Ionizing devices and electrical appliances.

Abstract

ocr Ionizing device (1) includes: discharge electrodes (21,22) protruding from the surface of Ionizing device for generating ions with discharge electrodes, discharge electrodes with (i) The tip (31) which includes the brush-like conductive portion and (ii) the base (33) where A brush-like conductive element is attached, and its base extends outwards from the surface to a length (L2). longer than the length (L1) of the tip.

Description

Ion generator and electrical equipment The present invention relates to an ion generator and an electrical equipment provided with the ion generator. Conventionally, an ion generator has been used for purifying, sterilizing, or deodorizing indoor air. Generally, an ion generator includes a discharge electrode that generates ions by discharging. In the ion generator, for example, ions are generated by causing corona discharge between the tip of a discharge electrode to which a high voltage is applied and a induction electrode. As a discharge electrode that generates ions by applying such a high voltage, a brush-shaped discharge electrode in which the roots of a plurality of fibrous conductors are bundled is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a brush-shaped discharge electrode formed by extending a part of a bundle of carbon fibers from one end of a metal pipe by a predetermined length and then crimping and fixing the metal pipe to the other end of the bundle of carbon fibers. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-229232 (published on August 15, 2003) When such a brush-shaped discharge electrode is applied with a high voltage, the conductors on the non-bundled side, which are on the tip side of the conductors, repel each other electrically and spread. Therefore, when such a brush-shaped discharge electrode is used, the amount of ions generated when the same voltage is applied is increased compared with, for example, the case of using a needle-shaped discharge electrode. As a result, good ion emission can be achieved. However, when the tips of the above-mentioned bundle of carbon fibers spread, there is a risk of contact with the surface of the self-device. In this case, since a high voltage is applied to the carbon fiber, abnormal discharge may occur from the carbon fiber to the surface of the self-device, and the amount of ions generated may decrease. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an ion generator or the like that can prevent a plurality of linear conductors in a discharge electrode from contacting the surface of the self-device. To solve the above problems, an ion generator according to one aspect of the present invention is equipped with a discharge electrode that protrudes from the surface of the device and generates ions by discharge, wherein the discharge electrode has a tip portion equipped with a plurality of linear conductors and a base portion to which the plurality of conductors are attached, and the length of the base portion protruding from the surface is longer than the length of the tip portion. To solve the above problems, an electrical device according to one aspect of the present invention is equipped with the above-mentioned ion generator. According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an ion generator and an electrical device equipped with the ion generator, which can prevent a plurality of linear conductors in a discharge electrode from coming into contact with the surface of the device. This is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of an ion generator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. These are a front view, a top view, and a side view showing the schematic configuration of an ion generator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a front view showing the schematic configuration of the discharge electrode and protective plate shown in Figures 1 and 2. This is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of an ion generator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. These are a front view, a top view, and a side view showing the schematic configuration of an ion generator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is a top view showing an example of the internal configuration of an electrical device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. For the sake of convenience, components having the same function as those shown in each embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. [Embodiment 1] First, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the ion generator according to this embodiment, and Figure 2 is a front view, a top view, and a side view showing the schematic configuration of the ion generator. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the ion generator 1 of this embodiment comprises a rectangular case 10 (housing), a substrate 12 for the transformer drive circuit, a high-voltage transformer 13 (high-voltage circuit), a substrate 14 for the ion generating element, a lid 15, discharge electrodes 21 and 22, and protective plates 51 and 52 (protruding members). The case 10 is box-shaped with an open front and top, and is made of insulating resin. An external connection board 11 is attached to the front of the case 10. Inside the case 10, in order from the front, are a transformer drive circuit board 12, a high-voltage transformer 13, and an ion generating element board 14. A lid 15 is provided on the top of the case 10 so as to cover the external connection board 11, the transformer drive circuit board 12, and the high-voltage transformer 13. Multiple (for example, six) connection terminals 16 are provided on the surface of the external connection substrate 11. Each of the multiple connection terminals 16 is formed by a conductive film formed on the surface of the external connection substrate 11, and is formed by, for example, a printed pattern, plating, sputtering, CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), etc. This conductive film is made of a material such as copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), gold (Au), or an alloy thereof, and has a film thickness on the order of several tens of micrometers (for example, a film thickness of 35 μm). Each connection terminal 16 is arranged to be exposed to the outside of the case 10 when the external connection substrate 11 is supported by the case 10. A high-voltage transformer drive circuit is arranged on the transformer drive circuit board 12. This high-voltage transformer drive circuit is for driving the high-voltage transformer 13 using an external input voltage. The high-voltage transformer 13 is driven by the high-voltage transformer drive circuit to boost the input voltage. An ion generating element is arranged on the substrate 14 for the ion generating element. The ion generating element generates at least one of positive ions and negative ions when the voltage boosted by the high-voltage transformer 13 is applied to it. The ion generating element described above comprises discharge electrodes 21 and 22, and annular induction electrodes 23 and 24. The discharge electrode 21 is attached to one side of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, and the induction electrode 23 is formed around the mounting position of the discharge electrode 21. The discharge electrode 22 is attached to the other side of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, and the induction electrode 24 is formed around the mounting position of the discharge electrode 22. Induction electrode 23 is an electrode for forming an electric field with discharge electrode 21, while induction electrode 24 is an electrode for forming an electric field with discharge electrode 22. Discharge electrode 21 is an electrode for generating negative ions with induction electrode 23, while discharge electrode 22 is an electrode for generating positive ions with induction electrode 24. Induction electrodes 23 and 24 are at ground potential. As shown in Figure 2, the surface of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element is covered with an insulating encapsulant 41. The insulating encapsulant 41 covers the surface of the lid 15 up to a position corresponding to the surface of the lid 15, for example, so that it is substantially flush with the surface of the lid 15. As the insulating encapsulant 41, an insulating material such as epoxy resin or urethane resin can be used. The discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are provided perpendicularly to the surface of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element and protrude from the surface of the insulating encapsulant 41. The discharge electrode 21 is a brush-shaped discharge electrode comprising a tip portion 31 formed in a brush shape and a base portion 33 to which the multiple conductors 25 are attached, each having a plurality of linear conductors 25. The discharge electrode 22 is also a brush-shaped discharge electrode comprising a tip portion 32 formed in a brush shape and a base portion 34 to which the multiple conductors 26 are attached, each having a plurality of linear conductors 26. The tip portions 31 and 32 refer to the portion beyond the base portions 33 and 34, specifically the portion from the tips 25a and 26a of the brush-like bundled conductors 25 and 26 to the connection end (contact end) with the base portions 33 and 34. Furthermore, the term "linear" includes thread-like, fibrous, and wire-like forms. The tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are formed of a conductive material such as metal, carbon fiber, conductive fiber, or conductive resin. The outer diameter of each of the multiple conductors 25 and 26 at the tip portions 31 and 32 is 5 μm or more and 30 μm or less. By making the outer diameter of the conductors 25 and 26 5 μm or more, the mechanical strength of the conductors 25 and 26 can be ensured, and electrical wear of the conductors 25 and 26 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by making the outer diameter of the conductors 25 and 26 30 μm or less, flexible conductors 25 and 26 that bend like a strand of hair are formed, making it easier for the conductors 25 and 26 to spread and oscillate. The conductors 25 and 26 may each be carbon fibers with an outer diameter of 7 μm, or conductive fibers made of SUS (stainless steel) with an outer diameter of 12 μm or 25 μm. The base end 33 of the discharge electrode 21 includes a sheet metal mounting portion 33a for attaching the discharge electrode 21 to the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, and a binding portion 33b for bundling a plurality of conductors 25 at the tip end 31 at the connection end. Similarly, the base end 34 of the discharge electrode 22 includes a sheet metal mounting portion 34a for attaching the discharge electrode 22 to the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, and a binding portion 34b for bundling a plurality of conductors 26 at the tip end 32 at the connection end. Next, with reference to Figure 3, the length of the tip portion 31 of the discharge electrode 21 will be described. Figure 3 is a front view showing the schematic configuration of the discharge electrode 21 and protective plate 51 shown in Figures 1 and 2, illustrating how the shape of the tip portion 31 of the discharge electrode 21 changes in response to the voltage applied to the discharge electrode 21 (between the discharge electrode 21 and the induction electrode 23). The same applies to the discharge electrode 22, although it is not shown in the figure. In Figure 3, L1 indicates the length of the tip portion 31 of the discharge electrode 21, that is, the length (protrusion length) of the multiple linear conductors 25 protruding from the base portion 33. Also, in Figure 3, L2 indicates the length (protrusion length) of the base portion 33 of the discharge electrode 21 protruding (exposed) from the cover 15, that is, the insulating sealant 41. Figure 3(a) shows the state in which no voltage is applied to the discharge electrode 21. At this time, the tips of the multiple linear conductors 25 at the tip 31 of the discharge electrode 21 are closed. Figure 3(b) shows the state in which a high-voltage pulse is applied to the discharge electrode 21. At this time, at the tip 31 of the discharge electrode 21, each of the multiple conductors 25 repels each other electrically because they are of the same polarity, causing the conductors 25 to bend, resulting in a shape that resembles the tip of a brush opening up. On the other hand, positive ions are generated at the tip of the conductor 25, and as described above, since the multiple conductors 25 have a brush-like shape with open tips, the area of ​​the region where positive ions are generated increases. Therefore, the discharge electrode 21 of this embodiment generates more ions when the same voltage is applied compared to a needle-shaped discharge electrode. Figure 3(c) shows the state in which an even higher voltage pulse is applied to the discharge electrode 21. At this time, the electrical repulsive force between the multiple conductors 25 increases at the tip 31 of the discharge electrode 21, so that the tip of the brush becomes even more open. Consequently, the amount of ions generated increases even further. Incidentally, the multiple conductors 25 of the discharge electrode 21 are electrically attracted to the induction electrode 23 of the opposite polarity. As a result, there is a risk that one or more of the conductors 25 may bend significantly toward the induction electrode 23. In contrast, in this embodiment, the protruding length L1 of the conductor 25 is smaller than the protruding length L2 of the base end 33. Therefore, even if the conductor 25 is electrically attracted to the induction electrode 23 and bent, or if a mechanical force such as a person touching the conductor 25 causes it to bend, the conductor 25 will not come into contact with the insulating encapsulant 41. As a result, problems such as abnormal discharge and current leakage occurring at the contact point where the conductor 25 comes into contact with the insulating encapsulant 41, causing a decrease or zero ion generation, problems such as abnormal discharge and current leakage occurring in the transformer drive circuit board 12, high-voltage transformer 13, and ion generation element board 14 inside the case 10, causing damage, and problems such as increased noise levels of the ion generator 1 can be reliably avoided. Incidentally, the case 10 may become charged with static electricity due to the high-voltage transformer 13, which may cause dust and other debris to adhere to the surface of the lid 15 or the insulating sealant 41. In particular, if the insulating sealant 41 is made of epoxy resin, urethane resin, etc., dust and other debris tend to adhere relatively easily due to the high frictional resistance, which may cause abnormal discharge, current leakage, etc. as described above. In contrast, according to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of abnormal discharge, current leakage, etc. at the contact portion where the conductor 25 contacts the insulating sealant 41. The length of the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrode 21 (the protruding length L1 of the conductors 25 and 26) is not particularly limited, as long as it is set to be smaller than the protruding length L2 of the base portions 33 and 34 as described above. However, if the length of the tip portions 31 and 32 is too short, the conductors 25 and 26 will not bend easily, so the spreading and oscillating motion of the conductors 25 and 26 will be reduced, and the effect of the brush-shaped discharge electrode will not be fully obtained. Also, the longer the length of the tip portions 31 and 32, the larger the ion generator 1 will become. For this reason, it is desirable that the length of the tip portions 31 and 32 be 3 mm or more. The length of the tip portions 31 and 32 may be 5 mm or more. Furthermore, it is desirable that the protruding length L2 of the base portions 33 and 34 be 5 times or less the length of the tip portions 31 and 32 (the protruding length L1 of the conductors 25 and 26). Next, the protective plates 51 and 52 described above will be explained below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The ion generator 1 is not necessarily placed on a mounting stand (not shown) in the state shown in Figures 1 and 2 between its manufacture and installation on various electrical equipment. For example, it may be placed on the mounting stand described above in the inverted state. In such a case, if the ion generator 1 tips over during the manufacturing process, the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 may come into contact with the floor (floor) such as the mounting stand described above, potentially causing damage (deformation) such as crushing of the brush portion. Therefore, in this embodiment, protective plates 51 and 52 for protecting the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are provided protruding from the discharge electrodes 21 and 22, respectively, so as to be adjacent to them. In this embodiment, the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, on which the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 protrude, is provided at one end of the rear of the upper surface of the rectangular case 10. The substrate 14 for the ion generating element is rectangular in shape, and the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the substrate 14. The substrate 14 for the ion generating element is provided facing the rear side 10a of the case 10, such that the long side 14a, which is parallel to the direction in which the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are arranged, is parallel to the rear side 10a of the case 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, protective plates 51 and 52 are provided protruding from both rear ends of the upper surface of the case 10, so as to be adjacent to the discharge electrodes 21 and 22, respectively. The protective plates 51 and 52 are arranged side by side with the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 in the longitudinal direction of the ion generating element substrate 14 (i.e., parallel to the long side 14a of the ion generating element substrate 14), which is the direction in which the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are arranged. The maximum height of the protective plates 51 and 52 is greater than the height of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22. The protective plates 51 and 52 are provided to protrude vertically from the surface of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, beyond the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22, either on the insulating sealing material 41, on the upper part of the cover 15, or integrally molded with the cover 15. This prevents the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 from directly contacting external objects such as the stand described above, even if the ion generator 1 tips over, thus preventing damage caused by such contact. Here, the height of protective plates 51 and 52 refers to the vertical length, that is, the height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the top surface of protective plate 51, and the height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the top surface of protective plate 52. The height of the protective plates 51 and 52 is not particularly limited, as long as they are formed to protrude beyond the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 relative to the surface of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element. However, if the height of the protective plates 51 and 52 increases, the ion generator 1 will become larger. For this reason, it is desirable that the height of the protective plates 51 and 52 be such that, for example, if the ion generator 1 tips over, the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 will not come into direct contact with an external object of the ion generator 1, such as the stand described above. For example, it is desirable that the height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the top surface of the protective plates 51 and 52 be slightly greater than the height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the tip of the tip portion 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 (i.e., the maximum height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the tip portions 25a and 26a of the conductors 25 and 26). Furthermore, the protective plates 51 and 52 are positioned at a distance from the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 such that the distance between the protective plates 51 and 52 and the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 is greater than the length of the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22. Therefore, as shown in Figures 3(b) and 3(c), the conductors 25 and 26 repel each other, causing their tips 31 and 32 to spread apart. This prevents the conductors 25 and 26 from directly contacting the protective plates 51 and 52, regardless of the angle at which they are tilted, thus preventing leakage. When viewing the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 through the protective plates 51 and 52 (i.e., when viewing the ion generator 1 from a direction parallel to the side 10a of the case 10), the protective plates 51 and 52 are formed in a plate shape with cutouts in the portions of the protective plates 51 and 52 that face the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22. Therefore, protective plate 51 has an opening 51a that exposes the tip portion 31 facing the discharge electrode 21. On the other hand, protective plate 52 has an opening 52a that exposes the tip portion 32 facing the discharge electrode 22. Because openings 51a and 52a are formed in the protective plates 51 and 52 in this way, the release of ions by the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 is not obstructed by the protective plates 51 and 52, and good ion release can be achieved. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the plate-shaped mounting portions 33a and 34a are attached to the substrate 14 for the ion generating element so that the direction normal to the plate surface is in the front-to-back direction. The conductors 25 and 26 tend to tilt in the direction where the thickness of the plate-shaped mounting portions 33a and 34a is thinner, while they are less likely to tilt in the direction where the thickness of the plate-shaped mounting portions 33a and 34a is thicker. As a result, the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 tend to tilt in the front-to-back direction, but are less likely to tilt in the left-to-right direction. Consequently, the protective plates 51 and 52 provided in the left-to-right direction of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 do not come into close proximity with the conductors 25 and 26 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22, and leakage can be effectively prevented. In other words, it is desirable that the plate-shaped mounting portions 33a and 34a of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are attached to the substrate 14 for the ion generating element such that there are no protective plates 51 and 52 in the direction normal to the plate surface from the mounting portions 33a and 34a. (Variant) In this embodiment, the protective plates 51 and 52 were described as being arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, with the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 in between, but this embodiment is not limited to this. Even if the ion generator 1 were to tip over, for example, if a protective plate is formed at a position and height that prevents the conductors 25 and 26 from directly contacting an object outside the ion generator 1, then only one protective plate may be provided. Furthermore, although this embodiment describes the case in which the ion generating element substrate 14 is provided at the rear of the case 10, the ion generating element substrate 14 may also be provided at the front of the case 10 or at the center. Furthermore, although induction electrodes 23 and 24 are used in this embodiment, positive and negative ions can be generated from discharge electrodes 21 and 22 even if they are omitted. However, using induction electrodes 23 and 24 is preferable because it increases the electric field strength at discharge electrodes 21 and 22, thereby increasing the amount of ions generated. [Embodiment 2] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. In these embodiments, the differences from Embodiment 1 will be explained. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the ion generator according to this embodiment, and Figure 5 is a front view, a top view, and a side view showing the schematic configuration of the ion generator. The ion generator 2 according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the ion generator 1 according to Embodiment 1, except that, instead of protective plates 51 and 52, protective plates 61 and 62 (protruding members) for protecting the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are arranged side by side with the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22, in the direction of the short side of the ion generating element substrate 14 (i.e., in the direction parallel to the short side 14b of the ion generating element substrate 14), and the mounting portions 33a and 34a of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are in a different direction in which they are likely to fall, and that instead of an external connection substrate 11, a recess 90 is provided on the side of the case 10 and a plurality of connection terminals 91 are provided in the recess 90. The maximum height of the protective plates 61 and 62 is greater than the height of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22. The protective plates 61 and 62 are provided to protrude vertically from the surface of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, beyond the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22, either on the insulating sealing material 41, on the upper part of the cover 15, or integrally molded with the cover 15. As a result, even in this embodiment, if the ion generator 2 were to tip over, for example, the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 could not come into direct contact with an external object of the ion generator 2, such as the stand described above, thereby preventing damage caused by such contact. Here, the height of protective plates 61 and 62 refers to the vertical length, that is, the height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the top surface of protective plate 61, and the height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the top surface of protective plate 62. Specifically, the top surface of protective plates 61 and 62 refers to the top surface of the beam sections 71 and 81, which will be described later. In this embodiment as well, the height of the protective plates 61 and 62 is not particularly limited, as long as they are formed to protrude beyond the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 relative to the surface of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, similar to the protective plates 51 and 52. However, if the height of the protective plates 61 and 62 is increased, the ion generator 2 will become larger. For this reason, it is desirable that the height of the protective plates 61 and 62 be such that, for example, if the ion generator 2 tips over, the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 will not come into direct contact with an external object of the ion generator 2, such as the stand described above. For example, it is desirable that the height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the top surface of the protective plates 61 and 62 be slightly greater than the height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the tips of the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 (i.e., the maximum height from the surface of the insulating sealant 41 to the tips 25a and 26a of the conductors 25 and 26). The protective plates 61 and 62 are positioned opposite each other, spaced apart from one another, such that the distance between the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 and the protective plates 61 and 62 is greater than the length of the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22. In other words, the distance between adjacent protective plates 61 and 62 is formed to be at least twice the length of the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22. Therefore, in this embodiment as well, the conductors 25 and 26 repel each other or the conductors 26 and 26 respectively, causing the tip portions 31 and 32 to spread apart. This prevents the conductors 25 and 26 from directly contacting the protective plates 61 and 62, regardless of the angle at which they are tilted, thus preventing leakage. For example, in Figures 4 and 5, dust and other debris may adhere to the conductive materials 25 and 26 of the tip portions 31 and 32 due to static electricity from the discharge, which may reduce the amount of discharge. For this reason, users may remove the ion generator 2 mounted on the electrical equipment and clean the conductive materials 25 and 26 of the tip portions 31 and 32 to remove dust and other debris. Here, the distance between the protective plates 61 and 62 is not particularly limited as long as it is formed to be at least twice the length of the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22, but it is desirable to set the distance so that the user's fingers do not come into contact with the conductive materials 25 and 26 of the tip portions 31 and 32. This prevents the user's fingers from coming into contact with the conductive materials 25 and 26 of the tip portions 31 and 32. The protective plates 61 and 62 are each formed in the shape of eyeglasses. Specifically, the protective plate 61 comprises a beam portion 71 made of a horizontal plate parallel to the surface of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, support portions 72 and 73 which are pillars that support both ends of the beam portion 71, and a support portion 74 which is a pillar that supports the central part of the beam portion 71. Openings are provided between adjacent support sections 72 and 74, and between support sections 74 and 73. Therefore, the protective plate 61 is provided with two openings 61a and 61b. Similarly, the protective plate 62 includes a beam portion 81 made of a horizontal plate parallel to the surface of the substrate 14 for the ion generating element, support portions 82 and 83 which are pillars that support both ends of the beam portion 81, and a support portion 84 which is a pillar that supports the central part of the beam portion 81. There are openings between adjacent support parts 82 and 84, and between support parts 84 and 83. For this reason, the protective plate 62 is provided with two openings 62a and 62b. Support portions 72 and 73 are each provided protruding from both ends of the ion generating element substrate 14 in the longitudinal direction, facing each other. Support portion 74 is provided protruding from the center of the ion generating element substrate 14 in the longitudinal direction, facing the support portions 72 and 73. Similarly, the support portions 82 and 83 are each provided protruding from both ends of the ion generating element substrate 14 in the longitudinal direction, facing each other. In addition, the support portion 84 is provided protruding from the center of the ion generating element substrate 14 in the longitudinal direction, facing the support portions 82 and 83. As a result, the beams 71 and 81 are provided so as to span from one end to the other in the longitudinal direction of the ion generating element substrate 14, parallel to the long side 14a of the ion generating element substrate 14. When viewed through protective plates 61 and 62 (i.e., when the ion generator 2 is viewed from a direction parallel to the side 10a of the case 10), the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are such that the discharge electrode 21 is exposed through openings 62a and 61b, and the discharge electrode 22 is exposed through openings 62b and 61a. These openings 61a, 61b, 62a, and 62b function, for example, as vents that allow a gas to pass through which ions generated by the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 of the ion generator 2 are transported. In the examples shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the protective plates 61 and 62 are formed at a height such that the tip portions of the tip portions 31 and 32 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 (that is, the tip portions of the conductors 25 and 26) are hidden by the beam portions 71 and 81. However, the height of the protective plates 61 and 62 (that is, the height from the surface of the insulating sealing material 41 to the upper surfaces of the beam portions 71 and 81) may be set higher than the height from the surface of the insulating sealing material 41 to the tips 25a and 26a of the conductors 25 and 26, and the entire discharge electrode 21 may be exposed from the openings 62a and 61b, and the entire discharge electrode 22 may be exposed from the openings 62b and 61a. According to the present embodiment, as described above, at least a part of the discharge electrode 21 is exposed from the openings 62a and 61b, and at least a part of the discharge electrode 22 is exposed from the openings 62b and 61a, so that the release of ions by the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 is not inhibited by the protective plates 61 and 62, and good ion release can be performed. In the present embodiment, the plate-like attachment portions 33a and 34a are attached to the ion generation element substrate 14 so that the normal direction of the plate surface is the left-right direction. As described above, the conductors 25 and 26 are likely to fall in the direction in which the thickness of the plate-like attachment portions 33a and 34a is thin, while it is difficult to fall in the direction in which the thickness of the plate-like attachment portions 33a and 34a is thick. Therefore, the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are likely to fall in the left-right direction but are difficult to fall in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the protective plates 61 and 62 provided in the front-rear direction of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are not close to the conductors 25 and 26 of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22, and leakage can be effectively prevented. In other words, it is desirable that the plate-like attachment portions 33a and 34a of the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 are attached to the ion generation element substrate 14 so that the protective plates 61 and 62 do not exist in the normal direction of the plate surface from the attachment portions 33a and 34a. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the protective plates 61 and 62 are arranged adjacent to the discharge electrodes 21 and 22 in the direction parallel to the short side 14b of the ion generation element substrate 14, so that the conductors 25 and 26 and the protective plates 61 and 62 are not close to each other, and leakage can be effectively prevented. Incidentally, although the description is omitted, it goes without saying that in this embodiment as well, the same modifications as those in the first embodiment are possible. [Embodiment 3] Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6. In this embodiment, an electrical device equipped with an ion generator will be described. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of the internal configuration of the electrical device according to this embodiment. Hereinafter, the case where the ion generator 1 is used as the ion generator will be described as an example, but the same applies when the ion generator 2 is used as the ion generator. As shown in FIG. 6, an example is shown in which the ion generator 1 is attached to a part of the fan casing 101 that forms an air passage 102 for guiding ions generated by the ion generator 1 to the outside in the electrical device 100. For this reason, in the air passage 102, an ion generator 1 and a blower device 103 for blowing a gas that conveys ions generated by the ion generator 1 are provided. The ion generator 1 is provided on the downstream side in the blowing direction of the blower device 103. The blower device 103 may be a sirocco fan, a cross-flow fan, or other fans. Further, the ion generator 1 may be configured to be integrally incorporated into the electrical device 100, or may be provided detachably with respect to the electrical device 100. Since the ion generator 1 is provided detachably with respect to the electrical device 100, the ion generator 1 can be replaced and cleaned, facilitating the maintenance of the electrical device 100. The electrical device 100 is not particularly limited, and for example, it may be an ion generator, an air conditioner, a dehumidifier, a humidifier, an air cleaner, a fan heater, or other devices. The electrical device 100 may be for home use or in-vehicle use. The electrical device 100 is preferably used for adjusting the air in, for example, a room in a house, a room in a building, a hospital ward, a vehicle interior of an automobile, an aircraft cabin, or a ship's interior. (Modification example) In this embodiment, the case in which the electrical equipment 100 is equipped with a blower 103 was described as an example, but the blower 103 is not essential. For example, the ions generated by the ion generator 1 can also be discharged to the outside by thermal convection. 〔summary〕 An ion generator (1, 2) according to embodiment 1 of the present invention is equipped with discharge electrodes (21, 22) that protrude from the surface of the device and generate ions by discharge, the discharge electrodes having a tip portion (31, 32) equipped with a plurality of linear conductors (25, 26) and a base portion (33, 34) to which the plurality of conductors are attached, the length to which the base portion protrudes from the surface is longer than the length of the tip portion. According to the above configuration, even if some force acts on the multiple conductors and causes them to bend, the force will not reach the surface of the device. Therefore, the multiple conductors can be prevented from coming into contact with the surface of the device. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the amount of ions generated due to abnormal discharge, current leakage, etc., occurring from the multiple conductors to the surface of the device. The shapes of the linear conductors mentioned above include straight lines, curved lines, thread-like lines, fibrous lines, and wire-like lines. Examples of the forces mentioned above include mechanical forces such as human contact, and electrical forces directed towards the induction electrodes by the multiple conductors during discharge to ensure stable discharge. Incidentally, if we consider miniaturizing the ion generator as much as possible, the high-voltage circuit will be placed in the device below the multiple conductors. Therefore, in the ion generator according to embodiment 2 of the present invention, the high-voltage circuit (high-voltage transformer 13) for applying a high voltage to the discharge electrode may be provided inside the device in embodiment 1. In this case, as in the above, it is possible to prevent the multiple conductors from generating abnormal discharges, current leaks, etc., on the surface of the device, and to prevent abnormal discharges from occurring in the high-voltage circuit, which would damage the surface or the high-voltage circuit. In the ion generator according to embodiment 3 of the present invention, in embodiment 1 or 2 above, induction electrodes (23, 24) for generating ions in relation to the discharge electrode may be provided inside the device. By arranging the induction electrodes, the electric field strength at the discharge electrode increases, thereby increasing the amount of ions generated or decreasing the voltage applied to the discharge electrode. Furthermore, similarly to the above, the plurality of conductors can prevent abnormal discharge, current leakage, etc. from occurring on the surface of the device, and can also prevent damage to the surface. Furthermore, any electrical device (100) equipped with the ion generator configured as described above can achieve the same effects as described above. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment. 1, 2 Ion Generator 10 cases 10a side 11 External connection board 12. Transformer drive circuit board 13. High-voltage transformer (high-voltage circuit) 14. Substrate for ion generating element (substrate) 14a Long side 14b Short side 15 Lid 16 Connection terminals 21, 22 Discharge electrode 23, 24 Induction electrode 25, 26 Conductors 25a, 26a Tip 31, 32 Tip 33, 34 Proximal end 33a, 34a Mounting parts 33b, 34b binding part 41. Insulating sealant 51, 52, 61, 62 Protective plate (protruding member) 51a, 52a, 61a, 61b, 62a, 62b opening 71, 81 Beam section 72, 73, 74, 82, 83, 84 Support part 90 recess 91 Connection terminals 100 Electrical equipment 101 Fan Casing 102 Air duct 103 Blower

Claims

ocr1. Ionizing device incorporated with: discharge electrodes protruding from the surface of the ionizing device for ion generation with the discharge electrodes; discharge electrodes having (i) an apical end incorporating a number of linear conductive elements and (ii) a base end to which a number of conductive elements are attached; and a base end protruding from the surface at a length longer than the length of the apical end.

2. Ionizing device as specified in Recusation 1 incorporated with an internally supplied high-voltage circuit for the application of high voltage to the discharge electrodes.

3. Ionizing device as specified in Recusation 1 or 2 incorporated with: induction electrodes internally supplied for ion generation between the induction electrodes and the discharge electrodes.

4. Electrical appliance incorporated with: Ionizing device as specified in one of Recusation 1 through 3;