JPH0674942B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator suitable for exhibiting deodorant sterilization of cold air in a refrigerator for a long period of time.

[Conventional technology]

In the conventional deodorizing device, a case containing a deodorizing agent such as activated carbon is attached to a cold air passage to remove a bad odor. However, in this case, if a gas having a slightly high concentration is contacted with the deodorant, the adsorbing ability of the deodorant may be immediately reduced, and the effect may be reduced in a short time. Regarding sterilization, conventionally, there is a system in which sterilizing vapor is diffused in the refrigerator, but none of them have both deodorant and bactericide deodorizing and sterilizing effects. Examples of this type of device include, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 47-22566 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-6.
8-9692 is mentioned.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above-mentioned conventional techniques, no consideration is given to long-term stability of deodorization and sterilization effect, and there is a fear that the deodorant and the bactericide cannot exert high effects for a long period of time.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can exert the effects of deodorization and sterilization for a long period of time.

[Means for solving problems]

The above object is achieved by installing an ultraviolet lamp and a photocatalytic semiconductor in a cold air passage forming the refrigerator in a cold air forced circulation type refrigerator.

[Action]

By decomposing the malodorous gas contained in the cold air passing through the cold air passage, at the same time, by the sterilizing power of the ultraviolet rays of the ultraviolet lamp,
Produces stable deodorizing and sterilizing effects for a long period of time.

〔Example〕

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

1 is a forced cold air circulation type refrigerator, 2 is a freezing room, 3 is a refrigerating room,
Reference numeral 4 is a cool air blowing fan, 5 is a cooler, 6 is a partition, 7 is a cold air passage, 8 is a deodorizing / sterilizing device, and 9 is a cover.

The cool air generated by the cooler 5 circulates in the refrigerator as shown by the arrow in FIG. The deodorizing / sterilizing device 8 is installed in the cold air passage 7 of the partition 6.

The deodorizing / sterilizing device 8 is mainly composed of an ultraviolet lamp 8a, a photocatalyst 8b divided into upper and lower parts, an aluminum plate 8c for fixing the photocatalyst 8b, and a heat insulating material 8d. With the deodorizing and sterilizing device 8 installed in the partition 6, the UV lamp 8a is turned on by applying an AC voltage that has passed through the ballast to the electrode 8f via the electrode 8e, and ultraviolet rays are radiated to set the lamp up and down. The photocatalyst 8b is irradiated almost uniformly and excited. The lighting of the ultraviolet lamp 8a is synchronized with the cool air blowing fan 4, and is turned on only when the stirring fan 4 is operating.

That is, a photocatalyst is a substance that converts light energy into chemical energy and is a semiconductor. When energy above the band gap is applied to the photocatalyst, the electrons in the valence band jump to the conduction band and become a bipolarized state, and excited electrons in the conductor and holes generated in the valence body chemically react. It will attract a reaction.

For example, the hydroxyl group OH ^{− on the} photocatalyst surface becomes OH radicals due to holes, and the odorous component of this OH radical, which has a greater oxidizing power than ozone, is oxidatively decomposed.

Further, ultraviolet rays are used as light rays for exciting the photocatalyst,
Originally, ultraviolet rays have bactericidal activity, and can inactivate and destroy nucleic acids in cells of floating bacteria in the passing air to sterilize the passing air.

To remove the deodorizing / sterilizing device 8, turn the manual screw 8g to open the cover 9 and pull the handle 8h downward. When assembled, when the deodorizing / sterilizing device 8 is inserted into the partition 6, the convex fixing tool 8j is pushed by the coil spring 8i.
Is pressed against the cold air passage side, and the cover 9 is manually rotated and fixed by a screw 8g so that the cover 9 is completely fixed by the plate spring 8k.

The cold air that has passed through the refrigerating chamber 3 passes through the deodorizing / sterilizing device 8 and then returns to the cooler through the cold air passage 7.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a refrigerator that exerts deodorizing and sterilizing effects over a long period of time by using an ultraviolet lamp and a photocatalytic semiconductor.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a deodorizing / sterilizing device portion of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. is there. 1 ... Refrigerator, 2 ... Freezer room, 3 ... Refrigerator room, 4 ... Stirring fan, 5 ... Cooler, 6 ... Medium cutout, 7 ... Cold air passage, 8 ... Deodorization / sterilization device, 8a ... UV lamp,
8b …… Photocatalyst, 8c …… Aluminum plate, 8d …… Insulation material, 8e ……
Electrode, 8f …… Electrode, 8g …… Hand screw, 8h …… Handle,
8i ... Coil spring, 8j ... Convex fixture, 8k ... Leaf spring, 9 ... Cover.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cold air forced circulation type refrigerator, wherein an ultraviolet lamp and a photocatalytic semiconductor are installed in a cold air passage constituting the refrigerator.