JP2014081197A - Reservoir and refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reservoir and a refrigerator capable of efficiently sterilizing floating fungi.SOLUTION: Cool air in a cold room 2 is taken from a cool air return port 10 into an ion generation chamber 45 arranged on the back of the cold room 2, and when voltage is applied to a needle electrode 11a arranged on an upper part of the ion generation chamber 45, plus ions and minus ions due to corona discharge are discharged approximately in parallel with cool air circulating in an arrow B2 direction, so that disappearance of ions due to collision on a wall surface is reduced, a contact period between the cool air and ions is extended because of arrival of ions to a wide range and sterilization capacity is improved.

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a storage provided with sterilizing means for sterilizing airborne bacteria in cold air in a storage chamber.

  In a conventional refrigerator, negative ions are generated by applying a negative DC high voltage to an electrode by an ion generator having a counter electrode that sucks electric charges provided in the refrigerator. The negative ions are sent into the storage chamber to suppress the growth of airborne bacteria in the storage chamber and maintain the freshness of the food (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the above conventional refrigerator, the ion generator is provided with a counter electrode facing the needle electrode. Ions released from the needle electrode in a narrow region between the needle electrode and the counter electrode are attracted to the counter electrode. Therefore, in order to send out a desired amount of ions necessary for sterilization into a room, a large blower having a high blowing capacity is required. For this reason, there existed a problem that an ion generator was complicated and enlarged by a counter electrode and a large sized fan.

  Further, when a negative voltage is charged to the needle-like electrode in order to selectively generate a large amount of negative ions, a positive charge is charged to the electric circuit. For this reason, the malfunction of the circuit due to charging and the generation amount of negative ions due to the charging of positive charges occur. In order to avoid these problems, it is necessary to connect the earth directly to the earth in order to escape the positive charge. In the case of a refrigerator for home use, it is difficult to establish the earth to the earth in all households due to construction circumstances. There was also.

JP-A-8-145545

  An object of this invention is to provide the storage and refrigerator which can sterilize planktonic bacteria efficiently. In addition, the present invention does not require grounding with the earth, can be easily installed in the home, and can easily improve the sterilization efficiency by bringing ions into contact with the floating bacteria without complicating the apparatus. And it aims at providing a refrigerator.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the storage and refrigerator of the present invention can generate positive ions such as H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and negative ions such as O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m by applying a high voltage. A positive electrode and a negative ion are emitted from the electrode to an air flow path through which air flows. The air flow path includes a storage chamber and a duct provided behind the storage chamber.

In the present invention, a high voltage is applied to an electrode having no counter electrode to generate positive ions such as H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and negative ions such as O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m , It is characterized in that positive ions and negative ions are released into an air flow path through which air flows.

The present invention also includes an ion generator that is not grounded, and a high voltage is applied to the electrode of the ion generator to add positive ions such as H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m. The negative ions are generated, and the positive ions and the negative ions are released into the air flow path through which the air flows.

The present invention also includes an ion generator that does not have a ground electrode. A high voltage is applied to the electrode of the ion generator to add positive ions such as H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O). ) It is characterized by generating negative ions such as _m .

  Further, according to the present invention, in the storage of each configuration described above, at least one storage chamber is provided, the air flow path includes at least one of the storage chambers, and positive ions and negative ions are released to the storage chamber. It is characterized by.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that the floating bacteria in the air flow path are sterilized by active species generated from positive ions and negative ions in the storage of each of the above-described configurations.

  According to the present invention, in the storage having the above-described configuration, at least one storage chamber is provided, a duct for guiding air to at least one of the storage chambers is provided, and the electrode is disposed in the duct. .

  According to the present invention, in the storage having the above-described configuration, the electrode is formed of a flat plate, and a needle-like protrusion is protruded from a part thereof. There may be a plurality of needle-like protrusions, and it is further preferable that the needle-like protrusions are arranged in different directions.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the storage of each configuration described above, more negative ions are released than the positive ions into the air flow path.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the storage having the above-described configuration, positive ions and negative ions are alternately generated by applying an AC voltage to the electrodes. The absolute value of the peak voltage of the AC voltage is preferably 1.8 kV or more, and the voltage width is more preferably between 3.6 kVp-p and 5 kVp-p. Also, the continuous application time of AC voltage was made shorter than the time for the sterilization rate to reach equilibrium.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the storage having the above-described configuration includes a plurality of the electrodes, and a positive voltage is applied to one electrode and a negative voltage is applied to the other electrode.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that positive ions and negative ions are released in a direction reverse to the flow of cool air, in a forward direction, or in a direction perpendicular to the cold air flow.

  Further, the present invention provides a storage device having each of the above-described configurations, wherein at least an electrode of an ion generator that generates positive ions and negative ions and an attachment device that decomposes or adsorbs at least one of an odorous substance or ozone in an air flow path. Arranged. It is further preferable that the adhesion device is provided in the effective discharge region of the electrode.

  According to the present invention, in the storage having the above-described configuration, at least one storage chamber is provided, and control means for controlling the generation of ions in synchronization with the control of the air flow operation to the at least one storage chamber is provided. It is characterized by.

  Further, the present invention provides the control means for turning on / off the generation of ions in synchronization with the on / off of the air circulation operation to the at least one storage chamber in the storage of each configuration described above. Is provided.

  Further, according to the present invention, the storage having the above-described configuration includes at least one storage chamber, further includes a cooling unit that cools the at least one storage chamber, and controls the generation of ions in synchronization with the cooling operation of the storage chamber. Control means is provided.

  Further, according to the present invention, the storage having the above-described configuration includes at least one storage chamber, and the at least one storage chamber is provided with a temperature detection unit, and the generation of ions is controlled based on the temperature detection of the temperature detection unit. Control means is provided.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the storage having the above-described configuration is provided with a control means for controlling the generation of ions in synchronization with opening and closing of a damper for controlling the air flow.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the storage having the above-described configuration is provided with a control means for controlling the generation of ions based on the opening / closing detection of a damper for controlling the air flow.

  Further, according to the present invention, the storage having the above-described configuration includes at least one storage chamber, and includes cooling means for cooling the at least one storage chamber, and is synchronized with driving of a compressor constituting a part of the cooling means. And a control means for controlling the generation of ions.

  Further, according to the present invention, the storage having the above-described configuration includes at least one storage chamber and cooling means for cooling the at least one storage chamber, and the driving time and the number of driving times of the compressor constituting a part of the cooling means. Alternatively, control means for controlling the generation of ions based on the operation rate is provided.

  According to the present invention, the storage having the above-described configuration includes at least one storage chamber, and controls the generation of ions based on a detection result of opening or closing operation of at least one door that opens and closes the at least one storage chamber. It is characterized by providing a control means.

  According to the present invention, the storage having the above-described configuration includes at least one storage chamber, and controls the generation of ions when the opening time of at least one door for opening and closing the at least one storage chamber has passed a predetermined time. Control means is provided.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that a control means for controlling the generation of ions based on the outside air temperature is provided in the storage of each configuration described above.

  According to the present invention, in the storage having the above-described configuration, at least one storage chamber, cooling means for cooling the at least one storage chamber, and temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the storage chamber cooled by the cooling means, And generating a positive ion and a negative ion by applying a voltage to the ion generator in synchronism with a cooling operation for cooling the storage chamber when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means exceeds a predetermined temperature. It is characterized by doing so.

  Moreover, this invention is characterized by each said storage being a refrigerator.

  As described above, according to the present invention, air in a storage such as a refrigerator is sterilized by positive ions and negative ions, so a stored item can be stored in a simple configuration without requiring a collection electrode for collecting positive ions. Damage can be suppressed.

  Further, by performing corona discharge from an electrode having no substantial counter electrode, the generated positive ions and negative ions are not attracted by the potential difference. For this reason, even if there is no ventilation in the wide range in the distribution route of cold air, it diffuses. Both ions aggregate on the surface of planktonic bacteria, and the active species generated by collision can sterilize planktonic bacteria in a wide range.

  Therefore, the sterilization ability can be improved without increasing the air blowing capacity and complicating the apparatus. In addition, since a positive voltage and a negative voltage are applied to the electrodes, the electric circuit is not charged, and no earth is required to connect to the ground, so that a storage such as a refrigerator can be easily installed in the home. In addition, it is possible to suppress residual ozone generated at the time of discharge and prevent a user's uncomfortable feeling and a health hazard.

  Furthermore, by releasing a sterilizing substance such as ions along the flow of cold air, it is possible to suppress the decrease of ions due to collision between the released ions and the wall surface, and the ions are easily transported by the cold air. Ion and cold air contact in a wide range. Therefore, the sterilizing ability can be further improved.

These are side surface sectional drawings which show the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are front views which show the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are side surface sectional drawings which show the ion generation chamber of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are the rear views which show the ion generation chamber of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are the perspective views which show the deodorizing apparatus of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are block diagrams which show the structure of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are flowcharts explaining operation | movement of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are flowcharts explaining the operation | movement of the door opening / closing detection process of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are flowcharts explaining the operation | movement of the ion generation process of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are flowcharts explaining the operation | movement of the ion stop process of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are flowcharts explaining operation | movement of the dew condensation prevention process of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are flowcharts explaining other operation | movement of the dew condensation prevention process of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are side surface sectional drawings which show the refrigerator of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. These are side surface sectional drawings which show the ion generation chamber of the refrigerator of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. These are the rear views which show the ion generation chamber of the refrigerator of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. These are the rear views which show the ion generation chamber of the refrigerator of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. These are side surface sectional drawings which show the refrigerator of 4th Embodiment of this invention. These are side surface sectional drawings which show the food storage of 5th Embodiment of this invention. These are sectional side views which show the tableware washing dryer of 6th Embodiment of this invention. These are the schematic diagrams which show the electrode part of the other shape of the ion generator mounted in 1st-6th embodiment of this invention. These are the schematic diagrams which show the electrode part of the other shape of the ion generator mounted in 1st-6th embodiment of this invention. These are the schematic diagrams which show the electrode part of the other shape of the ion generator mounted in 1st-6th embodiment of this invention. These are the schematic diagrams which show other arrangement | positioning of the electrode part of the ion generator mounted in the 1st-6th embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment. The refrigerator main body 1 is provided with a refrigerator compartment 2, a freezer compartment 3, and a vegetable compartment 4 from above, and the refrigerator compartment 2, the freezer compartment 3, and the vegetable compartment 4 are partitioned by partition portions 6a and 6b. An isolation chamber 5 is provided in the lower part of the refrigerator compartment 2, and a case 7 movable in the front-rear direction is accommodated. The refrigerating chamber 2 is provided with mounting shelves 8a to 8d on which foods and the like are placed, and the ceiling of the isolation chamber 5 is formed by the mounting shelves 8d.

  The refrigerator compartment 2 can be opened and closed by a refrigerator compartment door 19 pivotally supported on the front surface. Door pockets 21 a to 21 d are provided on the back side of the refrigerator compartment door 19. The freezer compartment 3 can be opened and closed by a drawer-type freezer compartment door 22. The freezing case 23 is detachably attached to the freezer compartment door 22 and is drawn out integrally with the freezer compartment door 22. The freezing case 24 disposed above the freezing case 23 is provided so as to be pulled out independently of the freezer compartment door 22.

  The vegetable compartment 4 can be opened and closed by a drawer-type vegetable compartment door 25. The vegetable case 26 is attached to the vegetable compartment door 25 and is pulled out integrally with the vegetable compartment door 25. An accessory case 27 is disposed on the top of the vegetable case 26. The upper surface of the vegetable case 26 is covered with a vegetable case cover 28 to keep the vegetable case 26 and the accessory case 27 at a predetermined humidity.

  A cool air passage 38 is provided behind the freezer compartment 3, and a cooler 29 that generates cool air by driving a compressor 46 is disposed in the cool air passage 38. Below the cooler 29, a heater 33 for defrosting the cooler 29 is disposed. The defrosted water resulting from the defrosting of the heater 33 passes through the drain pipe 37 and is collected in the evaporating dish 39.

  Above the cooler 29, a blower 30 is arranged to send cold air to the refrigerator compartment 2, the freezer compartment 3, the vegetable compartment 4 and the isolation compartment 5. A pressure chamber 32 is provided on the discharge side of the blower 30, and cold air is discharged into the freezing chamber 3 from discharge ports 31 a, 31 b, 31 c provided in a duct 31 communicating with the pressure chamber 32. Then, the cold air in the freezer compartment 3 returns to the cooler 29 in the cold air passage 38 via the cold air return port 35.

  The cold air distribution chamber 17 communicates with the pressure chamber 32 via a damper 17a. The cold air distribution chamber 17 communicates with a cold air passage 41 disposed behind the refrigerator compartment 2. The cold air passage 41 includes a passage assembly 40 having a heat insulating material 42 and a passage cover 43 on the front side. Reference numeral 47 denotes an electric circuit assembly for control necessary for the operation of the refrigerator and the operation of the apparatus, and the electric circuit assembly 47 is covered with an electrical cover 47a.

  FIG. 2 shows a front view of the refrigerator compartment 2. The cold air passage 41 includes an ascending passage 41a disposed substantially in the center of the refrigerator compartment 2 and a descending passage 41b provided outside the ascending passage 41a. The ascending passage 41a and the descending passage 41b communicate with each other at the upper end. The cool air guided to the cool air passage 41 discharges cool air from the discharge port 14 into the isolation chamber 5.

  On the other hand, the remaining cold air rises in the ascending passage 41a and is discharged from the discharge port 15 into the refrigerator compartment 2 through the descending passage 41b. In the drawing of the refrigerator compartment 2 as viewed from the front, a cold air return port 10 having a plurality of holes in a lattice shape is provided in the lower right part so that the cold air in the refrigerator compartment 2 flows in.

  In FIG. 1, an ion generation chamber 45 that generates ions (sterilizing substance) by corona discharge is provided behind the cold air return port 10. A cold air passage 16 whose periphery is covered with a heat insulating material 16a is provided below the ion generation chamber 45 so as to communicate therewith. In the figure, for convenience, the ion generation chamber 45 and the cold air passage 38 are shown in the same plane. However, in actuality, the cold air passage 16 is provided side by side with the cold air passage 38, and the cold air passage 16 and the ion generation chamber 45 are arranged. Are arranged in substantially the same plane.

  The discharge port 13 at the lower end of the cold air passage 16 is arranged facing the vegetable compartment 4, and the cold air passing through the cold air passage 16 is discharged into the vegetable compartment 4. The cold air in the vegetable compartment 4 is led to the cooler 29 in the cold air passage 38 via the cold air return port 34.

  3 and 4 are a side sectional view and a rear view showing the ion generation chamber 45. In the ion generation chamber 45, an ion generation device 11 (sterilization unit) having a needle electrode 11a is provided. The needle-like electrode 11a is projected from the flat plate-like flat part 11b and connected to the power supply part 11e via a lead part 11d covered with an insulating film. The lead portion 11d is supported by a resin support portion 10a that is integrally formed with the grill 10b that forms the cool air return port 10.

  The flat surface portion 11b is arranged in parallel to the vertical surface, and suppresses the accumulation of dust on the electrode portion 11c including the needle-like electrode 11a and the flat surface portion 11b when corona discharge is not performed. The flat portion 11 b is substantially parallel to the grill 10 b that forms the cold air return port 10. For this reason, the distance from the cold air return port 10 which is an opening to the plurality of needle-like electrodes 11a can be set to the same distance. Therefore, safety against electric shock can be ensured without requiring useless space.

  When a high voltage is applied from the power supply unit 11e to the needle electrode 11a via the lead portion 11d, the electric field is concentrated on the tip of the needle electrode 11a, and the cold air taken in from the cold air return port 10 is locally at the electrode tip. Corona discharge occurs due to dielectric breakdown. The length of the lead portion 11d is 200 mm or less so as to suppress a decrease in discharge efficiency and allow easy wiring. When the length of the lead portion 11d is 100 mm or less, a decrease in discharge efficiency can be further suppressed. Further, if it is 50 mm or less, the electrode can be connected without substantially reducing the discharge efficiency, which is more desirable.

When the applied voltage is positive by corona discharge, positive ions composed mainly of H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n are generated, and when negative voltage is applied, negative ions composed mainly of O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m are generated. The H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m aggregate on the surface of the microorganism and surround airborne microorganisms such as microorganisms in the air. As shown in the formulas (1) to (3), active species [.OH] (hydroxyl radicals) and H ₂ O ₂ (hydrogen peroxide) are generated and suspended on the surface of microorganisms or the like by collision. Disinfect bacteria.

H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n + O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m → OH + _1/2 O ₂ + (n + m) H ₂ O (1)
H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n + H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _{n ′} + O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m + O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _{m ′
→ 2 · OH + O 2 +} (n + n '+ m + m') H 2 O ··· (2)
H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n + H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _{n ′} + O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m + O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _{m ′}
→ H ₂ O ₂ + O ₂ + (n + n ′ + m + m ′) H ₂ O (3)

  In this embodiment, since the floating bacteria in the cold air can be sterilized by the positive ions and the negative ions, it is possible to suppress the damage of the stored items as compared with the conventional case. In addition, since the counter electrode facing the needle electrode 11a and the collecting electrode for collecting positive ions are not provided, ions are attracted to these electrodes by a potential difference as in the prior art, or the needle electrode and the counter electrode Ion is not generated in a narrow area between.

  For this reason, even if there is no strong air flow, ions can be diffused in the cold air passage to catch and sterilize the floating bacteria in the cold air over a wide range. Therefore, the sterilizing ability can be further improved. Furthermore, since the ion generator 11 is simplified, the ion generator 11 can be downsized.

  Further, since a positive voltage and a negative voltage are applied to the needle electrode 11a, the electric circuit is not charged even if there is no ground potential. For this reason, the refrigerator 1 can be easily installed in the home without requiring an earth connected to the ground. Therefore, the ion generator 11 can be further simplified and downsized.

  According to the above formulas (1) to (3), equal amounts of positive ions and negative ions are required to generate active species. Since positive ions have the function of aging cells when they come into contact with food alone, in this embodiment, the amount of positive ions generated is less than the amount of negative ions generated. As a result, positive ions and negative ions aggregate on the surface of the microorganisms to form active species and sterilize the floating bacteria. The remaining negative ions prevent the growth of floating bacteria, and the floating bacteria flow into the vegetable compartment. Can be prevented.

At this time, if the amount of positive ions generated is less than 3% of the amount of negative ions generated, the amount of [.OH] generated decreases and the sterilizing power is reduced. For this reason, the generation amount of positive ions is set to 3% or more of the generation amount of negative ions. Moreover, sufficient sterilization ability can be obtained by making the generation amount of positive ions 5000 or more per cm ³ .

  The amount of each ion generated can be varied by changing the application time of the positive voltage and the negative voltage. Alternatively, the amount of ions generated may be controlled by performing duty control that varies the on / off time of voltage application.

  In addition, ozone generated simultaneously with ions by corona discharge has an oxidizing power, so if it flows into the refrigerator compartment 2 or the vegetable compartment 4, the food is oxidized and deteriorated at a high concentration. For this reason, the voltage applied to the needle-like electrode 11a is lowered (for example, an AC voltage of +1.8 kV to -1.8 kV), and the ozone generated by the corona discharge is suppressed to a very small amount. In addition, it is more preferable to repeatedly turn on and off the applied voltage at short time intervals during duty control because generation of ozone can be suppressed.

  The needle electrode 11a is arranged in a cold air passage (ion generation chamber 45) communicating with the refrigerator compartment 2. Thereby, the outflow of ozone to the refrigerating chamber 2 is suppressed by the cold air flowing into the cold air return port 10, and the oxidation of the food can be prevented by removing the ozone in the cold air passage as will be described later.

  Further, by disposing the needle-like electrode 11a in the cold air passage with a gap of, for example, 40 mm or more rearward from the cold air return port 10, there is no need to cover the needle-like electrode 11a with an insulating case in order to ensure safety. The generator 11 can be configured at low cost. In addition, the outflow of ozone generated when ions are generated by the cold air flowing into the cold air return port 10 to the refrigerator compartment 2 is suppressed, and the oxidation of food is prevented by removing ozone in the cold air passage as will be described later. be able to.

  The needle electrode 11a may be composed of a plurality of needle conductors having the same potential. At this time, since many ions are emitted from the tip of the needle-like conductor, the ions can be emitted to a wide area around the needle-like electrode 11a by arranging a plurality of conductors in different directions. The sterilizing ability can be improved. The released ions are then further dispersed to the surroundings.

  Further, if the distance L between the support portion 10a and the electrode portion 11c is narrow, there is a risk that high pressure is applied to the support portion 10a when condensation occurs on the support portion 10a. For this reason, the support portion 10a is reliably insulated by separating the support portion 10a and the needle electrode 11a by setting the distance L to 3.5 mm or more (for example, 5 mm), more preferably 10 mm or more. Moreover, the area | region where ion is discharge | released by corona discharge can be taken widely, and sterilization capability can be improved. The support portion 10a is preferably formed of an insulating material.

When positive ions and negative ions are generated by one needle-like electrode 11a, part of the ions are offset in the vicinity of the electrodes, and the substantial amount of generated ions is reduced. For this reason, if two needle-like electrodes 11a are provided and positive ions and negative ions are generated by separate electrodes, the substantial amount of generated ions can be increased. This also makes it possible to easily vary the amount of each ion generated.

  The two electrodes can easily change the ion generation balance by making the circuit configuration, applied voltage, electrode shape, electrode material, and the like different. Further, when the two electrodes are arranged at least 10 mm or more apart (preferably 30 mm or more) apart, the ions can be effectively used for sterilization with almost no cancellation of positive ions and negative ions from the respective electrodes. .

  A deodorizing device 12 for removing odorous substances is disposed below (on the leeward side) the needle electrode 11a. As shown in FIG. 5, the deodorizing apparatus 12 is formed by coating a substance formed in a corrugated honeycomb shape with a low-temperature deodorizing catalyst and an adsorbent. The deodorizing device 12 may be constituted by a filter or a nonwoven fabric carrying a low-temperature deodorizing catalyst and an adsorbent, but it is more desirable to form a honeycomb shape because the pressure loss can be reduced.

  In addition, airborne bacteria are also captured in the deodorizing device 12 by the low temperature deodorizing catalyst and the adsorbent. Therefore, when the deodorizing device 12 is close to the ion generating device 11, a large amount of floating bacteria captured by the deodorizing device 12 can be sterilized, and the sterilizing effect can be improved. At this time, it is desirable to secure a distance of at least 10 mm between the needle-like electrode 11a for corona discharge and the surface of the deodorizing device 12.

  That is, if the distance between the needle-like electrode 11a and the deodorizing device 12 is too close, the deodorizing device 12 is regarded as a counter electrode and the electric field becomes strong. For this reason, even if the applied voltage is low (for example, an AC voltage of about 90 kHz from +1.8 kV to -1.8 kV (3.6 kVp-p)), the state becomes equivalent to that when the discharge output increases, and corona discharge The deodorizing device 12 is significantly deteriorated by the above. Therefore, when the distance is 10 mm or more, the deodorizing device 12 can be prevented from deteriorating. When the deodorizing device 12 contains a large amount of carbon and metal components (for example, activated carbon particles, carbon fibers, platinum powder, nickel, etc.), the deterioration becomes more remarkable.

Discharge from the acicular electrode 11a is performed mainly in the range of a solid angle of 2πsr centering on the tip of the needle electrode 11a, and a hemispherical discharge effective region is formed. For example, with the applied voltage (3.6 kVp-p), a discharge effective region having a radius of 100 mm (more than 100,000 negative ions per cm ^{3 in a} windless state) can be obtained.

  For this reason, when the deodorizing device 12 is arranged in the discharge effective region, an effective sterilizing action in the deodorizing device 12 is obtained and the sterilization efficiency is improved. Therefore, the amount of ozone generation can be reduced by suppressing the applied voltage.

  The result of an experiment in which ions were sent out by assuming a refrigerator having a total volume of 400 L through which cold air circulates using an ion generator having only one needle electrode 11a was as follows. Here, the sterilization rate is the amount of airborne bacteria per unit volume after ion delivery relative to the amount of airborne bacteria per unit volume before ion delivery.

Experiment No. Applied voltage Applied time Sterilization rate
1 -1.8kV ~ + 1.8kV 10min 25%
2 -2.5kV ~ + 2.5kV 45min 80%

  Experiment No. In 1, the sterilization rate was 25%, and in the sensory test results, the ozone odor after the experiment was hardly felt. Therefore, if the absolute value of the applied voltage is an AC voltage of 1.8 kV or more, a refrigerator having a certain degree of bactericidal effect and no discomfort can be obtained. For corona discharge effective for sterilization, an AC voltage having an absolute value of the peak value of the applied voltage of 1.8 kV is required.

  Experiment No. In 2, the sterilization rate became 80%. The amount of ozone generated was about 0.15 mg, and the sensory test results showed that the user could not feel the ozone smell when the door was opened. Therefore, when the absolute value of the peak value of the applied voltage is an alternating voltage of 2.5 kV, it is possible to obtain a refrigerator that has a sufficient sterilizing effect in ordinary use in a general household and is less uncomfortable.

  When the application time exceeds 45 minutes, the sterilization rate gradually reaches an equilibrium state, and only the amount of ozone generated increases, and the sterilization efficiency deteriorates. For this reason, it is preferable that the time for one application be 45 minutes or less. Therefore, when sterilized by applying an applied voltage of 3.6 kVp-p to 5 kVp-p to the needle electrode 11a in the range of 10 minutes to 45 minutes, it is caused by ozone odor while having a desired sterilizing effect in a normal use state. A refrigerator with less discomfort is obtained.

  Adjustment of the generation amount of positive ions and negative ions can be performed by adjusting the absolute values of the positive voltage and the negative voltage to be applied. Therefore, each ion can be adjusted by changing the absolute value of the positive voltage and the negative voltage so as to have a peak value of 1.8 kV or more in the range of 3.6 kVp-p to 5 kVp-p.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 4 described above, by forming an electrode shape composed of three needle-like electrodes 11a, the amount of generated ions can be maintained or increased even at a low applied voltage, and the sterilization effect can be further improved and ozone can be reduced. Can be achieved. That is, an applied voltage of 3.6 kVp-p to 5 kVp-p is applied to each needle electrode 11a within a range of 15 to 20 minutes, and ions are delivered to the 400 L storage chamber in the same manner as described above. As a result, the sterilization rate is 50% and the ozone generation amount is about 0.05 mg. Therefore, in the sensory test results, when the door is opened, the user hardly feels discomfort due to the ozone odor, and a refrigerator with a high sterilizing effect can be obtained.

  In addition, if the ion generator 11 is not allowed to restart for a predetermined time after the operation of the ion generator 11, the residual amount of ozone is further reduced. For example, if the ion generator 11 is driven for 30 minutes and then stopped for 30 minutes with the damper 17a opened, the residual rate of ozone becomes approximately 0%. Therefore, discomfort due to ozone can be further reduced.

  Further, if the ion generator 11 is operated in synchronism with the operation of the compressor 46, ozone is reduced when the compressor 46 is stopped, so that discomfort can be further reduced. At this time, if the opening of the damper 17a and the operation of the ion generator 11 and the blower 30 are synchronized, ions are sent into the cabinet, and the sterilizing effect can be further improved. In addition, the operation switch (not shown) which the ion generator 11 drives is provided in the outer surface part of the refrigerator compartment door 19, for example. Thus, the user can perform sterilization by driving the ion generator 11 at a desired time.

  In order to improve the sterilization rate, the number of electrode portions 11c may be increased. For this reason, in a general household refrigerator, from the securing of the distance between each electrode and the restriction | limiting of the space in an apparatus, the acicular electrode 11a normally provides 1-3 electrode parts 11c of 1-5 shape. Is desirable.

  Next, the low-temperature deodorization catalyst is made of a copper-manganese oxide, and oxidizes and decomposes odorous substances such as amine-based and thiol-based volatile substances and hydrogen sulfide. Furthermore, the copper-manganese oxide can also function as an ozone decomposition catalyst to decompose ozone.

  For this reason, the outflow of ozone can be suppressed without providing a separate ozone removal device, and the ozone concentration in the refrigeration room or vegetable room is reduced to a level that can be ignored and harmless to the human body, along with the drive control of the ion generator described later. Can be made. Moreover, since the ozone removal apparatus is not provided, the cost of the refrigerator 1 can be reduced. And since the deodorizing apparatus 12 is provided in the periphery of the ion generator 11, the generated ozone is quickly decomposed and is less likely to affect other members, the refrigerator compartment 2, and the like.

  In addition, when the deodorizing effect is obtained by other methods such as heat deodorization, an ozone decomposition catalyst having excellent ozone decomposition ability may be carried on the deodorizing device 12. As such an ozonolysis catalyst, for example, manganese dioxide, platinum powder, lead dioxide, copper (II) oxide, nickel and the like are used.

The adsorbent is supported for adsorbing odorous substances, ozone and airborne bacteria, and for example, silica gel, activated carbon, zeolite, sepiolite, etc. can be used. A granular or powdery adsorbent may be provided separately. Moreover, if the deodorizing apparatus 12 is provided so that attachment or detachment is possible, replacement | exchange and cleaning will become possible and the inside of a refrigerator can be kept clean.

  When the deodorizing device 12 is provided on the wind of the ion generating device 11, the ions do not come into contact with the low-temperature deodorizing catalyst or the adsorbent, so that the ionicity is not lost and the sterilizing ability is improved by widening the existence region of the ions. Can do. Therefore, the deodorizing device 12 can be arranged according to the purpose.

  In the refrigerator configured as described above, the cold air cooled by the cooler 29 is sent to the pressure chamber 32 by the blower 30 through the cold air passage 38. The cold air is discharged from the pressure chamber 32 through the duct 31 to the freezing chamber 3 from the discharge ports 31a, 31b, 31c. As a result, the inside of the freezer compartment 3 is cooled, and the cold air is returned from the front of the freezing cases 23 and 24 to the cooler 29 through the cold air return port 35 through the lower portion of the freezing case 24.

  When it is detected that the room temperature of the refrigerator compartment 2 is higher than a predetermined temperature by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 48 (see FIG. 2) provided in the refrigerator compartment 2, the damper 17a of the cold distribution chamber 17 is opened. The cold air in the pressure chamber 32 is guided to the cold air passage 41 through the cold air distribution chamber 17.

  A part of the cold air passing through the cold air passage 41 is sent from the discharge port 14 to the case 7 of the isolation chamber 5 to cool the storage in the case 7, and refrigerated from between the front upper end of the case 7 and the mounting shelf 8. It flows out to chamber 2. The amount of cold air sent from the discharge port 14 to the case 7 is adjusted by the opening area of the discharge ports 14 and 15 so that the temperature in the case 7 is maintained at a lower temperature than the refrigerator compartment 2.

  Other cool air passing through the cool air passage 41 rises in the ascending passage 41a, descends in the descending passage 41b, and is discharged from the discharge port 15 into the refrigerator compartment 2. The cold air descends while cooling the storage items placed on the placement shelf 8 and the door pockets 21a to 21d. Then, the cold air flowing out from the isolation chamber 5 flows between the bottom surface of the case 7 and the partition 6 a and flows into the ion generation chamber 45 from the cold air return port 10.

A guide portion that covers the cold air return port 10 and opens below the case 7 may be provided in front of the cold air return port 10. In this way, a short circuit from the discharge port 14 to the cold air return port 10 is prevented, and a uniform cold air flow is obtained by sucking the cold air from a wide range in the left-right direction below the case 7. Thereby, the cooling efficiency in the refrigerator compartment 2 can be improved.

The cold air that has flowed into the ion generation chamber 45 reaches the periphery of the needle electrode 11 a of the ion generation device 11. Positive ions and negative ions generated by corona discharge from the needle-like electrode 11a surround floating bacteria that aggregate and float in the cold air. Then, the floating bacteria are sterilized with [.OH] or H ₂ O ₂ active species. Thereafter, the deodorizing device 12 removes the odorous substances generated from the stored items in the isolation chamber 5 and the refrigerator compartment 2 and the ozone generated by the corona discharge by decomposition or adsorption.

  The cold air circulated in the isolation chamber 5 and the refrigerator compartment 2 passes through the cold air return port 10, the vicinity of the needle electrode 11 a close to the cold air return port 10, and the deodorizing device 12. For this reason, it is possible to quickly deodorize a strong odor of fish or the like put in the isolation chamber 5, and to efficiently deodorize a large amount of odor emitted from the stored items in the refrigerator compartment 2 having a relatively high room temperature near the generation source. Therefore, it is possible to make it difficult to transfer the odor of the isolation chamber 5 or the refrigerator compartment 2 to another.

  Moreover, you may arrange | position the deodorizing apparatus 12 between the case 7 and the partition wall 6b. If it does in this way, although an ozone removal apparatus is needed separately, the passage area of cold air can be enlarged and the deodorizing effect can be improved.

  The cold air that has passed through the deodorizing device 12 is discharged from the discharge port 13 into the vegetable compartment 4 through the cold air passage 16. Although this cold air is the return cold air from the refrigerator compartment 2, since it is deodorized by the ion generator 11 and the deodorizing device 12, the odor does not adhere to the stored item in the vegetable compartment 4.

  The cold air passes through the lower and front surfaces of the vegetable case 26 in the vegetable compartment 4, passes through the upper surface of the vegetable case cover 28, and flows into the cold air passage 38 via the cold air return port 34. The defrosting heater 33 is covered with a catalyst film layer on which a deodorizing catalyst is supported. After the odorous substance in the cool air that has passed through the vegetable compartment 2 is removed by the heater 33, the cool air is returned to the cooler 29. It is.

  It is also conceivable to send positive ions and negative ions directly into the refrigerator compartment 2 or the vegetable compartment 4 which is a cold air flow path. By doing so, the sterilizing effect of the floating bacteria can be improved.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the refrigerator 1. The electric circuit assembly 47 (see FIG. 1) is provided with a control unit 50 composed of, for example, a microcomputer. The temperature of the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 3 detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 48 (see FIG. 2) and the freezer compartment temperature sensor 49 is input to the controller 50.

  The refrigerator door open / close detection switch 51, the vegetable compartment door open / close detection switch 52, and the freezer compartment door open / close detection switch 53 detect opening / closing of the refrigerator compartment door 19, the vegetable compartment door 25, and the freezer compartment door 22, and the detection result is controlled by the controller 50. To enter. Further, the damper opening / closing detection switch 54 detects the opening / closing of the damper 17 a and inputs the detected signal to the control unit 50.

  In addition, the damper 17 a, the compressor 46, the blower 30, the ion generator 11, and the illumination lamp 55 are connected to the control unit 50. These drives are controlled based on signals input to the control unit 50.

  Next, the ion generator 11 is driven according to the operation of the refrigerator compartment door 19, the vegetable compartment door 25, the damper 17a, the operating state of the compressor 46, and the like. FIG. 7 is a main routine flowchart showing these operations. FIG. 8 shows a door opening / closing monitoring process of a subroutine for constantly monitoring the opening / closing of the refrigerator compartment door 19 and the vegetable compartment door 25.

  In FIG. 8, in step # 41, it is determined whether one of the refrigerator compartment door 19 and the vegetable compartment door 25 is opened, and waits until it is opened. When the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is opened, the damper 17a is closed, and the timer TM3 and the ion generator 11 are temporarily stopped. In step # 42, it is determined whether the refrigerator compartment door 19 and the vegetable compartment door 25 are closed.

  If not closed, it is determined in step # 43 whether or not 3 seconds have elapsed after the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is opened. If 3 seconds have not elapsed, the process returns to step # 42, and steps # 42 and # 43 are repeated. When closing of the refrigerator compartment door 19 and the vegetable compartment door 25 is earlier than the passage of 3 seconds, the process returns to Step # 41 and waits until the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is opened.

  When 3 seconds have elapsed after the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is opened, the process proceeds to step # 44. In step # 44, the compressor 46 and the number of times of driving Ncmp and Nion indicating the number of times the ion generator 11 is driven while the refrigerator compartment door 19 and the vegetable compartment door 25 are closed are reset, and the refrigerator compartment door 19 or The open / close count Ndor of the vegetable compartment door 25 is incremented.

  And it waits until the refrigerator compartment door 19 and the vegetable compartment door 25 are closed by step # 45, and when it is closed, it will return to step # 41 and the opening of the refrigerator compartment door 19 and the vegetable compartment door 25 will be monitored. When the refrigerator compartment door 19 and the vegetable compartment door 25 are closed, the damper 17a is opened and the ion generator 11 is restarted. Note that the opening / closing of the refrigerator compartment door 19 and the vegetable compartment door 25 and the determination of the passage of 3 seconds are performed independently for each door.

  As will be described later, the number of driving times Ncmp of the compressor 46 is incremented every time the compressor 46 is driven after the door is opened and closed (see step # 17 in FIG. 7). The driving frequency Nion of the ion generator 11 is incremented every time the ion generator 11 is driven after the door is opened and closed (see step # 73 in FIG. 10). Moreover, you may add opening / closing operation | movement of other doors, such as freezer compartment door 22, etc. to judgment of said flowchart. The same applies to the following flowcharts.

  Since there is a risk of increasing the amount of ozone accumulated in each storage room such as the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 4 depending on the values of the number of driving times Ncmp of the compressor 46, the number of driving times Nion of the ion generator 11 and the number of opening / closing times Ndor. 11 is limited.

  For this reason, when the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is opened for 3 seconds or more, a part of the air in the storage room is replaced with the outside air, and at the same time, a part of the ozone in the storage room flows out. Nion is reset. Thereby, a large amount of ozone is not accumulated in each storage chamber, and a user's discomfort can be reduced.

  Next, the driving operation of the compressor 46 and the like will be described with reference to FIG. When the refrigerator 1 is turned on, the control unit 50 is returned to the initial state in step # 11, and variables and timers described later are initialized. In step # 12, it is determined whether or not a timer TM1 described later has passed 500 hours. Here, since it has not elapsed, the process proceeds to step # 13, and it is determined from the detection result of the cold room temperature sensor 48 whether or not the cold room 2 is hotter than a predetermined temperature.

  If the refrigerator compartment 2 is hotter than the predetermined temperature, the damper 17a is opened at step # 31, and the temperature of the freezer compartment 3 is detected by the freezer temperature sensor 49 at step # 32. If the refrigerator compartment 2 is below the predetermined temperature, it is determined in step # 14 whether or not the freezer compartment 3 is hotter than the predetermined temperature based on the detection result of the freezer temperature sensor 49.

  When the freezer compartment 3 is higher than the predetermined temperature, the process proceeds to step # 15. When the freezer compartment 3 is below the predetermined temperature, the process returns to Step # 12, and Steps # 12 to # 14 are performed until one of the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 3 becomes higher than the predetermined temperature.

  In step # 15, the operating conditions of the compressor 46 are set based on the temperatures of the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 3. For example, when the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 3 are above a predetermined set temperature, the compressor 46 is operated at the maximum output. In step # 16, the compressor 46 is driven under the set operating conditions, and the refrigeration cycle is operated.

  In step # 17, the ion generator drive flag Fion is reset. At this time, in order to store the off time of the compressor 46 that has been stopped so far, the value of the timer TM2 is substituted for the off time Toff, and the number of driving times Ncmp of the compressor 46 is incremented.

  The flag Fion is set to 1 when the ion generator 11 is driven while the compressor 46 is being driven. The off time Toff is used to calculate the operation rate E of the compressor 46, and the operation rate E is expressed by Ton / (Ton + Toff) × 100% by the on time Ton and the off time Toff of the compressor 46. Here, since the on-time Ton is not determined since the beginning of operation, it cannot be calculated. In step # 18, the timer TM2 is restarted and measurement of the on-time of the compressor 46 is started.

  In step # 19, the ion generation process of FIG. 9 is called. In step # 51 of FIG. 9, it is determined whether or not the ion generator drive flag Fion is 0. If it is 1, the process returns to the main routine of FIG. In step # 52, it is determined whether or not an ion switch (not shown) that permits the delivery of ions is turned on by the user. If not permitted, ions are not generated and the process returns to the main routine.

  In step # 53, it is determined whether or not the damper 17a is open. If the damper 17a is closed, cold air is not sent to the refrigerator compartment 3 and the vegetable compartment 4, so that no ions are generated and the process returns to the main routine. In step # 54, it is determined whether the number of driving times Ncmp of the compressor 46 is 0 or an even number. When the driving frequency Ncmp is 0, it means that the compressor 46 has not been driven yet after the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is opened and closed.

  In this embodiment, in principle, ions are generated every time the compressor 46 is driven twice after the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is opened and closed. For this reason, when the driving frequency Ncmp of the compressor 46 is an even number, the process proceeds to step # 55, and when the driving number Ncmp is an odd number, the process returns to the main routine. As a result, in the state where the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is closed after being opened and closed, it is considered that once the germs are sterilized, the amount of airborne germs generated thereafter is small, and ions are generated more than necessary. Ozone generation is suppressed.

  Moreover, even if the compressor 46 generates ions every time it is driven three times, for example, the generation of ozone can be suppressed. In this case, in step # 54, when the number of driving times Ncmp of the compressor 46 is a multiple of 3, the process may be shifted to step # 55.

  In step # 55, it is determined whether or not the driving frequency Nion of the ion generator 11 is smaller than 6 after the refrigerator compartment 2 or the vegetable compartment 4 is opened and closed. When the driving frequency Nion is 6, the ion generator 11 is driven 6 times with the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 4 closed, and the amount of ozone accumulated in the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 4 is increased. To return to the main routine without generating ions.

  In addition, when the driving time of the ion generator 11 with the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 4 closed is longer than a predetermined time, the main routine may be returned to without generating ions. Further, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 3 hours) has passed since the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 22 is opened and closed, and no ions are generated when it has elapsed. You may make it return to a main routine.

  In step # 56, it is determined whether or not the cumulative driving number Nttl of the ion generator 11 is larger than a predetermined number (for example, 50 in the present embodiment), and if smaller, the process proceeds to step # 59. The cumulative driving number Nttl is incremented every time the ion generator 11 is driven regardless of whether the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 4 are opened or closed (see step # 73 in FIG. 10).

  For this reason, after the ion generator 11 is driven 50 times cumulatively, if the number of times of opening / closing Ndor of the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is not opened or closed a predetermined number of times (for example, 10 times here), the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetables It is determined that the amount of ozone accumulated in the chamber 4 has increased, and the process returns to the main routine without generating ions (step # 57).

  When the switching frequency Ndor is 10 times or more, the cumulative driving frequency Nttl and the switching frequency Ndor of the ion generator 11 are reset in step # 58, and the process proceeds to step # 59. Note that, instead of the cumulative drive count Nttl, the cumulative drive time of the ion generator 11 may be used for determination.

  In step # 59, the operation rate E of the compressor 46 driven last time is calculated, and it is determined whether or not the operation rate E is greater than 50%. As described above, the operation rate E is calculated as Ton / (Ton + Toff) × 100% by the ON time Ton of the compressor 46 at the previous drive and the OFF time Toff from the end of the previous drive to the current drive.

  When the operation rate E of the compressor 46 is larger than 50%, for example, the predetermined drive time Tion of the ion generator 11 is set to 15 minutes in step # 60. When the operating rate E of the compressor 46 is 50% or less, it is considered that the outside air temperature is low or the load is low, and it is determined that the amount of airborne bacteria flowing into the refrigerator compartment 2 or the vegetable compartment 4 is small. The predetermined drive time Tion of the ion generator 11 is set to 10 minutes.

  Thereby, the generation amount of ions can be adjusted by setting the predetermined drive time Tion of the ion generator 11 to different times, and generation of ozone can be suppressed without generating unnecessary ions.

  In the above, the generation of a predetermined amount of ions is adjusted by the predetermined driving time Tion of the ion generator 11, but the voltage applied to the needle electrode 11a is applied when the value is different (for example, E> 50%). The voltage may be set to 5 kVp-p for 10 minutes, and the applied voltage may be set to 3.6 kVp-p for 10 minutes when E ≦ 50%.

  In step # 62, the ion generator 11 is turned on based on the settings of steps # 60 and # 61. In step # 63, 1 is substituted for the flag Fion, and the timer TM3 is restarted. The timer TM3 measures the drive time of the ion generator 11. Then, the process returns to the main routine.

  The relationship between the operating rate E and the ion generation time Tion is, for example, Tion = 7 minutes when E <40%, Tion = 10 minutes when 40% ≦ E <80%, and Tion when E ≧ 80%. If the number of stages is set to 15 minutes, for example, finer sterilization control can be performed.

  In the main routine of FIG. 7, the damper freeze prevention process shown in FIG. 11 is called at step # 21. In the present embodiment, in order to prevent the damper 17a from freezing, the damper 17a is temporarily closed after a predetermined time (for example, 12 minutes) has elapsed since the damper 17a was opened.

  In step # 81 of the damper freeze prevention process, it is determined whether or not the ion generator 11 is being driven. If it is driven, it is determined in step # 82 whether or not the damper 17a is closed. When the damper 17a is open, the damper freeze prevention process is not performed and the process returns to the main routine.

  If the damper 17a is closed, the ion generator 11 is stopped in step # 83. In step # 84, the timer TM3 is temporarily stopped, and in step # 85, 1 is assigned to the flag Fcon indicating the dew condensation prevention state.

  If it is determined in step # 81 that the ion generator 11 is not driven, it is determined in step # 86 whether or not the damper 17a is open. When the damper 17a is closed, the ion generator 11 may remain off, and the process returns to the main routine. If the damper 17a is open, it is determined in step # 87 whether or not the flag Fcon is 1.

  When the flag Fcon is 0, it indicates that the ion generation state is normal, and the process returns to the main routine without performing the subsequent dew condensation prevention process. When the flag Fcon is 1, since the damper 17a is opened from the damper freeze prevention process state and the damper freeze prevention process is completed, the ion generator 11 is driven in step # 88.

  In step # 89, the temporary stop of the timer TM3 is cancelled. In step # 90, the flag Fcon is reset and the damper freeze prevention processing state is released. As a result, ions that have not reached the predetermined generation amount due to the temporary stop are continuously generated, and the floating bacteria can be sufficiently sterilized.

  Returning to the main routine of FIG. 7, in step # 22, it is determined whether or not the timer TM3 has reached a predetermined drive time Tion. When the timer TM3 reaches the predetermined drive time Tion, the ion stop process of FIG.

  If the timer TM3 has not reached the driving time Tion, it is determined in step # 24 whether or not the refrigerator compartment 2 has been cooled to a predetermined temperature based on the detection result of the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 48 (see FIG. 2). When the temperature is not lower than the predetermined temperature, the process returns to step # 19, and steps # 19 to # 24 are repeatedly performed.

  When the refrigerator compartment 2 becomes a predetermined temperature or lower, the damper 17a is closed at step # 25. In step # 26, an ion stop process is called, and in step # 27, it is determined whether or not the freezer compartment 3 has been cooled to a predetermined temperature. If the freezer compartment 3 is not below the predetermined temperature, the process returns to step # 19, and steps # 19 to # 26 are repeated.

  If the flag Fion is 1 when returning to step # 19, the ion generation process (see FIG. 9) immediately exits in step # 51. Further, when the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25 is opened and closed, the driving frequency Ncmp of the compressor 46 and the driving frequency Nion of the ion generator 11 are reset (see step # 44 in FIG. 8).

  For this reason, when the flag Fion is 0, the ion generator 11 may be driven while satisfying the conditions in steps # 54 and # 55 of FIG. Therefore, when it is considered that at least a part of the ozone accumulated in the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 4 has flowed out due to the opening / closing of the refrigerator compartment door 19 or the vegetable compartment door 25, the ion generator 11 is immediately driven to operate the refrigerator compartment. 2 and the vegetable room 4 can be sterilized

  In steps # 23 and # 26, the ion stop process of FIG. 10 is called. In step # 71, it is determined whether or not the ions are already stopped. If the ions are stopped, the process returns to the main routine. If ions are being generated, the ion generator 11 is stopped in step # 72.

  In step # 73, the timer TM1 is restarted to start measuring the time after the driving of the ion generator 11 is stopped, and the timer TM3 and the predetermined driving time Tion of the ion generator 11 are reset. Further, the driving number Nion and the cumulative driving number Nttl of the ion generator 11 are incremented, and the process returns to the main routine.

  If the timer TM3 reaches a predetermined driving time Tion before the refrigerator compartment 2 is lowered to a predetermined temperature, the ion generator 11 is stopped in step # 23, and the timer TM3 reaches the predetermined driving time Tion before the timer TM3 reaches the predetermined driving time Tion. Is lowered to a predetermined temperature, the ion generator 11 is stopped in step # 26.

  When the ion generating device 11 is stopped in step # 26, the predetermined driving time Tion of the ion generating device 11 is reset. Therefore, after the refrigerator compartment 2 is lowered to the predetermined temperature, the ion generating device 11 is Even if the predetermined drive time Tion has not been reached, subsequent ion generation is not performed and the operation is stopped.

  The reason why the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 2 is lowered early is considered to be because the outside air temperature is low, and the amount of airborne bacteria entering the refrigerator 1 is small. For this reason, even if it stops the ion generator 11, it can fully sterilize and can suppress the increase in ozone.

  The ion generator 11 may be stopped by detecting the outside air temperature. That is, if control based on the outside air temperature is inserted between step # 82 and step # 83 in FIG. 11 as shown in FIG. 12, no subsequent ion generation occurs even if the predetermined drive time Tion has not been reached. To be stopped. Thereby, similarly to the above, when the outside air temperature is low, it is possible to obtain a refrigerator capable of performing appropriate sterilization while suppressing an increase in ozone without generating ions more than necessary.

  In step # 91, it is determined whether or not the outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature t0. When the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature t0, the process proceeds to step # 83 and the above-described processing is performed. If the outside air temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature t0, it is determined in step # 92 whether or not the timer TM3 has passed a predetermined time T1 (for example, 5 minutes).

  If the timer TM3 has not passed the predetermined time T1, the process proceeds to step # 83. When the timer TM3 has passed the predetermined time T1 and a predetermined amount of ions have been generated, the process proceeds to step # 93, and the value of the timer TM3 is substituted for the predetermined driving time Tion of the ion generator 11. The Then, the process proceeds to step # 83.

  Since the timer TM3 is equal to the driving time Tion, the condition is satisfied in step # 22 when the process returns to the main routine, and the ion stopping process is performed in step # 23. Thereby, even if the outside air temperature is detected and the predetermined drive time Tion has not been reached, subsequent ion generation is not performed and the operation is stopped.

  In addition, when the command for opening / closing the damper 17a is based on the temperature in the refrigerator or outside air, and the case based on the opening / closing of the door or other commands are selected. If judged, ozone generation can be further suppressed and proper sterilization can be performed.

  In step # 28 of the main routine, since the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 3 have been cooled to a predetermined temperature, the compressor 46 is stopped. In step # 29, the value of the timer TM2 is substituted for the on time Ton in order to store the on time of the compressor 46 that has been operating so far. In step # 30, the timer TM2 is restarted, and the time for measuring the off time of the compressor 46 is started.

  Then, returning to step # 12, steps # 12 to # 30 are repeatedly performed. When a long predetermined time (for example, 500 hours in the present embodiment) has elapsed since the ion generator 11 was last driven, it is considered that ozone in the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 4 has disappeared. Therefore, the timer TM1 is restarted every time the ion generator 11 is turned off in steps # 72 and # 73 (see FIG. 10), and when the timer TM1 = 500H, the determination in step # 12 returns to step # 11. Transition to initialize all variables and timers.

  In addition, after initializing everything in step # 11, the predetermined driving time Tion of the ion generator may be shortened when the ion generator is driven for the first time. For example, the flag Ffst = 1 is set at the same time that all are initialized. Then, when performing the ion generation process of step # 19, it is determined whether or not the flag Ffst is 1 before step # 59 of FIG. When the flag Ffst is 1, the predetermined drive time Tion is set to 7 minutes, for example, 0 is substituted for the flag Ffst, and the process proceeds to step # 62. If the flag Ffst is 0, the process proceeds to step # 59.

  If it does in this way, it will connect to a power supply for the first time after purchasing the refrigerator 1, and even if the ion switch is turned on and the ion generator 11 is driven, since the drive time is short, there is little generation amount of ozone. Therefore, when the stored item is put into the storage chamber after the storage chamber is cooled, even if the ozone odor is hidden by the odor emitted from the food, the user does not feel the ozone odor and is not effective. The refrigerator 1 which does not give pleasure is obtained.

According to this embodiment, since the cold air in the refrigerator is sterilized by positive ions and negative ions, it is possible to suppress damage to stored items with a simple configuration without requiring a collection electrode for collecting positive ions. it can.

  Further, by performing corona discharge from an electrode having no substantial counter electrode, the generated positive ions and negative ions are not attracted by the potential difference. For this reason, even if there is no ventilation in the wide range in the distribution route of cold air, it diffuses. Both ions aggregate on the surface of the floating bacteria, and the active bacteria generated by the collision can sterilize the floating bacteria in a wide range. Therefore, the sterilization ability can be improved without increasing the air blowing capacity and complicating the apparatus. In addition, since a positive voltage and a negative voltage are applied to the electrodes, the electric circuit is not charged, and no ground is required to connect to the ground, so that the refrigerator can be easily installed in the home.

  In addition, it is possible to suppress residual ozone generated at the time of discharge and prevent a user's uncomfortable feeling and a health hazard. Although positive ions and negative ions are generated by corona discharge, the present invention is not limited to this, and the same effect can be obtained even if ions are generated by other methods.

  Next, FIG. 13 is a side sectional view showing the refrigerator of the second embodiment. 14 and 15 are a side sectional view and a rear view showing the ion generation chamber of the refrigerator of the present embodiment. For convenience of explanation, in these drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the first embodiment shown in FIGS.

  The difference from the first embodiment is that the support portion 10 a that supports the electrode portion 11 c is integrally formed on the upper portion of the grill 10 b, and the needle-like electrode 11 a is arranged to hang from the upper portion of the ion generation chamber 45. is there. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  As described above, if the distance L between the support portion 10a and the needle electrode 11a is short, there is a possibility that high pressure is applied to the support portion 10a when condensation occurs on the support portion 10a. In order to insulate the support part 10a reliably, it is necessary to make the distance L 3.5 mm or more and to separate the support part 10a and the needle electrode 11a.

  On the other hand, when the acicular electrode 11a is installed close to the support portion 10a, ions are released from a position close to the upper surface in the ion generation chamber 45, and the contact period between the ions and the cold air is lengthened, and sterilized as described later. Ability can be improved. Therefore, in this embodiment, the distance L is set to 5 mm to ensure the sterilizing ability, and a high voltage is always applied to the needle-like electrode 11a stably, so that corona discharge is reliably performed and stable ions can be released. It has become.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the cold air flowing into the ion chamber 45 from the cold air return port 10 in the direction of the arrow B1 is changed in the direction of the arrow B2 and guided to the cold air passage 16. As shown in part A, ions emitted from the needle-like electrode 11a are emitted from the tip of the needle-like electrode 11a at a high density in a region where the radiation angle is about 45 °. The needle-like electrode 11a is arranged so that a region (A part) with high ion density is along the flow direction of cold air (B2 direction).

  Thereby, while suppressing the reduction | decrease of the ion by the collision with the discharge | released ion and a wall surface, ion is easily conveyed by cold air and an ion and cold air contact in the wide range of the distribution direction of cold air. Therefore, the sterilizing ability can be further improved. It should be noted that ions having a low density are also emitted from the tip of the needle electrode 11a to a region outside the region where the radiation angle is about 45 °.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 15, when a plurality of needle-like portions 11c of the needle-like electrode 11a are formed, each needle-like portion 11c has a highest ion density in the B2 direction by making the directions different. However, the ion density can be increased in a wide angle range. Further, not only in the ion generation chamber 45 but also in a place where there is a cold air current, the sterilizing effect can be similarly improved by discharging ions along the cold air current.

  In addition, since the deodorizing device 12 is provided below the needle-like electrode 11a (leeward side), ions are uniformly irradiated over the entire upper surface of the deodorizing device 12. Therefore, the floating bacteria caught by the deodorizing device 12 can be reliably sterilized, and the sterilizing ability can be further improved.

  At this time, if the deodorizing device 12 is brought close to the ion generating device 11, a large amount of airborne bacteria captured by the deodorizing device 12 can be sterilized, but ions are released from the needle-like electrode 11a along the flow of cold air. Therefore, disposing the deodorizing device 12 away from the ion generating device 11 can further improve the sterilizing ability.

  That is, the ions can travel farther on the flow of cold air, and the bacteria are sterilized and reduced before they reach the deodorizing device 12 after contacting the ions for a long time. After that, since the floating bacteria are caught by the deodorizing apparatus 12, the floating bacteria passing through the deodorizing apparatus 12 are reduced. Then, the floating bacteria collected in the deodorizing device 12 are sterilized by the ions that have reached the deodorizing device 12. When antibacterial treatment is applied to the deodorizing device 12, the sterilizing effect is further improved.

  Since the ions generated by the ion generator 11 are irradiated to the deodorizing device 12, most of the ions disappear by sterilizing floating bacteria captured by the deodorizing device 12. Therefore, since the generated ions disappear in the ion chamber 45, the vegetable chamber 4 and the cold air passage 16 can be prevented from being deteriorated by the ions. The wall surface of the ion chamber 45 may be subjected to a metal film treatment for preventing ion degradation, an ion-resistant substance coating, or the like. Further, the wall surface of the ion generation chamber 45 may be covered with a metal plate.

  When the deodorizing device 12 is provided on the wind of the ion generating device 11, the ions do not come into contact with the low-temperature deodorizing catalyst or the adsorbent, so that the ionicity is not lost and the sterilizing ability is improved by widening the existence region of the ions. Can do. Therefore, the deodorizing device 12 can be arranged according to the purpose.

  Next, FIG. 16 is a rear view showing an ion generation chamber of the refrigerator of the third embodiment. For convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the second embodiment shown in FIGS. In the present embodiment, the ion generator 11 is provided with four needle-like electrodes 11p, 11q, 11r, and 11s whose application voltages are controlled by the power supply unit 11e. Other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment.

  The needle-like electrodes 11p and 11q are suspended from the upper part of the ion generation chamber 45 as in the second embodiment. The acicular electrodes 11r and 11s are attached so as to emit ions upward from the lower part of the ion generation chamber 45. The needle-like electrodes 11p and 11s generate positive ions, and the needle-like electrodes 11q and 11r generate negative ions.

  The needle-like electrodes 11p and 11q release ions along the cold air flowing in the direction of the arrow B2, and the floating bacteria contained in the cold air are sterilized by contacting with the ions for a long period of time as in the second embodiment. In addition, the needle-like electrodes 11r and 11s release ions against the cold air flow in the direction of the arrow B2. Thereby, the ions colliding with the cold air are diffused into the ion chamber 45, and the ions are distributed over a wider area, so that the sterilizing ability can be further improved.

  Further, when positive ions and negative ions are generated by one needle-like electrode 11a (see FIG. 14), a part of the ions are canceled at the initial stage of generation and the substantial amount of generated ions is reduced. In the present embodiment, the electrodes (11p, 11s) that generate positive ions and the electrodes (11q, 11r) that generate negative ions are distinguished from each other, so that a substantial ion generation amount can be increased.

  Then, the amount of positive ions and the amount of negative ions can be easily varied. In addition, since the electrode that generates positive ions and the electrode that generates negative ions are adjacent to each other, the positive ions and the negative ions are mixed and distributed uniformly, facilitating aggregation and ensuring sufficient sterilization ability. be able to.

  Furthermore, if adjacent electrodes are arranged at least 10 mm or more apart (for example, 30 mm), ions can be effectively used for sterilization with little occurrence of offset between positive ions and negative ions from each electrode. Further, the voltage application to the needle electrodes 11q and 11r is stopped when the voltage is applied to the needle electrodes 11p and 11s, and the needle is applied when the voltage is applied to the needle electrodes 11q and 11r. By canceling the application of voltage to the electrode 11p, 11s, the offset between the positive ions and the negative ions can be further reduced.

  In addition, for example, the amount of ions generated can be easily varied by applying a voltage alternately or simultaneously to the needle-like electrodes 11q and 11p and stopping the voltage application to the needle-like electrodes 11r and 11s for a predetermined period. .

  Note that only one of the ions may be generated by the needle-like electrodes 11p, 11q, 11r, and 11s, respectively, but positive ions and negative ions may be generated at different generation ratios. For example, a lot of positive ions are generated by the needle-like electrodes 11p and 11s, and a lot of negative ions are generated by the needle-like electrodes 11q and 11r.

  Even in this case, an electrode that mainly generates positive ions and an electrode that mainly generates negative ions are distinguished from each other, so that the canceling of ions can be reduced and the substantial amount of ions generated can be increased. . At this time, the ion generation balance can be easily varied by changing the circuit configuration, applied voltage, electrode shape, electrode material, and the like.

  According to the second and third embodiments, the same effect as the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, while suppressing the reduction | decrease of the ion by the collision with the discharge | released ion and a wall surface, ion is conveyed easily by cold air and an ion and cold air contact in the wide range of the distribution direction of cold air. Therefore, the sterilizing ability can be further improved.

  In the second and third embodiments, a needle-like electrode may not be used. For example, when ions are generated by applying a voltage between electrodes facing each other with an insulator interposed therebetween, the size of the device is increased by the counter electrodes, but the sterilization effect is improved by releasing ions along the flow of cold air. be able to. Further, sterilization may be performed by releasing not only ions but also other sterilizing substances. As the sterilizing substance, for example, a tangible substance such as a chemical agent or an intangible substance such as heat or ultraviolet rays which is not physically a substance can be used.

  Next, FIG. 17 is a side sectional view showing a direct cooling refrigerator of the fourth embodiment. In the figure, 131 is a compressor, 132 is a refrigerator for a refrigerator compartment arranged in the refrigerator compartment 134, and 133 is a refrigerator for a refrigerator compartment arranged in the freezer compartment 135. 136 is an ion generator similar to that of the first to third embodiments, and is provided in a case 138 installed above the refrigerator compartment 134. Reference numeral 137 denotes a fan, and positive ions and negative ions are discharged into the refrigerator compartment 134 from the outlet 139 of the case 138 by the rotation of the fan 137. Thereby, the bacteria which float in the refrigerator compartment 134 are inactivated like the 1st-3rd embodiment, and the damage of the accommodated foodstuff is suppressed.

  Next, FIG. 18 is a top sectional view showing the food storage 121 of the fifth embodiment. The food storage 121 can open and close the upper surface to store and store food. In the figure, reference numeral 122 denotes a partition installed at a predetermined interval from each of the four walls of the food storage 121. The partition 122 divides the food storage 121 into a food placement unit 123 and a cold air circulation path 124.

  125 is the same ion generator as in the first to third embodiments. 126 is a fan, and positive ions and negative ions are sent into the food storage 121 by the rotation of the fan 126. The fan 126 causes the air in the food storage 121 to flow as indicated by arrows in the figure, and positive ions and negative ions circulate along this flow. This inactivates the bacteria floating in the air and suppresses damage to food, as in the first to third embodiments.

  Next, FIG. 19 is a schematic sectional view showing the dishwasher / dryer of the sixth embodiment. The dish washer / dryer of this embodiment includes the same ion generator 113 as in the first to third embodiments, and the electrode section 113a of the ion generator 113 is arranged in a circulation path for circulating hot air to the tableware storage chamber 104 in the drying process. Is arranged. Then, after the drying process or the completion of the drying process, positive ions and negative ions are released from the electrode portion 113 a to circulate the positive ions and negative ions in the tableware storage chamber 104. Thereby, deodorization in the tableware storage chamber 104 and sterilization of floating bacteria are performed.

  An openable / closable front door 101 is provided on the front surface of the tableware storage chamber 104 for taking in and out tableware and the like. A rack 103 for storing tableware 102 is arranged in the tableware storage chamber 104, and a rotatable cleaning nozzle 105 is provided below the rack 103 so as to protrude substantially at the center of the tableware storage chamber 104. A plurality of injection holes 106 are formed in the cleaning nozzle 105, and the cleaning water supplied by the cleaning pump 108 is injected. Below the cleaning nozzle 105, a heater 107 for heating the cleaning water is provided.

  A drainage pump 110 for discharging the wash water to the water distribution pipe 109 is disposed below the tableware storage chamber 104. A water supply pipe 111 for supplying cleaning water is disposed at the upper part of the tableware storage chamber 104. A water tap 112 for controlling water supply is provided in the middle of the path of the water supply pipe 111. Further, a heat exchange duct 116 is provided for covering the upper surface of the tableware storage chamber 104 and discharging hot air outward from the main body and condensing water vapor to return the water to the tableware storage chamber 104.

  An ion generator 113, a fan 114, and a heater 115 are disposed at the rear of the tableware storage chamber 104. The fan 114 circulates air to dry the cleaned dishes 102. At this time, the air heated by the heater 115 is sent into the tableware storage chamber 104. Further, positive ions and negative ions released from the electrode part 113 a of the ion generator 113 by the fan 114 circulate in the tableware storage chamber 104. Reference numeral 117 denotes a control device for controlling the entire dishwasher / dryer.

  The operation of this dishwasher will be described. First, the front door 101 is opened and the tableware 102, cooking utensils, etc. to be cleaned are accommodated in a predetermined place of the rack 103. After the rack 103 is placed in the tableware storage room 104, a dedicated detergent is introduced to start operation.

  Then, a predetermined amount of washing water is supplied to the tableware storage chamber 104 through the water supply pipe 111 by the “open” operation of the water supply valve 112. Subsequently, the cleaning water pressurized by the operation of the cleaning pump 108 is sprayed together with the detergent from the injection hole 106 of the rotary cleaning nozzle 105 onto the tableware 102 to perform cleaning.

  Thereafter, a rinsing process and a drying process are performed. Then, after the drying process is finished, the fan 114 and the ion generator 113 are driven for a predetermined time (about 30 minutes), and the positive ions and the negative ions released from the electrode part 113a are released into the tableware storage chamber 104. Cycle as shown by the arrow. It should be noted that the generation of ions may be started from the latter half of the drying process, which is considered to evaporate and dry with warm air even when water droplets adhere to the electrode portion 113a, thereby shortening the operation time.

  According to the present embodiment, by releasing and circulating positive ions and negative ions in the tableware storage room 104, deodorization in the tableware storage room 104 and sterilization of floating bacteria are performed as in the first to fifth embodiments. The tableware and cooking utensils can be stored cleanly.

  In 1st-6th embodiment, the shape of the electrode part of an ion generator is not restricted to the shape shown in above-mentioned FIG. 20 to 22 show other shapes of the electrode portion 11c, and for convenience of explanation, the same parts as those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  The electrode part 11c shown in FIG. 20 is formed such that the lengths of the plurality of needle-like electrodes 11a protruding from the flat plate part 11b are different. In the electrode portion 11c shown in FIG. 21, a plurality of needle-like electrodes 11a protruding from the flat plate portion 11b are formed in the same direction. The electrode part 11c shown in FIG. 22 is formed with a single needle electrode 11a protruding from the flat plate part 11b. In any case, the same effects as those of the first to sixth embodiments can be obtained.

  Further, the electrode portion 11c is not limited to the case where the electrode portion 11c is arranged substantially parallel to the air flow direction, and the electrode portion 11c is arranged perpendicularly to the air flow E flowing through the air flow path 141 as shown in FIG. May be.

  In addition, although 1st-6th embodiment has demonstrated the refrigerator, the food storage, and the dishwasher / dryer, you may mount the ion generator similar to the above in another store. For example, freezers, cupboards, dish dryers, dishwashers, warm storage rooms that store stored items at a temperature higher than room temperature, food storage warehouses, lockers, etc. The same effect can be obtained as long as it is a warehouse that is partitioned from other spaces. Furthermore, the storehouse may be partitioned into a plurality of storerooms depending on its form.

  The refrigerator may be a warehouse with a refrigeration function, the freezer may be a warehouse with a refrigeration function, and the purpose of cooling and storing stored items such as a storage room of a cold car or a cooling display case. Everything it has is included in the storage of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator main body 2 Refrigeration room 3 Freezing room 4 Vegetable room 5 Isolation room 10, 34, 35 Cold air return port 10a Support part 11, 113, 125, 139 Ion generator 11a Needle electrode 11c Electrode part 12 Deodorizing device 13-15, 31a to 31c Discharge port 16, 38, 41 Cold air passage 17 Cold air distribution chamber 17a Damper 29 Cooler 30 Blower 31 Duct 45 Ion generation chamber 46 Compressor

Claims (76)

  A storage comprising an electrode that generates positive ions and negative ions when a high voltage is applied, and discharging positive ions and negative ions from the electrodes to an air flow path through which air flows.   A storage, wherein a high voltage is applied to an electrode that does not have a counter electrode to generate positive ions and negative ions, and the positive ions and negative ions are released into an air flow path through which air flows.   An ion generator that is not grounded is applied, a high voltage is applied to the electrode of the ion generator to generate positive ions and negative ions, and positive ions and negative ions are released to an air flow path through which air flows. Features a storage.   A storage comprising an ion generator having no ground electrode, and generating a positive ion and a negative ion by applying a high voltage to an electrode of the ion generator. An electrode that generates H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n as positive ions and O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m as negative ions when high voltage is applied is provided from the electrodes to the air flow path through which air flows. ions H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and negative ions O ₂ ^- (H ₂ O) reservoirs, characterized in that to release the _m. And H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n as positive ions and a high voltage is applied to the electrode without a counter electrode, O ₂ as negative ions ^- (H ₂ O) and _m occurs, air flow route through which air flows And a positive ion H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and a negative ion O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m . A non-grounded ion generator is provided, and a high voltage is applied to the electrode of the ion generator to generate H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n as positive ions and O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m as negative ions. A storage, wherein positive ions H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and negative ions O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m are released into an air flow path through which air flows. An ion generator having no ground electrode is provided, and a high voltage is applied to the electrode of the ion generator to generate H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n as positive ions and O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m as negative ions. A storage characterized by generating.   9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one storage chamber, wherein the air flow path includes at least one of the storage chambers, and positive ions and negative ions are released into the storage chamber. The storage in any one.   The storehouse according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the floating bacteria in the air flow path are sterilized by active species generated from positive ions and negative ions.   9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a duct including at least one storage chamber, a duct for guiding air to at least one of the storage chambers, and the electrode disposed in the duct. Storage.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the electrode is formed of a flat plate, and a needle-like protrusion is protruded from a part thereof.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the electrode is formed of a flat plate, and a plurality of needle-like protrusions project from a part thereof.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the electrode is formed of a flat plate, and a plurality of needle-like protrusions are provided in a part thereof in different directions.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein more negative ions are released to the air flow path than positive ions.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein an alternating voltage is applied to the electrodes to generate positive ions and negative ions alternately.   The storage according to claim 16, wherein the absolute value of the peak voltage of the AC voltage is 1.8 kV or more.   The storage according to claim 17, wherein the voltage width of the AC voltage is between 3.6 kVp-p and 5 kVp-p.   The storage according to claim 16, wherein the continuous application time of the AC voltage is shorter than the time when the sterilization rate reaches the equilibrium state.   The storage according to claim 16, wherein the continuous application time of the AC voltage is 45 minutes or less.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a plurality of the electrodes are provided, a positive voltage is applied to at least one of these electrodes, and a negative voltage is applied to the other electrodes.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein positive ions and negative ions are released in the forward direction of the air flow.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein positive ions and negative ions are released in a direction reverse to the air flow.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein positive ions and negative ions are released in a direction perpendicular to the air flow.   The at least electrode of an ion generator that generates positive ions and negative ions and an attachment device that decomposes or adsorbs at least one of an odorous substance or ozone are disposed in the air flow path. The storehouse according to claim 8.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein an attachment device that decomposes or adsorbs at least one of an odorous substance or ozone is provided in a discharge effective region of the electrode.   9. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that includes at least one storage chamber and controls generation of ions in synchronization with control of an air flow operation to the at least one storage chamber. The storage in any one.   2. A control means that includes at least one storage chamber and that turns on / off the generation of ions in synchronization with the on / off operation of air flow to the at least one storage chamber. The storehouse according to claim 8.   The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling unit that includes at least one storage chamber, cools the at least one storage chamber, and controls ion generation in synchronization with a cooling operation of the storage chamber. The storage in any one of Claims 1-8.   2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one storage chamber, wherein the at least one storage chamber is provided with temperature detection means, and control means for controlling generation of ions based on temperature detection of the temperature detection means is provided. The storage in any one of Claims 1-8.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising control means for controlling the generation of ions in synchronization with opening and closing of a damper that controls the flow of air.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising control means for controlling the generation of ions based on detection of opening / closing of a damper for controlling air flow.   Provided with at least one storage chamber, provided with cooling means for cooling the at least one storage chamber, and provided with control means for controlling the generation of ions in synchronization with driving of a compressor constituting a part of the cooling means. The storage in any one of Claims 1-8 characterized by the above-mentioned.   At least one storage chamber and a cooling means for cooling the at least one storage chamber are provided, and the generation of ions is controlled based on the driving time, the number of times of driving, or the operating rate of a compressor constituting a part of the cooling means. The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a control means is provided.   And a control means for controlling the generation of ions based on a detection result of opening or closing operation of at least one door for opening and closing the at least one storage chamber. The storage in any one of Claims 1-8.   A control means for controlling the generation of ions when an opening time of at least one door for opening and closing the at least one storage chamber has passed a predetermined time is provided. The storage in any one of Claims 1-8.   The storage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising control means for controlling the generation of ions based on an outside air temperature.   At least one storage chamber, cooling means for cooling the at least one storage chamber, and temperature detection means for detecting the temperature in the storage chamber cooled by the cooling means, and the temperature detected by the temperature detection means is The positive ion and the negative ion are generated by applying a voltage to the ion generating device in synchronization with a cooling operation for cooling the storage chamber when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature. The storehouse according to claim 8.   A refrigerator comprising an electrode that generates positive ions and negative ions when a high voltage is applied, and discharging positive ions and negative ions from the electrodes to an air flow path through which air flows.   A refrigerator characterized in that a high voltage is applied to an electrode that does not have a counter electrode to generate positive ions and negative ions, and the positive ions and negative ions are released into an air flow path through which air flows.   An ion generator that is not grounded is applied, a high voltage is applied to the electrode of the ion generator to generate positive ions and negative ions, and positive ions and negative ions are released to an air flow path through which air flows. Features a refrigerator.   A refrigerator comprising an ion generator having no ground electrode, wherein positive ions and negative ions are generated by applying a high voltage to the electrodes of the ion generator. An electrode that generates H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n as positive ions and O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m as negative ions when high voltage is applied is provided from the electrodes to the air flow path through which air flows. Refrigerator, characterized in that to release the (H ₂ O) _m ^- ions H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and negative ions O _2. And H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n as positive ions and a high voltage is applied to the electrode without a counter electrode, O ₂ as negative ions ^- (H ₂ O) and _m occurs, air flow route through which air flows And a positive ion H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and a negative ion O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m . A non-grounded ion generator is provided, and a high voltage is applied to the electrode of the ion generator to generate H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n as positive ions and O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m as negative ions. , air and positive ions H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n in the air circulation path for circulating negative ions O ₂ ^- refrigerator, characterized in that to release the (H ₂ O) _m. An ion generator having no ground electrode is provided, and a high voltage is applied to the electrode of the ion generator to generate H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n as positive ions and O ₂ ⁻ (H ₂ O) _m as negative ions. Generating a refrigerator.   49. The apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising at least one storage chamber, wherein the air flow path includes at least one of the storage chambers, and positive ions and negative ions are released into the storage chamber. The refrigerator in any one.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein the floating bacteria in the air flow path are sterilized by active species generated from positive ions and negative ions.   The at least one storage chamber is provided, a duct for guiding air to at least one of the storage chambers is provided, and the electrode is disposed in the duct. Refrigerator.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein the electrode is formed of a flat plate, and a needle-like protrusion is protruded from a part thereof.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein the electrode is formed of a flat plate, and a plurality of needle-like protrusions project from a part thereof.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein the electrode is formed of a flat plate, and a plurality of needle-like protrusions are provided on a part thereof in different directions.   47. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein more negative ions are released to the air flow path than positive ions.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein an alternating voltage is applied to the electrodes to generate positive ions and negative ions alternately.   The absolute value of the peak voltage of the AC voltage is set to 1.8 kV or more, and the refrigerator according to claim 16.   The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein a voltage width of the AC voltage is set between 3.6 kVp-p and 5 kVp-p.   The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the continuous application time of the AC voltage is shorter than the time when the sterilization rate reaches the equilibrium state.   The continuous application time of an alternating voltage was made into 45 minutes or less, The refrigerator of Claim 16 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 39 to 46, comprising a plurality of the electrodes, wherein a positive voltage is applied to at least one of these electrodes and a negative voltage is applied to the other electrodes.   The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein positive ions and negative ions are released in the forward direction of the air flow.   The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein positive ions and negative ions are released in a direction reverse to the air flow.   The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein positive ions and negative ions are released in a direction perpendicular to the air flow.   40. In the air flow path, at least an electrode of an ion generator that generates positive ions and negative ions and an attachment device that decomposes or adsorbs at least one of an odorous substance or ozone are arranged. The storehouse according to any one of claims 46.   The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein an attachment device for decomposing or adsorbing at least one of an odorous substance or ozone is provided in a discharge effective region of the electrode.   47. The control device according to any one of claims 39 to 46, further comprising: a control unit that includes at least one storage chamber and controls generation of ions in synchronization with control of an air flow operation to the at least one storage chamber. The storage in any one.   40. A control means comprising at least one storage chamber, and provided with a control means for turning on / off the generation of ions in synchronization with the on / off of the air circulation operation to the at least one storage chamber. The storehouse according to any one of claims 46.   The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling unit that includes at least one storage chamber, cools the at least one storage chamber, and controls ion generation in synchronization with a cooling operation of the storage chamber. The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46.   2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one storage chamber, wherein the at least one storage chamber is provided with temperature detection means, and control means for controlling generation of ions based on temperature detection of the temperature detection means is provided. The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46.   The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46, further comprising control means for controlling the generation of ions in synchronization with opening and closing of a damper that controls the flow of air.   The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46, further comprising control means for controlling the generation of ions based on detection of opening / closing of a damper for controlling air flow.   Provided with at least one storage chamber, provided with cooling means for cooling the at least one storage chamber, and provided with control means for controlling the generation of ions in synchronization with driving of a compressor constituting a part of the cooling means. The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein:   At least one storage chamber and cooling means for cooling the at least one storage chamber are provided, and the generation of ions is controlled based on the driving time, the number of times of driving, or the operating rate of the compressor constituting a part of the cooling means. The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46, further comprising a control means.   And a control means for controlling the generation of ions based on a detection result of opening or closing operation of at least one door for opening and closing the at least one storage chamber. Item 50. The storage according to any one of Items 39 to 46.   A control means for controlling the generation of ions when an opening time of at least one door for opening and closing the at least one storage chamber has passed a predetermined time is provided. The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46.   The storage according to any one of claims 39 to 46, further comprising control means for controlling the generation of ions based on the outside air temperature.   At least one storage chamber, cooling means for cooling the at least one storage chamber, and temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the storage chamber cooled by the cooling means, and the temperature detected by the temperature detection means is 40. A positive ion and a negative ion are generated by applying a voltage to the ion generator in synchronization with a cooling operation for cooling the storage chamber when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature. The storehouse according to any one of claims 46.

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