Ionizer Asymmetric Electrode Tip-Center Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fan-type ionizers require higher high-voltage application due to spaced discharge electrodes, leading to overlapping ion flows and reduced ion delivery efficiency as ions recombine before reaching the workpiece.
Innovation Solution
The ionizer design features discharge electrode pairs with varying tip-center distances, where positive and negative electrodes are positioned alternately around the air blowing port, ensuring non-overlapping ion flows and reduced recombination, allowing for lower voltage application and increased ion delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If positive and negative discharge electrodes are spaced apart from each other, then application of higher high-voltage is required to generate corona discharge, but this leads to overlapping ion flows and increased ion recombination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the positive and negative discharge electrodes at different distances from the fan center. Specifically, one electrode is placed at a first distance while the other is placed at a second distance that is different from the first distance. This asymmetric arrangement prevents the ion flows from overlapping and reducing recombination, thereby improving ion delivery efficiency without requiring higher voltage.
2Power
If positive and negative discharge electrodes are arranged in proximity to each other, then corona discharge can be generated by applying relatively low high-voltage, but the flows of generated positive and negative ions overlap each other causing recombination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by using asymmetric positioning where positive and negative electrodes are placed at different radial distances from the fan center. This allows the electrodes to be in proximity for low-voltage operation while their asymmetric positions ensure that the spiral ion flows do not overlap, preventing recombination and maintaining high ion delivery efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a radial dimension variation by placing electrodes at different distances from the fan center rather than only varying their angular positions. This dimensional change in electrode placement creates non-overlapping spiral flow paths for positive and negative ions, solving the recombination problem while maintaining close electrode spacing for low-voltage operation.
3Device complexity
If discharge electrodes are positioned at equal distances from the rotational center of the fan, then the structure is symmetric and simple, but the spiral air flow causes ion flows to overlap and recombine
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately introduces asymmetry in the electrode arrangement by positioning positive and negative discharge electrodes at different distances from the fan rotational center. This asymmetric configuration breaks the symmetry that would otherwise cause overlapping spiral ion flows, thereby preventing recombination and improving ion delivery efficiency while adding minimal structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances destaticization efficiency by preventing ion recombination, allowing more ions to reach the workpiece, thereby improving the ionizer's efficiency and reducing the size of the high-voltage sources needed.
Implementation Method 1
When positive and negative high-voltages are applied to the discharge electrodes, corona discharge is generated at discharge parts of the electrodes to generate positive and negative ions
Implementation Method 2
The positive and negative ions are blown by air onto a workpiece to neutralize positive or negative charge on the workpiece
Implementation Method 3
ionizers are used to neutralize (destaticize) positive or negative charge on an electrostatically charged workpiece
Data Source
AI summary
An ionizer includes a fan for blowing air, the fan being provided in an air blowing port which opens in a case, and a plurality of discharge electrodes for generating positive and negative ions by corona discharge, the discharge electrodes being provided in the case at positions facing the air blowing port. The ionizer also includes a plurality of discharge electrode pairs each constituted by two discharge electrodes for generating ions of different polarities. When a tip-center distance denotes a distance from the electrode tip to the center of the air blowing port, the tip-center distances of the two discharge electrodes in the discharge electrode pairs are different from each other.