JP5157476B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a liquid spraying device.

  In recent years, there are home appliances that electrostatically atomize a liquid and spray it over a wide area, and promote a deodorizing effect and an antibacterial effect by charged fine liquid particles.

  There is the following as a liquid spraying device using such electrostatic atomization (see Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of a liquid spraying apparatus according to Patent Document 1, in which a nozzle 201 for ejecting liquid and a high-voltage electric field are formed to charge and atomize the liquid ejected by the nozzle 201. The charging unit 202 includes a high-voltage power source 206 that charges the charging unit 202. The charging unit 202 in this example reduces the particle diameter by electrostatically atomizing the liquid water column 203 ejected from the nozzle 201 by the dielectric charging method at the charging electrode 204, that is, by passing a high-voltage electric field. Then, it is sprayed as water droplets 205 of charged fine particles.

  FIG. 5 shows an example. A part of the nozzle 201 is inserted into the cylindrical charging electrode 204, and a high voltage is applied by the high voltage power source 206 with the nozzle 201 serving as a positive electrode and the charging electrode 204 serving as a negative electrode. The water droplets 205 of the liquid fine particles ejected from the liquid are charged negatively and electrostatically atomized. Thus, when negatively charged, a negative ion effect can be exhibited.

  Moreover, by mixing antioxidants and bactericides such as vitamin C into the liquid, and simultaneously spraying them by electrostatic atomization, the active oxygen staying in the air can be removed by the antioxidants. It can be sterilized with a disinfectant. If a grounded electrostatic adsorption unit (not shown) is installed at the tip of the charging electrode 204, suspended fine particles or the like in the air can be adsorbed and collected by static electricity simultaneously with the liquid water droplet 205. As shown in FIG. 4, if a high voltage is directly applied to the nozzle 201 itself, the nozzle 201 itself can be used as a charging unit, and the deodorant can be directly charged by the nozzle 201 simultaneously with spraying.

As described above, an electrostatic atomization method in which a liquid is charged at a high potential and sprayed toward a counter electrode having a potential difference is one of common atomization methods.
JP 2005-270669 A

  However, when the conventional liquid spraying device is attached to the refrigerator and the liquid is sprayed in the storage chamber, the periphery of the liquid spraying device is a humid atmosphere compared to the storage chamber of the refrigerator, and in some cases, the periphery of the liquid spraying device In some cases, liquid such as water droplets after spraying adheres.

  In that case, the surroundings of the liquid spraying device are in an environment where electric leakage of electricity flowing through the electrode portion is liable to occur via the liquid, and the liquid spraying device is liable to malfunction or break due to a short circuit. There is a risk of causing a painful electric shock to the user when touching directly.

  Moreover, even when it is a case where it does not touch an electrode part directly, there exists a possibility that electricity may flow to a user's human body through the water droplet adhering to the periphery of an atomization apparatus.

  This invention solves the said conventional subject, and proposes the refrigerator which ensured the safety | security of the atomization apparatus.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes a partition composed of a partition wall and a heat insulating material, a storage room thermally insulated by the partition, and an electrode unit electrically connected in the case. An atomizer embedded in a recess of the heat insulating material at the back of the storage chamber and spraying mist into the storage chamber, and a drain outlet provided in the partition wall and the bottom surface of the atomizer The partition wall is inclined so as to incline toward the storage chamber from the back as viewed from the storage chamber.
A drain receptacle provided, and the drain outlet prevents water droplets adhering to the periphery of the electrode portion from remaining in the vicinity of the electrode portion , and the drain receptacle is hydrated by the heat insulating material. It is intended to prevent this .

  As a result, the periphery of the atomization section in the refrigerator is the most humid atmosphere in the storage room, and water droplets after spraying adhere to the periphery of the atomization section, and the water droplets mediate to the electrode section. The leakage of the flowing electricity can be prevented, and a highly safe refrigerator free from danger of user electric shock and use anxiety can be provided.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can provide a refrigerator that prevents a user's electric shock and increases the reliability of the atomizer.

The invention according to claim 1 includes a partition configured by a partition wall and a heat insulating material, a storage chamber partitioned by heat by the partition, and an electrode part electrically connected in a case, and the storage. An atomizing device embedded in a recess of the heat insulating material at the back of the chamber and spraying mist into the storage chamber, a drain outlet provided in the partition wall and a bottom surface of the atomizing device, and the partition wall A drain receptacle provided so as to incline toward the interior of the storage chamber as viewed from the storage chamber, and the drain outlet has water droplets attached to the periphery of the electrode portion remaining in the vicinity of the electrode portion. The drain receptacle is designed to prevent the heat insulating material from containing water .

As a result, stable performance of the atomizer can be secured, and malfunctions and destruction due to a short circuit, electric shock through a user's liquid pool, and the like can be prevented. Moreover, water drops can be drained to the outside of the case, and the risk of electric shock can be greatly reduced.

The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein a drainage guide is provided inside the case.

The invention described in claim 3 is the invention described in claim 2, wherein drainage ribs are provided inside the case.

  As a result, the water droplets are collected by the drainage ribs and guided to the drainage outlet, so that the user can further reduce the danger due to the electric shock and the malfunction due to the short circuit.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, a drainage path is provided in the storage chamber.

  As a result, it is possible to prevent the water droplets drained to the outside of the atomizing device from being diffused and to guide them into the drainage path.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the atomization device is electrically connected to the high voltage generating unit that generates a potential difference and the high voltage generating unit. It is an electrostatic atomization system comprised by the made electrode part.

  Accordingly, even when the risk of electric shock is further increased due to generation of a high voltage at the electrode portion, the protective means as described in any one of claims 1 to 5 can be used by the user. Therefore, safety can be ensured even when an atomizing device for applying a high voltage is provided to a household refrigerator used by a general user.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the refrigerator of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
1 is a side sectional view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a detailed sectional view of the vicinity of an electrostatic atomizer, and FIG. 3 is an electrostatic atomization used in the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is an internal front view of an apparatus.

  1 and 2, a refrigerator 101 includes a box body 102, three partitions 103a, 103b, and 103c arranged in a vertical direction for creating a compartment of a storage chamber in the box body 102, and the compartments are closed spaces. The four compartments 104a, 104b, 104c, and 104d are insulated from each other, and are storage spaces with different temperatures from the top to the refrigerator room 105, the switching room 106, the vegetable room 107, and the freezing room 108.

  Further, in order to cool the refrigerator 101, the refrigeration cycle includes a compressor 111, a condenser, a decompression device (not shown) such as an expansion valve and a capillary tube, an evaporator 112, piping for connecting these components, a refrigerant, and the like. Has been.

  There are air passages 113 for transporting the low-temperature air generated by the evaporator 112 to each storage room space, or for collecting the air heat-exchanged in the storage room space to the evaporator 112, and the air passage 113 is connected to each storage room. It is insulated by the partition 114.

  The partition 114 is mainly composed of a partition wall 161 serving as a back side wall surface of the storage chamber using a resin such as ABS, and a heat insulating material 162 that ensures heat insulation. Here, the recessed part 162a is provided in a part of wall surface by the side of the vegetable compartment of the heat insulating material 162, and the electrostatic atomizer 115 which is a mist spraying apparatus is installed in the location.

  The electrostatic atomizer 115 includes a high voltage generation unit 121, an atomization electrode 122 connected to a reference potential unit of the high voltage generation unit 121, and a counter electrode 123 to which a high voltage is applied from the high voltage generation unit 121. The cooling pin 124 is press-fitted to the atomizing electrode 122, and the case 125 is a protective means that surrounds the cooling pin 124.

  In the case 125, the atomizing electrode 122 is attached to the inside of the case back surface 125a which is the back side wall surface when viewed from the vegetable compartment 107 side, and the counter electrode 123 is the front side wall surface which is the front side wall surface when viewed from the vegetable compartment 107 side. It is attached inside 125b.

  Moreover, the opening part 126 which opened the location through which spraying liquid passes is provided in case front 125b, and the drain port 127 is provided in a part of case bottom 125c. The case bottom surface 125 c has a shape inclined downward from the case back surface 125 a toward the case front surface 125 b and is connected to the drain port 127. The drainage port 127 is provided at a position below the atomizing electrode 122 and the counter electrode 123, and a drainage rib 128 is provided on the inner side of the case back surface 125a as a path for promoting drainage. The drainage rib 128 is provided at a position below the atomizing electrode 122 in an inclined shape so as to be connected to the drainage port 127.

  Moreover, the partition wall 161 has a partition wall opening 163 that opens at a location where the spray liquid from the electrostatic atomizer 115 passes, and drainage from the drain 127 of the electrostatic atomizer 115 flows into the storage chamber. A partition wall drain 164 is provided.

  The opening 126 and drain 127 of the atomizer, the partition wall opening 163 and the partition wall drain 164 are set to dimensions that the user cannot directly touch the atomizing electrode 122 and the counter electrode 123. . In general, it is desirable to have a shape in which a rod having a diameter of about 5 mm, which is the size of a child's index finger, cannot be inserted.

  Further, a drainage guide 127 a is provided at the drainage port 127 of the electrostatic atomizer 115. The drainage guide 127a protrudes downward from the case bottom surface 125c and is provided in a shape connected to the partition wall drainage port 164. On the other hand, a drain receiver 164 a is provided at the upper part of the partition wall drain port 164. The drainage receptacle 164a protrudes from the drainage guide 127a to the back side when viewed from the vegetable compartment 107, and is inclined to the vegetable compartment 107 side.

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

  First, the refrigeration cycle is operated to perform cooling operation of each storage room, and the vegetable room 107 is generally adjusted to be around 5 ° C.

  An electrostatic atomizer 131 is attached to the back of the vegetable compartment 107, and the thickness of the heat insulating material of the deepest recess 162b in which the cooling pin 124 is embedded is, for example, about 2 mm to 10 mm. It is in a low temperature state. Cooling air of about −15 to −25 ° C. is discharged to the air passage 113 on the back surface of the cooling pin 124 by operation of the refrigeration cycle, and the cooling pin 124 is cooled to about 0 to −10 ° C. by heat conduction from the air passage surface. The atomizing electrode 122 is cooled to the same temperature by the cold air conducted from the cooling pin 124, and a temperature difference of about 10 ° C. is generated from the ambient temperature in the vegetable compartment 107 maintained in a temperature environment of about 5 ° C. At this time, if there is a predetermined humidity or higher due to moisture evaporated from the vegetables stored in the vegetable compartment 107, the atomizing electrode 122 is condensed, and this condensed water has a reference potential in the same manner as the atomizing electrode 122.

  On the other hand, a high potential of +4 kV or more is applied to the counter electrode 123, and a potential difference is generated with the dew condensation water to the atomization electrode 122 which is a reference potential. Due to Rayleigh splitting due to electrostatic energy, the condensed water is atomized into fine particles of several nanometers and sprayed from the opening 126 of the case 125 to the vegetable compartment 107 through the opening 163 provided on the partition wall surface 161. .

  It has been confirmed that the mist sprayed by such an electrostatic atomization method generates a lot of OH radicals or the like due to the influence of charging, and a small amount of ozone is also generated accompanying this. These OH radicals and a small amount of ozone have effects in the vegetable compartment 107 such as sterilization, antibacterial action, and sterilization, as well as urging the vegetables to increase nutrients such as the removal of agricultural chemicals by oxidative degradation and the amount of vitamin C by antioxidation. It has been confirmed that it works.

  As described above, in the present invention, mist is sprayed on the vegetable compartment 107 by condensing the atomizing electrode 122 through the cooling pin 124. However, when the mist is excessively condensed on the atomizing electrode 122 or a part of the mist is formed. In the case 125, the counter electrode 123 may be submerged due to accumulation inside the case 125, or in the case of the high voltage generation unit 121 installed in the case 125 due to the configuration of the present invention. The part 121 may be submerged.

  In such a case, it is natural that the mist cannot be sprayed stably, which leads to malfunction and destruction of the high voltage generator 121 and the like. Further, when a state occurs in which the liquid accumulated in the case 125 overflows from the opening 126, the user can easily touch the liquid. There is a high possibility that this liquid is electrically connected to a portion to which a high voltage is applied, and there is a risk of electric shock when the user touches it.

  Therefore, the present invention is configured such that a drain port 127 is provided on the case bottom surface 125 c of the electrostatic atomizer 115 so that liquid does not accumulate in the case 125. Furthermore, if drainage ribs 128 connected to the drainage port 127 are provided on the back surface 125a of the case, it is possible to prevent water from remaining particularly at the end in the case 125 and promptly drain the drainage port 127.

  Moreover, by providing the drainage port 164 in the partition wall 161, the drainage from the electrostatic atomizer 115 can be drained into the vegetable compartment 107. At this time, the drainage guide 127a is provided at the drainage port 127 of the electrostatic atomizer and the drainage receptacle 164a is further provided at the upper part of the drainage port 164 of the partition wall 161, so that the water is drained between the partition wall 161 and the heat insulating material 162. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a path for draining into the vegetable compartment 107 without fail. This is for the purpose of preventing the occurrence of other problems such as the heat insulation material 162 being wetted and the heat insulation ability being lowered if it is drained between the partition wall 161 and the heat insulation material 162.

  The liquid thus drained does not collect on the atomizing electrode 122 and the counter electrode 123 but flows along the back side wall surface of the vegetable compartment 107 of the partition wall 161 and evaporates therebetween. Therefore, it is possible to ensure stable mist spraying of the electrostatic atomizer 115 and prevent malfunction or destruction of the high voltage generator 121 due to a short circuit or electric shock through the user's liquid pool.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the spray liquid into the vegetable compartment 107 and other liquids remain in the vicinity of the atomization electrode 122 and the counter electrode 123 and the high voltage generator 121 of the electrostatic atomizer 115. By providing a drainage structure that prevents this, the stable performance of the electrostatic atomizer 115 can be ensured, and malfunctions and destruction due to a short circuit, electric shock through a user's liquid pool, and the like can be prevented.

  Further, in order to promote the evaporation of the drained liquid, when the drainage path 151 is provided so that the liquid flows out in the vicinity of the vegetable room heater 150 generally provided on the back wall of the vegetable room 107, Furthermore, liquid pooling in the vegetable compartment 107 can be reliably prevented, and problems such as problems due to condensation in the vegetable compartment 107 can be avoided.

  Even if water droplets accumulate around the atomizing section, water flows out from this drainage path, reducing the risk of electric shock to the user through the liquid reservoir, and failure such as short circuits. Can be prevented.

  In this embodiment, the drainage structure is mainly described as a protective means. However, when the refrigerator door is opened, an electrical protective means such as shutting off the power supply to the voltage generator is combined. Needless to say, the risk of electric shock can be eliminated more reliably.

  As described above, since the refrigerator according to the present invention is a highly safe refrigerator that does not cause anxiety of use, it can be used for household or commercial refrigerators or vegetable storages, and of course, foods such as vegetables can be distributed at low temperatures. It can also be applied to uses such as warehouses.

Side surface sectional drawing of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention Detailed sectional view of the vicinity of the electrostatic atomizer in the refrigerator of the same embodiment Internal front view of the electrostatic atomizer used in the refrigerator of the same embodiment Schematic configuration diagram of a conventional liquid spray device A perspective view showing an example of a conventional liquid spraying device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Refrigerator 107 Vegetable room 114 Partition 115 Electrostatic atomizer 121 High voltage generation part 122 Atomization electrode (electrode part)
123 Counter electrode 125 Case 126 Opening portion 127 Drainage port 127a Drainage guide 128 Drainage rib 150 Heater for vegetable room 151 Drainage path 161 Partition wall 162 Heat insulating material 163 Partition wall opening 164 Partition wall drainage port 164a Drainage receptacle

Claims (5)

A partition composed of a partition wall and a heat insulating material, a storage chamber thermally insulated by the partition, an electrode portion electrically connected in the case, and the heat insulating material at the back of the storage chamber. An atomizing device embedded in a recess and spraying mist into the storage chamber, a drain port provided in the partition wall and the bottom surface of the atomization device, and the partition wall toward the back as viewed from the storage chamber and a drain receiver that protrudes to be inclined to the storage compartment side, the drainage port so as to prevent the water droplets adhering to the periphery of the electrode portion is left to the vicinity of the electrode portion, the drainage The receiver is a refrigerator that prevents the heat insulating material from containing water . The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a drainage guide is provided inside the case. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein drainage ribs are provided inside the case. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a drainage path is provided in the storage chamber.   The atomization device is an electrostatic atomization method that includes a high voltage generation unit that generates a potential difference and an electrode unit that is electrically connected to the high voltage generation unit. Refrigerator.

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