JP2008286462A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve safety in a case of loading an electrostatic atomizing device functioned by application of high voltage to keep freshness in a refrigerator. <P>SOLUTION: In a vegetable compartment loading the electrostatic atomizing device 115 composed of an atomizing portion 131 and a high tension generating circuit portion 125, a door opening/closing detecting means for detecting opening/closing of a vegetable compartment door is disposed between a power source circuit 134 for supplying electric power to the high tension generating circuit portion 125 and a control device 136 composed of a control circuit 135 controlling the refrigerator, thus power supply to the high tension generating circuit portion 125 is directly cut off, a charging portion of the atomizing portion 131, and a structure and stored objects around it are suppressed to be lower than a reference potential, and danger can be prevented even when a person touches them accidentially. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with an atomizing device that functions by application of a high voltage.

  In recent years, refrigerators equipped with devices that promote the improvement of food freshness retention ability, deodorization, and antibacterial effects by applying a high voltage are increasing.

  As described above, as an atomizing device to which a high voltage that is one of functions that can be added to a refrigerator is applied, there is a liquid atomizing device that uses electrostatic atomization (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of a conventional liquid spraying apparatus, in which a nozzle 201 that ejects a liquid and a charging unit that forms a high-voltage electric field to charge and atomize the liquid ejected by the nozzle 201 202 and a high voltage power source 206 for charging 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. 6 shows an example of this. A part of the nozzle 201 is plunged into the cylindrical charging electrode 204, and a high voltage is applied by the high voltage power source 206 using the nozzle 201 as a positive electrode and the charging electrode 204 as a negative electrode. The water droplets 205 of the liquid fine particles ejected from the liquid are charged negatively and electrostatically atomized. When charged negatively in this way, the negative ion effect can also be exhibited. Antioxidants such as vitamin C and bactericides are mixed into the liquid, and these are simultaneously atomized and sprayed to remove active oxygen remaining in the air with the antioxidant, or sterilize. It can be sterilized with an agent. If a grounded electrostatic adsorption unit (not shown) is installed at the tip of the charging unit 204 by the charging electrode 204, the suspended particles in the air can be adsorbed and collected by static electricity simultaneously with the liquid water droplet 205. . As shown in FIG. 7, 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. Both the structure of FIG. 6 and the structure of FIG. 7 are incorporated in the refrigerator and can be applied to moisture retention, deodorization, and the like in the refrigerator.
JP 2005-270669 A

  However, when the conventional liquid spraying device is attached to the refrigerator, the charging unit to which a high voltage is applied is functionally exposed in the refrigerator cabinet, and the surroundings of the charging unit are structured and stored in the refrigerator cabinet by an electric field. Objects are charged to a high potential.

  Therefore, when a person touches the charging part in the refrigerator or when a structure or storage object is electrostatically conductive, the person may be discharged at a stroke when the person touches it, and the person may receive an electric shock. is there. This electric shock becomes stronger as the electrostatic capacity of the charged part or charged object increases, and in some cases, it is accompanied by severe damage.

  Such a charging phenomenon is particularly serious in a sealed space in a low-temperature drying environment where natural discharge from a charged object is difficult to occur, and the refrigerator corresponds to this.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and by blocking the supply of high-voltage power caused by high-voltage charging when the refrigerator door is open, the charging unit and the surrounding structures and stored items can be removed. The present invention provides a refrigerator that can be suppressed to a reference potential or less and that can avoid unsafety even when a person touches it.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a refrigerator according to the present invention includes an atomization device including an atomization unit and a high voltage generation circuit, a control device including a power supply circuit that supplies power to the atomization device, and a control circuit. A door opening / closing detecting means for detecting opening / closing of the door, and when the door opening / closing detecting means detects the opening of the door, the power supply to the atomizing device is cut off.

  As a result, when the refrigerator door is closed, the structure and storage items charged to a high potential by the electric field around the charging unit and the charging unit due to the high voltage in the refrigerator cabinet, when the refrigerator door is opened, By shutting off the supply of the high-voltage power supply, the charging unit and the structures and stored items in the vicinity thereof are suppressed to a reference potential or lower, so that an electric shock or the like can be avoided even if a person contacts.

  The refrigerator of the present invention is a refrigerator equipped with an atomizing device to which a high voltage is applied. When the door is detected to be open, the power supply to the atomizing device is cut off, thereby charging the high voltage charging unit and its The surrounding structures and stored items are suppressed to a reference potential or less, and even if a person comes into contact, an electric shock or the like can be avoided.

  The invention according to claim 1 detects the opening / closing of a door, an atomizing device comprising an atomizing section and a high voltage generating circuit, a control device comprising a power supply circuit for supplying power to the atomizing device and a control circuit. A door opening / closing detection means, and when the door opening / closing detection means detects the opening of the door, the power supply to the atomizer is cut off, and the refrigerator door is closed, Structures and storage items that are charged to a high potential due to the high voltage of the charging unit and the electric field around the charging unit, when the refrigerator door is opened, shut off the supply of high-voltage power to the charging unit and its surroundings. A certain structure or stored item is suppressed to a reference potential or less, and an electric shock or the like can be avoided even if a person contacts.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the door opening / closing detection means includes a contact portion provided between the atomizing device and the control device, The power supply is shut off by the contact provided at the contact portion, and the power supply is not shut down by the door open / close detection means by a signal from the control circuit, but noise caused to the circuit by performing directly. It is possible to improve the reliability by avoiding malfunction due to the above.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second aspect, the door opening / closing detection means is a reed switch that directly opens and closes a contact by a magnet, and there is no malfunction due to tampering from the outside, and high voltage Blocking can be carried out reliably.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 2, wherein the door opening / closing detection means is a push-type switch that directly opens and closes a contact by a pushing force, and there is no malfunction caused by an external electric, magnetic field, or the like. The high voltage can be reliably cut off.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the door opening / closing detection means includes a contact portion provided between the atomizing device and the control device, and is provided in the contact portion. A means for shutting off the power supply by the contact point, which is used together with a means for shutting off the power supply by a signal from the control circuit of the control device. Can be improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
1 is a side sectional view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the vegetable compartment in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  1 and 2, the refrigerator 101 has 103a, 103b, and 103c from the top for partitioning the box body 102 and the storage compartment, and 104a, 104b from the top for the doors for making these compartments closed. Each of the heat insulating compartments 104c and 104d is a storage space having different temperatures from the top to the refrigerator compartment 105, the switching room 106, the vegetable compartment 107, and the freezing compartment 108. Among them, the vegetable room 107 has a humidity of about 80% R.D. H or more (during food storage), cooled to 4 to 6 ° C.

  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 connecting these components, and a refrigerant (not shown). Etc.).

  Furthermore, there is an air passage 113 for conveying 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 provided for each storage room. And is insulated by a partition 114.

  Next, in the vegetable compartment 107, on the back of the vegetable compartment 107, an electrostatic atomizer 115 functioning by a high voltage for spraying fine mist toward the inside of the vegetable compartment case 116 is disposed, and the partition 103b Is provided with door opening / closing detection means 110 for detecting the opening / closing of the vegetable compartment door 104c of the vegetable compartment 107.

  The electrostatic atomizer 115 includes a nozzle tip 122 having a shape for spraying the collected water into the vegetable compartment 107, an application electrode 123 for applying a high voltage to the collected water, and the vicinity of the tip 122. The atomizing portion 131 is formed of a counter electrode 124 provided to maintain a constant distance between the first electrode and the high voltage generating circuit portion 125 for supplying a high voltage to the applying electrode 123. The high voltage generating circuit portion 125 reduces the negative voltage of several kilovolts. A polarity voltage is applied, and a reference voltage of the high voltage generation circuit unit 125 or a plus polarity voltage of plus several kilovolts is applied to the counter electrode 124.

  The door open / close detection means 110 is a reed switch that is operated by a magnet 117 installed on the vegetable compartment door 104c. When the vegetable compartment door 104c is closed, the internal contact is closed and the vegetable compartment door 104c is opened. In this state, the contact is open.

  FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator in the first embodiment of the present invention.

  A control device 136 comprising an electrostatic atomization device 115 comprising an atomization unit 131 and a high voltage generation circuit unit 125, a power circuit 134 for supplying power to the high voltage generation circuit unit 125, and a control circuit 135 for controlling the refrigerator. The door opening / closing detection means 110 is provided between the two.

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

  First, when the vegetable compartment door 104c of the vegetable compartment 107 is in a closed state, the contact of the door open / close detection means 110 is closed by the magnetic field of the magnet 117 installed in the vegetable compartment door 104c. An output voltage is applied to the high voltage generation circuit unit 125 of the electroatomizer 115, and high voltage electrostatic energy is supplied from the high voltage generation circuit unit 125 to the application electrode 123 and the counter electrode 124. Due to the electrostatic energy, the water adhering to the nozzle tip 122 is refined, and since the droplet is charged, it is atomized into fine particles of several nm to several μm by Rayleigh splitting and sprayed to the vegetable compartment 107. To quickly humidify the interior.

  Furthermore, since the sprayed fine mist is charged with a negative polarity, it contains a lot of OH radicals and is effective for sterilization, antibacterial, sterilization, etc., as well as removal of agricultural chemicals by oxidative degradation and vitamin C by antioxidant. Encourage vegetables to increase the amount of nutrients.

  Next, when the vegetable compartment door 104c of the vegetable compartment 107 is opened, the contact of the door opening / closing detection means 110 is opened, the output from the power supply circuit 134 of the control device 136 is cut off, and the electrostatic atomizer 115 The output voltage from the high voltage circuit 125 is cut off.

  Thereby, the application electrode 123 and the counter electrode 124 of the atomization part 131 and the structure pair and storage thing in the periphery are suppressed below to a reference potential.

  As described above, when the electrostatic atomizer 115 is provided in the vegetable compartment 107 of the refrigerator 101 and the vegetable compartment 107 is kept fresh, the electrostatic atomizer 115 including the atomizer 131 and the high voltage circuit unit 125, A door opening / closing detection means 110 having a contact point is provided between a control device 136 including a power supply circuit 134 that supplies power to the high voltage generation circuit unit 125 and a control circuit 135 that controls the refrigerator, thereby providing a door for the refrigerator. If the battery is closed, the high voltage charging unit in the refrigerator and the structure and storage items charged to a high potential by the electric field around the charging unit will shut off the supply of high voltage power when the refrigerator door is opened. As a result, the charging unit and its surrounding structures and stored items are suppressed to a reference potential or less, and even if a person comes into contact, an electric shock or the like can be avoided.

  The door opening / closing detection means 110 may be a push-type contact opening / closing device designed so that it cannot be easily operated from the outside.

  With this configuration, there is no malfunction due to external electricity, magnetic field, or the like, and high voltage interruption can be reliably performed.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator in the second embodiment of the present invention.

  Control of the refrigerator with the electrostatic atomizer 115 comprising the atomizing part 131 having the application electrode 123 and the counter electrode 124 and the high voltage generating circuit part 125, the power supply circuit 134 for supplying power to the high voltage generating circuit part 125, and the refrigerator A first door opening / closing unit that opens and closes a direct contact comprising a reed switch as a door opening / closing detection unit 110 that detects the opening / closing of the vegetable room door 104c of the vegetable room 107. The detection means 110a is provided between the electrostatic atomizer 115 and the control device 136, and the second door opening / closing detection means 110b made of a Hall element is provided to output a signal to the control device 136.

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

  First, when the vegetable compartment door 104c of the vegetable compartment 107 is closed, the contact of the first door opening / closing detection means 110a is closed by the magnetic field of the magnet 117 installed in the vegetable compartment door 104c, and the second door The output voltage is applied from the power supply circuit 134 of the control device 136 to the high voltage generation circuit unit 125 of the electrostatic atomizer 115 by the signal of the open / close detection means 110b, and the high voltage generation circuit unit 125 applies the output voltage to the application electrode 123 and the counter electrode 124. High voltage electrostatic energy is supplied. Due to the electrostatic energy, the water adhering to the nozzle tip 122 is refined, and since the droplet is charged, it is atomized into fine particles of several nm to several μm by Rayleigh splitting and sprayed to the vegetable compartment 107. To quickly humidify the interior.

  Next, when the vegetable compartment door 104c of the vegetable compartment 107 is in an open state, the contact of the first door opening / closing detection means 110a is opened, and the signal of the second door opening / closing detection means 110b is controlled by the control device 136. The voltage is transmitted to the circuit 135, and the output voltage from the power supply circuit 134 to the high voltage generation circuit unit 125 of the electrostatic atomizer 115 is cut off.

  Thereby, the application electrode 123 and the counter electrode 124 of the atomization part 131 and the structure pair and storage thing in the periphery are suppressed below to a reference potential.

  As described above, when the vegetable compartment 107 is kept fresh by the electrostatic atomizer 115 provided in the vegetable compartment 107 of the refrigerator 101, the electrostatic atomizer 115 including the atomization unit 131 and the high voltage generation circuit unit 125; , A control device 136 comprising a power supply circuit 134 for supplying power to the high voltage generation circuit section 125 and a control circuit 135 for controlling the refrigerator, a first door opening / closing detection means 110a having a contact, and a second door When the open / close detection means 110b is used in combination with a means for shutting off the power supply by a signal from the control circuit 135 of the control device 136, when the refrigerator door is opened, the supply of the high-voltage power supply is stopped and the supply path Is also shut off at the same time, so that even if one function does not work for some reason, the other function will work, so the structure in the charged part and its surroundings can be surely It is possible to suppress the stored items below the reference potential, it is possible to further improve safety.

  As described above, the present invention can be applied not only to refrigerators but also to appliances that use high voltage generation circuits in sealed spaces, such as home appliances such as air conditioners and air purifiers, as well as automobiles and equipment. .

Side sectional view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Side sectional view of the vegetable compartment in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Control block diagram of refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Control block diagram of refrigerator in Embodiment 2 of the present invention Schematic configuration diagram of a conventional liquid spray device Structure diagram of conventional liquid spray device Structure diagram of conventional liquid spray device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Refrigerator 104c Vegetable room door 110 Door opening / closing detection means 110a 1st door opening / closing detection means 110b 2nd door opening / closing detection means 115 Electrostatic atomizer 125 High voltage generation circuit 131 Atomization part 134 Power supply circuit 135 Control circuit 136 Control apparatus

Claims (5)

  An atomization device comprising an atomization unit and a high voltage generation circuit, a control device comprising a power supply circuit for supplying power to the atomization device and a control circuit, and a door opening / closing detection means for detecting opening / closing of the door, The refrigerator characterized by shutting off the power supply to the atomizing device when the door opening / closing detecting means detects the opening of the door.   The door opening / closing detection means has a contact portion provided between the atomizing device and the control device, and the power supply to the atomizing device is interrupted by the contact provided in the contact portion. The refrigerator according to claim 1.   The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the door opening / closing detection means is a reed switch that opens and closes a contact by a magnet.   The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the door opening / closing detection means is a push-type switch that opens and closes a contact point by a pushing force.   The door opening / closing detection means has a contact portion provided between the atomizing device and the control device, and is a means for shutting off power supply by the contact provided at the contact portion. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator is used together with means for cutting off power supply by a signal from a control circuit.