Radical generating system

A radical generating system integrates a bubble generating means, an ozone generating means, and a radical changing means. In the radical generating system, the bubble generating means generate air for generating air bubbles and pumping. The ozone generating means applies high voltage to the air bubbles and ozone introduced from the bubble generating means in order to produce ozone. The radical changing means changes the ozone which is introduced from the ozone generating means into a first active oxygen radical. The housing has the bubble generating means, the ozone generating means, and the radical changing means all formed integrally. The radical generating system sterilizes bacilli such as bacteria, viruses, mold, fungi, or algae which live in the water or air. The radical generating system also improves washing effect of a washing machine by oxidizing and bleaching actions of radicals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to a radical generating system, and more
 particularly, to radical generating system having a bubble generating
 means, an ozone generating means, and a radical changing means all formed
 integrally.
 2. Prior Art
 Most clothes washing machines wash the laundry by using the mechanical
 force of a pulsator and the surface active force of a chemical detergent.
 Accordingly, in order to improve the washing efficiency, many clothes
 washing machine makers have utilized various methods including: improving
 the pulsator's ability to agitate the laundry, extending the operation
 time of the motor for water flow time, and improving the quality and/or
 increasing the quantity of detergent used in the washing machine. However,
 there are limits to improvements in the washing efficiency by the
 aforementioned methods for the following reasons. The methods utilizing
 increased mechanical force to improve the washing efficiency may damage
 the laundry or decrease efficiency of the clothes washing machine.
 In the methods utilizing increased amounts of detergent, a relatively large
 amount of the detergent which does not react with the laundry is then
 discharged where it can later cause environmental pollution, and also the
 remaining detergent sticks to the laundry and thus the laundry is not
 effectively cleaned.
 U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,129, (issued to Byung-Kew Jang on Aug. 5, 1997)
 discloses a bubble automatic washing machine, which has a bubble
 generating means and an ozone generating means connected to each other in
 parallel.
 FIG. 1 shows a conventional bubble automatic washing machine 100 with a
 bubble generating means and an ozone generating means connected to each
 other in parallel, described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,129.
 The washing machine 100 includes a housing 102 and a stationary washer tub
 104 fixedly mounted within housing 102 for containing a level of washing
 fluid therein. Pulsator 106 is rotatable in a forward or reverse direction
 to create a vortex flow within rotatable tub 112.
 The top of washing machine 100 is provided with a door 108 for loading and
 unloading the laundry articles. Bubble generating means 110 is mounted on
 the inner surface of door 108 to extend toward rotatable tub 112. Bubble
 generating means 110 is shown in FIG. 2 in detail. An air pump 116 is
 communicated with bubble generating means 110 through an air conduit 114.
 In the drawings, air pump 116 is installed at the bottom plate of washing
 machine 100 but may be installed at any other suitable place.
 Bubble generating means 110 includes a telescopic pipe 202 which is movable
 upward and downward, and driver 204 for actuating telescopic pipe 202.
 Though 3-stage telescopic pipe 202 is shown in the drawings, the number of
 stages is not specially limited as long as the washing machine operates
 smoothly.
 Telescopic pipe 202 is fixed to a casing 218 of driver 204 coaxially with
 rotatable tub 124. Casing 218 is fixed to the inner surface of door 108
 and a DC motor 206 is installed to casing 218. A driving shaft 208 of DC
 motor 206 is operatively connected to a first pulley 210 which is
 operatively connected to a second pulley 214 through a belt 212.
 Second pulley 214 has a groove for belt 212 and gear teeth formed
 separately, and a flexible plastic string 216 is wound on the gear teeth.
 A train of teeth is formed on flexible plastic string 216 to mesh with the
 gear teeth. Flexible plastic string 216 has a suitable flexibility for
 being forced to expand and withdraw telescopic pipe 202.
 Flexible plastic string 216 extends within, via a hole 219 formed to casing
 218, an inner telescopic pipe 220 which is coaxially installed inside the
 inner telescopic pipe 202 and has the top end fixed to casing 218. The end
 of flexible plastic string 216 is fixed to the lower end of inner
 telescopic pipe 220 which is fixed to the lower end of telescopic pipe
 202.
 The lowest stage of telescopic pipe 202 is provided with a plurality of
 spurt holes 222 to create air bubbles. Air conduit 114 extends through
 casing 218 and communicates with inside of telescopic pipe 202. A space
 between telescopic pipe 202 and inner telescopic pipe 220 serves as an air
 passage and the air flowing out of air conduit 114 blows into rotatable
 tub 112, sequentially passing through the space and spurt holes 222.
 An ozone generating means 118 may be further installed between air pump 116
 and driver 204 in order to kill bacteria inhabiting the laundry articles.
 As a result, ozone is contained in air bubbles blowing into rotatable tub
 124 to remove bacteria from the laundry articles.
 Moreover, a heater 120 may be installed between ozone generating means 118
 and driver 204 in order to create a hot air stream for drying the laundry
 articles. The air stream generated from air pump 116 flows through air
 conduit 114 to heater 120 to heat up and is transmitted to the laundry
 articles within rotatable tub 112.
 However, a conventional bubble automatic washing machine with the bubble
 generating means and the ozone generating means connected to each other in
 paralled has drawbacks,e.g., installation space is occupies a large area
 and oxygen(O.sub.2) through the bubble generating means has low degree of
 generating efficiency of an ozone. In order to get force of washing and
 cleaning for proper washing is a large amount of ozone is indispensable as
 well. As a result, induced ozone has the disadvantage of inflict bodily
 harm due to the high concentration and bad odor of ozone itself.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 Therefore, it is an object of the present invention, for the purpose of
 solving the above mentioned problems, to provide a radical generating
 system which integrates a bubble generating means, an ozone generating
 means, and a radical changing means.
 In order to attain the object, according to the present invention, there is
 provided a radical generating system comprising a housing with a gas
 mixing chamber disposed therein; a bubble generating means disposed in the
 housing for pumping air into the gas mixing chamber in order to develop
 compressed air in the gas mixing chamber; an ozone generating means
 disposed in the gas mixing chamber for generating ozone from the
 compressed air; and a radical changing means disposed in the housing and
 in communication with the gas mixing chamber for changing the ozone
 received from the gas mixing chamber into active oxygen. The radical
 changing means includes a catalyst chamber having a hollow, a first side
 wall having an inlet for allowing the ozone to be introduced from the gas
 mixing chamber to the catalyst chamber, and a second side wall having an
 outlet for the active oxygen. An active oxygen generation catalyst is
 stored in the hollow for catalyzing the change of the ozone into the
 active oxygen.
 Other objects and further features of the present invention will become
 apparent from the detailed description when read in conjunction with the
 attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 The preferred embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be
 described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
 FIG. 3 shows a radical generating system 300 according to a preferred
 embodiment of the present invention. The radical generating system 300
 includes a bubble generating means 302, an ozone generating means 304, a
 radical changing means 308, a housing 310, a first check valve 311, and a
 second check valve 313.
 FIG. 4 is a side end View of the bubble generating means 302 taken along
 line A--A shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 illustrates a principle of an operation
 of the bubble generating means 302 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
 The bubble generating means 302 generates air for generating air bubbles.
 The bubble generating means 302 includes an air pump 312 and an operating
 section 314. The air pump 312 pumps the air for generating air bubbles and
 ozone.
 The air pump 312 includes a diaphragm 312a fixed to the operating section
 314. The diaphragm 312a expands by means of up and down motion of the
 operating section 314 and expands and contracts volume of a pump chamber
 312b formed therein. The diaphragm 312a is formed with a resilient
 material such as rubber capable of contracting or expanding by an external
 force. An air pump body 312d is installed apart from valve sheet 312c at a
 predetermined distance. The air pump body 312d includes an air inlet 312e
 for introducing external air to the pump chamber 312b by compression and
 contraction of the diaphragm 312a. The air pump body 312d includes an air
 outlet 312f for discharging the air in the pump chamber 312b to the gas
 mixing chamber 306. The air introduced through the air inlet 312e is
 guided into the pump chamber 312b which is defined by the diaphragm 312a
 and the air pump body 312d through a first hole 312g. The air compressed
 in the pump chamber 312b is discharged to the air outlet 312f through a
 second hole 312h.
 The operating section 314 compresses and returns the air pump 312 according
 to current supply. The operating section 314 includes an electromagnet
 314a, a magnet 314b, and an operating member 314c. The electromagnet 314a
 generates magnetic field according to current supply. The magnet 314b
 vibrates according to the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet
 314a. The operating member 314c moves up and down according to the
 vibration of the magnet 314b.
 As shown in FIG. 5, the bubble generating means 302 uses a principle of the
 electromagnet 314a. When 100.about.250V/50.about.60 Hz power is applied to
 a coil-wound core, a phase of the electromagnet 314a changes thereby
 changing polarity of the magnetic field generated around surface of the
 core. Accordingly, the phenomenon which pushes and pulls the magnet 314b
 repeats and oscillates sixty times per second. The magnet 314b which
 oscillates at 10 Hz compresses and returns the air pump 312 so that the
 pumping operation is performed through the diaphragm 312a.
 The ozone generating means 304 applies a high voltage to the air pumped by
 the air pump 312 to generate ozone. The ozone is a triatomic allotrope of
 oxygen in which the ozone molecule consists of three oxygen atoms in
 contrast to the two oxygen atoms of the typical oxygen molecule. Ozone can
 be generated by passing air or oxygen through a high intensity electric
 field.
 The radical changing means 308 is disposed in the housing 302 and
 communicates with the gas mixing chamber 306. The radical changing means
 308 has an active oxygen radical generating catalyst for changing the
 ozone to active oxygen (--O--, --O.sup.-, .sup.1.sub.g O.sub.2, and
 O.sub.2.sup.31 , etc.) generate radicals (--OH--, --OH.sup.-, HO.sub.2 --,
 HO.sub.2.sup.-, H.sub.2 O.sub.2, etc.) when the active oxygens react to
 water molecules. The radicals comprise the strongest hydroxyl (OH--)
 radical.
 The radical changing means 308 comprises an active oxygen radical
 generation catalyst 308a, and a catalyst chamber 308b. The active oxygen
 radical generation catalyst 308a includes a main catalyst, a sub catalyst,
 and a catalyst support. The main catalyst has one of TiO.sub.2, MnO.sub.2,
 and CuO.sub.2. The sub catalyst has either Pt, or Pd. The catalyst support
 has one of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, and MgO.
 The catalyst chamber 308b comprises a hollow 308i, a left side wall 308c,
 and a right side wall 308e. The hollow 308i forms a hexahedron. The left
 side wall 308c has inlet 306a for receiving ozone generated by the ozone
 generating means 304 in the gas mixing chamber 306. The right side wall
 308e has outlet 306b through which the active oxygens are discharged from
 the radical changing means 308. The catalyst chamber 308b further
 comprises a first separate membrane 308g and a second separate membrane
 308h. The first separate membrane 308g is installed at the inner surface
 of the hollow 308i between the ozone inlet 308d and the radical outlet
 308f The second separate membrane 308h is installed at the inner surface
 of the hollow 308i between the first separate membrane 308g and the
 radical outlet 308i.
 The housing 310 has the bubble generating means 302, the ozone generating
 means 304, and the radical changing means 308 all formed integrally.
 The first check valve 311 is mounted between the bubble generating means
 302 and the gas mixing chamber 306. The first check valve 311 selectively
 introduces the air from the bubble generating means 302 to the ozone
 generating means 304. The first check valve 311 serves to prevent the
 supply of air from the bubble generating means 302 from flowing inversely.
 The second check valve 313 is mounted between the gas mixing chamber 306
 and the radical changing means 308. The second check valve 313 selectively
 introduces the air for generating air bubbles from the ozone generating
 means 304 to the radical changing means 308. The second check valve 313
 serves to prevent the supply of air for generating air bubbles from the
 ozone generating means 304 from flowing inversely.
 Hereinafter, an operation of the radical generating system 300 according to
 a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.
 When current is applied to the electromagnet 314a of operating section 314
 of the bubble generating means 302, the electromagnet 314a generates a
 magnetic field. The magnet 314b vibrates according to the magnetic field
 generated by the electromagnet 314a. The operating member 314c moves up
 and down according to the vibration of the magnet 314b.
 The diaphragm 312a of air pump 312 expands by means of up and down motion
 of the operating member 314c and expands and contracts volume of a pump
 chamber 312b formed therein to thereby pump the air for generating air
 bubbles.
 The first check valve 311 injects the air for generating air bubbles from
 the bubble generating means 302 to the gas mixing chamber 306 so that the
 gas mixing chamber 306 stores the air. The ozone generating means 304
 applies the high voltage to the air in the gas mixing chamber 306 in order
 to produce ozone.
 The second check valve 313 injects the mixed air and ozone in the gas
 mixing chamber 306 into the radical changing means 308. The ozone is
 decomposed into the active oxygen by an active oxygen radical generating
 catalyst 308a which is included in the radical changing means 308. The
 ozone then goes past the first separate membrane 308g and the second
 separate membrane 308h in sequence. As contact time and flow distance of
 the ozone is extended, the ozone forms a vortex and the radical changing
 means 308 improves i:he generating efficiency of the ozone.
 The strong oxidizing action of the first-series active oxygen radical and
 the second-series active oxygen radical effectively sterilizes bacilli
 such as bacteria, viruses, mold, fungi, or algae which live in the air,
 water, and solid material. That is, the radicals attack protoplasm
 membrane of a fungus and it is sterilized by the lysis.
 A deodorizing process for the radicals is differs from chemical conversion
 process according to induction material of the odors. But radicals of
 aromatic compounds, for example, break C=C bond so that induction
 ingredient of the odors convert the molecular structure to become
 odorless.
 Effects of the radical generating system according to the present invention
 as constructed above will be described below.
 The radical generating system according to the present invention sterilizes
 bacilli such as bacteria, viruses, mold, fungi, or algae which live in
 washing water or clothes. The present invention also improves washing
 effect of a washing machine by oxidizing and bleaching actions of the
 first-series active oxygen radical and the second-series active oxygen
 radical.
 The radical generating system has a sterilizing/deodorizing effect to
 prevent a reduction the sterilizing efficiency and environmental pollution
 by the additive ingredient such as a solid material which is maintained
 based on the application time of the ingredient having oxide power. The
 radical generating system has a high degree of efficient sterilization and
 deodorization in comparison with the ozone generating means, so no
 unpleasant odor nor harm occurs.
 A radical generating system of the present invention can be applied a
 various fields and products such cleaning beds, water purifier, sewage
 purification, drainage treatment, washing machine, refrigerator,
 humidifier, and cleaning machine, etc.
 The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing
 from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present
 embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative
 and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the
 appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes
 which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are
 therefore intended to be embraced therein.