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In a method and apparatus for controlling the ripening of fresh fruit, a stack of fruit boxes is spiral wound with a transparent synthetic resin strip around the four vertically oriented faces of the box stack. The boxes within the stack have openings on their upper and lower faces which register wi

In a method and apparatus for controlling the ripening of fresh fruit, a stack of fruit boxes is spiral wound with a transparent synthetic resin strip around the four vertically oriented faces of the box stack. The boxes within the stack have openings on their upper and lower faces which register with corresponding openings in vertically adjacent boxes to permit a vertical movement of an air-ethylene mixture through the stack. A plastic cap or lid is disposed on top of the stack of boxes and is provided with a blower for drawing air vertically through the stack from the bottom thereof. An air-conditioning unit and an ethylene containing bottle may be disposed in a unit on which a pallet supporting the stack of boxes rests. Effluent air or a mixture of air and ethylene is fed back to the air-conditioning unit via a conduit on the outside of the wrapped stack of boxes.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for controlling the ripening of fresh produce, comprising in combination: a stack of boxed containing the fresh produce, each one of said boxes being provided on an upper and a lower surface with openings registering with corresponding openings in boxes vertically adjacent said one of said

Apparatus for controlling the ripening of fresh produce, comprising in combination: a stack of boxed containing the fresh produce, each one of said boxes being provided on an upper and a lower surface with openings registering with corresponding openings in boxes vertically adjacent said one of said boxes; at least one substantially gas impermeable web covering four vertically oriented faces of said stack of boxes from the bottom to the top thereof; gas access means at the bottom and the top of said stack of boxes for allowing the passage of gas in a vertical direction through said stack of boxes; and circulation means operatively connected to said stack of boxes for generating a vertical pressure gradient in said stack of boxes to force said gas in a vertical direction through said stack of boxes; said circulation means comprising a blower, said blower being disposed at the top of said stack of boxes, said blower being mounted in a housing having an inlet port registering with an opening in an upper surface of an uppermost one of said boxes, said housing being positioned on the top of said stack of boxes and connected perimetrically to said web with an air tight seal.