Abstract:
A negative ion generator using a carbon fiber can facilitate its manufacturing process, improve negative ion generation efficiency and implement improved antimicrobial and sterilizing functions by distributing metallic particles in an activated carbon fiber and then applying a voltage thereto. To this end, the negative ion generator comprises: a carbon fiber in which metallic particles are distributed; an electrode connected to the carbon fiber and applying a voltage thereto; and a power unit for supplying power to the electrode.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a negative ion generator, and particularly, to a negative ion generator using a carbon fiber capable of facilitating its manufacturing process, improving negative ion generation efficiency and implementing improved antimicrobial and sterilizing functions by distributing metallic particles in an activated carbon fiber and then applying a voltage thereto.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Background Art  
         [0004]     As problems caused by air pollution such as smoke, sand dust phenomena or the like have got worse recently, people are being increasingly interested in clean and fresh air. Since the number of people suffering from various kinds of respiratory diseases or having allergies to polluted air is increasing, several attempts to purify the polluted air by generating negative ions are being made in different ways over various fields.  
         [0005]     The negative ion means a state that a molecule such as oxygen or nitrogen in the air has negative charge. It has been reported that such a negative ion is very good for a human body and can effectively remove dust and odor. For this reason, an ion generator is provided in an appliances such as an air purifier, a water purifier, a hair dryer or the like. In contrast, a state that a molecule has positive charge is called a positive ion, which is known to be harmful to a human body because it causes vomiting or dizziness. However, since the positive ion can carry out a sterilizing operation in connection with the negative ion, an apparatus that can generate positive and negative ions at the same time is being released.  
         [0006]     The ion generator is varying in function. Besides generating negative ions which is good for the human body, functions of killing germs in the air and filtering fine dust are being developed.  
         [0007]     However, the ion generator in accordance with the conventional art has problems in that negative ion generation efficiency is low. Also, a system using an ion generator is provided with a filter and the like, which are separate components, to additionally perform an air purifying function. For this reason, the configuration of the system becomes complicated, which results in the difficult manufacture and management and a cost increase.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a negative ion generator using an inexpensive carbon fiber, improving negative ion generation efficiency, and easily manufactured while providing both antimicrobial and sterilizing functions.  
         [0009]     To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a negative ion generator using a carbon fiber comprising: a carbon fiber in which metallic particles are distributed; an electrode connected to the carbon fiber and applying a voltage thereto; and a power unit for supplying power to the electrode.  
         [0010]     The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a unit of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0012]     In the drawings:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a sectional view showing a negative ion generator using a carbon fiber in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged picture taken before Ag is distributed in a felt-type activated carbon fiber;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged picture taken after Ag is distributed in the felt-type activated carbon fiber;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a forced-convention air purifier employing the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing a negative generator using a carbon fiber in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a graph illustrating the amount of negative ions generated in accordance with the first and second embodiments, which is measured in a space of 1.0 m 3  at a distance of 30 cm from the negative ion generator;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a graph illustrating the amount of negative ions generated in accordance with the first embodiment, which is measured in a space of 1.0 m 3  at a distance of 50 cm from the negative ion generator; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a graph illustrating the amount of negative ions generated in accordance with the second embodiment, which is measured in a space of 1.0 m 3  at a distance of 50 cm from the negative ion generator. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
         [0022]     A plurality of embodiments in accordance with the present invention may exist, and the most preferred embodiment will now be described.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a sectional view showing a negative ion generator using a carbon fiber in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]     As shown, the negative ion generator in accordance with the present invention includes: an activated carbon fiber  100  in which metallic particles  110  are distributed; an electrode  120  connected to the activated carbon fiber  100  and applying a voltage thereto; and a power unit  130  for supplying power to the electrode  120 .  
         [0025]     Ag, Pt, Au, Cu, Al, Cr, W, Mo or the like may be used as the metallic particle  110 , and the metallic particles  110  are evenly distributed in the activated carbon fiber  100 . The activated carbon fiber  100  will be described afterwards.  
         [0026]     In the present embodiment, Ag is used as the metallic particle  110 . It is a known fact that said Ag can kill germs. Accordingly, said Ag is used to add an antimicrobial function to the negative ion generator.  
         [0027]     Preferably, the electrode is attached to a side of the activated carbon fiber  100 . When a voltage is applied to the activated carbon fiber  100  through the electrode  120 , the activated carbon fiber can be used even as a heating source of a heater because of its high electric conductivity. Also, the activated carbon fiber  100  can burn and remove pollutants attached thereto as the electrode applies a high voltage thereto.  
         [0028]     The power unit  130  includes: a battery  131  for supplying a DC voltage; a first line  132  connecting one side of the battery  131  with the electrode  120 ; and a second line  133  for grounding the other side of the battery  131 .  
         [0029]     The battery  131  may supply a DC voltage after changing an AC voltage supplied to homes to a DC voltage. In such case, the battery  131  may include a converter for converting the AC voltage into the DC voltage.  
         [0030]     Carbon constituting the activated carbon fiber  100  is a material used for an absorption filter for purifying indoor air or water. Since said carbon has a surface area of larger than 100 m 2 /g, it can purify the air by absorbing harmful materials.  
         [0031]     Preferably, the activated carbon fiber  100  is made by producing a carbon yarn in a felt type. The felt-type activated carbon fiber  100  can easily implement desired size and shape, and can easily hold and confine the metallic particle by being entangled. Undescribed reference numeral  140  in  FIG. 1  is a generated negative ion.  
         [0032]     A structure of the activated carbon fiber  100  will now be described in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 2  is an enlarged picture taken before Ag is distributed in the felt-type activated carbon yarn.  
         [0033]     As shown, the activated carbon fiber has a thickness of about a few μm, and is complicatedly entangled. The activated carbon fiber is not connected but is cut into several sections. Thus, each end of the section has a cut surface. The cut surface is not smooth but rough and has a tip. These can be checked by the enlarged picture of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0034]     A negative ion is generated from the tip. Namely, all of very fine carbon fiber ends beyond count are used as tips from which negative ions are generated, so that a large amount of negative ions can be stably generated.  
         [0035]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged picture taken after Ag is distributed in the felt-type activated carbon fiber. As shown, Ag is evenly distributed in the activated carbon fiber.  
         [0036]     The operation of the present invention will now be described.  
         [0037]     After metallic particles such as Ag are evenly distributed in the activated carbon fiber, a negative (−) voltage is applied to the activated carbon fiber. Then, a large amount of negative ions are generated from the entire surface of the activated carbon fiber. Also, the polluted air passing through the activated carbon fiber is absorbed by the activated carbon fiber so as to be purified, and germs contained in the air are killed by Ag particles. Also, since high temperature heat is generated at the end of the carbon fiber, where the negative ion is generated, sterilization can be carried out by the high temperature heat.  
         [0038]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a forced-convention air purifier employing the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0039]     As shown, when the polluted indoor air  160  is introduced toward an activated carbon fiber  100  through a fan  150 , the activated carbon fiber  10  purifies the air by its large surface area, kills germs, and emits negative ions. Namely, the activated carbon fiber absorbs harmful gases or impurities, and the distributed metallic particles  110  such as Ag kill germs or bacteria. Then, the air  170  purified in such a manner is emitted together with negative ions  140 . At this time, since the high temperature heat is generated at the end portion of the activated carbon fiber where the negative ion  140  is generated, an additional sterilization effect can be obtained as mentioned above.  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing a negative ion generator using a carbon fiber in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0041]     In the second embodiment of the present invention, a structure of an electrode is different from that of the first embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 5 , an entire surface of one side of the electrode  220  is in contact with the activated carbon fiber  100 . Also, an entire surface of the other electrode  220  is in contact with a non-conductive substrate  230 .  
         [0042]     In the second embodiment, a voltage applied from a power unit  130  is evenly applied to the activated carbon fiber  100 , so that negative ions  140  are uniformly generated. Namely, the negative ion can be uniformly generated regardless of time. However, such uniform negative ion generation interrupts communication between the air and the activated carbon fiber  100 . For this reason, the negative ion generator in accordance with the second embodiment is not appropriate to absorb foreign substances or remove odors.  
         [0043]     Effects of the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 6, 7 , and  8 .  
         [0044]      FIG. 6  is a graph illustrating the amount of negative ions generated in accordance with the first and second embodiments, which is measured in a space of 1.0 m 3  at a distance of 30 cm from the negative ion generator, and  FIG. 7  is a graph illustrating the amount of negative ions generated in accordance with the first embodiment, which is measured in a space of 1.0 m 3  at a distance of 50 cm from the negative ion generator.  FIG. 8  is a graph illustrating the amount of negative ions generated in accordance with the second embodiment, which is measured in a space of 1.0 m 3  at a distance of 50 cm from the negative ion generator.  
         [0045]     In general, it is determined that a negative ion generator is usable when the amount of negative ions, which is measured in a space of 1.0 m 3  at a distance of 30 cm from the negative ion generator, is more than 1.0 million/cc.  
         [0046]     In  FIG. 6 , the amount of negative ions exceeds 1.2 million/cc, and in  FIG. 7 , the ion generation is unstable at the initial stage but gets stable over time as the amount of negative ions generated exceeds 1.0 million/cc. In  FIG. 8 , negative ion generation is stable as compared to that shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0047]     Accordingly, in the present invention, negative ion generation-efficiency is improved compared to the conventional art, and a sterilization effect and a filtering function can be also provided. Also, an activated carbon fiber can be molded arbitrarily, so that the negative ion generator can be manufactured more easily.  
         [0048]     As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.