Storage Device for Fresh Products, and Tablet and Method Therefor

• US 20140017988A1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A.S. Oosterhuis Beheer B.V., Top B.V., Triple Inc.
• Original Assignee: A.S. Oosterhuis Beheer B.V., Top B.V., Triple Inc.
• Inventors: Oosterhuis, Antoon Siefko, Wolters, Hans Hendrik, De Heij, Wouter Bernardus Cornelis
• Granted Patent: US 9,637,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/173
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/16 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/148 in a controlled atmosphere, e.g. partial vacuum, comprising only CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3418 in a controlled atmosphere, e.g. partial vacuum, comprising only CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/18 providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient with thermal insulation B65D81/38; ice-boxes with cooling means F25D
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/042 Air treating means within refrigerated spaces air conditioning in general F24F

Abstract

The present invention relates to a storage device for fresh products and/or perishable produce and a method for storing fresh products, comprising: a cabinet provided with an access door and/or flap; one or more substantially gastight compartments arranged in the cabinet and provided with at least one gas inlet and one gas outlet; and conditioning means suitable for conditioning the climate in the compartment, wherein the conditioning comprises of providing desired gas conditions, including oxygen content.

Claims

1. A storage device for fresh products and/or perishable produce, comprising:

a cabinet provided with an access door and/or flap;

one or more substantially gastight compartments arranged in the cabinet and provided with at least one gas inlet and one gas outlet; and

conditioning means suitable for conditioning the climate in the compartment, wherein the conditioning comprises of providing desired gas conditions, including oxygen content.

2. The storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein compartments can be individually conditioned and are provided with individual adjusting means.

3. The storage device as claimed in claim 2, comprising a conditioning controller for adapting the conditions in compartments to each other such that an outlet of a compartment is operatively connected to an inlet of another compartment.

4. The storage device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a gas generator.

5. The storage device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the gas generator comprises a nitrogen membrane.

6. The storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cabinet is adapted so that it can be placed as build-in appliance in a kitchen.

7. The storage device as claimed in claim 1, comprising an external draining connection for drawing off conditioned gas.

8. The storage device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a filling opening for the supply of gas conditioning products or compositions.

9. The storage device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the filling opening comprises a tablet storage space.

10. The storage device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising one or more connectors for operatively connecting the one or more compartments to conditioning equipment placed outside the storage device.

11. The storage device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising displacing means for displacing the storage device such that an operative connection can be realized via connectors.

12. The storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more compartments are displaceable independently of the cabinet and embodied such that a compartment can be placed in and removed from the cabinet.

13. The storage package suitable for application in combination with a storage device as claimed in claim 1.

14. A tablet suitable for application in a storage device as claimed in claim 1.

15. The tablet as claimed in claim 14, suitable for producing carbon dioxide.

16. The tablet as claimed in claim 14, suitable for producing ethylene.

17. A method for storing fresh products, comprising of:

placing the products in a storage device as claimed in claim 1;

selecting the desired conditions for the products; and

storing the products in the storage device.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the storage of the products comprises of ripening the products.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising of connecting an outlet of a first compartment to the inlet of a second compartment for the purpose of using gases produced by products in the first compartment for ripening products in the second compartment.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the storage of the products comprises of displacing and subsequently connecting the storage device to a centrally positioned conditioning system.