PHYSICAL METHOD FOR MAINTAINING FRESHNESS OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS VIA TECHNOLOGY OF OPTICAL SIGNAL AND OPTICAL SIGNAL GENERATOR

• US 20140123554A1
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jing L.I. Chen, Xin Chen, Yu Chen
• Original Assignee: Jing L.I. Chen, Xin Chen, Yu Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Yu, Chen, Xin, Chen, Jing Li
• Granted Patent: US 9,210,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 47/58.1LS
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/015 Preserving by irradiation or electric treatment without heating effect
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

A physical method for maintaining the freshness of vegetables and fruits via the technology of the optical signal and optical signal generator are disclosed. By adopting the computer programmable pulsed scanning signal generator, it controls the light-emitting device mounted with red, green and blue light sources group to generate optical signal with pulsed or pulsed periodical scanning combined spectrum. The optical signal irradiates the fresh-cut fruits and vegetables preserved in the storage assembly at room temperature or at controlled temperature and humidity. By regulating the optical signal with periodical pulsed spectrum or pulsed scanning spectrum or periodical pulsed scanning combined spectrum, the irradiated vegetables and fruits obtain photon energy needed in light reactions of photosynthesis from the lighting environment of artificial optical signal which is in bright and dark periodic variation. The metabolism of the cellular tissue is thus recovered and maintained, and the growth inertia is kept at slow speed. It effectively prolongs the freshness state of vegetables and fruits which are preserved in the storage assembly.

Claims

1. A physical method for maintaining freshness of the vegetables and fruits by optical signal technology, characterized in that the physical method comprises the steps of:

controlling a optical signal generator with red, green and blue light sources using a computer programmable pulsed scanning signal generator to generate an optical signal with pulsed or pulsed periodical scanning combined spectrum, and irradiating the vegetables and fruits with optical signal to make them grow slowly such that the duration of the freshness is extended when they are preserved in the storage assembly at room temperature or at controlled temperature and humidity.

2. The physical method as in claim 1, characterized in that the strengthen of the optical signal with combined spectrum and its scanning cycle are adjustable, and the combined form of the red, green and blue light sources with pulsed scanning signal and its scanning cycle are adjustable.

3. The physical method as in claim 1, characterized in that the irradiated vegetables and fruits obtain photon energy needed in light reactions of photosynthesis from the lighting environment of artificial optical signal which is in bright and dark periodic variation, such that the metabolism of the cellular tissue is thus recovered and maintained, and the growth inertia is kept at slow speed.

4. An optical signal generator for maintaining freshness of the vegetables and fruits, comprising a main frame (2), an enclosure (3), a door (4), and a receiving device for vegetables and fruits (6), characterized in that the optical signal generator further comprises a lighting plate structure (1) composed of a red light source lighting plate, a green light source lighting plate and a blue light source lighting plate jointed together, a computer programmable pulsed scanning signal generator (22), a red light source TRIAC controller (23), a green light source TRIAC controller (24), a blue light source TRIAC controller (25), a red light source group (26), a green light source group (27), and a blue light source group (28), wherein a pulse generated by the computer programmable pulsed scanning signal generator (22) periodically scans the combined signal and controls connection and disconnection of the red light source TRIAC controller (23), the green light source TRIAC controller (24), the blue light source TRIAC controller (25) so as to control the corresponding lighting of the red light source group (26), the green light source group (27), and the blue light source group (28), and emit light signal with pulsed or pulsed periodical scanning combined spectrum.

5. The optical signal generator as in claim 4, characterized in that the optical signal generator can be made in form of cabinet structure, and the lighting plate structure (1) is mounted inside the main frame (2) and the enclosure (3),

wherein a transparent isolation fence or a transparent isolation glass-plate (7) with protective effect is mounted on the surface of the lighting plate structure (1), and

wherein a fan and an air duct (8) are mounted inside the enclosure (3), a wind hole (9) is disposed under the enclosure (3), and an automatic humidifying system (13) and a humidifying tube interface (14) are mounted one side of the enclosure (13).

6. The optical signal generator as in claim 4, characterized in that the optical signal generator can be made in form of cabinet structure having channels, and the lighting plate structure (1) is mounted inside the main frame (2) made in form of adjustable supporting rod in vertical direction and the enclosure (3),

wherein a fan and an air duct (8) are mounted inside the enclosure (3), and an automatic humidifying system (13) and a humidifying tube interface (14) are mounted above the enclosure (13), the automatic humidifying system (13) being communication with a water inlet tube (16).

7. The optical signal generator as in claim 4, characterized in that the lighting plate structure (1) is composed of multiple sets of the red light source group (26), the green light source group (27), and the blue light source group (28) which are arranged alternatively, wherein the red light source group (26), the green light source group (27), and the blue light source group (28) comprises single-linear or multi-linear lighting tubes, single-point or multi-point lighting lamps, or single-point or multi-point LED, or light emitter made of rare earth material with lower energy consumption.

8. The optical signal generator as in claim 4, characterized in that the red light source group (26), the green light source group (27), and the blue light source group (28) are arranged in parallel and apart from each other.

9. The optical signal generator as in claim 4, characterized in that the red light source group (26), the green light source group (27), and the blue light source group (28) are arranged on different concentric circles.

10. The optical signal generator as in claim 4, characterized in that the red light source group (26), the green light source group (27), and the blue light source group (28) are arranged radially.