Plasma device

Abstract

A plasma device for treating surfaces, in particular surfaces of fabrics. In order to allow for better ease of handling, an elongate housing is provided which can be manipulated with one hand and in which a plasma source is arranged. The plasma source has a plateau surface that extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing and includes at least one electrode via which plasma can be dispensed onto the surface to be treated. A center of gravity M and a geometrical center G are located at a distance of less than 20 mm from one another.

Claims

1. A plasma device for treating surfaces of fabrics, the plasma device comprising: an elongate housing being formed to be operated with one hand; a plasma source arranged in said housing, said plasma source having a plateau surface running in a longitudinal direction of said housing, said plateau surface having at least one electrode for producing a plasma to be applied to a surface to be treated; the plasma device having a center of gravity M and a geometrical center G, and said center of gravity M and said geometrical center G are spaced by a distance A of less than 20 mm.

2. The plasma device according to claim 1, wherein said housing has a cross-section with an oval shape.

3. The plasma device according to claim 2, wherein said oval-shaped cross-section of said housing is adjusted to the palm of a hand to enable a hand of a user to grip said housing in a form-fit.

4. The plasma device according to claim 1, which comprises a holding frame for said plasma source with a given arrangement and/or with a given adjustment in respect of a weight thereof.

5. The plasma device according to claim 1, wherein the center of gravity M and the geometrical center G are disposed at a spacing distance A of less than 10 mm.

6. The plasma device according to claim 5, wherein the spacing distance A of less than 5 mm.

7. The plasma device according to claim 1, wherein the center of gravity M and the geometrical center G are identical.

8. The plasma device according to claim 1, wherein said plasma source is spring-loaded and in a non-use state of the plasma device projects beyond said housing and in a use state is impressed at least partially into said housing.

9. The plasma device according to claim 1, wherein a geometrical longitudinal axis of the plasma device intersects a first circular surface with a radius R15.0 mm, and wherein the center of gravity M forms a center point of the first circular surface.

10. The plasma device according to claim 9, wherein a geometrical transverse axis of the plasma device intersects a second circular surface with a radius R25.0 mm, and wherein the center of gravity M forms a center point of the second circular surface.

11. The plasma device according to claim 10, wherein a geometrical vertical axis of the plasma device intersects a third circular surface with a radius R35.0 mm, and wherein the center of gravity M forms a center point of the third circular surface.

12. The plasma device according to claim 11, wherein the geometrical longitudinal axis, the geometrical transverse axis, and the geometrical vertical axis of the plasma device intersect a ball with a radius RK<5.0 mm, and wherein the center of gravity M forms a center point of the ball.

13. The plasma device according to claim 1, wherein a geometrical transverse axis of the plasma device intersects a circular surface with a radius R25.0 mm, and wherein the center of gravity M forms a center point of the circular surface.

14. The plasma device according to claim 1, wherein a geometrical vertical axis of the plasma device intersects a circular surface with a radius R35.0 mm, and wherein the center of gravity M forms a center point of the circular surface.

15. The plasma device according to claim 11, wherein the plasma device is embodied symmetrically about at least one of the geometrical longitudinal axis, the geometrical transverse axis or the geometrical vertical axis.

16. The plasma device according to claim 1, which comprises a switch for selectively switching the plasma device on and off, and wherein the center of gravity M and the switch are arranged offset with respect to the geometrical center G.

17. The plasma device for treating surfaces, the plasma device comprising: an elongate housing configured to be operated with one hand, said housing having a housing upper part and a housing lower part; a plasma source arranged in said housing, said plasma source having a plateau surface running in a longitudinal direction of said housing and having at least one electrode for generating a plasma to be applied to the surface to be treated; wherein a center of gravity M of the plasma device and a geometrical center G of the plasma device are distanced from one another by a spacing distance A that is less than 20 mm; and wherein the center of gravity M is distanced from the geometrical center G in a direction of said housing upper part.

18. The plasma device according to claim 17 configured for treating surfaces of fabrics.

19. The plasma device according to claim 17, wherein said plasma source is spring-loaded and in a non-use state the plasma device projects beyond said housing and in a use state is impressed at least partially into said housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The drawings show, schematically in each case:

(2) FIG. 1 a longitudinal sectional representation through an inventive plasma device,

(3) FIG. 2 a view from above onto the inventive plasma device,

(4) FIG. 3 a cross-sectional representation through the plasma device in a hand of a user in a non-use position,

(5) FIG. 4 a representation as in FIG. 3 but in a position of use,

(6) FIG. 5 a view from above onto an inventive plasma device during use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) According to FIG. 1 to 5, an inventive plasma device 1 for treating surfaces 2, in particular for treating textiles 3 (cf. FIG. 4) has an elongate and cross-sectionally oval-shaped housing 4, in which a plasma source 5 is arranged, which has a plateau surface 7, which extends in the longitudinal direction 6 of the housing 4, with at least one electrode 8, by way of which the plasma can be applied to the surface 2 to be treated. In order now to enable as comfortable and moreover easy operation or use of the inventive plasma device 1 as possible, provision is made for a center of gravity M and a geometrical center G to have a distance A of less than 20 mm. The center of gravity M and the geometrical center G very preferably have a distance A of less than 10 mm, in particular a distance A of less than 5 mm.

(8) The center of gravity M is understood to mean the point of a body, here the plasma device 1, in which the entire mass can be considered to be combined. When the body is supported in the center of gravity M, the body remains at equilibrium. The geometrical center G corresponds here to the center of gravity of a body, which consists of homogeneous material, in other words has the same density overall. Different arrangements of individual components, such as shown in the present plasma device 1, but also different density ratios, can result in the center of gravity M and the geometrical center G, often also called volume center, not being identical. In order however to be able to guarantee as comfortable handling of the plasma device 1 as possible, attempts are made to arrange the center of gravity M and the geometrical center G as far as possible as close as possible next to one another, wherein ideally the geometrical center G and the center of gravity M are identical.

(9) The center of gravity M of the plasma device 1 is moreover to lie as centrally as possible in respect of the plasma device 1 in an axis of rotation of a forearm of a user. Here a centerline 9 of the plasma device 1 should lie as close as possible to the palm of one's hand and moreover be at right angles to the axis of rotation of the forearm when the arm is extended.

(10) In under to be able to arrange the geometrical center G and the center of gravity M at the smallest possible distance A from one another, individual components of the plasma device 1, such as for instance an energy storage unit 10, a main printed circuit board 11, the plasma source 5, a switch 12 and a holding frame 13 for the plasma source 5 must be arranged accordingly or adjusted with respect it their weight.

(11) The housing 4 typically has a housing upper part 14 and a housing lower part 15 which are connected to one another by way of a clip connection, for instance. There is an opening in the base of the housing lower part 15, through which the plasma source 5 projects outwards from the housing 4.

(12) A tipping of a movable plasma source 5 can in particular also be prevented by as close an arrangement of the center of gravity M and the geometrical center G as possible, even when the plasma device 1 is pressed eccentrically. A comparatively small distance A between the center of gravity M and the geometrical center G also makes it possible to achieve easy handling of the plasma device 1 in respect of a movement onto the surface 2 to be treated, as a result of which usage of the plasma device 1 is possible with minimal effort. Moreover, a rotation, tilting, tipping, rolling etc. of the plasma device 1 can take place without any large torques to be applied, so that this can also be easily guided to inaccessible points, for instance on the body under the armpit.

(13) The plasma source 5 can moreover be spring-loaded and in a non-use state (cf. FIG. 3) project downward beyond the housing 4, and in a use state (cf. FIG. 4) be impressed at least partially into the housing 5, and as a result rest with the plateau surface 7 in a planar manner on the surface 2 to be treated. In this way, with a movement of the plasma device 1, it is also possible to ensure a uniform surface contact, as a result of which the plasma emitted by the plasma source 5 for treating the surface 2 does not come into contact with the ambient air and as a result less ozone which could result in a discoloration of the same when there is a prolonged effect on the surface 2 to be treated, for instance a textile 3, is also produced. The risk of airway irritation can also be reduced in this way.

(14) With an advantageous development of the inventive solution, a geometrical longitudinal axis 16 intersects a first circular surface 17 with a radius R.sub.15 mm, wherein the center of gravity M forms a center point of the first circular surface 17. The first circular surface 17 runs here according to FIG. 1 orthogonally to the image plane and according to FIG. 3 in the image plane. According to FIG. 1, a centerline 9 runs here similarly to the geometrical longitudinal axis 16 horizontally in the image plane, wherein the center of gravity M lies on the centerline 9, while the geometrical center G lies on the geometrical longitudinal axis 16. In FIG. 2, the geometrical longitudinal axis 16 and the centerline 9 are arranged one behind the other in the image plane, in other words congruently. In FIG. 3, both the centerline 9 and also the geometrical longitudinal axis 16 run orthogonally to the center plane, while a geometrical transverse axis 18 and the geometrical vertical axis 20 run in the image plane.

(15) By observing FIGS. 1 and 4 further, it is possible to identify that the geometrical transverse axis 18 of the plasma device 1 intersects a second circular surface 19 with a radius R.sub.25 mm, wherein the center of gravity M represents a center point of the second circular surface 19. The second circular surface 19 runs here according to FIG. 4 at right angles to the image plane and lies in the image plane in FIG. 1.

(16) In a further advantageous embodiment of the inventive solution, a geometrical vertical axis 20, on which the geometrical center G lies, intersects a third circular surface 21 with a radius R.sub.35 mm, wherein the center of gravity M forms a center point of the third circular surface 21. The third circular surface 21 runs here according to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 horizontally in the image plane and according to FIG. in the image plane.

(17) In a particularly preferred embodiment of the inventive plasma device 1, the geometrical longitudinal axis 16, the geometrical transverse axis 18 and the geometrical vertical axis 20 intersect a ball with a radius R.sub.K<5 mm, wherein the center of gravity M forms a center point of the ball. A ball of this type would be mounted here from the individual circular surfaces 17, 19 and 21.

(18) The closest possible arrangement or identical arrangement of center of gravity and geometrical center G enables a comparatively simple rotation, rolling, pitching, tilting etc. of the plasma device 1 without larger torques, as a result of which a handling and usage of the inventive plasma device 1 can be designed comfortably by a user. The plasma device 1 can moreover be embodied symmetrically about at least the geometrical longitudinal axis 16, the geometrical transverse axis 18 or the geometrical vertical axis 20, in particular rotationally symmetrically, as a result of which the plasma device 1 can be gripped haptically easily. Simple handling of the same can also be achieved in this way.

(19) Moreover, provision can be made for the switch 12 for switching the plasma device 1 on and off and the center of gravity M to be arranged offset with respect to the geometrical center G. The switch 12 can be in relation to the center M, S for instance. The switch 12 arranged offset can enable a simple activation or deactivation of the plasma device 1 by means of an index finger of the user, as a result of which an intuitive use is enabled.

(20) On the whole, a comparatively simple and low-effort use of the same can be enabled with the inventive plasma device 1 and the preferably identical arrangement of the geometrical center G and the center of gravity M, as a result of which a significant increase in comfort in respect of the use can be achieved.

(21) According to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the geometrical longitudinal axes 16 and the geometrical transverse axis 18 are arranged offset at distance A in each case with respect to the center of gravity M, wherein these can naturally also go through the center of gravity M.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(22) 1 Plasma device 2 Surface 3 Textile 4 Housing 5 Plasma source 6 Longitudinal direction 7 Plateau surface 8 Electrode 9 Centerline 10 Energy storage unit 11 Main printed circuit board 12 Switch 13 Holding frame 14 Housing upper part 15 Housing lower part 16 Geometrical longitudinal axis 17 First circular surface 18 Geometrical transverse axis 19 Second circuit surface 20 Geometrical vertical axis 21 Third circular surface