JPH11216172A - Cleaning / sterilization equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make washable and disinfectible foods and the like effectively by attaching a device that electrolyzes water in a tank and a means that forms water circulation in the water tank. SOLUTION: A unit 20 for electrolysis is a device for electrolyzing water in the tank to which the device is attached. The unit consists of a cylindrical anode 22 that is attached penetrating nearly the center of the main body 21 from up to down and a cathode 23 that is attached as it faces the main body so as to bind the main body 21 forward and backward. A cover 24 is screwed to the upper side of the main body 21. Unit 30 mounts a device to form a water circulation in a water tank to which the main body is attached and an attaching device that attaches the main body to the water tank. The unit consists of pipe 32 for taking water that penetrates the main body 31 from up to down, pipe 33 for draining water and attaching part 39.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning / sterilizing apparatus for cleaning / sterilizing foodstuffs, tableware, cooking utensils, etc. by a sterilizing action by electrolysis of water and a cleaning action by a water flow.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, and fresh fish and shellfish have various foreign substances attached thereto in a state of being taken in, so that they are washed before cooking. This washing operation requires a great deal of labor in a restaurant or the like that handles a large amount of foodstuffs, and is therefore mechanized.For example, an apparatus that directly jets shower-like water onto foodstuffs to wash the foodstuffs, There has been proposed an apparatus or the like in which food is charged into a drum-shaped basket rotating in water and washed.

On the other hand, recently, researches for preventing food poisoning or the like due to bacteria adhering to food materials, tableware, cooking utensils, and the like have been promoted. For example, cleaning of foods and the like to be cleaned with chlorine or sodium hypochlorite is carried out. , Dilution water in which chlorine dioxide is dissolved,
There has been proposed an apparatus or the like which is immersed in acidic water having a pH of about 3 or less obtained by electrolysis and sterilized.

[0004]

However, the above-described cleaning apparatus cannot perform sufficient cleaning to all corners depending on the shape of the object to be cleaned or the like. There are problems such as a decrease in freshness, and the above-mentioned sterilizing apparatus also has a problem that residual chlorine has an adverse effect on a human body, and that a strongly acidic water corrodes a water tank and a water distribution pipe.

[0005] Further, since the cleaning by the cleaning device and the sterilization by the sterilization device are performed as separate operations, it is inefficient, and a series of operation time is prolonged, so that the freshness of the food material to be cleaned deteriorates. There was also the problem of doing

Further, these devices are expensive because they are integrally formed with a water tank and the like for charging the objects to be cleaned, and are installed in a restaurant kitchen or the like because they are large machines. In such a case, it is difficult to easily introduce the sink, for example, because it is necessary to newly secure a large installation space by discarding a sink or the like used for washing foods. Especially in the kitchen of ordinary households,
It is difficult to secure such an installation space,
It was difficult to introduce.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to efficiently and sufficiently clean and sterilize an object to be cleaned such as foodstuffs, and to use an existing sink or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning / sterilizing apparatus that can be easily introduced by being able to do so.

[0008]

That is, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an apparatus for cleaning and sterilizing food according to the present invention comprises:
An apparatus main body that can be attached to a water tank into which an object to be cleaned is loaded; electrolysis means for electrolyzing water in the water tank attached to the apparatus main body; and a water flow in the water tank attached to the apparatus main body. And a water flow forming means for forming According to such a configuration, the apparatus main body is attached to an existing water tank such as a sink, and an object to be cleaned is inserted into the water tank, and sterilization by a sterilization effect brought about by electrolysis of water and water flow forming means Can be performed in parallel with the washing by the water stream formed by

As the water flow forming means, it is possible to adopt a structure in which water in a water tank is taken in, and this water is returned into the water tank to form a water flow. Further, it is preferable that the water to be returned into the water tank is jetted into the water tank, since a high-speed water flow is formed in the water tank, and a high detergency can be obtained. Further, it is preferable to provide a filtering means for filtering the water taken in from the water tank, since the water circulating in the water tank is purified, so that a higher detergency can be obtained.

Further, if the apparatus main body is constituted by a plurality of units which can be connected to each other, the plurality of units are connected according to the size of the water tank to which the apparatus main body is attached, so that the apparatus can be adapted to water tanks of various sizes. be able to. Furthermore, if each unit is configured as an electrolysis unit provided with an electrolyzing means, a water flow forming unit provided with a water flow forming means, a mounting unit provided with a mounting means for mounting the apparatus body to a water tank, etc., the required electrolysis These can be combined in accordance with the strength of the water, the strength of the water flow, and the manner of attachment to the water tank to meet various needs.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an embodiment of a cleaning / sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention. This washing / sterilizing apparatus is an apparatus main body 90 attached to a sink installed in a kitchen or the like as a water tank 10 for washing / sterilizing an object to be washed so as to bridge the left and right edges of the water tank 10.
And a control box 91 in which ancillary equipment is stored
And an operation panel 92.

In this apparatus, a controller housed in a control box 91 operates an electrolyzing means and a water flow forming means, which will be described later, in response to an operator's instruction issued via an operation panel 92. I have.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a front view and a plan view, respectively, of the apparatus main body 90 with a part cut away. As shown in these figures, the device main body 90 is configured by connecting four electrolysis units 20, a water flow forming / mounting unit 30, and a mounting unit 40. Hereinafter, each of the units 20, 30, and 40 constituting the apparatus main body 90 will be described in detail.

The electrolysis unit 20 is a unit provided with an electrolyzing means for electrolyzing water in the water tank 10 to which the apparatus main body 90 is attached. FIG. 4 shows a state where the electrolysis unit 20 is disassembled. As shown in this figure, the electrolysis unit 20 includes a cylindrical anode 22 mounted vertically penetrating a substantially central portion of a base 21, and a substantially flat plate mounted opposite to the front and rear so as to sandwich the base 21. And a cover 24 is screwed on the base 21.

The cathode 23 is configured such that its upper part is screwed to the base 21 and both sides are bent inward so that the lower part covers the anode 22. For this reason, it is difficult for an operator to touch the anode 22, and safety is enhanced.

Further, screw holes 25 are provided on both left and right sides of the base 21 as a unit connecting mechanism, and each unit is connected via screws (not shown) as shown in FIGS. Is to be done. In the state where the units are connected in this manner, the electrode unit 20 connected to the outermost one of the electrode units 20 constituting the apparatus main body 90 is connected to a DC power source (not shown) by the cord 26.
Are connected to each other, and the anode 22 and the cathode 23 are connected to each other by a cord 26.
3 is supplied with a direct current.

The material of each of the electrodes constituting the anode 22 and the cathode 23 is not particularly limited. In particular, as the material of the anode 22, it is desirable to use a material having a low chlorine overvoltage which greatly contributes to the sterilization efficiency. As an electrode material, a ferrite-based electrode can be used. This ferrite-based electrode has a considerably lower chlorine overvoltage than a titanium-plated electrode commonly used as an electrode for electrolysis, and has a sterilization efficiency of twice or more at the same electric current, and If the surface area is the same, 2
The same sterilization efficiency can be obtained even with a current value reduced by about 0%. Further, as another preferable electrode material, there can be mentioned an electrode further subjected to iridium plating on a titanium material subjected to platinum plating. According to the findings of the present inventors, this electrode is a ferrite-based electrode. The same bactericidal effect as in the case of using can be obtained.

It is desirable that the amount of current supplied between the anode 22 and the cathode 23 can be appropriately adjusted according to the degree of contamination of the water in the water tank 10 and the object to be cleaned.

The water flow forming / mounting unit 30 is a unit provided with water flow forming means for forming a water flow in the water tank 10 to which the apparatus main body 90 is mounted, and mounting means for mounting the apparatus main body 90 to the water tank 10. In other words, the water flow forming / mounting unit 30 is a unit that serves as both the water flow forming unit and the mounting unit.

The water flow forming / mounting unit 30 includes a water intake pipe 32 and a water discharge pipe 33 penetrating vertically through the base 31, and a mounting member 39 provided to project laterally from the base 31.

The water intake pipe 32 and the water discharge pipe 33 constitute water flow forming means. A plurality of water intake ports 34 and water flow injection ports 35 are provided at a lower portion, respectively, and a control box 91 (FIG. 1) is provided at an upper portion. ) Are connected to a water intake pipe 36 and a water discharge pipe 37 which communicate with a pump disposed in the internal space. With such a configuration, the water flow forming means sends the water in the water tank 10 taken in from the water intake port 34 to the pump through the water intake pipe 32 and the water intake pipe 36, pressurizes the water with the pump, and then supplies the water to the water discharge pipe 37. By jetting the water into the water tank 10 from the water jet 35 through the water discharge pipe 33, a water flow is formed in the water tank 10.

It is desirable that the water flow forming means be configured so that the size of the water flow to be formed can be adjusted according to the type of the object to be cleaned and the degree of contamination by adjusting the output of the pump. In order to enhance the cleaning effect, it is desirable to form an unsteady water flow in the water tank 10 by intermittently spraying water or the like.

The water inlet 34 is provided with a filtering means 38 comprising a filter or the like, so that water taken in from the water tank 10 can be filtered and sent to a pump.

The mounting member 39 is formed of a U-shaped metal member whose front end is bent downward at a substantially right angle. As shown in FIG.
The apparatus main body 90 can be attached to the water tank 10 so as to be hooked on the upper edge of the water tank 10. Also, the U-shaped ends of the mounting member 39 are formed with screw threads,
Through holes provided in the left and right direction before and after the base 31,
A nut 391 is attached. By adjusting the position of the nut 391, the mounting member 39 is adjusted.
Is configured to be able to expand and contract with respect to the base 31, and by the expansion and contraction of the mounting member 39, the length of the connecting direction of the apparatus main body 90 can be adjusted according to the size of the water tank 10 to which the apparatus main body 90 is mounted. It has become. A connecting mechanism similar to that of the electrolytic unit 20 is provided on the other side surface of the base 31, so that it can be connected to an adjacent unit.

The mounting unit 40 is a unit provided with mounting means for mounting the apparatus main body 90 to the water tank 10. The mounting unit 40 is configured such that the mounting member 42 is provided on the base 41 so that the length of the apparatus main body 90 in the connecting direction can be adjusted, similarly to the above-described water flow forming / mounting unit 30.

Next, the operation of the cleaning / sterilizing apparatus will be described. The water tank 10 to which the apparatus main body 90 of the cleaning / sterilizing apparatus is attached is particularly a water tank 10 that can store a water to be loaded with an object to be cleaned, including a sink installed in a kitchen or the like. Not limited. The object to be cleaned and sterilized is not particularly limited as long as cleaning and sterilization is required.For example, vegetables, fruits, fish and shellfish, meat and other ingredients, tableware, cooking utensils, etc. Can be mentioned.

First, the apparatus main body 90 described above is attached to such a water tank 10. Since the apparatus main body 90 can be configured by combining a plurality of units, various units may be configured in accordance with the size of the water tank 10 to be mounted and according to the required cleaning power and sterilization power. . Then, the apparatus main body 90 shown in FIGS.
Then, the mounting member 39 of the water flow forming / mounting unit 30
And the mounting member 42 of the mounting unit 40,
Fine adjustment of the length of the apparatus main body 90 to fit the size of the water tank 1 is performed as shown in FIG.
It is attached to the upper edge of the “0” so as to span the left and right.

When the apparatus main body 90 is mounted on the water tank 10, the control box 91 and the operation panel 92 are further mounted at appropriate positions, and the installation operation is completed. Subsequently, water serving as washing water is supplied into the water tank 10. At this time, in order to form a sufficient water flow in the water in the water tank 10 to enhance the cleaning effect, and to smoothly perform electrolysis that exerts a bactericidal action described later, the water inlet of the water flow forming means provided in the apparatus main body 90. It is desirable to adjust the water level in the water tank 10 so that the water 34 and the water jet 35, and the anode 22 and the cathode 23 of the electrolytic means are immersed in water.

The quality of the water supplied to the water tank 10 is not particularly limited, such as tap water or well water, as long as it has a certain degree of cleanliness. It is desirable to use water containing a mineral component such as Ca or Mg in order to increase the efficiency and enhance the improvement of the sterilization effect accompanying the generation of metal ions. In particular, it is desirable to use a saline solution in which a small amount of salt is added to and dissolved in washing water, since the conductivity of water can be increased and the electrolysis efficiency can be improved. In addition, when fresh food such as vegetables, seafood, meat, etc. is to be washed, if the water in the water tank 10 is cooled by putting ice into the water tank 10, for example,
In addition to washing and sterilizing the food material to be washed, the effect of maintaining freshness and restoring freshness can be obtained. Further, in the case where fresh fish, seafood, meat, etc. are to be washed, if the water in the water tank 10 is made of cold saline, the action of protein degrading enzymes is significantly reduced, and the speed of quality degradation such as autolysis and aging is reduced. In addition, the effect of suppressing dripping of meat juice and the like by the osmotic action of cold salt water and suppressing the rate of change such as discoloration without losing the taste of the food material can be obtained.

When the water tank 10 is filled with water having an appropriate quality according to the object to be cleaned, the object to be cleaned is charged into the water tank 10. At this time, it is desirable that the object to be cleaned is loaded into a car or the like and that the car is loaded into the water tank 10 in order to facilitate taking in and out of the water tank 10 and draining after cleaning and sterilization.

When the object to be cleaned is loaded into the water tank 10, the operator instructs to start the cleaning / sterilizing operation.
The controller supplies a direct current between the anode 22 and the cathode 23 of the electrolyzing means and operates the pump of the water flow forming means.

When a direct current flows between the anode 22 and the cathode 23, the electrolyzing means electrolyzes water in the water tank 10 to exhibit a sterilizing action. This bactericidal action is considered to be due to radicals generated by electrolysis, hypochlorous acid (sodium hypochlorite when using saline or the like as washing water), metal ions, or battery formation. Hereinafter, each of these sterilization mechanisms will be described.

Bactericidal action by radicals A radical is a free atom or molecule having a strong oxidizing action, and a typical radical generated by electrolysis of water is a hydroxy radical (OH.). The oxidation potential (electrode potential) is about 2.8 eV, which is about twice as high as about 1.4 eV of chlorine, and the radicals are harmful by-products and pollutants after stabilizing by exerting a bactericidal action. There is no cause. It is considered that such a bactericidal action by radicals is caused by decomposing proteins that are components of bacterial cell walls and cell membranes by the reaction of electrically neutral free atoms and free molecules. When a direct current is applied between the anode 22 and the cathode 23, a reduction reaction occurs on the cathode side, and Ca ²⁺ or M
Metal ions such as g ²⁺ are precipitated as metal adhering to the electrode by the transfer of electrons, and hydrogen gas is generated. At this time, in water, a hydroxyl group ion (OH ⁻ ) is generated by a reaction represented by the following formula. From here the hydroxyl radical (O
H.) is generated. ^{_{4H 2 O + 4e - → 4OH}} - + 2H 2 ↑

On the other hand, an oxidation reaction occurs at the anode side, Cl is a negative ion ^{_{-, SO 4 -2, NO 3}} 2- , etc. increases, the oxygen gas is generated is oxidized as shown in the following formula, At this time, hydrogen ions in the water increase. _{^{4OH - → 2H 2 O + O}} 2 ↑ + 4e -

Sterilization with hypochlorous acid or sodium hypochlorite Since tap water contains a small amount of Cl ions, the water tank 1
When tap water is electrolyzed within 0, this Cl ion is oxidized and the following reaction occurs, and the generated ClO ^- and 2
The reaction of H ⁺ produces hypochlorous acid (HClO). _{^{Cl - + H 2 O + →}} ClO - + 2H +
+ 2e ^-

Hypochlorous acid is also generated by the following reaction by disproportionation decomposition of chlorine generated on the anode 22 side.
The oxidation potential of hypochlorous acid thus generated is about 1.5 eV, and exhibits a function of destroying bacterial cells. _{Cl 2 + H 2 O → HClO} + H + + C
l ^-

When a saline solution is used as the water in the water tank 10, the following reaction occurs by electrolysis, and the resulting sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) exerts a sterilizing effect. In addition, sodium hypochlorite is also recognized as a food additive and has a high bactericidal action, so that it is extremely effective. Moreover, according to this method, the highly active sodium hypochlorite produced by electrolysis is utilized for sterilization each time it is produced, so that the sodium hypochlorite concentration in the water does not increase excessively, An excellent sterilizing effect can be stably exhibited even at a very low concentration. Cl ₂ + 2NaOH → NaOCl + NaC
l + H ₂ O

Sterilization with metal ions Another factor related to sterilization is metal ions in water. That is, when electrolysis of water is performed in the water tank 10,
The transfer of metal ions by the transfer of electrons occurs, and Mg ²⁺ ,
Positive ions such as Ca ²⁺ move toward the cathode, while negative ions such as NO ₃ ^2- and Cl ⁻ move toward the anode. At this time, when live bacteria cells and metal ions meet, electrons move between the cells and metal ions,
It is thought that the redox reaction occurs with oxygen in the cells, the activity of the cells decreases, and eventually death occurs. It is believed that the bactericidal action expected from silver ions or the like is based on this theory. There is a slight difference in the oxidation-reduction potential that reduces the activity depending on the type of bacteria, but generally +0.5 eV.
It is considered that an anode potential of about 1.0 eV is necessary.

When live cells of bacteria are located between the anode 22 and the cathode 23,
Polarization occurs in cells due to electrical forces. At this time, since the size of the normal bacteria is 10 μm or less, the bacteria in the water are electrically pulled on the electrode surface, and when the electric energy is received for a long time, the electrolytic reaction between the electrode and the bacteria progresses and eventually dies. It is thought to lead.

The above sterilizing actions 1 to 2 proceed simultaneously and in parallel by applying a direct current between the anode 22 and the cathode 23 constituting the electrolyzing means to perform electrolysis. By the above, the sterilization of the to-be-cleaned object in the water tank 10 together with the sterilization of the water in the water tank 10 and the water tank 10 are efficiently performed.

On the other hand, the water flow forming means 30 forms a water flow in the water tank 10 by sucking water from the water intake port 34 and injecting water from the water flow injection port 35 when the pump is operated. The cleaning effect is exhibited by exposing the loaded cleaning object to this water flow. At the same time, the water stream thus formed involves germicidal components such as radicals formed by the electrolysis means,
This also has the effect of enhancing the germicidal action on the object to be washed exposed to the water flow.

Further, since the water intake port 34 is provided with the filtering means 38, foreign matters such as dirt which are taken out of the object to be cleaned and float on the water in the water tank 10 by the above-described cleaning action are removed. By constantly circulating the purified water, a higher cleaning effect can be obtained.

Next, the effects of the present invention will be proved by giving examples of actual washing and sterilization experiments. 40 liters of a 0.1% saline solution having a water temperature of 20 ° C. was put into a water tank 10 to which the apparatus main body 90 of the cleaning / sterilizing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 was attached, and lettuce was immersed in the water tank 10 as an object to be cleaned. Thereafter, washing and sterilization are performed by an electrolysis means (voltage: 5 V, current: 5 A) and a water flow forming means, and the numbers of general bacteria and Escherichia coli adhered to the lettuce are measured at initial values, 10 minutes and 20 minutes after the start of the treatment. did.

In this measuring operation, lettuce finely crushed was mixed and agitated with 9 times sterilized physiological saline with respect to the weight of the lettuce as an analysis sample, and standard agar was used for general bacteria. The medium method was used, and for Escherichia coli, the desoxycholate medium method was used. The results are as follows.

General bacteria Initial value: 38,200 cells / ml After 10 minutes: 1,900 cells / ml After 20 minutes: 100 cells / ml Escherichia coli Initial value: 110 cells / ml After 10 minutes: 60 cells / ml 20 minutes After: 10 cells / ml As can be seen from the results, it is found that most of general bacteria and Escherichia coli can be sterilized by washing and sterilizing with this apparatus.

In the same apparatus as above, using a 2.5% saline solution cooled at a water temperature of 3 ° C., and under the same conditions as above, washing and sterilizing using fish mackerel as a material to be washed. , The number of common bacteria and Escherichia coli were measured. In the measurement operation, the skin of the fish (horse mackerel) was peeled as much as possible, and a sample for analysis was prepared by mixing and stirring with 9 times sterilized physiological saline with respect to the weight of the skin. The results are as follows.

General bacteria Initial value: 2000 cells / ml After 10 minutes: 380 cells / ml After 20 minutes: 20 cells / ml Escherichia coli Initial value: 20 cells / ml After 10 minutes: No detection After 20 minutes: No detection As shown in the results, it can be seen that by performing washing and sterilization using this apparatus, most of general bacteria and Escherichia coli can be sterilized. In addition, this washing and sterilization is performed in cold salt water at a water temperature of 3 ° C., so that the freshness of the food (adzilla) can be kept high.

In addition to the experiment using lettuce and horse mackerel as the object to be washed, the number of general bacteria and Escherichia coli was measured in the water in the water tank 10 used in this experiment, but none was detected. In other words, according to this apparatus, the bacteria and the like removed from the object to be cleaned are completely sterilized without floating in the water tank 10, and the object to be cleaned is contaminated with bacteria through the water in the water tank 10. It turns out that there is nothing to do.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be configured as follows. (1) In the above embodiment, the water flow forming means and the water tank 1
Although the mounting means to the water flow forming unit and the mounting means to the water tank 10 are provided integrally with one unit (water flow forming / mounting unit). May be configured as separate units.

(2) In the above embodiment, the water flow forming unit (water flow forming / mounting unit 3)
0) is connected, but a configuration in which a plurality of water flow forming units are connected may be used.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the water flow forming /
The attachment members 39 and 42 of the attachment unit 30 and the attachment unit 40 whose length can be adjusted are hooked on the upper edge of the water tank 10 and attached. The attachment means can attach the apparatus main body 90 to the water tank 10. Any means may be used, and the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the device main body 90 is fixedly attached to the water tank 10 with the upper edge of the water tank 10 interposed therebetween, or a configuration in which the device main body 90 is attached to the inner wall surface of the water tank 10 with a suction cup, a magnet, or the like.

Further, the mounting means may not be provided at both ends of the apparatus main body 90 in the connecting direction, and may be provided at only one end of the apparatus main body 90, or at any position such as a substantially central position of the apparatus main body 90.

The mounting position on the water tank 10 is also
It is not limited to the upper part, and may be attached to the inside of the water tank 10 or on the bottom surface, for example. Further, the apparatus main body 90 may be simply mounted on the bottom surface of the water tank 10 without providing a special mounting means (mounting unit 40).

(4) In the above embodiment, the apparatus main body 90 is connected to the electrolytic unit 20 and the water flow forming / mounting unit 30.
And the mounting unit 40, but may be configured to connect, for example, a unit including a sensor for detecting the water temperature and the salt concentration in the water tank 10.

(5) In the above embodiment, the apparatus main body 90 is configured by connecting a plurality of units in a straight line. However, the configuration may be such that a plurality of units are connected in a plane or in a three-dimensional manner.

(6) In the above embodiment, the apparatus main body 90 is configured by connecting a plurality of units that can be connected to each other. However, the apparatus main body 90 is not limited to the configuration using such units. 10 can be attached as long as it has an electrolysis means and a water flow forming means.

(7) The electrolysis means is provided in the main body 90 of the apparatus.
When the inner wall surface of the water tank 10 to which is attached is made of a conductor, the cathode 23 is brought into contact with the inner wall surface of the water tank 10 or connected by a cord or the like, and the inner wall surface of the water tank 10 may also be used as a cathode. desirable. By doing so, the electrode area increases, so that the electrolytic reaction with the anode 22 is promoted, and a higher sterilizing action can be obtained.

(8) In the above embodiment, the filtering means 38 is provided at the water inlet 34 of the water flow forming means. However, the filtering means 38 is provided at any position in the path where water is circulated by the water flow forming means. You may. Further, the filtering means may be provided separately from the water flow forming means.

(9) In the above embodiment, the water flow forming means adopts a configuration in which water taken in from the water tank 10 is injected into the water tank to form a water flow. Any means may be used as long as it forms a water flow in the inside of the water tank 10. For example, a configuration in which water taken in from the water tank 10 is poured into the water tank 10 from a position higher than the water surface to form a water flow in the water tank 10, a motor, or the like An impeller or the like that rotates in the water tank 10 by the driving means is provided,
Thus, a configuration in which a water flow due to a vortex is formed in the water tank 10 may be adopted.

(10) In addition to the configuration of the above embodiment, a cooling means for cooling water in the water tank 10 may be provided. Such a cooling means may be provided at any position as long as the water in the water tank 10 can be cooled.
The water tank 1 is constructed as a unit constituting the apparatus main body 90.
A configuration in which the water in the water tank 10 is directly cooled by being immersed in the water tank 10, or a configuration in which the water in the water tank 10 is indirectly cooled by cooling the water circulating by the water flow forming means. It may be. If such a cooling means is provided, as described above, it is possible to obtain the effect of maintaining the freshness and recovering the freshness of the food material to be washed. As a specific configuration of such a cooling means 40, a configuration in which a cooling pipe is provided at a position where water to be cooled flows, and a cooling medium cooled by a cooler flows in the cooling pipe may be mentioned. it can.

[0061]

As described above, the washing / sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an electrolyzing means for electrolyzing water in a water tank;
Because of having a water flow forming means for forming a water flow in the water tank,
Sterilization and cleaning can be efficiently performed in parallel on the object to be cleaned placed in the water tank. Furthermore, since the apparatus main body provided with these electrolysis means and water flow forming means is configured to be attachable to a water tank, an existing sink or the like can be used as the water tank. Therefore, compared to the case where the water tank is integrally configured, it can be configured at a lower cost, and
Existing sinks and the like can be easily introduced without wasting them.

Further, if the water flow forming means is configured to take in the water in the water tank and return the water to the water tank to form the water flow, the water flow may be formed by injecting the water into the water tank. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which filtration means for filtering water taken in from the water tank is provided. in this way,
With a configuration in which a water stream is formed by injecting water into the water tank, a high-flow water stream can be formed in the water tank to obtain high cleaning power. Further, if a filtering means for filtering water taken in from the water tank is provided, the water circulating in the water tank can be purified, so that a higher detergency can be obtained.

Further, if the apparatus main body is constituted by a plurality of units which can be connected to each other, by connecting the plurality of units according to the size of the water tank, the apparatus main body can be adapted to water tanks of various sizes. Can be. further,
If each unit is configured as having different functions, the required strength of electrolysis, strength of water flow, and even the form of attachment to the water tank, depending on the size of the water tank and the type of the object to be cleaned, etc. It can be appropriately selected to meet various needs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an embodiment of a cleaning / sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatus main body 90 with a part cut away.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus main body 90 with a part cut away.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the electrolysis unit 20 is disassembled.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Water tank 20 Electrolysis unit 22 Anode 23 Cathode 30 Water flow formation / attachment unit 34 Water intake 35 Water flow injection port 38 Filtration means 40 Attachment unit 90 Device body 91 Control box 92 Operation panel

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI A23N 12/02 A23N 12/02 Z A47L 15/00 A47L 15/00 Z

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus main body attachable to a water tank into which an object to be cleaned is loaded, electrolysis means for electrolyzing water in the water tank attached to the apparatus main body, and an electrolysis means attached to the apparatus main body. A water flow forming means for forming a water flow in the water tank. 2. The cleaning / sterilizing method according to claim 1, wherein said water flow forming means takes in water from inside said water tank and returns said water to said water tank to form a water flow in said water tank. apparatus. 3. The cleaning / sterilizing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the water flow forming means is configured to form a water flow in the water tank by injecting water taken in from the water tank into the water tank. 4. The cleaning / sterilizing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the water flow forming means includes a filtering means for filtering water taken in from the water tank. 5. The cleaning / sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus main body includes a plurality of units that can be connected to each other. 6. At least one of said units,
The cleaning / sterilizing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the cleaning / sterilizing apparatus is configured as an electrolysis unit including the electrolysis means. 7. At least one of said units,
The cleaning / sterilizing apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the cleaning / sterilizing apparatus is configured as a water flow forming unit including the water flow forming means. 8. At least one of said units,
The washing / sterilizing apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the washing / sterilizing apparatus is configured as an attachment unit including attachment means for attaching the apparatus body to the water tank.