Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D23/00—General constructional features
  • F25D23/12—Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D11/00—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
  • F25D11/02—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators with cooling compartments at different temperatures
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D31/00—Other cooling or freezing apparatus
  • F25D31/005—Combined cooling and heating devices

Definitions

• This application relates generally to a method and apparatus for storing a food item and, more specifically, to a refrigeration device and method exposes food stored in a refrigerated environment to a field generated using a low- frequency alternating signal.
• the subject application involves a refrigeration device for storing food within an electric field.
• the refrigeration device includes a fresh food compartment in which food is to be stored within a refrigerated environment having a target temperature above zero degrees Centigrade, and a freezer compartment in which food is to be stored in a sub-freezing environment having a target temperature below zero degrees Centigrade.
• a storage compartment in which a desired temperature for storing food in the storage compartment is selectable by a user independently of the target temperature of at least one of the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment is also provided.
• a refrigeration system provides a cooling effect to the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the storage compartment, and a conductor is arranged within close physical proximity to a bottom surface of the storage compartment.
• a control system controls delivery of an alternating electric signal to the conductor for generating an electric field that extends into the storage compartment, wherein the alternating electric signal comprises a frequency less than 1 kHz and a voltage greater than or equal to 1 kV.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an illustrative embodiment of a refrigeration device
• FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway view of the refrigeration device in FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a drawer removably received within a storage compartment located in a fresh food compartment of a refrigeration appliance, the storage compartment and drawer having a temperature that is controllable independently of a temperature within one or both of a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment.
• the phrase "at least one of, if used herein, followed by a plurality of members herein means one of the members, or a combination of more than one of the members.
• the phrase "at least one of a first widget and a second widget” means in the present application: the first widget, the second widget, or the first widget and the second widget.
• “at least one of a first widget, a second widget and a third widget” means in the present application: the first widget, the second widget, the third widget, the first widget and the second widget, the first widget and the third widget, the second widget and the third widget, or the first widget and the second widget and the third widget.
• FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of a refrigeration appliance 10, configured as what is referred to as a "bottom-mount" refrigerator.
• the refrigeration appliance 10 is shown and described herein in the bottom- mount configuration, the refrigeration appliance 10 can include any relative arrangement of a refrigeration compartment and a freezer compartment without departing from the scope of the invention.
• the refrigeration appliance 10 includes a cabinet 1 1 defining a fresh food compartment 12 in which food is to be stored in a refrigerated environment having a target temperature above zero (0°C) degrees Centigrade, and a freezer compartment 14 (FIG. 2), the interior of which is concealed in FIG. 1 by a door 16, disposed at an elevation vertically below an elevation of the fresh food compartment 12.
• the freezer compartment 14 can optionally be arranged at an elevation vertically above the fresh food compartment 12, or laterally next to the fresh food compartment 12 according to other embodiments.
• Yet other embodiments of the refrigeration appliance can include only a fresh food compartment 12 or only a freezer compartment 14.
• the illustrative embodiments of the refrigeration appliance 10 described below include a freezer compartment 14 disposed vertically below the fresh food compartment 12.
• a first door 22 is pivotally connected to the cabinet 12 adjacent to a first lateral side of the cabinet 12 with a hinge assembly.
• a second door 26 is pivotally connected to the cabinet 12 adjacent to a second lateral side to the cabinet 12 with a hinge assembly.
• the first and second doors 22, 26 are each insulated to minimize the escape of heat from the fresh food compartment 12. Opening the doors 22, 26 allows a user standing in front of the refrigeration appliance 10 to gain access to the interior of the fresh food compartment 12. According to certain illustrative embodiments, opening the doors 22, 26 can also optionally grant the user access to a drawer 30 that is removably received within a storage compartment 32 (FIG.
• the storage compartment 32 can be considered to be located within the fresh food compartment 12 and including an external surface that is exposed to a temperature within the fresh food compartment 12, but defining a separate refrigerated storage location therein.
• the refrigeration appliance 10 also includes a refrigeration system 18 shown schematically in FIG. 2.
• the refrigeration system 18 is operable to provide a cooling effect to an interior of at least one, and optionally all of the fresh-food, freezer and storage compartments 12, 14, 32.
• the refrigeration system 18 chills air to be supplied as cool air 34 into the freezer compartment 14, cool air 36 into the fresh food compartment 12, and cool air 38 into the storage compartment 32.
• the cool air 38 introduced to the storage compartment 32 can optionally be supplied via a duct (not shown) that extends between the freezer compartment 14 and the storage compartment 32, and controlled through operation of a damper 40.
• Adjustment of the damper 40 to regulate and control the temperature within the storage compartment 32, and the optional drawer 30, can be controlled via a printed circuit board assembly (“PCBA") 42 including the appropriate control circuitry, for example, or any other suitable controller, dedicated to control the temperature within the storage compartment 32.
• PCBA printed circuit board assembly
• the refrigeration system 18 can be any suitable cooling system employing a refrigerant that undergoes a phase change from liquid to gas in an evaporator as is known in the art to remove heat from air being introduced into at least one of the fresh-food and freezer compartments 14, 16.
• a compressor can be provided to the refrigeration system 18 to compress gaseous refrigerant to a high- temperature, high-pressure gas that is condensed and partially cooled to a warm liquid by a condenser.
• the warm liquid refrigerant is exposed to an interior of an evaporator assembly comprising many heat-transferring fins, in which the refrigerant rapidly expands and vaporizes into a gas.
• the phase change extracts the latent heat of vaporization from the ambient environment of the evaporator, thereby cooling air blown over the evaporator to be introduced into at least one of the fresh food and freezer compartments 14, 16 to provide the desired cooling effect.
• the gaseous refrigerant is returned to the compressor and the cycle repeated as necessary.
• FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the drawer 30 removably received in the storage compartment 32.
• the drawer 30 spans substantially the entire width of the fresh food compartment 32 in the transverse direction indicated by arrow 35. According to alternate embodiments, the drawer 30 can span approximately half the distance across the width of the fresh food compartment 12, or less.
• a top surface 44 in the form of a plastic cap that forms part of the partition separating the storage compartment 32 from the interior of the fresh food compartment 12 supports a user interface 46 that is operatively connected to communicate with the PCBA 42.
• the user interface 46 can include up/down temperature buttons 48 or other appropriate input devices that can be manipulated by the user to increase/decrease the desired temperature within the storage compartment 32.
• the user interface 46 can optionally include category buttons 50, each relating to a different category of food and a corresponding temperature to be established within the storage compartment 32.
• a signal indicative of the desired temperature input via the user interface 46 is transmitted to the PCBA 42.
• the PCBA 42 can control operation of the damper 40 (FIG. 2) and/or the refrigeration system 18 to provide a cooling effect to an interior of the storage compartment 32. This cooling effect is suitable to cause the temperature therein to approach the desired temperature input via the user interface 46.
• the PCBA 42 can be dedicated for controlling the temperature in the storage compartment 32 independently of the temperature within at least one of the fresh food and freezer compartments 12, 14, and optionally independent of both.
• a user can input a desired temperature for storing the particular food in the drawer 30 within the storage compartment 32 independent of the target temperature established for one or both of the fresh food and freezer compartments 12, 14.
• the user can optionally input the desired temperature to be established within the drawer 30 by keying in a specific numerical temperature via the user interface 46, can utilize up/down temperature control buttons, or otherwise directly specify the desired temperature within the drawer 30.
• the user can optionally input the desired temperature to be established within the drawer 30 by pressing a button or otherwise manipulating an input device provided to the user interface 46 corresponding to a specific food, or type (e.g., meat, seafood, beverages, etc...) of food, to be stored in the drawer 30.
• a processing component such as a microprocessor provided to the PCBA 42, for example, can execute computer-executable instructions stored in a non- transitory computer-readable memory to select an appropriate temperature for the selected food or type of food.
• a user interface 46 that presents the user with both options for inputting the desired temperature within the drawer 30, or includes different input devices such as a touch-screen interface, control knob, etc... allowing the user to control the desired temperature within the drawer 30.
• At least one conductor 52, and optionally a plurality of conductors 52, 54, each formed from an electrically- conductive material, can be arranged within close physical proximity (e.g., within 6 inches or less) to the storage compartment 32, and optionally the drawer 30.
• a lower conductor 52 can be arranged to be substantially parallel with a bottom surface of the storage compartment 32 and the drawer 30, and coupled to a bottom surface of the storage compartment 32.
• Other embodiments can include a lower conductor 52 that is coupled to, or otherwise installed adjacent to a bottom surface of the drawer 30.
• Yet other embodiments can include a lower conductor forming the bottom of the drawer 30, or suspended beneath the drawer 30.
• the lower conductor 52 can optionally be permanently secured adjacent to the bottom of the storage compartment 32 such that the removal of the lower conductor 52 can not be accomplished without subjecting a portion of the refrigeration appliance 10 to physical damage.
• a tool that is specifically adapted to release the lower conductor 52 from the refrigeration appliance 10 and/or specific knowledge of the physical configuration of the refrigeration appliance 10 not possessed by a typical end user can optionally be required to remove the lower conductor 52. Installing the lower conductor 52 in this manner can serve to discourage, or optionally prevent users from attempting to remove or otherwise interact with the lower conductor 52.
• the lower conductor 52 can be formed from any suitable electrically-conductive material such as a metal alloy, for example.
• a specific example of a suitable metal alloy is an aluminum alloy that includes a combination of aluminum with at least one of magnesium and silicon, such as 6061 aluminum alloy and, more specifically, 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, for example.
• an upper conductor 54 can optionally be provided adjacent to the top surface 44 of the storage compartment 32 that partitions a portion of the storage compartment 32 from the interior of the fresh food compartment 12.
• the upper conductor 54 can be installed within close proximity to the top surface 44, optionally installed in a substantially permanent manner, and formed from any suitable electrically -conductive material. As shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, the upper conductor 54 is suspended from the top surface 44 of the storage container, but could alternately be disposed above the top surface 44, embedded and fully enclosed within the top surface 44, or otherwise installed adjacent to the top surface 44.
• the conductors 52, 54 are described herein as metallic plates for the sake of brevity, the conductors 52, 54 can be formed from an electrically-conductive material of any shape, such as parallel or serpentine wire runs for example, according to other embodiments.
• the conductor(s) 52, 54 are formed from any suitable electrically- conductive material, and can form an antenna such as a monopole antenna, for example, which is an ungrounded conductor with a small current consumption to emit an electromagnetic field. According to other embodiments, the conductor can act as an electrode when a return conductive path to a reference potential such as ground is established for the conductor(s) 52, 54.
• An alternating electric signal can be supplied to the lower conductor 52, the upper conductor 54, or both the lower and upper conductors 52, 54 under the control of a control system 60 (FIG. 2).
• the control system 60 can be realized by any suitable electric and/or electronic circuitry and/or processing components to convert a supply signal into the alternating electric signal to be delivered via respective conductors 62 to one or both of the lower and upper conductors 52, 54.
• Each respective conductor can establish an electrically-conductive connection to deliver the alternating electric signal from the control system 60 to one or both conductors 52, 54, which can each lack a return connection to a ground terminal of the control system 60, allowing a floating voltage to be established between the conductors 52, 54 and the control system 60.
• a coax cable is one example of a suitable conductor 62.
• one or both conductors 52, 54 can optionally be replaced or arranged in combination with a permanent magnet, electromagnet, and the like to establish a magnetic field in lieu of, or in addition to the electric field generated as a result of supplying the alternating electric signal to one or both conductors 52, 54.
• the electric field can be an electromagnetic field generated by supplying the alternating electric signal to one or both conductors 52, 54.
• the field generated will be described herein as an electric field, which can also be accompanied by a magnetic field.
• the supply signal can be any alternating electric signal such as the signal output from a conventional AC household receptacle supplied with electricity by an electric utility.
• a supply signal has a voltage of approximately 115 V and a frequency of approximately 60 Hz before being converted into the alternating electric signal.
• the supply signal can have a voltage of approximately 240 V, and a frequency of approximately 50 Hz.
• the alternating electric signal can be a sinusoidal, square wave, sawtooth wave, or any other oscillating signal.
• the alternating electric signal supplied by the control system 60 to the conductor(s) 52, 54 can also include a voltage that is greater than or equal to 1 kV, and optionally within a range from about 1 kV to about 10 kV.
• the frequency of the alternating electric signal supplied by the control system 60 can include a frequency of about 60 Hz, about 50 Hz, or any suitably-low value that is less than 1 kHz.
• the alternating electric signal supplied to each can be substantially in phase with the alternating electric signal supplied to the other.
• the conductors 52, 54 are arranged to prevent the electric field 64 generated by each conductor 52, 54 from canceling or significantly interfering with the electric field 64 generated by the other one of the conductors 52, 54.
• Supplying the alternating electric signal to the ungrounded lower conductor 52, upper conductor 54, or both conductors 52, 54 generates an electric field 64 that emanates from the one or more conductors 52, 54 supplied with the alternating electric signal.
• the conductor(s) 52, 54 are positioned such that the electric field 64 extends into the storage compartment 32, and optionally into the drawer 30, where food stored therein will be exposed to the electric field 64.
• This electric field 64 can have a field strength falling within a range from about 1 kV/m to about 150 kV/m.
• the electric field 64 generated as described herein can interfere with the proper functioning of other control components such as the PCBA 42 that controls the temperature within the drawer 30, for example.
• a shield 66 formed from a material that is at least one of electrically-conductive and magnetic can at least partially separate the PCBA 42 or other control circuit from the conductors 52, 54, thereby at least partially protecting the PCBA 42 from the electric field 64.
• the shield 66 forms a housing that extends substantially around the portions of the PCBA 42 that would otherwise be directly impacted by the electric field 64.
• the alternating electric signal can optionally be supplied to one or both electrodes 52, 54 in a manner to generate the electric field suitable to enhance the preservation of a particular food and/or type of food stored in the drawer 30.
• the selection of a type of food input by a user via the user interface 46 described above can optionally be used by a computer processor or other suitable controller provided to the PCBA 42, for example, to determine a voltage, frequency, or combination of voltage and frequency of the alternating electric signal to be supplied to the one or more conductors 52, 54 for generating the electric field specifically suited for enhancing the preservation of the food and/or food type selected via the user interface 46.
• the alternating electric signal can optionally be supplied to the one or more conductors 52, 54 in a plurality of different operational modes. For instance, based on the specific food and/or food type to be stored in the drawer 30 input via the user interface 46, or otherwise selected either directly or indirectly by the user, the alternating electric signal can optionally be supplied in a continuous mode, a pulsed mode, or a variable mode. In the continuous mode, the alternating electric signal can be supplied with a predetermined voltage and/or frequency suitable for enhancing the food and/or food type to be stored in the drawer 30 for as long as the food is stored in the drawer 30. Thus, in the continuous mode, the alternating electric signal is supplied substantially continuously while the food is stored in the drawer 30.
• the alternating electric signal with a predetermined voltage and/or frequency can be repeatedly delivered continuously during limited pulse periods of time.
• Each pulse period of time is substantially shorter than the time the food is stored in the drawer 30, and a plurality of pulses of the alternating electric signal are supplied to the one or more conductors 52, 54 while the food is stored in the drawer 30.
• the alternating electric signal can be supplied to the lower conductor 52, the upper conductor 54, or both conductors 52, 54 for X seconds, where X is an integer that is greater than or equal to 2 , for example, or any suitable duration.
• the alternating electric signal Delivery of the alternating electric signal to one or both conductors 52, 54 can then be terminated for a desired period of time before being restarted for the next pulse.
• the alternating electric signal is repeatedly delivered to the one or more conductors 52, 54 (substantially in phase when delivered to both) and terminated while the food is stored in the drawer 30.
• the duty cycle of the pulses of the alternating electric signal can optionally be independently determined for each pulse, and can vary among pulses.
• the alternating electric signal can optionally be supplied to the one or more conductors 52, 54 to generate the electric field with a variable voltage and/or frequency.
• the voltage and/or frequency can be initially established and vary during delivery of the alternating electric signal to one or both conductors 52, 54.
• the frequency can be maintained at a frequency less than 1 kHz and a voltage greater than or equal to 1 kV.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
• Cold Air Circulating Systems And Constructional Details In Refrigerators (AREA)

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• 2011
  • 2011-12-22 US US13/334,229 patent/US20130160467A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2012
  • 2012-12-20 EP EP12813206.5A patent/EP2795211A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2012-12-20 WO PCT/US2012/070770 patent/WO2013096533A2/en unknown
  • 2012-12-20 BR BR112014015128A patent/BR112014015128A8/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2012-12-20 KR KR1020147020566A patent/KR20140134645A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2012-12-20 CN CN201280063709.5A patent/CN104160223A/zh active Pending

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