JP2000220949A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sterilize or to conduct an anti-bacterial treatment merely by filling a food in a high humidity storage chamber by providing a treating water supply source for generating and storing sterilizing or anti-bacterial treating water, and supplying the water into the storage chamber and a treating water spraying device for spraying the water into the storage chamber. SOLUTION: An electrolytic tank 1 (electrolytic water manufacturer) is provided near a vegetable chamber 7. Electrode plates 2, 3 opposed through a partition wall 4 are disposed, and a DC current is supplied from a DC current source to the electrodes 2, 3 to generate acid water (pH of 2.5) at an anode chamber side 5 partitioned by the wall 4 and alkaline water (pH of 12) at a cathode chamber side 6. The acid water generated at the side 5 is guided to the chamber 7, and atomized by an ultrasonic surging unit 8 and sprayed in the chamber 7. The sprayed water dies out bacteria and the like to prevent the bacteria adhered to the food from being bred. Thus, the food can be sterilized or treated to be antibacterial by merely filling the food in the storage chamber.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator for storing vegetables, fruits and the like for a long time.
The present invention relates to a refrigerator for controlling the humidity of a vegetable room (high humidity storage room) in a high humidity area (for example, a relative humidity of 80% or more).

[0001]

2. Description of the Related Art A proposal has been made to use electrolyzed water for maintaining the freshness of food (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-163325). In this proposal, foods are immersed in acidic water or alkaline water obtained by electrolysis of water and used to maintain the freshness of foods. Further, in refrigerators that attempt to maintain the freshness of food by cooling, water is simply supplied into the refrigerator by evaporation and diffusion to achieve a predetermined high humidity state (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-217779). Using a moisture release material to achieve a predetermined high humidity state (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-1
No. 89478).

[0002]

According to a proposal using electrolyzed water for maintaining the freshness of food (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 7-163325), in order to sterilize a food with generated acidic water or alkaline water, the acidic water or the alkaline water is used. The food had to be immersed in alkaline water. Further, the processed food had to be put in a low-temperature storage to maintain the freshness. However, ordinary refrigerators do not have a sterilizing function, and those to which bacteria and mold spores adhere are low in temperature and grow at a low speed. In particular, when foods are frequently taken in and out, the chances of bacteria entering from the outside increase, and the temperature inside the refrigerator rises, so that the environment becomes easy for bacteria to proliferate.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator having a high-humidity storage chamber, wherein sterilized or antibacterial treated water is generated or preliminarily generated and stored, and the treated water is stored in a high-humidity storage room. Provided is a refrigerator including a treated water supply source for supplying the treated water to a high-humidity storage room and a treated water supply device for supplying treated water supplied from the treated water supply source to the high-humidity storage room.

[0004] That is, the present invention is designed to spray food, such as vegetables and fruits, into the refrigerator by disposing the sterilized or antibacterial treated water of the food in the humid storage room (or vegetable room) of the refrigerator. By simply placing the food in a high-humidity storage room, the food can be sterilized or antibacterial treated and the freshness can be maintained.

[0005] In the present invention, a high-humidity storage room is a low-temperature storage room maintained at a high humidity, for example, a relative humidity of 80% or more, in order to suitably store low-temperature foods, particularly vegetables and fruits, among foods cooled by a refrigerator. (Usually referred to as a vegetable room), and the temperature is usually maintained at 3-5 ° C. In the present invention, a treated water spray mechanism capable of spraying sterilized or antibacterial treated water into such a high-humidity storage chamber is provided.

[0006] Here, the bactericidal or antibacterial treated water destroys cells such as bacteria and mold spores which are easily attached to food and kills them or suppresses their growth or reproduction (sterilization or expansion). Treated water used to treat bacteria)
Specifically, acidic water, ozone water, hypochlorous acid water and the like can be mentioned as preferred treated water.

The treated water spray mechanism comprises a treated water supply source for supplying the treated water to the high humidity storage chamber, and a treatment for spraying the treated water supplied from the treated water supply source into the high humidity storage chamber. And a water spray device. As the former treated water supply source, an electrolytic cell installed near the high humidity storage room, a supply unit for supplying water (adding a small amount of salt as necessary) to the electrolytic cell, and a direct current to the electrolytic cell By supplying
A device equipped with a direct current power supply that electrolyzes water and generates acidic water as treated water on the anode side, an ozone water generation unit that is installed near a high humidity storage room and generates ozone water, A water supply unit that supplies water to the ozone generation unit; and an ozone gas supply unit that generates ozone and supplies the generated ozone to the ozone water generation unit or the water supply unit to make contact with water. An electrolytic cell installed near the wet storage chamber, a water / salt supply unit for supplying water and salt to the electrolytic cell, and a direct current supplied to the electrolytic cell to electrolyze water containing salt. And a direct current power supply for generating hypochlorous acid water as treated water on the anode side. Another example of the treated water supply source is a treated water storage tank detachably mounted on the refrigerator body to generate and store the treated water in advance and supply the treated water to the high humidity storage room. Can be Examples of the latter treated water spraying device include those equipped with an ultrasonic vibrator, mist spray, high-pressure gas spray, and the like, and preferable examples include those equipped with an ultrasonic vibrator.

The opening / closing of a refrigerator, especially a high humidity storage room (drawing / opening / closing in a drawer system, door opening / closing in a door system) can be detected by a microswitch or the like. Can also be sprayed. For example, the microswitch can be installed on the back wall of the humid storage room where the drawer abuts, on the front opening edge of the humid storage room where the door abuts or around the pivot of the door.

In order to prevent excessive moisture and dew from being generated, the moisture is permeable to the outside by installing a moisture permeable membrane on the room wall of the high humidity storage room (vegetable room) of the refrigerator, for example, the ceiling wall or the side wall. Can be exhausted. In addition, dehumidification can be prevented by installing a humidity control sheet that absorbs and releases moisture on a room wall of a high humidity storage room of a refrigerator, for example, a ceiling wall. Here, as the former moisture permeable membrane, a material obtained by coating a fiber structure with a shape memory resin is preferable. As the fiber structure, a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric composed of natural fibers or synthetic fibers alone, a blended product composed of two or more fibers, a cross-woven or cross-knitted fabric, leather, paper, and a product containing other fibers Can be used. In the present invention, the shape memory resin has a glass transition temperature of 0 to 40 ° C (at least 0 to 0 ° C).
10 ° C.), which means a polyurethane-based resin, an acrylic-based resin, a silicon-containing polymer compound or the like having a rubber region and a glass region with respect to the glass transition temperature, and is more preferably a polyurethane-based resin. As a polyurethane-based resin, for example, an organic diisocyanate and a polyalkylene ether glycol, or a polyester having a droxy group at the terminal is reacted to form a prepolymer,
The polyurethane elastomer is obtained by a known method using a chain extender such as a diamine, diol, or polyol.

The polyurethane resin thus obtained is usually applied to the present invention in the form of a solution. As the solvent for dissolving the polyurethane resin, water or a water-soluble or water-miscible solvent that can be extracted with a water-miscible solvent is suitable. For example, N, N-dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, tetrahydrofuran, tetramethylurea ,
N, N-dimethylacetamide, dioxane, butylcarbinol and the like are used alone or in combination. These solvents include ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone and water in a range not coagulating polyurethane, for example,
Even if it is mixed and used at 0% or less, there is no problem.

Next, in order to maintain the inside of the high-humidity storage room (vegetable room) at a predetermined humidity (for example, 90%), the latter moisture-release sheet discharges moisture to the outside of the high-humidity storage room or the high-humidity storage room. Specifically, it is composed of, for example, porous silica and a non-woven fabric sandwiching the silica. In the present invention, the porous silica has an average pore diameter of 50 to 150 ° at which the amount capable of absorbing moisture rapidly changes in a high humidity region.
And a sheet prepared by mixing the porous silica with a resin binder to form a humidity control layer can be used as the humidity control sheet of the present invention. The coating amount of the shape memory resin on the nonwoven fabric is preferably from 1 to 200 g / m ² .

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by this.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural explanatory view of a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a refrigerator R includes a refrigerating cycle (not shown) including a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and the like. Is cooled by forced circulation of cool air, and the sealed vegetable room 7 as a high-humidity storage room is indirectly cooled from the surroundings at a humidity of 80% or more and about 5 ° C.
Cooling down. An electrolyzer 1 (electrolyte water producing unit) is provided near the vegetable compartment 7.
The electrode plates 2 and 3 are arranged to face each other with a DC current of 0.7 to 1.5 A supplied from a DC current power supply (not shown) at 7 V DC.
Acid water (pH: 2.
5), alkaline water (pH: 12) can be generated on the cathode chamber side 6 respectively. The acidic water as the treated water generated on the anode chamber side 5 is guided to the vegetable compartment 7 of the refrigerator, and is further atomized by the ultrasonic vibrator 8 and sprayed into the vegetable compartment 7. The sprayed acidic water kills bacteria attached to the food and prevents it from growing. As a result, food spoilage can be delayed. V1 is an on-off valve for a water supply path directly connected to a water supply, V2 is an on-off valve for discharging alkaline water, and V3 is an on-off valve for an acidic water supply path. The alkaline water generated on the cathode chamber side 6 may be appropriately used for drinking, or may be used as ice making water in a freezer.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing another embodiment 2. In FIG. 2, although not shown, the ozone generating unit 9 is formed of a double glass tube, and tin foil is stretched on the inner tube on the inner tube and on the outer tube on the outer tube. Ozone can be generated by a silent discharge method by applying an AC voltage of 5 to 25 kV, and the ozone is brought into contact with water to produce ozone water as treated water. Excess ozone not dissolved in the water is exhausted from the exhaust port 10, and a honeycomb-shaped ozone decomposition catalyst (for example, manganese oxide) is installed in the exhaust port 10,
Makes ozone harmless. In this way, the generated ozone water is guided to the vegetable compartment 7 of the refrigerator. The guided ozone water is atomized by the ultrasonic vibrator 8 and sprayed into the vegetable compartment 7 as in the first embodiment. The sprayed ozone water kills bacteria attached to the food and prevents it from growing. As a result, food spoilage can be delayed. V4 is an on-off valve for a water supply path directly connected to the water supply, and V5 is an on-off valve for an ozone water supply path.

[Embodiment 3] FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing still another embodiment 3. In FIG. 3, a certain amount of salt is added to the water entering the electrolytic cell 1 by opening a salt injection valve 11. As in the first embodiment, electrode plates 2 and 3 are arranged opposite to each other via a partition wall 4 in the electrolytic cell 1, and a DC current of 0 V is applied to the electrode plates 2 and 3 by a DC current power supply (not shown) at 7V DC. By supplying 7 to 1.5 A, hypochlorous acid water as treated water is generated on the anode chamber side 5 partitioned by the partition walls 4. The hypochlorous acid water generated on the anode compartment side is led to the vegetable compartment 7 of the refrigerator. The guided hypochlorous acid solution is atomized by the ultrasonic vibrator 8 and sprayed into the vegetable compartment 7 as in the first embodiment. The sprayed hypochlorous acid water kills bacteria adhering to the food and prevents it from growing. As a result, food spoilage can be delayed. V6 is an on-off valve for a water supply path directly connected to water supply, V7 is an on-off valve for a hypochlorous acid water supply path, V8
Is an on-off valve for discharging alkaline water.

[Fourth Embodiment] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a main part of a refrigerator according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
As described above, the micro switch 12 is attached to the rear wall of the vegetable compartment 7 of the refrigerator R of the first to third embodiments, and a fixed amount (about 0.2 ml) of antibacterial water is added each time the drawer-type vegetable compartment 7 is opened and closed. Spray is performed in the chamber 7 for a certain time (about 10 seconds). Thus, when the food is added, the newly added food can be sterilized, so that the efficiency is high. In addition, although moisture comes out of the refrigerator when the door is opened and closed, it can be efficiently replenished. D1 is an outer door of a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment (not shown), and D2 is an outer door of the vegetable compartment 7.

[Fifth Embodiment] FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator according to a fifth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, a moisture permeable membrane 13 is provided on the top plate (fixed portion) 7A of the drawer-type vegetable compartment 7 of the refrigerator according to the first to third embodiments.
By installing [for example, a glass transition temperature of 0 to 10 ° C., and a polyurethane-based shape memory resin having a rubber region and a glass region with the glass transition temperature as a boundary],
The moisture permeable membrane 13 discharges moisture in the over-humidified vegetable compartment 7 to prevent dew condensation when antibacterial water is sprayed. Reference numeral 7B denotes a drawer (movable part) of the vegetable compartment 7, which can be pulled out (opened) as shown by the arrow in FIG. 8 is an ultrasonic vibrator for spraying treated water.

[Embodiment 6] FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing still another embodiment 6. As shown in FIG. 6, a humidity control sheet 14 (for example, a porous silica having a pore diameter of about 30 mm sandwiched between nonwoven fabrics) is installed on the top surface 13 of the vegetable compartment 7 of the refrigerator according to the first to third embodiments. Accordingly, when the sterilizing or antibacterial water is sprayed into the vegetable compartment 7, the humidity control sheet 14 absorbs the moisture in the vegetable compartment 7 which has become over-humidified, thereby preventing dew condensation. Further, when the humidity of the vegetable room 7 decreases, the humidity control sheet 14 releases the absorbed moisture to keep the vegetable room 7 in a high humidity state (humidity: about 90%). 7D
Is the drawer part of the vegetable room 7, 7C is the top panel (fixed part)
It is. 8 is an ultrasonic vibrator for spraying treated water.

According to the present invention, foods such as vegetables and fruits can be stored in a refrigerator at a high humidity by arranging the sterilized or antibacterial treated water of the foods in the high humidity storage room of the refrigerator. Simply put in a room, the food can be sterilized or antibacterial treated and can maintain its freshness. Specifically, acidic water as treated water generated by the electric charge of water has a bactericidal or antibacterial effect. By spraying this acidic water onto food in a high-humidity storage room of a refrigerator, bacteria adhering to the food can be obtained. Sterilization The same effect can be obtained by using water in which ozone is dissolved or hypochlorous acid water generated by electrolyzing a saline solution instead of the acidic water. By spraying the sterilizing water every time the refrigerator door is opened and closed, the bacteria that enter as the food enters and exits can be efficiently sterilized.
Excess moisture can be discharged to the outside by installing a moisture permeable membrane on the ceiling wall or side wall. In addition, by installing a humidity control sheet that absorbs and releases moisture in the refrigerator, there is an effect of preventing dew condensation and preventing food spoilage.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural explanatory view of a refrigerator showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1, showing another embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1, showing still another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory perspective view of a main part of a refrigerator showing still another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a vegetable room according to still another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 5, showing still another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Electrolytic tank 2. 2. Electrode plate (anode) 3. Electrode plate (cathode) Partition wall 5. 5. Anode compartment side (acid water generation unit) 6. Cathode compartment side (alkaline water generation section) 7. Vegetable room in refrigerator Ultrasonic transducer 9. Ozone generator 10. Exhaust port (ozone decomposition catalyst) Salt injection valve 12. Micro switch 13. 13. moisture-permeable membrane Humidity control sheet

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Yoshihiro Shimizu 22-22, Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka F-term in Sharp Corporation (reference) 4B022 LF02 LP02 LT06 4D061 DA03 DB01 DB07 DB08 DB10 EA02 EB01 EB04 EB12 EB17 EB19 FA20

Claims (12)

[Claims] In a refrigerator having a high-humidity storage room, sterilized or antibacterial treated water is generated or stored in advance and stored, and the treated water is supplied to the high-humidity storage room. A refrigerator comprising a supply source and a treated water spray device for spraying treated water supplied from the treated water supply source into a high-humidity storage room. 2. A treatment water supply source comprising: an electrolytic cell installed in the vicinity of a high-humidity storage chamber; a supply unit for supplying water to the electrolytic cell; and a DC current supplied to the electrolytic cell to supply water. And a direct current power supply for producing acid water as treated water on the anode side. 3. An ozone water generation unit installed in the vicinity of the high-humidity storage room, the ozone water generation unit for generating ozone water,
A refrigerator comprising: a water supply unit that supplies water to the ozone generation unit; and an ozone gas supply unit that generates ozone and supplies the generated ozone to the ozone water generation unit or the water supply unit to contact the water. 4. A treated water supply source comprises: an electrolytic cell installed near a high humidity storage room; a water / salt supply unit for supplying water and salt to the electrolytic cell; and a DC current supply to the electrolytic cell. A refrigerator having a direct current power supply for electrolyzing water containing salt to generate hypochlorous acid water as treated water on the anode side. 5. A refrigerator comprising a treated water spraying device installed in a high-humidity storage room and including an ultrasonic vibrator for spraying treated water supplied from a treated water supply source. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the treated water spray device is configured to operate in response to opening and closing of the high-humidity storage room. 7. The high-humidity storage room is provided with a moisture-permeable membrane on its wall capable of discharging excess water to the outside of the high-humidity storage room when the humidity in the high-humidity storage room exceeds a predetermined level. The refrigerator as described. 8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the moisture permeable membrane is formed by coating a fibrous structure with a polyurethane-based shape memory resin. 9. A humidity control in which a high-humidity storage room discharges moisture to the outside of a high-humidity storage room or absorbs moisture inside the high-humidity storage room so as to maintain the high-humidity storage room at a predetermined humidity. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a sheet. 10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the humidity control sheet comprises porous silica and a nonwoven fabric sandwiching the silica. 11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the porous silica has pores having a diameter of 50 to 150 °. 12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the treated water supply source is a treated water storage tank removably mounted on the refrigerator main body for storing previously generated treated water and supplying the treated water to a high humidity storage room. . [0001]