JP2008209037A - Sustained-release antibacterial agent and air conditioning device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sustained-release antibacterial agent capable of stably keeping sustained-release property for a long period without creating an insoluble matter, and to provide an air conditioning device provided with the sustained-release antibacterial agent in an indoor machine for suppressing slime generated in a drain pan. <P>SOLUTION: The sustained-release antibacterial agent prepared by making an antibacterial agent having interfacial activity, include in a gel composed of polysaccharide high polymer, is disposed in the drain pan 5 of the indoor machine 50. As the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 is prepared by mixing and heating the antibacterial agent composed of a cation surface active agent such as alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium salt, and alkyl trimethyl ammonium salt, and the polysaccharide high polymer composed of agar, agarose, agaropectin and the like or their mixture, and cooling them to turn into a gel, the antibacterial agent solving out into the drainage accumulated in the drain pan easily diffuses and permeates into the slime and floating dirt, and efficiently exerts antibacterial action. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sustained-release antibacterial agent used for the purpose of preventing slime and the like and an air conditioner using the same.

In an indoor unit of an air conditioner, during cooling operation, water vapor in the air condenses on the surface of the heat exchanger, and drain water is generated. This drain water is dripped and accumulated on a drain pan installed below the heat exchanger. The accumulated drain water is naturally discharged out of the indoor unit from the drain outlet of the drain pan, or is discharged out of the indoor unit by a drain pump installed on the drain pan.
However, complete discharge is impossible, and microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, and yeast propagate in the remaining drain water, and sticky substances (hereinafter referred to as “slime”) spread in the drain pan. Such slime clogs the drain pan outlet and drain pump, resulting in poor drainage, resulting in water leakage outside the indoor unit.
For such a problem, a sustained release slime control agent has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP-A-3-38503 (2nd page) JP 2003-286113 A (page 3-4)

In the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, a higher fatty acid ester (animal or vegetable wax) is added to benzalkonium chloride, an antibacterial agent effective for slime suppression. That is, since benzalkonium chloride is water-soluble and difficult to remain on the drain pan for a long period of time, an attempt is made to add sustained release by adding wax.
However, as benzalkonium chloride elutes, there is a problem that animal or vegetable wax flows out as an insoluble matter and may clog a drain pan drain or a drain pump. Further, there is a problem that the decrease in the elution rate of benzalkonium chloride increases as the amount of residual benzalkonium chloride decreases.

  In the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, benzalkonium chloride and silicon resin are mixed and solidified to form a sustained-release antibacterial agent. This also has a problem that the decrease in the elution rate of benzalkonium chloride increases as the amount of residual benzalkonium chloride decreases.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a sustained-release antibacterial agent capable of stably maintaining sustained release over a long period of time without generating an insoluble matter. Is. Moreover, the sustained-release antibacterial agent is disposed in an indoor unit, and an air conditioner having improved reliability by suppressing slime generated in a drain pan is provided.

  The sustained-release antibacterial agent of the present invention is characterized in that it is a gel formed by heating and cooling a mixture of an antibacterial agent having a surfactant activity and a polysaccharide polymer.

  Therefore, since the sustained-release antibacterial agent according to the present invention has a structure in which the antibacterial agent having a surfactant activity is contained in a gel composed of a polysaccharide polymer, the amount of the antibacterial agent contained can be increased. The antibacterial agent can be released and released stably over a long period of time without generating insoluble matter.

[Embodiment 1: Sustained release antibacterial agent 1]
The sustained-release antibacterial agent according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention has a configuration in which an antibacterial agent having a surfactant activity is contained in a gel composed of a polysaccharide polymer. In addition, for convenience of the following description, a slow release antibacterial agent J1, an antibacterial agent K having a surface active action, a polysaccharide polymer T, and an alphabet are appended to each name.

(Antimicrobial agent)
At this time, as the antibacterial agent K having a surface active action, a cationic surfactant such as alkyldimethylbenzylammonium salt, alkyltrimethylammonium salt, dialkyldimethylammonium salt, and alkylpyridinium salt is preferable. Here, the alkyl group is not particularly limited, but those having 12 to 16 carbon atoms are preferable. Various anions such as “Cl ⁻ , Br ⁻ , I ⁻ , NO ₃ ⁻ and SO ₄ ²⁻ ” can be used.
Also, amphoteric surfactants such as polyaminomonocarboxylic acid, monoaminomonocarboxylic acid, and alkylbetaine, or mixtures thereof can be used.

Therefore, the sustained-release antibacterial agent J1 uses the antibacterial agent K having a surface active action, so that when the antibacterial agent K eluted from the sustained-release antibacterial agent J1 diffuses into the drain water accumulated in the drain pan, It has the advantage that it can easily penetrate into slime and floating dirt formed by microorganisms and dust, and can effectively obtain antibacterial action.
In addition, when formed as a controlled release antibacterial agent J1, the content of the antibacterial agent K can be easily increased, and the antibacterial agent K is easily eluted from the inside of the controlled release antibacterial agent J1 into the water, There is also an advantage that stable release properties can be easily obtained over a long period of time without generating insoluble matter.

(Polysaccharide polymer)
Examples of the polysaccharide polymer T include agar, agarose, agaropectin, starch, amylose, amylopectin, curdlan, glucomannan, carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose, gellan gum, hydroxypropylcellulose, xanthan gum, and mixtures thereof.

(Gelation method)
In the method of forming the sustained-release antibacterial agent J1 using the polysaccharide polymer T, the antibacterial agent K and the polysaccharide polymer T are mixed and heated. You may add water or a solvent other gelling agent to a mixture as needed. At the time of heating, at least a part of the polysaccharide polymer T needs to be in a state of being dissolved in the antibacterial agent K or water or a liquid component of a solvent. By cooling this, the mixture is gelled to form the sustained-release antibacterial agent J1. The shape of the sustained-release antibacterial agent may be formed by cooling in a mold, or may be formed by cutting after gelation.

(Elution behavior)
The polysaccharide polymer T has high hydrophilicity and is well-familiar with the antibacterial agent K having a surface active action, and has an advantage that a good gel can be formed only by heating and cooling the mixture.
In addition, the gel formed in this way has high hydrophilicity, and it is difficult to inhibit the diffusion of the antibacterial agent K having a surface-active action contained when in contact with water. There are advantages that can be made. And even if the sustained-release antibacterial agent J1 formed in this way is immersed in water, it does not easily cause volume expansion (swelling) due to excessive water absorption, and thus has an advantage that it is easy to use. Furthermore, these polysaccharide polymers T have a feature that they are less likely to become nutrient sources such as bacteria when they are eluted, compared to polymers composed of proteins and the like.

[Embodiment 2: Sustained release antibacterial agent 2]
The sustained-release antibacterial agent according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention is formed by fixing a gel made of a hydrophilic linear polymer containing an antibacterial agent having a surface active action to a housing structure having an opening. In addition, for convenience of the following description, an alphabet is added to each name as a sustained-release antibacterial agent J2, an antibacterial agent K having a surfactant activity, and a hydrophilic linear molecule C.

(Hydrophilic linear polymer)
As the hydrophilic linear polymer C, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, polyacrylonitrile, poly (n-isopropylacrylamide), polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polystyrene sulfonic acid, polyhydroxylmethacrylate 2-hydroxylethyl , Homopolymers such as polyethylene glycol, copolymers with other monomers, or salts and mixtures thereof can be used.
The hydrophilic linear polymer C is preferably water-soluble, but is not necessarily water-soluble, and exhibits a hydrophilic property with a water contact angle of about 40 ° or less when a solid is formed. Good.

(Gelation method)
As a method of gelation using hydrophilic linear polymer C,
(I) a method in which a mixture of a hydrophilic linear polymer C and an antibacterial agent K is gelled by crosslinking the polymer by heating, irradiation with light, electron beam, radiation, or the like;
(Ii) After adding a crosslinking agent such as isocyanate or a radical generator such as ammonium persulfate or peroxide to the mixture, the polymer is crosslinked by heating, irradiation with light, electron beam, radiation, etc. to gel. how to,
(Iii) Alternatively, there is a method in which a polyvalent ion, an acid, or an alkali is added to form a gel.
At this time, water or a solvent may be added to the mixture of the hydrophilic linear polymer C and the antibacterial agent K as necessary.

(Case structure)
The case having an opening has a sustained-release antibacterial agent J2 when immersed in water with a sustained-release antibacterial agent J2 formed using a hydrophilic linear polymer C inside the case. Any material that does not completely cut off contact with water and that can prevent the sustained-release antibacterial agent J2 from being swollen and greatly deformed can be used. For example, a hollow object such as a box shape or a cylindrical shape, or a material made of metal, resin, or fiber such as a film, a plate, a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, or a net can be used.

(Fixing method to the housing structure)
The method for forming the sustained-release antibacterial agent J2 is:
(I) a method of fitting into a housing after gelation;
(Ii) There is also a method of performing gelation in a state where the mixture before gelation is put in a casing or in a state where the casing is contained in the mixture before gelation. In the case of (ii), there is no problem although the gel is also present outside the casing.

(Elution behavior)
Since the gel of the hydrophilic linear polymer C easily swells with water, if the swelling with water occurs, the elution rate of the antibacterial agent K having a surface active action increases. As the sustained-release antibacterial agent J2, excessive swelling is suppressed by the casing, so that the infiltration of water and the elution of the antibacterial agent K proceed in substantially equal amounts.
For this reason, as the elution of the antibacterial agent K proceeds, the moisture in the gel increases and the diffusion rate of the antibacterial agent K increases. For this reason, there is an advantage that the elution rate of the antibacterial agent K is not greatly reduced even when the antibacterial agent K remaining in the gel is reduced. Further, since the elution of the antibacterial agent K occurs from the opening of the housing, there is an advantage that the elution rate of the antibacterial agent K can be arbitrarily set by adjusting the size of the opening.

[Embodiment 3: Sustained release antibacterial agent 3]
The sustained-release antibacterial agent according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention is one in which the sustained-release antibacterial agent J1 or J2 contains a hydrophilic or water-dispersible dye. For convenience of the following description, the alphabet is appended to each name as sustained release antibacterial agent J3, antibacterial agent K having surface active action, hydrophilic or water dispersible dye S.

(Hydrophilic or water-dispersible dye)
Various hydrophilic or water-dispersible dyes S in the present invention can be used as long as they dissolve in water or become fine particles and diffuse into water. For example, various synthetic food dyes such as Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine) and Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF), various natural food dyes such as carotenoids and flavonoids, and various other fluorescent dyes can be used.
By mixing these pigments before gel formation, the sustained-release antibacterial agent J3 containing the pigment can be obtained.

(Elution behavior)
By including the hydrophilic or water acidic dye S in the controlled release antibacterial agent J1 or J2 (forming the controlled release antibacterial agent J3), the antibacterial agent K3 and the antibacterial agent K are used together with the antibacterial agent K3. Since the dye S is released into water, it can be used as a measure for the dissolution of the antibacterial agent. That is, since a pigment is present in water, it can be easily confirmed whether the antibacterial agent K is eluted or to what extent the antibacterial agent K is diffused.
Further, it is possible to obtain an indication of how much of the antibacterial agent K remains (how much the dye S remains) from the color of the sustained release antibacterial agent J3.

Furthermore, although the dye can be detected visually, a method of mechanically measuring the light absorption intensity and the fluorescence intensity is also effective. In the latter case, the elution amount and remaining amount of the antibacterial agent K can be automatically monitored. In addition, when food color is used, there is an advantage that there is no danger to the human body even when leakage occurs.
In addition, when a fluorescent dye is used, visibility is often good. It is also possible to build a system that monitors the amount of antibacterial agent K by using a fluorescent dye that is normally colorless and emits fluorescence when irradiated with ultraviolet light as excitation light, without visually knowing the presence of the dye. become.

[Embodiment 4: Sustained-release antibacterial agent 4]
In the sustained-release antibacterial agent according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention, the sustained-release antibacterial agents J1 and J2 contain an enzyme. In addition, for convenience of the following description, a slow release antibacterial agent J4, an antibacterial agent K having a surface active action, an enzyme E, and the alphabet are appended to each name.

(enzyme)
Various enzymes such as cellulase, protease, and lipase can be used as the enzyme E in the present invention. By mixing these enzymes before gel formation, it can be set as the sustained release antibacterial agent J4 containing the enzyme E.

  Antibacterial agent K has an effect of suppressing the growth of bacteria and the like, but does not have an effect of decomposing dust or dead bodies of microorganisms. These can be decomposed by adding enzyme E. That is, since the sustained-release antibacterial agent J4 can stably elute the antibacterial agent K over a long period of time, the added enzyme E can also be stably eluted over a long period of time, and the dust and microorganisms can be eluted over a long period of time. There is an advantage of decomposing dead bodies.

[Embodiment 5: Air conditioning apparatus 1]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an indoor unit that constitutes an air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an air conditioner (not shown) according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention includes an indoor unit 50, an outdoor unit (not shown), communication means for communicating fluid between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit 50, and the like. have.
The indoor unit 50 includes a fan casing 3 containing a fan (not shown), a heat exchanger 4, a drain pan 5, a mesh-like container 6 for installing the sustained-release antibacterial agent 1, a drain pump 7, and a hose 8. is set up. The drain pan 5 is provided with a gradient such that drain water flows, and the drain water flows from the gradient surface 5a toward the lowest position 5b. And the sustained release antibacterial agent 51 is installed in the lowest position 5b.

(During cooling operation)
Next, the operation in the indoor unit 50 during the cooling operation will be described. Air taken into the indoor unit 50 from the room by a fan (not shown) is sent to the heat exchanger 4 whose surface is cooled via the fan casing 3. The air sent into the heat exchanger 4 is cooled on the surface of the heat exchanger 4 and is discharged from the indoor unit 50 into the room.
Since the moisture liquefied when the moisture in the air is cooled adheres to the surface of the heat exchanger 4, the adhered moisture falls onto the drain pan 5 by its own weight as drain water. Since the drain pan 5 is provided with a gradient, the drain water flows from the gradient surface 5a toward the lowest position 5b and stays there. At this time, since the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 is installed at the lowest position 5b of the drain pan 5, the water-soluble antibacterial agent is gradually released into the staying drain water, and the generation of bacteria is suppressed. Therefore, drain water in a state where generation of bacteria is suppressed is pumped up by the drain pump 7 and discharged from the indoor unit 50 through the hose 8.

(When cooling operation is stopped)
Next, the state when the cooling operation of the indoor unit 50 is stopped will be described. At the time of stoppage, the fan (not shown) and the drain pump 7 are stopped, the drain water that has not been pumped up from the drain pan 5 and the drain water remaining in the hose 8 fall onto the drain pan 5, and the drain pan 5 Is in a stagnant state.
At this time, since the water-soluble antibacterial agent is gradually released from the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 installed on the drain pan 5, the generation of bacteria is suppressed.

(During heating operation)
Next, the operation of the indoor unit 50 during the heating operation will be described. The air taken into the indoor unit 50 from the room by a fan (not shown) is sent to the heat exchanger 4 whose surface is heated via the fan casing 3. The air sent to the heat exchanger 4 is heated on the surface of the heat exchanger 4 and is discharged from the indoor unit 50. On the surface of the heat exchanger 4, moisture in the air does not condense and adhere, and no drain water is generated.
Therefore, there is no drain water on the drain pan 5, the antibacterial agent is not released gradually from the sustained release antibacterial agent 51, and the drain pump 7 does not operate.

(When heating operation is stopped)
Next, the state when the heating operation is stopped will be described. At the time of stop, the fan (not shown) and the drain pump 7 are stopped. Since it stops in the state which does not generate | occur | produce drain water at the time of heating operation, drain water does not exist also on a drain pan, and an antimicrobial agent does not release slowly from the sustained release antimicrobial agent 51. FIG.

(Example)
Next, the sustained release antibacterial agent 51 will be described. As the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51, Examples 1 to 6 made of the composition shown in Table 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 8 were prepared.

Example 1 is a solid produced by heating a mixture of 40% by mass of benzalkonium chloride, 40% by mass of agar, and 20% by mass of water to 80 ° C. and solidifying it in a rectangular parallelepiped mold.
Example 2 is a solid state prepared by putting a mixture of 40% by mass of benzalkonium chloride, 35% by mass of glucomannan, 1% by mass of calcium hydroxide, and 24% by mass of water into a cuboid mold and solidifying at 80 ° C. It is.

In Example 3, a mixture of 60% by mass of benzalkonium chloride, 5% by mass of gellan gum, and 35% by mass of water was heated to 80 ° C., and 1% by mass of calcium hydroxide was added thereto and placed in a rectangular parallelepiped mold to solidify. It is the solid form created by making it.
In Example 4, a mixture of 40% by mass of benzalkonium chloride, 30% by mass of polyvinyl alcohol, 29% by mass of water and 1% by mass of zirconium oxide oxide was heated to 80 ° C. to form a cylindrical shape having a diameter of 4 cm and a height of 15 cm. It is a solid produced by solidifying it into a shape including the polypropylene net in the outermost package.

In Example 5, a mixture of 45% by mass of benzalkonium chloride, 25% by mass of polyvinylpyrrolidone, 27% by mass of water and 3% by mass of glyoxal was heated to 80 ° C., and formed into a cylindrical shape having a diameter of 4 cm and a height of 15 cm. It is a solid form created by solidifying a made net into a shape including the outermost package.
In Example 6, a mixture of 50% by mass of benzalkonium chloride, 20% by mass of sodium polyacrylate, 27% by mass of water, and 3% by mass of ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether was heated to 60 ° C., and had a diameter of 4 cm and a height of 15 cm. It is a solid produced by solidifying into a shape including a polypropylene net formed in a cylindrical shape in the outermost package.

Comparative example 1 is zinc pyrithione 10 mass%, agar 40 mass%, water 60 mass%, and is a sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. At this time, zinc pyrithione, which is an antibacterial agent having no surface active action, cannot be added at a high concentration, so the addition amount is 23% by mass.
Comparative Example 2 is a solid produced by heating a mixture of 40% by mass of benzalkonium chloride, 40% by mass of gelatin, and 20% by mass of water to 80 ° C. and solidifying it in a rectangular parallelepiped mold.

  In Comparative Examples 3 and 4, the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 of Examples 4 and 6 was similarly formed without a casing. Further, Comparative Examples 5 and 6 were obtained by mixing carnarbaro wax with benzalkonium chloride 10 and 40% by mass, and Comparative Examples 7 and 8 were respectively mixed with silicon and benzalkonium chloride 10 and 50% by mass. Is.

(Evaluation test)
The indoor unit 50 incorporating the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 (Examples 1 to 6, Comparative Examples 1 to 8) was installed in an office used as an air conditioner for one year from July to June of the following year. . One year later, the presence or absence of deformation of the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51, the occurrence of bacteria, mold, and yeast were evaluated.
As an evaluation method, the state of visual deformation of the shape of the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 was observed. Further, drain water remaining in the drain pan was collected, and 0.1 ml was dropped on a standard agar medium as a general bacterial culture and cultured at 36 ° C. for 2 days. In addition, 0.1 ml of fungus and yeast was dropped on PDA medium (potato dextrol agar medium) and cultured at 25 ° C. for 5 days. After culturing, the number of colonies was counted, and the case of less than 10 CFU / ml was designated as “◯”, and the case of 10 CFU / ml or more was designated as “X”.

(Evaluation results)
The evaluation results are shown in Table 1. In Examples 1 to 3, it was recognized that the shape of the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 was reduced, and in Examples 4 to 6, no change in shape was observed, and there was no change that caused any problems. . Good results were obtained for both bacterial, fungal and yeast development.
On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, there was no deformation that would cause problems with the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51, but there were many generations of bacteria, mold and yeast, and good results were not obtained.

In Comparative Example 1, generation of bacteria, fungi and yeast was observed in various areas of the drain pan, but no generation was observed in the vicinity of the sustained-release antibacterial agent 1, and an antibacterial effect was recognized. Since zinc pyrithione having no surface active action was used as the antibacterial agent, it is presumed that the diffusion and permeation action of the eluted antibacterial agent was low. This result has shown the effect of using what has surface-active action as an antibacterial agent.
Moreover, about the comparative example 2, there exists a trace which gelatin eluted, and it is guessed that the gelatin which is protein becomes a nutrient source and has the effect of promoting generation | occurrence | production of bacteria, mold, and yeast.

In Comparative Example 3, the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 swells greatly, deforms on a soft gel, and adheres to the bottom of the drain pan. In Comparative Example 4, no sustained-release antibacterial agent remaining in the solid state is observed. Also resulted in undesirable results. Bacteria, mold, and yeast were frequently generated, and good results were not obtained.
That is, in Comparative Examples 3 and 4, the shape is not maintained by swelling or dissolution of the sustained-release antibacterial agent 1. It shows high diffusibility of gel water and antibacterial agent made of hydrophilic linear polymer, but it shows that practicality cannot be obtained unless a casing having an opening is used.

In Comparative Examples 5 and 6 using carnalburrow, what was broken up into small chunks remained at the bottom of the drain pan. In any case, good results were not obtained.
In Comparative Examples 7 and 8 using silicon resin, no deformation was observed, but good results were not obtained for the generation of bacteria, mold and yeast.

(Additional test)
The sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 after evaluation used in Example 1, Example 4, and Comparative Example 8 is placed in a polyethylene container 9 shown in FIG. 2, immersed in pure water 10, and left at 30 ° C. for 1 week. did. One week later, the liquid in the polyethylene container 9 was recovered, and the concentration of benzalkonium chloride in the liquid was quantified using a gas chromatograph mass spectrum (QP-5000, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). The quantitative results are shown in Table 2.

In Table 2, the concentration of benzalkonium chloride in the liquid used in Examples 1 and 4 was higher than the concentration in the liquid used in Comparative Example 8.
From the result of this additional test, in the sustained release antibacterial agent 51 mixed with the silicone resin used in Comparative Example 8, almost no change in shape was observed, so that the dissolution of benzalkonium chloride was too small and the antibacterial effect was high. I guess it was not obtained. As a result, in Table 1, it is inferred that the bacteria (standard agar medium), mold, and yeast (TDA medium) were “x”.
Further, in Examples 1 and 4, as a result of the benzalkonium chloride remaining without being completely eluted during the period of being installed in the indoor unit 50 of the air conditioner, the concentration of benzalkonium chloride in the liquid is high. It is inferred that this was the result. As a result, in Table 1, it is inferred that the occurrence of bacteria (standard agar medium), mold, and yeast (TDA medium) became “◯”. Then, it is estimated that agar and polyvinyl alcohol are excellent in the sustained release property of benzalkonium chloride as compared with silicon resin.

  As described above, in the fifth embodiment, since the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51 is incorporated in the indoor unit 50 of the air conditioner, no slime is generated in the drain pan 5, the clogging of the drain pump 7 does not occur, and air conditioning is performed. The reliability of the apparatus can be improved.

In addition, since the air conditioning apparatus which concerns on this Embodiment 5 is above, it can rewrite as follows.
(I) Since the slow release antibacterial agent 51 is installed at the lowest position in the drain pan 5, that is, at a position where drain water is likely to stay, the generation of slime that is likely to occur in the presence of moisture is effectively suppressed. can do.
(Ii) As the installation position of the sustained-release antibacterial agent 51, the lowest position in the drain pan 5, that is, the position where the drain water is likely to stay. It goes without saying that the antibacterial agent is gradually released at the time of touching as long as it is touched and generation of slime can be suppressed.
(Iii) Although benzalkonium chloride is used as an antibacterial agent, the same effect can be expected even when quaternary ammonia salt benzethonium chloride is used.
(Iv) Although only benzalkonium chloride was used as the antibacterial agent, the same effect can be expected when mixed with a quaternary ammonia salt of benzethonium chloride or with another antibacterial agent.
(V) Benzalkonium chloride, which is an antibacterial agent, was used. For example, when an enzyme that decomposes bacteria such as lipase, protease, or cellulase is mixed, even if slime is generated in the drain pan 5, The effect of decomposing can be expected.

[Embodiment 6: Air conditioning apparatus 2]
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an indoor unit constituting the air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. 3, an air conditioner (not shown) according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention includes an indoor unit 60, an outdoor unit (not shown), communication means for communicating fluid between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit 60, and the like. have.
The indoor unit 60 includes a fan casing 3 containing a fan (not shown), a heat exchanger 4, a drain pan 5, a mesh-like container 6 for installing a sustained-release antibacterial agent 61, a drain pump 7, a hose 8, an LED From the light emitting unit 19, the LED light receiving unit 20, the visualization window 21 that can visualize the inside from the outside of the indoor unit 60, and the screws 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d for fixing the visualization window 21 to the indoor unit 60. Composed.

  The same parts as those in Embodiment 5 (FIG. 1) are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a part of the description is omitted. Further, the description of the operation in the indoor unit 60 during the cooling operation, the stop, and the heating operation is the same as the operation of the indoor unit 50 in the fifth embodiment.

(Sustained release antibacterial agent)
First, the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 in Embodiment 6 will be described. The sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 is agar mixed with benzalkonium chloride and a dye component. Here, the staining component is, for example, fluorescein, and is not limited thereto as long as it can be dyed.
Therefore, the sustained release antibacterial agent 61 is in a dyed state while having an antibacterial function. The sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 gradually releases benzalkonium chloride, which is an antibacterial component, and a staining component when immersed in drain water. When immersed in drain water for a long period of time, the dye component in the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 gradually decreases, and the color of the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 itself decreases.

(LED light emitting part, LED light receiving part)
Next, the LED light emitting unit 19 and the LED light receiving unit 20 will be described. The light emitted from the LED light emitting unit 19 is applied to the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 and received by the LED light receiving unit 20.
FIG. 4 is a correlation diagram showing the concentration of the staining component contained in the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 and the amount of light received by the LED light receiving unit 20, and the light reception by the LED light receiving unit 20 according to the staining component concentration. The amount of received light changes. When the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 is immersed in drain water, the dyed component is gradually released and reduced, so that the remaining amount of the dyed component is detected by detecting the amount of light received by the LED light receiving unit 20. Can do.
In addition, the amount of benzalkonium chloride and the amount of dye component in the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 are adjusted to equalize the sustained release rate to the drain water, and the remaining amount of dye component, that is, the amount of light received by the LED light receiving unit 20 By detecting, the benzalkonium chloride concentration in the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 can be detected. That is, it is possible to detect the life of the antibacterial action of the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 by detecting the amount of light received by the LED light receiving unit 20.

(Visualization window)
Moreover, the visualization window 21 is provided in the indoor unit 60, and the inside of the indoor unit 60 can be visually observed from the outside. Therefore, it is possible to visually determine the remaining amount of the dye component of the sustained release antibacterial agent 61, that is, the lifetime of the antibacterial action.
Further, since the visualization window 21 is attached to the indoor unit 60 with the screws 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d, the screws 22a, 22b, and 22 The sustained release antibacterial agent 61 can be easily replaced by removing the screw 22d and the screw 22d.

  In the sixth embodiment, the inside of the indoor unit 60 can be visualized as the visualization window 21, but the screws 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d are attached even if a steel plate or the like that cannot be visualized is used. Needless to say, the sustained-release antibacterial agent 61 can be easily removed and replaced. At this time, the visualization window 21 may be referred to as a “replacement window” of the sustained-release antibacterial agent.

  In the sixth embodiment, benzalkonium chloride and a dye component are mixed with agar, but crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol or the like is mixed instead of agar, or quaternary ammonia salt is chlorinated instead of benzalkonium chloride. It goes without saying that the same effect can be obtained even if benzethonium or the like is mixed or these are mixed together.

[Embodiment 7: Air conditioning apparatus 3]
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an indoor unit constituting the air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention. 5, an air conditioner (not shown) according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention includes an indoor unit 70, an outdoor unit (not shown), communication means for communicating fluid between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit 70, and the like. have.
The indoor unit 70 includes a fan casing 3 containing a fan (not shown), a heat exchanger 4, a drain pan 5, a mesh-like container 6 for installing a sustained-release antibacterial agent 71, a drain pump 7, a hose 8, and a container. 30 includes a motor 31 for moving the motor 30 up and down, and wires 32 a and 32 b connecting the motor 31 and the container 30.

  The same parts as those in Embodiment 5 (FIG. 1) are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a part of the description is omitted. Further, the description of the operation in the indoor unit 60 during the cooling operation, the stop, and the heating operation is the same as the operation of the indoor unit 50 in the fifth embodiment.

(During cooling operation)
During the cooling operation, moisture in the air is condensed and liquefied on the surface of the heat exchanger 4 and continuously dripped onto the drain pan 5, so that drain water is continuously generated. At this time, the container 30 is pulled up by driving the motor 31 so that the sustained-release antibacterial agent 71 is not immersed in the drain water. Thereby, the antibacterial agent is not released from the sustained release antibacterial agent 71 into the drain water.

(When cooling operation is stopped)
When the cooling operation is stopped, the container 30 is pulled down to the upper surface of the drain pan 5 by driving the motor 31, and the sustained-release antibacterial agent 71 is immersed in the drain water. Thereby, the antibacterial agent is gradually released from the sustained release antibacterial agent 71 into the drain water.

(During heating operation)
During the heating operation, the container 30 is pulled down to the upper surface of the drain pan 5 by driving the motor 31, and the sustained-release antibacterial agent 71 is located on the upper surface of the drain pan 5. At this time, since there is no generation of drain water, the antibacterial component is not released gradually from the sustained release antibacterial agent 71.
However, when the drain water generated during the cooling operation remains, the antibacterial component is gradually released from the sustained release antibacterial agent 71, and the generation of slime in the drain water is prevented.

(When heating operation is stopped)
When the heating operation is stopped, the container 30 is located on the upper surface of the drain pan 5, but since there is no drain water, the antibacterial component is not gradually released from the sustained release antibacterial agent 71.
However, when the drain water generated during the cooling operation remains, the antibacterial component is gradually released from the sustained release antibacterial agent 71, and the generation of slime in the drain water is prevented.

(Mechanism of slime generation)
Here, the mechanism of slime generation will be described. As described above, during the cooling operation of the indoor unit 70, moisture in the air is condensed on the surface of the heat exchanger 4 and dripped onto the drain pan 5 as drain water. For example, when the cooling operation at night or the like is stopped, microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, and yeast propagate in the drain water staying in the drain pan 5, and the sticky substance, that is, “slime” is drain pan 5. Spread inside.
During the cooling operation of the indoor unit 70, the drain water is dripped onto the drain pan 5, but since the drain pump 7 is operated, the drain water in the drain pan 5 is maintained even if the stopped drain water maintains a constant water level. Are constantly changing, so microbes are unlikely to occur. On the other hand, since no drain water is generated during heating operation, microorganisms are hardly generated.
That is, slime is most likely to occur when the drain water stays in the drain pan 5 when the cooling operation of the indoor unit 70 is stopped. However, when the drain water generated during the cooling operation remains in the drain pan 5 during the heating operation and when the heating operation is stopped, the drain water stays and slime is easily generated.

In Embodiment 7, since the container 30 is pulled down above the drain pan 5 and is not immersed in the drain water while the indoor unit 70 where slime is likely to be generated is stopped, generation of slime can be most effectively prevented.
In addition, when the drain water during the cooling operation is continuously generated and slime is hardly generated, the container 30 is pulled up above the drain water so as not to be immersed in the drain water. Sustained release of useless antibacterial agents can be prevented.

In the seventh embodiment, the sustained-release antibacterial agent 71 is positioned on the surface of the drain pan 5 during the heating operation, but may be pulled up using the motor 31.
In the seventh embodiment, the container 31 containing the sustained-release antibacterial agent 71 is moved up and down using the motor 31, but the motor 31 is not used as the means for moving up and down, and other means are used. It goes without saying that the same effect can be obtained even when using.
Further, in the seventh embodiment, the sustained-release antibacterial agent 71 is moved up and down depending on whether the indoor unit 70 is stopped or in operation, but the amount of drained water is detected using a means such as a float switch. And you may make it move the sustained release antibacterial agent 71 up and down according to the detected retention amount of drain water.

  Since the present invention has the above-described configuration and can maintain sustained release stably over a long period of time without generating insoluble matter, it can be used as a sustained-release antibacterial agent used alone or in various devices. As the sustained-release antibacterial agent to be installed, it can be widely used as various air conditioners for home use or business use.

Sectional drawing which shows the indoor unit of the air conditioning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 5 of this invention. Sectional drawing showing the container used for the additional test of the sustained release antibacterial agent shown in FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the indoor unit of the air conditioning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 6 of this invention. The correlation diagram showing the relationship between a dyeing component density | concentration and the light reception amount of a LED light-receiving part. Sectional drawing which shows the indoor unit of the air conditioning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 7 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  1: Slow release antibacterial agent, 2: indoor unit, 3: fan casing, 4: heat exchanger, 5: drain pan, 6: container, 7: drain pump, 8: hose, 9: container, 10: pure water, 19: LED light emitting unit, 20: LED light receiving unit, 21: visualization window, 22a: screw, 22b: screw, 22c: screw, 22d: screw, 31: motor, 32a: wire, 32b: wire, 50: indoor unit ( Embodiment 5), 51: Sustained release antibacterial agent (Embodiment 5), 60: Indoor unit (Embodiment 6), 61: Sustained release antibacterial agent (Embodiment 6), 70: Indoor unit ( Embodiment 7), 71: Sustained release antibacterial agent (Embodiment 7).

Claims (12)

  A sustained-release antibacterial agent characterized by being a gel formed by heating and cooling a mixture of an antibacterial agent having a surface active action and a polysaccharide polymer.   A sustained-release antibacterial agent characterized in that a gel composed of a hydrophilic linear polymer containing an antibacterial agent having a surface active action is fixed to a housing structure having an opening.   The sustained-release antibacterial agent according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a hydrophilic or water-dispersible dye.   The sustained-release antibacterial agent according to claim 1 or 2, comprising an enzyme. An indoor unit in which air blowing means for sending air, a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the air sent by the air blowing means, and a drain pan for receiving condensed water generated in the heat exchanger are provided. ,
An air conditioner, wherein the sustained-release antibacterial agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is installed in the drain pan. The drain pan has an inclined bottom surface or a bottom surface formed with a step,
The air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sustained-release antibacterial agent is installed at a lowest position of the drain pan. The sustained-release antibacterial agent is stored in a mesh container,
The air conditioner according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising a container lifting / lowering means for moving the container up and down.   The container elevating means moves the sustained-release antibacterial agent to the upper surface of the drain water accumulated in the drain pan during the cooling operation, and moves the sustained-release antibacterial agent to the surface of the drain pan during the cooling operation stop. The air conditioner according to claim 7, wherein   The air conditioner according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the container lifting / lowering means moves the sustained-release antibacterial agent up and down depending on a level of drain water staying in the drain pan.   The air conditioner according to any one of claims 7 to 9, further comprising an antibacterial agent residual detection means capable of detecting an antibacterial agent remaining in the sustained-release antibacterial agent.   An opening having a detachable door is formed in the indoor unit, and the drain pan is visible from the outside of the indoor unit when the door is installed or the door is removed. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 5 to 10.   12. The sustained-release antibacterial agent can be replaced in a state where the door is screwed to the opening and the door is removed from the opening by removing a screw. Air conditioner.

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