CHEMICAL LIQUID SPRAYING APPARATUS

Abstract

A chemical liquid spraying apparatus suitable for disinfecting and sterilizing a large space, comprising: a case equipped with a pressurized chemical liquid tank and a compressor; an extension connecting pipe including a compressed air pipe through which a part of compressed air supplied from the compressor flows, and a pressurized chemical liquid pipe through which a chemical liquid pressurized by a rest part of the compressed air supplied from the compressor flows from the pressurized chemical liquid tank; and a two-fluid nozzle attached to a distal end of the extension connecting pipe; wherein the two-fluid nozzle comprises a compressed air passage connected to the compressed air pipe and a pressurized chemical liquid passage connected to the pressurized chemical liquid pipe, and is configured that the compressed air and the pressurized chemical liquid are mixed and ejected.

Claims

1. A chemical liquid spraying apparatus comprising: a case equipped with a pressurized chemical liquid tank and a compressor; an extension connecting pipe including a compressed air pipe through which a part of compressed air supplied from the compressor flows, and a pressurized chemical liquid pipe through which a chemical liquid pressurized by a rest part of the compressed air supplied from the compressor flows from the pressurized chemical liquid tank; and a two-fluid nozzle attached to a distal end of the extension connecting pipe; wherein the two-fluid nozzle comprises a compressed air passage connected to the compressed air pipe and a pressurized chemical liquid passage connected to the pressurized chemical liquid pipe, and is configured that the compressed air supplied from the compressed air passage and the pressurized chemical liquid supplied from the pressurized chemical liquid passage are mixed and ejected.

2. The chemical liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the case is a portable case, that is a backpack type case having a shoulder strap or a carriage type case having rollers attached to a lower surface thereof, and the case houses the pressurized chemical liquid tank, the compressor, a battery for driving the compressor, a controller, a wire harness connecting these devices, a compressed air supply pipe connected to the compressor, a pressurizing branch pipe branched from the compressed air supply pipe and connected to the pressurized chemical liquid tank, and a pressurized chemical liquid supply pipe connected to the pressurized chemical liquid tank.

3. The chemical liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the nozzle is attached to the distal end of the extension connecting pipe to form a spray gun; coupling joints respectively attached to a terminal of the compressed air supply pipe, a terminal of the pressurized chemical liquid supply pipe, and a terminal of the wire harness, those are provided to the case, are led out to an outer surface of the case; the extension connecting pipe is formed in a double pipe in which an inner pipe serving as the pressurized chemical liquid pipe is surrounded by an outer pipe serving as the compressed air pipe, and coupled joints respectively connected to the coupling joints are provided at an end of the extension connecting pipe; and a grip portion is provided on the outer pipe on a terminal side, and a spray button is provided on the grip portion.

4. The chemical liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two-fluid nozzle attached to the distal end of the extension connecting pipe comprises: a through hole formed along a center axis on an ejection side of a nozzle body; an inner cylinder providing the pressurized chemical liquid passage, disposed in the through hole so that the compressed air passage is formed; and an internal mixing chamber formed by positioning a distal opening of the inner cylinder on an inner side than an ejection port that is a distal opening of the nozzle body forming an outer cylinder; wherein the pressurized chemical liquid ejected from the distal opening of the pressurized chemical liquid passage is internally mixed with the compressed air supplied from an outer peripheral side thereof and sprayed to an outside from the ejection port, and an inner peripheral surface of the internal mixing chamber is reduced in diameter toward the ejection port.

5. The chemical liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: the compressed air passage connected to the compressed air pipe and the pressurized chemical liquid passage connected to the pressurized chemical liquid pipe are formed in a base part of the nozzle body of the two-fluid nozzle; branch portions that are branched into two or three at equal intervals with respect to the center axis are provided on a distal side of the base part of the nozzle body; the branch portions extend inclining in directions away from each other and bending portions provided thereafter extend in directions approaching each other toward the center axis; the through hole is provided along the center axis of each of the bending portions and the inner cylinder is disposed in each of the through holes; and spray ejected from the ejection ports provided at respective tips of the bending portions of the branch portions collide each other on an extension of the center axis of the nozzle body, whereby droplets in the spray are atomized.

6. The chemical liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the droplets of the spray to be collide-mixed are dry fog having an average particle diameter of 10 m or less.

7. The chemical liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressurized chemical liquid mixed with the compressed air and sprayed is a hypochlorous acid solution.

8. A two-fluid nozzle for mixing and spraying gas and liquid, comprising a nozzle body, wherein a gas passage is provided on an outer periphery of a liquid passage in the nozzle body, an ejection-side opening of the liquid passage is located in the gas passage to form an internal mixing chamber bordering an ejection port of the nozzle body, and the internal mixing chamber is formed to be reduced in diameter toward the ejection port.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of spraying operation while shouldering a chemical liquid spraying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 2(A) shows a perspective view of a spray gun of the chemical liquid spraying apparatus, and FIG. 2(B) shows a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B of FIG. 2(A).

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a case of the chemical liquid spraying apparatus, wherein FIG. 3(A) shows a perspective view of that, and FIG. 3(B) shows a perspective view of devices housed in the case body.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of connection of the devices.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a pressurized chemical liquid tank among the devices.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of a nozzle and a valve connected to a distal end of the spray gun of the chemical liquid spraying apparatus.

[0041] FIG. 7 shows the nozzle, wherein FIG. 7(A) shows an enlarged sectional view of that, and FIG. 7(B) shows a plan view of that.

[0042] FIG. 8(A) shows an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the nozzle, and

[0043] FIG. 8(B) shows a cross-sectional view taken along a line C-C of FIG. 8(A).

[0044] FIG. 9(A) shows a cross-sectional view of the nozzle and the valve in their connected state, FIG. 9(B) shows a horizontal cross-sectional view of a part of the valve of FIG. 9(A), and FIG. 9(C) shows a cross-sectional view of the valve in a closed state.

[0045] FIGS. 10(A) and 10(B) show cross-sectional views in a conventional example.

[0046] FIG. 11 shows an enlarged sectional view of a main part of a conventional nozzle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings.

[0048] FIGS. 1 to 9 show the embodiments.

[0049] A chemical liquid spraying apparatus according to the embodiment is that of a backpack type which an operator carries on a back, and comprises a backpack case 1, a spray gun 2 detachably connected to the case 1, and a two-fluid nozzle 3 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a nozzle 3) provided at a distal end of the spray gun 2.

[0050] The case 1 includes a case body 1a and a cover 1b for closing an opening of the case body 1a after storing required devices in the case body 1a. The case body 1a is provided with a pair of left and right shoulder straps 4A on an opposite side to the cover 1b, a hip belt 4B on a lower part thereof, and a gripping frame 5 on an upper surface thereof.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a partition frame 11 is housed in an inner space of the case body 1a, a pressurized chemical liquid tank 12 is placed on a lower shelf 11a of the partition frame 11, a battery 13 using a lithium ion secondary battery is placed on a middle shelf 11b, and a controller 14 and a compressor 15 are placed on an upper shelf 11c. Further, a wire harness W for connecting the battery 13, the controller 14 and the compressor 15 is housed therein.

[0052] Furthermore, a ventilation fan, a pressure gauge for measuring the pressure in the pressurized chemical liquid tank, a regulator for adjusting the internal pressure thereof, a solenoid valve for releasing a residual pressure, and the like are housed.

[0053] In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, an end of a compressed air supply pipe 16 connected to the compressor 15 is protruded to an outer surface of the case body 1a and a coupling joint 17A is attached thereto. Further, a pressurizing branch pipe 18 is branched from a middle of the compressed air supply pipe 16, and the pressurizing branch pipe 18 is connected to a compressed air inlet 12a provided on an upper surface of the pressurized chemical liquid tank 12. A pressurized chemical liquid supply pipe 19 is connected to a pressurized chemical liquid outlet 12b provided on the upper surface of the pressurized chemical liquid tank 12, and an end of the pressurized chemical liquid supply pipe 19 is protruded to the outer surface of the case body 1a and a coupling joint 17B is attached thereto. Further, an end of the wire harness W is also protruded to the outer surface of the case body 1a and a coupling joint 17C is attached thereto.

[0054] A chemical liquid inlet 12c is provided on the upper surface of the pressurized chemical liquid tank 12, and a chemical liquid Q composed of a bacteria elimination and deodorizing solution or a disinfecting and sterilizing solution is fed thereto. In the pressurized chemical liquid tank 12, compressed air A is supplied from the compressor 15 to the stored chemical liquid Q through the pressurizing branch pipe 18 to generate a pressurized chemical liquid AQ. The coupling joints 17A and 17B are opened when connected to coupled joints provided on the spray gun 2 to allow the compressed air A and the pressurized chemical liquid AQ to flow. Thereby, the compressed air A can be supplied to the spray gun 2 through the coupling joint 17A and the pressurized chemical liquid AQ can be supplied through the coupling joint 17B, which are respectively protruded from the outer surface of the case body 1a. Since the chemical liquid is pressurized by the compressed air in advance and supplied as the pressurized chemical liquid AQ, the chemical liquid can be reliably supplied to a distal end of the nozzle 3 even in the case where the spray gun 2 is positioned higher than the liquid surface of the chemical liquid.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 5, a position of the pressurized chemical liquid tank 12 is fixedly held by a holding frame 11d disposed on and projecting from the lower shelf 11a of the partition frame 11.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), the spray gun 2 is formed such that a long-shaped extension connecting pipe 20 is bent at an end part thereof, a grip portion 23 which an operator grips with one hand is provided thereto, and a spray button 24 and a remaining battery level display 25 are provided to the grip portion 23. As shown in FIG. 2(B), the extension connecting pipe 20 is formed in a double pipe in which an inner pipe 20B extends at a center of a hollow portion of an outer pipe 20A made of a resin or lightweight metal. The inner pipe 20B serves as a pressurized chemical liquid pipe in which the pressurized chemical liquid is passed through its hollow portion, an annular compressed air passage is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the inner pipe 20B and an inner peripheral surface of the outer pipe 20A, and the outer pipe 20A serves as a compressed air pipe. Alternatively, a pressurized chemical liquid pipe and a compressed air pipe may be arranged in parallel instead of the double pipe.

[0057] At the bent end of the extension connecting pipe 20, a coupled joint 26B that is continuous with the inner pipe 20B of the pressurized chemical liquid pipe, a coupled joint 26A that is continuous with the outer pipe 20A of the compressed air pipe, and a coupled joint 26C continuous with the wire harness which is connected to the spray button 24 and the remaining battery level display 25, are provided. When the coupled joints 26A and 26B are connected to the coupling joints 17A and 17B, respectively, the pressurized chemical liquid flows into the inner pipe 20B and the compressed air flows into the compressed air passage surrounded by the outer pipe 20A. Further, when the coupled joint 26C is connected to the coupling joint 17C, power is supplied to the spray button 24 and the remaining battery level display 25.

[0058] Furthermore, a grip portion 27 which the operator grips with the other hand is provided in a middle of a lengthwise direction of the extension connecting pipe 20, so that the nozzle 3 provided at the distal end of the extension connecting pipe 20 can be stably held in the direction aimed at.

[0059] The extension connecting pipe 20 is formed in a long object whose length is fixed, however, it may be of an extendable type whose length can be adjusted according to use.

[0060] A distal end side of the extension connecting pipe 20 is bent, the two-fluid nozzle 3 is attached to the distal end of the bent extension connecting pipe 20 via an ejection open-close valve 31 (hereinafter simply referred to as a valve 31) which is operated by the spray button 24, and the nozzle 3 and the valve 31 are covered with a protection frame 39.

[0061] The nozzle 3 is a collide-mixed type two-fluid nozzle as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and a nozzle body 30 has branch portions 32 and 33 that are branched into two so as to open equidistantly with respect to a center axis L1 on a distal side of a base part 30a, that is a supply side of the compressed air A and the pressurized chemical liquid AQ. Bending portions 32a and 33a that are bent in ejection directions so as to be close to each other toward the center axis L1 are provided on distal end sides of these branch portions 32 and 33. Through holes 32h and 33h are provided along center axes L2 and L3 of these bending portions 32a and 33a, nozzle tips 37 are disposed in the through holes 32h and 33h, and rear ends of the through holes 32h and 33h are closed with closing tips 38.

[0062] The base part 30a of the nozzle body 30 has a concave portion 30c that has an open rear end, and a protruding frame 31a of a distal end of the valve 31 is screwed into the concave portion 30c, whereby a compressed air passage 42a is formed along the center axis L1 and an annular pressurized chemical liquid passage 40a is formed on the outer periphery via a partition wall 41. The pressurized chemical liquid passage 40a and the compressed air passage 42a are respectively connected to a pressurized chemical liquid passage 40h and a compressed air passage 42h provided in the connected valve 31.

[0063] In the nozzle body 30, pressurized chemical liquid passages 40b and 40c which are connected to the pressurized chemical liquid passage 40a and extend in the branch portions 32 and 33 to connect to the through holes 32h and 33h are provided. Further, compressed air passages 42b and 42c which are connected to the compressed air passage 42a and extend in the branch portions 32 and 33 to connect to the through holes 32h and 33h are provided.

[0064] Hollow holes along the center axes L2 and L3 of the inner cylinders 36 of the nozzle tips 37 attached to the through holes 32h, 33h provide pressurized chemical liquid passages 40d and 40e. These pressurized chemical liquid passages 40d and 40e are connected to the pressurized chemical liquid passages 40b and 40c.

[0065] Annular compressed air passages 42d and 42e each of which is formed between an inner peripheral surface of the through hole of the nozzle body 30 and an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle tip 37 are connected to the compressed air passages 42b and 42c.

[0066] As a result, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the compressed air passages 42d and 42e are provided on the outer periphery of the pressurized chemical liquid passages 40d and 40e along the center axes L2 and L3, the pressurized chemical liquid AQ and the compressed air A are internally mixed in internal mixing chambers 50-1 and 50-2 bordering ejection ports 45 and 46, the mixed fluids are ejected from the ejection ports 45 and 46 and collided and mixed at a collision point P on the center axis L1 to be atomized.

[0067] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the linear pressurized chemical liquid passages 40d and 40e formed of hollow holes of the nozzle tips 37 are surrounded by the annular compressed air passages 42d and 42e, and the pressurized chemical liquid passage and the compressed air are reduced in diameter toward a tip of the nozzle in a stepwise manner.

[0068] A distal opening 37e of the nozzle tip 37 which forms the pressurized chemical liquid passages 40d and 40e is positioned on an inner side than a distal opening 30e serving as the ejection port of the nozzle body 30, and an internal mixing chamber 50 is formed between the distal openings 37e and 30e. Thereby, the pressurized chemical liquid AQ ejected from the distal opening 36e of the pressurized chemical liquid passage is internally mixed with the compressed air A supplied from the outer peripheral side thereof, and is sprayed to the outside from the ejection port of the nozzle body.

[0069] An inner peripheral surface 50i of the internal mixing chamber 50 is reduced in diameter toward the tip, whereby the ejection pressure of the mixed fluid of the pressurized chemical liquid AQ and the compressed air A is increased. Further, three protrusions 37v are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle tip 37 at equal intervals so as to extend rearward from the distal opening 37e, and these three protrusions 37v are brought into contact with the inner peripheral surface 30i of the through hole having a circular cross section of the nozzle body 30. Thereby, the position of the nozzle tip 37 is fixedly held at a center of each through holes 32h and 33h. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8(B), each of the compressed air passages 42d and 42e is divided into three, and the divided compressed air passages are reduced so that a particle diameter of the spray can be decreased and the ejection noise can be reduced.

[0070] As described above, in the two-fluid nozzle 3, a part of the compressed air A supplied from the compressor 15 is supplied to the pressurized chemical liquid tank 12 to pressurize the chemical liquid itself to be supplied to the nozzle 3, the rest part of the compressed air A from the compressor 15 is supplied to the nozzle 3, the pressurized chemical liquid AQ is mixed with the compressed air A in the internal mixing chamber 50 which borders the ejection port of the nozzle to increase the pressure of the sprayed fluid, and the internal mixing chamber 50 is reduced in diameter toward the ejection port, thereby increasing the pressure.

[0071] The sprays ejected from the opposing ejection ports 45 and 46 of the branch portions 32 and 33 of the nozzle 3 are collided and mixed at a collision point P where the center axes L1, L2 and L3 intersect, and at the time of the collision, the droplets in the sprays collide with each other to be atomized.

[0072] Due to atomization by colliding and mixing, the spray from the nozzle 3 becomes dry fog having an average particle diameter of the droplets of 10 m or less. The dry fog is a mist that does not cause wetting even when the water droplets adhere to. Therefore, drying time after spraying can be made unnecessary and stay time in the air can be lengthened, and therefore, bacteria floating in the air can be eliminated and sterilized. Further, as described above, the pressurized chemical liquid AQ is internally mixed with the compressed air A to be sprayed from the ejection port at the tip of the reduced diameter ejection port of the internal mixing chamber 50, thereby increasing the spray pressure and lengthening the flight distance (fog distance), and therefore, a space to be bacteria-eliminated, deodorized or disinfected and sterilized can be quickly filled with fog, and bacteria elimination, deodorization or disinfection and sterilization can be performed to every corner of the space.

[0073] For example, when a chemical liquid for disinfection and bacteria elimination, composed of hypochlorous acid water, having a weak acid or a slight weak acid is used as the pressurized chemical liquid to be mixed and sprayed with compressed air, the chemical liquid stays in the air in a wide range at a high concentration as dry fog, thereby making possible to eliminate pests in a house of a plant cultivation apparatus in one fell swoop. Furthermore, since it is dry fog, the acidic chemical liquid is hardly deposited on a surface of a metal frame or a metal fixture exposed in the house, and occurrence of acidic corrosion can be prevented.

[0074] In the above, it is not limited to hypochlorous acid water, and a chemical liquid of a weak acid or a slight weak acid for sterilization can be also used suitably.

[0075] The valve 31 connected to the nozzle 3 can be turned on and off by the spray button 24 provided on the grip portion 23 of the spray gun 2.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 9, the valve 31 is screwed and connected to the nozzle body 30 of the nozzle 3 as described above, and the bent end of the extension connecting pipe 20 is connected to the valve 31.

[0077] When the spray button 24 is switched on, the compressor 15 is driven to supply compressed air, and when the spray button 24 is switched off, the compressor 15 is stopped and the compressed air is not supplied.

[0078] At a rear end of a body 53 of the valve 31, a concave portion 54 for connecting with the extension connecting pipe is formed, and as shown in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(C), a pressurized chemical liquid passage 54a provided on the concave portion 54 is connected to a pressurized chemical liquid passage 40h formed in the body 53, and a valve seat 56 which is opened and closed by an open-close valve 55 is provided in a middle of the pressurized chemical liquid passage 40h. Further, as shown in FIG. 9(B), a compressed air passage 54b continuous with the compressed air pipe of the extension connecting pipe 20 is connected to the compressed air passage 42h provided in the body 53.

[0079] The compressed air reservoir 54b is connected with a valve operating chamber 57, in which the open-close valve 55 of the pressurized chemical liquid passage 40h is slidably fitted, via a compressed air passage 42g. When the valve 31 is turned on, the compressed air A is introduced into the valve operating chamber 57 as shown in FIG. 9(A), and the spring 59 for urging the open-close valve 55 is compressed to move the open-close valve 55 in its opening direction, whereby the pressurized chemical liquid passage 40h is opened and the pressurized chemical liquid is introduced into the nozzle 3.

[0080] Meanwhile, when the valve 31 is turned off and the compressed air is not supplied, the compressed air is not introduced into the valve operating chamber 57 as shown in FIG. 9(C), the open-close valve 55 is pressed by the spring 59 to be operated, and the valve seat 56 is closed to shut down the pressurized chemical liquid passage 40h. As a result, the pressurized chemical liquid is not supplied to the nozzle 3, and the chemical liquid is prevented from dropping from the ejection port of the nozzle 3.

[0081] When using the chemical liquid spraying apparatus having the above structure, disinfecting and sterilizing can be efficiently performed by spraying the chemical liquid while moving in a large space since it is a backpack type. In addition, since the nozzle is attached to the distal end of the long spray gun, the chemical liquid can be sprayed on a high ceiling, corners and hidden places where workers cannot easily enter, and a back of an installation material. In particular, since the chemical liquid is sprayed from the nozzle as dry fog that does not cause wetting, drying time is unnecessary, and a specific function and effect that a person or an object to which fog is deposited is not wetted can be produced.

[0082] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and a portable type apparatus having transport rollers on a lower surface of the case body similar to a conventional example of FIG. 10, instead of the backpack type apparatus. In addition, the two-fluid nozzle is not limited to the collide-mixed type, and any structure that can spray dry fog can be suitably adopted.

[0083] In the case of spraying compressed air and liquid with a two-fluid nozzle other than the chemical liquid spraying apparatus, the nozzle 3 can be suitably used. When this nozzle is used, liquid pressure can be increased by using compressed air for mixing and spraying and liquid can be fed to the nozzle at a required pressure even when the head difference from a liquid storage tank to the nozzle is large, and the two-fluid nozzle having such structure can be widely used.

[0084] Further, in the two-fluid nozzle shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 used in the chemical liquid spraying apparatus, the compressed air passage can be suitably used as a gas passage and the pressurized chemical liquid passage can be suitably used as a liquid passage in the case where a gas which is not limited to the compressed air and a liquid which is not limited to the pressurized chemical liquid are sprayed as a mist of dray fog.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0085] 1 case [0086] 1a case body [0087] 2 spray gun [0088] 3 nozzle [0089] 12 pressurized chemical liquid tank [0090] 13 battery [0091] 15 compressor [0092] 16 compressed air supply pipe [0093] 18 pressurizing branch pipe [0094] 19 pressurized chemical liquid supply pipe [0095] 20 extension connecting pipe [0096] 31 valve