Rod-Shaped Electrolysis Device

Abstract

A rod-shaped electrolysis device having an electrically conductive housing, wherein in the housing, a receiving space for at least one voltage source and an electronic control unit is embodied which is separated from an electrode space formed in the housing in a liquid-tight manner, and wherein an electrode extends within the electrode space, and wherein in the housing, at least one opening is formed in the region of the electrode space. The electrolysis device is characterized in that the housing comprises a receiving socket which is electrically connected both with the housing and the electrode. Via the receiving socket, the residual voltage of a voltage source and also the charging of a rechargeable voltage source may be measured. Furthermore, a data memory may be read out via the receiving socket.

Claims

1. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) having an electrically conductive housing (2), wherein in the housing (2), a receiving space (3) for at least one voltage source (4) and an electronic control unit (5) are embodied, the receiving space (3) being separated from an electrode space (6) formed in the housing (2) in a liquid-tight manner, and an electrode (7) extending within the electrode space (6), and in the housing (2), at least one opening (13) being formed in the region of the electrode space (6), characterized in that the housing (2) comprises a receiving socket (10) which is electrically connected both with the housing (2) and with the electrode (7).

2. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving socket (10) is arranged at a front face of the housing (2).

3. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrode (7) is rod-shaped and comprises a hemispherical front face.

4. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that in the electrode space (6) between the housing (2) and the electrode (7), a sealing body (9) is arranged which extends across a portion of the receiving space (3) and/or the electrode space (6).

5. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that within the receiving space (3), at least one lamp (11) is arranged and at least one light conductor (12) extends from the receiving space (3) into the electrode space (6), the light conductor (12) being arranged at one end within the receiving space (3) such that the light emitted from the lamp (11) enters the light conductor (12).

6. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the lamp (11) is a light-emitting diode and/or the light conductor (12) is at least a glass fibre or at least a glass fibre bundle.

7. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the light conductor (12) is guided, at the other end, into the electrode space (6) to the opening (13).

8. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the light conductor (12) extends through the sealing body (9).

9. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic control unit (5) comprises a time switch, a magnetic field sensor being present and the time switch being activated by an external magnetic field, and/or a motion sensor being provided and the time switch being activated by a shock of the housing (2) detected by the motion sensor.

10. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that a term as a multiple of a time interval may be determined by repeatedly approaching an external magnetic field to the housing (2) and/or by a repeated shock of the housing (2), the multiple being equal to the number of repetitions.

11. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic control unit (5) comprises a current and voltage regulator by means of which the voltage between the housing (2) and the electrode (7) and the intensity of current flowing between them may be adjusted to different values.

12. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the current and voltage regulator comprises a switchable MOSFET by means of which the intensity of current between the housing (2) and the electrode (7) may be adjusted.

13. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, the electronic control unit (5) comprises a microprocessor which performs a calculation of the conductance and adjusts, depending on the calculated conductance, the voltage and the intensity of current between the housing (2) and the electrode (7).

14. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, the electronic control unit (5) comprises a data memory, and the receiving socket (10) is electrically connected to the data memory such that the data memory may be read out via the receiving socket (10), operational data of the electrolysis device (1) being stored in the data memory.

15. Rod-shaped electrolysis device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrolysis device (1) comprises an acoustic signal transmitter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In the drawings:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the electrolysis device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of an electrolysis device 1 according to the invention with a rod-shaped housing 2. Within the housing 2, a receiving space 3 for at least one voltage source 4 and the electronic control unit 5 and an electrode space 6 are embodied. An electrode 7 is arranged within the electrode space 6, the electrode having a hemispherical front face. The electrode space 6 is separated from the receiving space 3 by a sealing body 9 in a liquid-tight manner, the electrode 7 extending through the sealing body 9. The circumferential surface of the sealing body 9 comprises two indentations extending across its complete periphery, one sealing ring 8 each being arranged therein. At a front face of the housing 2, a receiving socket 10 is arranged via which the charging of the voltage source 4 arranged within the receiving space 3, if it is an accumulator, the measurement of the residual voltage of the voltage source 4, and—since the electronic control unit 5 comprises an electronic data memory—the reading out of the data memory are possible. Furthermore, a light-emitting diode 11 is arranged within the receiving space 3 which in this case is integrated in the electronic control unit 5. A plurality of light conductors 12 extend from the receiving space 3 into the electrode space, such that the progression of electrolysis may be observed with the naked eye, since the light of the light-emitting diode 11 is conducted into the electrode space 6 via the light conductors 12 and is reflected there at the hydrogen bubbles formed during the electrolysis process. In the region of the electrode space 6, the housing 2 comprises a plurality of openings 13 which, in this embodiment, are arranged distributed along the periphery of the housing 2. The front face of the housing 2 facing away from the receiving socket 10 is closed with a screw cap 14. The screw cap 14 comprises a spring 15 by means of which the contact of the voltage source 4 is pressed against the contact of the electronic control unit 5 to thus permit a reliable contact even in case of shocks of the electrolysis device 1. Between the screw cap 14 and the front face of the housing 2 facing to it, a sealing ring 16 is arranged, such that no water can penetrate into the receiving space 3. Furthermore, a bow 17 is fixed to the housing 2 by means of which the electrolysis device 1 may be fixed to a water container, for example.

[0029] The electronic control unit 5 comprises a time switch which may be activated by approaching an external magnetic field to the housing 2 or by mechanical shocks of the housing 2.

[0030] The electronic control unit 5 is connected to the electrode 7 via a screw 18 whereby an electric connection between the electronic control unit 5 and the electrode 7 is established. Contacting of the voltage source 4 arranged within the receiving space 3 is also done by means of a screw 19. This embodiment of the electrolysis device 1 according to the invention was intentionally selected such that the manufacture of the electrolysis device 1 is as simple and thus inexpensive as possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0031] 1 electrolysis device [0032] 2 housing [0033] 3 receiving space [0034] 4 voltage source [0035] 5 electronic control unit [0036] 6 electrode space [0037] 7 electrode [0038] 8 sealing ring [0039] 9 sealing body [0040] 10 receiving socket [0041] 11 light-emitting diode [0042] 12 light conductor [0043] 13 opening [0044] 14 screw cap [0045] 15 spring [0046] 16 sealing ring [0047] 17 bow [0048] 18 screw [0049] 19 screw