JP2007075242A - Cleaning device and dishwasher provided with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve deodorization, bacteria elimination and cleaning performance by using one device for many purposes in a minimum installation space. <P>SOLUTION: The dishwasher atomizes a liquid detergent and generates ozone by applying voltage to the liquid detergent fined by a fining means 16 by an electric discharge section 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cleaning device and a dishwasher for cleaning dishes and the like.

  Many dishwashers exhaust hot air outside the washing tub while drying the dishes with warm air after the washing and rinsing process. When washing dishes with strong odors such as fish or meat dishes, the odors from the dirt may adhere to other dishes during washing, or the smell may be mixed in the exhaust and cause discomfort to the user. There's a problem. In order to prevent these problems, what has been conventionally provided with a deodorizing catalyst in the ventilation path in the cleaning tank has been considered (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, it is considered that an ozone generator is provided to dissolve ozone in the cleaning water (see, for example, Patent Document 2). Further, it is considered that air containing ozone is circulated in the cleaning tank (see, for example, Patent Documents 3 and 4), and measures are taken by removing or decomposing odorous components.

Some dishwashers have a function of misting a high-concentration detergent solution and spraying it on the dishes in order to increase the penetration of the detergent against dirt. The penetration of detergent into dirt is determined by the difference in pressure inside and outside of the mist particles, and the pressure difference between inside and outside is inversely proportional to the particle size according to Laplace's formula. . For example, by reducing the mist particle size to 1/10, it is expected that the osmotic power with respect to dirt will increase 10 times.
JP-A-7-79906 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-39665 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-108066 JP 2003-144372 A

  In the conventional method using ozone generation, it is necessary to add a device for generating ozone to the dishwasher, and there is a demerit that a space corresponding to that is taken. In general, dishwashers are required to wash dishes for a large number of people at once in a limited installation space, so it is difficult to divide the space to install the ozone generator only for the purpose of deodorization. There are many cases.

  An object of the present invention is to improve deodorization, sterilization, and cleaning performance in a minimum installation space by using one device for multiple purposes.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the cleaning apparatus of the present invention refines the detergent liquid and generates ozone by applying a voltage to the atomized detergent liquid through a discharge unit.

  As a result, the cleaning performance can be improved and the deodorizing and sterilizing effects can be exhibited with a minimum installation space.

  The cleaning apparatus of the present invention can improve the cleaning performance, deodorize and sterilize in a space-saving manner.

  The first invention includes a cleaning tank that accommodates an object to be cleaned, a storage part that stores a detergent liquid to be adhered to the object to be cleaned, atomization means for atomizing the detergent liquid in the storage part, and the atomization And a finer means for refining the detergent liquid atomized by the means, and the finer means includes a discharge section that generates ozone and generates finer powder by applying a voltage to the atomized detergent liquid. Thus, by applying a positive DC voltage of about 2 kV to the discharge part, the mist of the cleaning liquid having a diameter of several μm can be miniaturized to several hundreds of nm with almost no ozone generated. Further, if necessary, the mist of the cleaning liquid can be further refined while generating ozone by applying a negative voltage of about 5 kV direct current or an alternating voltage to the discharge part.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning tank for storing an object to be cleaned, a storing part for storing a rinsing liquid to be adhered to the object to be cleaned, an atomizing means for atomizing the rinsing liquid in the storing part, and the atomizing And a finer means for refining the rinse liquid atomized by the means, and the finer means includes a discharge section that generates ozone and generates ozone by applying a voltage to the atomized rinse liquid. Thus, by applying a positive DC voltage of about 2 kV to the discharge part, the mist of the rinsing liquid can be miniaturized to several hundred nm with almost no ozone generated. If necessary, the mist of the rinsing liquid can be further miniaturized while generating ozone by applying a negative or alternating voltage of about 5 kV to the discharge part.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the first or second aspect of the present invention includes a control unit that executes a cleaning step, a rinsing step, and a drying step, and the control unit generates ozone after the drying step, thereby It can be deodorized and sterilized by generating alone, and the applied voltage is used for ozone generation more efficiently than the method of simultaneously generating mist and ozone at the same time. Since ozone of a density | concentration can be generated, the deodorizing and disinfection effect in a short time can be exhibited. In addition, it is possible to save energy consumption.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the dirt input means for inputting the type of dirt is provided in any one of the first to third inventions, and after the atomization or the miniaturization according to the set sequence by the input of the dirt input means. Or, when the dish with strong odor is cleaned by operating the discharge part in both of them, the other type of dishwashing can be performed by entering a dirt type such as “fish dirt”. Ozone is generated while performing to prevent the transfer of odor between dishes, and to perform more powerful deodorization. For example, by generating ozone in parallel with the refinement of the cleaning liquid mist, the rinsing liquid mist and the drying process, the odor can be transferred to other dishes and the exhaust odor outside the cleaning tank can be eliminated. it can.

  5th invention is fixed by providing the odor detection means which detects the odor component in a washing tank in any one of 1st-3rd invention, and operating the discharge part by the said odor detection means. Ozone can be generated from the discharge part when a malodorous component at a concentration or higher is detected, ozone generation is not required when it is unnecessary, and it is possible to shorten the time for the entire dishwashing process and to reduce energy consumption. Further, deodorization is surely performed without taking the user to input the type of dirt.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a honeycomb in which a catalyst such as a transition metal oxide is supported on the surface by providing a decomposition apparatus for decomposing ozone or an adsorption apparatus for adsorbing ozone in any one of the first to fifth aspects. After being decomposed into O ₂ by being passed through a cylindrical or porous filter, it can be exhausted outside the tank, and ozone can be removed from the humid air exhausted outside the washing tank in the drying step.

  In the seventh invention, the ozonolysis apparatus of the sixth invention includes a catalyst for decomposing ozone, so that ozone can be removed from the humid air discharged outside the washing tank in the drying process.

  An eighth invention comprises the cleaning device according to any one of the first to seventh inventions, a pump for pressurizing the cleaning liquid, and a cleaning means for injecting the cleaning water pressurized by the cleaning pump. The dishwasher makes it possible to increase the diffusion speed by further reducing the size of the atomized mist, and it diffuses and fills the washing tank and adheres to every corner of the various shaped dishes. Thus, the cleaning effect can be enhanced, the odor transfer between the dishes can be prevented, and the exhaust odor to the outside of the cleaning tank can be eliminated by deodorization.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a dishwasher including a cleaning device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the dishwasher. 1 and 2, the main body 1 of the dishwasher is configured so as to be able to be closed by a plurality of lids 3 provided with an opening 2 in the front and opening the opening 2 up and down. A cleaning nozzle (cleaning means) 7 having an injection port 6 for spraying cleaning water pressurized by a cleaning pump 5 is provided below the cleaning tank 4. A table basket 9 for storing an object to be cleaned 8 such as tableware is provided above the cleaning nozzle 7. At the bottom of the cleaning tank 4, a storage unit 11 that stores the cleaning water supplied from the water supply valve 10 is provided, and a heater (heating means) 12 that heats the stored cleaning water is disposed.

  A roller 13 is arranged at the lower part of the tableware basket 9 and a guide rail 14 is arranged on the inner wall of the washing tub 4. The tableware basket 9 is provided so as to be movable in a substantially horizontal direction with respect to the main body 1. When the body 3 is opened, it can be pulled out from the opening 2 onto the lid 3 that opens downward. Reference numeral 15 denotes a control means including a microprocessor or the like provided inside the lid 3 that opens downward, and controls the cleaning pump 5, the heater 12, and the like.

  The atomizing means 16 atomizes the cleaning liquid or the rinse liquid stored in the storage unit 17 and incorporates an ultrasonic vibrator. The atomizing means 16 encloses a liquid (antifreeze) in the container 18 and transmits the vibration of an ultrasonic vibrator (not shown) disposed in the lower part of the container 18 to the vibration surface via the liquid. The cleaning liquid or the rinse liquid stored in 17 is raised to form a water column, atomized, and atomized. The ultrasonic vibrator is provided in the container 18 to protect it from being contaminated, and the vibration surface formed in the container 18 is provided so as to be immersed in the cleaning liquid or the rinse liquid stored in the storage unit 17. ing.

  In the vicinity of the atomizing means 16, a refining means 19 for refining the mist of the cleaning liquid or the rinse liquid atomized by the atomizing means 16 is provided. The miniaturizing means 19 includes a cylindrical electrode 20 made of a metal material such as stainless steel, a discharge portion 22 made of a needle-like electrode 21 made of tungsten disposed on the inner central shaft portion of the cylindrical electrode 20, and a needle-like shape. The electrode 21 is composed of a power supply unit (not shown) for applying a high voltage, the needle electrode 21 and the power supply unit are electrically connected by a conductor (not shown), and the cylindrical electrode 20 is It is grounded by a conductor (not shown).

  In the vicinity of the atomizing means 16, a blower fan 23 is provided on the opposite side of the atomizing means 19, and the mist of the cleaning liquid or the rinse liquid atomized by the atomizing means 16 is introduced into the discharge part 22 from the inlet 24. Further, it is configured such that it is further refined from the outlet 25 and scattered into the cleaning tank 4.

  The needle electrode 21 had a diameter of 1 mm and a length of 50 mm, and the cylindrical electrode 20 had an outer diameter of 50 mm, an inner diameter of 48 mm, and a length of 35 mm. If the cylindrical diameter of the cylindrical electrode 20 is smaller than this, the frequency of electrical short-circuiting due to mist adhering to the inside of the cylindrical electrode 20 or the surface of the needle-shaped electrode 21 increases, resulting in ozone generation and The efficiency of mist refinement is reduced. When the diameter of the cylinder is larger than this, the electric field strength in the cylinder is lowered, and the efficiency of ozone generation and mist refinement is lowered.

  Ozone generation and mist refinement carried out in the present invention are assumed to be about 3 to 15 minutes. Under such conditions, those with the above dimensions functioned most efficiently. The longer the needle-like electrode 21 and the cylindrical electrode 20, the greater the speed of ozone generation and mist refinement, but there is a demerit that enlarges the entire apparatus. With respect to the operating time in the above range and the size of the cleaning tank 4, those having the above dimensions can be operated most efficiently.

  Since the miniaturized mist adheres only to an object to be cleaned having a temperature lower than that of itself, it is desirable that the cleaning liquid and the rinse liquid before being atomized be disposed near the heater 12 and kept at a relatively high temperature. For this reason, it is most reasonable to arrange the above-described washing apparatus below the washing tub 4 of the dishwasher with the heater 12.

  The discharge unit 22 has the needle electrode 21 as a high-voltage electrode and the cylindrical electrode 20 as a ground electrode, as well as a needle-shaped high voltage electrode and a needle-shaped ground electrode, a needle-shaped high voltage electrode and a plate-shaped ground electrode, It can be realized in various shapes such as plate-shaped high-voltage pole and plate-shaped grounding pole, sawtooth-shaped high-voltage pole and saw-shaped grounding pole, saw-shaped high-voltage pole and plate-shaped grounding pole, etc. The combination of a straight needle-shaped high-voltage pole and a cylindrical grounding electrode is the most practical from the viewpoint that dust derived from objects does not easily adhere.

  About the washing | cleaning apparatus comprised as mentioned above and the dishwasher provided with this washing | cleaning apparatus, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below. First, after a predetermined amount of detergent or rinsing liquid is put into the storage part 17 of the atomizing means 16, tap water is supplied through the water supply valve 10, and a high concentration detergent liquid is stored in the storage part 17. The concentration and amount of the detergent liquid can be set according to the object to be cleaned and the amount thereof, and the same applies to the case of the rinse liquid.

  Next, when a voltage is applied to the atomizing means 16, the ultrasonic vibrator vibrates in the vertical direction at a constant frequency, and a water column rises from the surface of the detergent liquid stored by this vibration energy, generating mist. The particle size of the mist at this time is 2 to 5 μm. The mist is blown by the blower fan 23, and the mist of the cleaning liquid or the rinse liquid atomized by the atomizing means 16 is introduced into the discharge unit 22 from the inlet 24.

  When a high voltage of +5 kV is applied to the needle-like electrode 21 in the discharge unit 22, the periphery of the electrode is in a high electric field state, and a charge is charged in the mist of the detergent solution that has flowed. When this amount of charge exceeds the surface tension of the mist, it splits and refines to a particle size of several tens to several hundreds of nanometers.

Thus, the mist of the detergent liquid refined by the discharge unit 22 diffuses into the cleaning tank 4 from the outlet 25. At this time, since the particle diameter of the mist is a fine mist of several tens to several hundreds of nanometers, it diffuses to every corner in the cleaning tank 4 and is to be cleaned 8 stored in the cleaning tank 4 regardless of the installation location. A fine mist of detergent liquid can be adhered to the surface. And since the mist adhering to the dirt of the article 8 to be cleaned has an internal / external pressure difference of about 30 kgf / cm ² , the osmotic force about 60 times that of the conventional one can be obtained. Due to the synergistic effect of penetrating into the interior and the surface-active action of the detergent, it is possible to make the dirt easier to peel off.

  After the mist of the fine detergent solution is scattered for a predetermined time, or after a lapse of the predetermined time with the fine mist of the detergent solution attached to the object 8 to be cleaned, the object 8 to be cleaned becomes dirty. After being easily peeled off, a cleaning liquid set to a predetermined detergent concentration is ejected from the cleaning nozzle 7 to clean the object 8 to be cleaned with high pressure. Thereafter, tap water supplied from the water supply valve 10 is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 7 to rinse the object 8 to be cleaned, and after discharging, discharges to the discharge unit 22 to generate ozone, thereby completing a series of cleaning steps.

  In this case, the applied voltage is used for ozone generation more efficiently than the method of simultaneously performing mist miniaturization and ozone generation, so it is possible to generate a higher concentration of ozone, so deodorizing in a short time. In addition to exerting a sterilizing effect, it is possible to save energy consumption.

  And by providing the said washing | cleaning apparatus in a dishwasher, a diffusion speed can be made faster by further refine | miniaturizing the atomized mist, and the washing tank 4 is diffused and filled, and various kinds of stored tableware. It can adhere to every corner and enhance the cleaning effect, can prevent the transfer of odor between dishes, and can eliminate the exhaust odor out of the cleaning tank 4 by deodorization.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the atomizing means and the atomizing means in the second embodiment of the present invention, in which the discharge part 22 of the atomizing means 19 is disposed close to the atomizing means 16. is there. Reference numeral 26 denotes a power supply unit that applies a high voltage to the needle electrode 21. The needle electrode 21 and the power supply unit 26 are electrically connected by a conductor 27, and the cylindrical electrode 20 is grounded by the conductor 27. ing. According to this configuration, the mist generated by the atomization means 16 can be directly introduced into the discharge unit 22, and can be finely and efficiently scattered in the cleaning tank 4 with a more compact configuration.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a dishwasher equipped with a washing device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and is provided with a dirt input means 28 for inputting the type of dirt in the operation section of the control means 15. . The control means 15 is configured to operate the discharge unit 19 after atomization and / or after atomization according to a set sequence in accordance with the input of the dirt input means 28.

  According to this configuration, when washing dishes with strong odors and dirt, by inputting a dirt type such as “fish dirt”, ozone is generated while performing other steps of dishwashing, It prevents the transition of odors between them and performs more powerful deodorization. For example, by generating ozone in parallel with the refinement of the cleaning liquid mist, the rinsing liquid mist and the drying process, the odor can be transferred to other dishes and the exhaust odor outside the cleaning tank can be eliminated. it can.

(Embodiment 4)
In FIG. 4, an odor detecting means 29 for detecting an odor component is provided in the cleaning tank 4. The control means 15 operates the discharge part 22 with the odor component detected by the odor detection means 29, and generates ozone from the discharge part 22 when a bad odor component of a certain concentration or more is detected. This eliminates the generation of ozone when it is not necessary, shortening the time of the whole dishwashing process and reducing energy consumption. Further, deodorization is surely performed without taking the user to input the type of dirt.

Moreover, if a decomposition device for decomposing ozone or an adsorption device for adsorbing ozone (both not shown) is provided, it can be passed through a honeycomb or porous filter carrying a catalyst such as a transition metal oxide on the surface. After being decomposed into O ₂ , it can be exhausted outside the tank, and ozone can be removed from the humid air exhausted outside the washing tank in the drying step.

  Further, if the ozone decomposing apparatus is provided with a catalyst for decomposing ozone, ozone can be removed from the humid air discharged outside the washing tank in the drying step.

  As described above, the washing apparatus according to the present invention and the dishwasher provided with the apparatus are useful in a dishwasher because they can improve the washing performance, deodorize, and disinfect bacteria in a small space.

Sectional drawing of the dishwasher provided with the washing | cleaning apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention Cross section of the main part of the dishwasher equipped with the washing device Sectional drawing of the principal part of the dishwasher provided with the washing | cleaning apparatus in Embodiment 2 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the dishwasher provided with the washing | cleaning apparatus in Embodiment 3, 4 of this invention

Explanation of symbols

1 Washing tank 5 Washing pump 7 Washing nozzle (cleaning means)
16 Atomization means 17 Reservoir 19 Refining means 20 Tubular electrode 21 Needle electrode 22 Discharge part

Claims (8)

A cleaning tank for storing an object to be cleaned, a storing part for storing a detergent liquid to be adhered to the object to be cleaned, a atomizing means for atomizing the detergent liquid in the storing part, and a detergent atomized by the atomizing means A cleaning apparatus comprising a discharge unit that generates ozone while generating a finer powder by applying a voltage to the atomized detergent liquid. A cleaning tank for storing an object to be cleaned, a storing part for storing a rinsing liquid to be adhered to the object to be cleaned, an atomizing means for atomizing the rinsing liquid in the storing part, and a rinse atomized by the atomizing means A cleaning apparatus comprising a discharge unit that generates ozone and generates ozone by applying a voltage to the atomized rinsing liquid. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that executes a cleaning step, a rinsing step, and a drying step, wherein the control unit generates ozone after the drying step. The dirt input means for inputting the type of dirt is provided, and the discharge unit is operated after atomization or after atomization according to a set sequence by the input of the dirt input means. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an odor detecting means for detecting an odor component in the cleaning tank is provided, and the discharge unit is operated by the odor detecting means. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a decomposition apparatus that decomposes ozone or an adsorption apparatus that adsorbs ozone. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the ozonolysis apparatus includes a catalyst that decomposes ozone. A dishwasher comprising: the cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, a pump for pressurizing a cleaning liquid, and a cleaning unit that jets cleaning water pressurized by the cleaning pump.