CH713233B1 - Drawer body with a drawer that can be evacuated in a controlled manner and method for converting a drawer body. - Google Patents

Abstract

It should be a drawer body (9) in which a drawer (3) linearly by means of a drawer extension (7), which is fastened from a drawer body wall, so that a drawer interior (R) of the drawer (3) in a closed position of the drawer (3) in the Drawer body (9) can be evacuated in a controlled manner, with the external appearance of the drawer body corresponding to known drawer bodies and known drawer bodies or drawers being easy to convert. This is achieved in that the drawer body (9) has at least one cover (2), a sealing profile (21 ') and a front panel (17), by means of which the drawer interior (R) of the drawer (3) can be hermetically sealed, a vacuum pump (1), air hoses (11 '), at least one solenoid valve (4), a controller (8), control cable (11) and a pressure sensor (15) inside the drawer body (9), a switch (6) on the front panel (17) ) or on a drawer body wall, as well as a ventilation valve (12) leading into the drawer interior (R) on the drawer (3) is operatively connected.

Description

State of the art

At present, perishable foods are stored in the refrigerator in private households in industrialized countries. The refrigerator has the advantage of being able to lower the internal temperature in order to delay the growth of destructive bacterial cultures. The refrigerator can also be viewed as a closed storage place for food, which when closed prevents unwanted influences, such as insects or pollen, from negatively affecting the quality of the food.

Furthermore, the refrigerator has some disadvantages, since it continuously requires electricity to generate cooling energy via a compressor. At the same time, waste heat is generated, which is released into the ambient air behind the refrigerator and guided into the room through ventilation slots in the kitchen panels, which is not desirable in summer.

Technical area

The invention relates to a drawer body in which a drawer is movably mounted linearly by means of a drawer extension, which is attached to a drawer body wall, and a conversion method of a drawer body, the drawer body having a drawer with a drawer interior and a front panel, the drawer being linear is movably mounted by means of a drawer extension, which is fastened to a drawer body wall, the interior of the drawer being able to be evacuated when the drawer is in a closed position.

In recent decades, the refrigerators have negatively impacted our environment so badly that the global community had to intervene to ban the ozone-depleting refrigerant CFC. The foaming agents used to insulate the refrigerator from 1990 onwards pose further environmental problems.

The negative effects on the environment in the manufacture, operation and disposal of refrigerators, the international community has been able to limit more and more pressure from environmental associations in recent years, but not prevent them.

So far, the interior climate of the refrigerator has received less attention. According to a study by the Hygiene Council, which carried out an international study called the Hygiene Report 2010, the refrigerator is more contaminated with around 11,400,000 germs per square centimeter than the toilet with around 100 pathogens per square centimeter.

This message in 2010 received a lot of media coverage, but apart from recommendations to clean the refrigerator more often, no noticeable improvements have taken place so far. The number of germs is not necessarily the problem, as it depends more on which germs are most harmful to humans. Jean-Pierre Hugot from the Paris hospital Robert Debre has examined the climatic conditions inside the refrigerator. According to him, the "cold-loving" microbes such as yersilines and listeria feel very comfortable in the refrigerator. Possibly these microbes can cause the digestive disease Crohn's disease.

On Wikipedia on October 22nd, 2016, after the research results by Jean-Pierre Hugot were mentioned, the following sentence: "The consumption of spoiled food because of foregoing refrigeration, however, is likely to be associated with greater disease risks."

According to the sentence, the cooling of the food in a refrigerator is just a little healthier than to eat spoiled food. The aim of the invention is therefore to design a storage location for food that can do without cooling and yet does not allow the food to spoil for as long as possible.

A common way of keeping food fresh without refrigeration is vacuum packaging. This has prevailed above all in the hygienically sensitive area of meat products. According to Wikipedia on October 22nd, 2016, vacuum packaging means the following: “Vacuum packaging is a gas-tight packaging of a product in which gaps and thus reactive gases within the product have largely been removed. Above all, it is important to remove oxygen from the packaging. "

Next: “This type of packaging has several advantages. As in the case of protective gas packaging, the products have a longer shelf life, as no oxygen reaches the products, which can lead to the uselessness of the products over time through chemical reactions or biological processes. "

Since the vacuum packaging consists of plastic films, these films must be obtained from a manufacturer and disposed of again after use. The plastic films are usually disposed of by incineration, which in turn pollutes the environment.

The refrigerator is also not suitable as a place for storage for every food. Tomatoes, basil, bread, avocado, potatoes etc. should not be stored in the refrigerator.

Presentation of the invention

The present invention has set itself the task of creating a drawer body with at least one evacuable drawer in the form of a vacuum drawer, in which food can be stored evacuated, the external appearance of the drawer body corresponds to known drawer bodies and known drawer bodies or drawers can be easily converted .

Food that does not necessarily need to be cooled can be stored in a vacuum drawer at room temperature, with no increased energy consumption for cooling. In this way, food can be kept edible or edible for longer in a simplified manner. By relocating the food, which does not necessarily need cold, into the drawer body with vacuum drawer, more space is created in the refrigerator and there is no need to use ever larger and therefore more environmentally harmful refrigerators.

The storage in the drawer body with vacuum drawer requires less energy than the refrigerator, since the oxygen deprivation inside is completed after a few minutes and no further electricity is required.

The food in the vacuum drawer remains fresh, since moisture is prevented from being removed by the ambient air.

If the ambient air is more humid than the food, such as biscuits, these can be protected from moisture in the vacuum drawer.

A vacuum drawer can be implemented without harmful materials such as refrigerants or thermal insulation.

The consumption of plastic bags during vacuuming can be significantly reduced.

In existing kitchens, which have small refrigerators, especially in the rental area, a vacuum drawer can be used. The vacuum drawer can also be designed in such a way that an existing drawer can be converted quickly and easily. A method of retrofitting existing drawers is also part of the invention.

With the improvements mentioned, food can be stored in a simpler, more environmentally friendly and more energy-efficient manner. This has a positive effect on the quality of the food and the health of the consumer. Less food would also be thrown away, as its quality can be preserved for longer.

The invention is described below on the basis of exemplary embodiments.

Brief description of the drawings

The drawings used to explain the exemplary embodiments show: FIG. 1 shows a partially schematically illustrated longitudinal section through a vacuum drawer in a drawer body with the vacuum drawer half pulled out. Figure 2 shows a partially schematically illustrated longitudinal section through a drawer body with several vacuum drawers. Figure 3 shows a partially schematically illustrated longitudinal section through a drawer body for a standard drawer after conversion, in the closed state.

description

Embodiments of vacuum drawers 0, 0 'are shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, a vacuum drawer 0 comprises a drawer 3 and a cover 2. The vacuum drawer 0 is located at least partially within a drawer body 9 and is movably mounted therein. The drawer 3 forms a drawer interior R which is closed off to an underside and is surrounded by drawer walls. The lid 2 is arranged on an open upper side of the drawer 3 and serves as the upper end of the drawer 3, whereby the drawer 3 and the lid 2 can be moved relative to one another and the lid 2 can close the drawer interior R in a vacuum-tight manner. The cover 2 can be made of glass, plastic, wood or metal and is held in a guide profile 31 '. The guide profile 31 'is attached to the top of the drawer 3 and holds the cover 2 in the guide so that it can be moved by hand towards the rear, opposite to the opening direction of the vacuum drawer 0 or the drawer 3.

The drawer 3 of the vacuum drawer 0 can be closed against conventional drawers at the top by the user by hand, by means of a grip strip 16 applied to the cover 2, the cover 2 within the guide profile 31 'in the opening direction of the vacuum drawer 0 or the Drawer 3 pulls.

Within the guide profile 31 ', below the cover 2, there is a seal 21' which prevents air from penetrating between the cover 2 and the drawer 3 or into the drawer interior R when the cover 2 is closed.

On the cover 2, in the vicinity of the grip strip 16, there is a ventilation valve 12, through which air can be let into the drawer interior R in a controlled manner.

The lid 2 is mounted on the top of the drawer 3 so as to be linearly movable and the drawer 3 itself is also mounted so as to be linearly movable within the drawer body 9, the means for mounting the drawer 3 not being shown in more detail. Since such means are known from commercially available drawers, a drawer extension 7 is shown here schematically by way of example, with which the drawer 3 is held and can be brought into an open position and a closed position.

Here in the area of a rear wall of the drawer 3, outside the drawer interior R, in an interior of the drawer body 9, devices for generating a vacuum within the vacuum drawer 0 or the drawer 3 are arranged. These devices are mounted here so that they can be moved along with the drawer 3. A vacuum pump 1, an electromagnetic valve 4, a power pack 5, a pressure sensor 15 and a controller 8 are shown here. The devices are electrically connected via at least one control cable 11 and are fastened in a casing 18, here on the rear wall of the drawer 3.

The required current is supplied to the drawer 3 or the devices for controlling the vacuum in the drawer interior R by one end of an energy chain 13 being attached to the inner wall of the drawer body 9. The energy chain 13 transmits the current from the rigid drawer body 9 to the movable drawer 3 and is connected by means of a cable plug 14 to the power cable 10, which is thus connected to the power supply unit 5. The power supply unit 5 converts the mains voltage with alternating current into the required direct voltage. The direct voltage is now fed to the controller 8.

The controller 8 can by means of switch 6, which is located in the front and lower area of the drawer 3 behind a front panel 17, recognize whether the drawer 3 is open or closed. The switch 6 is connected to the controller 8 via the control cable 11. The controller 8 also monitors the internal pressure in the drawer interior R of the drawer 3 by means of pressure sensor 15. In addition, the controller 8 regulates the vacuum pump 1 and the valve 4. The components described are advantageously sealed with the housing 18 for protection. The air which has been withdrawn from the drawer 3 is released into the environment through an air hose 11 ′ connected to the vacuum pump 1, which is indicated by a dashed arrow in FIG.

Figure 2

As shown in Fig. 2, a further drawer body 9 'can have several sections I-III, each section comprising a drawer 3, 3', 3 "in the form of a vacuum drawer 0. The cover 2 'is fixed in place here designed in several parts, in the form of drawer body walls. The sealing profile 21 'is arranged on the cover 2' and can be effectively connected to the front panel 17, whereby the drawer interior R can be hermetically sealed. The front panels 17, which are mounted on the drawers 3, 3 ', 3 " are attached, the sections I, II, III of the drawer body 9 'in the closed state by means of sealing profile 21' from airtight. Two areas with a sealing profile 21 ′ each close off the drawer interior R with respect to the front panel 17.

The drawers 3, 3 ', 3 "form a drawer interior R that is open on one side and are movably supported in the drawer body 9' by means of a drawer extension 7 each.

The drawer body 9 'is advantageously sealed airtight between the individual sections I-III. As a result, when opening a drawer 3, the vacuum of the other drawers 3 ', 3 "does not have to be released. A vent valve 12 is attached to the front panel 17 of each drawer 3, 3', 3" for the manual, controlled release of the vacuum within each one Drawer 3, 3 ', 3 ".

Here the devices for creating the vacuum within the drawer interiors R are arranged at the bottom of the drawer body 9, with air hoses 11 'and the necessary control cables 11 being guided into all of the drawer sections I, II, III of the drawer body 9. The exhaust air from each drawer interior R can be discharged from the drawer body 9 through the air hoses 11 ′ to. In the area of each drawer interior R at least one pressure sensor 15 is attached. By means of appropriately arranged switches 6, the pumping out of the drawer interiors R can be started after each drawer 3, 3 ', 3 ″ has been closed 3, 3 ', 3 "per drawer. These are in turn connected by air hoses 11 'to the vacuum pump 1, which sucks in the air from the drawer interiors R in a controlled manner and releases it to the environment. The controller 8 is connected to the switches 6, the pressure sensors 15 and the solenoid valves 4 by means of the control cable 11 ′. The power supply is ensured from the cable plug 14 via the mains cable 10 to the power supply unit 5. The power supply unit 5 supplies the other components with power by means of the control cable 11.

In the open position of the drawer 3 ', the vacuum is broken and the drawer interior R under ambient conditions, at room temperature and the current air pressure or atmospheric pressure at the location of the drawer 3'. If the drawer 3 'is closed, the interior of section II and thus of the drawer interior R is closed airtight by the airtight drawer body walls and the airtight front panel 17, which is pressed onto the sealing profile 21'. This closed position is recognized by the switch 6 and this triggers the vacuuming process. The solenoid valve 4 opens and by means of the vacuum pump 1 the air is pumped out of the drawer interior R to an internal pressure in the drawer interior R well below atmospheric pressure. The current air pressure in the drawer interior R can be monitored by means of the pressure sensor 15 and, when a limit value is reached, the solenoid valve 4 is closed and the vacuum pump 1 is switched off by the controller 8. The ventilation valve 12 is designed as a ventilation valve, preferably as a check valve, which automatically remains in the closed position when the drawer 3 'is pumped out and can be actuated against a restoring force, preferably a spring force, when it is necessary to open the drawer 3', thereby allowing ventilation.

In the closed and evacuated state of the drawer interior R, the front panel 17 cannot easily be pulled away from the drawer body 9 'by means of the handle 16, since the evacuated drawer interior R applies a counterforce.

By monitoring the internal pressure in the interior of the drawer R by means of pressure sensor 15, if air penetrates from time to time, the controller 8 can trigger subsequent pumping, which guarantees that the internal pressure is in the range of the desired size.

Figure 3

3 shows a conversion variant of an existing drawer 3 to a vacuum drawer 0 '. The aim is to make an existing drawer airtightly lockable such that the drawer interior R can be evacuated. This is achieved here on the one hand by inserting a drawer insert 19 into the drawer interior R of the drawer 3, with no structural adaptations being necessary.

The sealing profile 21 'and the guide profile 31' are fastened directly in the upper region of the drawer insert 19. The switch 6 is arranged here on a drawer body wall on the side facing the front panel 17, while the control cable 11 is guided on the bottom of the converted drawer 3 below the drawer insert 19.

In the rear area of the drawer interior R facing away from the front panel 17, inside the drawer interior R but outside the drawer insert 19, the devices for creating the vacuum are arranged. The cover 2 can in turn be a part of the existing drawer 3, or a new component which is partially guided in the guide profile 31 'and closes the drawer insert 19 on one side. A passage for at least one air hose 11 'through which the pumped-out air can escape must be created through a drawer wall.

In the rear area of the drawer insert 19 on a wall of the drawer 3, the vacuum pump 1, the solenoid valve 4, the controller 8 and the power supply unit 5 are attached. As described in FIG. 1, the power connection is connected to the power supply unit 5 via the power cord 10 via the cable plug 14 and the energy chain 13. A switch 6 is also attached behind the front panel 17, which is connected to the control 8 via the control cable 11.

The current pressure in the drawer interior R is in turn measured with the pressure sensor 15 and the evacuated drawer 3 can be ventilated by means of a ventilation valve 12.

Ways of Carrying Out the Invention

The vacuum drawer 0, 0 'presented here, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, protects the contents, such as food, from environmental influences by sealing the contents airtight and ensuring that there is no air exchange or the quality of the content impaired. A negative pressure or a vacuum is generated in the drawer interior R in the range of approx. 0-300 hPa, which is well below the normal air pressure of the surroundings of approx. 1000 hPa.

To operate the vacuum drawer 0, 0 'electrical energy is necessary, which as shown in Fig. 1-3 is supplied via the power cord 10, the cable connector 14 to the energy chain 13, the cable connector 14 via the power cord 10 to the power supply unit 5 becomes. The power supply unit 5 converts the alternating voltage into direct voltage and feeds it to the controller 8, the vacuum pump 1 and the solenoid valves 4 by means of the control cables 11. The control 8 is connected directly to the switch 6 and the pressure sensor 15 via the control cable 11.

As shown in Figure 1, the vacuum drawer 0 is opened like an ordinary drawer. So that the cover 2 can be opened, the negative pressure must be released by pressing the ventilation valve 12. The control 8 knows via the switch 6 that the drawer is open and turns off the vacuum pump 1.

If the negative pressure is now removed, the cover 2 is moved by means of the handle 16 against the opening direction of the drawer 3, the cover 2 being held securely in the guide 31 '.

The drawer can now be safely operated.

The closing of the drawer 3 is initiated by pulling the lid 2 in the opening direction of the drawer 3 with the aid of the handle 16 until it stops. The sealing profile 21 'closes airtight between the guide rail 31' and the cover 2. The drawer 3 can now be closed completely. As shown in Fig. 3, the switch 6 turns on when the drawer 3 is completely closed. This signal is in turn forwarded to the controller 8 by means of the control cable 11. The controller 8 processes the signal, opens the solenoid valve 4 and starts the vacuum pump 1, which emits the air from inside the drawer 3 via the air hose 11 'via the pressure sensor 15, the vacuum pump 1, the solenoid valve 4 to the environment.

The pressure sensor 15 shows the controller 8 when the desired negative pressure or the desired vacuum in the drawer interior R has been reached. As soon as the desired negative pressure is present, the solenoid valve 4 closes the air hose 11 'to the outside so that no air comes in again. As a result, the vacuum pump 1 can also be switched off and does not have to run continuously. The negative pressure now protects the contents in the drawer interior R of the vacuum drawer 0, 0 '.

List of reference symbols:

0, 0 'vacuum drawer 1 vacuum pump 11' air hose 2, cover 21 'sealing profile on the end surfaces of the drawer 3, drawer 31' guide profile R drawer interior 4, electromagnetic valve 5, power supply 6, switch on the front panel or on a drawer body wall 7, drawer pull-out 8 Control 9, 9 'drawer body 10 power cable 11 control cable 12 ventilation valve in the lid, on the drawer body wall or in the front panel 13 energy chain 14 cable plug 15 pressure sensor 16 handle 17 front panel 18 casing 19 drawer insert

Claims (7)

1. Drawer body (9, 9 ') in which a drawer (3, 3', 3 ") is linearly movably supported by means of a drawer extension (7) which is attached to a drawer body wall, characterized in that the drawer body (9, 9 ') has at least one cover (2), a sealing profile (21') and a front panel (17) by means of which a drawer interior (R) of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3 ") can be hermetically sealed , a vacuum pump (1), at least one air hose (11 '), at least one electromagnetic valve (4), a controller (8), control cable (11) and a pressure sensor (15) are arranged in the interior of the drawer body (9, 9 ') and a switch (6) is attached to the front panel (17) or to the drawer body wall, as well as a ventilation valve (12) leading into the drawer interior (R) is attached to the drawer (3), the front panel (17) or the lid (2) so that the drawer interior (R) of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3 ") can be evacuated in a controlled manner in a closed position of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3"). 2. drawer body (9, 9 ') according to claim 1, wherein the lid (2) is designed to be displaceable relative to the drawer (3, 3 ', 3' '), the lid (2) runs at least partially in a guide profile (31') and the lid (2) with one on which in the lid direction facing end surfaces of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3' ') arranged sealing profile (21') closes the evacuable drawer interior (R), wherein the ventilation valve (12) within the cover (2), the cover (2) completely crossing and a Access to the interior of the drawer (R) is arranged. 3. Drawer body (9, 9 ') according to claim 2, wherein the switch (6) is arranged in the interior of the drawer body (9, 9') on a drawer body wall and can be triggered in the closed position for the drawer (3, 3 ', 3 ") . 4. drawer body (9, 9 ') according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the ventilation valve (12) crosses the front panel (17) in the direction of the drawer (3, 3', 3 ") and allows ventilation of the drawer interior (R). 5. Drawer body (9, 9 ') according to claim 2, wherein the switch (6) on the front panel (17), facing the interior of the drawer body (9, 9'), or on a drawer body wall, the inside of the front panel (17) facing, is arranged. 6. Drawer body (9, 9 ') according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vacuum pump (1), the at least one solenoid valve (4), the controller (8) and the pressure sensor (15) on an outer wall of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3' ') are mounted in the interior of the drawer body (9, 9'). 7. Retrofitting method of a drawer body for the production of a drawer body (9, 9 ') according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the drawer body is a drawer (3, 3', 3 '') with a drawer interior (R) and a front panel (17 ), wherein the drawer (3, 3 ', 3' ') is movably mounted linearly by means of a drawer extension (7) which is attached to a drawer body wall, characterized by, - Removal of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3' ') from the drawer body (9, 9'), - Introducing at least one air hose (11 ') into a drawer wall of the drawer (3, 3', 3 ''), - Fastening a vacuum pump (1), at least one solenoid valve (4), a control (8), control cables (11) and a pressure sensor (15) in the interior of the drawer body (9, 9 '), - Leading a power cable (10) out of the drawer body (9, 9 '), - Insertion of an evacuable drawer insert (19) into the drawer (3, 3 ', 3 "), which forms a sealing profile (21') on the end surfaces of the drawer, - Connection of the air hose (11 ') to an outlet in the drawer insert (19), - Placement of a lid (2) with an embedded ventilation valve (12) on the end surfaces of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3 ") provided with the sealing profile (21') and insertion into a guide profile (31 ') on a top side of the drawer ( 3, 3 ', 3 "), - Attachment of a switch (6) to the front panel (17) of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3 ") and electrical connection to the control cable (11), - Installation of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3 ") in the drawer extension (7) in the drawer body (9, 9') and connection of the power cable (10) to a supply voltage, so that the inside of the drawer (R) of the drawer (3, 3 ', 3 ") can be evacuated in a controlled manner after this conversion in a closed position of the drawer (3, 3', 3") in the drawer body (9, 9 ').