JP2005308322A - Water supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water supply device for an ice making machine capable of reducing disassembling man-hours for cleaning a water purification filter, and improving bacteria elimination performance by improving photocatalytic activity of the water purification filter. <P>SOLUTION: The detachable water purification filter 43 including a photocatalytic member 41 and a light source 45 for emitting the ultraviolet ray to the neighborhood of the water purification filter 43 are mounted on a water receiving part 40 of the water supply device, and the ultraviolet ray is directly applied to the water purification filter 43 to activate a photocatalyst of the water purification filter 43, thus bacteria and molds adsorbed to the water purification filter 43 are inactivated, the bacteria eliminating performance in supplying the water can be improved, and the disassembling and cleaning man-hour can be reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a water supply apparatus that supplies water stored in a water supply container via a water supply path.

  Conventionally, as this type of water supply device, a water supply device of an ice making device configured to supply water stored in a water supply container to an ice tray via a water supply path by a water supply pump, or water stored in a water supply container by free fall There is a water supply device of an ice making device configured to supply water to an ice tray (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 6 shows a water supply device of a conventional ice making device described in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. 6, the refrigerator 1 is provided in a state in which the refrigerator compartment 2, the vegetable compartment 3, and the freezer compartment 4 are partitioned from each other by a partition plate 5 and a heat insulating partition plate 6. The water supply device 13 includes a water supply tank 14 disposed on one side wall portion of the refrigerator compartment 2 and a water supply path 15 for guiding ice-making water pumped from the water supply tank 14 to the ice-making tray 11. A detachable lid 16 is attached to the upper part of the water supply tank 14. A water supply pump unit 17 is integrally fixed to the lid portion 16 of the water supply tank 14. The pump unit 17 includes a pump unit 18 positioned so as to be provided in the concave portion 14 a of the bottom surface of the water supply tank 14, a discharge pipe 19 for discharging ice-making water discharged from the pump unit 18, and an outlet for supplying to the outside. It consists of a pipe 20. The pump 37 accommodates an impeller (not shown) attached to a disk-shaped magnet plate and is driven to rotate by a motor unit 21 provided outside. Water in the water supply tank 14 is sucked from a suction port 18a provided in the pump unit 18 and discharged to the discharge pipe 19 side. The outlet pipe 20 is opened downward, and when the water supply tank 14 is attached, the opening is disposed so as to face the inside of the upper surface opening 22 a of the water receiving portion 22. The water receiving part 22 has a funnel shape with an open upper surface, and a discharge pipe 19 having a small diameter is integrally formed at the lower part. A water supply pipe 23 that forms a water supply path is attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 19b.

  Further, a recent water supply apparatus is provided with a water purifying filter made of a photocatalyst member and activated carbon at the suction port 18a of the pump unit 18 of the present invention, and a light source such as an LED or UV lamp that emits ultraviolet light outside the water supply tank 14. There is a thing of the composition provided with.

  About the water supply apparatus of the ice making device comprised as mentioned above, the water supply operation | movement is demonstrated below.

  In the automatic ice making operation, when the motor unit 21 is driven to supply ice making water to the ice tray 11, the impeller of the pump unit 18 is driven to rotate, and the ice making water in the water supply tank 14 is supplied from the opening 18a. The water is sucked and discharged from the outlet pipe 20 to the water receiver 22 through the discharge pipe 19. In the water receiving portion 22, the ice-making water flows from the lower discharge pipe 22 b through the water supply pipe 23 while the inflowing ice-making water is stored, and the ice-making water is dripped onto the ice tray 11. By driving the pump unit 18 for a predetermined time, an appropriate amount of water is supplied into the ice tray 11.

In addition, airborne bacteria in the stored water are sterilized with a filter for water purification provided in the opening 20. Next, ultraviolet light is irradiated toward the water purification filter by an LED or UV lamp as a light source disposed outside the water supply tank 14 to activate the photocatalyst contained in the water purification filter and inactivate the sterilized bacteria. To do.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-41625

  However, in the above-described conventional configuration, in order to disassemble and clean the water purification filter, the water tank is taken out, the lid is opened, and the filter attached to the pump unit is removed. It was.

  This invention solves the said conventional subject, and it aims at providing the water supply apparatus which reduced the decomposition man-hour for the filter washing | cleaning for water purification, and improved the usability.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the water supply device of the ice making device of the present invention is provided with a water purifying filter that can be attached to and detached from the water receiving portion.

  Thereby, the filter for water purification can be taken out and washed simply by removing the water supply tank.

  The water supply device of the ice making device of the present invention can provide a water supply device that is clean and easy to use because the water receiving portion can be easily removed and cleaned.

  The invention described in claim 1 includes a water supply container, a discharge port provided in the water supply container and communicating with the outside of the water supply container, and a water receiving portion disposed below the discharge port. Since the water purifying filter is provided in the receiving portion, the water purifying filter can be taken out and washed simply by removing the water supply tank and the water receiving tray, so that a water supply device with improved usability can be provided.

  The invention according to claim 2 has a light source which is disposed in the vicinity of the filter and capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays, and the filter is adsorbed onto the filter by being directly irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the light source. Bacteria and mold are killed by ultraviolet rays, and a clean water supply device can be provided.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, since the filter includes at least a photocatalyst member, the photocatalyst member is activated by ultraviolet rays directly applied to the filter, and bacteria and molds adsorbed on the filter are prevented. It will be activated, and the water supply apparatus which improved the bacteria elimination effect can be provided.

  The invention according to claim 4 is a water supply pump provided in the water supply container, a first water supply path provided with the water supply pump and communicating with the discharge port, and a second water supply path provided in the water receiving portion. The filter is disposed between the discharge port and the second water supply path, so that when the filter is taken out for cleaning, the number of disassembling steps is reduced, and the usability at the time of cleaning is reduced. An improved water supply apparatus can be provided.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the discharge port is disposed at a lower portion of the water supply container, and is connected to the discharge port to switch outflow and sealing of water in the water supply container; By further including a driving device for driving, when the filter is taken out for cleaning, the number of disassembling steps is reduced, and a water supply device that is easy to use at the time of cleaning can be provided.

  In the invention according to claim 6, since the filter can be attached to and detached from the water receiving portion, the filter can be easily removed and cleaned simply by removing the water supply tank, and the usability during cleaning is improved. The water supply apparatus which was made can be provided.

  The invention according to claim 7 includes a control device that controls the operation of the light source, and the light source is controlled by the control device in conjunction with the operation of the water supply pump, whereby the light source is controlled by the water supply pump. Intermittent operation is performed in conjunction with operation, and a water supply device with low power consumption can be provided.

  The invention according to claim 8 includes a control device that controls the operation of the light source, and the light source is controlled by the control device in conjunction with the operation of the drive device, whereby the light source is controlled by the drive device. Intermittent operation is performed in conjunction with operation, and a water supply device with low power consumption can be provided.

  The invention according to claim 9 includes a control device that performs operation control of the light source, and the light source is controlled by the control device to be operated during water supply, so that water passes through the filter. By irradiating the filter with ultraviolet rays, bacteria and mold adsorbed on the filter can be effectively inactivated and decomposed, and impurities can be decomposed effectively.

  The invention according to claim 10 includes an operation control device that performs operation control of the light source, and the light source is controlled by the control device so as to be stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed after the completion of water supply. The filter is irradiated with ultraviolet rays for a certain period of time after water has passed through the filter, and bacteria and molds adsorbed on the filter after water supply can be sterilized.

  The invention according to claim 11 is provided with an operation control device that controls the operation of the light source, and the light source is controlled by the control device so as to be operated for a certain period of time before the start of water supply. The filter will be irradiated with ultraviolet rays for a certain period of time before passing through, and bacteria and mold that have increased on the filter will be sterilized during the stoppage of water supply, and the purification ability of the filter may be restored to near the initial state. it can.

(Embodiment 1)
1 is a cross-sectional view of a water supply device of an ice making device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the water supply pipe 31 is installed in a water supply tank 33 to guide water upward. The motor 34 is a feed pump driving unit configured in cooperation with a magnet (not shown) for transmitting power to the feed pump 32 in the feed tank 33. The water in the water supply tank 33 is set at a full water level 39, and is pumped up and flows out from the discharge port 36. Moreover, it installs so that it may extend inside and outside above the water supply pipe 31 located above the water supply pump 32, and is inserted into a slope 35 having a square planar shape and opened upward, and protrudes from the upper surface. The water pumped up by the water supply pump 32 and flowing from the discharge port 36 flows down on the slope 35 and flows out from the drain port 37. The slope 35 is detachably mounted on the upper portion of the water supply tank 33 and is covered with a lid 38. A drainage port 37 located below the slope 35 is provided above the full water level 39 of the water supply tank 33 with respect to the water supply pipe 31 that sends water pumped up by the water supply pump 32. A water receiving portion 40 is installed at the lower portion of the drainage port 37. A detachable water purifying filter 43 made of activated carbon 42 coated with a photocatalyst member 41 on the surface is disposed inside the water receiving portion 40. In addition, an ultraviolet LED is disposed as a light source 45 that emits a wavelength in the ultraviolet region in the vicinity of the upper portion of the water receiver 40, and ultraviolet rays are transmitted to the water purification filter 43 from the gap between the water supply tank 33 and the water receiver 40. Irradiated. The ice making tray 46 is poured into a pipe 47 provided at the lower part of the water receiving portion 40 to make ice.

  About the water supply apparatus of the ice making apparatus comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, when the motor 34 rotates, water in the water supply tank 33 is pumped up by the water supply pump 32, flows out from the discharge port 6 at the upper end of the water supply pipe 31 onto the slope 35, flows through the inclined portion, and flows down from the drain port 37. Then, the water is supplied to the ice tray 46 through the pipe 47 provided at the lower part of the water receiving portion 40 and is made.

  Next, operation control of the light source 45 will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a time chart of operation control of the light source 45 and the number of bacteria in the water purification filter 43. As shown in FIG. 2, the operation control of the light source 45 has a four-stage control configuration. In the first stage, the light source 45 is turned on for a predetermined time before the operation of the water supply pump 32 is started. By this first-stage ultraviolet irradiation, the bacteria in the water purification filter 43 that have increased when the light source 45 is stopped are sterilized by the photocatalyst. Next, as a second stage, the light source 45 is turned on during operation of the water supply pump 32. In this second stage, bacteria in the water passing through the water purification filter 43 are adsorbed by the water purification filter 43 and simultaneously sterilized by the photocatalyst. However, at this stage, since the bacteria adsorption rate by the water purification filter 43 is higher than the bacteria elimination rate by the photocatalyst, the number of bacteria in the water purification filter 43 increases. Next, as a third stage, the light source 45 is turned on for a certain time after the operation of the water supply pump 32 is stopped. In this third stage, the bacteria adsorbed on the water purification filter 43 in the second stage are irradiated with ultraviolet rays when the water supply is stopped, and the number of bacteria is sterilized to near the initial state of the water purification filter 43 by the photocatalyst. Thereafter, in the fourth stage, the water supply pump 32 and the light source 45 are stopped. The increase in the number of bacteria in the water purification filter 43 in the fourth stage is suppressed to a very small amount by the sterilization in the previous stage. Thereafter, the control from the first stage to the fourth stage is repeated, and the number of bacteria in the filter for water purification 43 is suppressed to a small number of bacteria.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, in the water supply device of the ice making device configured to supply the water stored in the water supply tank to the ice tray through the water supply path by the water supply pump, the photocatalyst member is provided in the water receiving portion of the water supply device. By disposing the removable water purification filter, the water purification filter can be taken out and washed only by removing the water supply tank, and the number of disassembly steps for cleaning the water purification filter will be reduced. This saves time and improves usability.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a water purification filter including a photocatalyst member in the water receiving portion of the water supply device and a light source that emits ultraviolet light in the vicinity of the water purification filter are disposed, and the water purification filter is directly irradiated with ultraviolet light. By doing so, the photocatalyst contained in the filter for water purification is activated, bacteria and molds attached to the filter for water purification are inactivated and decomposed, and the sterilization performance of the water supply can be improved.

  Further, in this embodiment, by directly irradiating the water purification filter with ultraviolet rays, the ultraviolet irradiation intensity can be suppressed lower than that of indirectly irradiating the water purification filters with ultraviolet rays, and the ultraviolet ray deterioration of the surrounding materials Can be prevented.

  Also, in this embodiment, by directly irradiating the water purification filter with ultraviolet rays, the ultraviolet irradiation time is shortened compared to the case where the water purification filters are indirectly irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and the power consumption is reduced. It can be kept low.

  In the present embodiment, the operation of the light source is linked to the operation of the water supply pump, so that the water is circulated through the water purification filter while the water is circulated, and the ultraviolet light is irradiated to the water purification filter. It is possible to effectively inactivate and decompose bacteria and molds adsorbed on the substrate, and to effectively decompose impurities, and to reduce power consumption.

  Further, in this embodiment, the light source is operated for a certain period of time after the operation of the water supply pump and after the operation is completed, so that the water purification filter is irradiated with ultraviolet rays for a predetermined time after the water flow is stopped. Thus, the bacterial count growth on the surface of the water purification filter when the light source is stopped can be kept low, and the sterilization performance of the water purification filter can be maintained high.

  Further, in the present embodiment, by operating the light source for a certain period of time before starting the operation of the water supply pump and during the operation of the water supply pump, ultraviolet light is supplied to the water purification filter for a certain period of time immediately before the water flows through the water purification filter. The number of bacteria at the start of distribution of the water purification filter can always be sterilized up to the initial number of bacteria, and the life of the water purification filter can be extended.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 is a front view of the refrigerator according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is an a arrow view and a cross-sectional view of the water supply device of the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part of the water supply apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  3, 4, and 5, the inside of the refrigerator main body 51 is partitioned into an upper refrigerator compartment 53, a middle vegetable compartment 54, and a lower freezer compartment 55 by a partition wall 52, and is arranged in the refrigerator compartment 53. Water is supplied from the water supply device 56 of the automatic ice making machine to the ice making container 58 disposed in the freezing chamber 55 through the water supply pipe 57, and the water supply device 56 is provided with a vent 60 in a water inlet 59 provided at the upper part. A water supply tank 62 detachably attached to the lid body 61 having a cover and a bottom portion of the water supply tank 62 is provided, and a holding hole 63 is provided at the center, and can be moved up and down by a holding part 64 formed in a reverse substantially concave shape. A rod 65 that is held, a biasing spring 66 that is attached to the rod 65 and biases the rod 65 downward, a discharge port 67 provided around the holding portion 64, and an outside of the discharge port 67. Cylindrical valve seat 68 And a connecting hole 70 that is connected to the lot 65 in a vertically movable manner at the center of the bottom surface. By interlocking with the rod 65, a valve body 72 having an opening / closing valve 71 that opens and closes the discharge port 67 by contacting and separating from the valve seat 68, and a driving device 73 that drives the valve body 72 via the rod 65, It consists of A water receiving part 74 is disposed below the water supply tank 62, and a removable water purifying filter 77 made of a photocatalytic member 75 and activated carbon 76 is disposed inside the water receiving part 74. The light source 78 is an LED that emits ultraviolet light, and is provided on the wall surface of the refrigerating chamber 53 in the vicinity of the water purification filter 77 that can irradiate the water purification filter 77.

  About the water supply apparatus comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, when the driving device 73 is driven, the urging spring 66 urges the rod 65 to move the rod 65 upward, opens the on-off valve 71, and water in the water supply tank 62 is supplied from the discharge port 67. Water is supplied to an ice making container 58 disposed in the freezing chamber 55 through the water receiving portion 74 disposed below the water supply tank 62 and the water supply pipe 57 to make ice.

  On the other hand, the light source 78 operates in the same manner as the operation of the driving device 73 in conjunction with the operation of the driving device 73 in the same manner as in the first embodiment of the present invention. It is done.

  The cleaning water filter 77 can be removed and cleaned simply by removing the water supply tank 62 during cleaning.

  As described above, in the water supply device of the ice making device configured to supply the water stored in the water supply tank to the ice tray by free-falling, the water purifier includes a photocatalyst member in the water receiving portion of the water supply device. The photocatalyst contained in the water purification filter is activated and is adsorbed by the water purification filter in the feed water by arranging a light source that directly irradiates the water purification filter with ultraviolet light in the vicinity of the water purification filter. The inactivated bacteria and molds are inactivated and decomposed, and the sterilization performance of the feed water can be improved.

  In addition, the water supply device of the present embodiment provides a water supply device for an ice making device with improved ease of use at the time of cleaning by easily removing and cleaning the water purification filter by making the water purification filter removable. Can do.

  In addition, the water supply device of the present embodiment controls the operation of the light source in conjunction with the operation of the drive device, so that the water purification filter is irradiated with ultraviolet rays intermittently and sterilized by the photocatalyst, and the power consumption The amount can be kept low.

  As described above, since the water supply device of the ice making device according to the present invention can improve both the sterilization performance and the usability at the time of cleaning, it can also be used for ice making devices such as household refrigerators and commercial refrigerators. Applicable.

Sectional drawing of the water supply apparatus of the ice making apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention The time chart figure of the operation control of the light source in Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and the figure showing the bacteria count change of the filter for water purification The front view of the refrigerator provided with the water supply apparatus of the ice making apparatus in Embodiment 2 of this invention The arrow a view and sectional drawing of the water supply apparatus of the ice making apparatus in Embodiment 2 of this invention The principal part enlarged view of the water supply apparatus of the ice making apparatus in Embodiment 2 of this invention Longitudinal sectional view of the overall structure of a water supply device of a conventional ice making device

Explanation of symbols

31 Water supply pipe 32 Water supply pump 33 Water supply tank (water supply container)
34 Motor 36 Discharge port 37 Discharge port 40 Water receiving part 41 Photocatalyst member 43 Filter for water purification 45 Light source 62 Water supply tank (water supply container)
67 Discharge port 71 On-off valve 74 Water receiving part 75 Photocatalyst member 77 Filter for water purification

Claims (11)

  A water supply container, a discharge opening provided in the water supply container and communicating with the outside of the water supply container, and a water receiving portion disposed below the discharge opening, and a filter for water purification is provided in the water receiving portion. Water supply equipment provided.   The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light source that is disposed in the vicinity of the filter and capable of irradiating with ultraviolet rays, and the filter is directly irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the light source.   The water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter includes at least a photocatalytic member.   A water supply pump provided in the water supply container; a first water supply path provided with the water supply pump and communicating with the discharge port; and a second water supply path provided in the water receiving portion; The water supply apparatus as described in any one of Claim 1 to 3 arrange | positioned between a discharge outlet and said 2nd water supply path | route.   The discharge port is further disposed at a lower portion of the water supply container, and further includes an open / close valve that communicates with the discharge port and switches between outflow and sealing of water in the water supply container, and a drive device that drives the open / close valve. Item 4. A water supply apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 3.   The water supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the filter is detachable from the water receiving portion.   The water supply device according to claim 2, further comprising a control device that performs operation control of the light source, wherein the light source is controlled by the control device in conjunction with operation of the water supply pump.   The water supply apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a control device that performs operation control of the light source, wherein the light source is controlled by the control device in conjunction with operation of the drive device.   The water supply device according to claim 2, further comprising a control device that performs operation control of the light source, wherein the light source is controlled by the control device to be operated during water supply.   The water supply device according to claim 2, further comprising a control device that performs operation control of the light source, wherein the light source is controlled by the control device to stop after a predetermined time has elapsed after completion of water supply.   The water supply device according to claim 2, further comprising an operation control device that performs operation control of the light source, wherein the light source is controlled by the control device so as to be operated for a predetermined time before the start of water supply.

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