Ion generating device

• US 6,735,830 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Genie et Environnement
• Original Assignee: Genie et Environnement
• Inventors: Merciel, Joël
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hashmi, Zia R.
• Application Number:
  US09/926,654
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 250/324, 445/24, 445/50, 361/231
• US Class Current: 250/324
• CPC Class Codes: H01T 23/00 Apparatus for generating ions to be introduced into non-enclosed gases, e.g. into the atmosphere

Abstract

The invention relates to apparatus for generating ions in a gaseous medium, the apparatus comprising one or more needles (40) each presenting a shank (40.1) and an emitter end (40.2), a sheath (42) of composite material comprising glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester surrounding the shank (40.1) of each needle, and means (44, 46, 80) for applying a voltage between two portions of the shank of each needle.

Claims

1. Apparatus for generating ions in a gaseous medium, comprising:

at least one needle (40, 85, 86, 87), each said needle presenting a shank (40.1) and an emitter end (40.2);

a sheath (42) of composite material comprising a glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester surrounding the shank (40.1) of each needle, said composite material having a resistivity of 10⁴ to 10¹² Ω

·

m; and

means (44, 46, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80) for applying a voltage between two portions of the shank of each needle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the sheath (42) is of cylindrical outside shape.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the one or more needles are made of a material selected from the group consisting of:

titanium, platinum, a compound of titanium and platinum, silver, stainless steel, brass, nickel, and an alloy of these materials.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which each emitter end (40.2) is covered in a film of gold.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the composite material has a glass content lying in the range 50% to 90% by weight relative to the total weight of the material.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the composite material also includes mica.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which each needle (40) is held firmly in the sheath (42) which surrounds it without any possibility of rubbing or displacement.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the means for applying a voltage between two portions of the shank of each needle comprise first and second plates (44, 46) situated at two different heights along each sheath of composite material, and means (70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80) for applying a high voltage between said two plates.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which one of the two plates (44) forms a support for each needle (40) which is held firmly without rubbing.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which one of the two plates is provided with an integrated high voltage source (70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80).

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, in which the integrated high voltage source has means for producing a first voltage (V1), and means for multiplying said first voltage so as to obtain the desired high voltage (V2).

13. Apparatus according to claim 11, in which the high voltage source is made using surface mount components (SMCs).

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, having a plurality of needles, each needle being surrounded by a sheath, the sheaths being interconnected in pairs.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, in which the sheaths are coupled together in pairs by means of webs (60) of material identical to the material of the sheaths.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, in which the two sheaths and the plate of a pair are formed as a single unit.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the apparatus is incorporated in a housing (51) made of plastics material.

20. Apparatus according to claim 17, in which the inside of the housing is treated with antistatic paint.

21. Apparatus according to claim 17, in which the material constituting the housing is treated with additives implanting antistatic properties thereto.

22. Apparatus according to claim 17, in which the housing comprises two shells with screw wells (56).

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, further including means for closing the screw wells (56) after the two shells have been assembled together.

24. Apparatus according to claim 1, further including regulator means (82, 94) for regulating the voltage applied between the two portions of the shank of each needle.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24, in which the voltage regulator means comprise means (82) for measuring the quantity of ions produced by the apparatus, means (94) for comparing said quantity of ions produced with an ideal quantity of ions required, and means for varying the applied voltage as a function of the result of the comparison between the quantity of ions produced and the quantity of ions required.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, in which the ideal quantity of ions required is determined on the basis of a corrected volume which takes account of the real volume of the premises in which the ion generator apparatus is installed, and also of the content of the premises and/or its surroundings.

27. Apparatus according to claim 24, in which the means for varying the applied voltage are automatic means or manual means.

28. Apparatus according to claim 25, including an ion detector, itself comprising:

means (112) for sensing ions or a quantity of ions in an atmosphere;

indicator means (114, 122) for indicating the presence of ions; and

switch means (100-110) for switching the indicator means as a function of the quantity of ions sensed by the ion sensor means (112).

29. Apparatus according to claim 28, in which the-switch means (100-110) comprise a transistor (104) biased by a voltage source when switching occurs.

30. A method of vacuum-packaging foodstuffs, the method comprising the steps of:

producing one or more negative oxygen ion fluxes by means of apparatus according to claim 1;

subjecting the foodstuffs for packaging to said ion flux; and

vacuum-packaging the foodstuffs.

31. A method of storing foodstuffs in which the foodstuffs are placed in premises fitted with ionizer apparatus according to claim 1, and in which a flux of negative ions is produced by means of said ionizer apparatus.

32. A method of storing foodstuffs according to claim 31, in which the foodstuffs are meat or fish or vegetables.

33. A method of treating the atmosphere in premises, comprising generating said ions with an apparatus according to claim 1.

34. A method according to claim 33, in which the premises is a gray or white airlock, or a clean room, or a computer room, or a room fitted with computer or electronic equipment, or a hospital ward or theatre.

35. A method according to claim 33, in which the premises is a unit in which animals are reared.

36. A method according to claim 33, in which the premises is a zone or workshop for producing food.

4. Apparatus for generating ions in a gaseous medium, comprising:

at least one needle (40, 85, 86, 87), each said needle having a shank (40.1) and an emitter end (40.2), each needle being made of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, platinum, and a compound of titanium and platinum;

a sheath (42) of composite material comprising glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester which surrounds the shank (40.1) of each needle; and

means (44, 46, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80) for applying a voltage between two portions of the shank of each needle.

19. Apparatus according to claim 4, in which the plastics material has resistivity lying in the range 10⁴ Ω

to 10¹² Ω

m.

18. Apparatus according to clam 17, in which the plastics material has all traces of metal removed therefrom.

37. Apparatus for generating ions in a gaseous medium, comprising:

at least one needle (40, 85, 86, 87), each said needle presenting a shank (40.1) and an emitter end (40.2);

a sheath (42) of composite material comprising a glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester surrounding the shank (40.1) of each needle, said composite material having a resistivity of 10⁴ to 10¹² Ω

·

m, said sheath being of cylindrical outside shape without conical structure; and

means (44, 46, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80) for applying a voltage between two portions of the shank of each needle.

38. Apparatus for generating ions in a gaseous medium, comprising:

at least one needle (40, 85, 86, 87), each said needle having a shank (40.1) and an emitter end (40.2), each needle being made of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, platinum, a compound of titanium and platinum, silver, stainless steel, brass nickel, and an alloy thereof;

a sheath (42) of composite material having a resistivity of 10⁴ to 10¹² Ω

·

m comprising glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester which surrounds the shank (40.1) of each needle, the composite material having a glass content of 50 to 90% by weight, and the sheath being of cylindrical outside shape without conical structure; and

means (44, 46, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80) for applying a voltage between two portions of the shank of each needle.