JP2009050384A - Food storage cabinet - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a food storage cabinet in which ethylene gas can suitably be removed with a simple configuration utilizing existing kitchen equipment without using any electronic component. <P>SOLUTION: The food storage cabinet 1 has a food storage drawer box 3 stored so as to be taken in and out from a front opening 12 of an outer box 2, an ethylene decomposing catalyst 4 is disposed inside, and the food storage drawer box 3 has a front plate 31 covering the front opening 12. The outer box 2 is structured such that an air inlet 7 is opened at the lower part and an exhaust port 6 is opened at the upper part, and the ethylene gas generated from food stored in the food storage drawer box 3 is exhausted from the exhaust port 6 by air flow from the air inlet 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a food storage for storing fresh foods such as root vegetables and fruits.

  Roots such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach and Japanese mustard, and fresh foods such as fruits such as mandarin oranges and apples can be dried, softened, etc. It can no longer be used as an ingredient due to decay.

  Therefore, the present applicant has proposed a food storage for the purpose of mold prevention, deodorization, removal of ethylene gas that causes deterioration, moisture retention, and the like (see Patent Document 1).

  This food storage has a water particle discharge part, a counter electrode facing the water particle discharge part, a water supply means for supplying water to the water particle discharge part, and a water particle discharge part and the counter electrode. Electrostatic atomization that has a voltage application unit that applies high voltage and generates nanometer-sized charged fine particle water from water in the water particle emission unit by applying a high voltage between the water particle emission unit and the counter electrode The apparatus is installed in an air circulation unit that circulates air by blowing air from a fan in a storage provided in a kitchen, and an ethylene gas removal catalyst is disposed in an air passage in the air circulation unit.

This kind of food storage can supply nanometer-sized charged fine particle water containing active species generated by an electrostatic atomizer to the food, and the charged fine particle water penetrates into the pores of the food epidermis. In addition to being moisturized, active species can act in an infiltrated state to sterilize, deodorize and remove ethylene gas, and food can be stored in a fresh state over a long period of time. In addition, ethylene gas can be removed from the air circulating in the storage by the ethylene gas removal catalyst, and deterioration of food by ethylene gas can be further prevented.
JP 2006-61072 A

  However, as described above, the food storage described in the above literature requires a lot of electronic parts to be incorporated in the kitchen equipment, and has a complicated structure. Therefore, in the kitchen, it is limited to a limited place. It can only be installed and is extremely difficult to incorporate into existing kitchen facilities. Moreover, it cannot be manufactured at low cost due to the complexity of the configuration.

  The present invention has been proposed in view of such circumstances, and the object thereof is suitable for removing ethylene gas with a simple configuration that does not require the incorporation of electronic components and can use existing kitchen equipment. It is to provide a food storage room that can be used. It is also a main object of the present invention to provide a food storage that can remove residual ethylene gas that cannot be decomposed by the internally equipped ethylene decomposition catalyst.

  In order to achieve the above object, the food storage according to claim 1 has a food storage drawer box that is detachably stored from the front opening of the outer box, and has an ethylene decomposition catalyst disposed therein. The food storage drawer box has a front plate that covers the front opening, and the outer box has a structure in which an intake port is opened in the lower part and an exhaust port is opened in the upper part, and is stored in the food storage drawer box. The ethylene gas generated from the food is exhausted from the exhaust port by the flow of air flowing from the intake port.

  In claim 2, the intake port is an opening hole formed near the front end of the lower plate portion of the outer box, and the exhaust port is an opening hole formed near the upper end of the back plate portion of the outer box.

  The food storage according to claim 3 is provided with a perforated plate or a permeable membrane in at least one of the intake port and the exhaust port.

  According to the food storage of claim 1, the exhaust gas in the upper part is caused by the flow of the air that has flowed in the ethylene gas generated from the food stored in the food storage drawer box from the air inlet in the lower part of the outer box. Since the food storage drawer box is stored in the outer box and the front opening is closed, residual ethylene gas that cannot be decomposed by the ethylene decomposition catalyst in the food storage is suitably discharged and removed. it can.

  In addition, this food storage has a simple structure with an ethylene decomposition catalyst, an intake port and an exhaust port, and it does not use electronic components, so it can be used in cupboards, kitchen cabinets, pantry, etc. It can be incorporated easily and the cost can be reduced.

  According to the food storage of claim 2, the intake port is an opening hole formed near the front end of the lower plate portion of the outer box, and the exhaust port is formed near the upper end of the back plate portion of the outer box. Since it is an opening hole, ethylene gas lighter than air can be put on the flow of air introduced from below and the inflowing air can be effectively exhausted throughout the interior without impairing the appearance.

  According to the food storage of Claim 3, since it is the structure which uses a perforated plate or a permeation | transmission membrane as an inlet port and an exhaust port, only gas can pass and there is no possibility that dust and dust may invade. Also, since the inside cannot be seen from the outside, the appearance is very good.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 and 2 are schematic longitudinal sectional views showing an example of the food storage of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a view when the food storage drawer box is closed, and FIG. 2 is a view when it is opened. .

  The food storage 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a front opening 12, and can be put in and out through a rectangular or cubic outer box 2 having a space portion 11 inside and the front opening 12 of the outer box 2. A food storage drawer box 3 is provided.

  In the outer box 2, the upper plate 21 and the lower plate 24 are arranged to face each other, a back plate 23 is disposed between the rear end lower surface of the upper plate 21 and the rear end upper surface of the lower plate 24. Side plates 22 are disposed between the lower surfaces of both side ends and the upper surfaces of both side ends of the lower plate 24, are formed in a box shape, and store the food storage drawer box 3 so as to form a space 11 therein. ing. The outer box 2 is fixed and placed on the lower pedestal 9 and is connected to the wall 8 by a connecting portion 13.

  Further, the humidity control material 5 is disposed on the inner surface of the upper plate 21 of the outer box 2, and the ethylene decomposition catalyst 4 is disposed on the lower surface of the humidity control material 5 so as to be in contact with the space portion 11. .

  The humidity control material 5 is made of, for example, diatomaceous earth or a material containing diatomaceous earth, and absorbs moisture when the humidity of the space portion 11 rises and suppresses the increase in humidity. The humidity adjustment is performed so as to increase the humidity by suppressing the fluctuation of the humidity in the space portion 11 as much as possible.

  In order to suitably adjust the humidity of the space portion 11 in the outer box 2, it is desirable to arrange the humidity control material 5 on the inner surface of 1/3 or more of the total area of the inner surface of the outer box 2. What is necessary is just to adjust suitably considering the surrounding environment etc. in which 1 is installed.

  The ethylene decomposition catalyst 4 can be appropriately selected from a porous material such as activated carbon or zeolite adsorbed with ethylene monooxynase as an ethylene oxidase, a palladium catalyst, a photocatalyst, or the like. Since ethylene gas is slightly lighter than air, the ethylene decomposition catalyst 4 is disposed in the upper part of the space portion 11 in the outer box 2.

  Further, in the outer box 2, an exhaust port 6 (back plate exhaust port 6a) is provided near the upper end of the back plate 23, and an intake port 7 (lower plate intake port 7a) is provided near the front end of the lower plate. . In this example, the back plate exhaust port 6a is formed by inserting a perforated plate having a large number of small holes into the opening hole of the back plate 23, and the lower plate intake port 6a is formed with an opening hole. Yes.

  In addition, a wall side exhaust port 6c communicating with the back plate exhaust port 6a is opened in the connecting portion 13.

  On the other hand, the food storage drawer box 3 is provided in the outer box 2 so as to match the shape of the outer periphery of the front end of the outer box 2 and to cover the front opening 31 in front view, and to face the front plate 31. The back plate 33 having a height slightly lower than the lower end position of the back plate exhaust port 6a is connected to the front plate 31 and the back plate 33 at both end portions, and the height is equal to or lower than the height of the back plate 33. And both the bottom plate 34 and the bottom plate 34 connected to the lower end of the back plate 33 and the side plates 32. A space surrounded by the front plate 31, the back plate 33, the side plates 32 and the bottom plate 34 and opened upward is used as a food storage unit 10 for storing fresh food products V such as root vegetables and fruits.

  Both side plates 32 of the food storage drawer box 3 are provided with travel guides (not shown) such as rails that serve as a sliding mechanism so that they can be smoothly put in and out.

  Further, even in the closed state of the food storage 1 shown in FIG. 1, the outer peripheral edge of the front plate 31 does not contact the outer peripheral portion of the front end of the outer box 2, and the upper opening gap 6 b as the exhaust port 6 and the intake port 7 and a lower opening gap 7b. The opening gaps 6b and 7b may be formed by adjusting the traveling guide, or may be formed by providing a spacer at an appropriate position on the outer peripheral portion of the front end of the outer box 2.

  The food storage 1 holds the closed state as shown in FIG. 1 when the food is not taken in and out, and the ethylene gas generated from the food being stored in this state is provided in contact with the space portion 11. The decomposition catalyst 4 can be decomposed and removed.

  Furthermore, when the closed state is extended for a long time or when the decomposition ability of the ethylene decomposition catalyst is reduced, ethylene gas that cannot be decomposed may stay in the space 11, but such residual ethylene gas is Since it is lighter than air, the exhaust port 6 is formed by the air flow F formed by the lower plate intake port 7a and the lower opening gap 7b and the back plate exhaust port 6a and the upper opening gap 6b. Can be discharged to the outside atmosphere and removed. In this example, the ethylene gas discharged from the back plate exhaust port 6a is discharged to the outside through the wall side exhaust port 6c. However, the back plate exhaust port 6a is not provided with the wall side exhaust port 6c. It is good also as a structure discharged | emitted directly outside from.

  Further, in this example, the opening 7 a of the lower plate 24 and the front lower opening gap 7 b are provided in combination as the intake port 7, and the perforated plate 6 a of the back plate 23 and the front upper opening gap 6 b are provided as the exhaust port 6. Although they are provided in combination, either the intake port or the exhaust port may be configured as either one. In addition, the intake port may be provided with a perforated plate in the opening hole, or the opening hole may be used as it is as the exhaust port. Further, a permeable membrane made of a porous material such as an ethylene permeable membrane may be provided in the opening hole as an intake port and an exhaust port.

  At least the intake port may be provided in the lower portion and the exhaust port may be provided in the upper portion so that the airflow flows through the entire space portion 11 in the outer box 2. For example, the intake port may be provided in the lower part of the back plate 23 and the both side plates 22, and the exhaust port may be provided in the upper part of the both side plates 22 and the upper plate 21. The perspective view of FIG. 3 shows an example in which a plurality of air inlets 7 are provided in the lower part of the side plate 22 and the lower plate 24 and a plurality of air outlets 6 are provided in the upper part of the side plate 22 and the upper plate 21.

  As described above, even when the food storage 1 is in a closed state, the ethylene decomposition catalyst 4 and the intake port 7 and the exhaust port 6 opened in the outer box 2 hardly leave ethylene gas as a mature hormone. Therefore, the maturation of fresh food products such as root vegetables and fruits can be suppressed, and the freshness retention period of the fresh food products can be extended in combination with the humidity adjustment effect by the humidity control agent 5.

  In particular, the food storage 1 of this example has an extremely simple structure with an ethylene decomposition catalyst 4 and an intake port 7 and an exhaust port 6, and does not use electronic components. It can be easily incorporated into kitchen facilities such as a pantry and the cost can be reduced.

It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the closed state which showed an example of the food storage warehouse of this invention. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the open state of the food storage. It is the schematic perspective view which showed the other examples of the food storage of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Food storage 2 Outer box 21 Upper plate 22 Side plate 23 Back plate 24 Lower plate 3 Food storage drawer box 31 Front plate 32 Side plate 33 Back plate 34 Bottom plate 4 Ethylene decomposition catalyst 5 Conditioning material 6 Exhaust port 6a Back plate exhaust port 6b Upper opening gap (exhaust port)
6c Wall side exhaust port 7 Air intake port 7a Lower plate air intake port 7b Lower opening clearance (intake port)
10 Food storage part 11 Space part 12 Front opening

Claims (3)

A food storage box having a food storage drawer box that is stored in a removable manner from the front opening of the outer box, and having an ethylene decomposition catalyst disposed therein,
The food storage drawer box has a front plate that covers the front opening, and the outer box has a structure in which an intake port is opened at a lower portion and an exhaust port is opened at an upper portion.
A food storage, wherein ethylene gas generated from food stored in the food storage drawer box is exhausted from the exhaust port by the flow of air flowing in from the intake port. In claim 1,
The intake port is an opening hole formed near the front end of the lower plate portion of the outer box, and the exhaust port is an opening hole formed near the upper end of the back plate portion of the outer box. . In claim 2,
A food storage, wherein a perforated plate or a permeable membrane is provided in at least one of the intake port and the exhaust port.

Images