System and method for preserving food

• US 20060130498A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wilson, Mark Wayne, Joshi, Anand Ganesh, Ritchie, Sheena Leigh
• Granted Patent: US 7,401,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/127
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3445 in a controlled atmosphere comprising other gases in addition to CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/042 Air treating means within refrigerated spaces air conditioning in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/041 by purification
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/04131 Control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0416 using an ozone generator
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/06 Sensors detecting the presence of a product
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature

Abstract

System and method for preserving food. Embodiments of the system include a food compartment to store food and a user interface configured to receive user input relating to the preservation of the food stored. The system also includes a humidity sensor configured to sense a humidity level, an ozone generator configured to generate ozone gas, an ozone sensor configured to sense an ozone level and a gas sensor configured to sense a level of residual gases inside the food compartment. The system further includes a controller, responsive to the user interface, the humidity sensor, the ozone sensor and the gas sensor. In one embodiment, the controller preserves the food stored in the food compartment as a function of the user input, the humidity level, the ozone level, the residual gas level and as a function of a type of the food stored in the food compartment.

Claims

1. A food preservation system, comprising:

a food compartment to store food;

a humidity sensor to sense a humidity level inside said food compartment;

an ozone generator to generate ozone gas inside said food compartment;

an ozone sensor to sense an ozone level inside said food compartment;

a gas sensor to sense a level of residual gas inside said food compartment; and

a controller that operates to preserve the food stored in said food compartment as a function of at least a type of said food stored in said compartment.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said ozone generator comprises an ultraviolet lamp.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said ozone generator comprises a high voltage ionizer.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said food compartment further comprises an air circulation fan configured to circulate said ozone in said food compartment.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said gas sensor comprises an odor sensor configured to sense an odor inside said food compartment.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises an interlock to interrupt said ozone generator when said ozone sensor fails.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a moisture generator externally coupled to said food compartment to generate moisture inside said food compartment responsive to said controller.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said moisture generator comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of an evaporative steam generator, a mechanical nebulizer, an ultrasonic nebulizer, and combinations thereof.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein said controller further comprises an interlock to interrupt said moisture generator when said humidity sensor fails.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a cold plate positioned in said food compartment to cool air in the food compartment.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said residual gases comprise ethylene.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to receive user input to be used by said controller to determine the type of food stored in said food compartment.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a temperature control system configured to control temperature inside said food compartment.

14. A refrigerator comprising:

a food compartment to store food;

a user interface configured to receive user input relating to the type of the food stored in said food compartment;

a humidity sensor configured to sense a humidity level inside said food compartment;

an ozone generator configured to generate ozone gas inside said food compartment;

an ozone sensor configured to sense an ozone level inside said food compartment;

a gas sensor configured to sense a level of residual gas inside said food compartment; and

a controller, responsive to said user interface, humidity sensor, ozone sensor and gas sensor, that controls the levels of moisture, ozone and residual gas in said food compartment as a function of the type of food stored in said compartment to facilitate preservation of the food.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said controller further comprises an interlock to interrupt said ozone generator when said ozone sensor fails.

16. The system according to claim 14, further comprising an external moisture generator configured to generate moisture inside said food compartment.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said controller further comprises an interlock to interrupt said moisture generator when said humidity sensor fails.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said user interface further comprises at least one control switch to enable said user to indicate said type of food for preservation.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said user interface further comprises at least one keypad to enable said user to indicate said type of food for preservation.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein said controller comprises a temperature control system configured to control temperature inside said food compartment.

21. A method for preserving food in a food compartment, comprising:

determining a humidity level inside said food compartment;

determining an ozone level inside said food compartment;

determining a level of residual gases inside said food compartment; and

adaptively controlling the levels of humidity, ozone and residual gas in said food compartment as a function of a type of said food stored in said compartment to facilitate preservation of said food.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said controlling comprises maintaining a target humidity level in said food compartment based at least in part upon the type of food stored.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein controlling comprises generating moisture inside said food compartment when the humidity level is below said target humidity level based at least in part upon said type of food.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said generating moisture comprises generating moisture using at least one selected from the group consisting of an evaporative steam generator, a mechanical nebulizer, and an ultrasonic nebulizer and combinations thereof.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein said maintaining further comprises humidifying or dehumidifying air in said food compartment based at least in part upon said determined humidity level and said target humidity level.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein said dehumidifying comprises venting air out of said food compartment.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein said dehumidifying comprises cooling air in said food compartment.

28. The method according to claim 21, wherein said controlling comprises controlling a supply of ozone to said food compartment to maintain a determined ozone level in said food compartment based at least in part upon the type of food.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein said controlling comprises providing ozone to said food compartment in a continuous mode until a target ozone level is reached.

30. The method according to claim 21, wherein said controlling comprises providing ozone to said food compartment in a predetermined quantity at a predetermined interval to maintain a determined ozone level in said food compartment.

31. The method according to claim 21, further comprising venting air out of said food compartment at least as often as the predetermined interval.

32. The method according to claim 21, further comprising venting the residual gases out of said food compartment for a determined duration.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein said determined duration is a function of at least one of a quantity of the food, said humidity level, and said level of residual gases in said food compartment.

34. The method according to claim 21, wherein said controlling a level of residual gases in said food compartment comprises controlling a level of ethylene.

35. The method according to claim 21, further comprising circulating the ozone in said food compartment.

36. The method according to claim 21, wherein said determining humidity comprises determining relative humidity.