Electrostatic atomizer for use in a motor vehicle

An electrostatic atomizer mounted in a motor vehicle, comprising:

• an atomizer unit for generating electrically-charged water particles, the atomizer unit including:
• a discharge electrode;
• a water supply unit for cooling the discharge electrode to generate water condensed on the discharge electrode;
• and
• a high voltage applying unit for applying a high voltage to the water on the discharge electrode to electrostatically atomize the water;
• an ejection portion provided at a ceiling of the motor vehicle for ejecting the electrically-charged water particles generated in the atomizer unit and an ejection direction changing unit provided in the ejection portion for changing an ejection direction of the electrically-charged water particles;
• and
• a human body detection sensor for detecting one or more vehicle occupants,
• wherein the ejection direction changing unit operates in two modes, the two modes including an ejection direction changing mode and a normal mode for spraying the electrically-charged water particles downwards without changing the ejection direction, and
• wherein, in the ejection direction changing mode, the ejection direction changing unit is configured to direct the electrically-charged water particles only toward the detected vehicle occupants, and when two or more vehicle occupants are detected, the ejection direction changing unit directs the electrically-charged water particles toward the detected two or more vehicle occupants.