# US 9,751,385 B2 · Electrostatic atomization system for vehicle

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- Number: US 9,751,385 B2
- Document ID: US9751385B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/820,004
- Filed: 2011-09-06
- Published: 2013-06-27
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2010-09-24
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Takeshi Yano; Akihide Sugawa
- Inventors: Takeshi Yano; Akihide Sugawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751385B2

## CPC

- B60H 3/0071: {Electrically conditioning the air, e.g. by ionizing}
- B05B 5/025: Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns
- B05B 5/0255: {spraying and depositing by electrostatic forces only}
- B05B 5/057: Arrangements for discharging liquids or other fluent material without using a gun or nozzle
- B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)

## Abstract

An electrostatic atomization system for a vehicle includes an electrostatic atomization device that generates and emits charged micro-particle water from an emission port, a vehicle interior introduction port arranged in an instrument panel in a vehicle interior, and a communication duct that connects the emission port and the vehicle interior introduction port to emit the charged micro-particle water from the vehicle interior introduction port to the vehicle interior. The communication duct includes a first curved portion, which is arranged between the emission port and the vehicle interior introduction port and curved downward in a lower position than the vehicle interior introduction port, and a second curved portion, which is arranged between the first curved portion and the emission port and curved upward in an upper position than the first curved portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrostatic atomization system for a vehicle comprising:
an electrostatic atomization device that generates charged micro-particle water by applying a high voltage to a liquid supplied to a discharge unit, wherein the electrostatic atomization device includes an emission port for emitting the charged micro-particle water;
a vehicle interior introduction port arranged in an instrument panel in a vehicle interior and exposed to the vehicle interior, wherein the vehicle interior introduction port is partitioned from an air flow path of an air conditioner and is not in communication with an air outlet of the air conditioner; and
a communication duct that includes two ends, wherein one of the two ends is connected to the emission port of the electrostatic atomization device and the other one of the two ends is fixed to the instrument panel and connected to the vehicle interior introduction port so that the charged micro-particle water generated by the electrostatic atomization device and flowing entirely through the communication duct is emitted from the vehicle interior introduction port toward the vehicle interior, wherein:
the electrostatic atomization device is located in a lower position than the vehicle interior introduction port in a vertical direction, the position causing a backflow of a liquid through the communication duct from the vehicle interior introduction port to the electrostatic atomization device, and
the communication duct includes:
a first curved portion arranged between the emission port and the vehicle interior introduction port, wherein the first curved portion is maintained curved downward in a lower position than the vehicle interior introduction port in the vertical direction; and
a second curved portion arranged between the first curved portion and the emission port, wherein the second curved portion is maintained curved upward in an upper position than the first curved portion in the vertical direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrostatic atomization system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the communication duct further includes a drain hole formed in a lowest position of the first curved portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The electrostatic atomization system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the drain hole is formed to reduce an inner diameter of the communication duct on an upstream side in a direction in which the charged micro-particle water flows.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electrostatic atomization system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first and second curved portions are formed twice or more in the communication duct between the vehicle interior introduction port and the emission port.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electrostatic atomization system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the communication duct includes an inner surface formed in a smooth shape.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electrostatic atomization system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the communication duct includes a smooth inner surface.