KR20090030783A - Water purifier having apparatus for sterilizing tank and apparatus for sterilizing tank of water purifier - Google Patents

Abstract

A water storage tank sterilizing apparatus of a water purifier is provided to increase generation of ozone water and improve efficiency of controlling the ozone water. A water storage tank sterilizing apparatus of a water purifier comprises a pump(110), an ozone generator(120), a water tank cleaning tube(125), and a nozzle. The pump discharges cool water after sucking the cool water through a cool water transferring pipe connected to the ice tube. The ozone generator generates ozone water using the cool water discharged from the pump. The nozzle sprays the ozone water transferred through the water tank cleaning tube to the water tank.

Description

Water Purifier Having Apparatus For Sterilizing Tank and Apparatus For Sterilizing Tank Of Water Purifier}

The present invention provides a water purifier including a water tank storing water purified through a water purifier filter, and a cold water tank storing water stored in the water tank as cold water, wherein the cold water stored in the cold water tank is converted into ozone water, and the ozone water thus converted. It is a device for sterilizing microorganisms or bacteria, etc. existing in the reservoir by again spraying the inside of the reservoir through the nozzle.

In recent years, various types of water purifiers have been widely used in homes as living standards have improved and the importance of drinking water has increased. Generally, a water purifier uses a pretreatment filter, an activated carbon filter, an ultrafiltration membrane filter, a reverse osmosis membrane filter, etc. According to such a general water purifier, raw water such as tap water is purified and used as drinking water in such a manner that the water passing through the activated carbon filter completely removes residual chlorine in the tap water.

However, such a water purifier has been shown to cause a variety of problems. First, there is a problem in that the purified water can be disinfected residual microorganisms proliferated in the activated charcoal filter and the microorganisms introduced from the outside air to proliferate in the reservoir.

In addition, the water purifier includes a reservoir for storing purified water for maintaining a flow rate or for a cold / hot function, and while the purified water is stored in the reservoir, microorganisms multiply mainly on the wall of the reservoir, so that the wall of the reservoir is used as a disinfectant. It is necessary to disinfect and to minimize the introduction of microorganisms from the outside. Accordingly, in order to suppress the growth of microorganisms present in the reservoir, the user has an uncomfortable problem of cleaning and disinfecting or disinfecting at least once a week. Furthermore, due to the structure of the reservoir of the water purifier, actual users regularly clean the reservoir. It is difficult.

In addition, microorganisms, such as bacteria or bacteria, may be multiplied in the discharge coke portion from which the purified water stored in the reservoir is discharged outward, wherein the multiplied microorganisms may contaminate the reservoir from the discharge coke through the pipe. That is, in sterilizing the water purifier, if only the water tank is sterilized and the discharge coke part is not sterilized at the same time, microorganisms such as bacteria or bacteria will continue to exist in the water tank of the water purifier.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a device that can easily and easily sterilize or disinfect microorganisms or bacteria in the water reservoir of the water purifier with ozone water. In particular, in generating ozone water for washing the reservoir, the use of cold water stored at a constant temperature in the cold water tank is intended to increase ozone water generation and its control efficiency.

In addition, in sterilizing the water tank of the water purifier, the water tank sterilizer and the water tank sterilizer of the water purifier which can remove the microorganisms proliferating in the discharge coke at the same time by simultaneously sterilizing the discharge coke discharged from the purified water with the water tank. It is to provide a water purifier to include.

The present invention for achieving the above object, in the water purifier including a reservoir for storing the water purified through the water purifier filter, and a cold water tank for storing the water stored in the reservoir as cold water, the cold water delivery pipe connected to the cold water tank A pump for sucking and discharging the cold water through the pump; An ozone water generator for generating ozone water from cold water discharged from the pump; A reservoir washing tube for delivering ozone water generated by the ozone water generator to the reservoir; And a reservoir for disinfecting the ozone water received through the water tank washing tube into the water tank.

This invention comprises a cold water discharge pipe connected between the cold water tank and the cold water coke of the water purifier; A first solenoid valve provided on the cold water discharge pipe; And a power supply for selectively applying operating power to the first solenoid valve and the pump. In addition, it is also possible to further include a coke washing pipe connected to the water tank washing pipe to transfer a portion of the ozone water delivered through the water tank washing pipe to the cold water coke. Furthermore, the apparatus may further include a second solenoid valve provided in the coke washing tube, and the power supply device may selectively apply operating power to the second solenoid valve together with the pump.

Another embodiment of the present invention, in the water tank sterilization apparatus of the water purifier comprising a water tank for storing the water purified through the water purifier filter and a cold water tank for storing the water stored in the water tank as cold water, cold water immersed in the cold water tank A pump for sucking the cold water through a suction pipe and then discharging it to the outside; An ozone water generator for generating ozone water from cold water discharged from the pump; A reservoir washing tube for delivering ozone water generated by the ozone water generator to the reservoir; A nozzle for injecting ozone water received through the water tank washing tube into the water tank; And it is a water tank sterilizer of the water purifier, characterized in that it comprises a housing for fixing the pump and the ozone water generator.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings.

According to the present invention described above, it is possible to provide an apparatus capable of easily and easily sterilizing or disinfecting microorganisms and bacteria, etc. existing in the water storage tank of the water purifier. In particular, in generating ozone water for washing the reservoir, by using cold water stored at a constant temperature in the cold water tank, ozone water generation and its control efficiency can be increased.

In addition, in sterilizing the water tank of the water purifier, the water tank sterilizer and the water tank sterilizer of the water purifier which can remove the microorganisms proliferating in the discharge coke at the same time by simultaneously sterilizing the discharge coke discharged from the purified water with the water tank. A water purifier may be provided.

Hereinafter, one preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention may be better understood by the following examples, which are intended for purposes of illustration of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.

1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention, the present invention as shown here is for a water purifier 1 including a water purifier filter 10, which is included in the water purifier 1 In order to sterilize the reservoir 20, the pump 110; Ozone water generator 120; Reservoir washing pipe 125; And it includes a reservoir sterilization apparatus comprising a nozzle (126).

First, the water purifier filter 10 is for purifying raw water as in a general water purifier, and is filtered while passing through a high turbidity filter (not shown) for filtering the residue of relatively large particles in raw water and the high turbidity filter. Precipitating filter 11 for filtering residues of relatively small particles which are not present, all activated carbon filter 12 for removing chlorine components and odors in raw water, and ions remaining in raw water passing through the all activated carbon filter 12 Reverse osmosis filter for removing heavy metals, ultrafiltration filter 13 for removing fine particles within the particle size of 0.1㎛ except ionic components, and included in drinking water passed through the reverse osmosis filter or ultrafiltration filter (13) It may include a post-activated carbon filter 14 for removing the odor.

In addition, the reservoir 20 for storing the purified water through the water purifier filter 10 is a purified water inlet pipe 15 through the purified water passed through the after activated carbon filter 14 in the low water filtration method of the slow filtration rate of the filter. It is a tank that is stored through 10-20 liters and then discharged. The reservoir 20 is provided with a cold water tank 30 and a hot water tank 40 to produce cold water and hot water at the bottom, the cold water tank 30 is connected to the cold water discharge pipe 35, the hot water tank 40 ) Is connected to the hot water discharge pipe 45, and each end of the cold water discharge pipe 35 and the hot water discharge pipe 45 is provided with a solenoid valve (36, 46) and a drainage coke 50 for discharging cold and hot water respectively. The drainage coke 50 may be cold water coke or hot water coke to discharge cold water and hot water, respectively, or cold hot water coke to discharge cold water and hot water to one outlet. In addition, the reservoir 20 is provided with a water level sensor 21, the reservoir 20 can be adjusted to always include a constant within a certain range.

In the water purifier 1, the present invention converts the cold water stored in the cold water tank 30 into ozone water, and by spraying the ozone water thus converted into the internal space of the water storage tank 20 through the nozzle 130, the water tank It is characterized by including an apparatus for sterilizing microorganisms or bacteria and the like present in (20). Storage tank sterilization apparatus according to the present invention for this purpose pump 110; Ozone water generator 120; Reservoir washing pipe 125; And a nozzle 126.

The pump 110 sucks the cold water stored in the cold water tank 30 through the cold water transfer pipe 135 connected to the cold water tank 30 at the lower end, and discharges the cold water to the ozone water generator 120 to be described later. will be. That is, this is to make the ozone water by taking the cold water stored in the cold water tank 30 to the ozone water generator 120, and the ozone water thus produced is used as water for sterilizing and disinfecting the water tank.

In addition, the ozone water generator 120 may be a device or a device capable of producing ozone water from cold water discharged from the pump 110, and all types of ozone generators for producing ozone water by electrolyzing water. Include. For example, as described in Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-564654, the anode electrode for causing an electrolysis reaction in water; A cathode electrode disposed opposite the anode electrode to cause an electrolysis reaction in water; A solid polymer electrolyte membrane for transferring hydrogen ions generated by an electrolysis reaction between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode; A scale is formed between the cathode electrode and the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and hydrogen ions generated from the anode electrode pass through the cathode electrode, and OH-ions generated from the cathode electrode react with cation divalent ions. An electrolysis type ozone generator, comprising: an auxiliary electrode formed on a surface to reduce scale generation on the surface of the cathode electrode.

In the ozone water generator 120 according to the present invention, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorine, which are generated through the direct oxidation of microorganisms and electrolysis of water, remain through the electrolysis reaction generated between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The cold water received from the pump 110 by the oxidant can be changed to ozone water. The present invention intends to sterilize or disinfect the inside of the reservoir 20 of the water purifier 1 using the ozone water.

Here, the inventors of the present invention depend on the direct oxidation reaction of the microorganism by the above-mentioned electrolysis reaction and the residual oxidant such as ozone, and the like. It has been found that the production efficiency of persistent oxidant is determined by the raw water to be converted to ozone water. That is, when the temperature of the raw water to be changed to ozone water changes with time or season, the direct oxidation reaction of the microorganisms and the production efficiency of the residual oxidizing agent are not consistent, and thus the degree of ozone water generation by the electrolysis reaction is The fluctuation is severe. Accordingly, in the present invention, using the cold water to maintain a relatively constant temperature, to create ozone water, for this purpose, the pump 110 is to introduce the cold water through the cold water delivery pipe 135 connected to the cold water tank (30) will be.

As such, the ozone water generated by the ozone water generator 120 is delivered to the water storage tank 20 of the water purifier 1 through the water tank washing tube 125, and the present invention is received through the water tank washing pipe 125. It characterized in that it comprises a nozzle (130) for injecting ozone water into the reservoir 20. Here, the reservoir washing tube 125 may be any type of tube or tube for delivering the ozone water generated by the ozone water generator 120 to the reservoir 20, which is attached to the lid or cover of the reservoir 20. It is preferably provided or connected thereto.

In the present invention, the ozone water delivered through the reservoir washing tube 125 is preferably sprayed into the reservoir 20 through the nozzle 130 provided on the lid or cover of the reservoir 20, which is ozone water When sprayed through the nozzle 130, it can spread widely in the interior of the reservoir 20, it is possible to sterilize microorganisms present in the interior of the reservoir 20 more completely and easily. In addition, when ozone water delivered through the water tank washing tube 125 is injected through the nozzle 130, hydroxide ions [OH-] may be generated as radical ions in the ozone water through the injection pressure, and the water tank 20 The organic material (R) including microorganisms contained therein can be easily decomposed into oxidized form (ROH), carbon dioxide, water or hydrogen ions by reacting with the hydroxide ions [OH-].

As described above, according to the present invention, in the water purifier including a water tank for storing purified water and a cold water tank for storing the water stored in the water tank as cold water, the cold water stored in the cold water tank is converted into ozone water. By spraying the ozone water again through the nozzle to the inner space of the reservoir, it is possible to more completely and easily sterilize microorganisms or bacteria in the reservoir.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention, the present invention as shown here in the first embodiment, the cold water discharge pipe 35; A first solenoid valve 36; And a water purifier (1) comprising a water tank sterilizer characterized in that it further comprises a power supply (140).

The cold water discharge pipe 35 is connected between the cold water tank 30 and the drainage coke 50 of the water purifier 1 so as to transfer the cold water in the cold water tank 30 to the drainage coke 50. One solenoid valve 36 is provided on the cold water discharge pipe 35 to control the discharge of cold water to the drainage coke 50, the power supply device 140 and the first solenoid valve 36 It is to selectively apply the operating power to the pump 110. The present invention is intended to sterilize the reservoir 20 of the water purifier 1 automatically according to the needs of the user or by a predetermined program through this second embodiment.

That is, when the water purifier 1 according to the present invention provides the purified cold water to the user, the power supply device 140 applies the operating power to the first solenoid valve 36 (B → b), By opening the first solenoid valve 36, it is possible to provide cold water to the user. In addition, when the water purifier 1 intends to sterilize or disinfect the inside of the water tank 20, the power supply device 140 applies operating power to the pump 110 and the ozone generator 120 (A → a), by driving the pump 110 and the ozone generator 120 will be able to make ozone water and deliver it to the reservoir 20.

Water purifier (1) comprising a reservoir sterilization apparatus according to the present invention is the cold water discharge pipe (35); A first solenoid valve 36; And by further comprising a power supply unit 140, it is possible to automatically sterilize the water purifier 1 according to the needs of the user or by a predetermined program.

3 is a schematic view for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention, the present invention as shown here in the first or second embodiment, a part of the ozone water in the drainage coke 50 of the water purifier It further comprises a coke washing tube 135 to be delivered to.

The coke washing pipe 135 is connected to the water tank washing pipe 125 and performs a function of transferring a portion of the ozone water delivered through it to the drainage coke 50 of the water purifier 1. The coke washing tube 135 may be coupled to the water tank washing tube 125 by a T-shaped connecting tube, and the control valve 134 for adjusting the amount of ozone water delivered to the coke washing tube 135 is provided. It is also possible to be provided. According to the coke washing pipe 135, a portion of the ozone water delivered through the water tank washing pipe 125 may be delivered to the drainage coke 50 of the water purifier 1, the present invention, through this, the water tank of the water purifier At the same time as sterilization (20) will be able to sterilize the drainage coke 50 together.

In general, microorganisms, such as bacteria or bacteria, may be propagated in a portion of the drainage coke 50 in which the purified water stored in the reservoir 20 is discharged outside, where the expanded microorganisms may contaminate from the discharge coke to the reservoir through the tube. There is a number. However, the present invention further includes a coke washing tube 135 for transferring a part of the ozone water to the drainage coke 50 of the water purifier, thereby sterilizing the water storage tank of the water purifier, and simultaneously draining the purified water to the outside. By sterilization, microorganisms proliferating in the drainage coke 50 can be removed in recent years.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the present invention as shown here in any one of the first embodiment to the third embodiment, the second solenoid valve ( It further comprises 136, wherein the power supply unit 140 is characterized in that for selectively applying the operating power to the second solenoid valve 136 together with the pump 110. The fourth embodiment of the present invention is to sterilize the drainage coke 50 together with the reservoir 20 of the water purifier 1 automatically according to the needs of the user or by a predetermined program.

That is, when the water purifier 1 according to the present invention provides the purified cold water to the user, the power supply device 140 applies the operating power to the first solenoid valve 36 (B → b), By opening the first solenoid valve 36, it is possible to provide cold water to the user. It is also possible to provide hot water on the same principle. In addition, when the water purifier 1 intends to sterilize or disinfect the inside of the reservoir 20 and the drainage coke 50, the power supply device 140 may be disposed together with the pump 110 and the ozone generator 120. Operating power is applied to the second solenoid valve 136 (A → a) to drive the pump 110 and the ozone generator 120 to produce ozone water, which can be delivered to the reservoir 20 and the drainage coke 50. will be.

The water purifier 1 including the reservoir sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention further includes the second solenoid valve 136, and selectively drives the power supply device 140, so that the user can determine a program according to a user's needs or a predetermined program. The water purifier 1 and the drainage coke 50 can be automatically sterilized by.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the present invention as shown here is a reservoir sterilizer 200 suitable for mounting in a conventional general water purifier. That is, the reservoir sterilization apparatus 200 according to the present invention includes a reservoir 20 for storing purified water through the water purifier filter 10 and a cold tank 30 for storing water stored in the reservoir 20 as cold water. Applied to the water purifier 1 to include, it is suitable to sterilize the reservoir 20.

Specifically, the reservoir sterilizer 200 is a pump 210; Ozone water generator 210; Reservoir washing pipe (225); Nozzle 230; And a housing 201, wherein the ozone water generator 210, the water tank washing tube 225, and the nozzle 230 are the ozone water generator 110, the water tank washing tube 125, and the nozzle in the first embodiment. Since it is the same as 130, the description thereof will be omitted.

More specifically, the pump 210 of the reservoir sterilization apparatus 200 according to the fifth embodiment is to inhale the cold water contained in the cold water tank 30 and to discharge it to the outside, in particular the cold water tank 30 Cold water is sucked through the cold water suction pipe 235 included therein. That is, the reservoir sterilization apparatus 200 according to the fifth embodiment is characterized in that it can be created separately in the conventional water purifier, (connecting the cold water transfer pipe to the cold water tank 30 at the bottom of the reservoir 20) For this purpose, the pump 210 is provided with a suction tube in the cold water tank 20 from the top of the water storage tank 10, thereby pulling up the cold water from the cold water tank 20. The reservoir sterilization apparatus 200 according to the present invention can be easily and easily installed in the conventional water purifier in the upper portion of the reservoir 10 by using the cold water suction pipe 235.

In addition, the water tank sterilization apparatus 200 according to the fifth embodiment further includes a housing 201 for fixing the pump 210 and the ozone water generator 220. The housing 201 includes the pump 210 and the ozone water generator 220 as described above, so that the water tank sterilizer 200 may be implemented as a single device or a device. Makes it possible to be. The housing 201 may be provided with the above-described water tank washing tube 225 and / or cold water suction pipe 235, which may be connected to and penetrated with the ozone water generator 220 and / or the pump 210, respectively. It is possible.

Furthermore, the reservoir sterilization apparatus 200 according to the fifth embodiment may further include the cold water discharge pipe 35, the first solenoid valve 36, and the power supply device 240 as described above. By selectively applying the operating power to the first solenoid valve 36 and the pump 210 through the power supply device 240, it is possible to automatically sterilize the reservoir 20 according to the user's needs or by a predetermined program. It can be.

On the other hand, while the present invention has been shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, the invention is variously modified and modified without departing from the technical features or fields of the invention provided by the claims below It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such changes can be made.

The present invention provides a water purifier including a water tank storing water purified through a water purifier filter, and a cold water tank storing water stored in the water tank as cold water, wherein the cold water stored in the cold water tank is converted into ozone water, and the ozone water thus converted. It is possible to provide a water purifier and a water tank sterilizer of the water purifier, including a water tank sterilization apparatus capable of sterilizing microorganisms or bacteria in the water tank by spraying the water back into the reservoir through the nozzle.

1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention,

3 is a schematic view for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention,

4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a schematic view for explaining a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (5)

In a water purifier including a water tank storing water purified through a water purifier filter, and a cold water tank storing water stored in the water tank as cold water. A pump for sucking and discharging the cold water through a cold water transfer pipe connected to the cold water tank; An ozone water generator for generating ozone water from cold water discharged from the pump; A reservoir washing tube for delivering ozone water generated by the ozone water generator to the reservoir; And And a reservoir for disinfecting the ozone water received through the water tank washing tube into the water tank. According to claim 1, Cold water discharge pipe connected between the cold water tank and the cold water coke of the water purifier; A first solenoid valve provided on the cold water discharge pipe; And a power supply for selectively applying operating power to the first solenoid valve and the pump. The water purifier according to claim 2, further comprising a coke washing tube connected to the water tank washing tube to transfer a portion of the ozone water delivered through the water tank washing tube to the cold water coke. The water tank sterilization according to claim 3, further comprising a second solenoid valve provided in the coke washing tube, wherein the power supply unit selectively applies an operating power to the second solenoid valve together with the pump. Water purifier comprising the device. In the water storage tank sterilizer of the water purifier comprising a water storage tank for storing the water purified through the water purifier filter and a cold water tank for storing the water stored in the water storage tank as cold water, A pump for sucking the cold water through the cold water suction pipe immersed in the cold water tank and discharging it to the outside; An ozone water generator for generating ozone water from cold water discharged from the pump; A reservoir washing tube for delivering ozone water generated by the ozone water generator to the reservoir; A nozzle for injecting ozone water received through the water tank washing tube into the water tank; And The water tank sterilizer of the water purifier, characterized in that it comprises a housing for fixing the pump and the ozone water generator.

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