JPH11299470A - Food storing house - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a food storing house capable of deodorizing with a photocatalyst and keeping freshness of vegetable, with suppressing propagation of a microorganism by providing an ozone generating device and a photocatalyst as an ozone decomposing catalyst in a food storing house storing the food. SOLUTION: This food storing house capable of not only removing a malodor with an ozone but also suppressing a propagation of a microorganism and keeping freshness of vegetable, etc., is obtained by providing a device connecting a reaction room 1 including an ozone generating device 2 in which an ozone generator 3 and a fan 4 are provided and a catalyst of titanium oxide or zinc oxide to a reaction room 6 including a catalyst 9 and having a photocatalyst as an ozone decomposing catalyst 5 between the reaction room 1 and the reaction room 6. In the food storing house, the air is sucked into the ozone generating device 2 through an air sucking port 7, deodorized and sterilized with an ozone generated from the ozone generator 3 and an odor component not decomposed in the reaction room 6 is decomposed and sterilized, then the ozone is decomposed with the ozone decomposing catalyst 5 and discharged from a discharging port 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a food storage mainly used in ordinary households, and not only to remove odors by ozone but also to suppress the growth of microorganisms.
Further, the present invention relates to a food storage box for effectively deodorizing with a photocatalyst, suppressing the growth of microorganisms, and removing a deterioration promoting gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in food storages such as refrigerators, there is a problem in maintaining freshness of vegetables and the like due to odors generated from foods and proliferation of microorganisms, and furthermore, release of deterioration promoting gas such as ethylene gas by self-respiration of fruits and vegetables. One of the issues is to promote the maturity and deterioration of fruits and vegetables.

In recent years, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-821
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 51, an apparatus is proposed which is provided with a device for generating ozone and which is attached to a refrigerator which effectively removes offensive odors and sterilizes microorganisms.

[0004]

According to the above-mentioned prior art, air in a refrigerator compartment is sucked into an ozone generator, the odor is removed or sterilized in the ozone generator, and the ozone is rendered harmless by complete treatment of ozone. It is configured as follows.
However, it is not possible to adjust the ozone concentration to a high concentration because of the limit of the decomposition ability of the ozone decomposition catalyst.
In addition, since the size of the ozone generator is limited in disposing the ozone generator in a food storage such as a refrigerator, it is not possible to increase the size of the reaction chamber with the ozone gas in the device.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve such conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to more efficiently prevent deodorization and prevent the growth of microorganisms.

[0006]

The food storage of the present invention comprises:
The invention described in claim 1 is provided with a reaction chamber having a photocatalyst built therein as an ozone decomposition catalyst in a food storage having an ozone generator.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a food storage provided with an ozone generator, titanium oxide or zinc oxide is supported on a carrier as an ozone decomposition catalyst inside the generator.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a food storage provided with an ozone generator, an ozone decomposition catalyst is provided inside the generator, and titanium oxide or zinc oxide and an adsorbent are used as the ozone decomposition catalyst. It is a thing.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the inside of the ozone generator is coated with titanium oxide or zinc oxide in addition to the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of any one of the first to fourth aspects, an excitation light source is provided near the photocatalyst, and That is, it is arranged near a photocatalyst made of titanium or zinc oxide.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the inner wall of the food storage is coated with titanium oxide or zinc oxide, and an excitation light source is disposed in the storage. It is.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the fifth or sixth aspect, the door of the food storage and the power source of the excitation light source are linked.

The invention according to claim 8 is capable of exciting a photocatalyst such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide as an excitation light source, in addition to the constitution of the invention described in claim 5 or 6 or 7; Harmless to human body from 300nm to 40
It utilizes ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 0 nm.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the food storage provided with the ozone generator, deodorization and growth of microorganisms can be suppressed by ozone. In addition, ozone and a photocatalyst can be used to double-deodorize, suppress the growth of microorganisms, and decompose degradation promoting gases such as ethylene gas generated from fruits and vegetables.

Further, according to the present invention, by supporting titanium oxide or zinc oxide on a photocatalyst, not only is it possible to remove odors generated from foods, suppress the growth of microorganisms, remove degradation promoting gas, but also remove ozone. When used in combination, the action can be promoted.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, an adsorbent is provided on the photocatalyst, which can remove odors generated from foods, suppress the growth of microorganisms, and remove deterioration promoting gas. By adding the agent, the odor component and the like can be adsorbed, and the decomposition performance of the catalyst can be further promoted.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the inner wall of the ozone generator is coated with titanium oxide or zinc oxide, so that the odor generated from the food can be more efficiently removed, the growth of microorganisms can be suppressed and the deterioration promoting gas can be prevented. Can be removed.

Further, according to the present invention, by disposing the excitation light source near the photocatalyst, the decomposition can be effectively promoted, and the catalytic action of titanium oxide or zinc oxide can be effectively improved. it can.

Further, in the invention according to claim 6, the inner wall of the food storage is coated with titanium oxide or zinc oxide, and the excitation light source is disposed in the storage. And freshness can be maintained.

Further, the invention according to claim 7 is interlocked with the door of the food storage and the power source of the excitation light source, and the on / off control of the excitation light source can be performed by opening and closing the door.

[0021] The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 300 to 400 nm, which can excite a photocatalyst such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide as an excitation light source and is harmless to the human body, is used. Even if leaked, the human body is safe without any problems.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a food storage according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a reaction chamber having a built-in catalyst and an ozone generator showing a first embodiment of a food storage according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a reaction chamber containing an ozone generator 2 and a catalyst of titanium oxide or zinc oxide. Reference numeral 2 denotes an ozone generator, in which an ozone generator 3 and a fan 4 are arranged, and connected to a reaction chamber 6 containing a catalyst 9. An ozone decomposition catalyst 5 is provided between the ozone generator 2 and the reaction chamber 6 or at the exhaust port 8.

In the food storage having the above structure, the air is sucked into the ozone generator 2 from the air inlet 7,
The ozone generated by the ozone generator 3 performs deodorization and sterilization of microorganisms.

Next, decomposition of odorous components that could not be decomposed in the reaction chamber 6 and degradation accelerating gas generated from vegetables and the like,
The microorganisms remaining without being sterilized can be sterilized.
The photocatalyst 5 decomposes ozone, renders it harmless, removes odor components and deterioration promoting gas from the exhaust port 8, and can exhaust air that has sterilized microorganisms.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the food storage box according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part in a state in which a titanium oxide or zinc oxide catalyst 9 is built in the ozone generator 2 according to the embodiment, and the photocatalyst 5 carries titanium oxide or zinc oxide.

In FIG. 2, the odor components are decomposed and microorganisms are sterilized by the ozone generated by the ozone generator 3 after being sucked from the intake port 7, and the residual odor components are further reduced on the titanium oxide or zinc oxide catalyst. Decomposition and sterilization of residual microorganisms are performed to decompose the degradation promoting gas generated from vegetables and the like.

FIG. 3 shows a food storage according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As in the second embodiment, a catalyst 9 of titanium oxide or zinc oxide is built in the ozone generator 2. The photocatalyst 5 itself is composed of titanium oxide or zinc oxide and an adsorbent, and has the same function as the second embodiment, but performs deodorization, sterilization, and decomposition of the deterioration promoting gas. The titanium oxide or zinc oxide catalyst 9 also serves as an ozone decomposition catalyst.

FIG. 4 shows a food storage according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
In addition to the configuration of the embodiment, the inside of the ozone generator 2 is coated with a catalyst 9 of titanium oxide or zinc oxide.
It is configured to perform gas decomposition.

FIG. 5 shows a fifth embodiment of the food storage box according to the present invention. In addition to the configuration of the second and third embodiments, the food storage box in the food storage box is provided. The inner wall is coated with titanium oxide or zinc oxide, and an excitation light source 10 is provided in the storage. Therefore, the entire interior of the refrigerator is directly further improved in deodorizing, antibacterial, and degradation promoting gas decomposition performance.

[0032]

Since the food storage of the present invention is constructed as described above, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a reaction chamber having a built-in ozone generator and a photocatalyst, thereby generating ozone from food. Removes odors, sterilizes microorganisms, removes residual odors by using titanium oxide or zinc oxide catalysts, sterilizes residual microorganisms, and matures by gas such as ethylene gas by its own respiration of fruits and vegetables. And has a function of preventing deterioration promotion.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the same effect as in the first aspect can be obtained by supporting a catalyst of titanium oxide or zinc oxide on the ozone decomposition catalyst in the ozone generator.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the second aspect, the decomposition promotion and compactness can be achieved by adding an adsorbent to the titanium oxide or zinc oxide catalyst.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the second and third aspects, the surface area is increased by coating the inner wall of the ozone generator with a catalyst of titanium oxide or zinc oxide. In addition, the decomposition performance and the bactericidal effect can be improved.

Further, in the invention according to claim 5, the catalyst performance can be improved by disposing the excitation light source near the titanium oxide or zinc oxide catalyst. Further, by using ultraviolet light as the excitation light source, it is possible to obtain the effects of deodorization, antibacterial action, and freshness retention by the chemical action of ultraviolet light.

Further, in the invention according to claim 6, in addition to the effects described in claims 2 and 3, food storage can be performed by coating a catalyst of titanium oxide or zinc oxide on a wall surface in the food storage. The inside of the storage can be made to act directly, and more deodorizing, antibacterial, and freshness maintaining effects can be obtained.

Further, the invention according to claim 7 is safe because the excitation light source is not directly seen by a person by interlocking with the door of the food storage and the excitation light source arranged in the storage. is there.

The invention according to claim 8 can excite a photocatalyst such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide as an excitation light source, obtain deodorizing, antibacterial, and freshness maintaining effects, and is harmless to the human body from 300 nm to 400 nm. The use of ultraviolet light of the wavelength described above allows the human body to be safe without any problem even if ultraviolet light leaks outside.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of a food storage according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a main part of a food storage according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a main part of a food storage according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of a food storage according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a food storage according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Ozone generator-catalyst (titanium oxide or zinc oxide) reaction chamber 2 ozone generator 3 ozone generator 4 fan 5 ozone decomposition catalyst 6 catalyst (titanium oxide or zinc oxide) reaction chamber 7 intake port 8 exhaust port 9 catalyst (oxidation) (Titanium or zinc oxide) 10 Excitation light source

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A food storage for storing food, comprising an ozone generator and a photocatalyst as an ozone decomposition catalyst. 2. The food storage according to claim 1, wherein titanium oxide or zinc oxide is supported on a carrier as the photocatalyst and provided in an ozone generator. 3. A photocatalyst comprising titanium oxide or
2. The food storage according to claim 1, wherein the food storage comprises zinc oxide and an adsorbent. 4. The food storage according to claim 1, wherein titanium oxide or zinc oxide is coated inside the ozone generator as the photocatalyst. 5. The vicinity of a photocatalyst in the ozone generator,
The food storage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an excitation light source is provided in the ozone generator. 6. The food storage according to claim 1, wherein an inner wall of the food storage is coated with titanium oxide or zinc oxide as a photocatalyst, and an excitation light source is disposed in the storage. 7. The food storage box according to claim 5, wherein opening and closing of a door of the food storage box and power supply of an excitation light source are linked. 8. The method according to claim 5, wherein ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 300 nm or more is used as the excitation light source.
Alternatively, the food storage according to claim 6 or 7.