IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0343696
(2008-12-24)
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등록번호 |
US-8166872
(2012-05-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Biotti, Carolina
- Cur, Nihat O.
- Leclear, Douglas David
- Vonderhaar, John J.
- Wilcox, Michele E.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
14 |
초록
▼
An appliance system including a module removably mounted to an appliance, one or more removable gas canisters operably connected to the module, and a food retaining enclosed space operably connected to the module. The one or more gas canisters supply a modified atmosphere in the food retaining enclo
An appliance system including a module removably mounted to an appliance, one or more removable gas canisters operably connected to the module, and a food retaining enclosed space operably connected to the module. The one or more gas canisters supply a modified atmosphere in the food retaining enclosed space to produce a modified atmosphere that enhances preservation of the food contained in the food retaining enclosed space. A method of modifying the atmosphere in a food storage space for food includes the steps of: providing a module capable of being removably engaged to an appliance and typically receiving power from the appliance and at least one removable gas canister; operatively connecting or otherwise engaging the module with the appliance; operatively connecting or otherwise engaging the module to a food storage area having an existing atmosphere; and removing at least a portion of the existing atmosphere from the food storage space and replacing it with a modified food storage atmosphere using at least one of the at least one removable gas canisters to supply the modified atmosphere to the food storage area.
대표청구항
▼
1. An appliance system comprising: a module removably mounted to an appliance;one or more removable gas canisters operably connected to the module; anda food retaining enclosed space operably connected to the module wherein the one or more gas canisters operate to supply a modified atmosphere in the
1. An appliance system comprising: a module removably mounted to an appliance;one or more removable gas canisters operably connected to the module; anda food retaining enclosed space operably connected to the module wherein the one or more gas canisters operate to supply a modified atmosphere in the food retaining enclosed space to produce a modified atmosphere that enhances preservation of the food contained in the food retaining enclosed space and is safe for use in connection with food and wherein the content of the modified atmosphere is based upon the type of food being stored in the food retaining enclosed space;wherein the module includes a connector such that the module receives electrical power from the appliance via the connector when the module is mounted to the appliance, and the module is capable of receiving power via the connector from an external source. 2. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein different modified atmospheres are capable of being produced and maintained within the food retaining enclosed space. 3. The appliance system of claim 2, wherein the different modified atmospheres include a separate atmosphere for meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products and wherein the module is removably engaged to an inner lining of a door of the appliance and the appliance includes a refrigerator compartment. 4. The appliance system of claim 2, wherein the different modified atmospheres include a reduced oxygen content atmosphere and a substantially increased oxygen content atmosphere relative to ambient air content. 5. The appliance system of claim 4, wherein the food retaining enclosed space comprises a food retaining enclosed space chosen from a heat-sealable plastic bag, a fixed volume container with at least one valve, a fixed geometry container with at least one moveable geometric feature so that the volume can be expanded or contracted and at least one valve, and a fixed volume compartment within the module having at least one valve and wherein the food retaining enclosed space is air-tight when sealed such that it is capable of maintaining the modified atmosphere for a period of a least two days. 6. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein one gas canister is operably connected to the module at a time and the modified atmosphere operates to reduce both aerobic and anaerobic pathogens. 7. The appliance system of claim 6, wherein the gas canister has a predetermined blend of gases for a given type of food product wherein the food product comprises a food product chosen from the group consisting of a meat product, a dairy product, a fruit product, a vegetable product and a fish product and wherein the modified atmosphere for the meat product contains about 70% by volume oxygen, about 20% by volume carbon dioxide, and about 10% by volume nitrogen; the modified atmosphere for the fish product contains about 40% by volume carbon dioxide and about 60% by volume nitrogen; the modified atmosphere for fruits or vegetables contains from about 3% to about 10% by volume oxygen, from about 3% to about 10% by volume carbon dioxide, and from about 80% to about 94% by volume nitrogen; and the modified atmosphere for dairy products contains from about 10% to about 30% by volume carbon dioxide and from about 70% to about 90% by volume nitrogen. 8. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the module further comprises at least one gas storage chamber that is filled with a selected modified atmosphere received from the at least one gas canister. 9. The appliance system of claim 8, wherein the at least one gas storage chamber is positioned within the module and the gas storage chamber is operably connected to the food retaining enclosed space such that when a modified atmosphere is applied to the food retaining enclosed space, and the modified atmosphere is at least partially supplied to the food retaining enclosed space by the at least one gas storage chamber. 10. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the module further comprises a plurality of gas storage chambers that are capable of being individually filled by the gas canisters when the gas canisters are operably connected to the module via a single connection and wherein the filled gas storage chambers at least partially supply the modified atmosphere to the food retaining enclosed space and wherein a computer control regulates the amount of each gas to achieve a user determined modified atmosphere where the user determined modified atmosphere is based upon the type of food being stored in the food retaining enclosed space and wherein the computer control further includes one or more sensors that regulate the amount of gas from one or more of the filled gas storage chambers. 11. The appliance system of claim 10, wherein the computer control further comprises one or more sensors that identify the amount of ambient air leaving the food retaining enclosed space when ambient air is vacuumed from the food retaining enclosed space prior to a modified atmosphere being installed into the food retaining enclosed space. 12. The appliance system of claim 10, wherein each gas storage chamber supplies a separate gas to the food retaining enclosed space and the amount of each gas is regulated by a control valve such that a predetermined amount of each gas is supplied to the food retaining enclosed space based upon the type of food being stored in the food retaining enclosed space. 13. The appliance system of claim 12, wherein the gas canisters further comprise a content indicator that identifies the contents of the gas canister. 14. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the module further comprises a gas inlet and the gas canisters further comprise an outlet and wherein the gas canisters and the gas inlet are adapted to only mate with one another and gas will not leave the canister unless the gas canister is engaged to the gas inlet without damaging the gas canister. 15. The appliance system of claim 14 further comprising a computer control operably engaged to the module that operates to regulate the amount of gas within the food retaining enclosed space. 16. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the module engages one of an outside surface of the appliance and a portable module receiving housing, wherein the module includes a connector configured to receive electrical power from one of the appliance and the portable module receiving housing. 17. A method of modifying the atmosphere in a food storage space for food based upon the type of food being stored in the food storage space comprising the following steps: providing a module and at least one removable gas canister, the module capable of being removably engaged to an appliance and receiving power from one of the appliance through an electrical connector on an appliance engaging surface of the module that is received by the appliance and an external source when the module is not mounted to the appliance;wherein the appliance comprises an appliance chosen from the group selected from a refrigerator, a freezer, and a refrigerator-freezer;operatively connecting the module with the appliance;providing electrical power to the module from the appliance through the electrical connector of the module;operatively connecting the module to a food storage area having an existing atmosphere; andremoving at least a portion of the existing atmosphere from the food storage space and replacing it with a modified food storage atmosphere using at least one of the at least one removable gas canisters to supply the modified atmosphere to the food storage area. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the module further comprises a computer control device that communicates with the user and sensors wherein the computer control device and the sensors cooperate to regulate and track the amount of ambient air removed from the food storage space and configure the total amount of modified atmosphere to add to the food storage space. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the total amount of modified atmosphere is supplied from a plurality of separate gas storage chambers within the module that separately contain different gases or blends of gases. 20. A kit comprising: at least one gas canister containing a gas or a blend of gases wherein the gas canister is capable of engaging a mounting location of a module and the gas canister is positioned entirely within the module when engaged to the module,and wherein the module is capable of being removably mounted to an inner liner of an appliance door wherein the appliance contains a refrigerator space and the module receives electrical power from the appliance and the module uses the gas or blend of gases from the canister to provide a modified atmosphere to food contained within a food retaining space that is re-sealably air tight; andinstructions that are transmitted to the user of the gas canister or canisters to engage the gas canister with the mounting location of the module.
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