KR20100056858A - Sterilizing and washing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sterilizing washing apparatus, comprising: a main body having a washing tank for receiving a wash object and a washing liquid for washing the wash object; An ultrasonic wave generator provided in the main body to generate ultrasonic waves to the washing liquid of the washing tank; A plasma generating unit electrically connected to the DC power supply unit, the positive electrode and the negative electrode provided in the washing tank to generate a low voltage plasma, and generating a hydroxyl radical in the washing liquid of the washing tank; And a controller for controlling the operation of the ultrasonic generator and the plasma generator so that the ultrasonic generator and the plasma generator do not overlap. Accordingly, by implementing the ultrasonic generator and the plasma generator in one device, it is possible to generate ultrasonic waves in water to precisely clean the surface of the object to be cleaned, and also to generate plasma to generate a hydroxyl group to sterilize the object. This can shorten cleaning and sterilization times, reduce manpower consumption and reduce equipment costs.

Description

Medical Sterilization Washing Device {STERILIZING AND WASHING APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a sterile washing apparatus, and more particularly, to provide an ultrasonic generator and a plasma generator in one apparatus, to wash the cleaned object using ultrasonic waves, and to generate a low voltage low temperature plasma by corona discharge in water. The present invention relates to a sterilization washing apparatus for disinfecting and sterilizing a product by generating hydroxyl (Hydroxyl Radical) having strong oxidation and sterilization power by electrical, chemical and physical action.

Various methods are used to sterilize and disinfect various types of medical devices. In general, sterilization and disinfection of bacteria at high temperature, sterilization and disinfection by direct irradiation of ultraviolet rays, and Methods using chemical sterilization solutions have been widely used.

Among various disinfection and sterilization methods, steam or dry hot air is the most widely used because it is not difficult to manufacture and economically inexpensive. However, this disinfection method is a medical tool (cleaning material) that is badly affected by heat or steam. Cannot be sterilized and disinfected.

In other words, a cleansing object such as a medical tool having a sharp edge or heat-treating various metals and having unique elasticity and function is easily deteriorated when exposed to high temperature by a high-temperature disinfection method, and its physical properties change to It shortens the life of the tool and often blunts the blades, preventing them from functioning natively.

Thus, as the most effective disinfection method in recent years, a plasma disinfection method is known that destroys bacteria by using a property of obtaining a strong electron of plasma by making a plasma state of a substance.

As a conventional plasma disinfection method, there is a method using ozone (O ₃ ), and ozone is generated through discharge of a high voltage of 5,000V or higher, and when excessively generated, ozone has a fatal harmful effect to a human body such as a respiratory organ. In addition, ozone has a property of poorly dissolved in water like oxygen.

However, the plasma disinfection method generating ozone by such high voltage discharge has a problem that the structure is significantly complicated and the installation and maintenance costs are increased.

Accordingly, the present applicant has come to develop a sterilization washing apparatus which implements the cleaning process through each cleaning apparatus and the disinfection process through the disinfection apparatus in one apparatus, excluding the use of harmful chemical disinfectants which have conventionally been used. .

That is, it has been developed a sterilization washing apparatus that can clean the surface of the object to be cleaned using ultrasonic waves, generate a low voltage low temperature plasma in the water to generate a hydroxyl group to sterilize the object.

Generally, there is a method of using ozone (O ₃ ) and a method of using hydroxyl (OH, Hydroxyl Radical).

On the other hand, hydroxyl groups can be easily generated by low voltage discharge in water and exist as free radicals with short lifespan, so they are reduced to complete water over time, so there is no secondary pollution or harm to human body.

The problem to be solved in the problem of the background art, according to the present invention, by generating ultrasonic waves in water to precisely clean the surface of the object to be washed, and also generates a hydroxyl group by generating a plasma to sterilize the object to be cleaned. It is to provide a sterilizing washing apparatus which can shorten the washing and sterilizing time, reduce the consumption of manpower and reduce the cost of the apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems According to the present invention, a main body having a washing tank for receiving a to-be-cleaned object and a cleaning liquid for cleaning the to-be-cleaned object; An ultrasonic wave generator provided in the main body to generate ultrasonic waves to the washing liquid of the washing tank; A plasma generating unit electrically connected to the DC power supply unit, the positive electrode and the negative electrode provided in the washing tank to generate a low voltage plasma, and generating a hydroxyl radical in the washing liquid of the washing tank; It provides a sterilization washing apparatus comprising a control unit for controlling the operation of the ultrasonic generator and the plasma generator so that the ultrasonic generator and the plasma generator do not overlap.

Here, the washing solution accommodated in the washing tank has a circulating pipe for flowing, and the circulation pipe, further comprising a circulation pump for forcibly circulating the washing liquid of the washing tank, or has a stirring wing to form a vortex in the washing liquid of the washing tank, By further including a stirrer to agitate the washing liquid of the washing tank, vortices are generated in the washing liquid of the washing tank when a hydroxyl group is generated in the washing tank, thereby improving the sterilization efficiency of the cleaned object.

It is provided in the washing tank, and further includes a partition wall partitioning the ultrasonic generator and the plasma generator, thereby smoothly operating the plasma generator.

The plasma generator may be disposed 0.1 mm or more below the ultrasonic generator.

Therefore, according to the solution of the above problem, by implementing an ultrasonic generator for generating ultrasonic waves in one device, and a plasma generator for generating a hydroxyl group by generating a plasma in the water, the surface of the object to be cleaned using ultrasonic waves accurately It is possible to clean and to sterilize the cleansed object by using a hydroxyl generated by plasma generation, to shorten the cleaning and sterilization time, to reduce the consumption of manpower, and to reduce the device cost.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 3 show a sterilizing washing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The sterilizing washing apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 11, an ultrasonic wave generator 21, and a plasma generator 31.

The main body 11 has a tubular shape of which the upper side is opened, and in one area of the front surface of the main body 11, an operation unit 13 through which the user can operate the operation of the device, and a display unit for displaying the operation and operation states. (15) is provided.

On the other hand, the inside of the main body 11 is formed with a cleaning tank 17 for receiving the object to be cleaned and the cleaning liquid for cleaning the object to be cleaned.

The cover 19 for opening and closing the washing tank 17 is provided above the washing tank 17, that is, in the opening region of the main body 11.

An ultrasonic wave generator 21 for generating ultrasonic waves in the cleaning liquid of the washing tank 17 is provided in the center area of the outer bottom surface of the washing tank 17. The ultrasonic generator 21 uses a conventional ultrasonic oscillator for generating ultrasonic waves by applying low-frequency alternating current from the low frequency oscillator 23 to the ultrasonic generator 25. The ultrasonic generator 21 in the present embodiment is installed on the bottom surface of the washing tank 17, but the ultrasonic generator 21 is not limited to this, so long as it is a position that can impart ultrasonic vibration to the washing tank 17 The location is alright.

Plasma generator 31 is provided in the main body 11, generates a low-voltage low-temperature plasma by the corona discharge in the cleaning liquid of the washing tank 17, the hydroxyl (Hydroxyl Radical) having strong oxidizing power and sterilizing power by electrical, chemical and physical action Create

Here, the plasma is briefly described as follows. In general, the plasma state refers to a state in which a gas is separated into electrons having a negative charge and positively charged ions at a high temperature, and the charge separation degree is very high and the number of negative charges and positive charges is generally the same. Each object that makes up a plasma is electrically different from the neutral gas. Electric conductivity is large and current flows only on the surface like metal conductors, and no current flows inside. Thus, such a plasma is called a fourth material state after the solid, liquid, and gas. In other words, the hydroxyl group is a kind of oxygen anion-based material made in the plasma state called solid, liquid and gas followed by the fourth material, and the ability to disinfect, disinfect and decompose more than twice as powerful as ozone and chlorine among existing materials. It is known as a natural substance that is harmless to the human body. In general, hydroxyl groups are known to be produced when one hydrogen atom (H +) is dropped while water (H ₂ O) molecules are separated by strong electrical energy. In addition, among the oxygen anions such as O-, O _2- , and O ₃ -generated when oxygen molecules (O ₂ ) are separated in the same manner, O ₂ -is also generated in the process of oxidative reaction by combining with floating pollutants. It is known. It is known that the hydroxyl group is oxidized and reduced to water, usually 2 to 5 hours at room temperature in the atmosphere. Therefore, hydroxyl groups can be easily generated by low voltage discharge in water and exist as short-lived free radicals, so they are reduced back to complete water over time, so there is no secondary pollution or harm to the human body.

Meanwhile, the plasma generator 31 according to the present invention includes a DC power supply 33 and a positive electrode 35a and a negative electrode 35b electrically connected to the DC power supply 33 to generate a low temperature plasma.

The DC power supply 33 uses an AC / DC converter and supplies a low voltage of 12 to 24 V depending on the washing capacity.

The positive electrode 35a and the negative electrode 35b are disposed to be spaced apart from each other on the inner bottom surface of the cleaning tank 17 with the ultrasonic generator 21 therebetween. Here, a carbon rod that is widely used for the positive electrode 35a and the negative electrode 35b may be applied.

Moreover, the partition 37 which partitions the positive electrode 35a and the negative electrode 35b of the ultrasonic wave generation part 21 and the plasma generation part 31 is provided in the bottom surface inside the washing tank 17. As shown in FIG. Accordingly, the plasma generator 31 can form the electric field smoothly without interference with the positive electrode 35a and the negative electrode 35b.

In this case, it is more effective to use a saline solution that can increase the sterilization efficiency by generating hydroxyl groups smoothly by low temperature plasma.

In addition, the sterilization washing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided on the circulation pipe 41 and the circulation pipe 41 through which the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank 17 flows to force the cleaning liquid of the cleaning tank 17. It further has a circulation pump 45 which circulates.

The circulation pipe 41 is installed in communication with one side of the washing tank 17 to suck the washing liquid from the lower portion of the washing tank 17 and discharge the washing liquid from the upper portion of the washing tank 17.

The circulation pump 45 is provided in the main body 11 to forcibly circulate the washing liquid of the washing tank 17 through the circulation pipe 41.

Thus, by forcibly circulating the washing liquid of the washing tank 17 when the hydroxyl group is generated in the washing tank 17, vortices are generated in the washing liquid of the washing tank 17 to improve the sterilization efficiency of the cleaned object.

In addition, the sterilization cleaning apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic wave generator 21 and the plasma generator 31 so that the ultrasonic generator 21 and the plasma generator 31 do not overlap. It has a control unit 61 for controlling the operation of.

The control unit 61 does not operate the operating time of the ultrasonic generator 21 during the entire operating time of the sterilization washing apparatus 10 for the entire time, but stops the operation for a predetermined time in connection with the timer 63 and after a predetermined time. It is controlled to operate again, so as not to be disturbed by the ultrasonic waves generated from the ultrasonic generator 21 during the sterilization of the cleaned object by the operation of the plasma generator 31.

In addition, the control unit 61 not only controls to display the operation and operation state of the sterilization washing apparatus 10 on the display unit 15 but also controls the operation of the circulation pump 45 based on an operation signal of the operation unit 13. do.

The controller 61 is made of a microcomputer and is housed in the main body 11.

In addition, when configuring the mechanism, as shown in FIG. 4, the positions of the positive electrode 35a and the negative electrode 35b of the plasma generating unit are disposed below the area of the ultrasonic generating unit 21 so as not to be disturbed by the generated ultrasonic waves. It is possible.

By this configuration, the operation of the sterilization washing apparatus 10 according to the present invention will be described.

In a state in which the user immerses a washing material such as a medical tool in the washing liquid of the washing tank 17, the sterilizing washing apparatus 10 operates the operation unit 13 to perform washing and sterilizing operation.

According to the operation instruction of the operation unit 13, the control unit 61 applies a low frequency alternating current to the ultrasonic wave generating element 25 by the low frequency oscillator 23 of the ultrasonic wave generating unit 21, and the ultrasonic wave generating unit 21 generates ultrasonic waves. It is generated and delivered to the washing liquid of the washing tank 17.

As a result, the ultrasonic waves reach the object to be cleaned using the cleaning solution, so that residues and contaminants attached to the surface of the object to be cleaned are removed, and the object is washed.

When the object to be cleaned is cleaned by ultrasonic waves for a predetermined time, the controller 61 receives a signal from the timer 63 to stop the operation of the ultrasonic generator 21 and the DC power supply unit of the plasma generator 31. The DC power supply 33 is controlled so that a low voltage is applied to the positive electrode 35a and the negative electrode 35b provided in the cleaning tank 17 from (33).

When a low voltage is applied to the positive electrode 35a and the negative electrode 35b of the plasma generator 31 immersed in the cleaning liquid, a low-temperature plasma is generated between the positive electrode 35a and the negative electrode 35b by underwater discharge, and the water molecules H ₂ O) is decomposed into hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) ions, and diffuses in water into numerous fine bubbles in the form of ion clusters. At this time, the oxygen atom has a property to stabilize by combining with other oxygen atoms to become an oxygen molecule (O ₂ ) through the bond.

The hydrogen atom (H) is separated from the anion electrons to H + by the strong electrochemical energy by the low temperature plasma, and the oxygen molecule (O ₂ ) receives the surrounding anion electrons, and the oxygen anions and some are converted to O ₃ . In addition, such an electrochemical dissociation state is generally reduced again within 2 to 5 hours in the atmospheric state, and the state of water becomes weakly alkaline.

The generated hydrogen cations (H +) and oxygen anions (O ₂ −) react with surrounding water molecules (H ₂ O) to generate various oxygen-based active species ions such as hydroxyl radicals and anions in the form of clusters. At this time, the hydrogen peroxide generated together evaporates over the surface of the water, and the hydroxyl group (Hydroxyl Radical) attaches to the bacteria and functions to decompose and remove it.

Hydroxyl Radical, which is very unstable due to its molecular nature, takes hydrogen ions (H) from bacterial cell membranes and reduces them back to water (H ₂ O), which removes hydrogen (H) from cell membranes. This destructive is made into a harmless substance in an inactive state, and can react with algae such as mold and moss by reaction of ozone (O ₃ ), one of the oxygen-based active species.

In addition, the microscopic bubbles in the water generated by the strong electric field between the positive electrode 35a and the negative electrode 35b also form a strong electric field between the bubbles, thereby effectively removing the underwater microorganisms and other organic and inorganic materials. Have

On the other hand, oxygen-based active species ions, such as hydroxyl radicals generated in the washing liquid by low-temperature plasma, are very unstable, so they are reduced to water within 2 to 5 hours in a normal atmosphere after reacting with bacteria, toxins, and organic matter. Therefore, there is no fear of secondary pollution.

Therefore, the ion activation of hydroxyl groups in the washing liquid enables sterilization without leaving toxic residues on the surface of the object to be cleaned.

On the other hand, during the generation of the hydroxyl group of the washing tank 17, the control unit 61 operates the circulation pump 45 to force the circulation of the washing liquid of the washing tank 17, generating a vortex in the washing tank 17 to sterilize the object to be cleaned. Improve the efficiency.

Then, when the to-be-cleaned object is sterilized by the hydroxyl generated by the plasma generator 31 for a predetermined time by the operation of the timer 63, the control unit 61 is the plasma generator 31 and the circulation pump 45 Operation of the ultrasonic wave generator 21 is restarted or stopped based on the operation signal of the operation unit 13.

As described above, the sterilizing washing apparatus 10 according to the present invention, by immersing the object to be washed in one washing tank 17, by washing the object by ultrasonic wave and sterilization by a hydroxyl group generated by low temperature plasma This can shorten cleaning and sterilization times, reduce manpower consumption and reduce equipment costs. In addition, unlike the conventional plasma generation in the air, since the low-temperature plasma is generated in the cleaning liquid, the structure of the device is not complicated compared to the conventional, can be manufactured at low cost, and the low voltage is used, it is possible to achieve safety.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sterilizing washing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. Sterilization washing apparatus 10 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention is provided with a circulation pump 45 and a circulation pipe 41 as in the above-described embodiment in order to generate vortex in the washing liquid of the washing tank 17. The stirrer 51 is provided.

The stirrer 51 is supported by the bracket 59 inside the washing tank 17, and the stirrer 51 has a stirring blade 53 for forming a vortex in the washing liquid of the washing tank 17, and a stirring blade 53. It has a motor 55 for providing rotational force to the stirring shaft, and a stirring shaft 57 for transmitting the rotational force of the motor 55 to the stirring blade 53.

Accordingly, when a hydroxyl group is generated in the washing tank 17 by the operation of the plasma generator 31, power is supplied to the motor 55 of the stirrer 51 to rotate the stirring blade 53, thereby washing the washing tank 17. Vortex occurs in the cleaning solution of the to be able to improve the sterilization efficiency of the object to be cleaned.

It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, such modifications or variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1 is a perspective view of a sterilizing washing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of FIG.

3 is a control block diagram of a sterilizing washing apparatus according to the present invention,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sterilizing washing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the sterilizing washing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

＊ Description of symbols for main parts of the drawings ＊

10,10 ': Sterilization washing device 11: Body

17: washing tank 21: ultrasonic generator

31: plasma generating unit 33: DC power supply unit

35a: positive electrode 35b: negative electrode

37: bulkhead 41: circulation piping

45: circulation pump 51: stirrer

53: stirring blade 61: control unit

Claims (5)

A main body having a cleaning tank for receiving the object to be cleaned and the cleaning liquid for cleaning the object to be cleaned; An ultrasonic wave generator provided in the main body to generate ultrasonic waves to the washing liquid of the washing tank; A plasma generating unit electrically connected to the DC power supply unit, the positive electrode and the negative electrode provided in the washing tank to generate a low voltage plasma, and generating a hydroxyl radical in the washing liquid of the washing tank; And a controller for controlling the operation of the ultrasonic generator and the plasma generator so that the ultrasonic generator and the plasma generator do not overlap with each other. The method of claim 1, A circulation pipe through which the washing liquid contained in the washing tank flows; It is provided on the circulation pipe, sterilization washing apparatus further comprises a circulation pump for forcibly circulating the washing liquid of the washing tank. The method of claim 1, Sterilization washing apparatus having a stirring blade for forming a vortex in the washing liquid of the washing tank, further comprising an agitator for stirring the washing liquid of the washing tank. The method of claim 1, A sterilization washing apparatus provided in the washing tank, further comprising a partition wall partitioning the ultrasonic generator and the plasma generator. The method of claim 1, The plasma generating unit is sterilized cleaning apparatus, characterized in that disposed below 0.1mm or more than the ultrasonic generator.

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