Discharge device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12586990-B2
Application number	US-202218566869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2022
Priority date	Jul 30, 2021
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

Discharge device includes voltage application circuit that applies output voltage to load including discharge electrode holding liquid to generate discharge in discharge electrode. Voltage application circuit includes a function of varying a magnitude of output voltage, and a function of switching a discharge period that is a period for varying the magnitude of output voltage to any one of a plurality of periods having different lengths with a lapse of time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A discharge device comprising:
a voltage application circuit programmed to:
apply an output voltage to a load including a discharge electrode holding a liquid to cause the discharge electrode to generate electrical discharge,
vary a magnitude of the output voltage to increase and then decrease in one discharge period, and
switch a discharge period to any one of a plurality of periods different from each other based on a lapse of time, the discharge period being a period from a time at which the magnitude of the output voltage starts increasing to a time at which the magnitude starts increasing again.

2 . The discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of periods are programmed to have an average included in a predetermined range including a resonant period at which an amplitude of vibration of the liquid caused by variation of the output voltage is maximized.

3 . The discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of periods are programmed to be individually less than or equal to a first value and larger than or equal to a second value, the first value is programmed to be a value obtained by adding, to a resonant period at which an amplitude of vibration of the liquid caused by the output voltage that periodically varies is maximized, a half value of the resonant period, and the second value is programmed to be a value obtained by subtracting the half value from the resonant period.

4 . The discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage application circuit is further programmed to:
cause a liquid supply unit to supply the liquid to the discharge electrode.

5 . The discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage application circuit is further programmed to:
atomize the liquid electrostatically by the discharge.

6 . The discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage application circuit is further programmed to:
switch the discharge period to any one of the plurality of periods every time the discharge period is repeated a predetermined number of times.

7 . The discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage application circuit is further programmed to:
randomly switch the discharge period to any one of the plurality of periods.

8 . The discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of periods are programmed to include a first period having a first length and a second period having a second length different from the first length, and the voltage application circuit is further programmed to vary the magnitude of the output voltage during the first period, and varying the magnitude of the output voltage during the second period subsequent to the first period.

9 . An electrostatic atomization device comprising
a voltage application circuit; a discharge electrode configured to hold a liquid; and a liquid supply unit configured to supply the liquid to the discharge electrode, wherein the voltage application circuit is programmed to:
apply an output voltage to the discharge electrode thereby electrostatically atomizing the liquid,
vary a magnitude of the output voltage, and
switch a discharge period to any one of a plurality of periods different from each other based on a lapse of time, the discharge period being a period from a time at which the magnitude of the output voltage starts increasing to a time at which the magnitude starts increasing again.

10 . The electrostatic atomization device according to claim 9 , wherein
the plurality of periods are programmed to have an average included in a predetermined range including a resonant period at which an amplitude of vibration of the liquid caused by variation of the output voltage is maximized.

11 . The electrostatic atomization device according to claim 9 , wherein
the plurality of periods are programmed to be individually less than or equal to a first value and larger than or equal to a second value, the first value is programmed to be a value obtained by adding, to a resonant period at which an amplitude of vibration of the liquid caused by the output voltage that periodically varies is maximized, a half value of the resonant period, and the second value is programmed to be a value obtained by subtracting the half value from the resonant period.

12 . The electrostatic atomization device according to claim 9 , wherein the voltage application circuit is further programmed to:
cause the liquid supply unit to supply the liquid to the discharge electrode.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Imai Makoto
• Hata Hidetoshi
• Ishigami Yohei
• Omori Takafumi
• Takigawa Yuki
• AONO Tetsunori
• Uratani Yutaka
• Ito Mikio

Classifications

• B05B5/0255

  spraying and depositing by electrostatic forces only · CPC title

• H01T23/00

  Apparatus for generating ions to be introduced into non-enclosed gases, e.g. into the atmosphere · CPC title

• H01T19/04 Primary

  having pointed electrodes · CPC title

• B05B5/10

  Arrangements for supplying power, e.g. charging power (in discharge apparatus B05B5/053) · CPC title

• B05B5/057 Primary

  Arrangements for discharging liquids or other fluent material without using a gun or nozzle · CPC title