Micro bubble generating device

A micro bubble generating device disposed at one end of a liquid supply device including a water inlet unit, a water outlet unit, an air inlet groove, and a first sleeve. The water inlet unit is penetrated by first passages, and one side being penetrated is provided with a first connecting surface; the water outlet unit is penetrated by second passages, and one side being penetrated is provided with a second connecting surface. The second connecting surface faces the first connecting surface, and they partially abut against each other to form the air inlet groove. The air inlet groove comprises a third passage and a first accommodating chamber. The first accommodating chamber has a first spacing, the first spacing is different from a second spacing of the third passage. The first sleeve is disposed at another side of the water outlet unit.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a micro bubble generating device, and more particularly to a micro bubble generating device for softening the water, increasing the air content of the water and improving the fineness of the bubbles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional aerator is mainly composed of a pump, a water outlet tube communicating with the pump, and an air-liquid mixing tube connecting the water outlet tube. The water outlet tube diameter is tapered from the pump toward the air-liquid mixing tube. The air-liquid mixing tube comprises a conduit connecting the water outlet tube, and an air inlet tube communicating with the outside air, and the conduit has a diameter larger than that of the water outlet tube. When the pump draws the water out and pressurizes it to send to the junction of the water outlet tube and the conduit, the water will form a negative pressure after entering the conduit, and the negative pressure will cause the outside air to be sucked into the air-liquid mixing tube from the air inlet tube, and the air is mixed with the water to form bubbles. The mixed bubble water is guided to an object to be washed, the objective of rinsing and sterilizing through the aeration of water can be achieved. If the aeration is used to rinse vegetables, purified water with high air content also has the effect of decomposing pesticides.

However, when the water of the conventional aerator structure flows through the air-liquid mixing tube, the bubble volume is determined by the volume of the air inlet tube and the water pressure of the pump. In addition, the water pressure of the pump must maintain the water above a specific flow rate in order that the air can be drawn in to form an air-liquid mixture. Therefore, under the premise of unable to change the water pressure or reduce the flow rate arbitrarily, the user cannot use the conventional aerator structure to change the average volume of bubbles generated in the air-liquid mixing tube, so when the user needs finer bubbles for water purification, the conventional aerators cannot meet the requirement. In addition, the air-liquid mixture produced by the aforementioned bubble mixing device has a very low air content, and the bubble volume is large, so it is difficult to maintain the shape of the bubble for a long time, also it is required to match with a high water pressure to be possible of producing an air-liquid mixture with an air content, and it is not possible to produce an air-liquid mixture with a milky white color containing a large amount of dense and fine bubbles. Therefore, how to improve the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art is an issue that the industry is eager to overcome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to improve the problems that the conventional air-liquid mixing device cannot be used in a low water pressure state or the outputted air-liquid mixture is insufficient in the amount of bubbles, and the density and fineness of bubbles are insufficient.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a micro bubble generating device disposed at one end of a liquid supply device. The micro bubble generating device comprises a water inlet unit, a water outlet unit, an air inlet groove, and a first sleeve. The water inlet unit comprises at least one first passage penetrating the water inlet unit, and a side of the water inlet unit penetrated by the first passage is provided with a first connecting surface; the water outlet unit comprises at least one second passage penetrating the water outlet unit, and a side of the water outlet unit penetrated by the second passage is provided with a second connecting surface, wherein the water inlet unit is disposed on the water outlet unit, and the first connecting surface and the second connecting surface partially abut against each other to form the air inlet groove between the first connecting surface of the water inlet unit and the second connecting surface of the water outlet unit, and the second passage communicates with the first passage, and the air inlet groove communicates an external air with the first passage and the second passage. The air inlet groove comprises a third passage and a first accommodating chamber circumferentially disposed around the third passage, the first accommodating chamber has a first spacing disposed perpendicularly to and between the first connecting surface and the second connecting surface, and the third passage has a second spacing between the first connecting surface and the second connecting surface. Wherein the first spacing is different from the second spacing; the first sleeve is disposed at a side of the water outlet unit opposite to the second connecting surface, the first sleeve is formed with a first side wall parallel to a first direction, an end of the first sleeve is formed with a first flange parallel to a second direction, and the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.

Further, the first connecting surface of the water inlet unit is disposed with an abutting portion protruding toward the second connecting surface of the water outlet unit, the abutting portion is abutted at the second connecting surface, and the third passage is circumferentially disposed around the abutting portion. The first side wall of the first sleeve is disposed with at least one venting through hole communicating with the first accommodating chamber at a position opposite to the first accommodating chamber, and the water inlet unit and the water outlet unit are accommodated in the first sleeve.

Further, an end of the first passage is defined as a first water inlet and another end of the first passage is defined as a first water outlet, the first water outlet is located at the first connecting surface, and the first passage is tapered from the first water inlet toward the first water outlet.

Further, an end of the second passage is defined as a second water inlet and another end is defined as a second water outlet, a water guiding portion is disposed between the second water inlet and the second water outlet. The second water inlet is located at the second connecting surface, and is tapered toward the water guiding portion. The second water outlet is enlarged in parallel with the first direction and away from the water guiding portion.

Further, the water guiding portion has a third spacing at the second direction, and a length ratio of the second spacing to the third spacing is between 1:20 and 1:100.

Further, the first water outlet has a fourth spacing at the second direction, and a length ratio of the second spacing to the fourth spacing is greater than 1:1 and less than or equal to 1:3.

Further, when viewed in the cross-sectional direction, the fourth spacing of the first water outlet is smaller than the second water inlet at an extending position of the second connecting surface.

Further, the first spacing is greater than the second spacing.

Further, the second connecting surface of the water outlet unit is disposed with an abutting portion protruding toward the first connecting surface of the water inlet unit, the abutting portion is abutted at the first connecting surface, and the third passage is circumferentially disposed around the abutting portion.

Further, the water outlet unit is formed with a second side wall parallel to the first direction, the second side wall is circumferentially disposed around the water inlet unit and the first side wall, and the second side wall is disposed with at least one venting through hole corresponding to the first accommodating chamber and communicating with the first accommodating chamber.

Further, the water inlet unit is formed with a third side wall parallel to the first direction, the third side wall is circumferentially disposed around the water outlet unit and the first side wall, and the third side wall is disposed with at least one venting through hole corresponding to the first accommodating chamber and communicating with the first accommodating chamber.

Further, the micro bubble generating device further comprises a second sleeve, the second sleeve accommodates the water inlet unit, the water outlet unit, the air inlet groove and the first sleeve, and fixes the micro bubble generating device to the liquid supply device.

Further, the micro bubble generating device comprises a aerator mesh assembly disposed between the water outlet unit and the first sleeve, wherein the aerator mesh assembly comprises at least one partition and at least one aerator mesh disposed at a side of the partition along the first direction, the partition has a fourth passage penetrating through the partition, the fourth passage communicates with the second passage, and each of the aerator meshes further has a plurality of sieve holes.

Further, the farther a number of the aerator mesh disposed between the two adjacent partitions is from the second connecting surface, the greater the number of the aerator mesh disposed between the partitions.

Further, a size of each of the sieve holes is between 0.048 mm and 0.3 mm.

Further, another side of the partition along the first direction disposed with at least one aerator mesh, a number of the aerator meshes disposed at the two sides of the partition is increased as a distance from the second connecting surface is increased, and projections of the sieve holes of the aerator meshes disposed at two sides of the partition onto the second connecting surface is smaller as the distance from the second connecting surface is increased.

Further, a height of each of the partitions at the first direction is preferably between 0.2 mm and 1 mm.

Therefore, through the third passage of the air inlet groove and the first accommodating chamber circumferentially disposed around the third passage, when arbitrary water flows through the water inlet unit and the water outlet unit, the present invention allows the outside air to be capable of simply passing through the venting through hole, the first accommodating chamber, and the third passage of the air inlet groove, so that the outside air enters the second passage after generating sound wave oscillation through the air inlet groove to mix air with liquid, and then air bubbles in the water are further cut and refined by the aerator meshes. Additionally, the air inlet groove further utilizes the arrangement of the first accommodating chamber and the third passage having a shorter length, so that the water under any water pressure can contain a large amount of dense and fine bubbles, thereby the present invention not only reduces the water pressure requirement of the water for the micro bubble generating device to generate the negative pressure, but also increases the efficiency of air-liquid mixing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The technical features and operation modes of the present application described in the following preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying figures are provided as reference for examining. Further, the proportions in figures of the present invention are not necessarily drawn according to actual scales in order to facilitate illustrating. The proportions in the figures are not intended to limit the scope of the requested claims.

Furthermore, the ordinal numbers such as “first”, “second”, and the like used in the specification and the claims to modify the elements of the claims, are not intended to mean and represent that the claimed elements have any preceding ordinal numbers, nor do they represent the order of a claimed element and another claimed element, or the order of the manufacturing method. The use of these ordinal numbers are only used to make a claimed element with a certain name distinguishable from another claimed element with the same name.

In addition, the positions mentioned in the specification and the claims, such as “on”, “upper”, “above”, “under”, “lower” or “below”, can mean that the two elements are in direct contact, or the two elements are not in direct contact. When a value is defined between a first value and a second value, the defined value comprises the first value, the second value, or any value between the first value and the second value.

Furthermore, the features of the various embodiments disclosed herein can be combined with one another to form another embodiment.

For the techniques of the present invention, please refer to FIG.1,FIG. 2andFIG. 4. The present invention provides a micro bubble generating device100disposed at one end of a liquid supply device900, and the liquid supply device900can be a shower nozzle, a faucet, etc. The micro bubble generating device100causes the water to contain a large amount of fine bubbles, raises the air content in the water, and enhances the washing ability by rubbing a surface of an object to be washed by the bubbles. The micro bubble generating device100can be disposed at an internal tube line of the liquid supply device900, or can be installed outside the liquid supply device900as shown inFIG. 4, and is not limited in the present invention.

Specifically, as shown inFIG. 1,FIG. 3andFIG. 5, the micro bubble generating device100comprises a water inlet unit10, a water outlet unit20, an air inlet groove30, a first sleeve40, a aerator mesh assembly50and a second sleeve60. The water inlet unit10comprises at least one first passage11penetrating through the water inlet unit10, wherein a side of the water inlet unit10is defined as a first connecting surface12, and one end of the first passage11which is located at the first connecting surface12is defined as a first water outlet112, and another end of the first passage11is defined as a first water inlet111. The first passage11is tapered from the first water inlet111toward the first water outlet112. In one embodiment, the water inlet unit10comprises a plurality of the first passages11. The water outlet unit20comprises at least one second passage21penetrating through the water outlet unit20, wherein a side of the water outlet unit20facing the first connecting surface12is defined as a second connecting surface22, and the second connecting surface22and the first connecting surface12partially abut against each other. One end of the second passage21which is located at the second connecting surface22is defined as a second water inlet211communicating with the first water outlet112, and another end of the second passage21is defined as a second water outlet212. Further, a water guiding portion213is disposed between the second water inlet211and the second water outlet212. The air inlet groove30is formed between the first connecting surface12of the water inlet unit10and the second connecting surface22of the water outlet unit20, and the air inlet groove30comprises a third passage31and a first accommodating chamber32circumferentially disposed around the third passage31. The first accommodating chamber32communicates with external air (not labeled with number, as indicated by circles shown inFIG. 5), allowing the external air to pass through the first accommodating chamber32and then pass through the third passage31to mix with the water which passes through the first passage11. The air then flows into the second passage21, as indicated by a dotted line arrow as an external air path. The first sleeve40is disposed at another side of the water outlet unit20opposite to the second connecting surface22. The first sleeve40is formed with a first side wall41parallel to a first direction Z and a first flange42parallel to a second direction X and connected to the first side wall41. The first direction Z is orthogonal to the second direction X. The aerator mesh assembly50is disposed between the water outlet unit20and the first sleeve40, and the aerator mesh assembly50comprises at least one partition51and at least one aerator mesh52, the at least one aerator mesh52is disposed at least one side of the partition51along the first direction Z. Each of the partitions51is penetrated by a fourth passage511, and at least one of the aerator meshes52is disposed between the two adjacent partitions51. Please refer toFIG. 9, two sides of the partitions51in this embodiment are both disposed with the at least one aerator mesh52, and each of the aerator meshes52comprises a plurality of sieve holes521. Further, comparing the amounts of the aerator meshes52disposed at the two sides of the partition51, the side which is farther from the second connecting surface22is disposed with a larger amounts of the aerator meshes52. Besides, the larger amount of the aerator meshes52corresponds to the smaller size of the sieve holes521projected onto the second connecting surface22. That is, the size of the sieve holes521of three aerator meshes52is smaller than the one of two aerator meshes52when projecting on the second connecting surface22. Moreover, the second sleeve60is able to accommodate the water inlet unit10, the water outlet unit20, the air inlet groove30, the aerator mesh assembly50, and the first sleeve40. Besides, the second sleeve60can fix the micro bubble generating device100on the liquid supply device900.

Referring toFIG. 3,FIG. 5andFIG. 6, in this embodiment, the first accommodating chamber32has a first spacing L1between the first connecting surface12and the second connecting surface22, and the third passage31has a second spacing L2between the first connecting surface12and the second connecting surface22, wherein the first spacing L1is different from the second spacing L2. In this embodiment, the first spacing L1is greater than the second spacing L2. The first spacing L1refers to a distance between the first connecting surface12and the second connecting surface22at the first accommodating chamber32, and the second spacing L2refers to a distance between the first connecting surface12and the second connecting surface22at the third passage31. Further, due to errors of manufacturing processes, the first connecting surface12and the second connecting surface22are substantial parallel to each other, and spacing between the first connecting surface12and the second connecting surface22substantially is the smallest distance between the first connecting surface12and the second connecting surface22. The water guiding portion213has a third spacing L3at the second direction X when viewed in the cross-sectional direction, and a length ratio of the second spacing L2to the third spacing L3is between 1:20 and 1:100. The first water outlet112has a fourth spacing L4at the second direction X when viewed in the cross-sectional direction, and a length ratio of the second spacing L2to the fourth spacing L4is greater than 1:1 and less than or equal to 1:3.

Referring toFIG. 6again, in this embodiment, the first connecting surface12of the water inlet unit10is disposed with an abutting portion13protruding toward the second connecting surface22of the water outlet unit20, and the abutting portion13is abutted on the second connecting surface22. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, that is, the abutting portion13may also be protruded from the second connecting surface22of the water outlet unit20toward the first connecting surface12of the water inlet unit10(not shown in the figure).

In addition, as shown inFIG. 1,FIG. 3,FIG. 4,FIG. 5, andFIG. 6, in this embodiment, the first side wall41of the first sleeve40is disposed with at least one venting through hole43communicating with the first accommodating chamber32at a position corresponding to the first accommodating chamber32, and the first flange42of the first sleeve40is convexly disposed inwardly to abut and limit a position of the aerator mesh assembly50. In this embodiment, two of the venting through holes43are provided, the venting through holes43communicate with the first accommodating chamber32of the air inlet groove30, and the water inlet unit10and the water outlet unit20are accommodated in the first sleeve40. The second water inlet211is located at the second connecting surface22and is tapered toward the water guiding portion213, and the second water outlet212is enlarged toward the water guiding portion213at the first direction Z. The water inlet unit10is disposed on the water outlet unit20, and the second passage21communicates with the first passage11and the third passage31. The venting through hole43not only allows the outside air to enter the air inlet groove30, but the venting through hole43also facilitates cleaning of the micro bubble generating device100by a user by means of needle, gas injection or liquid injection. Wherein two of the venting through holes43are preferably disposed in the first side wall41as in the present embodiment, but one or more than two of the venting through holes43can also be disposed, for example, three of the venting through holes43are disposed in the first side wall41.

In this embodiment, each of the first passages11is tapered from the first water inlet111toward the first water outlet112, and the fourth spacing L4at the first water outlet112is smaller than a diameter of the second water inlet211at a extending position of the second connecting surface22, so that after the water passes through the first passage11, the water is pressurized first due to the tapered diameter and then flow to the second passage21, and a Venturi effect is occurred in the air inlet groove30to cause the external air to pass through the first accommodating chamber32and the third passage31of the air inlet groove30from the venting through hole43, and allow the external air to be mixed with the water in the first passage11. Then, the water mixed with the external air flows into the second passage21. As shown inFIG. 4,FIG. 5andFIG. 6, after the water passes through the first water outlet112of the first passage11, a negative pressure will be generated in the second water inlet211with a larger diameter and the third passage31. After the air is introduced into the first accommodating chamber32through the venting through hole43, the air passes through the third passage31from the first accommodating chamber32to generate a vigorous air-liquid mixing effect with the water at the second water inlet211of the second passage21. Thus, not only that the density and the number of bubbles generated are increased by reducing the length of the second spacing L2of the air inlet groove30, and further, the water pressure requirement of negative pressure for generating the Venturi effect is reduced because a path length of the air passing through the third passage31is shortened.

Referring toFIG. 9, in order to increase the number of bubbles outputted by the aerator mesh assembly50of the micro bubble generating device100, each of the aerator meshes52comprises the sieve holes521. Further, the amount of the aerator mesh52disposed at the side of the partition51which is farther from the second connecting surface22is larger. Besides, since the larger amount of the aerator meshes52corresponds to the smaller size of the sieve holes521projected onto the second connecting surface22, the size of the sieve holes521of three aerator meshes52is smaller than the one of two aerator meshes52when projecting on the second connecting surface22, and the size of the sieve holes521of two aerator meshes52is smaller than the one of single aerator mesh52when projecting on the second connecting surface22. For example, in this embodiment, three aerator meshes52and one partition51are provided at the position which is farthest from the second connecting surface22, and then two aerator meshes52and the partition51are provided, and then one aerator mesh52is provided at the position which is nearest to the second connecting surface22. That is, different amounts of the aerator meshes52are separated by the partitions51. Besides, when viewing the sieve holes521projected on the second connecting surface22from the first direction Z, the sizes of the sieve holes521with different amounts of the aerator meshes52are different since different amounts of the aerator meshes52are stacked and overlapped together. Therefore, the aerator meshes52located at the position farther from the second connecting surface22not only comprises the larger amount of the aerator meshes52, but also have the smaller size of the sieve holes521projected onto the second connecting surface22. Furthermore, in this embodiment, another partition51and another aerator mesh52are further disposed on the aerator mesh52located at the position closest to the second connecting surface22to filtrate impurities in water. When the invention is used in a general household faucet, or in a sprinkler for car washing or agriculture, the size of the sieve holes521of each of the aerator meshes52is preferably between 0.048 mm and 0.3 mm depending on the amount of water flowing through, and a height of each of the partitions51parallel to the first direction Z is preferably between 0.2 mm and 1 mm, however, the disclosure is not limited thereto.

As shown inFIG. 7, in a second embodiment of the present invention, the water outlet unit20is formed with a second side wall23parallel to the first direction Z, and the second side wall23is circumferentially disposed around the water inlet unit10, the aerator mesh assembly50and the first side wall41. The second side wall23is disposed with at least one venting through hole24communicating with the first accommodating chamber32at a position corresponding to the first accommodating chamber32, and the first flange42of the first sleeve40is convexly disposed outwardly to abut and limit a position of the second side wall23.

As shown inFIG. 8, in a third embodiment of the present invention, the water inlet unit10is formed with a third side wall14parallel to the first direction Z, and the third side wall14is circumferentially disposed around the water outlet unit20, the aerator mesh assembly50and the first side wall41. The third side wall14is disposed with at least one venting through hole15communicating with the first accommodating chamber32at a position corresponding to the first accommodating chamber32, and the first flange42of the first sleeve40is convexly disposed outwardly to abut and limit a position of the third side wall14.