JPH063037A - Deodorizer for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a deodorizer which enables the removal of malodorous components efficiently by preventing a drop in defrosting performance of a refrigerator as caused by the addition of a deodorizing function concerning the deodorizer, especially that having a function of removing the malodorous components is generated in a refrigerator. CONSTITUTION:This apparatus is made up of a deodorizing heater 33 which has a catalytic cover layer on the surface of a tubular heater serving as defrost heater concurrently and a water drop preventing member 34 with a side thereof made from a screen having the catalytic cover layer on the surface thereof as positioned above the deodorizing heater 33.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a deodorizing device, and more particularly to a deodorizing device having a function of removing a malodorous component generated in a refrigerator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a refrigerator, various foods such as vegetables, meat and fish produce odors, which are circulated in a closed system in the refrigerator, causing odors to accumulate, and foods to have this odor. Then the quality of the food was reduced.

In order to solve these problems, for example, there is a deodorizing device for a refrigerator as described in JP-A-2-194816.

A conventional deodorizing device for a refrigerator will be described below. FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper part of the refrigerator showing a state in which the conventional deodorizing device is arranged in the refrigerator, FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of a main part, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged cutaway front view.

First, in FIG. 5, 1 is a refrigerator main body, 2 and 3 are freezer compartments and refrigerating compartments formed therein, and 4 and 5 are doors, respectively. Reference numeral 6 denotes a cooler arranged in the cooler room 7 at the back of the freezing room 2, and 8 denotes a fan arranged above the cooler 6. When the fan is driven, a part of the air cooled by the cooler 6 is supplied into the freezer compartment 2 from the supply port 9, and the air in the freezer compartment 2 is supplied to the cooler compartment 7 via the return duct 10. The inside of the freezer compartment 2 is cooled by being circulated so that the inside of the freezer compartment 2 is cooled.

Further, a part of the air cooled by the cooler 6 is supplied into the refrigerating compartment 3 via the supply duct 11, and the air in the refrigerating compartment 3 is housed in the cooler compartment 7 via the return duct 12. It is circulated so that it is returned to the refrigerator room 3
The inside is cooled. In this case, the cooler chamber 7, the freezing chamber 2 and the return duct 10 constitute a circulation path through which the air in the freezing chamber 2 circulates.

Further, the cooler chamber 7, the supply duct 11, the refrigerating chamber 3 and the return duct 12 constitute a circulation path through which the air in the refrigerating chamber 3 circulates.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a defrosting heater disposed below the cooler 6 in the lower part of the cooler chamber 7, which is a glass tube having a heater wire 13b provided in the glass tube 13a as shown in FIG. It is composed of a heater, and energization is controlled only when the cooler 6 is defrosted, and the rest is cut off.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a water drop prevention member provided on the defrosting heater 13 so as to cover it from above, which is made of a metal plate such as aluminum having heat resistance and water resistance, as shown in FIG. Thus, it is formed in the shape of a shallow container having an open lower side, and prevents defrost water from splashing on the defrost heater 13 during defrosting of the cooler 6.

Reference numeral 15 is a deodorant, which is an adsorbent layer 15 made of an adsorbent such as activated carbon or silica (silicon dioxide).
and a catalyst layer 15b made of platinum or nickel provided on the surface of the adsorbent layer 15a has a two-layer structure.
Here, the deodorant body 15 forms a plate-shaped adsorbent layer 15a by sintering an adsorbent, and the adsorbent layer 15a is formed.
Of the catalyst layer 1 on the surface of the adsorbent layer 15a by applying heat to the surface of the adsorbent layer 15a
5b is formed.

The adsorbent layer 15a and the catalyst layer 15b are each porous so that air can flow through them. The deodorizing body 15 is supported and fixed to the inner surface of the water drop prevention member 14 by a supporting member 17 via a heat insulating material 16 made of glass fiber or the like, and is provided near the defrosting heater 13.

Reference numeral 18 is a cover member, for example, a wire mesh formed of a material having a high thermal conductivity so as to have a large number of through holes.
It is provided so as to cover the surface of the deodorant body 15.

The operation of the deodorizing device for a refrigerator constructed as above will be described below.

In the above structure, during the cooling operation, the air in the refrigerator is blown by the air blowing action of the fan 8 to cool the cooler chamber 7 and the freezer chamber 2.
And is circulated through the return duct 10, and is circulated through the cooler chamber 7, the supply duct 11, the refrigerating chamber 3, and the return duct 12. At this time, the air passing through the cooler chamber 7 comes into contact with the deodorant body 15 through the through holes of the wire net 18, and the odorous component contained in the air is adsorbent layer 15 of the deodorant body 15.
Adsorbed by a and removed.

On the other hand, when the defrosting operation is started, the cooler 6
And the operation of the fan 8 is stopped, while the defrost heater 13
Is energized to generate heat. Due to the heat generated by the defrosting heater 13, the cooler 6 is heated to perform defrosting, and the deodorant body 15 is also heated. At this time, since the surface of the deodorizer 15 is covered with the wire net 18, the heat transfer of the wire net 18 allows the deodorizer 15 to be heated as uniformly as possible. In the heated deodorizer 15, the odor component adsorbed by the adsorbent of the adsorbent layer 15a is desorbed, and at the same time, the odor component is oxidatively decomposed and removed in the catalyst layer 15b.

The deodorizing body 15 is heated in this way to regenerate the adsorption function, that is, the deodorizing function. At this time, the water drop prevention member 14 plays a role of efficiently confining the heat from the defrosting heater 13 to heat the deodorizing body 15 efficiently, and at the same time, deodorizing body 15 and the defrosting heater 1
The defrosting water dripping from the cooler 6 is prevented from splashing on the nozzle 3.

The heat insulating material 16 suppresses the heat of the deodorizing body 15 from being dissipated from the water drop prevention member 14, and deodorization is caused by defrosting water falling on the water drop prevention member 14 and the water drop prevention member 14 being rapidly cooled. The heat shock of the body 15 is prevented.

Further, the wire netting 18 prevents the deodorizing body 15 from dropping and scattering if the deodorizing body 15 should be damaged.

When the defrosting operation is finished and the cooling operation is restarted and the temperature of the deodorizing body 15 decreases, the deodorizing body 15 adsorbs and removes the odorous components contained in the air in the refrigerator as described above. Will be done.

[0020]

However, in the above structure, since the deodorant body 15 is provided on the shallow bottom portion of the water drop prevention member 14, the defrosting water is removed from the side end portion of the water drop prevention member 14 to the surface. Due to the action of tension, the defrosting water flows into the shallow bottom and water is applied to the deodorizing body 15, and there is a possibility that the deodorizing body 15 may be frozen and destroyed by the cooling operation and the defrosting operation of the refrigerator. .

In order to heat the deodorizer 15 to a high temperature, the water drop prevention member 14 has a shallow shape having a function of retaining the air heated to a high temperature in the vicinity of the deodorant body. It also has the drawback of preventing convection and reducing the defrosting function of the heater.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems. It prevents defrosting water from being applied to the deodorizing body, avoids freezing destruction, maintains a stable deodorizing effect, and defrosting by a water drop prevention member. It is an object of the present invention to provide a deodorizing device with less deterioration in function.

[0023]

In order to achieve this object, a deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to the present invention is provided on the surface of a tubular heater provided in an air circulation path in a refrigerator and having an electric resistor built therein. The deodorizing heater having a catalyst coating layer having a deodorizing function on the whole or a part of the heat generating part and the deodorizing heater are located above the deodorizing heater at a distance to avoid water splashing on the deodorizing heater due to refraction and scattering of water due to surface tension. The water drop prevention member has a cross-sectional shape of a shallow container which is covered with a wire and has an open bottom, and a side surface of which is provided with a wire mesh having a mesh size approximately the same as the water drop diameter.

[0024]

According to this structure, the water drop prevention member exists independently without other components such as the deodorizer, and the catalyst coating layer which is the deodorizer is formed on the surface of the tubular heater located below the water drop prevention member. Since it exists, the defrost water that has flowed into the shallow bottom portion due to the surface tension from the side end portion of the water drop prevention member does not reach the catalyst coating layer.

The defrosting water refracted and scattered by the surface tension of the side wire mesh of the water drop prevention member in the direction of the deodorizing heater due to the surface tension does not reach the catalyst coating layer because the deodorizing heater is installed above the scattering position. Fall down.

Furthermore, since the side surface of the water drop prevention member is a wire mesh,
The air around the deodorizing heater heated during defrost passes through the mesh and convects upward without being obstructed. Radiant heat from the side surface of the heater is also effectively radiated from the mesh.

[0027]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper part of the refrigerator showing a state in which the deodorizing device in one embodiment of the present invention is installed in a refrigerator, FIG. 2 is an enlarged cutaway front view of a main portion, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a water drop dropping path to the main part shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, 21 is a refrigerator body,
Reference numerals 22 and 23 denote freezer compartments and refrigerating compartments formed therein, and 24 and 25 doors, respectively. Reference numeral 26 is a cooler installed in the cooler room 27 at the back of the freezing room 22, and 28 is a fan installed above the cooler 26. When the fan 28 is driven, a part of the air cooled by the cooler 26 is supplied into the freezer compartment 22 from the supply port 29, and the air in the freezer compartment 22 is returned to the cooler compartment 27 via the return duct 30. The freezing chamber 22 is cooled by the circulation.

A part of the air cooled by the cooler 26 is supplied to the refrigerating compartment 23 via the supply duct 31, and the air in the refrigerating compartment 23 is returned to the cooler compartment 27 via the return duct 32. The inside of the refrigerator compartment 23 is cooled by the circulation. In this case, the cooler chamber 27, the freezing chamber 22 and the return duct 30 constitute a circulation path through which the air in the freezing chamber 22 circulates, and the cooler chamber 27 and the supply duct 3 are provided.
1, the refrigerating room 2 by the refrigerating room 23 and the return duct 32
A circulation path through which the air in 3 circulates is configured.

Reference numeral 33 denotes a deodorizing heater disposed below the cooler 26 in the lower part of the cooler chamber 27. This is an electric resistance wire 33d in the glass tube 33c as shown in FIGS.
The catalyst coating layer 33a is provided on the surface of the effective heating portion of the tubular heater 33b provided with.

The tubular heater 33b also serves as a defrosting heater for the refrigerator and is energized only when the cooler 26 is defrosting.
Other than that, the power is cut off and controlled so that the power is cut off.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, 34 is a shallow-bottomed shape which is open at the lower side so as to cover the deodorizing heater 33 from above and prevents defrost water from splashing on the deodorizing heater. The member is, for example, a metal plate 34a such as aluminum having heat resistance and water resistance, and a metal net 34 such as stainless steel having corrosion resistance attached to both sides by welding or the like.
b. The mesh of the metal net 34b is about the same as the defrost water droplet.

The operation of the deodorizing device for a refrigerator constructed as above will be described below.

During the cooling operation, the air in the refrigerator is circulated through the cooler chamber 27, the freezing chamber 22 and the return duct 30 by the blowing action of the fan 28, and at the same time, the cooler chamber 27, the supply duct 31, the refrigerating chamber 23 and the return. It is circulated through the duct 32.

At this time, the air containing the odorous component passing through the inside of the cooler chamber 27 comes into contact with the deodorizing heater 33, and the odorous component is adsorbed by the catalyst coating layer 33a and removed.

Next, when the defrosting operation is started, the cooler 2
6 and the fan 28 are stopped, the deodorizing heater 33 is energized to generate heat. Since the catalyst coating layer 33a of the deodorizing heater 33 is installed so as to cover the outer circumference of the glass tube 33c, it is efficiently radiatively heated by the heat rays radiated from the electric resistance wire 33d in the entire circumferential direction to its activation temperature. It can be heated in a short time and the deodorizing heater can be heated to a high temperature.

At this time, the catalyst coating layer 33 of the deodorizing heater 33
When the catalyst coating layer 33a is heated to the activation temperature, the odorous components adsorbed by a are released, and at the same time, they are oxidatively decomposed and deodorized by the chemical action of the catalyst substance, and the adsorption ability of the catalyst coating layer 33a. Is played.

For the radiant heat from the heated catalyst coating layer 33a, the water drop prevention member 34 serves as a shielding plate only on the top surface 34a made of a metal plate, and the radiant heat is radiated through the side surface 34b made of wire mesh. . Meanwhile, the heated deodorizing heater 3
The air around 3 does not stay in the shallow water drop prevention member 34, but passes through the mesh of the wire mesh 34b and convects upward.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the water droplets 35 of the defrosting water falling from the cooler 6 at the time of defrosting are the water droplet preventing members 3.
35a, which flows down to the metal mesh which is a mesh of the same size as the water droplets on the side surface of 4, and the metal plate 34a and the metal mesh 34b.
It splits into 35d which advances in the lateral direction which intrudes between. 35a
35b which falls vertically due to the surface tension of water at the lower end of the wire mesh, and the deodorizing heater 33 at an angle of θ = about 45 °.
The light is refracted in the direction of and splits into the falling 35c. When the cross flow 35d reaches the saturation amount, it becomes a vertical drop flow 35a and flows downward.

At this time, the water drop prevention member 34 has no other components, and the deodorizing body or the like is not splashed with water due to the upward flow 35c. On the other hand, in the catalyst coating layer 33a which is a deodorizer, the distance from the water drop prevention member 34, the top surface width and the side surface width of the water drop prevention member 34 are set so that the deodorization heater 33 is located above the dew flow of the refraction falling flow 35b. Since it has been decided, there will be no drops of water.

Thus, the catalyst coating layer 33, which is a deodorant,
Since defrosting water is not applied to a, it is possible to prevent freezing and destruction of the catalyst coating layer having a deodorizing function. Further, since the heated air is not accumulated by the water drop prevention member and the radiant heat is not shielded from the side surface, the defrosting function of the water drop prevention member 34 is less deteriorated.

[0043]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, according to the present invention, at least the activated alumina is provided in the whole or a part of the effective heat generating portion on the surface of the tubular heater which is provided in the air circulation path in the refrigerator and has the electric resistor. A deodorizing heater having a catalyst coating layer made of silica and a platinum group metal, and located at a distance that avoids water splashing on the deodorizing heater due to refraction and scattering of water from surface tension,
The deodorization heater is covered with a water drop prevention member that has a cross-sectional shape of a shallow container that opens from the upper side and the lower side is open, and has a wire mesh with a mesh size of about the same size as a water drop. Water is prevented, and the heated air near the heater passes through the mesh and convects upward without staying in the water drop prevention member, and at the same time, the radiant heat from the heater is effectively radiated through the mesh. As a result, the deterioration of the defrosting function is small.

From the above, there is no water splashing on the catalyst coating layer, it is possible to prevent freezing breakage, a stable deodorizing function can be maintained, and convection and radiant heat from the heater are not applied to the side surface of the water drop prevention member. Since it is not blocked, it does not deteriorate the defrosting function.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an upper part of a refrigerator showing a state in which a deodorizing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in a refrigerator.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cutaway front view of a main part of the refrigerator shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a main part of the refrigerator shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which water droplets are dropped onto the main part shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the refrigerator in which the conventional deodorizing device is installed in the refrigerator.

6 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of the refrigerator shown in FIG.

7 is an enlarged cutaway front view of a main part of the refrigerator shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 33 Deodorizing Heater 34 Water Drop Prevention Member 34a Metal Plate 34b Wire Mesh

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A deodorizing heater having at least a deodorizing catalyst coating layer on the whole or a part of the effective heat generating portion of the surface of a tubular heater having an electric resistor built therein, which is provided in an air circulation path in a refrigerator. The deodorization heater is located at a distance to avoid water splashing on the deodorization heater due to the refraction and scattering of water from the tension, the deodorization heater is covered from above, and the bottom side is a shallow container-like cross-sectional shape with the same water droplets on the side surface. A deodorizing device for a refrigerator, which comprises a water drop prevention member provided with a wire mesh having a mesh size of about a certain size.