JP2000292052A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator having good handling operability capable of obtaining a desired sterilizing effect by space conserving an electrolytic water generator, and scattering the water safely in the refrigerator without necessity of a special work to arranged the generator. SOLUTION: The refrigerator comprises a detachably provided electrolytic tank 2, an electrolyte liquid supply unit 5 for suitably supplying salt water to the tank 2 as needed, an electrolyte water sprayer 6 for sucking the water containing a hypochlorous acid obtained by hydrolyzing the salt water in the tank 2 by a water supply pipe 14 and scattering it in the cooling chamber, and an electrolyte water generating and spraying unit 1 having a power source 4 for applying electrolytic power between electrodes 7 and 8 and supplying the power at an opening side of the sidewall of the cooling chamber. In this case, when the door of the cooling chamber is opened and closed, the closed state of the door is maintained by an opening/closing sensor, the water generated and stored in the tank 2 in advance is scattered. Thus, the water can be scattered extremely safely without applying a user, and food stored in the refrigerator can be effectively sterilized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with an apparatus for electrolyzing salt water, and spraying electrolytic water obtained by this apparatus into a refrigerator to sterilize stored food and maintain freshness. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technique, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-281 is disclosed.
No. 632 discloses a refrigerator with a function of spraying sterilized water. As shown in FIG. 6, the conventional refrigerator A is provided with an open / close sensor (not shown) for detecting the opening / closing of a door of a cooling chamber, and receives a door open signal from the open / close sensor from the open / close sensor to generate electrolytic water. The apparatus B is driven, and the generated electrolyzed water is supplied to the watering nozzles 20 to 20 provided above the opening side of the cooling chamber.
After spraying an appropriate amount from 22 and sterilizing the stored food and receiving a signal of closing the door, spraying of the electrolyzed water is continued for a predetermined time, and then the drive of the electrolyzed water generator B is stopped to spray the electrolyzed water. It is configured to end. Then, the electrolyzed water generator B is, as shown in FIG.
It comprises an electromagnetic valve 31 provided on the upstream side of the electrolytic cell 32 for storing 0, 41 and connected to the water supply pipe 30 and watering nozzles 20 to 22 connected on the downstream side of the electrolytic cell 32.

[0003]

However, in the structure of this conventional refrigerator, the electrolytic cell is connected to a water supply pipe. When the refrigerator is installed in a kitchen or the like of a general household, it is connected to the electrolytic cell. However, when tap water is drawn from the sink of the sink, the tap must be branched into two branches. In addition, since the pipe connecting the faucet and the electrolytic cell becomes longer, there is a problem that the appearance is impaired or the cleaning is hindered. In addition, even when a new water pipe is added, special construction is required, and the labor and cost required for the construction are considerable.

Furthermore, when the door of the cooling chamber is opened for a relatively long time, the electrolyzed water is sprayed while the door is kept open, and in some cases, electrolyzed water harmful to the human body may be applied to the user. There was also room for improvement in terms of safety. In addition, since the electrolyzed water generation device is provided above the outside of the refrigerator main body, the electrolyzed water generation device is bulky and hinders transportation and installation work, and handling is extremely inconvenient.
In addition, there is a danger that an electric shock may be caused by touching a bare electrode when inspecting the inside of the electrolytic cell.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and enables a space-saving apparatus for generating electrolyzed water, does not require any special work for arranging the apparatus, and is safe. It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-use refrigerator that can obtain a desired sterilizing effect by spraying electrolytic water into a refrigerator.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the electrolyzed water containing hypochlorous acid obtained by electrolyzing a saline solution in an electrolysis tank is cooled. In a refrigerator for sterilizing food stored in the cooling chamber by spraying the electrolytic solution, the electrolytic electrode is surrounded by a mesh-shaped cover body.

According to this configuration, the electrolytic electrode is protected by the cover without impairing the water permeability around the electrolytic electrode, and in any case, a part of the user's hand or body does not directly touch the electrolytic electrode. Absent.

A refrigerator according to a second aspect of the present invention is the refrigerator according to the first aspect, wherein the electrolytic cell is provided detachably.

With this configuration, by removing the electrolytic cell, it is possible to easily supply water to the electrolytic cell and clean the electrolytic cell.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the refrigerator according to the first or second aspect, the door of the cooling chamber is kept closed at the time of spraying the electrolytic water and for a certain period after the spraying. It is characterized by having done.

According to this configuration, the door of the cooling chamber is automatically locked at the time of spraying the electrolytic water and for a certain time after the spraying.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the refrigerator according to any one of the first to third aspects, the atmosphere in the cooling room is adjusted to an appropriate humidity by absorbing and releasing moisture in the cooling room. A humidity control means for adjusting the temperature is provided in the cooling chamber.

According to this structure, even if the humidity in the cooling chamber rises temporarily due to the spraying of the electrolyzed water, the humidity control means absorbs excess water. Conversely, when the humidity in the cooling chamber becomes low due to drying, the moisture absorbed by the humidity control means is released to the outside.

A refrigerator according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the refrigerator according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the electrolytic cell is disposed in the cooling chamber. is there.

According to this configuration, the inconvenience of handling is eliminated because the electrolyzer does not hinder the installation or transportation of the refrigerator, as compared with the conventional case where the electrolyzer is provided outside the refrigerator body. .

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of an electrolyzed water generating and spraying apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an electrolyzed water generating / spraying apparatus main body. The main body 1 includes an electrolytic cell 2 and a power supply 4 for applying an electrolytic power between the electrodes 7 and 8 and supplying power to the entire apparatus. A saline solution supply unit 5 for supplying a saline solution to the electrolytic cell 2 as appropriate,
An electrolyzed water spraying section 6 for sucking up and electrolyzing the electrolyzed water obtained in the electrolyzer 2 is provided.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a lid. The lid 3 is provided with the power supply 4, the saline solution supply section 5, the electrolytic water spray section 6,
It has a configuration having electrodes 7 and 8 integrally. The electrolytic cell 2 is provided detachably with respect to the lid 3, and includes a projection 2a formed in a spiral shape near the opening on the outer peripheral surface of the electrolytic cell 2 as shown in FIG. A protrusion 3a formed below the inner peripheral surface of the electrolytic cell 3a and corresponding to the protrusion 2a is brought close to the opening 3 of the electrolytic cell 2 so as to fit into the cover 3, and the cover 3 is moved in the direction of the arrow in the figure. The electrolytic cell 2 can be attached to the lid 3 by rotating.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a mesh-shaped electrode cover made of a wire mesh or the like provided on the cover 3 so as to cover the periphery of the electrodes 7 and 8. This can prevent an accident in which the user touches the electrodes 7 and 8 carelessly and receives an electric shock. In addition, if the electrolysis is repeated, calcium in the water adheres to the cathode. You need to do it regularly. At this time, in order to prevent corrosion of the electrodes 7 and 8, it is preferable to use a titanium-platinum-based metal as a material of the electrodes 7 and 8.

Further, a saline solution supply section 5 includes a saline solution tank 10 for storing a saline solution, a supply pipe 11 for supplying the saline solution stored in the saline solution tank 10 to the electrolytic cell 2, A control valve 12 for controlling the supply amount of the saline solution, and a lid 13 provided to be openable and closable above the saline solution tank 10
Consists of Further, the salt solution tank 10 is provided with a stirring blade (not shown) for stirring the salt solution and a salt solution sensor (not shown) for detecting the amount of the salt solution in the salt solution tank 10. . Then, based on the amount of the saline solution in the saline solution tank 10 detected by the saline solution sensor, the user opens the lid 13 as necessary, and
To be supplied.

The electrolyzed water spraying section 6 includes a water supply pipe 14 for sucking the electrolyzed water obtained by electrolyzing the saline solution in the electrolysis tank 2, and a pump for generating power for sucking the electrolyzed water through the water supply pipe 14. (Not shown), and a watering nozzle (not shown) for spraying the sucked electrolytic water into small droplets. Using the electrolyzed water generating and spraying apparatus having the above-described configuration, the process from generation to spraying of electrolyzed water is performed efficiently and safely.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the cooling chamber of the refrigerator according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the electrolyzed water generating and spraying device 1 is attached to the inner peripheral side surface of the cooling chamber 15 on the opening side of the cooling chamber 15. By disposing the electrolyzed water generating and spraying device 1 at this position, the salt water tank 1
This facilitates handling such as replenishing the saline solution to 0 and replenishing the electrolytic bath 2 with water, thereby improving the workability of the user and spraying the electrolytic water uniformly over the entire space in the cooling chamber 15. Is done. The electrolyzed water generating and spraying apparatus 1 is connected to an opening / closing sensor (not shown).
A signal is sent to the electrolytic water generation / spraying device 1 by sensing the open or closed state of the water.

By the way, when the electrolyzed water is sprayed into the cooling chamber 15, there is a possibility that the spoilage of the food may be accelerated due to excess water, and the freshness holding period may be shortened. Therefore, by disposing the humidity control material 17 at an arbitrary position on the inner peripheral portion of the cooling chamber 15, the inside of the cooling chamber 15 is maintained at an appropriate humidity. This humidity control material 17 has a property of absorbing and releasing moisture in the atmosphere,
A polymer absorbent with a high moisture content that can absorb moisture per unit weight and a porous silica gel whose moisture absorption changes rapidly in a high humidity area (relative humidity of about 80%) are kneaded with a resin binder. In addition to forming a moisture-absorbing layer, a material processed into a sheet can be suitably used.

Thus, when the humidity in the cooling chamber 15 temporarily rises suddenly due to the spraying of the electrolytic water into the cooling chamber 15, the humidity control material 17 absorbs excess moisture, while the cooling chamber 1
When the inside of the humidifier 5 has dried and the humidity has dropped,
Since moisture is released from the inside, the inside of the cooling chamber 15 is always maintained at an appropriate humidity. Further, by processing the humidity control material 17 into a sheet shape, the humidity control material 17 can be used by attaching it to the ceiling surface or the like of the cooling chamber 15 as shown in the drawing, so that a good humidity control effect can be obtained in a small space. it can.

Next, the process of producing electrolyzed water will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, Step # 1
0: power supply of electrolyzed water generation and spraying device 1 from power supply of refrigerator
Is supplied with power. The electrolyzed water generating and spraying apparatus 1 which has been supplied with the electric power detects whether or not a certain amount of water has entered the electrolytic cell 2 in step # 15 by using a water level sensor.
If the amount of water is not enough, the user is notified by flashing a lamp or a buzzer in step # 20 to urge the user to supply water to the electrolytic cell 2.
When water is supplied to the electrolytic cell 2 (Step # 20), the flow returns to Step # 15 again, and the water level sensor detects the amount of water in the electrolytic cell 2 by the water level sensor.

If an appropriate amount of water has entered the electrolytic cell 2, the saline sensor detects whether or not the saline tank 10 is filled with an appropriate amount of saline in step # 30. If the salt solution is insufficient, the user is notified by blinking a lamp or a buzzer in step # 35 to urge the user to supply the salt solution to the salt solution tank 10. At this time, if the notification is made by a different method (for example, changing the lamp blinking interval, changing the volume of the buzzer, etc.) from the notification that the water level sensor notifies the shortage of the amount of water in the electrolytic cell 2, in any situation, an error may occur The user can easily identify whether the notification has been made.

When the saline solution is supplied into the saline solution tank 10 (step # 35), the process returns to step # 30, and the mode for detecting the amount of the saline solution in the saline solution tank 10 by the saline solution sensor is set. If an appropriate amount of salt solution is contained in the salt solution tank 10, the control valve 12 is opened in step # 45, and a required amount of salt solution is dropped from the supply pipe 11 to the electrolytic cell 2. In addition, the salt solution is supplied directly to the salt solution tank 10 as well as water and salt are separately supplied, and the salt is sufficiently and uniformly dissolved by sufficiently stirring with the stirring blades in the salt solution tank 10. They can also make saline.
In the latter case, the work efficiency is improved because the user does not have to make the salt solution himself.

When the saline solution is dropped into the electrolytic cell 2, the pump in the electrolytic water spraying section 5 is energized in step # 50. At this time, by controlling ON / OFF of the power supply to the pump at regular intervals, the pump is repeatedly driven and stopped at regular intervals, and the saline solution in the electrolytic cell 2 is sucked up or discharged by the water supply pipe 14. The salt solution in the electrolytic cell 2 is constantly stirred. Then, in step # 55, the electrolytic power is applied between the electrodes 7 and 8 from the power supply 4, and the generation of electrolytic water is started. At this time, the current value is constantly detected in step # 60, and when the current after the lapse of a predetermined time becomes less than a predetermined value, it is determined that the concentration of the saline solution in the electrolytic cell 2 is insufficient. Then, the electrolysis is temporarily stopped (Step # 65), and the process returns to Step # 45 to drop an appropriate amount of saline solution into the electrolytic tank 2 again. If the current value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the electrolysis is continued, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the electrolysis is terminated to obtain electrolyzed water containing a desired concentration of hypochlorous acid (step # 70).

Next, the relationship between the opening and closing of the door of the cooling chamber and the process of spraying the electrolyzed water will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Open the door 16 of the cooling chamber 15 (Step # 10)
0), and the open / close sensor detects this in step # 105. Upon receiving a signal from the opening / closing sensor, the electrolyzed water generation / spraying device 1 detects whether or not electrolyzed water has been generated in the electrolysis tank 2 (step # 110). A signal is sent to the spraying unit 6 to wait for the door 16 to be closed. If the electrolytic water has not been generated in the electrolytic cell 2, the door 16 is closed (step # 11).
5) Then, in step # 120, the open / close sensor senses this and sends a signal to the electrolyzed water generation / spraying device 1 to prompt generation of electrolyzed water. Then, electrolytic water is generated according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 (step # 125), and a signal is sent to the electrolytic solution spraying unit 6 after the generation.

On the other hand, when it is detected in step # 110 that the electrolyzed water has been generated, when the door 16 is closed (step # 130), it is detected by the open / close sensor in step # 135 and the electrolyzed water spray unit 6 is detected. Is sent to
The electrolyzed water spray unit 6 receives the signals from the electrolyzed water generation / spray device 1 and the open / close sensor, and sends a control signal to the open / close sensor so that the door 15 is kept closed in step # 140. Thereafter, the pump is driven in step # 145, and the electrolyzed water in the electrolyzer 2 is sucked up by the water supply pipe 14, and an appropriate amount of electrolyzed water is sprayed from the water spray nozzle toward the cooling chamber 15 (step # 150).

The water spray nozzle sprays electrolytic water in a plurality of different directions at the same time. As a result, the electrolytic water is sprayed uniformly over the entire space in the cooling chamber 15, so that the food stored in the cooling chamber 15 can be subjected to an effective sterilization treatment. After the spraying is continued for a certain period of time, the driving of the electrolyzed water spraying unit 5 is stopped in step # 155,
Finish spraying the electrolyzed water and send a signal to the open / close sensor to open the door 1
6 is released (step # 160).

By the series of operations described above, the process from generation to spraying of electrolyzed water can be efficiently performed, and food in the refrigerator can be safely sterilized. As a result,
Effective prevention of food poisoning can be achieved. The watering nozzle may be any means that makes the electrolyzed water small and sprays the food uniformly and efficiently, and an ultrasonic vibrator type or spray type nozzle can be suitably used. In addition, spraying of electrolyzed water in the storage,
The spraying may be continuously performed for a predetermined short time (for example, 5 seconds), or an appropriate amount of electrolyzed water may be sprayed several times like spraying. Further, the amount of the electrolyzed water to be sprayed is determined by the type of food stored in the cooling room and the storage form of the food.

[0032]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the electrolytic electrode is surrounded by the mesh-shaped cover, a part of the user's hand or body can be formed in any case. Since the user does not directly touch the electrolytic electrode, it is possible to prevent a user from accidentally touching the electrolytic electrode and receiving an electric shock.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the electrolytic cell is detachably provided, water can be easily supplied by removing the electrolytic cell without connecting the electrolytic cell to a water pipe. Therefore, labor and cost for the construction can be significantly reduced.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the door of the cooling chamber is automatically locked at the time of spraying the electrolyzed water and for a certain period after the spraying, so that the electrolyzed water containing hypochlorous acid which is harmful to the human body can be obtained. However, it is possible to spray electrolyzed water extremely safely without affecting the user, and to perform effective sterilization treatment on the stored food.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the humidity control means for adjusting the humidity in the cooling chamber is provided, the atmosphere in the cooling chamber can be maintained at an appropriate humidity at which dew condensation does not occur. The stored food can be stored in a fresh and fresh state for a long period of time, in combination with the bactericidal effect of the spraying.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the electrolytic cell is provided in the cooling chamber, the transportation of the refrigerator and the operation of the refrigerator can be performed as compared with the conventional case where the electrolytic cell is disposed outside the refrigerator body. It is possible to provide a refrigerator that does not obstruct the electrolytic cell during installation work, is convenient to handle, and can obtain a desired sterilization effect in a small space.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of an electrolytic water generation / spraying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially omitted perspective view showing a shape of an attaching / detaching portion between an electrolytic tank and a lid in the electrolytic cell generating / spraying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a cooling room of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of generating electrolyzed water in the electrolyzed water generation and spray device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of spraying electrolyzed water in relation to opening and closing of a door in the electrolyzed water generation and spray device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front sectional view of a conventional refrigerator having a function of spraying sterilized water.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a water channel system of the electrolyzed water generator of the refrigerator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electrolyte generation and spraying apparatus main body 2 Electrolyzer 3 Lid 4 Power supply 5 Electrolyte supply part 6 Electrolyzed water spraying part 7,8 Electrode 9 Electrode cover 10 Salt solution tank 11 Supply pipe 12 Control valve 13 Lid 14 Water supply pipe 15 Cooling Room 16 Door 17 Humidity control sheet

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A refrigerator for sterilizing food stored in a cooling chamber by spraying electrolytic water containing hypochlorous acid obtained by electrolyzing a saline solution in an electrolytic tank into the cooling chamber. A refrigerator characterized in that the electrolytic electrode is surrounded by a mesh-shaped cover body. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the electrolytic cell is detachably provided. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the door of the cooling chamber is kept closed at the time of spraying the electrolytic water and for a certain time after the spraying. 4. A humidity control means for adjusting the atmosphere of the cooling chamber to an appropriate humidity by absorbing and releasing moisture in the cooling chamber is provided in the cooling chamber. The refrigerator according to claim 3. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the electrolytic cell is provided in the cooling chamber.