Liquid surface detection device, atomization device, and culture device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12158366-B2
Application number	US-202217724109-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2022
Priority date	Oct 30, 2019
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

This liquid surface detection device comprises: a liquid retention part in which hydrogen peroxide water is retained, the hydrogen peroxide water to be atomized by a vibrating plate in which a through-hole is provided; a float positioned inside the liquid retention part; and a sensor that detects, via the float, the arrival of the liquid surface of the hydrogen peroxide water retained in the liquid retention device at a prescribed position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liquid level detection device comprising:
a liquid reservoir configured to store hydrogen peroxide solution to be atomized by a diaphragm having a through hole;
a float disposed in the liquid reservoir; and
a sensor configured to detect a fact that a liquid level of the hydrogen peroxide solution stored in the liquid reservoir has reached a predetermined position, by using the float, wherein:
the liquid reservoir includes a detecting reservoir and a liquid supplying reservoir connected to the detecting reservoir by a connection tube at a position lower than the predetermined position in a vertical direction,
the connection tube is connected to a bottom of the detecting reservoir and a bottom of the detecting reservoir, and
the float is disposed in the detecting reservoir.

2. The liquid level detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined position is located at a position higher than a center of the diaphragm in the vertical direction.

3. The liquid level detection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the detecting reservoir includes an upper cylindrical part and a lower cylindrical part located at a position lower than the upper cylindrical part in the vertical direction, and
wherein an inner diameter of the lower cylindrical part is smaller than an inner diameter of the upper cylindrical part and greater than an outer diameter of the float.

4. The liquid level detection device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the detecting reservoir includes a tapered cylindrical part whose inner diameter decreases as a distance to the lower cylindrical part decreases, and
wherein the tapered cylindrical part is connected to the upper cylindrical part and the lower cylindrical part.

5. The liquid level detection device according to claim 3 , wherein the sensor is located at a position lower than the upper cylindrical part in the vertical direction.

6. The liquid level detection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein an upper protrusion piece configured to limit an upward movement of the float is formed, and
wherein at least a part of the upper protrusion piece is located inside the detecting reservoir.

7. The liquid level detection device according to claim 1 , wherein a lower protrusion piece configured to limit a downward movement of the float is formed at an inner peripheral surface of the detecting reservoir.

8. An atomization device comprising:
the liquid level detection device according to claim 1 ; and
the diaphragm.

9. A culture device comprising the atomization device according to claim 8 .

10. An atomization device comprising:
a liquid level detection device; and
a diaphragm, wherein:
the liquid level detection device comprises:
a liquid reservoir configured to store hydrogen peroxide solution to be atomized by the diaphragm having a through hole;
a float disposed in the liquid reservoir; and
a sensor configured to detect a fact that a liquid level of the hydrogen peroxide solution stored in the liquid reservoir has reached a predetermined position, by using the float, and

a center axis of the diaphragm crosses a vertical direction.

11. The atomization device according to claim 10 , wherein the predetermined position is located at a position higher than a center of the diaphragm in the vertical direction.

12. The atomization device according to claim 10 , wherein:
the liquid reservoir includes a detecting reservoir and a liquid supplying reservoir connected to the detecting reservoir at a position lower than the predetermined position in the vertical direction,
the float is disposed in the detecting reservoir, and
the diaphragm is disposed at the liquid supplying reservoir.

13. The atomization device according to claim 12 , wherein:
the detecting reservoir includes an upper cylindrical part and a lower cylindrical part located at a position lower than the upper cylindrical part in the vertical direction, and
an inner diameter of the lower cylindrical part is smaller than an inner diameter of the upper cylindrical part and greater than an outer diameter of the float.

14. The atomization device according to claim 13 , wherein:
the detecting reservoir includes a tapered cylindrical part whose inner diameter decreases as a distance to the lower cylindrical part decreases, and
the tapered cylindrical part is connected to the upper cylindrical part and the lower cylindrical part.

15. The atomization device according to claim 13 , wherein the sensor is located at a position lower than the upper cylindrical part in the vertical direction.

16. The atomization device according to claim 12 , wherein:
an upper protrusion piece configured to limit an upward movement of the float is formed, and
at least a part of the upper protrusion piece is located inside the detecting reservoir.

17. The atomization device according to claim 12 , wherein a lower protrusion piece configured to limit a downward movement of the float is formed at an inner peripheral surface of the detecting reservoir.

Assignees

• Phc Holdings Corp

Inventors

• Sakai Yuta
• Yoshida Masaki
• Honda Kousuke
• Sawai Akito
• Onda Megumi

Classifications

• C12M3/00

  Tissue, human, animal or plant cell, or virus culture apparatus · CPC title

• B05B17/0607

  generated by electrical means, e.g. piezoelectric transducers · CPC title

• A61L2202/122

  Chambers for sterilisation · CPC title

• A61L2202/14

  Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs · CPC title

• A61L2202/15

  Biocide distribution means, e.g. nozzles, pumps, manifolds, fans, baffles, sprayers · CPC title