Refrigerator

Abstract

A casing unit (8) with built-in ionizer (7) and blower (21) is integrated with a control panel (6) so as to emit plus ions and minus ions into an outside-refrigerator living space around the front side of the refrigerator, and an ionized air discharge port (11) is disposed in the front side thereof, whereby suspended bacteria in the outside-refrigerator living space are sterilized to provide a hygienic living space. Concurrently, suspended bacteria intruding into the inside of the refrigerator from the outside when the door is opened can be excluded to realize a hygienic inside-refrigerator environment.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator furnished with an ion generating apparatus for generating positive and negative ions to be released into the living space outside the refrigerator. BACKGROUND ART [0002] An example of a conventional refrigerator is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No 2002-95731. This refrigerator is furnished with a means for generating positive and negative ions for the purpose of killing airborne germs present in the cold air inside the refrigerator. [0003] This conventional technique aims at killing microbes floating in the cold air inside the refrigerator, and therefore, for this technique to work, it is at least necessary that microbes that have entered the refrigerator from the living space outside it float in the cold air by themselves or in a form attached to particles. [0004] In fact, however, it has been found that a large number of microbes are present inside a refrigerator furnished with an ion gener...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0032] In a case where, as the fitting member, a hinge fitting plate for fitting the door hinge for a storage compartment is provided in a ceiling portion of the refrigerator and the refrigerator is provided with a box-shaped member having the hinge fitting plate covered with a cover, the space created inside the box-shaped member may be used to house the ion generating means inside the box-shaped member. This makes it possible to effectively use space. In particular, in a case where the door is openable from either side, hinge fitting plates are provided at both the left-hand and right-hand sides thereof Thus, the space left between the left-hand and right-hand hinge fitting portions can be used to accommodate the ion generating means. Moreover, in a case where the entire left-hand and right-hand hinge fitting portions are covered with a cover, the ion generating means may be placed in the space between the space between the hinge fitting portions and the cover.

[0033] The air outlet of the ion generating means may be formed in the front face of the box-shaped member so that all doors are located below the air outlet. This makes it possible to effectively prevent entry of airborne germs into the refrigerator.

[0034] A recess may be formed in a front bottom portion of the box-shaped member, with the air inlet of the ion generating means formed in the bottom face of the box-shaped member so as to face the recess. This recess helps widen the gap between the casing unit and the door, and thus permits an ample amount of air to be sucked in through the air inlet even when the door is closed.

[0035] By blowing out ionized air in one direction, it is possible to effectively release ionized air into the living space in front of each door or the refrigerator body. This eliminates the need to provide a louver for varying the direction in which ionized air is blown out.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, when evaluated from the perspective of a refrigerator, the ion generating means used in the aforementioned conventional construction does not function as an effective sterilizing means.

However, considering modern house designs, this is not a solution for everyone because of the extra space occupied by the separate unit.

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