JP2008125866A - Sterilizer and sterilization method and washing machine using them - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sterilizer which shows a wide range of sterilization and antibacterial effect against bacteria and molds. <P>SOLUTION: Silver solution liquid is supplied to be in touch with the laundry by a washing tank 4 which contains the laundry and an electrolysis tank 10 in which silver ion having photoexcitation effect is eluted and added to water. Light is projected to the laundry and the silver solution liquid by LED5 to improve sterilization and antibacterial effect of the laundry. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sterilization apparatus and a sterilization device for sterilization of bacteria attached to laundry to be washed in a washing machine and tableware to be washed by a dishwasher, or sterilization of airborne bacteria in a room or a refrigerator. The present invention relates to a method and a washing machine, an air conditioner, and a refrigerator using the method.

  Conventionally, as an example of performing sterilization of an object to be processed such as laundry or antibacterial treatment in a sterilization apparatus, there is the following washing machine using antibacterial Ag (for example, see Patent Document 1). ).

  FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the washing machine described in the publication. As shown in FIG. 4, the washing machine 101 is of a fully automatic type, and the outer box 102 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has an opening 103 on the upper surface for loading the laundry to be processed. . The outer box 102 has a receiving cylinder 104 and a lid 105 on the upper surface of the opening, and is fixed with screws. The receiving cylinder 104 has an inner cylinder 106 and a pulsator 107 for stirring the object to be processed, and is configured to rotate by the action of the motor 108. When water is poured into the inner cylinder 106 and the receiving cylinder 104, it is carried out from the water channel 109 through the ion supply unit 110.

Next, the operation | movement at the time of performing disinfection and an antibacterial process to the laundry which is a to-be-processed object is demonstrated. When performing sterilization and antibacterial of the laundry, the ion supply unit 110 is controlled when water is injected from the water channel 9, and Ag is supplied in an ionic state into the water. As a result, the silver ion concentration of water becomes a predetermined concentration, and when the pulsator 107 and the inner cylinder 106 are agitated by the motor 108, silver ions adhere to the laundry and the bacteria attached to the laundry are removed. Do fungus. Further, since silver ions adhering to the laundry remain in the laundry, the laundry has an effect of suppressing the growth of bacteria even after washing (antibacterial effect).
JP 2004-105692 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, in order to antibacterial or sterilize a large amount of processing objects such as laundry, it is necessary to elute high concentration of Ag from the ion supply unit 110, and the laundry repeatedly There was a problem that the laundry would be discolored if it was continuously treated with Ag.

  Further, although sterilization with Ag is highly effective against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, there is a problem that the effect is low against other bacteria and molds.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and can sterilize and antibacterial a large amount of laundry even with a low concentration of antibacterial material, and exhibits wide sterilization and antibacterial effects against bacteria and molds. An object of the present invention is to provide a sterilization apparatus that can perform such a process.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the sterilization apparatus of the present invention includes a storage tank for storing an object to be processed, water supply means for supplying water to the object to be processed, and water supplied by the water supply means. A light-excited antibacterial material supplying means for supplying the light-excited antibacterial material and a light irradiating means for irradiating light to the object to be treated containing the water containing the light-excited antimicrobial material are provided.

  As a result, when the photoexcited antibacterial material adheres to the object to be processed and light is irradiated from the light source, the light arrival efficiency to the photoexcited antibacterial material is improved, and it becomes easy to be in an excited state. The production efficiency of active oxygen species such as hydroxy radicals or superoxide is improved. The bacteria can be decomposed by the oxidizing action of reactive oxygen species generated by the photochemical reaction together with the sterilization and antibacterial action of the photoexcited antibacterial material itself. Therefore, the synergistic effect of these treatments enables effective sterilization and antibacterial treatment of the object to be processed with a low concentration of antibacterial material. In addition, since oxidative degradation by reactive oxygen species is utilized, the antibacterial spectrum can be broadened to exert effects on bacteria and molds other than E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

  The sterilization apparatus of the present invention can effectively perform sterilization and antibacterial treatment of an object to be processed with a low concentration of antibacterial material in a short time. In addition, it can be effective against bacteria and molds other than E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage tank for storing an object to be processed, a water supply unit for supplying water to the object to be processed, and a photoexcited antibacterial material supply for supplying a photoexcited antibacterial material to water supplied by the water supply unit And a light irradiation means for irradiating light to the object to be treated containing the water added with the photoexcited antibacterial material, so that the photoexcited antibacterial substance eluted in water by contacting the light excited antibacterial material added water with the object to be treated. Photocatalyst by irradiating light from the light irradiation means to the photoexcited antibacterial material adhering to the object to be processed and the photoexcited antibacterial material added water supplied into the storage tank The electrons released by the reaction react with water molecules, and are sterilized by generating reactive oxygen species such as hydroxy radical or superoxide having a large sterilizing action. These synergistic effects can exert sterilization and antibacterial effects even at low concentrations. Furthermore, since oxidative decomposition by reactive oxygen species is used, the antibacterial spectrum can be expanded to exert effects on bacteria and molds other than Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

  In the second invention, in particular, the photoexcited antibacterial material of the first invention contains a metal element having a photoexcitation action such as Ag, Zn, or Cu by containing at least one metal element having a photoexcitation action. The antibacterial agent can be easily dissolved in water, and the antibacterial agent can be effectively adhered to an object to be treated such as clothing.

  In the third invention, in particular, the photoexcited antibacterial material supply means of the second invention has an electrolytic cell having an electrode containing at least a metal, and supplies the metal ions into water by electrolysis. Thus, the metal element having a photoexcitation action is eluted by electrolysis, so that by controlling the current, the concentration of the metal element in the rinse water can be adjusted, and the concentration of the metal element can be stably supplied.

  In particular, the fourth invention is provided with a driving means for driving the storage tank of any one of the first to third inventions, the position of the object to be processed in the storage tank is changed by the driving means, and photoexcited antibacterial By arranging the material on the surface of the object to be processed, the photoexcited antibacterial material impregnated inside the object to be processed moves to the surface and the vicinity by physical action, and at the same time, the overlapping objects to be processed are agitated and exposed. Therefore, it becomes easy to receive the light generated from the light irradiation device, and the generation of active oxygen species in the photoexcited antibacterial material is improved, so that the sterilization and antibacterial effects are improved.

The fifth aspect of the present invention is the laundry surface, in particular, when the photoexcited antibacterial material of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention is silver and the silver adhesion amount to the object to be treated is 0.001 to 0.3 μg / cm ^2. Since active oxygen species such as hydroxy radicals can be efficiently generated from Ag adhering to the bacterium, sterilization and antibacterial effects can be improved. Also, there is no problem with discoloration of clothing due to the adhered Ag.

  In the sixth invention, in particular, the photoexcited antibacterial material of the first to fourth inventions is silver, and the silver concentration in water is 0.01 to 5 ppm. Since it is possible to suppress the sterilization and the decrease in antibacterial efficiency due to the aggregation precipitation of dissolved Ag, the sterilization and antibacterial can be effectively performed.

  The seventh invention includes an impregnation step of adding a photoexcited antibacterial material-added water to the object to be processed, a light irradiation step of irradiating light to the object of processing containing the photoexcited antibacterial material-added water, and changing the position of the object to be processed A position changing step, wherein the position changing step is a sterilization method that is performed continuously or intermittently at least partially during the light irradiation step, and has a high sterilization activity such as hydroxy radical or superoxide. It is sterilized by generating oxygen species. These synergistic effects can exert sterilization and antibacterial effects even at low concentrations. Furthermore, since oxidative decomposition by reactive oxygen species is utilized, the antibacterial spectrum can be expanded to exert effects on bacteria and molds other than Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

  An eighth invention is a washing machine using the sterilization apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth inventions or the sterilization method of the seventh invention, wherein the sterilization and antibacterial of laundry are performed at the time of washing. Can be done effectively.

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

(Embodiment 1)
An embodiment in which the sterilization apparatus of the present invention is used in a washing machine will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a washing machine body 1 includes an outer tub 2 and an inner tub 3 that is rotatably disposed in the outer tub 2, and the outer tub 2 and the inner tub 3 serve as a storage tub 4. Is forming. An LED 5 (wavelength: about 350 to 660 nm) serving as a light irradiating means is disposed on the peripheral edge of the outer tub 2. One end of a drainage channel 6 is connected to the lower part of the outer tub 2, and a drainage valve 7 is connected to the drainage channel 6 to drain the washing water in the washing tub 4. Water supply to the washing tub 4 is to supply water into the washing tub 4 through the electrolytic tub 10 by opening the water supply valve 9 which is water supply means of the water supply passage 8.

  The inner tub 3 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, a large number of water passage holes communicating with the outer tub 2 are formed on the peripheral surface thereof, and baffles 11 are provided at a plurality of positions on the inner peripheral surface. A rotation axis is provided in a substantially inclined direction at the center of rotation of the inner tub 3, and the axial center direction of the inner tub 3 is inclined upward from the back side to the front side. A motor 12 that is driving means attached to the back side of the outer tub 2 is connected to the rotating shaft, and the inner tub 3 is rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions.

  The electrolytic cell 10 serving as a photoexcited antibacterial material supply means has two silver plate-like electrodes 16 in a case 15, a water inlet 17 at one end in the longitudinal direction, and a water flow at the other end. An outlet 18 is provided. Inside the case 15, two plate-like electrodes 16 are disposed facing each other along the water flow from the inlet 17 to the outlet 18, and silver as a photoexcited antibacterial material is supplied by ions. Can do. Further, a connection terminal 19 for applying a voltage is provided on a part of the electrode 16.

  When a predetermined voltage is applied to the electrode 16 in a state where water is present in the case 15, metal ions of the electrode constituent metal are eluted from the anode side of the electrode 16. In the electrolytic cell 10, elution or non-elution of metal ions can be selected depending on whether or not voltage is applied. Moreover, the elution amount of metal ions can be controlled by controlling the current and voltage application time. When an electric current is passed through the electrolytic cell 10 in one direction for a long time, the electrode on the anode side is depleted and impurities such as calcium in water are fixed as a scale on the electrode on the cathode side. Further, chlorides and sulfides of the component metals of the electrode are generated on the electrode surface. Since this causes a decrease in the performance of the electrolytic cell 10, the electrode drive circuit can be operated by reversing the polarity of the electrodes.

  The opening provided in the upward inclined surface on the front side of the outer tub 2 is covered with a lid 13 so that it can be opened and closed. By opening the lid 13, the laundry can be taken into and out of the inner tub 3 through the laundry entrance. Since the lid 13 is provided on the upward inclined surface, the laundry can be taken in and out without bending the waist, and generally the poor workability of the washing machine for taking in and out the laundry from the sideways opening is improved. is doing.

  Next, the operation will be described. When the lid 13 is opened and the laundry and detergent are put into the inner tub 3 to start the operation of the washing machine main body 1, a predetermined amount of water is poured into the outer tub 2 from the water supply path 8. The tub 3 is rotationally driven to start the washing process. As the inner tub 3 rotates, the laundry stored in the inner tub 3 is lifted in the rotating direction by the baffle 11 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the inner tub 3, and agitated to fall from a lifted appropriate height position. Since the operation is repeated, the laundry has the effect of tapping and washing.

  After the required washing time, the dirty washing liquid is discharged from the drainage channel 6, the washing liquid contained in the laundry is dehydrated by a dehydrating operation that rotates the inner tub 3 at a high speed, and then the electrolytic tub is placed in the outer tub 2. The rinsing process is carried out by pouring the water added with the silver ion water produced in 10 from the water supply channel 8. Also in this rinsing process, the laundry stored in the inner tub 3 is repeatedly swirled by the stirring operation of being lifted and dropped by the baffle 11 by the rotation of the inner tub 3.

  After the rinsing, the rinsing liquid is discharged from the drainage channel 6, and the rinsing liquid contained in the laundry is dehydrated by a dehydrating operation that rotates the inner tub 3 at a high speed, and the washing process is completed. In this rinsing dehydration process, the rinsing liquid to which the laundry and metal ion water are added is irradiated with light by the LED 5.

  In the present embodiment, a rotation axis is provided in a substantially inclined direction at the center of rotation of the inner tank 3, and the axial center direction of the inner tank 3 is inclined upward from the back side to the front side. However, a rotation axis may be provided in the substantially horizontal direction at the center of rotation of the inner tub 3, and the axial center direction of the inner tub 3 may be disposed in the substantially horizontal direction.

  Moreover, in this Embodiment, although LED is arrange | positioned at the upper-end peripheral part of the outer tank 2, you may arrange | position to the cover 13 on the substantially extension of the rotation center of the inner tank 3. FIG.

  Moreover, in the electrolytic cell 10, the electric current thru | or voltage are adjusted according to the quantity of the water of the washing tub 4 so that the silver concentration after water supply may be 0.01 ppm-5 ppm. This maintains the sterilization and antibacterial performance of the laundry. The control means 14 adjusts the silver concentration to be low when the amount of clothing or water injection is small, and to increase when the amount of laundry or water is large.

  Further, the control means 14 controls the operation of the drain valve 7, the water supply valve 9, and the motor 12, and controls the washing process and the rinsing dehydration process. Specifically, in the washing process and the rinsing dehydration process, the water pouring operation, the washing (rinsing) operation, the draining operation, and the dehydrating operation are controlled.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the rinsing dehydration step (comprising water injection, rinsing, draining, and dehydration) is performed twice, and the electrolytic cell 10 is energized during each water injection operation to supply silver to the water supply channel 9. Is dissolved in water. Moreover, light is irradiated to the water which melt | dissolved clothing and silver with LED5 at the time of water pouring, rinsing, draining, and dehydrating.

  In the present embodiment, in order to maximize the sterilization and antibacterial effect, silver was dissolved in all the rinsing dehydration steps and irradiated with light. The antibacterial and antibacterial effect can be exhibited by performing any one of them.

  Furthermore, if silver is supplied from the electrolytic cell 10 during the final water injection operation in the rinsing dehydration step, the laundry can be sterilized and antibacterial using silver most efficiently.

  The concentration of silver is an important factor in laundry sterilization and antibacterial treatment. In the case of the minimum amount of treated clothing (0.2 kg of laundry for 20 liters of water in the washing tub), 0.01 ppm can exhibit sufficient sterilization and antibacterial effects, but the amount of clothing will increase. Therefore, although the silver concentration is increased, when the silver concentration in the water is increased in the electrolytic cell 10, precipitation occurs, and this precipitation phenomenon becomes remarkable from 1 to 5 ppm and cannot be sufficiently dissolved in water. Therefore, when sterilizing efficiently, it is necessary to make it 5 ppm or less.

In order to effectively sterilize and antibacterial microorganisms such as bacteria attached to the laundry, it is necessary to generate reactive oxygen species such as hydroxy radicals by photocatalysis. To do so is the amount of silver is deposited on the laundry to ^{0.001μg / cm 2 ~0.30μg / cm 2} . This generates radicals while minimizing the waste of attached silver, and can efficiently generate reactive oxygen species such as hydroxy radicals from silver attached to the laundry surface, improving sterilization and antibacterial effects can do.

  In the present embodiment, silver is selected as the photoexcited antibacterial material, and a silver electrode is provided in the electrolytic cell 10, and the dissolution concentration in water is adjusted by electrolysis. There are also zinc, nickel, and copper. Optimum sterilization and antibacterial effects can be expected by properly using these according to the target of the microorganism to be sterilized and antibacterial. For example, zinc is effective for mold, and copper and nickel are effective for algae.

  Further, the motor 12 is started by the control means 14, the inner tub 2 is rotated, the laundry is rotated, and the water containing silver that has entered the laundry is moved to the surface by centrifugal force. It becomes easy to adhere to the surface. In addition to sterilizing bacteria attached to the laundry due to the single action of silver concentrated on the clothing surface, the silver that has moved to the surface is more susceptible to light, so the photocatalytic reaction takes place actively and hydroxy Since active oxygen species such as radicals or superoxide can be generated, the sterilization effect is improved. In addition, these synergistic effects can exhibit sterilization and antibacterial effects even at low concentrations. Furthermore, since oxidative decomposition by reactive oxygen species is utilized, the antibacterial spectrum can be expanded to exert effects on bacteria and molds other than Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

  Moreover, rotation of the inner tub 2 by the motor 12 is performed when light is irradiated, and the laundry rolls in the inner tub 2 so that light is applied to the entire laundry. The rotation or reversing operation of the inner tub 2 may be performed continuously in parallel with the light irradiation, or may be operated partly during the light irradiation, or intermittently at predetermined intervals. The laundry may be rolled.

  As described above, since the sterilization apparatus and the sterilization method according to the present invention can effectively perform sterilization and antibacterial of laundry, the sanitary apparatus and washing machine for commercial use as well as household use, tableware It can also be applied to household appliances such as washing machines.

Configuration diagram of a washing machine equipped with a sterilization apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention Perspective view of electrolytic bath of the washing machine Process diagram of the washing machine Configuration diagram of a washing machine equipped with a conventional sterilization apparatus

Explanation of symbols

1 Washing machine body 2 Outer tub 3 Inner tub 4 Washing tub (container tub)
5 LED (light irradiation means)
8 Water supply path 9 Water supply valve (water supply means)
10 Electrolysis tank (photo-excited antibacterial material supply means)
12 Motor (drive means)

Claims (8)

A storage tank for storing an object to be processed, a water supply means for supplying water to the object to be processed, a photoexcited antibacterial material supply means for supplying a photoexcited antibacterial material to the water supplied by the water supply means, and a photoexcited antibacterial material A sterilization apparatus comprising light irradiation means for irradiating light to an object to be treated containing added water. 2. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photoexcited antibacterial material contains at least one metal element having a photoexciting action. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the photoexcited antibacterial material supply means includes an electrolytic cell having an electrode containing at least a metal and supplies the metal ions into water by electrolysis. The drive means which drives a storage tank is provided, The position of the to-be-processed object in the said storage tank is changed by the said drive means, The photoexcitation antibacterial material is arrange | positioned on the surface of a to-be-processed object. The disinfection apparatus of Claim 1. The sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the photoexcited antibacterial material is silver, and the amount of silver attached to the object to be treated is 0.001 to 0.3 µg / cm ² . The sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the photoexcited antibacterial material is silver and the silver concentration in water is 0.01 to 5 ppm. An impregnation step for adding a light-excited antibacterial material-added water to the object to be processed, a light irradiation step for irradiating light to the object containing the light-excited antibacterial material-added water, and a position changing step for changing the position of the object to be processed And the sterilization method in which the position changing step is performed continuously or intermittently at least in part during the light irradiation step. A washing machine using the sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, or the sterilization method according to claim 7.