a. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hydrogen production device, a hydrogen addition device, and a hydrogen-additive article produced by the hydrogen addition device.
b. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, hydrogen gas (H2) has been extensively utilized in prophylaxis and therapy. For example, hydrogen gas may quickly diffuse into and permeate a cell membrane to effectively reduce toxic radicals to protect cells from being oxidized and destroyed. Therefore, hydrogen gas often serves as an anti-oxidant having a curative effect and can protect DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in a cell nucleus so as to reduce the risk of suffering from cancers. Besides, hydrogen gas does not disturb redox reactions or cellular signal transduction and may directly prevent cell destruction caused by strong oxidizing active substance in living cells. For example, inflammation, severe excise, myocardial infarction, blood vessel blockage, organ transplant, etc. may result in acute oxidized stimulation. Further, hydrogen gas may dissolve in water and enter a human body through drinking to carry away radicals. Alternatively, one may directly inhale hydrogen gas. Generally, the concentration of hydrogen gas less than 4.7% will not cause ignition and explosion, and thus hydrogen gas could extensively serve as a safe and effective anti-oxidant with a minimal side effect in treatment and cosmetology.
However, since it is inconvenient to carry and store hydrogen gas, commercial ready-to-serve hydrogen-additive articles for the clinic and cosmetic purposes are still not available. US patent publication no. 2009/0004512, Taiwan patent publication no. 201022138, Taiwan patent no. 1328620 and Taiwan patent no. 1301158 all disclose the production of hydrogen gas where solid-state reacting particles react with a liquid to produce hydrogen. Taiwan patent publication no. 200703763 discloses a fuel container having a solid-state fuel and a liquid-state fuel separated by a membrane. Taiwan patent no. M358828 and Taiwan patent no. M330576 disclose a design of transporting hydrogen gas to the external environment through a hydrogen output pipeline. Further, US patent publication no. 2005/0224996 discloses a design of discharging produced hydrogen gas into water. However, according to the above designs, it is difficult to produce portable and ready-to-serve hydrogen gas products, and it is also difficult to add hydrogen gas into an article.
The invention provides a hydrogen production device and a hydrogen addition device. The hydrogen production device and the hydrogen addition device have at least one of the advantages of excellent portability, ready-to-use, and hydrogen gas being easily added into an article.
The invention also provides a hydrogen-additive article. Hydrogen gas is easily added into the hydrogen-additive article through a simple operation, and the hydrogen-additive article is taken or used by a person immediately after the hydrogen gas is produced.
Other objects and advantages of the invention can be better understood from the technical characteristics disclosed by the invention.
In order to achieve one of the above purposes, all the purposes, or other purposes, one embodiment of the invention provides a hydrogen production device, including a reaction unit and a hydrogen collection unit. The reaction unit includes a first region, a second region and a barrier layer. The first region stores a solid-state reactant, the second region stores a liquid-state reactant, and the barrier layer separates the first region from the second region. When the barrier layer forms an opening, the solid-state reactant comes into contact and reacts with the liquid-state reactant to produce hydrogen gas. The hydrogen collection unit has at least one gas vent to lead the hydrogen gas to flow into a hydrogen acceptor via the gas vent. The hydrogen gas is capable of flowing through the hydrogen collection unit, and the liquid-state reactant is prevented from entering the hydrogen collection unit.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a hydrogen production device includes a storage chamber, a reaction chamber, a hydrogen collection chamber and a liquid blocking flow channel. The storage chamber stores a first reactant, and the reaction chamber stores a second reactant. When the storage chamber is pressurized, the first reactant enters the reaction chamber and reacts with the second reactant to produce hydrogen gas. The hydrogen collection chamber has at least one gas vent to lead the hydrogen gas to flow into a hydrogen acceptor via the gas vent. The liquid blocking flow channel is in communication with the reaction chamber and the hydrogen collection chamber to enable the hydrogen gas produced in the reaction chamber to flow into the hydrogen collection chamber.
In one embodiment, the first reactant is a solid-state reactant and the second reactant is a liquid-state reactant. Alternatively, the first reactant is a liquid-state reactant and the second reactant is a solid-state reactant.
In one embodiment, the liquid blocking flow channel includes a water-repellent floating ball and a water-repellent hydrogen conduit. One end of the hydrogen conduit is connected to the floating ball, the other end of the hydrogen conduit is connected to the hydrogen collection chamber, and the hydrogen gas produced in the reaction chamber flows into the floating ball and the hydrogen conduit by a pressure difference.
In one embodiment, the hydrogen production device further includes an observation window used to confirm whether a hydrogen production reaction occurs, and the observation window includes at least one check valve.
In one embodiment, at least one through-hole formed on a side wall of the hydrogen production device to form an air flow channel in communication with the external environment. The hydrogen collection chamber includes an air-mixing channel outlet for guiding a mixture of the hydrogen gas and air to the external environment, and a concentration of hydrogen gas in the mixture is in a range of 0.1%-10%.
In one embodiment, the hydrogen production device further includes a suction device in communication with the gas vent. At least one through-hole is formed on a side wall of the suction device to form an air flow channel in communication with the external environment.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a hydrogen addition device includes a reaction unit and a penetration element. The reaction unit includes a solid-state reactant and a liquid-state reactant, and the solid-state reactant comes into contact and reacts with the liquid-state reactant to produce hydrogen gas. The penetration element is disposed between the reaction unit and a hydrogen acceptor, and the penetration element enables the reaction unit and the hydrogen acceptor to change from an isolation state to a communication state. The hydrogen acceptor may be a drink or cosmetics.
In one embodiment, the penetration element penetrates or pushes a part of a side wall of the hydrogen acceptor to allow the produced hydrogen to dissolve in the hydrogen acceptor.
In one embodiment, the penetration element has a helical ridge structure with a sharp end, the hydrogen acceptor has a thread structure complementary to the helical ridge structure in shape, the helical ridge structure is allowed to pierce a part of a side wall of the hydrogen acceptor, and the helical ridge structure is tightly fit with the thread structure.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a hydrogen-additive article. The hydrogen-additive article contains hydrogen gas supplied by a hydrogen production device. The hydrogen production device at least includes a reaction chamber, a hydrogen collection chamber and a liquid blocking flow channel. The liquid blocking flow channel is in communication with the reaction chamber and the hydrogen collection chamber to enable a hydrogen gas produced in the reaction chamber to flow into the hydrogen collection chamber, and the hydrogen collection chamber has at least one gas vent to lead the hydrogen gas into the hydrogen-additive article.
In conclusion, the embodiment or the embodiments of the invention may have at least one of the following advantages.
According to the above embodiments, a person may directly inhale hydrogen gas just after the hydrogen gas is produced through a very simple operation, or the produced hydrogen gas is added into a hydrogen acceptor (such as a drink or cosmetics) and immediately taken or used by a person, with the concentration of the hydrogen gas being instantaneously adjusted in different circumstances. Accordingly, compared with conventional designs, the hydrogen production device according to the above embodiments is more portable, ready-to-serve, easy to add hydrogen gas into an article, and without the need of electronic devices or expensive components. Therefore, this also simplifies fabrication processes and lowers fabrication costs.
Other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will be further understood from the further technological features disclosed by the embodiments of the invention wherein there are shown and described preferred embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustration of modes best suited to carry out the invention.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the Figure(s) being described. The components of the invention can be positioned in a number of different orientations. As such, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting. On the other hand, the drawings are only schematic and the sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. Similarly, the terms “facing,” “faces” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect facing, and “adjacent to” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass directly and indirectly “adjacent to”. Therefore, the description of “A” component facing “B” component herein may contain the situations that “A” component directly faces “B” component or one or more additional components are between “A” component and “B” component. Also, the description of “A” component “adjacent to” “B” component herein may contain the situations that “A” component is directly “adjacent to” “B” component or one or more additional components are between “A” component and “B” component. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
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Based on the design of the hydrogen production device of the above embodiments, another embodiment of the invention provides a hydrogen-additive article. The hydrogen-additive article contains hydrogen gas supplied by a hydrogen production device. The hydrogen production device at least includes a reaction chamber, a hydrogen collection chamber, and a liquid blocking flow channel. The liquid blocking flow channel is in communication with the reaction chamber and the hydrogen collection chamber to enable the hydrogen gas produced in the reaction chamber to flow into the hydrogen collection chamber. The hydrogen collection chamber has at least one gas vent to lead the hydrogen gas into the hydrogen-additive article. In this embodiment, the hydrogen-additive article includes, but not limited to, water, wine, beverage, and cosmetics.
In conclusion, the embodiment or the embodiments of the invention may have at least one of the following advantages.
According to the above embodiments, a person may directly inhale hydrogen gas just after the hydrogen gas is produced through a very simple operation, or the produced hydrogen gas is added into a hydrogen acceptor (such as a drink or cosmetics) and immediately taken or used by a person, with the concentration of the hydrogen gas being instantaneously adjusted in different circumstances. Accordingly, compared with conventional designs, the hydrogen production device according to the above embodiments is more portable, ready-to-serve, easy to add hydrogen gas into an article, and without the need of electronic devices or expensive components. Therefore, this also simplifies fabrication processes and lowers fabrication costs.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or to exemplary embodiments disclosed. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. The embodiments are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its best mode practical application, thereby to enable persons skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use or implementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Therefore, the term “the invention”, “the present invention” or the like does not necessarily limit the claim scope to a specific embodiment, and the reference to particularly preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention does not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The invention is limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Moreover, these claims may refer to use “first”, “second”, etc. following with noun or element. Such terms should be understood as a nomenclature and should not be construed as giving the limitation on the number of the elements modified by such nomenclature unless specific number has been given. The abstract of the disclosure is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, which will allow a searcher to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure of any patent issued from this disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Any advantages and benefits described may not apply to all embodiments of the invention. It should be appreciated that variations may be made in the embodiments described by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. Moreover, no element and component in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element or component is explicitly recited in the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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099133194 | Sep 2010 | TW | national |