Electrostatic atomizing apparatus for vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle that is mounted in a vehicle and purifies a vehicle interior, having: an electrostatic atomizer comprising an electrode that generates an electric field when high voltage is applied thereto in a state where water is being supplied, to thereby turn the water into charged corpuscle water in the form of mist which is charged in either plus or minus, a water supply unit that supplies water to the electrode, and an emission outlet that emits the charged corpuscle water into the vehicle interior; and a potential holding unit that is installed in an on-vehicle component which a passenger contacts, and is used for holding a potential of the on-vehicle component at a potential at which the charged corpuscle water is continuously attracted to and absorbed by the passenger in contact with the on-vehicle component.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle that purifies a vehicle interior, comprising:
 an electrostatic atomizer comprising an electrode that generates an electric field when high voltage is applied thereto in a state where water is being supplied, to thereby turn the water into charged corpuscle water in the form of mist which is charged in either plus or minus, a water supply unit that supplies water to the electrode, and an emission outlet that emits the charged corpuscle water into the vehicle interior; and   a potential holding unit that is used for holding a potential of an on-vehicle component which a passenger contacts at a potential at which the charged corpuscle water is continuously attracted to and absorbed by the passenger in contact with the on-vehicle component, and   a controller that causes the potential holding unit to hold the potential of the on-vehicle component at (1) a potential of which polarity is the opposite of the polarity of the charged corpuscle water generated by the electrostatic atomizer, or (2) a potential of which polarity is the same as the charged corpuscle water generated by the electrostatic atomizer and which is lower than the potential of the charged corpuscle water generated by the electrostatic atomizer.   
     
     
         22 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the electrostatic atomizer has a configuration to generate either plus-charged corpuscle water or minus-charged corpuscle water as the charged corpuscle water, wherein   the controller causes the potential holding unit to hold the potential of the on-vehicle component at a potential of which polarity is minus when the plus-charged corpuscle water is generated by the electrostatic atomizer, and causes the potential holding unit to hold the potential of the on-vehicle component at a potential of which polarity is plus when the minus-charged corpuscle water is generated by the electrostatic atomizer.   
     
     
         23 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the electrostatic atomizer has a configuration to generate either plus-charged corpuscle water or minus-charged corpuscle water as the charged corpuscle water, wherein   the controller causes the potential holding unit to hold the potential of the on-vehicle component, the potential of which polarity is the same as the polarity of either the plus-charged corpuscle water or the minus-charged corpuscle water and which is lower than the potential of the charged corpuscle water.   
     
     
         24 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the electrostatic atomizer further comprises a first high voltage generation unit that applies plus high voltage to the electrode and a second high voltage generation unit that applies minus high voltage to the electrode as a high voltage applying circuit for applying the high voltage to the electrode, wherein   the controller alternatively switches the high voltage generation unit for applying the high voltage to the electrode between the first high voltage generation unit and the second high voltage generation unit depending on whether the electrode generates a plus-charged corpuscle water or a minus-charged corpuscle water as the charged corpuscle water.   
     
     
         25 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the potential holding unit is installed in a steering wheel which is installed in the vehicle interior.   
     
     
         26 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the potential holding unit is installed in a seat belt which is installed in the vehicle interior.   
     
     
         27 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the potential holding unit is installed in a sear portion which is installed in the vehicle interior.   
     
     
         28 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the potential holding unit is installed in a seat portion, in which a pressure sensor for detecting the passenger sitting on a seat, which is installed in the vehicle interior, wherein   the controller causes the potential holding unit to hold the potential of the seat at a potential at which the charged corpuscle water is continuously attracted to and absorbed by the passenger sitting on the seat, when the pressure sensor detects the passenger sitting on the seat.   
     
     
         29 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the potential holding unit is installed in an armrest portion which is installed in the vehicle interior.   
     
     
         30 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the potential holding unit is installed in an armrest portion which is installed in the vehicle interior and is used by the passenger in a fallen state, wherein
 the controller causes the potential holding unit to stop holding the potential of the on-vehicle component at a potential at which the charged corpuscle water is continuously attracted to and absorbed be the passenger when the armrest portion is in an upright state, and causes the potential holding unit to start holding the potential of the on-vehicle component at a potential at which the charged corpuscle water is continuously attracted to and absorbed by the passenger when the armrest is in the fallen state. 
   
     
     
         31 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the ion generator is installed in a ceiling portion which is installed in the vehicle interior.   
     
     
         32 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the ion generator is installed in a headrest portion which is installed in the vehicle interior.   
     
     
         33 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the electrostatic atomizer is installed outside an air duct for sending the heat-exchanged air by an evaporator of air conditioner for a vehicle which is installed in the vehicle interior, and   the emission outlet of the electrostatic atomizer is connected to the air duct.   
     
     
         34 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the electrostatic atomizer is installed in a backrest in the vehicle interior.   
     
     
         35 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the electrostatic atomizer starts or stops operation, in conjunction with the ON/OFF operation of the ignition key to start or stop driving of the vehicle.   
     
     
         36 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , further comprising a potential polarity selector switch that alternatively switches a potential held in the on-vehicle component between a potential of which polarity is minus and a potential of which polarity is plus. 
     
     
         37 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , further comprising a power switch to be turned ON/OFF to start or stop operation of the electrostatic atomizer, wherein
 the controller starts or stops supply of a drive power to the potential holding unit in conjunction with the ON/OFF operation of the power switch.   
     
     
         38 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , further comprising a counter electrode which is installed to face the electrode. 
     
     
         39 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , further comprising a ring-shaped counter electrode having a hole as the emission outlet, and
 the counter electrode is installed to face the electrode.   
     
     
         40 . The electrostatic atomizing apparatus for a vehicle according to  claim 21 , characterized in that
 the electrode is tapered in a direction from the root to the tip thereof, and   is a discharge electrode that generates discharge at the tip when the high voltage is applied thereto in a state where the water is not being supplied.