Detecting and analyzing apparatus for positive ions and negative ions in a liquid

The present invention provides an apparatus which divides ions present in a liquid in a small amount into positive ions, negative ions, and charge density, measures the divided ions and the charge density, and displays amounts thereof. The apparatus further includes a storing function of data thereof. The apparatus has a signal detecting section 21 having a sensor section 5 disposed in an upper portion of a body 1, a signal detecting box A disposed in a lower portion of the body 1, and including therein a hoisting and lowering bench which moves a container C in which liquids to be measured are held to and from the sensor section 5, and a measuring body B for processing a signal output from the signal detecting section 21, detecting and displaying in accordance with an amount of ions, and for outputting impressed voltage to recording function of data and the sensor section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to a detecting and analyzing apparatus for
 positive ions and negative ions present in a liquid, and more
 particularly, to a detecting and analyzing apparatus for positive ions and
 negative ions in a liquid, that is capable of measuring positive ions,
 negative ions, and charge density which are present only in a small amount
 in the liquid.
 2. Description of the Related Art
 Contamination of air and water is becoming significant as the living
 environment changes. However, no evaluation method for determining such
 contamination is available.
 In the case of running water, although quality and testing criteria are
 issued, even if one drinking water sample satisfies such testing criteria,
 this sample can be insufficient in terms of a taste evaluation. In
 particular, even if certain running water supplies satisfy the issued
 criteria as a drinking water, some supplies may be good in taste, and
 other supplies may be bad in taste. Such a difference is caused by a
 difference of raw water source, a difference in purification process
 (e.g., difference in the sequence of the process steps, difference in
 application timing of a process agent, and the like), a difference in
 degree or kind of contamination of the raw water source, a difference in
 minerals present in the raw water source, and the like.
 Further, in recent years, drinking water is processed by various means to
 meet quality criteria, but water evaluation is insufficient. This is
 because the water is analyzed based on its pH, electrical conductivity,
 chemical components, and the like.
 As described above, water contains a variety of materials, and water
 processing methods differ. Therefore, recently, it has become necessary,
 in some cases, to use a water-purification device, or an alkali ion
 water-purification device, rather than drinking the running water as
 supplied, or it is necessary to further purify waterworks water. For these
 reasons, waterworks water in its as-supplied state is not satisfactory as
 drinking water, and good tasting water and safe water are required.
 Further, water quality differs depending upon the water source, and taste
 also differs depending upon the water source. Therefore, recently, water
 other than drinking water also is activated to provide functional water,
 or impurities are strictly eliminated from water to make super purified
 water, and such water frequently is used in accordance with common usage.
 In such circumstances, when water is processed to improve its
 functionality, and when difference in taste is inspected, the
 functionality cannot be improved effectively and, in many cases, the
 difference cannot be attributed only from a pH test of water using a pH
 meter, an electrical conductivity test of water using an electrical
 conductivity meter, or a chemical analysis for individual components in
 the water.
 According to the present invention, ions present only in a small amount in
 a liquid are divided into positive ions, negative ions, and liquid charge
 density, and are measured. It is an aspect of the present invention to
 provide a detecting and analyzing apparatus for positive ions and negative
 ions in a liquid, which is capable of displaying the measured values, and
 storing data concerning the measured values.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 A detecting and analyzing apparatus for positive ions and negative ions in
 a liquid of the present invention comprises:
 a sensor section having a collector electrode,
 a signal detecting section for outputting a signal which is proportional to
 an amount of ions in the liquid contacting the collector electrode,
 a container for accommodating the liquid to be measured, and
 a measuring body, wherein
 the measuring body processes the signal output from the signal detecting
 section, thereby displaying in accordance with an amount of detected ions,
 storing data of detected ion amount, and outputting impressed voltage to
 the sensor section.
 According to the invention, voltage, waveform, frequency, and the like of
 impressed voltage for the sensor in the detecting and analyzing apparatus
 are varied and used, and it is possible to check a degree of collection of
 positive ions and negative ions in the liquid. With this feature, it is
 possible to check, stepwise, what kind water is easily treated, and what
 kind of water is easily made as good taste water.
 According to the invention, it is possible to measure trace quantities of
 positive ions, negative ions, and charge density present in any kind of
 water. Any kind of water includes,
 1) long-standing water of a first embodiment, which exists in various
 locations, while always changing its appearance,
 2) water having components which vary largely depending upon its source,
 3) water prepared artificially and including chemical components or the
 like, and it becomes further difficult to check the water quality
 depending upon the analysis and the like of the chemical components, and
 4) water in which measured values often vary and it is very difficult to
 repeat the measurements of the components because the water greatly
 includes gas, the water is evaporated at its surface and gas in the air
 enters the water.
 With such a measurement, it is possible to indicate the cause of water
 activation and nature of taste in water in terms of amount from a
 direction different from chemical measurements which are divided to
 various current elements.
 A concrete structure of the detecting and analyzing apparatus for positive
 ions and negative ions in a liquid of the present invention comprises:
 a signal detecting box including therein a sensor section having a coaxial
 cylindrical structure disposed in an upper portion of a body, a signal
 detecting section for outputting a signal which is proportional to an
 amount of ions in the liquid contacting a collector electrode, and a
 hoisting and lowering bench disposed in a lower portion of the body for
 hoisting and lowering the container in which liquids to be measured are
 accommodated with respect to the sensor section, and
 a measuring body for displaying in accordance with an amount of detected
 ions, storing data of detected ion amounts, and outputting impressed
 voltage to the sensor section.
 It is preferable that the signal detecting box and the body of the
 measuring body constituting the apparatus are both constructed of a metal.
 Preferably, the detecting and analyzing apparatus includes a means for
 controlling a temperature of the liquid to be measured.
 For example, the sensor section of the signal detecting box is disposed in
 the upper portion of the body such that the sensor section directs
 downward, and the hoisting and lowering bench is moved up and down by
 rotating a knob mounted to the hoisting and lowering bench.
 It is desirable that the detecting and analyzing apparatus is provided in
 its body of the measuring body with an amplifying circuit of the detected
 signal, a digital data display circuit, a data record outputting circuit,
 an impressed voltage generating section for the sensor, a zero-correction
 adjusting circuit, a sensitivity adjusting circuit, a measurement starting
 circuit, an automatic/manual switching circuit, and an impressed voltage
 switching circuit for a manually operating sensor.
 In the detecting and analyzing apparatus for positive ions and negative
 ions, for example, a zero adjustment is performed in air before a liquid
 to be measured is placed on the hoisting and lowering bench. Thereafter,
 the hoisting and lowering bench is lowered and the container (beaker) in
 which the liquid, i.e., the object to be measured, is contained, is placed
 on the hoisting and lowering bench. Then, the knob is rotated to hoist the
 hoisting and lowering bench, thereby inserting an ion detecting section of
 the sensor into the liquid in the container, and the hoisting and lowering
 bench is stopped at a predetermined position.
 The power of the measuring body is turned on, and the measurement starting
 switch is turned on. Then, the measurement is automatically started, and
 measurements of positive ions, charge density in the liquid, and negative
 ions are performed repeatedly at arbitrary constant intervals. During
 measurement, when a value exceeds a measurement range, the digital display
 displays thereon "over." At that time, the sensitivity is adjusted by the
 sensitivity changeover switch and digitally displayed. For example, during
 the measurement of functional water, ordinary waterworks water or the
 like, if great difference does not appear in the measured value, the
 automatic measurement is switched to manual measurement. Then, the
 measurement time is changed, or the waveform, frequency or voltage of
 impressed voltage of the sensor is changed. With this operation, it is
 possible to measure the water corresponding to the difference in liquid
 quality.
 These objects as well as other objects, features and advantages of the
 present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art
 from the following description with reference to the accompanying
 drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 An embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on the
 drawings below.
 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a signal detecting box constituting a
 detecting and analyzing apparatus for positive ions and negative ions
 present in a liquid in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is
 a perspective view showing a front side of a measuring body constituting a
 detecting and analyzing apparatus for positive ions and negative ions
 present in a liquid in another embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2B is
 a perspective view showing a back side of the measuring body. FIG. 3 is a
 schematic circuit diagram of the detecting and analyzing apparatus for
 positive ions and negative ions present in a liquid in an embodiment of
 the invention.
 In FIG. 1, a body 1 of a signal detecting box A is constructed of metal.
 A sensor-fixing box 2 is disposed on an upper portion of the body 1.
 Outside body 1, box 2 is provided at its side surface with a signal
 connector 3 and an impressed voltage output connector 4. A sensor section
 5 is suspended from a lower surface of box 2 within body 1. Sensor 5 is
 provided with a collector electrode (not shown).
 A hoisting and lowering bench 6 is disposed in body 1 such as to be opposed
 to sensor section 5. A container C, i.e., a beaker for accommodating the
 sample to be measured therein, is placed on hoisting and lowering bench 6.
 Hoisting and lowering bench 6 moves up and down by rotating a knob 6a
 added thereto.
 Hoisting and lowering bench 6 has a temperature control device to control
 temperature of a liquid to be measured in container C, which is not
 illustrated in drawings. The temperature control device has a heater and a
 temperature sensor to detect temperature of the sample. According to the
 temperature data measured by the temperature sensor, the temperature of
 the sample is varied and controlled by varying an impressed voltage of the
 heater or heating period.
 In FIGS. 2A and 2B, a body 7 of the measuring body B is constructed of
 metal.
 Body 7 is provided at its front surface with a digital display section 8
 for displaying measured values, a measurement starting switch 9, a
 sensitivity changeover switch 10, a manual sensor impressed voltage
 changeover switch 10a, a zero correction volume 11, and a sensor impressed
 voltage generating section 12. Body 7 is provided at its rear surface with
 an impressed voltage outputting connector 13, a signal inputting connector
 14, a personal computer communication connector 15, a printer connector
 16, a power switch 17, an AC outputting connector 18, an AC inputting
 connector 19, and a case ground terminal 20.
 As shown in FIG. 3, the detecting and analyzing apparatus comprises an I/V
 converter 22 for converting a detected signal which is proportional to an
 amount of positive ions and negative ions detected by a signal detecting
 section 21 of the signal detecting box A into voltage, and a signal
 amplifying section 23. The detecting and analyzing apparatus can measure
 correctly by a zero correcting section 24 for zero-correcting before
 measurement, and a sensitivity changeover section 25 for adjusting the
 sensitivity in accordance the input signal.
 By operating a measurement starting section 26 (measurement starting switch
 is turned ON), a measured value output from the signal amplifying section
 23 is displayed by a digital display section 27, a personal computer
 communication recording section 28, and a printer recording output section
 29. If a normal measurement is carried out automatically by switching an
 automatic/manual switching section 30, measurements of positive ions,
 charge density in liquid and negative ions are repeated at arbitrary
 constant intervals. Here, when the measurement is carried out with an
 arbitrary polarity for arbitrary time, the measurement can be carried out
 manually by changing over the automatic/manual switching section 30. A
 sensor impressed voltage generating section 31 can also check for
 idiosyncrasies of the liquid by varying impressed voltage, waveform, and
 frequency in accordance with nature of the liquid.
 FIGS. 4 and 5 are graphs of experiments showing experimental examples of
 three kinds of water of the present invention. In each of the drawings,
 (+) represents positive ion current, (-) represents negative ion current,
 and (S) represent charge density current in water.
 FIG. 4 shows results of measurements of distilled water as reference water
 (FIG. 4A), running water (FIG. 4B), and water whose function is
 strengthened (FIG. 4C). As apparent form FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, differences
 in balance of positive ions and negative ions of water could be detected.
 FIG. 5 shows results of measurements of distilled water as reference water,
 running water, water whose function is strengthened, and positive ions and
 negative ions in these water. As apparent from FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, a
 difference of amount of positive ions and negative ions in these water can
 be detected precisely.
 Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the present invention
 will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing
 description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as
 illustrative only, and is provided for the purpose of teaching those
 skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The
 details of the structure and/or function can be varied substantially
 without departing from the spirit of the invention and all modifications
 which come within the scope of the appended claims are reserved.