific surface area, being particularly preferred from the viewpoint of deodorizing power (Patent Document 18). Silica has a high SiO2 content and is excellent in far-infrared radiation, but graphite silica, which contains a lot of TiO2 and is rich in minerals, is more preferred as it can be used for multiple purposes. Granite porphyry, quartz porphyry, and granitic conglomerate are also preferred for the same reasons as graphite silica.

[0052] In particular, in consideration of far-infrared radiation, inorganic porous bodies containing about 70 wt% or more of either SiO2 or carbon (C) components, which have a thermal emissivity of 0.9 or more for far-infrared rays with wavelengths of 3 μm to 1 mm, are preferred. Therefore, particularly preferred inorganic porous bodies include activated carbon, silica stone, silica gel, fired firebricks containing a large amount of silicon carbide (SiC), coral sand, diatomaceous earth, silica stone, silica sand, granite porphyry, quartz porphyry, and agate.

[0053] Such inorganic porous bodies can also be used as ceramic balls and pulverized bodies thereof, as inorganic porous containing bodies, and as substances having water quality control and / or air quality control functions.

[0054] Furthermore, since water containing magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) and metallic magnesium (Mg) exhibits cleaning power, the cleaning inorganic substance and the cleaning inorganic substance-containing body are preferably Mg(OH)2 and / or Mg alone, or a substance containing these. The cleaning power of Mg(OH)2 is believed to be due to the fact that a small amount of Mg(OH)2 dissolves in water at 18°C, approximately 9.0 x 10-4 g / 100 g, making the water slightly alkaline. Furthermore, Mg does not react with water at room temperature but reacts violently with boiling water to produce hydrogen (H2) and Mg(OH)2. However, since an increase in pH and improved cleaning power are observed at room temperature, it is believed that even with water at room temperature, a small amount of Mg reacts to produce Mg(OH)2 (Non-Patent Document 11).

[0055] As the cleaning inorganic substance, particles, pellets, and balls of Mg(OH)2 and Mg can be used as they are. On the other hand, as the cleaning inorganic substance-containing material, for example, crushed hydrotalcite, which is mainly composed of Mg(OH)2, can be used as it is. Ceramic balls containing Mg(OH)2 powder and Mg powder and crushed bodies thereof can also be used. In particular, ceramic balls containing Mg(OH)2 powder and Mg powder are preferably made by mixing them with calcium sulfite powder, which is slightly soluble in water, and molding them into a powder compact of a predetermined size, which is then sintered (Patent Document 19). This is because it promotes the dissolution of Mg(OH) in water after reacting with water. However, it is more preferable to use the cleaning inorganic substance as it is.

[0056] The water and / or air quality control materials described above are the basic units of the present invention, and by selecting and mixing substances having water and / or air quality control functions and forming them into a form appropriate for the purpose and use, they can be used as living environment maintenance products that can fully exert the excellent effects of antibacterial agents, deodorizing air fresheners, mineral suppliers, far-infrared emitting agents, cleaning agents, etc. More specifically, they can purify the water and air used in living environments and also function to maintain and improve the health of humans, animals, plants, etc. in everyday life, and to relieve the burden of housework and other daily chores, etc., and can be installed in living rooms, toilets, kitchens, etc., and can also be used by being placed in flush toilet water tanks, bathtubs, aquariums, etc.

[0057] However, when used in a washing machine or spin-drying machine, for example, the filter media of the water and / or air quality control material are subjected to frequent and repeated violent collisions with laundry, the walls of the washing and spin-drying tubs, and the washing blades, which can cause shear forces to be applied to the water and / or air quality control material, and therefore it is preferable to house them in a protective housing. Furthermore, it is preferable that the housing not only protect the water and / or air quality control material, but also function as a laundry ball to promote cleaning by contact with the laundry and capture dust such as hair and lint. Furthermore, if each water and / or air quality control material contains a substance with a different water and / or air quality control function, it is possible to replace only the water and / or air quality control material contained in the housing depending on the purpose and use, and the product can be disposable, making it an efficient and easy-to-use product.

[0058] Furthermore, for example, when water quality and / or air quality control materials are installed in an aquarium tank to preserve the water quality of the aquarium and promote the growth of aquatic plants, and when they are installed at the water inlet of a hand-washing spout to a tank for antibacterial, deodorizing, and cleaning purposes for the toilet bowl, tank, and piping of a flush toilet, it is preferable to store the water quality and / or air quality control materials with exposed filter media in a housing with a shape, size, color, etc. that is suitable for the aquarium and toilet, taking into consideration the tastes, preferences, atmosphere, and aesthetic sense of the aquarium and hand-washing spout.

[0059] From this perspective, the present invention provides a water and / or air quality control device or a water and / or air quality control household appliance characterized in that one or more water and / or air quality control materials are housed in a housing equipped with components that function as a water and / or air quality control unit.The air quality control household appliance may also be a water and / or air quality control household appliance characterized in that it is equipped with one or more water and / or air quality control devices.

[0060] In other words, a water and / or air quality control device can be defined as a device that contains one or more water and / or air quality control materials, protects the water and / or air quality control materials, has a design, and can be used regardless of purpose and use, and an air quality control household appliance can be defined as a water and / or air quality control device whose casing itself has a design and function specific to the purpose and use, or a water and / or air quality control device whose casing is used as is but is exteriorized with a casing or means with a new design and function.

[0061] Using laundry balls as an example, a water and / or air quality control device is a device containing water and / or air quality control material in a housing with a water and / or air quality control unit and a water and / or air quality inlet / outlet to protect the filter material from collisions with laundry, the walls of the washing / spinning tub, and the washing blades, as well as damage caused by shear stress on the water and / or air quality control material. This device can be used in living rooms, toilets, kitchens, flush toilet water tanks, bathtubs, aquariums, etc., and is therefore defined as a water and / or air quality control device. However, if the housing of the water and / or air quality control device with a water and / or air inlet / outlet is itself a new housing equipped with cleaning promotion and dust capture functions, and the device containing the water and / or air quality control material is a laundry ball, it is defined as a water and / or air quality control household product. In addition, the above-mentioned water and / or air quality control tools are used as they are, but are packaged with means for realizing the cleaning promotion function and dust capture function, and the above-mentioned water and / or air quality control tools are housed in a new housing provided with means for realizing the cleaning promotion function and dust capture function, and are also defined as laundry balls and water and / or air quality control household goods.

[0062] Using aquariums and flush toilets as examples, a water and / or air quality control device containing water and / or air quality control materials in a housing with a water inlet and outlet that serves as the water and / or air quality control unit can be installed directly in an aquarium tank or at a toilet hand-washing spout and functions as a water and / or air quality control device. However, a water and / or air quality control household appliance is one in which water and / or air quality control materials are housed in a housing shaped like an aquatic plant suitable for an aquarium, with a water inlet and outlet that serves as the water and / or air quality control unit. Furthermore, a water and / or air quality control device containing water and / or air quality control materials housed in a housing shaped like a water inlet to a tank below a hand-washing spout, with a water inlet and outlet that serves as the water and / or air quality control unit, is also a water and / or air quality control household appliance.

[0063] The present invention is distinguished from water and / or air quality control materials, water and / or air quality control devices, and water and / or air quality control household appliances because it has the following advantages and can efficiently provide living environment maintenance products for a variety of purposes and uses. First, by preparing water and / or air quality control materials containing a wide variety of substances with water and / or air quality control functions and preparing a housing capable of housing multiple units of these water and / or air quality control materials, it is possible to efficiently produce water and / or air quality control devices suitable for a variety of purposes and uses. Second, even for purposes and uses that require a special housing, the housing of the water and / or air quality control device can be shared to produce a water and / or air quality control household appliance. Third, by providing a housing for the water and / or air quality control device with a special housing tailored to the purpose and use, it is possible to provide a water and / or air quality control household appliance that replaces the water and / or air quality control materials. The ability to freely select these is also a major feature of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0064] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide living environment maintenance products in a form that can fully exert the excellent effects of antibacterial agents, deodorizing aromas, mineral supplying agents, far-infrared emitting agents, cleaning agents, etc., which can be efficiently used for all purposes and uses in living spaces such as living rooms, toilets, kitchens, flush toilet water tanks, bathtubs, and aquariums. More specifically, living environment maintenance products that purify the water and air used in living environments and also have functions such as maintaining and improving the health of humans, animals, plants, etc. in daily life and relieving the burden of daily housework and other labor can be provided in the form of water and / or air quality control materials, water and / or air quality control tools using these materials, and further water and / or air quality control household products using these materials and tools, which can be used by efficiently selecting and combining a wide variety of substances having effective water and / or air quality control functions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0065] [Figure 1] 1A is a schematic plan view of a water and / or air quality control material in which an antibacterial agent is encapsulated in a flat bag made of nonwoven fabric according to one embodiment of the present invention; 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line X in 1A; and 1C is a schematic plan view of a water and / or air quality control material in which an adsorbent is encapsulated in a prismatic bag made of nonwoven fabric according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1(a) is a schematic front view of a water and / or air quality control material in which a cleaning agent is enclosed in a drawstring bag made of nonwoven fabric according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line Y in FIG. 1(a). [Figure 3] 1(a) is a schematic view of the appearance of a spherical water and / or air quality control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, which contains the water and / or air quality control material containing the antibacterial agent, adsorbent, and detergent shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line Z in FIG. 1(a). [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic view showing the appearance of a projectile-shaped laundry ball having the spherical water and / or air quality control device shown in FIG. 3 embedded therein and equipped with a laundry pressing portion, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a spherical laundry ball according to one embodiment of the present invention, which contains the water and / or air quality control material encapsulating the antibacterial agent, adsorbent, and detergent shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is equipped with a water and / or air quality control section that is an opening that allows fluid movement, and a laundry pressing section. [Figure 6] 4 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a projectile-shaped laundry ball in which the spherical water and / or air quality control device shown in FIG. 3 is embedded, and which is provided with a laundry pressing part and a sponge-function part for capturing dust and the like, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 4 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a projectile-shaped laundry ball in which the spherical water and / or air quality control device shown in FIG. 3 is embedded and which is provided with a laundry pressing part and a brush function part for capturing dust and the like, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a spherical laundry ball according to one embodiment of the present invention, which contains the water and / or air quality control material shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , which encapsulates the antibacterial agent, adsorbent, and detergent, and which is equipped with a water and / or air quality control section that is an opening that allows fluid to move, a laundry pressing section, and a sponge-function section that captures dust and other particles. [Figure 9] 1(a) is a schematic diagram of a household appliance for controlling water and / or air quality for a flush toilet, according to one embodiment of the present invention, which contains the spherical water and / or air quality control device shown in Fig. 3. 1(b) is a schematic diagram showing an installation situation when the spherical water and / or air quality control device shown in Fig. 3 according to one embodiment of the present invention and the household appliance for controlling water and / or air quality for a flush toilet shown in (a) according to one embodiment of the present invention are used in a flush toilet tank. [Figure 10] 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the spherical water and / or air quality control device shown in FIG. 3 according to one embodiment of the present invention when used in an aquarium. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a water and / or air quality control household appliance according to one embodiment of the present invention, which contains a spheroidal water and / or air quality control device, which is a modified version of the spherical water and / or air quality control device shown in FIG. 3, and is used as a hand-washing sprayer. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a water and / or air quality control household appliance that contains the spherical water and / or air quality control device shown in FIG. 3 and is used as a deodorizer, according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0066] The present invention will be described in more detail below using the embodiments shown in the drawings, with the intention of clarifying its technical concept. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and can be implemented in various modifications within the scope of the present invention, and is limited only by the technical concept described in the claims.

[0067] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a water and / or air quality control material according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which an antibacterial agent is sealed in a bag made of nonwoven fabric. (a) is a schematic plan view of a water and / or air quality control material 10 in which an antibacterial agent 11 is sealed in a flat bag 12, and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line X in (a). (c) is a schematic plan view of a water and / or air quality control material 20 in which an adsorbent (not shown) is sealed in a prismatic bag 22. As is clear from the figures, in this embodiment, fasteners 13 and 23 form an opening and closing means for opening and closing a substance having water and / or air quality control function, such as an antibacterial agent. This allows for easy replacement of a wide variety of substances having water and / or air quality control function.

[0068] The antibacterial agent 11 is coconut shell activated carbon with a particle size of about 2.0 mm to 5.0 mm coated with an antibacterial titanium phosphate compound that does not require light, and the adsorbent is synthetic zeolite with a particle size of 0.5 mm to 4.8 mm. The filter medium of the water and / or air quality control material 10 in which the antibacterial agent 11 is encapsulated has an opening diameter of about 40 μm to 300 μm, a porosity of about 80%, and an air permeability of about 180 μm. 3 / m 2 The filter material of the water and / or air quality control material 20, in which an adsorbent is sealed in a prismatic bag 22, has an opening diameter of about 10 μm to 40 μm, a porosity of about 70%, and an air permeability of about 25 μm. 3 / m 2 We used a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nonwoven fabric manufactured by a wet method. The pore size was determined by the bubble point method, the porosity was calculated from the basis weight, thickness, and fiber volume, and the air permeability was determined by the Frazier method (JISL 1096).

[0069] The coconut shell activated carbon coated with a titanium phosphate compound is a mixture of coconut shell activated carbon coated with a titanium phosphate compound and coconut shell activated carbon coated with a titanium silicate compound, and was produced with reference to Patent Document 12. The coconut shell activated carbon coated with a titanium phosphate compound was produced by reacting titanium tetrachloride with the coconut shell activated carbon in a mixed solution of isopropyl alcohol and purified water at room temperature, followed by adding an aqueous phosphoric acid solution and further reacting. The coconut shell activated carbon coated with a titanium silicate compound was produced by reacting silicon tetrachloride with the coconut shell activated carbon in a mixed solution of isopropyl alcohol and purified water at room temperature, followed by adding titanium tetrachloride and further reacting. The coating amounts of the titanium phosphate compound and titanium silicate compound are preferably about 1 to 3 wt % relative to the coconut shell activated carbon, and the ratio of the titanium silicate compound to the titanium phosphate compound is preferably about 20 to 50 wt %.

[0070] FIG. 2 shows a water and / or air quality control material 30 according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a cleaning agent is enclosed in a drawstring bag 32 made of nonwoven fabric. (a) is a schematic front view, and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along section line Y in (a). In this example, an interchangeable inlet / outlet for substances with water and / or air quality control functions, such as antibacterial agents, is provided as an interlocking portion 33, which opens and closes when a male member and a female member interlock. This allows for easy replacement of a wide variety of substances with water and / or air quality control functions.

[0071] The cleaning agent used was magnesium hydroxide with a particle size of approximately 15 μm, and the filter material of the water and / or air quality control material 30, in which the cleaning agent is sealed in a drawstring bag 32, was a PP nonwoven fabric manufactured by the meltblown method with an opening diameter of approximately 3 μm to 10 μm, a porosity of approximately 50%, and an air permeability of approximately 7 m3 / m2·s.

[0072] 3 shows a spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 containing a water and / or air quality control material 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which an antibacterial agent is sealed in a flat bag 12 as shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), a water and / or air quality control material 20 in which an adsorbent is sealed in a prismatic bag 22 as shown in FIG. 1(c), and a water and / or air quality control material 30 in which a detergent is sealed in a drawstring bag 32 as shown in FIG. 3. (a) is a schematic external view of the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40, and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line Z in (a).

[0073] As shown in the figure, the water and / or air quality control device 40 must be provided with a water and / or air quality control section 41 through which fluids such as water and / or air can move in order for the contained water and / or air quality control materials 10, 20, and 30 to function, and in this embodiment, a cylindrical opening is provided. In addition, the water and / or air quality control materials 10, 20, and 30 must be designed to be openable and closable so that they can be easily replaced. In this embodiment, the water and / or air quality control device 40 is divided into a cover member 42 and a water and / or air quality control material storage member 43, and the cover member 42 and the water and / or air quality control material storage member 43 can be opened and closed. This allows for easy replacement of a wide variety of water and / or air quality control materials.

[0074] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the exterior of a projectile-shaped laundry ball 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 shown in FIG. 3 is embedded and which is provided with laundry pressing portions 120 to 160.

[0075] As is clear from the figure, the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 includes an embedded part 110 in which the water and / or air quality control material 10 in which an antibacterial agent is sealed in a flat bag 12, a water and / or air quality control material 20 in which an adsorbent is sealed in a prismatic bag 22, and a water and / or air quality control material 30 in which a detergent is sealed in a drawstring bag 32, a laundry pressing part 120 of the disk-shaped main pole, and a laundry pressing part 13 of a first semi-disk-shaped vertical single wing that fits on the diameter of the disk-shaped main pole 120. 0, a first semi-disk-shaped horizontal wing laundry pressing section 140 that fits into a first semi-disk-shaped vertical wing 130, a second semi-disk-shaped vertical wing laundry pressing section 150 that fits onto the diameter of the disc-shaped main pole 120, and a second semi-disk-shaped horizontal wing laundry pressing section 160 that fits into the second semi-disk-shaped vertical wing 150, and a spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 is provided in an embedded section 110 of the housing to form a flying object laundry ball 100 that functions as a water and / or air quality control household appliance.

[0076] By using this laundry ball 100 in laundry, the water and / or air quality control materials 10, 20 containing antibacterial agents and adsorbents have excellent antibacterial and deodorizing effects on laundry, and the synergistic effect of the water and / or air quality control material 30 containing detergent and the laundry pressing parts 120-160 improves cleaning power. Furthermore, the laundry pressing parts 120-160 of this flying object-shaped laundry ball 100 prevent laundry from tangling, further enhancing antibacterial, deodorizing, and cleaning power. The water and / or air quality control materials 10, 20, 30 also have antibacterial, deodorizing, and cleaning effects on the washing tub, spin tub, drain pipe, etc.

[0077] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a spherical laundry ball 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention, which contains the water and / or air quality control material 10, 20, 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and which encapsulates the antibacterial agent, adsorbent, and detergent, and which is provided with a water and / or air quality control section 220, which is an opening that allows fluid movement, and a protruding laundry pressing section 210.

[0078] This water and / or air quality control household appliance functions as a laundry ball, and is comprised of the basic components of a water and / or air quality control unit 41, a cover member 42, and a water and / or air quality control material container 43, which are fluid-transferable openings required for the housing of a spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 that contains water and / or air quality control material 10 in which an antibacterial agent is sealed in a flat bag 12, water and / or air quality control material 20 in which an adsorbent is sealed in a prismatic bag 22, and water and / or air quality control material 30 in which a detergent is sealed in a drawstring bag 32. This water and / or air quality control household appliance has a protruding laundry pressing portion 210 added to the basic components of a water and / or air quality control unit 41, a cover member 42, and a water and / or air quality control material container 43. By imparting functions to the water and / or air quality control device according to the purpose and use, it is possible to provide a water and / or air quality control household appliance that allows for easy selection and replacement of water and / or air quality control materials.

[0079] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the exterior of a projectile-shaped laundry ball 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 shown in FIG. 3 is embedded and which is provided with laundry pressing portions 320 to 360 and a sponge-function portion 370 for capturing dust and the like.

[0080] This is laundry ball 100 of FIG. 4, but with the additional function of capturing dust, hair, and the like adhering to laundry.

[0081] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the appearance of a projectile-shaped laundry ball 400 according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 shown in FIG. 3 is embedded and which is provided with laundry pressing portions 420 to 460 and a brush function portion 470 for capturing dust and the like.

[0082] This has a brush function part 470 instead of the sponge function part 370 in Figure 6, and in addition to its function of capturing dust, hair, etc. attached to laundry, which is superior to the sponge function, it also has a brush function to improve cleaning power.

[0083] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the exterior of a spherical laundry ball according to one embodiment of the present invention, which contains water and / or air quality control materials 10, 20, 30, each containing an antibacterial agent, adsorbent, and detergent, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is equipped with water and / or air quality control section 520, which is an opening that allows fluid to move, laundry pressing section 510, and sponge function section 560 that captures dust and other particles. Like the laundry ball in FIG. 6, this laundry ball is spherical laundry ball 200 shown in FIG. 5, but with the added function of capturing dust, hair, and other particles adhering to laundry.

[0084] Figure 9 shows an example of an embodiment in which the water and / or air quality control material 10 shown in Figures 3, 4, 6, and 7 in which an antibacterial agent is sealed in a flat bag 12, the water and / or air quality control material 20 in which an adsorbent is sealed in a prismatic bag 22, and the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 containing the water and / or air quality control material 30 in which a cleaning agent is sealed in a drawstring bag 32 are used in a flush toilet.

[0085] Figure 9(a) is a schematic diagram of a flush toilet water and / or air quality control household appliance 600 that houses the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 shown in Figure 3. Figure 9(b) shows an example in which the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 shown in Figure 3 is installed directly in a flush toilet water storage tank 1 and used, and an example in which the flush toilet water and / or air quality control household appliance 600 shown in Figure 9(a) is installed in the flush toilet water tank lid 3 directly below the hand-washing spout 4.

[0086] In this way, the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 can be used for different purposes and applications. The spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 installed in the flush toilet water storage tank 1 is used for antibacterial, deodorizing, and cleaning purposes for the flush toilet tank and the plumbing of the flush toilet. On the other hand, when the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 is housed in a special-purpose housing designed to be installed on the flush toilet lid 3 directly below the hand-washing spout 4 and consisting of a lid member 610 with a water passage 620, a spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 housing housing 630, and a cylindrical water passage and housing support portion 640, the device is used as a water and / or air quality control household appliance 600 for antibacterial, deodorizing, and cleaning purposes for hands. In this case, the device can also be used for antibacterial, deodorizing, and cleaning purposes for the flush toilet tank and the plumbing of the flush toilet.

[0087] 10, the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 can also be used to maintain the water quality of an aquarium. In this application, mineral-releasing graphite silica, granite porphyry, quartz porphyry, granite conglomerate, etc. can be used as a deodorizing inorganic porous material that functions as an adsorbent, thereby promoting the growth of aquatic plants.

[0088] Furthermore, Figure 11 shows a water and / or air quality control household product in which an oval-shaped water and / or air quality control device 50, which, like the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40, is composed of a water and / or air quality control section 51, which is an opening that allows fluid movement, a cover member 52, a water and / or air quality control material storage member 53, and a fitting portion 54 between the cover member 52 and the water and / or air quality control material storage member 53, is used as a hand-washing sprayer 700, although the only difference is the shape.

[0089] Although not shown, if silica stone, graphite silica stone, granite porphyry, quartz porphyry, and granite conglomerate, which have a high SiO2 content and excellent far-infrared radiation properties, are used as the adsorbent of the water and / or air quality control material 20 in which the adsorbent is sealed in a prismatic bag 22, it can also be used in a bathtub or the like to provide a warming effect to the body.

[0090] Finally, Fig. 12 shows an embodiment in which a spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 is used for air quality control. As is clear from the figure, this embodiment is a water and / or air quality control household appliance in which the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 is contained in a housing consisting of a spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 receptacle 810 and an antibacterial and / or deodorizing device main body 820 equipped with a water and / or air quality control unit 830, which is an opening that allows fluid movement, and is used as an antibacterial and / or deodorizing device 800. In this way, the spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 can be used for antibacterial and deodorizing purposes in living spaces. However, in this case, the water and / or air quality control material 30 in which a detergent is sealed in a drawstring bag is not required.

[0091] The above describes embodiments of living environment maintenance products that can fully exert the excellent effects of antibacterial agents, deodorizing air fresheners, mineral suppliers, far-infrared emitting agents, and detergents, more specifically, living environment maintenance products that purify the water and air used in living environments and have the functions of maintaining and improving the health of humans, animals, plants, etc. in everyday life and of relieving the burden of housework and other daily chores. These include water and / or air quality control materials, water and / or air quality control tools using these materials, and water and / or air quality control household appliances that use these materials and tools. However, these are merely examples, and various modifications can be made within the technical scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0092] The water and / or air quality control materials, water and / or air quality control devices, and water and / or air quality control household products of the present invention are created by controlling the size of the substance that controls water and / or air quality and the pore size of the filter material that forms the bag that encloses it, and have the potential to be applied not only to antibacterial agents, deodorizers, and cleaning agents, but also as a technology that effectively and efficiently utilizes the functions of a wide variety of solid substances, such as catalytic functions, plant growth-promoting functions, and biodegradability-promoting functions, and have extremely high industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1. Flush tank water storage tank 2 Cleaning handles 3. Low tank lid 4 Hand wash faucet 5. Aquarium 6 water 7 Aquatic plants 8 Goldfish 10 Water and / or air quality control materials in which antibacterial agents are sealed in flat bags 11 Antibacterial agents 12 Bag made of nonwoven fabric 13 Zipper 14 Adhesive surface 20 Water and / or air quality control material in which adsorbent is sealed in a prismatic bag 30 Water and / or air quality control materials in which cleaning agents are enclosed in drawstring pouches 31 Cleaning Agent 32 Laminated nonwoven fabric 33 Interlocking portion between male and female members 40 Spherical water and / or air quality control devices containing water and / or air quality control materials 41 Water and / or air quality control unit that is an opening that allows fluid movement 42 Lid member 43 Water and / or air quality control material housing 44: Fitting portion between the cover member 42 and the water quality and / or air quality control material storage member 43 50 Oval-shaped water and / or air quality control device containing water and / or air quality control materials 51 Water and / or air quality control unit that is an opening that allows fluid movement 52 Lid member 53 Water and / or air quality control material housing 54: Fitting portion between the cover member 52 and the water quality and / or air quality control material storage member 53 100 Projectile-shaped laundry ball with spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 embedded therein 110 Buried portion of spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 120 Laundry pressing part of disc-shaped main pillar 130: A first semi-disk-shaped vertical wing laundry pressing portion fitted onto the diameter of the disk-shaped main pole 120 140: A laundry pressing portion of a first semi-disk-shaped horizontal wing that fits into the first semi-disk-shaped vertical wing 130 150 A second semi-disk-shaped vertical wing laundry pressing portion fitted onto the diameter of the disk-shaped main pole 120 160: A laundry pressing portion of a second semi-disc-shaped horizontal wing that fits into the second semi-disc-shaped vertical wing 150 200 Spherical laundry balls containing water and / or air quality control materials 210 Projected laundry pressing part 220 Water and / or air quality control unit that is an opening that allows fluid movement 230 Upper hemisphere containing water and / or air quality control materials 240 Lower hemisphere containing water and / or air quality control materials 250: Fitting portion between upper hemisphere 230 and lower hemisphere 240 300 Projectile-shaped laundry ball with sponge function and spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 embedded therein 310 Buried portion of spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 320 Laundry pressing part of disc-shaped main pillar 330 A first semi-disk-shaped vertical wing laundry pressing portion fitted onto the diameter of the disk-shaped main pole 320 340: A laundry pressing portion of a first semi-disk-shaped horizontal wing that fits into the first semi-disk-shaped vertical wing 330 350 A second semi-disk-shaped vertical wing laundry pressing portion fitted onto the diameter of the disk-shaped main pole 320 360: A laundry pressing portion of a second semi-disc-shaped horizontal wing that fits into the second semi-disc-shaped vertical wing 350 370 Sponge function part 400 Projectile-shaped laundry ball with brush function and spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 embedded therein 410 Buried portion of spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 420 Laundry pressing part of disc-shaped main pillar 430 A first semi-disk-shaped vertical wing laundry pressing portion fitted onto the diameter of the disk-shaped main pole 420 440: A laundry pressing portion of a first semi-disk-shaped horizontal wing that fits into the first semi-disk-shaped vertical wing 430 450 A second semi-disk-shaped vertical wing laundry pressing portion fitted onto the diameter of the disk-shaped main pole 420 460: A laundry pressing portion of a second semi-disc-shaped horizontal wing that fits into the second semi-disc-shaped vertical wing 450 470 Brush function part 500 Spherical laundry ball with sponge function containing water quality and / or air quality control material 510 Projected laundry pressing part 520 Water and / or air quality control unit that is an opening that allows fluid movement 530 Upper hemisphere containing water and / or air quality control materials 540 Lower hemisphere containing water and / or air quality control materials 550: Fitting portion between upper hemisphere 530 and lower hemisphere 540 560 Sponge function part 600 Water and / or air quality control household appliance for flush toilets containing spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 610 Cover member with a water passage 620 Water passage port 630 Spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 housing 640 Water passage and housing support cylinder 700 Hand-washing sprayer containing spheroidal water and / or air quality control device 50 710 Spray body 720 bottles 730 nozzle 740 Handle 800 Antibacterial and deodorizing product containing spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 810 Spherical water and / or air quality control device 40 tray 820 Antibacterial and deodorizing product body 830 Water and / or air quality control unit with fluid-transferable openings X, Y, Z cutting lines

Claims

1. The activated carbon from coconut shells coated with a titanium phosphate compound having a particle size of 2.0 mm to 5.0 mm is used as an antibacterial agent, and synthetic zeolite having a particle size of 0.5 mm to 4.8 mm is used as an adsorbent. The activated carbon has an opening diameter of 10 to 300 μm, a porosity of 70 to 80%, and an air permeability of 25 to 180 m. ３ / m ２ A water and / or air quality control material for removing malodors and pollutants from water and air, characterized in that it is enclosed in a nonwoven fabric of s.

2. 2. The water and / or air quality control material according to claim 1, wherein the coating amount of the titanium phosphate compound is 1 to 3% by weight based on the coconut shell activated carbon.

3. 2. The water and / or air quality control material according to claim 1, wherein the titanium phosphate compound is a titanium phosphate compound.

4. 2. The water and / or air quality control material according to claim 1, wherein the titanium phosphate compound is a titanium phosphate compound containing a titanium silicate compound and / or a titanium borate compound.

5. 2. The water and / or air quality control material according to claim 1, wherein the titanium phosphate compound is a titanium phosphate compound containing a titanium silicate compound, and the titanium silicate compound is present in an amount of 20 to 50% by weight relative to the titanium phosphate compound.

6. A water and / or air quality control tool or water and / or air quality control household product, characterized in that one or more of the water and / or air quality control materials according to any one of claims 1 to 5 are contained in a housing provided with an inlet and / or outlet for water and / or air.

7. A laundry ball characterized in that one or more of the water quality and / or air quality control materials according to any one of claims 1 to 5 are contained in a housing provided with a water and / or air inlet / outlet, and one or more of a protruding laundry pressing portion having a cleaning promoting function, a sponge-like sponge functional portion having a dust capturing function, and a brush-like brush functional portion.

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