IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0209669
(2011-08-15)
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등록번호 |
US-8205414
(2012-06-26)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Biotti, Carolina
- Civanelli, Claudio
- Olivani, Andrea
- Tenbarge, Andrew Michael
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
18 |
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
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1. A method of providing a modified atmosphere to a food storage space having a volume for enhancing the preservation of food stored in the food storage space when the food storage space contains the food and the modified atmosphere comprising the steps of: providing a food storage space having a vo
1. A method of providing a modified atmosphere to a food storage space having a volume for enhancing the preservation of food stored in the food storage space when the food storage space contains the food and the modified atmosphere comprising the steps of: providing a food storage space having a volume; a module removably connectable to an appliance that includes a first valve for regulating gas to or from the food storage space, a vacuum pump, and a gas canister engaging inlet; at least one removable gas canister containing a compressed gas wherein the first valve is positioned between the gas canister and both the vacuum pump and the food storage space;engaging the gas canister to the gas canister-engaging inlet of the module so as to operably connect the compressed gas with the module;engaging the module with an appliance such that the module receives power from the appliance;operably engaging the food storage space with the module such that gas is capable of moving out of and into the food storage space;activating the module thereby causing the module to perform the steps comprising activating the vacuum pump and, if not already closed, closing the first valve to thereby draw an amount of ambient air from the food storage space; stopping the vacuum pump; and opening the first valve to allow gas flow from the gas canister into the food storage space; andfilling the food storage space with at least a portion of the compressed gas from the gas canister thereby forming all or part of the modified atmosphere. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein one gas canister at a time is operably connected to the module; the modified atmosphere operates to reduce both aerobic and anaerobic pathogens and wherein the module further comprises a second valve positioned between the vacuum pump and the food storage space that is in an open position at least when the vacuum pump is active and closed when the compressed gas is being supplied to the food storage space. 3. The method of claim 2, 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. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second valves comprise solenoid valves and the valves, the vacuum pump and the module communicate with a microcontroller to carry out the steps of the method after activation of the module, operatively engaging the food storage space with the module, engaging the module with an appliance and engaging the gas canister with the gas canister-engaging inlet of the module and wherein the vacuum pump draws down the ambient air inside the food storage space until a pressure switch in communication with the microcontroller detects that the pressure within the food storage space is less than 500 mbar; thereafter, the microcontroller sends a signal to the vacuum pump to turn off the vacuum pump; thereafter, the microcontroller sends a signal to the second valve to open the valve and allow the gas from the gas canister to fill the food storage space and after an amount of time less than the amount of time the pump operated to remove the ambient air within the food storage space. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one removable gas canister further comprises an outlet and the gas canister engaging inlet and the outlet of the gas canister 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. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the module detects the contents of the gas canister based upon the connection to the gas canister engaging inlet and the outlet of the gas canister using sensors that identify the contents of the gas canister. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the gas canister has one or more identifiers on the canister that identify the contents of the canister and the appliance comprises an electrical appliance capable of supplying power to the module when the module is operably connected to the appliance and chosen from the group consisting of a freezer and an appliance containing a refrigerated space. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the module has a rearward facing side and the step of engaging the module with an appliance such that the module receives power from the appliance comprises attaching the rearward facing side of the module to a surface of a door of the appliance. 9. A method of providing a modified atmosphere to a food storage space having a volume for enhancing the preservation of food stored in the food storage space when the food storage space contains the food and the modified atmosphere comprising the steps of: removably engaging a module with an appliance such that the module receives power from the appliance wherein the module includes a first valve for regulating gas to or from a food storage space, a vacuum pump, and a gas canister engaging inlet;operably engaging the food storage space with the module such that gas is capable of moving out of and into the food storage space;activating the module thereby causing the module to perform the steps comprising: activating the vacuum pump and, if not already closed;closing the first valve to thereby draw an amount of ambient air from the food storage space; stopping the vacuum pump;opening the first valve to allow gas flow from a gas canister into the food storage space; andfilling the food storage space with at least a portion of the compressed gas from the gas canister thereby forming all or part of the modified atmosphere. 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of removing the module from engagement with the appliance. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the module further comprises a first valve positioned between a gas canister and both the vacuum pump and the food storage space. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of activating the module comprises the user pushing a button on the module and the method further comprises the step of removing the module from engagement with the appliance. 13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of operably connecting at least one gas canister to the module and the modified atmosphere is produced using the gas from the at least one gas canister having an outlet and the modified atmosphere operates to reduce both aerobic and anaerobic pathogens. 14. The method of claim 13, 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. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the module further comprises a gas canister engaging inlet and the gas canister further comprises an outlet and the gas canister engaging inlet and the outlet of the gas canister 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. 16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of detecting the contents of the gas canister based upon the connection between the gas canister engaging inlet of the module and an outlet of the gas canister. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the gas canister has one or more identifiers on the canister that identify the contents of the canister and the appliance comprises an electrical appliance capable of supplying power to the module when the module is operably connected to the appliance and the appliance is chosen from the group consisting of an appliance having a freezer compartment and an appliance having a refrigerated compartment. 18. A method of providing a modified atmosphere to a food storage space having a volume for enhancing the preservation of food stored in the food storage space when the food storage space contains the food and the modified atmosphere comprising the steps of: engaging a removable module to a surface of an appliance such that the module draws power from the appliance;placing food in a food retaining compartment chosen from the group consisting of a container and a bag;activating the module;pumping a vacuum in the food retaining compartment using at least a vacuum pump of the module and a valve of the module;detecting the pressure level inside the food retaining compartment using a pressure switch of the module;terminating the pumping step upon reaching a predetermined pressure level as measured by the pressure switch of the module;delivering a gas mixture to the food retaining compartment from one or more gas canisters removably and operably connected to the module to form the modified atmosphere. 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of detecting the contents of a gas canister of the one or more gas canisters based upon the connection between a gas canister engaging inlet of the module and an outlet of the gas canisters and wherein the module has a rearward facing side that engages the appliance and the step of engaging the module with an appliance such that the module receives power from the appliance comprises attaching the rearward facing side of the module to a surface of a door of the appliance. 20. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of removing the module from engagement with the appliance.
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