JP2011078660A - Home electrical appliance equipped with sterilization device, and sterilization method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem in home electrical appliances that excellent sterilization and deodorization effects cannot be achieved, while controlling deterioration of the members, at low cost only by using ozone. <P>SOLUTION: For example in a washing machine, an object to be sterilized (laundry) 14 is placed in an inner tub 3, moisture, which is radical material, is supplied to the object to be sterilized (the laundry) 14 with a water spray device 16, the ozone, which is another radical material, is supplied with an ozone-amount regulating means 10, and then light is irradiated with an light-irradiation device which is a radical-conversion means. Thereby, the object to be sterilized (the laundry) 14 is supplied with optimum dose of the moisture and ozone, and radicals are generated on the object to be sterilized (the laundry) 14 efficiently by the light irradiation. As a result, the excellent sterilization and deodorization effects are achieved with lower ozone concentration at low cost. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric product provided with a sterilization device in household electric products such as a washing machine, a refrigerator, an air conditioner, and an air purifier, and a method that enables sterilization and deodorization thereof.

  In recent years, deodorization and sterilization of air quality environments represented by air purifiers and air conditioners, and deodorization and sterilization of odors generated from food stored in the cabinet like refrigerators. There is a demand for deodorization and sterilization performance for household electric appliances that require sterilization performance.

  Specifically, for example, with regard to a washing machine, in the case of indoor drying, bacteria and molds are more likely to propagate in the laundry than in the case of sun drying. This tendency is conspicuous when the laundry takes time to dry, such as at high humidity such as during the rainy season or at low temperatures. Depending on the breeding situation, the laundry may give off an odor. For this reason, there is a strong demand for applying antibacterial treatment to fabrics in order to suppress the growth of bacteria and molds in homes where daily indoor drying is required.

  In response to the request for sterilization and deodorization, the following inventions have been disclosed for washing machines.

  A method has been proposed in which silver ions are dissolved in rinsing water and further irradiated with light to increase the sterilization effect of clothing in the rinsing step (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  There is also known a method of generating ozone from a discharge device and sterilizing and deodorizing clothing using this ozone. This sterilization and deodorization is performed by exposing the clothes to ozone after washing. However, since ozone hardly dissolves in water, when water is contained in clothing, the amount of ozone dissolved in clothing decreases. For this reason, the method of exposing to ozone in the dry state after a drying process from a dehydration process and advancing the disinfection and deodorization by ozone is disclosed (for example, refer patent document 2).

  In the above method, in order to perform sterilization and deodorization of clothes, it is necessary to immerse the clothes in water once for washing. Therefore, a method of performing sterilization and deodorization by exposure to ozone in a dry state without immersing a hat or a doll that is not soaked in water (for example, Patent Document 3) is also disclosed. reference).

  On the other hand, in the refrigerator, a method of disinfecting food such as vegetables by releasing ozone in a storage at a low concentration that is not harmful to the human body is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 4).

JP 2008-29560 A JP 2007-98021 A JP 2007-195896 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-114086

  However, the conventional configuration has the following problems.

  In a washing machine, the method using silver ions has a great effect of sterilization and deodorization, but there is a problem that the cost increases because silver is used.

  In the method of sterilization and deodorization by exposure to ozone, it is difficult to improve the effects of sterilization and deodorization unless ozone is used at a high concentration with ozone alone. Further, when ozone is made high in concentration, there is a problem in that deterioration of parts made of resin or the like of household electric products tends to progress and reliability cannot be ensured.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, such as washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. that have high sterilization and deodorization performance while ensuring reliability and ensuring safety at a lower cost. It is an object to provide a household electric appliance and a method for sterilizing the electric appliance.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a method for sterilizing a household electric product including the sterilization device of the present invention includes a sterilization device including an ozone amount adjusting unit, a moisture amount adjusting unit, and a radical converting unit. Using the ozone amount adjusting means and the moisture adjusting means, in the sterilization target outside the device, the amount of ozone that is a radical raw material, the amount of water is adjusted, and the radical raw material on the sterilization target is A configuration is used in which radicals are converted into radicals using radical conversion means and the sterilization target is sterilized by the action of the radicals.

  In this way, the amount of ozone, which is a radical raw material, and the amount of water are adjusted, and radicals having higher activity than ozone are generated from ozone and water by the action of radical conversion means such as light. For this reason, it is possible to increase the efficiency of sterilization and deodorization even at a low ozone concentration.

  The method for sterilizing household electrical appliances equipped with the sterilization device of the present invention eliminates sterilization by efficiently converting low-concentration ozone into more active radicals without using a large amount of expensive metals. Used for deodorization. For this reason, it is possible to obtain an effect of enabling sterilization and deodorization at low cost and high efficiency while ensuring reliability with respect to clothes, foods, and the like that are handled by household electric appliances.

Sectional block diagram of the washing machine in Embodiment 1 of this invention Standard process diagram of the washing machine Process diagram showing sterilization operation in the sterilization independent process of the washing machine Disinfection process diagram and standard process diagram of the washing machine Process diagram showing sterilization operation in dehydration process of the washing machine Process diagram showing sterilization operation in drying process of the washing machine The figure which showed each part operation time for disinfection in Embodiment 4 of this invention

1st invention is the sterilization method of the household electrical appliance provided with the sterilization device, Comprising: The sterilization device containing an ozone amount adjustment means, a water content adjustment means, and a radical conversion means, The said ozone amount adjustment means And a moisture content adjusting means, in a sterilization target outside the device, the amount of ozone, which is a radical raw material, and a moisture content are adjusted, and the radical raw material on the sterilization target is converted to the radical conversion means. It is converted into radicals and sterilized objects are sterilized by the action of the radicals. This makes it possible to efficiently generate radicals that are more active than ozone. For this reason, it is low-cost for clothes and foods handled by household electrical appliances while ensuring reliability without using a large amount of expensive metals such as silver and using low-concentration ozone. It becomes possible to perform sterilization and deodorization with high efficiency.

  According to a second invention, in particular, in the first invention, the radical conversion means is a light irradiation device. This makes it possible to easily generate radicals from ozone and water by using various industrially available light irradiation devices without the need to supply a chemical such as a bactericidal agent.

  According to a third invention, in particular, in the first or second invention, the light irradiation means is a blue light irradiation means. Since blue light has the effect of suppressing the growth of bacteria by itself, the effect of increasing the sterilization effect is obtained. Moreover, since strong light is obtained at low cost compared to ultraviolet light, there is an effect that a high sterilization rate can be obtained at low cost.

  In particular, the fourth invention is configured such that, in any one of the first to third inventions, when the radical raw material is converted into a radical using the radical conversion means, the temperature is increased. As a result, the membrane structure of the fungus, the enzyme activity, etc. fluctuate, and the resistance to radical attack decreases, so that the effect of increasing the disinfection effect is obtained.

  In particular, in a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the humidity of the space filled with ozone supplied by the ozone adjusting means and irradiated with light by the light irradiation device It is configured to be lowered by the adjusting means. As a result, ozone is converted into radicals in a space where there is no sterilization target, and it does not disappear unnecessarily without acting on the sterilization target. As a result, the effect that ozone is used more effectively is obtained.

  In a sixth aspect of the present invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, when the sterilization target is covered with water, the water is adjusted by removing the water using a moisture amount adjusting unit. It is a thing. As a result, an effect of effectively generating radicals can be obtained. The reason is considered as follows. First, let us consider a case where the amount of water in the sterilization target is high. In this case, when radical conversion means such as light acts in the vicinity of ozone on the sterilization target, ozone is efficiently converted into radicals because there is sufficient water necessary for radical generation. However, since ozone hardly dissolves in water, a small amount of ozone is adsorbed on the sterilization target. As a result, the amount of generated radicals becomes a small amount as a whole. Next, consider the case where the sterilization target is dry. Although the amount of ozone adsorbed on the sterilization target increases, the amount of radicals generated as a whole is still small because the amount of water as another radical raw material is small. On the other hand, in the present invention, excess water is removed and the amount of water is adjusted appropriately to balance the amount of ozone adsorbed and the conversion efficiency of ozone into radicals, generating radicals as a whole. The amount increases. Since this radical is generated on the sterilization target, it effectively acts on the sterilization target, and sterilization and deodorization proceed efficiently.

  In a seventh aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to sixth aspects of the invention, when the sterilization target is dry, water is supplied to the sterilization target by the moisture amount adjusting means. It is supposed to be configured. Thereby, as discussed above, the amount of ozone adsorbed and the conversion efficiency of ozone into radicals are balanced by appropriately adjusting the amount of water, and the amount of radical generation increases as a whole. Since this radical is generated on the sterilization target, it effectively acts on the sterilization target, and sterilization and deodorization proceed efficiently.

According to an eighth invention, in particular, in any one of the first to seventh inventions, the moisture amount adjusting means is a water spraying device, a dehydrating device, or a drying device. By using the water spray device, it is possible to uniformly supply an appropriate amount of water to the dried sterilization object. Further, by using a dehydrating apparatus and a drying apparatus, it is possible to remove excess water in the sterilization target without using a special apparatus. Thus, it becomes easy to adjust the water content of the sterilization target, thereby increasing the amount of radical generation in the sterilization target and improving the sterilization and deodorization efficiency.

  According to a ninth invention, in any one of the first to eighth inventions, the amount of the sterilization target is detected by a sterilization target amount detection means, and the sterilization target is detected according to the amount of the sterilization target. It is set as the structure which adjusts the moisture content of a microbe object. As a result, the accuracy of adjustment of the amount of water in the sterilized object is improved, and higher radical generation efficiency and the effect of improving the sterilization and deodorization characteristics can be obtained.

  According to a tenth invention, in particular, in any one of the first to ninth inventions, the amount of the sterilization target is detected by a sterilization target amount detection means, and the sterilization target is detected according to the amount of the sterilization target. In order to adjust the amount of ozone on the fungus object, the amount of ozone supplied by the ozone amount adjusting means is controlled. Thereby, the accuracy of the adjustment of the ozone amount in the sterilization target is improved, the excessive ozone supply is avoided, and the ozone concentration in the home appliance is suppressed from increasing. As a result, deterioration of the resin parts constituting the home appliance is suppressed, and high reliability is obtained.

  An eleventh aspect of the invention is an electric appliance for home use provided with a sterilization device, and particularly has a configuration provided with a sterilization device using the sterilization method of any one of the first to tenth inventions. . As a result, as explained in the first invention, it is possible to efficiently generate radicals having higher activity than ozone. For this reason, low-cost and high-cost products such as clothing and foods that are handled by household electrical appliances while maintaining reliability without using a large amount of expensive metal such as silver and using low-concentration ozone. It becomes possible to carry out sterilization and deodorization with efficiency.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
The most important components of the present invention are ozone generation amount adjusting means, moisture amount adjusting means, and radical converting means. Ozone and water, which are radical materials, are controlled to the optimum amount on the object to be sterilized, and the radical conversion means acts on the object to be sterilized on the object to be sterilized. It is a basic idea of the present invention to generate highly active radicals (OH radicals) to promote sterilization and deodorization.

  In particular, it is characterized in that the amount of radical generation is increased without adjusting the ozone concentration by adjusting the amount of water and causing the radical conversion means to act.

  In this embodiment, an ozone production apparatus using discharge is used as the ozone amount adjusting means. As an ozone production apparatus, for example, there are apparatuses using corona discharge, silent discharge, creeping discharge, and streamer discharge.

  Although an ultraviolet light source of 200 nm or less can be used as an ozone production apparatus, an ozone production apparatus using the above-described discharge is preferable from the viewpoint of deterioration of the resin material due to vacuum ultraviolet light.

  In addition, examples of the radical conversion means include metal ions such as silver, copper, and zinc, and high pH conditions. In this embodiment, a light irradiation device is used as the radical conversion means.

  This light irradiation apparatus is preferably capable of operating over a long period of time without supplying a special drug from the outside and without needing replacement of members. In this embodiment, a 365 nm LED is used as the light irradiation apparatus. Using.

  In addition, as described below, the moisture content adjusting means for adjusting the moisture content of the sterilization target is a water spray device for supplying moisture, and a high speed inner tank for removing water. Heat drying using a spin-drying machine, heat pump, or the like is used. In the first embodiment, a heat pump is used as one of the moisture amount adjusting means, but a drying unit using a normal heater can also be used.

  Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a washing machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a standard process diagram of the washing machine, and FIG. 3 is a sterilization operation in a sterilization independent process of the washing machine. 4 is a sterilization process diagram and standard process diagram of the washing machine, FIG. 5 is a process diagram showing a sterilization operation in the dehydration process of the washing machine, FIG. The process figure which showed the microbe elimination operation in the drying process of the washing machine is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a main body 1 of the washing machine includes an outer tub 2 and an inner tub 3 that is rotatably provided in the outer tub 2, and the outer tub 2 and the inner tub 3 include a washing tub 4. Is forming. In the vicinity of the edge of the opening 2a provided on the front side of the outer tub 2, a light irradiation device 5 as a radical conversion means is disposed. 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. For water supply to the washing tub 4, the water supply valve 8 of the water supply passage 9 is opened to supply water into the washing tub 4. Further, a water spray device 16 which is one of the moisture amount adjusting means is also arranged in the vicinity of the end peripheral edge of the opening 2 a provided on the front side of the outer tub 2.

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

  The lid 13 covers the opening 2a provided on the upward inclined surface on the front side of the outer tub 2 so as to be freely opened and closed. By opening the lid 13, the sterilization target (laundry) 14 can be taken in and out of the inner tub 3. Since the lid 13 is provided on the upward inclined surface, the sterilization target (laundry) 14 can be taken in and out without bending the waist. Therefore, the washing machine having such a configuration improves the poor workability of the washing machine in which the sterilization object (laundry) 14 is taken in and out from the opening portion that is laterally or upward.

  Further, the control device 15 performs operation control of the drain valve 7, the water supply valve 8, the motor 12, the water spray device 16, and the light irradiation device 5.

  Moreover, the heat pump unit 17 used at the time of drying and the heat absorber air path 18 and the radiator air path 19 which connect this and the outer tank 2 are arrange | positioned at the lower right part of the main body.

  Next, the sterilization method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described, but before that, a standard process in which the sterilization operation is not performed will be described.

  Hereafter, each process is demonstrated in order using FIG.

(Washing process)
In the washing step, the lid 13 is opened and the sterilization object (laundry) 14 and the detergent are put into the inner tub 3 to start the operation of the washing machine. First, a predetermined amount of water is poured into the outer tub 2 from the water supply channel 9, and the inner tub 3 is rotationally driven by the motor 12 to start the washing process. Due to the rotation of the inner tub 3, the sterilization object (laundry) 14 accommodated in the inner tub 3 is lifted in the rotation direction by the baffle 11 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the inner tub 3 and is appropriately lifted. The stirring operation of dropping from a certain height is repeated, and washing is performed by the action of tapping.

(Rinsing process)
When washing for a predetermined time is performed, the dirty washing liquid is discharged from the drainage channel 6. And the washing | cleaning liquid contained in the sterilization target object (laundry) 14 is spin-dry | dehydrated by the spin-drying | dehydration operation | movement which rotates the inner tank 3 at high speed, and water is then poured into the outer tank 2 from the water supply path 9, and the rinse process is implemented. Is done. Also in this rinsing step, the sterilization object (laundry) 14 accommodated in the inner tub 3 is lifted to the baffle 11 by the rotation of the inner tub 3, and the falling stirring operation is repeated to perform rinsing. .

  When rinsing for a predetermined time is performed, the rinsing liquid is discharged from the drainage channel 6. Then, the rinsing liquid contained in the sterilization object (laundry) 14 is dehydrated by the dehydrating operation of rotating the inner tub 3 at a high speed, and the rinsing dehydration process is completed.

(Dehydration process)
After the rinsing liquid is discharged from the drainage channel 6, the motor 12 is rotated, and the inner tub 3 is rotated at a high speed to push the water contained in the sterilization target (laundry) 14 into the outer tub 2. To dehydrate. Furthermore, a loosening operation may be performed after the dehydration operation. This operation is performed by slowly rotating the inner tub 3 after dehydration. As a result, clothing clumped by dehydration can be loosened and easily removed.

(Drying process)
After the dehydration process is completed, when the sterilization target (washing machine) 14 is taken out of the washing machine and not dried, the drying process is performed. In the state where the inner tub 3 rotates slowly, hot air is supplied from the heat pump unit 17 to the outer tub 2 and the inner tub 3 through the radiating air passage 19. The sterilization target (washing machine) 14 receives hot air while rotating together with the inner tub 3. The sterilization object (laundry) 14 emits water vapor due to the temperature rise due to the hot air, which reaches the heat pump unit through the endothermic air passage 18. The water vapor is cooled and liquefied here and discharged to the outside. Here, the discharge path of the cooled and liquefied water and the blower for circulating the hot air are omitted in FIG. 1 for simplicity.

  Next, the sterilization method of the present embodiment will be specifically described.

  The sterilization and deodorization are roughly divided into three steps: (1) a sterilization independent process, (2) a dehydration process, and (3) a drying process. In the following, description will be given in order with reference to the drawings. The independent sterilization process is a new process that is not included in the standard process described above.

(1) Disinfection and deodorization in the sterilization independent process The sterilization independent process, as the name implies, is a standard process (see Fig. 2), independent of the washing, rinsing, dehydrating and drying processes. It is possible to carry out the sterilization object (laundry) 14 without immersing it in water. This will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3.

  First, a dry sterilization target (laundry) 14 that is a sterilization target is placed in the inner tub 3. As shown in FIG. 3, at the initial stage of the independent sterilization step, water is sprayed onto the dried sterilization target (laundry) 14 by the water spray device 16 which is a moisture amount adjusting means, and the sterilization target Increase the amount of water in (laundry) 14. Subsequently, the light irradiation device 5 irradiates the sterilization object (laundry) 14 in the inner tub 3 with light. In parallel with this, ozone is supplied into the inner tank 3 by the ozone amount adjusting means 10.

  By spraying water onto the dried sterilization object (laundry) 14, the amount of water as another radical material is added to the sterilization object (laundry) 14 in addition to ozone as the radical material. Is also adequately supplied. As a result, when light is irradiated onto the sterilization target (laundry) 14 by the light irradiation device 5 that is a radical conversion means, a large amount of radicals are generated on the sterilization target (laundry) 14, Efficient disinfection and deodorization can be achieved.

  The sterilization method according to the first embodiment of the present invention is particularly effective when the sterilization target 14 is not desired to be immersed in water, for example, in the case of a doll, a stuffed animal, a hat, or the like.

  Here, the water spray device is a kind of water amount adjusting means, and is a device for supplying mist-like water. By supplying fine water, it becomes possible to supply an appropriate amount of water necessary for radical generation uniformly throughout the garment.

  As a method, there are a method in which pressurized water is passed through a fine hole, a method using an ultrasonic vibrator, and the like.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, it is also possible to implement the standard process of FIG. 2 after an independent disinfection process. In that case, higher sterilization and deodorization efficiency can be obtained.

(2) Bacteria removal and deodorization in the dehydration step Hereinafter, the operation and action will be described with reference to FIG. 1 using FIG.

  Here, the sterilization operation is carried out after the washing process and the rinsing process, but the most different from the case of the independent sterilization process is that the sterilization object (laundry) 14 is covered with a large amount of water at the initial stage of the process. It is that.

  In the sterilization in the dehydration process, unlike the sterilization in the independent sterilization process, the water content of the sterilization target is adjusted by removing the water instead of supplying water. For this reason, as the water content adjusting means, the water spray device 16 is not used, but dehydration by high-speed rotation of the inner tank 3 by the motor 12, and heat drying using the heat pump unit 17, the endothermic air passage 18 and the radiating air passage 19 are used. Then, the moisture content is adjusted by removing the moisture.

  Specifically, after the rinsing process, the ozone amount adjusting means 10 and the light irradiation device 5 are operated to supply ozone and irradiate light to the sterilization target (laundry) 14 in the inner tub 3. In parallel with this, the motor 12 is operated to rotate the inner tub 3 at a high speed, thereby removing excess water from the sterilization target (laundry) 14.

  By the above operation, water as a radical raw material remains on the sterilization object (laundry) 14, and ozone as another radical raw material is also adsorbed. In this state, since light is irradiated onto the clothes by the light irradiation device 5 that is a radical conversion means, a large amount of radicals are generated in the sterilization target (laundry) 14, and sterilization and deodorization proceed efficiently.

  Here, since dehydration by high-speed rotation of the inner tank 3 proceeds with time, effective use of light and ozone is possible by delaying the timing of light irradiation and ozone supply from the start of the dehydration process. In this case, with respect to ozone, the ozone concentration in the tank 3 is not unnecessarily high, and the effect of suppressing the deterioration of the parts made of the resin of the washing machine can be obtained.

  Further, after removing excess water from the sterilization target (laundry) 14 by high-speed operation of the inner tub 3, the inner tub 3 is rotated at a low speed, and the sterilization target (laundry) clumped by dehydration. It is also possible to perform a loosening operation by “unfastening” 14.

  During this “relaxing” operation, the light to be sterilized is uniformly applied to the sterilization target (laundry) 14, so that more uniform sterilization and deodorization can be achieved.

  Further, in the dehydration step, it is also possible to remove water by heat drying using the heat pump unit 17, the radiator air passage 19, and the heat absorber air passage 18 as the moisture amount adjusting means.

(3) Bacteria removal and deodorization in the drying step Hereinafter, the operation and action will be described with reference to FIG. 1 using FIG. 6.

  When the dehydration process is completed, in the case of dehydration without overheating, the water content is adjusted to be reduced to about 50% of the weight of the sterilization target (laundry) 14. As a result of the drying process, the water content decreases, and at the end of the drying process, the water content is almost 0% of its own weight.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, in the sterilization operation in the drying process, the moisture amount adjusting means operates from the dehydration process to the drying process.

  Specifically, the moisture amount adjusting means is constituted by dehydration by high-speed rotation of the inner tank 3 during the dehydration process, and heating by the heat pump unit 17, the radiator air path 19, and the heat absorber air path 18 during the drying process. It will consist of drying.

  As the sterilization operation, after the dehydration step, the ozone amount adjusting means 10 and the light irradiation device 5 are operated to adsorb ozone to the sterilization target (laundry) 14 in the inner tub 3 and irradiate light. To do. In parallel with this, the drying operation by the heat pump unit 17, the radiator air passage 19, and the heat absorber air passage 18 as moisture amount adjusting means is performed while slowly rotating the inner tub 3. Hot air is introduced into the inner tub 3, and due to this, the temperature of the sterilization target (laundry) 14 is increased, so that water vapor is released, and moisture is further removed by cooling and condensation of the water vapor.

  As already described, in order to generate radicals, it is necessary for the sterilization target (laundry) 14 to contain moderate water, and the optimum value is 30% of the weight of the sterilization target (laundry) 14. Degree. The water content adjustment in the dehydration process without heating is 50%, and the water content in the sterilization target (laundry) 14 is further removed by the water content adjustment in the drying process, reaching an optimal water content of about 30%. As the drying proceeds further, the water content finally becomes almost zero.

  In this way, by realizing the optimal amount of water for radical generation, ozone adsorption and light irradiation are performed on the sterilization target (laundry) 14, and thus high sterilization and deodorization efficiency are realized. .

  Furthermore, when the moisture content of the sterilization object (laundry) 14 becomes about 30%, the drying operation by the heat pump unit 17, the radiator air passage 19, and the heat absorber air passage 18 is stopped. It is also possible to start the operation of the ozone amount adjusting means 10 and the light irradiation device 5 while maintaining a constant moisture amount.

  In that case, since the sterilization operation on the sterilization target (laundry) 14 is performed with the optimum amount of water, radical generation proceeds with higher efficiency, and high sterilization and deodorization effects can be obtained.

  In this way, in the drying step, an optimal amount of water for radical generation is realized, so a large amount of radicals are generated, and a high sterilization and deodorization effect can be obtained.

In addition, in the sterilization operation in the drying step, since the treatment is performed at a high temperature, the resistance of the bacterium is reduced. This can further increase the sterilization effect.

  Furthermore, it can be removed with high efficiency by using radicals having high odor and activity that are likely to remain after drying with only ozone supply without generation of ordinary radicals.

(Embodiment 2)
The washing machine in Embodiment 2 of the present invention has a configuration in which a blue LED is used as the light irradiation device 5 in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The use of the blue LED as the light irradiation device is applied in all of the independent sterilization process, the dehydration process, and the sterilization process in the drying process. is there.

  Hereinafter, the operation and action of the washing machine according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. However, the same components as those in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The light irradiation device 5 is configured to include one or a plurality of blue LEDs.

  In order to increase the yield of oxygen atoms, which are radical raw materials by photolysis of ozone, the shorter the wavelength of light and the higher the light intensity, the better.

  Among the commercially available LEDs, those having a blue wavelength are relatively inexpensive and can obtain high-intensity light.

  Therefore, a high sterilization effect can be expected by irradiating blue visible light with ozone and moisture present on the sterilization target 14.

  Further, when the sterilization target 15 is irradiated with blue light, which is light having a short wavelength and high intensity, an effect of suppressing sterilization and bacterial growth can be obtained only by light irradiation.

  In addition, although the wavelength and area width | variety of blue LED are not specified in particular, it points out visible light LED normally 400-500 nm.

(Embodiment 3)
The washing machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention detects the weight of the sterilization target (laundry) in the first embodiment of the present invention using the sterilization target amount detection means, and removes it based on it. It has the structure which adjusts the moisture content of a microbe object (laundry).

  Hereinafter, the operation and action of the washing machine according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. However, the same components as those in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. As an example, sterilization in the independent sterilization step will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  Specifically, the amount of the sterilization target object (laundry) 14 accommodated in the inner tub 3 is estimated by detecting the torque of the forward / reverse rotational movement of the inner tub 3 from the current value.

  The washing machine according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention performs the forward / reverse rotational movement of the washing tub 4 in the previous stage of the independent sterilization process, and detects the torque of the movement, whereby the amount of ozone required in the independent sterilization process. By adjusting the amount of water and the amount of water, it is possible to avoid excessive ozone generation and water spray, create conditions suitable for radical generation, and suppress unnecessary energy consumption.

  Further, since ozone is not generated more than necessary, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of resin parts used in the washing machine.

  The adjustment of the water content of the sterilization target based on the detection of the sterilization target amount can be applied to the dehydration process and the drying process, and the same effect can be obtained.

(Embodiment 4)
In Embodiment 4 of the present invention, a refrigerator will be described as an example of a household electric product.

  In the first to third embodiments, the radical generation amount is increased by adjusting the water content of the sterilization target and by light irradiation using a light irradiation device that is a radical conversion means. In contrast, in this embodiment, in a space where there is no sterilization target, the generation of radicals due to ozone supply and light irradiation is suppressed by reducing the amount of moisture (absolute humidity) that is a radical raw material. The basic idea of the fourth embodiment is to suppress the generation of useless radicals in the space while effectively converting them into radicals on the sterilization target.

  In the fourth embodiment, the same ozone amount adjusting means and light irradiation apparatus as those in the first embodiment are used. Moreover, as a moisture content adjustment means, the humidity fall in the storage which advances after opening a refrigerator door and closing again was used.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the operation timing of each part for sterilization in Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

  The sterilization method of the present embodiment will be described using FIG.

  Here, the configuration diagram of the refrigerator is omitted because it is not complicated, but the light irradiation device and the ozone amount adjusting means, which are radical conversion means, were installed in the upper part of the refrigerator storage room.

  As can be seen from FIG. 7, once the refrigerator door is opened, air having a high absolute humidity flows from the outside at a high temperature, so that the absolute humidity in the refrigerator increases. When the door is closed again, cold air having a low absolute humidity is supplied, so that the absolute humidity in the refrigerator gradually decreases. When the absolute humidity becomes a certain value or less (time t1), the ozone amount adjusting means and the light irradiation device are activated. As this fixed value, when the storage room is a refrigerated room, the water vapor pressure is preferably 1 to 3 mmHg, and when the storage room is a vegetable room, 3 to 7 mmHg is preferable.

  By the above operation, ozone, which is a radical raw material, is adsorbed on an object to be sterilized (food), and light is irradiated to water, which is another radical material contained in the object to be sterilized (food). Radicals are generated efficiently.

  As a result, sterilization and deodorization proceed. In addition, when the sterilization target (food) is a vegetable, an effect can be obtained in which the decomposition of the remaining agricultural chemical proceeds more efficiently than when only ozone is used.

  On the other hand, what is more important at this time is that the absolute humidity in the blank space where there is no sterilization target is low. Regardless, the radical generation efficiency is reduced. Because radicals have a short lifetime, even if they occur in a space without sterilization target (food), they cannot reach the sterilization target (food). Cannot contribute.

  Therefore, suppressing the generation of radicals in a space where there is no sterilization target as described above suppresses the generation of unnecessary radicals, and as a result, suppresses unnecessary consumption of ozone due to conversion to radicals.

Thus, ozone is not wasted in a space where there is no sterilization target (food), but reaches the sterilization target and is converted to radicals, thereby obtaining the effect of further increasing the efficiency of sterilization and pesticide decomposition.

  In FIG. 7, hot and humid summer is assumed, but even in winter, although there is a difference in degree, the trend of absolute humidity change shown in FIG. 7 (the absolute humidity of the storage room decreases after the door is closed) Tend. Therefore, the sterilization method for controlling the absolute humidity of the space according to the present embodiment is effective.

  The operating time of the ozone amount adjusting means and the light irradiation device after the door is closed is determined by the time when the absolute humidity reaches a certain value. In addition to detecting the temperature and humidity, the operating time is based on the elapsed time after the door is closed. Can be determined. In addition, about a light irradiation apparatus, it is possible to use blue LED, and the effect similar to Embodiment 2 is acquired in that case.

  As described above, the sterilization method for household electric appliances equipped with the sterilization device according to the present invention is not limited to washing machines and refrigerators, but also for other household electric appliances. A sterilization method that combines adjustment or suppression of absolute humidity in an empty space without a sterilization target, ozone amount adjustment, and radical conversion means such as light can be suitably applied.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Outer tank 2a Opening part 3 Inner tank 3a Water flow port 3b Rotating shaft 4 Washing tank 5 Light irradiation device 6 Drainage path 7 Drainage valve 8 Water supply valve 9 Water supply path 10 Ozone amount adjustment means 11 Baffle 12 Motor 13 Lid 14 Sterilization Object (laundry)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Control apparatus 16 Water spray apparatus 17 Heat pump unit 18 Heat absorber air path 19 Radiator air path

Claims (11)

A sterilization device including an ozone amount adjusting unit, a water amount adjusting unit, and a radical converting unit, and using the ozone amount adjusting unit and the water amount adjusting unit, A sterilization device that adjusts a certain amount of ozone and moisture, converts the radical raw material on the sterilization target into radicals using the radical conversion means, and sterilizes the sterilization target by the action of the radicals A method for sterilizing household electrical appliances provided. The method for sterilizing household electric appliances equipped with the sterilization device according to claim 1, wherein the radical converting means is a light irradiation device. The method for sterilizing a household electric appliance provided with the sterilization device according to claim 1, wherein the light irradiation means is a blue LED. The sterilization method of the household electric appliance provided with the sterilization device of any one of Claims 1-3 which heats up, when converting a radical raw material into a radical using the said radical conversion means. The removal according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the moisture amount adjusting means lowers the humidity of a space filled with ozone supplied by the ozone adjusting means and irradiated with light by the light irradiation device. A method for sterilizing household electrical appliances equipped with a fungus device. When the said sterilization target object is covered with water, it adjusts by removing with the said water content adjustment means of the household electrical appliance provided with the sterilization device of any one of Claims 1-5 Disinfection method. The sterilization device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the sterilization target is dry, water is supplied to the sterilization target by the moisture amount adjusting unit. How to disinfect household appliances. The sterilization method for household electric appliances having the sterilization device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the moisture amount adjusting means is a water spray device, a dehydration device, or a drying device. The amount of the sterilization target is detected by a sterilization target amount detection means, and the moisture content of the sterilization target is adjusted according to the amount of the sterilization target. A method for sterilizing household electrical appliances equipped with the sterilization device described. The amount of the sterilization target is detected by the sterilization target amount detection means, and is supplied by the ozone amount adjustment means to adjust the ozone amount on the sterilization target according to the amount of the sterilization target. The sterilization method of the household electrical appliance provided with the sterilization device of any one of Claims 1-9 which controls the amount of ozone which is. Household electric appliance provided with the sanitization device of any one of Claims 1-10.