JP3150592B2 - Refrigerator deodorizer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a deodorizer for a refrigerator, and more particularly to a deodorizer for a defrosting glass tube heater using a deodorizer made of an adsorption-type pyrolysis catalyst on the surface of a glass tube heater for defrosting. The present invention relates to a refrigerator deodorizing device for removing odors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of deodorizing device,
For example, a device that adsorbs bad odor components contained in the air in the refrigerator using an adsorbent such as activated carbon or an ozone generator and a catalyst, and reacts ozone generated from the ozone generator with air in the refrigerator. There is an apparatus in which an odorous component contained in air in a refrigerator is decomposed and removed, and residual ozone is decomposed by a catalyst.

The former one has a drawback that the deodorizing function has a short life because the offensive component is simply adsorbed by the adsorbent, while the latter one requires an ozone generator. However, since a catalyst for decomposing ozone remaining harmful to the human body is also required, there is a disadvantage that the structure is complicated as a whole.

On the other hand, as a refrigerator having a long deodorizing function and a simple structure, there is proposed a refrigerator deodorizing apparatus in which a deodorizing agent comprising an adsorption-type pyrolysis catalyst is intermittently heated by a heater. (Tokuhei 6-879)
No. 51).

In the case where the deodorizing agent is intermittently heated by a heater, a defrosting glass tube heater is used as a heater, and the deodorizing agent is provided on the entire surface of the glass tube of the glass tube heater. Has been proposed (Tokuhei 7-5)
No. 2060).

[0006]

However, in the prior art in which a glass tube heater for defrosting is used as a heater for heating and controlling a deodorizing agent composed of an adsorption-type pyrolysis catalyst, the entire surface of the glass tube of the glass tube heater is provided. Since the deodorant was installed, the amount of heat contributing to the original defrost is reduced, the time required for the defrost is increased, the power consumption is increased and the temperature inside the refrigerator is increased, and the performance of the refrigerator is deteriorated. There was a problem of letting it.

Further, since the deodorizer is provided on the entire surface of the glass tube of the glass tube heater, the heat radiation efficiency is deteriorated, the heat is filled in the glass tube, and the deodorant is provided on the surface of the glass tube. There is a problem that the surface temperature of the heater wire rises as compared to the case where no heater wire is provided, and the heater wire is more likely to be disconnected.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide an inexpensive refrigerator deodorizing apparatus which does not deteriorate the defrosting performance of a glass tube heater for defrosting. is there.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a refrigerator deodorizing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a heater wire disposed near a refrigerator of a refrigerator and a glass tube containing the heater wire therein. A deodorizing device for a refrigerator in which a deodorizing agent made of an adsorption-type pyrolysis catalyst is disposed on the surface of the glass tube of a glass tube heater for defrosting, wherein the deodorizing agent is band-shaped in a circumferential direction of the glass tube. And is divided and arranged at a plurality of locations.

[0010] Preferably, the deodorizing agent is disposed in a portion except for a predetermined range from each of the caps at both ends of the glass tube. In addition, the deodorant is disposed in a portion excluding a central portion of the glass tube over a predetermined length range. Further, the deodorant is disposed on an upper portion of the glass tube.

In the above invention, the deodorant is provided on a predetermined portion of the surface of the glass tube of the glass tube heater for defrosting. Of heat that contributes to the defrosting of the glass tube, and the heat does not stay in the glass tube.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a refrigerator will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 9, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator main body, in which a refrigerator compartment 2 and a freezer compartment 3 are provided. A cooler 4 is disposed behind the freezer compartment 3. Above the cooler 4, a fan 5 for blowing cool air is disposed. When the fan 5 is driven, part of the air cooled by the cooler 4 is supplied from the supply port 6 into the refrigerator compartment 2, and the air in the refrigerator compartment 2 is guided to the vegetable compartment through the duct 7. Then, it is returned to the cooler 4 through the return duct 8. A part of the air cooled by the cooler 4 is supplied into the cold room 3, and the air in the cold room 3 is returned to the cooler room where the cooler 4 is located via the return duct 9. In this way, a circulation path for circulating the air in the cold room 2 and a circulation path for circulating the air in the freezing room 3 are formed.

As shown in FIG. 7, below the cooler 4,
A glass tube heater 10 for defrosting is provided. An upper heater cover 11A is provided above the glass tube heater 10, and a lower heater cover 11B is provided below the glass tube heater 10. Above the cooler 4, a fan 5 for circulating the cool air cooled by the cooler 4 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 8, the glass tube heater 10 has a heater wire 12 such as a nichrome wire and a cylindrical glass tube 13 containing the heater wire 12. Caps 14 made of silicone rubber are attached to both ends of the glass tube 13, and lead wires 15 electrically connected to the heater wires 12 extend outside the cap 14.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, deodorant 2
Various embodiments of the arrangement position of 0 will be described below.
Here, the deodorizer 20 is made of an adsorption type pyrolysis catalyst, for example, a mixture of an adsorbent such as activated carbon and a pyrolysis catalyst such as platinum or nickel.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment. In FIG. 1, a deodorant 20 is applied on the surface of a central portion of the glass tube 13, and caps 1 at both ends of the glass tube 13 are provided.
From 4 to a predetermined range, for example, a length range of 50 mm or more,
The deodorant 20 is not applied. As a result, in the portion where the deodorant is not applied, heat from the heater wire 12 is radiated without hitting the deodorant 20. As a result, heat for defrosting can be effectively secured, and the heater wire 12 can be prevented from being easily broken by preventing heat from remaining in the glass tube 13. The portion where the deodorant is not applied can be appropriately selected according to the heating capacity of the cooler 4 required for defrosting, the size of the width of the cooler 4, and the like.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment. In FIG. 2, the deodorant 20 is not applied on the surface of the central portion of the glass tube 13 over a predetermined range, for example, over a length range of 100 mm or more, and the deodorant 20 is applied on both end portions of the glass tube 13. are doing. As a result, in the central part of the length range of 100 mm or more, the heat generated by the heater wire 12 is released by the deodorant
Radiated without hitting. As a result, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. The range in which the deodorant is not applied is not limited to this value, and can be appropriately selected according to the heating capacity of the cooler 4 necessary for defrosting, or the size of the width of the cooler 4. .

Next, FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment. In FIG. 3, the deodorant 20 is applied to a portion of the glass tube 13 divided into a plurality of portions, for example, the surfaces of the entire circumferences 21a and 21b divided into two portions. The portions 21a and 21b are located between the center and both ends of the glass tube 13. The number of divided portions may be three or more, and the portion to which the deodorant is applied may be linearly divided in the longitudinal direction.

Thus, the heat radiated from the heater wire 12 can be uniformly distributed in the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 13. Further, in the present embodiment, even when the width of the cooler 4 is wide, heat can be supplied over the entire range of the width of the cooler 4 to perform defrosting. It is effective when applied to a wide refrigerator. Note that the total amount of the deodorizers 20 that are divided and arranged may be any amount that is necessary for achieving the deodorizing function.

Next, FIGS. 4 to 6 show a fourth embodiment.
4 and 5, the deodorant 20 is applied on the upper half of the entire length of the glass tube 13 in the longitudinal direction.

As shown in FIG. 6, the upper end surface of the refrigerator wall portion 22 below the glass tube heater 10 is linearly inclined so as to form a V-shape, and aluminum is formed thereon. A gutter 23 is provided. Among the heat radiated from the glass tube heater 10, the heat radiated from the lower half of the glass tube 13 on which the deodorant 20 is not applied is reflected by the aluminum gutter 23 and cooled as indicated by an arrow 24. The heat is radiated upward to the container 4.

According to the construction of this embodiment, the deodorant 20 is applied to the upper half without applying the deodorant 20 to the entire surface of the glass tube 13 and the lower half of the glass tube 13 is radiated. Since the generated heat is reflected upward at the upper end surface of the wall portion 22, heat contributing to defrosting can be effectively secured.

Next, the operation of the deodorizing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. During the cooling operation, the air in the refrigerator is circulated through the cooler 4, the refrigerating compartment 2, the freezing compartment 3, the return ducts 8, 9 and the like by the ventilation action of the fan 5.
At this time, the air passing near the glass tube heater 10 comes into contact with the deodorant 20 composed of the adsorption-type pyrolysis catalyst, and the malodor component contained in the air is adsorbed by the adsorbent of the deodorant 20.

On the other hand, when the defrosting operation is started, the cooler 4
While the operation of the fan 5 is stopped, the glass tube heater 10 is energized to generate heat. The heat generated by the glass tube heater 10 heats the cooler 4 and the deodorant 20 coated on the surface of the glass tube 13. Of these, the cooler 4 is heated to defrost the cooler 4 and the deodorant 20 is also heated to release the malodorous component adsorbed by the adsorbent and to be oxidatively decomposed and removed by the catalyst. . Deodorant 20
The adsorbing function is regenerated by releasing the adsorbed malodorous component.

When the defrosting operation is completed and the cooling operation is restarted, the malodorous component contained in the air in the refrigerator is adsorbed by the adsorbent of the deodorant 20 in the same manner as described above.

Each time the defrosting operation of the cooler is performed by heating the glass tube heater 10, the deodorizing agent 20 composed of an adsorption type pyrolysis catalyst is used.
Since the adsorbing function, that is, the deodorizing function is regenerated, the life of the deodorizing function is long and the amount of the deodorizing agent 20 is small, unlike the case of simply adsorbing by the adsorbent.

[0028]

As described above, according to the structure of the present invention, the deodorizing material is provided at a predetermined portion of the surface of the glass tube of the glass tube heater. The deodorizing action can be performed without deteriorating the defrosting performance. Further, since no heat is trapped in the glass tube, the heater wire can be hardly broken.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a glass tube heater for defrosting used in a deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the third embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a flow of heat radiated from a glass tube heater in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an arrangement position of a glass tube heater for defrost used in a deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a glass tube heater for defrosting.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the overall configuration of the refrigerator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator main body 2 Refrigerator room 3 Freezer room 4 Cooler 5 Fan 6 Supply port 7 Return duct 8 Return duct 9 Return duct 10 Glass tube heater 11A Above the heater cover 11B Below the heater cover 12 Glass tube 13 Heater wire 14 Cap 15 Lead wire 20 Deodorant 22 Wall 23 Gutter

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A defrosting glass tube heater having a heater wire disposed near a cooler of a refrigerator and a glass tube containing the heater wire therein, and an adsorption-type pyrolysis catalyst on a surface of the glass tube. A deodorizing device for a refrigerator provided with a deodorizing agent comprising: a deodorizing agent distributed in a plurality of locations in a belt shape in a circumferential direction of the glass tube and divided and disposed.