JP4433958B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique related to food preservation such as vegetables in a refrigerator.

  As for the conventional refrigerator, the technique which improves storage property, such as irradiating vegetables with red LED from the upper direction and keeping the freshness of vegetables is known (for example, refer patent document 1). In addition, there is a white fluorescent lamp, and lighting control is performed by a switch that detects opening and closing of the door to reduce a decrease in chlorophyll of green vegetables (for example, see Patent Document 2). Furthermore, there is a report investigating respiratory action and low-temperature damage by LED irradiation against the unfrozen temperature of foods of 0 ° C. or less (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-267348 (column 0036, FIGS. 1, 2, etc.) JP-A-9-28363 (column 006, FIG. 1, etc.) JP 2001-61459 A (columns 0011, 0012, 0069, etc.)

Since conventional refrigerators use red LEDs for light, the appearance of vegetables is poor, secondly, door opening / closing is recognized and lighting time is controlled, so door opening / closing recognition means is required, third Irradiate light from above, so food in the storage container placed in the lower part cannot be irradiated. Fourth, since irradiation is performed from above, wiring of electrical parts is difficult. Fifth, irradiation from above or doors are closed. When it was irradiated only occasionally, there was a problem that it was difficult to confirm that the light was lit at home or in the store. In the case of a household refrigerator, there are various types of vegetables to be stored, or while constantly changing many types of foods such as foods other than vegetables, and without deciding where they are stored, it is free Each time it is thrown in, stacked, or stuffed, it can take various forms of preservation, such as space, duration, and state. In addition, there are cases where it is stored regardless of temperature only by refrigeration and freezing. What is required and necessary for such food storage is that it has the effect of storage by light irradiation in any storage form, has no adverse effects, is an efficient refrigerator with low power consumption, and the life of parts However, white fluorescent lamps are important in that they do not require good maintenance, but in the case of white fluorescent lamps, neither good nor bad effects can be separated, and it is ideal to select a wavelength that is convenient for specific storage effects such as red and blue. There is a problem that even if the test is carried out, storage under unfavorable conditions exists and a practical refrigerator cannot always be obtained.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and the present invention does not deteriorate the appearance of food such as vegetables, and is a refrigerator that can effectively store food in various storage forms. Is what you get.

  Moreover, since this invention uses effectively few semiconductor light emitting elements (LED), it has a long service life and obtains an efficient refrigerator.

  In addition, the present invention is capable of irradiating food stored in a necessary place such as a storage container installed in the lower portion with light so as to obtain a refrigerator having good storage stability.

  In addition, the present invention provides a refrigerator that is easy to maintain LEDs, is inexpensive and easy to assemble, has little wasted energy, and is easy to recycle.

  Moreover, this invention improves food preservation | save performance not only with food preservability but using it also as interior lighting using the friendly light which does not have a bad influence on foodstuffs.

The refrigerator according to the present invention is a refrigerator having at least a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, and a vegetable compartment, and is incorporated in the vegetable compartment side of the heat insulating portion on the back of the vegetable compartment, and has a wavelength in the range of 550 nm to 620 nm in the vegetable compartment. A plurality of light sources installed to irradiate and a control device provided in the refrigerator main body capable of controlling turning on and off of each of the plurality of light sources, are turned on when the door is closed to increase nutrients such as vegetables The plurality of light sources can be switched on and off and the illuminance level can be switched by a signal when the door is opened or closed so that the light can be used as an interior lamp when the door is opened.

The refrigerator according to the present invention is a refrigerator having at least a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, and a vegetable compartment, and is incorporated in the vegetable compartment side of the heat insulation portion on the back of the vegetable compartment, and irradiates the vegetable compartment with light having a wavelength in the range of 550 nm to 620 nm. A plurality of light sources installed to be controlled, and a control device provided in a refrigerator main body capable of controlling turning on and off of each of the plurality of light sources, to increase the nutrients such as vegetables by turning on when the door is closed Foods such as vegetables because it is possible to switch on and off of the light sources and switch the illuminance level with a signal when the door is opened or closed so that it can be turned on and used as an interior light when the door is opened It has the effect of increasing the nutrients without damaging the appearance of and allowing it to be used as an interior light. The light source uses a warm red color, such as yellow light with a wavelength peak near 590 nm or orange light near 600 nm, and a warm color rather than a cold color that dulls the color of the object. By setting it as LED obtained, both the effect of photosynthesis and the effect as illumination can be acquired.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
1 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 for carrying out the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the interior of a vegetable room according to the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a wavelength characteristic of an LED which is a semiconductor light emitting element, and FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a light irradiation device.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator main body, which is provided with an open / close door at the top of the refrigerator 1, and refrigerated from a freezing temperature zone (−18 ° C.) below the refrigerator room 100, vegetables, chilled, soft There are a switching chamber 400 having a drawer door that can be switched to a temperature zone such as refrigeration (−7 ° C.), an ice making chamber 500 having a drawer door in parallel with the switching chamber, and a refrigeration having a drawer door arranged at the bottom. A vegetable room 300 having a drawer door between the room 200 and the switching room and ice making room. On the door of the refrigerating room 100, an operation panel 5 including an operation switch for adjusting the temperature and setting of each room and a liquid crystal for displaying the temperature of each room at that time is installed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vegetable compartment 300 is provided with a storage container 30 made of a non-light-transmitting material and a second storage container 31 made of a light-transmitting material installed on the top. It can store food such as vegetables. As the non-permeable material, white plastic or metal such as stainless steel or aluminum is used. A light irradiation device 32 is installed on the back surface of the second storage container 31 as shown in FIG. 2, and can irradiate light around the center of the second storage container. The light irradiation device 32 includes a substrate on which four LEDs 34 each having a wavelength of 550 nm to 620 nm are mounted, as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 1, 10 is a compressor, 11 is a cooler, 12 is a fan for blowing cold air cooled by the cooler 11 to the refrigerator compartment 100 and the freezer compartment 500, and 13 is an amount of cold air into the refrigerator compartment 500. A damper device to be adjusted, and 14 is an air passage for introducing the cold air cooled by the cooler 11 into the refrigerator compartment 100. The substrate 22 of the control device that controls turning on and off of the light irradiation device 3 2 is controlled by a microcomputer or the like that is housed in the electrical component chamber 21 on the back of the refrigerator and received by the substrate 22.

  In FIG. 4, the light irradiation device 32 includes a mounting substrate 33, a semiconductor light emitting element LED 34 that is a light source provided on the mounting substrate 33, and a transparent cover 35 that protects the LED 34. Since the directivity of the LED generally tends to be narrower as the brightness increases, the mounting substrate 35 and the cover 35 are fixed with screws so that the irradiation angle does not fluctuate due to the vibration of the refrigerator. The back surface of the mounting substrate 33 is covered with a seal 36 to prevent a short circuit. Further, the light irradiation device 32 is installed in front of the heat insulating portion 37 on the back side of the vegetable room 300 and is installed so that the light of the LED 34 is irradiated into the vegetable room 300, but prevents the cover 35 from being exposed to dew. For this purpose, the O-ring 38 is sandwiched to increase the degree of adhesion and block the cool air, thereby preventing the mounting substrate 33 from being exposed and the light from being irregularly reflected by water droplets. Further, the cover 35 has a protruding portion 39 and has a shape that prevents the storage container from colliding with the cover surface, thereby preventing irregular reflection of light due to scratches on the cover surface, destruction of the mounting substrate 33 and the LED 34, and failure. . In order to prevent the collision of the cover surface, the protrusion 39 is provided for various situations such as handling of the cover 35 during manufacture and attachment / detachment of the storage container during use.

In addition, by installing the light irradiation device on the back side, particularly on the back side, in the refrigerator, which is a vegetable room, it can be brought close to the fan, damper, and other electrical components, so that wiring is easy and inexpensive. In addition, when air is circulated in the refrigerator, the outlet and suction port are provided at the back, so the direction of light irradiation from the back to the front matches the direction in which the cool air is moved, that is, the direction in which the cold is blown out or sucked in. It will be. Refrigerators without storage containers or vegetable rooms with storage containers, such as refrigerators, often have a structure that allows easy passage of cold air even when food is stuffed. It becomes easy to pass through the whole. Moreover, by arranging the interior lighting on the back side, it becomes easier to see the interior of the storage room when the door is opened.

In addition, since it is easier for the user to check the lighting state than it is installed on the upper side or the side surface, it is easier to make a product appeal at a storefront or check lighting at home. Furthermore, the heat insulating material structure on the back side is relatively stronger than the partition plate that partitions the storage room, and the vibration applied to the LED is small, so that the reliability can be improved.

  FIG. 5 is a table showing the absorption wavelength of visible light and its color. FIG. 6 shows the effect of plant growth per unit energy by wavelength. The LED 34 emits light in the visible light region, and the visible light ranges from purple having the shortest wavelength to blue, green, yellow, orange, and red having the longest wavelength, as shown in FIG. In addition, plants basically grow by photosynthesis, but they also perform photomorphogenesis, which is a qualitative change in plants such as seed germination, flower bud differentiation, flowering, cotyledon development, chlorophyll synthesis, and intermuscular elongation. The nutrients stored at that time are used as an energy source. Among them, photomorphogenesis that is not suitable for vegetable preservation such as germination and flowering tends to be promoted by blue light around 470 nm and red light around 660 nm, as shown in FIG. Similarly, the absorption peak of chlorophyll, which is generally chlorophyll, is similarly the largest for blue light and red light, and the proportion of green and yellow light is small. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the energy efficiency of photosynthesis is the highest in red and decreases as the wavelength becomes shorter. Therefore, the effective color for the photosynthesis speed in the visible light region is firstly red and secondly blue, and other colors tend to be more effective at longer wavelengths. However, near blue light also promotes germination and flowering, so it is not suitable for long-term preservation of vegetables.

Next, the photosynthesis reaction will be described. When the photosynthetic reaction is represented by a chemical formula, ₆ CO ₂ + 12H ₂ O +688 kcal → C ₆ H ₁₂ O ₆ + 6H ₂ O + 6O ₂
(CO _2: carbon dioxide, H ₂ O: water, 688kcal: light energy, C ₆ H ₁₂ O _6: glucose)
The reaction is divided into a light reaction using light energy and a dark reaction not using light energy. The light reaction is a reaction that changes the light energy of the sun into chemical energy. At this stage, carbon dioxide is not used, and pigments such as chlorophyll use light energy to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen, and the action of enzyme proteins. Stores chemical energy. On the other hand, in the dark reaction, glucose is synthesized using hydrogen produced by the bright reaction and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Moreover, the vegetable in which glucose increased increases the storage property, or produces vitamin C from glucose.

  As described above, heat generation can be suppressed by using a plurality of LEDs, transpiration of vegetables and the like can be suppressed, and photosynthesis can be most effectively promoted by using the LED 34 as a red LED. However, the cold color of vegetables looks dull due to red light, and it is difficult to understand the deterioration of vegetables, or red light gives a warning image, so it is not suitable for interior lighting, so the wavelength peak LED that can produce a friendly effect with colors close to incandescent lamps by adopting warm colors rather than cold reds that dull the color of objects such as yellow light around 590 nm and orange light around 600 nm Thus, both the effect of photosynthesis and the effect as illumination can be obtained. Furthermore, the food preservation effect of photosynthesis is obtained as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the wavelength from yellow to orange is 580 to 610 nm, and if this range is adopted as the peak value, a warm color can be obtained.

  Moreover, by composing a light irradiation device using a plurality of LEDs so as to combine a red LED and a blue LED, the light synthesis may be performed more effectively by irradiating light that matches the absorption peak of chlorophyll. . That is, it is also possible to obtain a warm effect by simultaneously emitting a plurality of colors and simultaneously emitting light to obtain individual effects. In addition, not only a single color LED but also a combination of an LED and a phosphor may be used.

Moreover, the number of LEDs can be reduced by using a high-luminance type LED or a diffusion type LED, and the light irradiation device 32 can be configured at low cost while obtaining the effects of photosynthesis and illumination. Can do.

FIG. 7 shows an electric circuit diagram of the light irradiation device, and FIG. 8 is a mounting layout diagram of the LEDs 34. A system 34A in which two LEDs 34a and 34b of two mounting boards are arranged in parallel and a system in which LEDs 34c and 34d are arranged in parallel. 34B is connected in two rows in parallel. The LEDs 34a, 34b, 34c, and 34d are caused to emit light by applying DC 5V to 12V and flowing a current of about 30 mA. The current value is as small as about 30 mA and is safe. In addition, one LED is composed of two LEDs as in 34A and 34B, and the respective systems are arranged vertically as shown in FIG. If this is done, about 100 Lx within the irradiation range and illumination of about 2 lines can secure an illuminance of about 300 Lx, and the life of the LED can be extended, so that it is possible to ensure a sufficient life without detecting door opening / closing. . In addition, by controlling a plurality of LEDs as a system, that is, group control, the number of ports of the microcomputer can be reduced, and the board can be simplified. As shown in FIG. 7, a signal is output from the microcomputer to turn on / off a transistor and a current limiting resistor for setting a current to be supplied to the LED is provided in series with the LED to control the LED point and light on / off. In the actual mounting of the substrate of this configuration, if the resistor is disposed on the control substrate side, the mounting substrate 33 of the light irradiation device 32 can be reduced in size, and can be easily disposed in the vegetable room, and the heat generation of the resistor can be suppressed. Can improve the storage performance of vegetables. On the other hand, if the resistor is arranged on the mounting substrate side of the light irradiation device 32, there are effects such as confirmation of lighting and finding of a defective part in the event of a failure. The control of turning on / off has been described with the combination example of 2 and 4. However, the minimum number is 1 and the number is larger as many as 8 or 12. Moreover, what is necessary is just to select an applied voltage and an electric current suitably according to the number of used LED, and required illuminance.

By promoting the synthesis of stored vegetables such as grapes, the storage stability is improved and the vegetables rich in nutritional components with increased vitamin C also require dark reactions in photosynthesis. Instead of lighting the lamp, it is necessary to limit the lighting time and illuminance. This limitation also has the effect of extending the life of the LED and making the light irradiating device unnecessary for replacement. This makes it possible to store food effectively without using wasted energy.

The operation of the refrigerator configured as described above will be described below.

The cool air cooled by the cooler 11 of FIG. 1 is sent into the freezer compartment 200 by the fan 12, and the freezer compartment is cooled to a predetermined temperature of about −18 ° C. On the other hand, a part cooled by the cooler 11 passes through the air passage 14, is controlled by opening and closing the damper 13, and is sent to the refrigerating room 100, the switching room 400, and the ice making room 500. The cooling chamber 400 is cooled to a temperature corresponding to the setting, and the ice making chamber 500 is cooled to -18 ° C. The vegetable room 300 does not directly blow cold air in order to suppress the transpiration of the vegetables, and uses the radiation from the switching room 400 and the ice making room 500 in the upper part of the vegetable room 300 and the freezing room 200 in the lower part of the vegetable room 300 to a predetermined temperature of about 5 Indirect cooling to ℃. Of course, as described above, a structure in which cold air is circulated instead of indirect cooling may be used.

As shown in FIG. 2, a storage container 30 and a second storage container 31 are installed in the vegetable room 300, and when storing vegetables in the vegetable room, vegetables such as spinach and komatsuna, which are mainly desired for photosynthesis, are second. Root vegetables such as potatoes and onions, which are preferably stored in the dark, are stored separately in a storage container 31. The vegetables stored in the second storage container 30 are irradiated with light by the light irradiation device 32 on the back surface of the second storage container 31. At that time, if four high-luminance type LEDs 34 are used, it is possible to create a place where light of about 300 to 400 Lx is irradiated if two lights are used. On the other hand, the root vegetables stored in the storage container 30 are not blocked by light-impermeable material, or are blocked by food stored in the storage container 31 and are not directly irradiated with light.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of simple control of the light irradiation device, and FIG. 10 is a time chart of light irradiation control and vegetable photosynthesis. In FIG. 9, after turning on the power of the refrigerator main body 1, the LED 34 of the light irradiation device 32 is turned on in step 41 in the case of data for lighting two lights according to the initial data stored in the microcomputer of the control board in step 40. If the two lights are on and the light is turned off, the LED 34 of the light irradiation device 32 is not lit at step 42.

Next, when the refrigerator enters the defrosting operation in step 43, 4 LEDs 34 are turned on in step 44, and after 3 hours have passed since the irradiation of the LED 4 lights in step 45, the process proceeds to step 46, and the control board data is stored. 2 lights on or off. Step 46 memorizes the state before entering step 43 defrosting so that it is the same as that state. Since the defrosting operation of step 43 is controlled to enter once a day, the control of irradiating light of 300 Lx or more for 3 hours a day by taking a series of control of steps 43 to 46.

In FIG. 10, triggered by the defrosting operation in step 43, the LED 4 lights are turned on, and the light irradiated vegetables cause a light reaction of photosynthesis, and after 3 hours, the lights are turned on or turned off. Causes a dark reaction. The defrosting operation in the refrigerator is an operation for removing the frost because the moisture contained in the cool air adheres to the fins of the cooler 11 as an evaporator when the cool air in the refrigerator that cools the interior circulates. When the refrigerant circulated in the compressor 10 evaporates, the evaporator in the refrigeration cycle cools the air in the cabinet with a heat exchanger, and moisture contained in the air in the cabinet is frosted on the fins of the cooler. And stick. In order to remove this frost, the heater installed in the lower part of a cooler is operated, and frost is evaporated and removed. At this time, the fan 12 in the cabinet is stopped, the damper is closed, and cool air is not blown into each chamber, but the blow of cold air is blocked, and the temperature in the cabinet rises due to heat leakage of the heater. Since the photosynthesis occurs more actively as the temperature is higher in a low temperature room such as 0 ° C. or lower, it is effective to increase the irradiation intensity from the light source in the temperature during the defrosting operation. Furthermore, the defrosting operation stores the pattern of the door opening / closing of the refrigeration room during the day, and is performed aiming at a time period when the door opening / closing is small. Therefore, the light from the light source is irradiated according to these preset conditions. Just do it. Furthermore, in the freezer room, not only interior lighting but also combined use with ultraviolet rays is effective. Although the defrosting operation is described here as a reference for controlling light irradiation, the opening and closing of the door is memorized to set the time, or the midnight time zone is set in advance and the light is turned on only during that time zone, and the lights are turned off at other times Naturally, it is possible to provide a time reference such as providing a time zone at night or other times to increase the illuminance, for example. The cycle of turning on and off, or the cycle of increasing and decreasing the illuminance need not be once a day, and may be set according to the need for enhancing nutrition of vegetables.

Next, by operating the operation switch of the operation panel 5 installed in the door of the refrigerator 100, the LED can be turned on and off. In step 49, the operation panel accepts the switch input, turns on the display of light when the LED is turned on, turns off the display of light when turned off, and transmits the status data to the control board. The control board that has received the signal in step 50 turns on or off two LEDs 34 according to the data. By making it possible to select whether the LED is turned on or off by a switch operation, a user who does not store leafy vegetables can be turned off, or can be turned off by a switch operation during the winter when leafy vegetables are not widely used.

In addition, the operation panel is not limited to the one installed outside the refrigerator, but may be one installed inside the refrigerator. An instruction to operate the refrigerator interior lighting from the operation panel is converted from a mobile phone or the like to the control device in the refrigerator by wired or wireless such as a power line, etc. It may be a command.

In addition, the user can select not only two types of light irradiation, lighting and extinguishing, but if the three-step control of four lamp lighting, two lamp lighting, and extinguishing, if the light synthesis effect is important, the four lights If only a role as an interior lamp is required, such as when it is open, it may be set to 2 lights, and if energy saving is important, it may be set to turn off. In addition, if the three levels of lighting of 4 lights, lighting of 2 lights, and extinction are linked to the strong, medium and weak temperature settings of the vegetable room, the “strong” temperature environment suitable for leaf vegetables, the normal vegetable room There are three types of proposals for the whole vegetable room: “medium”, which has a storage effect with continuous or intermittent lighting, and a “low” energy-saving vegetable room that does not provide proof while increasing the temperature setting. In addition, since it is not necessary to provide a special light irradiation setting on the operation panel, the operation panel interface can be simplified. Further, the LED may be turned off in conjunction with the “energy saving mode” or “power saving mode” that can be set on the operation panel.

Finally, when the outlet is unplugged in step 53 or the power supply of the refrigerator 1 itself is reset due to a power failure or the like, the state at that time is stored, and when the power is turned on again, the process returns to step 40 and before the power reset. To be able to start from the state. Although the above description is based on 2 lighting, 4 lighting, and extinguishing, it is possible to increase / decrease by 1 lighting or to perform 3/4 lighting as one group. What is necessary is just to perform necessary illumination according to the purpose.

With the control as described above, a bright reaction effect of photosynthesis can be obtained when four lamps are lit, and a dark reaction effect of photosynthesis can be obtained when two lamps are lit. In addition, the LEDs that are turned on are alternately provided among the plurality of LEDs, thereby extending the lifetime of the LEDs, eliminating the need for replacing the light irradiation device during the lifetime of the refrigerator, and further embedding in the back. In order to prevent sticking, the degree of sealing can be increased, and the user can be prevented from touching carelessly, failing, and ensuring safety. In addition, the timing of light irradiation is not the idea that it must be done when the door is closed, but by performing the control as described above, it is sufficient to keep it on without recognizing the opening and closing of the door. Thus, parts such as a door switch, which is a means for recognizing door opening / closing, can be omitted, and the system itself can be configured at low cost and energy saving. Of course, when the door is opened or closed, it is natural to switch on / off and switch the illuminance level freely by setting the microcomputer.

Further, the illuminance may be controlled by securing about 100 Lx with a small current value with respect to the rated value and increasing the current value so as to ensure about 300 Lx. Further, when the luminance of the LED 34 alone decreases due to secular change, the number of LEDs that are turned on at the same time may be increased to perform control to ensure illuminance.

Also, in the refrigerator of the type that blows cold air like other rooms, not the vegetable room using radiant cooling, if the moisture generated at the time of defrosting is blown into the vegetable room, moisture essential for photosynthesis can be secured, Photosynthesis can be further promoted. The circulation of cold air and the light irradiation from the light source are performed completely independently. That is, for the circulation of the cool air, the necessary cool air is sent to the necessary places according to the fan operation and the damper operation according to the temperature detection in the cabinet. On the other hand, light irradiation is performed by intermittently applying strong illumination for photosynthesis, and continuously from a weak light source when the door is opened. Further, in the vegetable room or the like, the cool air is circulated around the storage container or the upper part, but the amount of the cool air to be circulated in the direction of the food is reduced. This small circulation of cool air supplies the carbon dioxide present in the warehouse, and the dark reaction of photosynthesis is effectively performed.

FIG. 11 is a graph of test results in which the amount of change in glucose and vitamin C when Komatsuna was stored for 3 days was compared by the illuminance of light and the irradiation time in 1 day. The vertical axis represents the percentage of each component under each condition on the basis of the amount of each component after 3 days of Komatsuna which has been stored without irradiation with light for 3 days (unirradiated). That is, the 100% line in the graph indicates that the amount of each component after 3 days is the same, even when compared with the time of non-irradiation. As shown in FIG. 11, the result 60 is a comparison of the increase in each component of Komatsuna after 3 days when irradiated with about 260 Lx of light for 3 hours a day, compared with the case of non-irradiation with reducing sugar and vitamins. It was more than time. In addition, the result 61 is a test result at about 100 Lx, but although the effect is reduced, the role as an interior light is sufficiently fulfilled in the case of taking the above-described configuration, and in the dark room, the type and brand of the stored food, for example, It is possible to identify plastic bottle drinks and seasonings, or vegetables and fruits. Therefore, about 300 Lx is sufficient for 3 hours per day to cause a light reaction of photosynthesis, and the remaining 21 hours may be caused to cause a dark reaction by 100 Lx or less at which the light reaction decreases or by turning off the light. The test result is a result 62 in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another vegetable room for carrying out the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view thereof. In FIG. 2, the storage container 30 is made of a non-transmissive material and the second storage container 31 is made of a transmissive material. However, as shown in FIG. Only a part irradiated with light from the irradiation device 32 may be made of a transmission material, and the light transmission window 40 may be provided. At that time, the constituent material of the storage container 30 may be transparent or non-permeable.

By adopting the configuration as described above, the light irradiated in the second storage container 31 for storing leafy vegetables is reflected at the irradiated position in the container, and the light flux of the LED is not lost. The light shielding property to the food stored in the storage container 30 is further improved. In addition, if the surface of the second storage container 31 is made uneven, light is irregularly reflected and scattered in the container, so that even a highly directional LED can promote the effect of photosynthesis in a wider range. It is.

14 and 15 are sectional views of another vegetable compartment for carrying out the present invention. In FIG. 2, the storage container 30 is made of a non-permeable material and the second storage container 31 is made of a permeable material. However, as shown in FIG. 14, the second storage container 31 is made of a non-permeable material, and the storage container 30 is By using a transmissive material and inclining the light irradiation device 32 or the mounting substrate 33. The storage container 30 may be irradiated with light so that the light is blocked into the second storage container 31.

By adopting the configuration as described above, generally, leafy vegetables having a large bulk are stored in the lower storage container 30, and root vegetables that are not suitable for light irradiation are often stored in the lower storage container 30. Since it can be stored in 31, it becomes easier to organize. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the same effect can be obtained even if only the portion irradiated with light is made of a transmissive material and the light transmissive window 40 is provided. In that case, since the entire surface is surrounded by the reflective material, there is an effect of increasing the effect of the irradiated light.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another vegetable room for carrying out the present invention. In FIG. 2 etc., although the light irradiation apparatus 32 was installed in the plane of the 2nd storage container 31, you may arrange | position to a side surface like FIG. Or it is provided in the back side of the upper part of the vegetable compartment 300, and also the surface of the container is irradiated obliquely so that the light irradiated by tilting the light irradiation device 32 or the direction of the LED reaches the entire interior of the container 31. It is effective to utilize the fact that light causes irregular reflection or scattering in the container due to reflection from the surface or reflection from a place where the surface of the container is uneven.

By adopting the configuration as described above, light emitted from the side or upper surface is reflected to the side made of the plastic material, so light is emitted without waste, and storage of other structures is possible for the preservation of vegetables. It is more effective than a container, and even when the door is open, light does not escape outside the cabinet, so it can function more efficiently as an interior lamp and can increase the appeal effect at the store. . In FIG. 16, the light source is described as being provided on the side and at the center with respect to the depth, but for the interior lighting and the light combining action, the back side is easier to reflect than the center and is a desirable position.

FIG. 17 is an external view of a refrigerator having another structure, and FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the vegetable compartment. In FIG. 17, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator main body, which is a refrigerator compartment 100 provided with two open / close doors opened from the center at the top of the refrigerator 1, and an ice making room provided with an open / close door below the refrigerator compartment 100. 500, a freezing room 200 having an opening / closing door below the ice making room 500, and an ice making room 500 and a vegetable room 300 having an opening / closing door disposed next to the freezing room 200. As shown in FIG. 18, a vertically long vegetable room 300 is a drawer-type storage container suitable for vegetables of intermediate sizes such as 31a, 31b and leaf vegetables suitable for the size of small fruits and tomatoes. 31c, 31d suitable for storage of PET bottles and large vegetables is arranged from above. The elements 32a, 32b, and 32c can irradiate light to the respective storage containers with a light irradiation device.

By adopting the configuration as described above, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the light irradiation by the light source already described. Further, if only the element 32b is used, leaf vegetables can be stored in the storage container 31c, and root vegetables that are not suitable for light irradiation can be stored in the storage containers 31a and 31b. In addition, when a plurality of light irradiation devices 32 are provided, in addition to the light irradiation devices 32 configured by yellow LEDs, light irradiation devices of different colors such as the light irradiation devices 32 configured by red LEDs and the light irradiation devices 32 configured by ultraviolet LEDs are used. Even if you store leaf vegetables suitable for photosynthesis under red light, foods that you want to control the growth of fungi under ultraviolet light, and foods that you want to have a balanced effect in both cases under yellow light Good. Even if such a plurality of types of light irradiation devices of different wavelengths are always turned on, lighting when the door is open is possible if used together with the control content already explained, such as increasing the illuminance when defrosting, etc. The bad influence on vision can be suppressed. Further, if the light irradiation device 32 is configured by using different colors of LEDs 34 such as red and blue for the LEDs 34 in the light irradiation device 32 alone, the light irradiation device alone emits light of a plurality of wavelengths. It makes it possible for vegetables to perform various light morphogenesis, and the color of light gives warmer than a single red light color, so it looks like a product, the appearance of stored food, etc. Will be better. The light source described above is provided with a plurality of LED elements, which are a plurality of optical semiconductors, on the mounting substrate 33 to simplify the structure and wiring. However, one LED element may be provided on one substrate, or one LED element may be provided in the refrigerator compartment. A configuration in which individual LEDs are arranged may be used. In other words, one element with a wavelength of about 600 nm is installed on the back side of the vegetable room, and it is always used as a low-illumination lighting and as a preserving measure for vegetables with high nutritional value. It is also possible to provide one of these elements so that the lighting is always weak. Further, during the defrosting period and after the defrosting period, the applied voltage is controlled so as to increase the illuminance from weak to strong, thereby increasing the irradiation at night and generating reducing sugars to increase vitamins and the like. Alternatively, one LED that emits ultraviolet light may be disposed on the entrance side of the storage room, and may be provided in a freezer room that rarely stores drinks in PET bottles that dislike decoloration due to ultraviolet light. In this case, sterilization measures can be taken such as always lighting, turning off when the door is opened, and turning on when the door is closed. In any case, ultraviolet rays, red light, etc. are not directly received by the eyes when the door is opened, or seen in a single color. In addition, when combined with LEDs of other wavelengths such as 600 nm, the inside of the cabinet can be checked with warm light emission close to that of natural light, which may cause the refrigerator user to feel uncomfortable or worried when picking up food. There can be no sense of security.

In the above description, the light shielding part that blocks light from the light source and the part that does not irradiate light have been mainly described in the structure of the storage container. However, there is a storage room in which no storage container is provided, such as a structure in which shelves are provided to sort and store food. The structure shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 12-16, for example, a light shielding part, may be provided in the structure of each shelf as the storage part. For example, a transparent or net-like structure that transmits light or a non-transmitting member may be used for the shelf, a light irradiation window may be provided in a part of the shelf, or the shelf may be configured to scatter light. In the configuration of FIG. 4, the light irradiation device 32 is embedded and fixed in the air passage 14, but may be disposed outside the air passage 14 as shown in FIG.

Even if it has the above configuration, the same effect as described above can be obtained, and the light irradiation device 32 is attached to the inner wall surface and is disassembled to the air passage 14 at the time of replacement or removal. This eliminates the need for easy replacement, and makes it easy to separate the heat insulating material from the heat insulating material and easily recycle the heat insulating material.

Although the light irradiation device 32 of the present invention is installed in the vegetable room 300, it may be installed in the refrigerator room 100, the freezing room 200, the ice making room 400, and the switching room 500. In recent years, vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator compartment because the vegetable compartment has insufficient capacity or the temperature is lower than that in the vegetable compartment, so the same effect can be obtained. Also, it can be used as an interior lamp in any room, and when it is controlled intermittently and used only for a short time, an LED having a wavelength other than about 600 nm, for example, an LED such as an ultraviolet ray is used alone. In any room, bottles and plastic bottles have little effect on the color change of tea and juice, and also have the effect of increasing vitamin D in the sterilization effect of ice and preserved foods, shiitake, etc. .

  In the present invention, as described in the anomaly description, a portion of a vegetable room is provided with a storage container that mainly stores vegetables, and a light irradiation unit is disposed on the back of the storage container. By providing the light-shielding part in the storage container, it is possible to provide one stroke that emits light and one stroke that does not emit light.

  In the present invention, since the light source provided in the light irradiation unit is a semiconductor light emitting element and an amber LED that outputs a wavelength in the visible light region having a wavelength peak of about 600 nm, the visual effect on foods is not deteriorated.

  The present invention also includes a plurality of LEDs as the light source of the light irradiator, and each LED is turned on or off at regular intervals, or each LED is turned on or off at regular intervals. Can be controlled so that they do not turn off at the same time, or if the brightness of a single LED decreases after several years of use, it is possible to increase the number of LEDs that are turned on at the same time. If the LEDs are divided into a plurality of LED groups and controlled for each LED group, the structure is simplified.

  In addition, the present invention provides a period of irradiation with light of high illuminance for about several hours in one day by controlling the number of LEDs to be lit, and saves by irradiating light of low illuminance during other periods. Great effect on both energy and energy saving.

  Further, the present invention can stop the light irradiation function, for example, by operating the operation of the refrigerator from an operation panel or remote control installed on the refrigerator door, an operation panel in the refrigerator or a mobile phone via communication, etc. The storage room temperature setting and illumination can be operated simultaneously.

  Moreover, this invention can improve food preservation | save performance further by strengthening the illumination intensity of the light irradiated during special time zones, such as during several hours after defrosting.

  In addition, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes a light irradiation device that irradiates light having a peak wavelength of about 590 nm to 600 nm from the back surface, a light shielding unit for limiting an irradiation area, and lighting control thereof, so that warm light Therefore, it can be used as interior lighting. Moreover, since it installs in the back surface of a storage container or it irradiates diagonally from the back | inner side, such as a side surface and an upper surface, light is irradiated to the whole and a nutrient is increased without impairing the appearance of vegetables. Moreover, the light irradiation apparatus of the refrigerator of this invention can extend LED lifetime, controlling intermittently irradiating LED, or providing two or more so that it may light up by each LED alternately.

  As described above, the present invention uses a plurality of monochromatic light emitting diodes individually or in combination to irradiate light on vegetables and other foods to control the photosynthetic reaction, etc. To increase vitamin C and serve as a nutritional measure, and to obtain effects such as sterilization. These multiple diodes can be individually or divided into groups and connected in parallel to the power supply so that each of them emits light and those that do not emit light. We have described a configuration that controls to obtain an efficient device that has a long life and does not use wasted energy. Next, another control circuit configuration and operation will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 20 is an electric circuit diagram when the light irradiation device is turned on by a method different from that shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 20, each LED 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d and a current limiting resistor for determining a current value to be passed through the LED are provided in series to suppress the current to several tens mA or several mA. Furthermore, when an LED is turned on by turning on and off the LED by outputting a signal from a control device such as a microcomputer in accordance with the ON / OFF cycle of the LED at the input of the transistor installed in series, A fast cycle (for example, about 4 kHz) that does not cause flicker is defined as one cycle, and during that time, the current supply / cutoff to the LED is alternately performed.

In addition, the energization / interruption ratio (energization rate) can be arbitrarily adjusted by a control device such as a microcomputer for controlling on / off of the transistor. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing this energization rate, that is, the ratio of energization time during one cycle. By adjusting the energization rate, it is possible to adjust the illuminance in the entire light irradiation device. Moreover, although the lifetime with respect to the illumination intensity of LED is dependent on the energization time, if the interruption | blocking time is provided also when turning on LED like this method, the lifetime of LED can be extended by that much. Further, by setting the energization / interruption cycle faster than the human eye sense, it is possible to prevent the LED light from flickering. In addition, when this electric circuit is used, the current consumption is further reduced, so that further energy saving can be achieved. Such a cycle may be set in advance and freely selected as necessary.

  Moreover, since the illuminance of the LED decreases due to deterioration as the energization time increases, the illuminance of the LED is kept constant over a long period of time by appropriately adjusting the ratio of energization / cutoff time (energization rate). It becomes possible. FIG. 22 is a time chart showing an example of changing the energization rate. When the refrigerator is turned on, it is first lit at an initial energization rate of 60% (step 50). When the usage time after power-on has passed one year (step 51), the energization rate is changed to 70% (step 52). When the usage time has passed 5 years (step 53), the energization rate is changed to 80% (step 54). Since the characteristics such as illuminance vary depending on the type and quantity of light emitting elements used, it is possible to adjust the energization rate and usage time so that the required minimum illuminance can always be obtained by grasping the data and selecting a numerical value. is there. In addition, it is possible not only to obtain an efficient device by combining with the change in the number of lights as described in FIG. 7, but also to obtain a device that does not need to be replaced while the refrigerator is in use. It is. In addition, as described above with reference to FIGS. 22 and 23, the configuration has been described in which the number of LEDs to be lit is increased in accordance with the operation time and the energization rate is increased. Since it is only necessary to increase the number of elements and increase the energization rate, for example, a configuration in which illuminance is detected and changed by providing a switch that short-circuits a part of the current limiting resistor may be used.

  The light source device having a configuration in which the LEDs illustrated in FIG. 20 are connected in series and turned on and off at an early cycle may be collectively protected by a transmissive cover 35 as shown in FIG. Thereby, the irradiation angle is fixed so as not to fluctuate due to the vibration of the refrigerator, and the back surface is not only prevented from covering the circuit short with the seal 36, but also to prevent dew condensation in the cover 35. By sandwiching the O-ring 38, the degree of adhesion is increased and the cold air is blocked, and the mounting substrate 33 is prevented from being exposed to dew and light from being irregularly reflected by water droplets. Further, as shown in FIG. 19, the cover 35 has a protruding portion 39 and has a shape that prevents the storage container from colliding with the cover surface. The reflection of light due to scratches on the cover surface and the destruction of the mounting substrate 33 and the LED 34 are performed. To prevent failure.

As shown in FIG. 18, light source devices configured to be turned on and off at a faster cycle with the LEDs described in FIG. 20 connected in series and flickering to the human eye are arranged separately in the vegetable room with different specific wavelengths. You may perform batch control of the serial configuration. That is, as shown in FIG. 18, 31a and 31b suitable for the size of small fruits and tomatoes in a drawer-type storage container in the vegetable room 300, 31c suitable for vegetables of intermediate sizes such as leaf vegetables, 31d suitable for preserving large vegetables is arranged from above, and the elements 32a, 32b, and 32c can irradiate light of different kinds of specific frequencies to the respective storage containers by the light irradiation device. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the light irradiation by the light source already described. If only the element 32b is used, leaf vegetables are stored in the storage container 31c, and root vegetables that are not suitable for light irradiation are stored in the storage containers 31a and 31b. In addition, when a plurality of light irradiation devices 32 are provided, in addition to the light irradiation devices 32 configured by yellow LEDs, light irradiation devices of different colors such as the light irradiation devices 32 configured by red LEDs and the light irradiation devices 32 configured by ultraviolet LEDs are used. Even if you store leaf vegetables suitable for photosynthesis under red light, foods that you want to control the growth of fungi under ultraviolet light, and foods that you want to have a balanced effect in both cases under yellow light Good. Even if such a plurality of types of light irradiation devices of different wavelengths are always turned on, lighting when the door is open is possible if used together with the control content already explained, such as increasing the illuminance when defrosting, etc. The bad influence on vision can be suppressed. Further, if the light irradiation device 32 is configured by using different colors of LEDs 34 such as red and blue for the LEDs 34 in the light irradiation device 32 alone, the light irradiation device alone emits light of a plurality of wavelengths. It makes it possible for vegetables to perform various light morphogenesis, and the color of light gives warmer than a single red light color, so it looks like a product, the appearance of stored food, etc. Will be better. The light source described above is provided with a plurality of LED elements, which are a plurality of optical semiconductors, on the mounting substrate 33 to simplify the structure and wiring. However, one LED element may be provided on one substrate, or one LED element may be provided in the refrigerator compartment. A configuration in which individual LEDs are arranged may be used.

  As described above, the refrigerator of the present invention has the same frequency as a lighting device that has a combination structure that does not use red or blue in a single color, or that increases the illuminance in the midnight hours for a light source that has a food preservation effect such as vegetables. Regardless of whether it is a different frequency or not, multiple LEDs with specific frequencies are turned on or off at the same time or at different times. It can also be used as lighting by being lit even when the door is opened, and has the effect of increasing nutrients without impairing the appearance of food such as vegetables and using it as an interior light. Furthermore, the light source of the refrigerator of the present invention can intermittently illuminate the LEDs, and can control the energy by, for example, controlling the lighting of each LED by switching each LED instantaneously or in a predetermined cycle so as not to be lit. Since the LED life can be extended, there is an effect that an efficient refrigerator can be obtained. Moreover, according to the food which accommodates several types of LED with different specific wavelengths, that is, a semiconductor light emitting device that emits light as a light source by operating an operating means prepared for each room or shelf and provided inside or outside the refrigerator. It is possible to make a refrigerator that is easy to use by switching the switch for selecting the wavelength of light or by turning it off individually for a preset time. For example, an LED selection switch is provided on the temperature adjustment panel in the cabinet, and LED substrates with different wavelengths are selected and turned on, or a plurality of types of LEDs with different wavelengths are mounted on one LED substrate and the type to be lit from among them For example, an LED having a wavelength corresponding to the purpose such as nutrition enhancement for enhancing vitamins can be selected and the LED can be turned on with preset control contents.

It is sectional drawing which shows the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the vegetable compartment in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a wavelength distribution diagram of the light irradiation apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the light irradiation apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the table | surface which shows the relationship between the LED wavelength of the light irradiation apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention, and a color. It is a photoreaction wavelength characteristic figure of the plant in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a circuit diagram which shows the light irradiation apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a mounting diagram which shows the light irradiation apparatus board | substrate in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the light irradiation control in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a time chart figure which shows the light irradiation control in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a graph which shows the result of the vegetable test in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows another vegetable compartment in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows another refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows another refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows another refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows another vegetable compartment in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an external view which shows another refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows another vegetable compartment in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows another light irradiation apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a circuit diagram which shows the light irradiation apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the electricity supply rate in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a time chart which shows the example of a change of the electricity supply rate in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the example of a change of the electricity supply rate in Embodiment 1 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator main body, 10 Compressor, 11 Cooler, 12 Fan, 13 Damper, 14 Air path, 30 Storage container, 31 2nd storage container, 32 Light irradiation apparatus, 33 Mounting board, 34 LED, 35 Cover, 36 Seal 37 heat insulation part, 38 O ring, 39 protrusion part, 40 light irradiation window, 100 refrigerator compartment, 200 freezing room, 300 vegetable room, 400 switching room, 500 ice making room.

Claims (19)

A refrigerator having at least a refrigerator room, a freezer room, a vegetable room,
A plurality of light sources installed to irradiate light having a wavelength in the range of 550 nm to 620 nm in the vegetable room, which is incorporated in the heat insulating part vegetable room side on the back of the vegetable room,
A control device provided in the refrigerator main body capable of controlling turning on and off of each of the plurality of light sources, and turning on when the door is closed to increase nutrients such as vegetables and turning on also when the door is opened. Refrigerator, characterized in that in the door open or when the signal at the door closed to be available and to perform a lighting switch and the illumination level switching of off of said plurality of light sources as. A storage container disposed in the vegetable compartment and capable of storing food; and a light-shielding portion provided in the storage container for blocking light from the light source, the portion for irradiating light in the storage container and no light irradiation The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator has a location. The light source is a semiconductor light emitting element, and yellow or orange light that outputs a wavelength in the visible light region of about 590 to 600 nm is emitted alone or in combination with other colors. 2. The refrigerator according to 2. A plurality of storage containers that are disposed in the vegetable compartment and are capable of storing food are provided, and the light from the light source is irradiated to a specific position of the storage container to reflect or scatter the light. The refrigerator in any one. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the semiconductor light emitting element as the light source is turned on or off at a preset time. 6. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the semiconductor light emitting elements as the light sources are divided into a plurality of groups, and the light sources are controlled to be turned on / off for each group. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the number of light-emitting elements or groups of semiconductor light-emitting elements that are the light sources is controlled during operation of the refrigerator. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein all the semiconductor light emitting elements that are the light sources are controlled not to be turned off simultaneously during operation of the refrigerator. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the number of semiconductor light-emitting elements or the number of groups, which are the light sources that are simultaneously turned on, is increased as the refrigerator runs. By controlling the number of semiconductor light-emitting elements that are light sources to be lit or the energization rate of the light sources, a time zone for irradiation with light with high illuminance and a time zone for irradiation with light with low illuminance are provided. The refrigerator in any one of Claims 5 thru | or 9. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the illuminance of irradiated light is increased during defrosting and for several hours thereafter. A cover for covering the semiconductor light emitting element as the light source and allowing light to pass through and blocking cool air without communicating with the inside of the refrigerator, and fixing the semiconductor light emitting element and the cover to the refrigerator main body. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 11. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein when the semiconductor light emitting element as the light source is turned on, energization / interruption is repeated at a fast cycle without causing flickering. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the energization / interruption ratio can be adjusted in accordance with a decrease in illuminance of the semiconductor light emitting element or an elapsed operation time. Covering the semiconductor light-emitting element that is the light source and allowing light to pass through and a cover sealed by a seal that blocks cool air without communicating with the inside of the refrigerator, and provided in the refrigerator body so that the lighting of the light source can be controlled The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising: a control device that performs control to individually turn on and off the semiconductor light emitting elements that are the light sources. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the light irradiation function is stopped by operation of an operating means provided inside or outside the refrigerator. The refrigerator in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 16 which can be set so that the temperature in the store | warehouse | chamber which performs light irradiation from the said light source can be changed by operation of the operation means provided in the refrigerator or the exterior of a refrigerator. A refrigerator compartment is provided, and the light source is disposed in at least one of a refrigerator compartment temperature of 0 ° C. or higher, a vegetable compartment temperature, and a freezer compartment temperature; 18. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein an irradiation direction of light from a light source arranged in the room and a forward or reverse direction in which the cold air circulating in the storage room moves are substantially the same direction. . 19. The light wavelength is selected by selecting a semiconductor light emitting element that emits light as the light source by operating an operating means provided inside or outside the refrigerator. Refrigerator.

Images