KR20040083548A - Controlled atmosphere storage in refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A CA(Controlled Atmosphere) storing device for a refrigerator is provided to control the air composition in a vegetable box for keeping the fresh degree of fruits or vegetables for a long time. CONSTITUTION: A CA storing device for a refrigerator includes a nitrogen storing container(41), and a compressor(42) for compressing gas stored in the nitrogen storing container to supply the compressed air to a vegetable box. A gas analyzer(43) senses the components of the gas in the vegetable box for controlling the supply of the nitrogen gas stored in the nitrogen storing container. A deodorizer(44) removes ethylene gas generated by the aging of the vegetables or fruits in the vegetable box.

Description

CONTROL LED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE IN REFRIGERATOR}

The present invention relates to a storage device of a refrigerator of the refrigerator, which will be described in more detail. A refrigerator for adjusting the gas composition of a vegetable room partitioned into a separate space in the refrigerator so that the vegetable room can be implemented as a storage room for storing fresh fruits and vegetables for a long time. It's about the CC storage.

1 is a front perspective view of a conventional refrigerator. As illustrated, the refrigerator includes a main body 11 in which a freezing compartment 21 and a refrigerating compartment 31 are formed, respectively, with partitions 12 formed in the vertical direction, and the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment 31. It is provided with a freezing chamber door 23 and a refrigerating chamber door 33 which are hinged to the main body 11 so as to be able to rotate and open each front opening.

In the rear region of the freezing chamber 21, a cold air duct 22 having a plurality of cold air discharge outlets is installed to discharge cold air forward, and spaced apart from each other along the vertical direction in the front area of the cold air duct 22. A plurality of shelves 27 are provided to support food. An ice maker 29 is installed in the upper region of the freezing chamber 21 to generate ice.

An upper duct 35 is provided in the upper rear region of the refrigerating compartment 31 to receive cold air from the freezing compartment 21 and discharge the cold air to the front and the lower sides of the refrigerating compartment 31. A plurality of shelves 37 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other and support food. In the lower region of the refrigerating chamber 31, a vegetable chamber 39 is formed to store vegetables and fruits, and the rear region of the vegetable chamber 39 is a dispenser 25 mounted to drink water even when the door is closed. A reservoir tank (not shown) is disposed to supply cold water.

The freezer door 23 and the refrigerating chamber door 33 are provided with a plurality of baskets 24 and 34 spaced apart from each other along the up and down directions so that food can be stored and stored therein. Dispenser 25 is provided to draw ice and water without opening the freezer door 23.

However, the refrigerator having the conventional structure configured as described above, when storing vegetables and fruits in a vegetable room partitioned into a separate space so as to store vegetables and fruits, oxidation is caused by external air, especially oxygen, and the storage of stored fruits occurs. There is a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention devised in view of the above is to provide a storage device for a refrigerator which controls a composition of air in a vegetable room so that stored fruits and vegetables can perform a function of a storage room that is freshly maintained for a long time. Is in.

1 is a front perspective view of a conventional refrigerator,

2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal structure of a refrigerator which is one embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a cross-sectional view partially showing a vegetable compartment forming part of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 2;

4 is a partial cutaway perspective view of the vegetable chamber shown in FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

31: cold room 39: vegetable room

41: nitrogen storage container 42: pressurizer

43: gas analyzer 44: deodorizer

Said storage device of the refrigerator for achieving the object of the present invention as described above is a refrigerator having a refrigerator compartment and a vegetable compartment for maintaining a temperature below the appropriate temperature, the vegetable compartment is a freshly stored vegetables and fruits (CA: Controlled Atmosphere) nitrogen storage container in which nitrogen gas is stored in the refrigerator to be implemented as a storage chamber, a pressurizer for pressurizing the gas stored in the nitrogen storage container to supply to the vegetable chamber, and sensing the gas component of the vegetable chamber to the nitrogen storage container Gas analyzer for controlling the supply amount of nitrogen stored and a deodorizer for removing the ethylene gas generated during the ripening of vegetables and fruits stored in the vegetable compartment is provided.

In addition, it is desirable to be equipped with a gas analyzer such that the internal gas composition of the vegetable chamber is maintained at about 5 percent oxygen, about 3 percent carbon dioxide gas, and about 92 percent nitrogen.

Hereinafter, a storage device of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same parts as in the conventional structure will be described with the same reference numerals, and a detailed description thereof will be given with reference to FIG. Quote.

2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating an internal structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view partially showing a vegetable compartment forming part of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is shown in FIG. 2. As a partial cutaway perspective view of the vegetable compartment, a refrigerator equipped with a C storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown, has a freezer compartment 21 and a refrigerating compartment 31 formed with a partition 12 therebetween. And a freezer door 23 and a refrigerating chamber door 33 hinged to the main body 11 so as to open and close each front opening of the freezer compartment 21 and the refrigerating chamber 31, and the rear region of the refrigerating chamber 31 of the main body 11. A nitrogen storage container 41 mounted in a machine room formed at a lower side thereof and storing nitrogen gas therein; a pressurizer 42 for pressurizing the gas stored in the nitrogen storage container 41 to the vegetable chamber 39; It is installed inside the vegetable chamber 39 to detect gas components therein. When the nitrogen stored in the high nitrogen storage container 41 controls the amount of nitrogen supplied to the vegetable chamber 39 through the pressurizer 42, and the ripening of vegetables and fruits stored inside the vegetable chamber 39 It is composed of a deodorizer 44 which removes ethylene gas generated and is controlled by the gas analyzer 43.

In the refrigerator equipped with the CS storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the refrigerator compartment 31 and the vegetable compartment 39 are maintained at a temperature lower than a proper temperature by cold air supplied through the upper duct 35. The process of keeping fresh is the same as in the prior art.

In general, the CS storage system artificially makes the gas composition inside the storage device at a low temperature, low oxygen, and high carbon dioxide concentration, thereby inhibiting respiration of fruits and vegetables and metabolism by enzymes of animal cells to maintain fresh state for a long time. Food storage system. Referring to the process of implementing the function of the CS storage room in the vegetable room in more detail as follows.

The air standard composition in the atmosphere is about 20.1 percent oxygen, about 0.30 percent carbon dioxide, and the remaining almost nitrogen gas, so that the internal gas composition of the vegetable chamber 39 where vegetables are stored also initially achieves such an air standard composition. The nitrogen gas stored in the nitrogen storage container 41 is pressurized by the pressurizer 42 by the control of the gas analyzer 43 which senses this, and then is forcibly injected into the vegetable chamber 39.

When the gas composition in the vegetable chamber 30 is composed of 7% oxygen, 3% carbon dioxide, and the remaining nitrogen gas by nitrogen gas supplied to the vegetable chamber 39, the gas analyzer 43 detects this and injects nitrogen gas. By stopping and maintaining the state, if the gas composition is changed by repeating the process of re-injecting nitrogen gas, it will maintain the low temperature, low oxygen, high carbon gas state.

In addition, when the dormitory of the stored fruit, etc. is generated and the ethylene gas is generated, the ethylene gas is sucked through the deodorizer 44 and discharged to the outside of the refrigerator, thereby preventing the secondary staying of the fruit by the dormitory.

As described above, the CS storage device of the refrigerator according to the present invention compresses the nitrogen gas stored in the nitrogen storage container 41 into the pressurizer 42 and injects the inside of the vegetable chamber 39 so that the inside of the vegetable chamber 39 has a low temperature, low oxygen, and high carbon dioxide gas. The vegetable and fruit, etc., which are kept in the state and stored in the vegetable compartment 39, can be kept fresh for a long time.

As described above, the CS storage device of the refrigerator according to the present invention is implemented by a CS storage room which injects nitrogen gas stored in a nitrogen storage container into the vegetable chamber through a pressurizer to make the inside of the vegetable chamber into a low temperature, low oxygen, and high carbon gas state. It has the effect of keeping vegetables and fruits fresh for a long time.

In addition, by removing the ethylene gas generated when the fruit through the deodorizer, there is an effect that the fruit is stored fresh for a long time to prevent the secondary oxidation of the fruit.

Claims (2)

In the refrigerator provided with a refrigerator compartment and a vegetable compartment to keep below a proper temperature, A nitrogen storage container in which a nitrogen gas is stored in a refrigerator so that the vegetable room may be implemented as a CA (Controlled Atmosphere) storage room in which fresh vegetables and fruits are stored; A pressurizer for pressurizing the gas stored in the nitrogen storage container and supplying the gas to the vegetable chamber; A gas analyzer for detecting a gas component of the vegetable chamber and controlling a supply amount of nitrogen stored in the nitrogen storage container; And a deodorizer for removing ethylene gas generated during ripening of the vegetables and fruits stored in the vegetable compartment. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gas analyzer configured to maintain the internal gas composition of the vegetable compartment at about 5 percent oxygen, about 3 percent carbon dioxide, and about 92 percent nitrogen.