CN113028700A

CN113028700A - Water mist generating device, refrigerator and water mist generating method

Info

Publication number: CN113028700A
Application number: CN201911343171.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 仲伟; 任相华; 刘玉花
Original assignee: BSH Home Appliances Co Ltd; Bo Xihua Electric Jiangsu Co Ltd
Current assignee: BSH Home Appliances Co Ltd; Bo Xihua Electric Jiangsu Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-12-24
Filing date: 2019-12-24
Publication date: 2021-06-25

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a water mist generating device, a refrigerator and a method for generating water mist. The water mist generating device comprises an air flow channel, and the air flow channel is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet; a cartridge adapted to hold water; a water mist generator adapted to act on water to produce a water mist; and an ozone generator adapted to generate ozone, wherein at least a part of the ozone is adapted to be dissolved in water mist in the air flow passage, which can avoid generation of ozone of high concentration and can improve effects of sterilization and removal of agricultural chemicals.

Description

Water mist generating device, refrigerator and water mist generating method

Technical Field

The invention relates to the field of electric appliances, in particular to a water mist generating device, a refrigerator and a method for generating water mist.

Background

An ion generator in the refrigerator can generate ozone, which can effectively kill bacteria on the surface of food and also remove pesticides on the surface of vegetables and fruits. However, higher concentrations of ozone are harmful to humans.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of embodiments of the present invention to provide an improved water mist generating apparatus, a refrigerator, and a method of generating water mist.

The embodiment of the invention provides a water mist generating device, which comprises an airflow channel, a water spraying device and a water spraying device, wherein the airflow channel is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet; a cartridge adapted to hold water; a water mist generator adapted to act on water to produce a water mist; and an ozone generator adapted to generate ozone, wherein at least a portion of the ozone is adapted to be dissolved in the water mist in the air flow channel.

Optionally, the air conditioner comprises a housing, and the air inlet and the air outlet are arranged on the housing.

Optionally, the air conditioner comprises a housing, the air inlet is arranged on the housing, and the air outlet is arranged on the side wall of the box body.

Optionally, the water mist generator is disposed at the bottom of the box body.

Optionally, the ozone generator is proximate to the air intake.

Optionally, a housing is included, the ozone generator being located outside the housing.

Optionally, a portion of the ozone is dissolved in the water.

Optionally, the water mist generating device comprises a fan module adapted to direct an air flow from the air inlet towards the air outlet.

Optionally, a fan module is disposed downstream of the ozone generator.

Optionally, the water mist generating device is adapted to operate in a first mode in which the fan module, the ozone generator and the water mist generator are not operated and a second mode in which the fan module, the ozone generator and the water mist generator are operated.

Optionally, the water mist generating device is further adapted to operate in a third mode, wherein in the third mode the fan module is active and the water mist generator is active and the ozone generator is inactive.

Optionally, the water mist generating device is adapted to operate in a first mode and a second mode spaced apart based on a preset period.

Optionally, the preset period is between 30 minutes and 90 minutes.

Optionally, the second mode has an operating time of between 3 minutes and 20 minutes for a predetermined period.

The embodiment of the invention provides a refrigerator, which comprises a drawer positioned in a storage chamber and any one of the water mist generating devices arranged on the side part of the drawer, wherein air flow in an air flow channel flows into the drawer through an air outlet.

Optionally, the refrigerator comprises a control module and a switch assembly adapted to output a first signal to the control module when the drawer is open and a second signal to the control module when the drawer is closed.

Optionally, the switch assembly comprises a magnetic switch and a magnet respectively disposed at the water mist generating device and the drawer.

Optionally, the control module is adapted to receive a first signal to place the fan module, the ozone generator and the mist generator in a first mode of non-operation.

Optionally, the control module is adapted to receive a second signal to cause the fan module, the ozone generator and the mist generator to operate in a first mode and a second mode spaced apart based on a preset period, wherein the fan module, the ozone generator and the mist generator are not operated in the first mode and the fan module, the ozone generator and the mist generator are operated in the second mode.

Optionally, the control module is adapted to receive a second signal to first place the fan module, the ozone generator and the water mist generator in a second mode.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for generating water mist in the refrigerator, including determining a status signal related to a drawer; the fan module, the ozone generator, and the mist generator are placed in a first mode of non-operation or in a second mode of operation based on the status signal.

Optionally, the method comprises determining a first signal that the drawer is open; the fan module, the ozone generator, and the mist generator are placed in a first mode based on the first signal.

Optionally, the method comprises determining a second signal that the drawer is closed; the fan module, the ozone generator, and the mist generator are operated in a first mode and a second mode spaced based on a preset period based on the second signal.

Optionally, the method includes first placing the fan module, the ozone generator, and the water mist generator in a second mode based on a second signal.

Compared with the prior art, the technical scheme of the embodiment of the invention has the beneficial effect. For example, high concentration ozone generation is avoided, and the effects of sterilization and pesticide removal are improved.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a water mist generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a water mist generating device and a drawer according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a refrigerator in an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a flow chart of a method of producing water mist in an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more comprehensible, specific embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the water mist generator 100 includes an air flow passage 112, a case 103, a water mist generator 105, and an ozone generator 108.

The airflow passage 112 is shown by arrows in fig. 1, and has an intake opening 102 and an outlet opening 113. In an embodiment of the invention, upstream and downstream are relative positions defined with respect to the direction of flow of the airflow in the airflow passage 112, respectively, wherein the airflow flows from upstream to downstream. The box 103 is adapted to contain water 104, and there is a space above the water 104 in the box 103 for forming an air flow channel 112. The box 103 may be removed from the mist generator 100 for replenishing the water or cleaning the box 103 and the interior space of the mist generator 100.

In some embodiments of the invention, the water mist generating device 100 comprises a

housing

101, 107, which may support other components of the water mist generating device 100. The

housings

101, 107 may also accommodate related components, such as at least one of the mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108 and its power module 109, the fan 110, and the control component 111, within the

housings

101, 107, thereby simplifying the overall spatial arrangement of the mist generator 100. The

housing

101, 107 forms an interior space for the mist generator 100, and the inlet 102 and outlet 113 are both disposed on the

housing

101, 107 such that the airflow in the airflow path 112 enters the mist generator 100 through the inlet 102 and exits the mist generator 100 through the outlet 113.

In other embodiments of the invention, the walls of the

housings

101, 107 and the box 103 together form an interior space of the water mist generator 100. For example, the air inlet 102 is disposed on the

housing

101, 107, and the air outlet 113 is disposed on the sidewall of the box 103, so that the air flow can directly flow through the air outlet 113 on the sidewall of the box 103, thereby improving the efficiency of the air flow movement.

The water mist generator 105 is adapted to act on the water 104 to produce a water mist 106, for example by high frequency resonance of ultrasonic waves to produce the water mist 106. The mist 106 may move from within the water 104 into the airflow passage 112. The mist generator 105 may engage a wall of the box 103, e.g. be arranged at the bottom thereof, such that the generated mist 106 has sufficient kinetic energy to move from bottom to top within the water 104 and may be released from the water surface into the airflow channel 112.

The ozone generator 108 is adapted to generate ozone. Ozone can be generated by high voltage discharge, ultraviolet irradiation, or electrolysis, as is known in the art. At least a portion of the ozone is adapted to be dissolved in the water mist 106 in the air flow passage 112, e.g., the water mist 106 in which the ozone moves into the air flow passage 112. The ozone generator 108 may be disposed proximate to the intake vent 102, and specifically, the ozone generator 108 may be disposed proximate to the intake vent 102 such that most or all (e.g., 80%, 90%, 95%, 100%) of the ozone generated by the ozone generator 108 may enter the airflow channel 112 through the intake vent 102. The ozone generator 108 comprises a power supply module 109 for providing power thereto.

In embodiments of the invention, the ozone generator 108 may be located within the

housing

101, 107, as shown in fig. 1. The ozone generator 108 may also be located outside the

housing

101, 107, which may both simplify the arrangement of the

housing

101, 107 and facilitate replacement or repair of the ozone generator 108. Also, a portion of the ozone is soluble in the water 104, killing bacteria therein, such that the amount of bacteria in the mist 106 formed by the water 104 is significantly reduced, thereby reducing the deleterious effects of the mist 106 on items such as food in its path of movement.

By providing at least a portion of the ozone dissolved in water mist 106 or the like in the airflow path 112, the concentration of ozone in the airflow is reduced, thereby avoiding damage to the user from the high concentration ozone. Further, ozone is very unstable in air and is easily decomposed, and ozone dissolved in the water mist 106 has characteristics of relatively high stability and the like, thereby improving the effects of sterilization and removal of agricultural chemicals and the like.

The water mist generator 100 may comprise a fan module 110 and may be adapted to direct an airflow from the intake 102 towards the outlet 113. A fan module 110 may be disposed downstream of the ozone generator 108. In embodiments of the present invention, the fan module 110 may be disposed inside or outside the

housings

101, 107.

The water mist generator 100 may have different modes of operation in which the water mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108 and the fan module 110 have different operating states. For example, in the first mode, the mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108, and the fan module 110 are all not operated, so that the mist 106 and ozone are not generated; in the second mode, the mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108 and the fan module 110 are all operated to produce the mist 106 and ozone. The water mist generator 100 may be selectively operated in a first mode or a second mode.

The water mist generator 100 is also operable in a third mode in which the water mist generator 105 and fan module 110 are active and the ozone generator 108 is inactive, thereby producing the water mist 106 but not ozone.

The water mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108, and the fan module 110 may be operated without being continuously operated to effectively sterilize or remove pesticides, etc., and thus, the water mist generating apparatus 100 may be operated without being continuously operated in the second mode, but may be operated at intervals between the first mode and the second mode based on a preset period.

A preset period includes a first mode operation time and a second mode operation time; the duration of one preset period may be selected from the range between 30 minutes and 90 minutes, and the operation time of the second mode within one preset period may be selected from the range between 3 minutes and 20 minutes.

The water mist generator 100 may include a switch assembly and a control module. The switch assembly is adapted to determine a status signal regarding the drawer 200, e.g., the switch assembly senses and outputs status signals of the drawer 200 being opened and closed. The control module (e.g. the control part 111 shown in fig. 1) is adapted to receive the status signal and to determine the operation mode of the water mist generating device 100 based on the status signal. For example, the switch assembly outputs a first signal to the control module when the drawer 200 is open, and the control module receives the first signal to place the water mist generator 100 in the first mode, i.e., the water mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108, and the fan module 110 are not operated, such that the water mist 106 and the ozone are not generated. The switch assembly outputs a second signal to the control module when the drawer 200 is closed, and the control module receives the second signal to enable the water mist generating device 100 to operate in a first mode and a second mode at intervals based on a preset period.

In a specific implementation, the water mist generating apparatus 100 may be first put into the second mode, such that once the drawer 200 is closed, the water mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108 and the fan module 110 are operated, and the generated water mist 106 and ozone may sterilize or remove pesticides and the like in time to the changed gas environment inside the drawer 200 when the drawer 200 is opened and new objects and the like that may be put into the drawer 200.

An embodiment of the invention also provides a refrigerator 10, wherein the refrigerator 10 comprises a drawer 200 positioned in the storage chamber and the water mist generating device 100. The storage compartment is, for example, a refrigerator compartment.

The water mist generating device 100 may be disposed in the drawer 200, and the ozone and the water mist generated by the water mist generating device 100 may directly flow into the drawer 200. The mist generating apparatus 100 may be installed outside the drawer 200 to prevent electric or electronic components such as power supply components and control modules in the apparatus 100 from being eroded by mist in the drawer 200, and to facilitate the extraction of the case 103 for adding water or the like. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the water mist generating device 100 is located outside the drawer 200 at the side thereof, and the air flow in the air flow passage 112 flows into the drawer 200 through the air outlet 113 (as shown by the arrow in fig. 2).

Specifically, the drawer 200 may include a housing 201 forming a storage space and an airflow inlet 202 formed on the housing 201, the airflow in the airflow channel 112 flows out of the air outlet 113 and flows into the drawer 200 through the airflow inlet 202, and the ozone and the mist 106 thus also flow into the drawer 200.

The refrigerator 10 may include a switch assembly that may be provided at the water mist generating device 100, the drawer 200, or at the water mist generating device 100 and the drawer 200, respectively, to generate status signals regarding the opening and closing of the drawer 200. The status signals include a first signal regarding the drawer 200 being opened and a second signal regarding the drawer 200 being closed.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 2, the switch assembly includes a magnetically controlled switch 114 and a magnet 203, the magnetically controlled switch 114 having a lead to output a status signal or the like. The arrangement of the magnetic switch 114 at the movable drawer 200 increases the complexity of the wiring arrangement, and therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the magnetic switch 114 is arranged at the water mist generating device 100, and the magnet 203 is arranged at the drawer 200. The state signal regarding the opening or closing of the drawer 200 can be generated by the change in the distance between the magnetically controlled switch 114 and the magnet 203 and the electromagnetic action.

The refrigerator 10 may further include a control module, which may be disposed at the water mist generating device 100 (e.g., the control part 111 shown in fig. 1), at the drawer 200, or at another location of the refrigerator. The control module is adapted to receive a first signal that the drawer 200 is open and to place the water mist generating device 100 in the first mode, i.e. the water mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108 and the fan module 110 are not active. The control module is further adapted to receive a second signal regarding the opening of the drawer 200 to cause the water mist generating device 100 to operate in a first mode and a second mode spaced apart based on a preset period, i.e. the water mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108 and the fan module 110 are all periodically inactive (i.e. in the first mode) and active (i.e. in the second mode).

One preset period includes the operating time of the first mode and the operating time of the second mode. The duration of one preset period may be selected from the range between 30 minutes and 90 minutes, and the operation time of the second mode within one preset period may be selected from the range between 3 minutes and 20 minutes.

Embodiments of the present invention also provide a method 300 of generating a water mist in a refrigerator 10 as described above. As shown in fig. 4, the method 300 includes steps S310 and S320.

In the execution of step S310, a status signal regarding the drawer 200 is determined. The status signals, which include a first signal regarding the drawer 200 being opened and a second signal regarding the drawer 200 being closed, may be determined and output according to the status of the drawer 200 sensed by the switch assembly within the refrigerator 10.

In the execution of step S320, the water mist generation device 100 is in the first mode or in the second mode based on the status signal. Wherein in the first mode, the mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108 and the fan module 110 are not operated, and in the second mode, the mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108 and the fan module 110 are operated.

Specifically, the water mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108, and the fan module 110 may be all deactivated based on a first signal that the drawer 200 is open, or the water mist generating device 100 may be operated at intervals between a first mode and a second mode based on a preset period based on a second signal that the drawer 200 is closed, i.e., the water mist generator 105, the ozone generator 108, and the fan module 110 are all periodically deactivated (i.e., in the first mode) and activated (i.e., in the second mode).

As to the specific implementation of the method 300, reference may be made to the above description of the water mist generating device 100 and the refrigerator 10 in conjunction with fig. 1 to 3, and the description thereof is omitted here.

While specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, even where only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. The characteristic examples provided in the present disclosure are intended to be illustrative, not limiting, unless differently stated. In particular implementations, the features of one or more dependent claims may be combined with those of the independent claims as technically feasible according to the actual requirements, and the features from the respective independent claims may be combined in any appropriate manner and not merely by the specific combinations enumerated in the claims.

Although the present invention is disclosed above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A water mist generating device (100), characterized by comprising:

an air flow channel (112) having an air inlet (102) and an air outlet (113);

a cartridge (103) adapted to contain water (104);

a water mist generator (105) adapted to act on the water (104) to produce a water mist (106); and

an ozone generator (108) adapted to generate ozone, wherein at least a portion of the ozone is adapted to be dissolved in the water mist (106) in the air flow channel (112).

2. A water mist generator (100) according to claim 1, comprising a housing (101, 107), wherein the air inlet (102) and the air outlet (113) are arranged on the housing (101, 107).

3. A water mist generator (100) according to claim 1, comprising a housing (101, 107), wherein the air inlet (102) is arranged on the housing (101, 107) and the air outlet (113) is arranged on a side wall of the box (103).

4. A water mist generator (100) according to claim 1, wherein the water mist generator (105) is arranged at the bottom of the box (103).

5. A water mist generator (100) according to claim 1, wherein the ozone generator (108) is located close to the air inlet (102).

6. A water mist generator (100) according to claim 1, comprising a housing (101, 107), wherein the ozone generator (108) is located outside the housing (101, 107).

7. A water mist generating device (100) according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the ozone is dissolved in the water (104).

8. A water mist generating device (100) according to claim 1, comprising a fan module (110) adapted to direct an air flow from the air inlet (102) towards the air outlet (113).

9. A water mist generator (100) according to claim 8, wherein the fan module (110) is arranged downstream of the ozone generator (108).

10. A water mist generator (100) according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that it is adapted to operate in a first mode, in which the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108) and the water mist generator (105) are not in operation, and a second mode, in which the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108) and the water mist generator (105) are in operation.

11. A water mist generating device (100) according to claim 10, further being adapted to operate in a third mode, wherein in the third mode the fan module (110) is active and the water mist generator (105) is active and the ozone generator (108) is not active.

12. A water mist generating device (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that it is adapted to operate in a manner that the first mode and the second mode are spaced apart based on a preset period.

13. A water mist generator (100) according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined period is between 30 minutes and 90 minutes.

14. A water mist generator (100) according to claim 12, wherein the operation time of the second mode within a preset period is between 3 minutes and 20 minutes.

15. A refrigerator (10) comprising a drawer (200) in a storage compartment, characterized by further comprising a water mist generating device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 14 disposed at a side of the drawer (200), wherein the air flow in the air flow channel (112) flows into the drawer (200) through the air outlet (113).

16. A refrigerator (10) as claimed in claim 15, characterized by comprising a control module and a switch assembly adapted to output a first signal to the control module when the drawer (200) is open and a second signal to the control module when the drawer (200) is closed.

17. A refrigerator (10) as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the switch assembly comprises a magnetically controlled switch (114) and a magnet (203) provided at the mist generating device (100) and the drawer (200), respectively.

18. A refrigerator (10) as claimed in claim 16 wherein the control module is adapted to receive the first signal to place the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108) and the water mist generator (105) in a first mode of non-operation.

19. A refrigerator (10) as claimed in claim 16 wherein the control module is adapted to receive the second signal to cause the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108) and the mist generator (105) to operate on a preset cycle, spaced between a first mode in which the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108) and the mist generator (105) are not in operation and a second mode in which the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108) and the mist generator (105) are in operation.

20. A refrigerator (10) as claimed in claim 19 wherein the control module is adapted to receive the second signal to cause the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108) and the water mist generator (105) to be initially in the second mode.

21. A method (300) of generating a mist (106) within the refrigerator (10) of claim 15, comprising:

determining a status signal relating to the drawer (200);

-bringing the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108) and the water mist generator (105) into a first mode of non-operation or into a second mode of operation based on the status signal.

22. The method (300) of claim 21, comprising:

determining a first signal that the drawer (200) is opened;

placing the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108), and the water mist generator (105) in the first mode based on the first signal.

23. The method (300) of claim 21, comprising:

determining a second signal that the drawer (200) is closed;

operating the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108), and the water mist generator (105) in the first mode and the second mode spaced apart based on a preset period based on the second signal.

24. The method (300) of claim 23, comprising: -causing the fan module (110), the ozone generator (108) and the water mist generator (105) to be first in the second mode based on the second signal.