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 food retaining space having a volume within the space;a module removably connectable to an appliance and comprising a housing, a controlling device, a switch, at least one valve, a vacuum pump, and a gas inlet wherein the switch, the valve, and the vacuum pump ar

1. An appliance system comprising: a food retaining space having a volume within the space;a module removably connectable to an appliance and comprising a housing, a controlling device, a switch, at least one valve, a vacuum pump, and a gas inlet wherein the switch, the valve, and the vacuum pump are each in communication with the controlling device wherein the controlling device comprises a controlling device selected from the group consisting of a microcontroller and a control board in combination with a relay; and wherein the valve is positioned between the gas inlet and the switch, the food retaining space and the vacuum pump such that compressed gas cannot flow past the valve when the valve is in the closed position and compressed gas can flow into the food retaining space when the valve is in the open position; andat least one compressed gas containing receptacle that includes all or a portion of a modified atmosphere to be added to the food retaining space. 2. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a microcontroller wherein the microcontroller further includes a processor core, memory, and programmable input and output peripherals wherein the memory stores an algorithm that utilizes a calibration curve for estimating the free volume in a container based upon the time necessary to remove ambient air in the food retaining space to a predetermined level at least substantially below ambient pressure and also based upon the vacuum pump and wherein the microcontroller controls the opening of the valve for a time period to reach an amount of gas within the food retaining space corresponding to a target pressure for the modified atmosphere within the food retaining space and wherein the target pressure is less than ambient pressure. 3. The appliance system of claim 2, wherein different modified atmospheres are capable of being produced and maintained within the food retaining space at different times and wherein the appliance system further comprises an appliance. 4. The appliance system of claim 3, 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 and the appliance supplies electrical power to the module. 5. The appliance system of claim 3, wherein the different modified atmospheres comprise a reduced oxygen content atmosphere and a substantially increased oxygen content atmosphere relative to ambient air content. 6. The appliance system of claim 5, wherein the vacuum pump is operatively connected to remove ambient air from the food retaining space when activated and when the valve for regulating the removal of gas is opened. 7. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the module comprises a plurality of gas inlets and a plurality of valves positioned between the gas inlets and the food retaining space wherein the valves allow gas to flow into the food retaining space when in the open position and wherein each gas inlet receives a different compressed gas containing receptacle. 8. The appliance system of claim 7, wherein gas from a plurality of gas containing receptacles produces the modified atmosphere in the food retaining space by either using gas from one cylinder that includes a predefined modified atmosphere or using gas from a series of receptacles wherein each gas containing receptacle used to produce the modified atmosphere has a different gas type within it. 9. The appliance system of claim 8, wherein the valves are solenoid valves controlled by the controlling device. 10. The appliance system of claim 9, wherein the controlling device comprises a control board in combination with a relay that together controls the activation of the valves. 11. The appliance system of claim 10, wherein the module further includes a pressure reducing apparatus operatively engaged to at least one of the inlets. 12. The appliance system of claim 11, wherein the module includes a pressure reducing apparatus operatively engaged to each of the inlets. 13. The appliance system of claim 1, wherein the modified atmosphere contained in the food retaining space is at a pressure less than the ambient pressure of the food retaining space. 14. The appliance system of claim 13, wherein the module is powered by the appliance when operatively connected to the appliance and wherein the appliance comprises an appliance selected from the group consisting of a refrigerator, a refrigerator and freezer, a freezer, and a countertop façade sized to receive the module and wherein the module further includes a heat sealing apparatus for sealing the food retaining space after the modified atmosphere is added to the food retaining space and wherein the food retaining space comprises a food retaining space chosen from the group consisting of 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. 15. The appliance system of claim 14, wherein the module further comprises a control panel that the user can view and interact with when the module is engaged to an appliance wherein the module receives user input via the control panel and the control panel is communicatively engaged with the controlling device. 16. 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 within the food storage space; a module removably connectable to an appliance and comprising a housing, a controlling device, a switch, at least one valve, a vacuum pump, and a gas inlet wherein the switch, the valve, and the vacuum pump are each in communication with the controlling device and the controlling device comprises a controlling device selected from the group consisting of a microcontroller and a control board in combination with a relay; and wherein a valve is positioned between the gas inlet and the switch, the food storage space and the vacuum pump such that compressed gas cannot flow past the valve when the valve is in the closed position and compressed gas can flow into the food storage space when the valve is in the open position; and at least one compressed gas containing receptacle that includes all or a portion of a modified atmosphere to be added to the food storage space;engaging the food storage space with the module such that gas is allowed to flow into and out of the volume within the food storage space;activating the module such that the valve positioned between the gas containing receptacle and the switch, the food storage space and the vacuum pump closes, the vacuum pump removes ambient air within the food storage space until a predetermined vacuum level is reached, the valve positioned between the gas containing receptacle and the switch, the food storage space and the vacuum pump is opened, gas flows from the compressed gas containing receptacle into the food storage space to thereby create a modified atmosphere within the food storage space; andsealing the modified atmosphere and any food within the food storage space, within the food storage space. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the controlling device estimates the volume within the food storage space using an algorithm based at least upon one or more features of the vacuum pump and the time from when the vacuum pump is activated until the predetermined vacuum level is reached and wherein the controlling device communicates with the vacuum pump and the valve positioned between the gas containing receptacle inlet and the switch, the food storage space and the vacuum pump to activate and deactivate the vacuum pump and to actuate the valve between the closed and open positions and wherein the controlling device uses the estimated volume within the food storage space to regulate the amount of modified atmosphere supplied to the food storage space. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the amount of modified atmosphere supplied to the food storage space is no more than about half of the estimated volume within the food storage space. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the module uses a plurality of separate compressed gas containers to produce a modified atmosphere within the food storage space. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the module further comprises a plurality of gas inlets each capable of receiving a compressed gas cylinder wherein the volume of each compressed gas cylinder is about one liter or less. 21. An appliance system comprising: a food retaining space having a volume within the space; anda module removably connectable to an appliance and comprising a housing, a controlling device, a switch, at least one valve, a vacuum pump, and a gas inlet wherein the switch, the valve, and the vacuum pump are each in communication with the controlling device wherein the controlling device comprises a controlling device selected from the group consisting of a microcontroller and a control board in combination with a relay; and wherein the valve is positioned between the gas containing receptacle inlet and the switch, the food retaining space and the vacuum pump such that compressed gas cannot flow past the valve when the valve is in the closed position and compressed gas can flow into the food retaining space when the valve is in the open position; andat least one compressed gas containing receptacle that includes 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.