JPH01189321A - Deodorizer for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep the deodorizing capacity for a long period by forming a photcoatalyst layer on the surface of adsorbent, kneading a photocatalyst in an adsorbent, or using a photocatalyst to act as an adsorbent, and providing the light source to excite the potocatalyst. CONSTITUTION:A fan 4 is driven by a fan motor 8 and air is sucked from an air sucking-in opening 3c through a prefilter 3b and is deodorized by deodorant 5 and discharged through a fan cover 3a. The deodorant 5 is so made that the photocatalyst layer of TiO2 group is formed on the surface of honeycomb type activated carbon or the photocatalyst of TiO2 group is kneaded in activated carbon, or a photocatalyst to act as an adsorbent is used, and the photocatalyst is excited by an ultraviolet ray lamp 6 to decompose the odor components to be removed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a deodorizing device for a refrigerator.

[Conventional technology]

Traditionally used refrigerator deodorizing devices install a case containing an adsorbent such as activated carbon in the cold air passage of the refrigerator.
A method is used in which the odor generated inside the refrigerator is removed by adsorption to this adsorbent.

Regarding this type of deodorizing device, for example, Utility Model Application No. 47-225
An example of this is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 66.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above, conventional deodorizing devices remove generated odors by adsorbing them to adsorbents such as activated carbon, but when exposed to high concentrations of odorous components, deodorizing performance may deteriorate. In addition, the odor component molecules fi that can be adsorbed by the adsorbent
Since there is a limit to the amount of adsorption and retention, it is necessary to remove the adsorbent from the deodorizing device and replace it after use for a certain period of time, or to regenerate it.

An object of the present invention is to provide a deodorizing device for a refrigerator that maintains a good deodorizing effect over a long period of time without maintenance.

A deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to the present invention includes a photocatalyst layer that is excited by light and can decompose the components adsorbed on the adsorbent, and acts as a precursor to the photocatalyst.
A photocatalyst excitation light source emits light with energy greater than the band gap of the photocatalyst to excite the photocatalyst. This causes the photocatalyst to decompose the odor components, and the odor components adsorbed by the adsorbent are gradually decomposed and removed from the surface of the adsorbent. When a light source that generates almost no heat is used as the photocatalyst excitation light source, odor components are gradually decomposed and removed from the surface mainly due to diffusion due to the difference in concentration between the inside and outside of the adsorbent.

If a light source that generates heat is used as the photocatalyst excitation light source, the temperature of the adsorbent will also rise because the adsorbent is nearby.

Since the amount of adsorption and retention decreases, odor components are released, which are efficiently decomposed by the photocatalyst on the surface.

By performing such an operation, the adsorbent can be constantly refreshed and the deodorizing performance can be kept stable over a long period of time.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a lower cover, 2 is a middle cover, and 3 is an upper cover, which form the main body of the refrigerator deodorizing device of the present invention. Reference numeral 4 denotes a ventilation fan, which blows air through the deodorizer 5 to remove odor components.

6 is an ultraviolet lamp as an example of a photocatalyst excitation light source, and 7 is an aluminum ultraviolet reflection plate, which is installed on the lower cover 1. The arrows indicate the direction of assembly of the above components.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper cover 3 is composed of the upper cover 3 main body, a fan cover 38, and a pre-filter 3b, and has improved moldability and assemblability. The arrow is.

The direction of assembly of the fan cover 38 and pre-filter 3b is shown.

The air flow inside the deodorizing device is as shown by the arrow in FIG. 3, and the blower fan 4 is rotated by the fan motor 8.

By doing so, air is sucked through the air suction port 3c of the upper cover 3 through the reple filter 3b, and after removing relatively large dust from the sucked air, it passes through the deodorizer 5 to be deodorized, and is discharged through the fan cover 38. . Since the blower fan 4 is a discharge type, the air flowing in from the air suction port 3C is rectified, thereby reducing ventilation resistance compared to a forced type fan.

Further, since the blower fan 4 and fan motor 8 are installed apart from the ultraviolet lamp 6, the effects of heat and ultraviolet rays on the blower fan 4 and fan motor 8 are prevented.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the deodorizer 5 includes a honeycomb-like activated carbon 5b having an anatase-type titanium dioxide photocatalyst layer 5a formed on its surface, wrapped in a sponge-like cushioning material 5c, which protects against the impact of the deodorizer. We are trying to prevent damage. The photocatalyst M5a can be formed, for example, by immersing the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5 in a titanium dioxide solution having a particle size of about 50 nm formed in the form of a sol, and then drying it. The above particle size may be any size as long as it can form a sol.

It is thought that the anatase type titanium dioxide photocatalyst layer 5a is formed on the surface of the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b as shown in FIG. 6. The photocatalyst particles 5d have many gaps as shown in FIG. 7, and the pores 5e of the activated carbon 5b are rarely prevented from adsorbing odor components due to van der Waals forces. Note that the deodorizing agent 5 does not need to be honeycomb-shaped as in this embodiment, but may be sponge-shaped, net-shaped, or fibrous.

It may be plate-like, granular, etc., and may have any shape as long as it can irradiate the photocatalyst excitation light onto the photocatalyst contained in the adsorbent.

FIG. 8 shows a photocatalytic excitation light source, in which 6 is a miniaturized light bulb type ultraviolet lamp, and the lamp socket cover 68 is made of ceramic to prevent deterioration due to ultraviolet rays.

FIG. 9 shows the positional relationship between the deodorizer 5, the ultraviolet lamp 6, and the aluminum reflector plate 7 for ultraviolet light.

When the ultraviolet lamp 6 is turned on, the ultraviolet rays emitted are efficiently applied to the photocatalyst layer 5a on the deodorizer 5, and at the same time, the influence of the ultraviolet rays on the lower cover 1 and the upper cover 3 is minimized. In addition, when installing the deodorizing device in a refrigerator, place the socket 6a side of the UV lamp 6 at a higher position than the tip of the UV lamp 6, so that if dew condenses on the UV lamp, moisture will flow into the socket 1-68. This prevents insulation from deteriorating. The arrow indicates the direction in which the reflective plate 7 is bent.

An example of a circuit showing a method of controlling the deodorizing device is shown in FIG. 1O. That is, when the deodorizing device needs to be operated, the deodorizing operation switch 1 is pressed and turned on, whereby an operating command is transmitted to the control circuit 12 and the deodorizing device is activated. When the deodorizing operation switch 11 is turned on, a deodorizing operation indicator lamp 13 installed outside the refrigerator lights up to indicate that the deodorizing device is in operation.

The fan motor 8 of the deodorizing device is controlled by the control circuit 12 using a signal from the operation detector 14a of the compressor 14 of the refrigerator's refrigeration cycle.
When the compressor 14 is operating, the fan motor switch 21 is turned on, and the fan motor 8 is operated to deodorize the inside of the refrigerator. By this operation, the fan motor 8 is turned on and off, preventing the fan motor 8 from overheating and extending its life. Note that when the door of the refrigerator is opened, the internal fan 15 is configured to stop, and the internal fan operation detector 15a detects the opening/closing of the door and controls the fan motor 8 of the deodorizing device to operate the compressor 14. It is controlled so that it turns off when the door is open regardless. This operation can reduce the amount of cold air released outside the refrigerator when the refrigerator door is opened.

After the defrost heater 16 is turned on, the ultraviolet lamp 6 detects that the defrost is finished and the defrost heater 16 is turned off by the defrost detector 16a, and the ultraviolet lamp switch 2 is activated for a certain period of time.
2 to turn on the ultraviolet lamp 6, and at the same time turn on the compressor 1.
4, the fan motor switch 21 is turned off and the fan motor 8 is stopped. Therefore, the defrosting timer 16b also functions as a timer for the deodorizing device, and there is no need to provide a separate timer for the deodorizing device.

After a certain period of time, turn off the ultraviolet lamp and turn on compressor 1 again.
4, deodorization is continued while detecting the opening and closing of the refrigerator door and controlling the operation of the blower fan motor 8 of the deodorizing device. Note that when deodorization is not required, the deodorization operation switch 11 is pressed again to turn off, thereby stopping the deodorization device and turning off the deodorization operation display lamp 13. 17 is a power source.

In this embodiment, normally the air in the refrigerator is passed through the deodorizer 5 by the air blower from the blower fan 4, and the deodorization is done by adsorption of the deodorizer. However, when the blower fan 4 is stopped and the ultraviolet lamp 6 is turned on, the following adsorbent is removed. Perform cleaning. That is, the odor components adsorbed on the honeycomb activated carbon 5b of the deodorizer 5 gradually rise to the surface due to the heat emitted along with the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet lamp 6. At this time, the photocatalyst layer 5a on the first surface is irradiated with ultraviolet light and is in an excited state.

- For example, in the case of titanium dioxide, upon exposure to light with a wavelength of about 420 nm or less, mainly ultraviolet rays, electrons in the valence band move to the conduction band, and holes are generated in the valence band. This polarized state induces a chemical reaction to decompose the odor components floating out from the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b. for example.

The hydroxyl group OH- present on the surface of the photocatalyst layer 5a becomes an OH radical due to the above-mentioned holes, which becomes an active species and decomposes the odor component, reducing the odor component to a low molecular weight and reducing the odor, and the adsorbent It can be removed in a form that is difficult to be adsorbed by the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b. In addition,
As mentioned above, when the ultraviolet lamp 6 is lit, the blower fan motor 8
By stopping the operation, the odor components floating out from the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b can be efficiently brought into contact with the photocatalyst layer 5a without escaping. In addition, the heat of the ultraviolet lamp 6 can be efficiently transmitted by stopping the blower fan motor 8, and odor components can be smoothly lifted out from the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b.

Further, when the concentration of odor components near the surface of the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b decreases, the odor components from inside come to the surface by diffusion, so that the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b can be cleaned smoothly. The time for cleaning by lighting the ultraviolet lamp 6 may be a time that allows the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b to decompose the substances adsorbed between one defrosting and the next defrosting.

An example of how a deodorizing device is assembled into a refrigerator is shown in Figure 11.
After holding down the fan motor 8 with the lower cover 1 and the middle partition 2 via the rubber seat 50, hook the claw 52 of the middle partition 2 onto the setscrew 42 and the claw receiver 51 of the lower cover 1 shown in FIG. After fixing, hook the claw 31 installed on the outside of the lower cover 1 into the claw receiver 32 provided on the inner back wall 30 of the refrigerator, and fix the middle partition 2 and the lower cover 1 to the inner inner wall 30 of the refrigerator with set screws 41. do. Next, deodorizer 5. Set the blower fan 4 to the middle 2. After attaching to the fan motor 8, attach the upper cover 3 to the lower cup <-1 and fix it with the setscrews 43 and claws 33. Next, the fan cover 38 is fixed to the upper cover 3 with the claws 34, and the pre-filter 3b is inserted into the upper cover 1, thereby completing the assembly. The arrows indicate the direction of assembly of the above components.

In FIG. 12, reference numeral 100 indicates an example of the assembly position of the deodorizing device of this embodiment, which is installed at the upper part of the back wall surface 30 of the refrigerator compartment 62 of the refrigerator 60.

As a result, the flow of deodorized air by the deodorizing device 100 is as shown by the solid arrow in FIG. 12. Furthermore, the flow of cold air by the internal fan 15 of the refrigerator 60 is as shown by the broken line in FIG. 12, and the cold air deodorized by the deodorizing device 100 in the refrigerator compartment 62 circulates within the refrigerator, so that the entire refrigerator 60 is deodorized. It turns out.

Note that in FIG. 12, the directions of the cold air inside the refrigerator and the deodorized air do not match in the vicinity of the deodorizing bag [100], but since the air flows are separated in the depth direction in FIG. 12, they rarely interfere with each other.

As described above, by using this embodiment, the odor components generated in the refrigerator are adsorbed and deodorized by the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b, which is an adsorbent, and the honeycomb-shaped activated carbon, which is an adsorbent, is deodorized by the ultraviolet lamp 6 and the photocatalyst layer 5a. By cleaning the activated carbon 5b, the deodorizing effect can be maintained well for a long period of time.

In this embodiment, the blower fan 4 is installed independently in the deodorizing device 100, but as shown in FIG.
00 may be configured. In the refrigerator 60 shown in FIG. 13, cold air generated by the cooler 65 is circulated within the refrigerator by the internal fan 15 as shown by the arrow in FIG. Deodorizing device 100
6 is the inside of the refrigerator that partitions the freezer compartment 61 and the refrigerator compartment 62.
By installing it in the cold air passage 64 in 3, the deodorizing device i! 100 will be forcibly ventilated, and there will be no need to use an independent ventilation fan. The configuration of the deodorizing bag [100] includes an ultraviolet lamp 6 as a photocatalyst excitation light source in the center, and honeycomb-shaped activated carbon 5b as an adsorbent around the ultraviolet lamp 6 as an adsorbent.
Fibrous activated carbon 55 is arranged, and a photocatalyst layer 5a is formed on each surface. Reference numerals 56 and 57 indicate ultraviolet light shielding plates provided at the air inlet and outlet. When only one ventilation is performed without lighting the ultraviolet lamp 6, which is a photocatalyst excitation light source, odor components are adsorbed and deodorized by the activated carbons 5b and 55, which are adsorbents. When the ultraviolet ray chamber 6 is turned on, the photocatalyst layer 5a becomes excited and decomposes the odor components as described above, thereby cleaning each of the activated carbons 5b and 55. Incidentally, if the ultraviolet lamp 6 is turned on with ventilation in place, the odor components in the incoming air will be decomposed at the same time as cleaning the adsorbent.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a deodorizing device for a refrigerator that maintains a good deodorizing effect over a long period of time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled structure of an embodiment of the deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled structure of the upper cover, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the deodorizing device showing the flow of air inside the deodorizing device. A longitudinal sectional view, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the deodorizer, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the main part of the deodorizer, FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the surface of the deodorizer, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of photocatalyst particles. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the photocatalyst excitation light source, Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the aluminum reflector, the photocatalyst excitation light source, and the deodorizer, Figure 10 is a control circuit diagram of the deodorization device, and Figure 11 is the refrigerator. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator showing the assembly position of the deodorizing device, and FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator showing the configuration of the deodorizing device in another embodiment. It is a diagram. l...Lower cover, 2...Middle partition, 3...Upper cover, 3a...Fan cover, 3b...Prefilter-13c...Air intake port, 4...Blower fan, 5.
・・Deodorant. 5a... Photocatalyst layer, 5b... Honeycomb-shaped activated carbon. 5c... Sponge-like buffer material, 5d... Photocatalyst particles. 5e...Activated carbon pores, 6...Ultraviolet lamp, 6a.
...Socket cover, 7...Aluminum reflector, 8
...Fan motor, 11...Deodorizing operation switch, 1
2... Control circuit, 13... Deodorizing operation display lamp, 1
4...Compressor, 14a...Compressor operation detector, 15
...Internal fan, 15a...Internal fan operation detector, 16...Defrost heater, 16a...Defrost detector, 1
6b... Defrost timer, 17... Power supply, 21...
Fan motor switch, 22...Lamp switch, 3
0...9th side in the back of the refrigerator. 31...Claw, 32...Claw holder, 33...Claw, 34
···nail. 41... Set screw, 42... Set screw, 43...
Set screw, 50...Rubber seat, 51...Claw holder, 52
···nail. 55... Fibrous activated carbon, 56... Light shielding plate, 57...
・Light shielding plate, 60... Refrigerator, 61... Freezer compartment, 62
...refrigeration room. 63... Inside the refrigerator, 64... Cold air passage, 65.
...Cooler, 70...Food tray, 100...Deodorizing device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a refrigerator deodorizing device installed and used in a refrigerator for storing and preserving foods, etc., a photocatalytic layer excited by light formed on the surface of an adsorbent that adsorbs odor components or an adsorbent. A deodorizing device for a refrigerator, comprising a photocatalyst kneaded into an agent or a photocatalyst that can serve as an adsorbent, and a light source that excites the photocatalyst included in the adsorbent. 2. The deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent having the photocatalyst has a honeycomb shape, a sponge shape, a net shape, a fiber shape, a plate shape, or a granule shape. 3. The deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent having a photocatalyst is activated carbon formed in a honeycomb shape, and a titanium dioxide-based photocatalyst layer is formed on the surface. 4. The deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalyst excitation light source is a light bulb type ultraviolet lamp, and the cover of the lamp socket is made of ceramic. 5. The deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalyst excitation light source is surrounded by an aluminum plate, and the aluminum plate is open only on the side of the adsorbent having the photocatalyst. 6. Form ventilation channels with plastic or metal plates,
The deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation order is a photocatalyst excitation light source, an adsorbent having a photocatalyst, and a discharge type blower fan. 7. The blower fan of the deodorizing device operates in synchronization with the operation of the refrigerator's refrigeration cycle compressor, and when the door of the refrigerator is open, the blower fan stops regardless of the operation of the compressor. A deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to scope 1. 8. The deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet excitation light source is turned on for a certain period of time immediately after defrosting the refrigerator, and at the same time, the blower fan of the deodorizing device is stopped while the light source is turned on.