JP2000189688A - Cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a washing device capable of achieving a large vibration amplitude, and of sufficiently achieving washing effect even to a badly contaminated object. SOLUTION: A super-magnetostrictive element 2 is used as a vibrating means, and at a tip part of a plunger 7 of the super-magnetostrictive element 2, an amplitude expanding mechanism comprising a lever 12, a lever restoration spring 15, etc., is provided. On a tip part of the lever 12, a brush 14 for washing is installed, and the super-magnetostrictive element 2 is driven by rectangular pulse signals (i) to set a brush vibration frequency at 50-1 kHz and a vibration amplitude at 0.5-5 mm. The vibration amplitude of the super-magnetostrictive element 2 is expanded by the lever 12 to be transmitted to the brush 14, and the brush 14 is reciprocated at a large amplitude and a super-high speed. Strong vibration acceleration is applied to particulates of a stain or oil contamination to which the brush 14 is applied, and these particulates are removed from the surface of fibers to float, when they are scraped off by the brush 14. Stiff contamination can thus be effectively scraped off to be washed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing apparatus suitable for washing stubborn stains, stains, oil stains and the like on textiles such as clothes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for removing stubborn stains such as stains, mud stains, oil stains on sleeves and collars of textiles such as clothes, a washing liquid such as a liquid detergent or a powder detergent is applied to the object to be washed. After applying directly to the soiled part, brush the soiled part with a hand pad, brush, sponge, etc., immerse the object to be washed in a washing liquid, then wash it with a washing machine or wash it with a brush or sponge Was used.

[0003] In the above-mentioned method, there are problems such as rough hands, damage to the object to be cleaned, and insufficient cleaning effect depending on dirt. Therefore, in order to eliminate such a problem, a washing machine and the like using ultrasonic waves have been proposed (for example, JP-A-57-55194, and JP-A-61-184).
No. 586, No. 6-52786). A washing machine using this ultrasonic wave attaches an ultrasonic vibrator to the bottom of the washing tub and vibrates at a high frequency, and generates and eliminates bubbles in the washing tub using cavitation generated by the vibration, The cleaning is performed by ultrasonic waves generated at this time.

However, in the case of the above-described washing machine using ultrasonic waves, soft objects such as fibers have extremely poor cleaning efficiency, and it has been difficult to completely remove stubborn dirt such as stains, dirt and oil stains. In addition, it was not possible to partially wash, and it was necessary to fill the washing tub with water before use, and there was a problem that handling was troublesome.

In order to solve the above problem, the present inventors have previously proposed a cleaning apparatus using a giant magnetostrictive element (Japanese Patent Application No. 9-362355). This prior-art cleaning apparatus uses a giant magnetostrictive element as a vibrating means of a reciprocating vibrating actuator, attaches a brush to the tip of a plunger of the giant magnetostrictive element, and drives the giant magnetostrictive element with a drive signal having a predetermined frequency. By driving the brush at high speed with a giant magnetostrictive element, it is possible to easily and reliably wash stubborn, hard-to-remov dirt such as stains, mud stains, and oil stains. there were.

[0006]

Generally, the cleaning effect of this type of cleaning apparatus increases in proportion to the vibration amplitude of the brush. However, in the prior invention, the brush is attached to the tip of the plunger of the giant magnetostrictive element. The vibration amplitude was limited.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus capable of obtaining a larger vibration amplitude than the prior invention and further improving the cleaning effect.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a cleaning apparatus according to the present invention uses a giant magnetostrictive element as a vibrating means of a reciprocating vibrating actuator, and expands the amplitude at the tip of a plunger of the giant magnetostrictive element. A mechanism is provided, and a cleaning brush is attached to the amplitude enlarging mechanism, and the vibration frequency of the brush attached to the amplitude enlarging mechanism is 50 to 1 KH.
z, the giant magnetostrictive element is driven so that the vibration amplitude becomes 0.5 to 5 mm.

The amplitude enlarging mechanism is supported rotatably with a base end as a fulcrum, and is mounted on the tip of the plunger of the giant magnetostrictive element at a position distant from the fulcrum by a predetermined distance. It is preferable to use a lever and an elastic member for returning the lever, which acts to push the lever back toward the giant magnetostrictive element, and attach a cleaning brush to the tip of the lever. Further, it is preferable that the vibration frequency and / or vibration amplitude be variable, and that the brush be replaceable. Further, it is more preferable that the entire oscillator including the battery for driving the giant magnetostrictive element is built in the cleaning device main body.

The term "giant magnetostrictive element" in the present invention means
It refers to a magnetostrictive element made of a powdered sintered alloy or a single crystal alloy containing a rare earth element and / or a specific transition metal as a main component (for example, terbium, dysprosium, iron, etc.). This is a magnetostrictive element capable of obtaining a magnetostrictive displacement of twice or more and 50 times or more that of a conventional magnetostrictive element such as ferrite.

[0011]

[Action] If necessary, apply a detergent to the brush tip, or apply or immerse the brush directly to the object to be cleaned, and then press the tip of the brush against a contaminated portion to reduce the vibration frequency of the brush to 5.
The giant magnetostrictive element is driven so that the vibration amplitude is 0 to 1 KHz and the vibration amplitude is 0.5 to 5 mm. As a result, the giant magnetostrictive element starts reciprocating vibration, and the vibration amplitude of the giant magnetostrictive element is transmitted to the brush after being expanded by a vibration expanding mechanism constituted by a lever or the like.

For this reason, the brush attached to the vibration amplitude expanding mechanism reciprocates at a large frequency and amplitude of 50 to 1 KHz and 0.5 to 5 mm in vibration frequency, and removes stains and oil stains on the brush. Fine particles include
Extremely strong vibration acceleration acts. As a result, fine particles such as stains and oil stains are separated from the fiber surface and floated by the strong vibration acceleration, and the lifted portions are scraped off with a brush, so that extremely strong and effective cleaning is realized. Therefore, it is possible to remove even stubborn dirt that was not easily removed by the cleaning device of the prior application.

The vibration frequency of the brush is 50 to 1 KH.
The reason why z and the vibration amplitude are set to 0.5 to 5 mm is that this range has been found by experiments of the present inventors to be the range having the highest cleaning effect and not damaging the object to be cleaned. .

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body case made of plastic or metal. A cylindrical giant magnetostrictive element 2 is provided in the main body case 1 in a vertical direction (in the figure). A cylindrical drive coil 3 is arranged around the outer periphery of the drive coil 2, and a cylindrical permanent magnet 4 for generating a bias magnetic field is provided around the outer periphery of the drive coil 3.

The drive coil 3 and the permanent magnet 4 are fixed at predetermined positions in the case by fixed plates 5 and 6, and the giant magnetostrictive element 2 expands and contracts in the fixed drive coil 3 in the vertical direction by the magnetostrictive effect. It is arranged freely. The permanent magnet 4 applies a constant bias magnetic field in the axial direction of the giant magnetostrictive vibrator 2 so that the giant magnetostrictive vibrator 2 exhibits a stable magnetostrictive effect.

A plunger 7 extending upward is integrally fixed to the upper end surface of the giant magnetostrictive element 2. An amplitude expanding mechanism having a structure described later is attached to the tip of the plunger 7. I have. A prestress spring 9 is contracted between the flange 8 of the plunger 7 and the main body case 1 so as to optimize the magnetostriction fluctuation range by applying a prestress to the giant magnetostrictive element 2. Is configured. Note that, in the above configuration, a mechanism portion constituted by members 2 to 9 constitutes a reciprocating vibration actuator.

The drive coil 3 includes a coupling capacitor 1
0, a rectangular pulse oscillator 11 serving as a drive power supply source of the giant magnetostrictive element 2 is connected. This rectangular pulse oscillator 11 outputs a rectangular pulse signal i as shown in the figure. In this example, the pulse frequency is 50 Hz to 50 Hz.
It can be changed freely within the range of 1 KHz,
The output power can be freely changed. Although a rectangular pulse signal is used in the illustrated example, a sine wave signal may be used.

The giant magnetostrictive element 2 includes a rectangular pulse oscillator 1
When a rectangular pulse signal i is supplied from 1, it expands and contracts at the same frequency as the pulse frequency in the vertical direction (in the figure) due to its magnetostrictive effect. The rectangular pulse oscillator 11 may be provided separately from the main body case 1 as shown, or the whole rectangular pulse oscillator 11 including a dry battery as a power supply may be built in the main body case 1. . In consideration of portability and handleability, it is preferable to be built in the main body case 1.

The amplitude expanding mechanism provided at the tip of the plunger 7 has the following structure. That is, a long lever 12 made of plastic or metal has a base end rotatably supported by a pin 13 and a cleaning brush 14
Is attached to be exchangeable.

[0020] Then, the rotatable lever 12 is mounted on the distal end spherical portion 7a of the plunger 7 at a distance from the pin 13 as a pivot point by a predetermined distance L _1, in a substantially horizontal (FIG. ), And at an appropriate position on the upper side of the lever 12, a lever return spring for urging the lever 12 pushed up by the plunger 7 to push back toward the giant magnetostrictive element 2 side. 15 are contracted.

The shape of the lever 12 may be a plate, a round bar, an elliptical bar, a square bar, a combination of these shapes, or a cross-sectional area of these shapes may be gradually reduced toward the tip of the lever. Optimal shapes such as tapered ones are selected and used according to the design specifications. Further, the spring 15 for returning the lever may be replaced with an elastic body such as rubber.

As described above, the giant magnetostrictive element 2 used in the present invention is a magnetostrictive element made of a powder sintered alloy or a single crystal alloy containing a rare earth element and / or a specific transition metal as a main component. It refers to, for example, after mixing and grinding these materials, molded in a predetermined magnetic field,
After sintering, it is made by performing a predetermined processing and applying a necessary coating. Table 1 shows an example of the characteristics of the giant magnetostrictive element thus manufactured.

[0023]

[Table 1]

Next, the cleaning operation of the cleaning apparatus having the above configuration will be described. First, if necessary, a detergent is applied to the tip of the brush 14 or directly applied to the object to be cleaned, or the object to be cleaned is immersed in a cleaning liquid and pulled up. The brush 14 is pressed against the contaminated portion, the power switch of the rectangular pulse oscillator 11 is turned on, and the vibration amplitude of the brush 14 is set to 0 by the rectangular pulse signal i of 50 to 1 KHz, preferably 50 to 500 Hz.
The driving is started so as to be within the range of 5 to 5 mm. Thereby, the giant magnetostrictive element 2 has the same 50H as the rectangular pulse signal i.
Reciprocating oscillation starts at a frequency of z to 1 KHz. The reason why the vibration amplitude of the brush 14 is set in the range of 0.5 to 5 mm is that, according to experiments by the present inventors, this range has the highest cleaning effect and does not damage the object to be cleaned. .

When the plunger 7 moves upward due to the reciprocating vibration of the giant magnetostrictive element 2, the lever 12
Of the pin 1
It rotates upward using 3 as a rotation fulcrum. When the plunger 7 moves downward, the lever 12 that has been pushed upward is pushed back by the spring 15 for returning the lever, and pivots downward with the pin 13 as a pivot. In this manner, the lever 12 repeats reciprocating motion at the same frequency as the giant magnetostrictive element 2 with the pin 13 as a pivot point.

At this time, the distance between the pin 13 serving as a rotation fulcrum and the tip spherical portion 7a of the plunger 7 is L ₁ , and the lever 1
Assuming that the effective length of L2 is L ₂ , the vibration amplitude of the giant magnetostrictive element 2 is μ ₁ , and the vibration amplitude of the lever tip is μ ₂ , the vibration amplitude μ ₂ of the tip of the lever 12 can be expressed by the following equation. μ ₂ = μ ₁ × (L ₂ / L ₁ )

As is clear from the above equation, the giant magnetostrictive element 2
Vibration amplitude μ₁Is (L₂/ L₁ ) Times amplified.
Therefore, the lever ratio (L₂/ L₁)
By knotting, it can be as small as 100 μm at maximum.
The vibration amplitude of the giant magnetostrictive element 2 was
Large amplitude.

As described above, when the lever 12 starts reciprocating at a large amplitude and a very high speed, the brush 14 attached to the tip of the lever also starts reciprocating at a large amplitude and a very high speed. A strong vibration acceleration is applied to the attached fine particles such as dirt, stains and oil. As a result, fine particles such as dirt, stains, and oil are peeled off and float on the surface of the object to be cleaned, and the lifted dirt and stains are effectively scraped off with the brush 14. Therefore, it is possible to effectively clean even a very dirty object to be cleaned which was difficult to clean in the prior invention.

The pulse frequency of the rectangular pulse oscillator 11 is variable within a range of 50 Hz to 1 KHz, and its output power is also variable. It can be adjusted to pulse frequency (vibration frequency) and output power (vibration amplitude). Thereby, the best cleaning effect according to the type and condition of the dirt can be exhibited. Further, since the brush 14 is also replaceable, the best cleaning effect according to the type and condition of the dirt can be exhibited by using a brush made of an optimum shape and material according to the type and condition of the dirt. .

Since the cleaning device of the present invention has an extremely high cleaning effect, it is possible to remove dirt that is not so severe only by wetting with water without using a detergent. Therefore, the detergent may be used as needed.
Further, a commercially available ordinary detergent is sufficient for the detergent to be used, and a dedicated detergent is not required at all. Also,
The cleaning device of the present invention can not only remove stains on textiles such as clothes, but also apply brush tips such as oil stains on kitchen ventilation fans, molds and scales on bathrooms and toilets, and surface stains on plastics and metal products. The present invention can be applied to any object to be cleaned.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the lever utilizing the lever 12 is used as the amplitude expanding mechanism.
As long as it can be incorporated in the main body case 1, an amplitude expanding mechanism having another structure can be adopted. Further, the lever 12 does not necessarily need to extend in a direction perpendicular to the plunger 7, but may extend diagonally upward or diagonally downward. Further, the shape and type of the replaceable brush 14 can be freely selected according to the purpose of cleaning.

[0032]

EXAMPLE Using the cleaning apparatus of the present invention, a stubborn mud dirt cleaning experiment was performed under the following conditions, and the cleaning was evaluated.
Table 2 shows the experimental results. (Washing conditions) 15 g of red soil and 500 ml of water are evenly stirred to form muddy water, 10 cm × 10 cm white cotton fiber is immersed in the mud water, and then dried to remove excess soil on the surface. Then, a dirty cloth stained with mud was prepared and used as an object to be cleaned. A cleaning liquid (a liquid detergent containing a total of 20% of anionic / nonionic surfactant, viscosity 1
(20 cp / 25 ° C.), and a cleaning treatment was performed at room temperature for a cleaning time of 1 minute. Then, detergency and fiber damage were taken as evaluation indices and evaluated by the following evaluation methods.

(Evaluation of Detergency) The whiteness of the white cotton fiber before impregnation, the stained cloth after impregnation, and the stained cloth after washing were measured with a color difference meter, and the detergency was calculated by the following equation. . Detergency (%) = (Y ₁ −Y ₀ ) / (X ₀ −
Y ₀ ) × 100, where X ₀ : whiteness of white cotton fiber before impregnation Y ₀ : whiteness of soiled cloth after impregnation Y ₁ : whiteness of soiled cloth after washing

(Evaluation of Fiber Damage) The fiber damage was visually checked for fluff after washing, and evaluated according to the state of fluff as follows. ◎: Not available ○: Almost not available △: Somewhat available ×: Considerable

[0035]

[Table 2]

As is clear from Examples 1 to 4 in Table 2, in the case of the cleaning apparatus of the present invention, an extremely high cleaning power of 80 to 90% was obtained. In addition, despite such high detergency, there was almost no fiber pain.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, a giant magnetostrictive element is used as the vibration means of the reciprocating vibration actuator, and a vibration magnifying mechanism constituted by a lever or the like is provided at the tip of the actuator. At the same time, a brush is attached to this vibration magnifying mechanism, and the giant magnetostrictive element is driven so that the vibration frequency of the brush attached to the amplitude magnifying mechanism is 50 to 1 KHz and the vibration amplitude is 0.5 to 5 mm. Even stubborn dirt can be reliably cleaned without damaging the object to be cleaned. Also, when washing, it is only necessary to apply the tip of the brush to the object to be washed, so it is suitable for partial washing, and it does not need to be watered like a washing machine, so it is easy to handle and the hand skin becomes rough. Not even. Also, because it can be made small,
It has various excellent effects such as excellent portability and easy handling.

Further, since the vibration frequency and / or the vibration amplitude are variable, the optimum frequency and vibration amplitude can be selected according to the type and state of the dirt, and the best vibration and amplitude can be selected according to the type and state of the dirt. A cleaning effect can be exhibited. In addition, since the brush can be replaced freely, an optimal brush can be used according to the type and condition of the stain, and the best cleaning effect according to the type and condition of the stain can be exhibited.

Further, since the entire oscillator including the battery for driving the giant magnetostrictive element is built in the main body of the cleaning device, it can be easily carried and used anywhere, and is excellent in portability and handling. Cleaning apparatus can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a cleaning device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body case 2 Giant magnetostrictive element 3 Drive coil 4 Permanent magnet 5, 6 Fixing plate 7 Plunger 7a Spherical tip part 8 Flange 9 Prestress spring 10 Coupling capacitor 11 Rectangular pulse oscillator 12 Lever 13 Pin (rotation fulcrum) 14 Brush 15 Spring for returning lever (elastic member)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Norihiro Tsujii 1-3-7 Honjo, Sumida-ku, Tokyo Inside Lion Corporation (72) Inventor Teruo Mori 1-13-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo T -F-term in DC Corporation (reference) 3B155 AA02 BB02 BB08 CD05 CD20 MA01 MA02

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A giant magnetostrictive element is used as a vibration means of a reciprocating vibration actuator, an amplitude expanding mechanism is provided at a tip of a plunger of the giant magnetostrictive element, and a cleaning brush is attached to the amplitude expanding mechanism. A cleaning device, wherein the giant magnetostrictive element is driven so that the vibration frequency of the brush attached to the amplitude expanding mechanism is 50 to 1 KHz and the vibration amplitude is 0.5 to 5 mm. 2. The amplitude expansion mechanism is rotatably supported with a base end as a rotation fulcrum, and is mounted on a plunger tip of a giant magnetostrictive element at a position away from the rotation fulcrum by a predetermined distance. A lever for returning the lever toward the giant magnetostrictive element and an elastic member for returning the lever, and a cleaning brush is attached to a tip of the lever. 2. The cleaning device according to 1. 3. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibration frequency and / or the vibration amplitude are variable. 4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said brush is replaceable. 5. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the entire oscillator including a battery for driving the giant magnetostrictive element is built in the main body of the cleaning apparatus.