JPH07289072A - Container for maintaining freshness of vegetable or fruits - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the container for maintaining the freshness of vegetables or fruits, capable of being easily and commonly used in a domestic refrigerator and retaining the freshness of the vegetables or fruits for long period of time. CONSTITUTION:The container 1 capable of being installed in a low temperature tank 10 such as a refrigerator comprises a rid for charging or discharging vegetables or fruits, a water reservoir 3 at the bottom, and air-permeable racks 4 disposed at places apart from the water level of the water reservoir 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to lettuce, green onions, cabbage,
Radish, parsley, celery, sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes,
The present invention relates to a container that can retain freshness of freshly harvested vegetables and fruits such as peaches and apples, which are highly valued for a long time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Among vegetables, leaf vegetables, in particular, wither in a short time when left indoors. Therefore, it is generally stored in the vegetable storage room of the refrigerator. However, most of the vegetable storage rooms of refrigerators that are usually sold on the market are of a type in which the upper part of the vegetable storage room is slightly lower than the outside temperature and the upper part is open. Generally, in such a structure, the vegetables are kept at a low temperature, but due to lack of consideration for drying, the texture gradually deteriorates.

There is a great deal of interest in this reduction in freshness, and much research has been done. For example, Japanese Patent Publication Sho 52-439
No. 00 keeps the temperature and relative humidity effective for storage, and
The amount of carbon dioxide is being examined. It is also shown in JP-A-54-73149 that it is effective to store plants in a closed container to which a small amount of carbon dioxide is added. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-63418, a container is provided with a moisture permeable film formed of a hydrophobic resin film, and the opening surface is sealed with a lid to enable long-term storage of vegetables. Recently, it has been taken up that ethylene acts on putrefaction of vegetables and the like. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-232423, an air enriched with carbon dioxide and water vapor is produced by causing a pressure difference between both sides of a specific gas separation membrane. Attempts have been made to remove ethylene in the vegetable container to allow long-term preservation of the vegetable by causing the ethylene to flow into the vegetable container. An example in which an ethylene removing device is positively provided is also found in JP-A-4-371778.

[0004]

None of these disclosed means can be easily implemented at home, and many cannot be implemented in terms of cost. The present inventor has studied a container that can be used easily and regularly in a household refrigerator and that can maintain freshness for a long period of time.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] As a result of the study, it is a closed container 1 that can be installed in a low temperature refrigerator 10 such as a refrigerator. The closed container 1 includes a lid 2 for putting in and taking out vegetables and fruits, and water at the bottom. A container for keeping freshness of vegetables and fruits has been developed, which comprises a reservoir 3 and an aeration shelf 4 provided above the water level of the reservoir 3. The temperature of the low-temperature storage here is a temperature at which vegetables are not frozen, that is, about 3 to 10 ° C. The bottom sump 3 may simply be filled with water, but a carrier such as
It may be sponge or felt placed in the bottom and soaked in water. Further, it is possible to provide a plurality of ventilated shelves inside the vegetable compartment, lay the water-containing sponge on the bottom that does not come into contact with vegetables, and provide the above-mentioned openable lid on the top. Good.

As a type that can be stored in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, the closed container 1 has a size that can be stored in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, has a plurality of ventilated shelves 4 inside, and has a hinge 5 and a lid 2 at the top. A lid 2 that can be opened and closed by an elastic band 6 between the containers 1.
A container for keeping freshness of vegetables and fruits, comprising: The elastic band 6 here is most preferably a rubber band, but the use of a coil spring or the like is not denied.

The closed container 1 is a horizontally long container that can be installed in a door shelf such as an egg storage shelf provided on the door 10a of the refrigerator.

The closed container 1 can also be a vertically long container that can be installed in a door shelf such as a milk storage shelf provided on the door 10a of the refrigerator.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the water contained in the water reservoir 3 below the aeration shelf 4 evaporates in response to the vegetables and fruits in the container demanding water. Since the temperature is low at about 3 to 10 ° C, vegetables are not affected by active spoilage bacteria and ethylene, which is a factor that deteriorates the freshness of vegetables, is small. Since vegetables are supplied with water in that state, the freshness of the vegetables and fruits is maintained for a long period of time.

If the closed container 1 is sized to fit in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, and a plurality of stages of aeration shelves 4 are provided inside, the vegetables and fruits are stored in multiple stages to keep them fresh. Further, the lid 2 having the structure in which the elastic band 6 between the lid 2 and the container 1 is elastically supported on the upper portion is opened upward by the spring force of the elastic band even if the lid is not removed. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the place of the removed lid.

[0012] A thin oblong object which can be installed in a door shelf such as an egg storage shelf provided in the door 10a of the refrigerator enables compact storage of tomatoes, bell peppers and the like.

When the closed container 1 is a vertically long one that can be installed in a door shelf such as a milk storage shelf provided on the door 10a of the refrigerator, the onion, burdock, asparagus, etc. are vertically accommodated to maintain the freshness. can do.

[0013]

1 and 2 are examples of a freshness-retaining container of the present invention of a type that can be stored in a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator. FIG. 1 is a front view, FIG. 2A is a side view, and FIG. FIG. The sealed container is made of clear plastic and has about the same volume as the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. The bottom is a water reservoir 3, and two stages of ventilation shelves 4, 4 are provided on top of it. Each shelf is a mesh plate and is installed on the shelf receiving projection 1a provided on the inner wall of the container. A hinge 5 is provided on the upper rear portion of the container 1, and a rubber elastic band 6 is bridged between the protrusion 2a provided on the rear portion of the lid 2 and the protrusion 1b provided on the container 1. At the front part of the lid 2, there is a locking hook part 2b which is locked to the protrusion 1c at the upper edge of the front part of the container 1. Vegetables 11
The lid 2 is naturally opened by the elasticity of the elastic band 6 when the engaging hook portion 2b is removed when the fruits and fruits 12 are taken in and out. As a result of storing vegetables in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator using this freshness-keeping container, the freshness hardly changed even after 2 weeks.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an example of a freshness-keeping container of a type that can be stored in a shelf provided on a door 10a of a refrigerator and in which relatively small solid substances such as eggs and butter are stored. FIG. 4 is a side view. Also in this example, the closed container 1 is composed of a lid 2 for putting in and taking out vegetables and fruits, a water reservoir 3 at the bottom, and a ventilation shelf 4 provided at an upper position apart from the water level of the water reservoir 3. Ideal for storing fruits 12, especially tomatoes,
Vegetables can also store burdock and Chinese chive. Lid 2
This also has a hinge on the rear side, but it may be a cover type that opens upward and removes it.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an example of a freshness-retaining container of a type installed on a door 10a of a refrigerator for storing milk or other vertically oriented shelves. FIG. 5 is a front view and FIG. 6 is a side view. is there. The closed container 1 is vertically long, has a water reservoir 3 at the bottom, and a ventilation shelf 4 is provided at a higher position apart from the water level of the water reservoir 3.
Is provided. The lid 2 is also on the front side and is opened by the hinges 1d, 1d on the sides. Ideal for storing green onions and burdock vertically. Store the green onion in this freshness-keeping container with water in the bottom and store it in the refrigerator door 10
When it was installed in a and stored in that state, the freshness was hardly reduced even after 3 weeks.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a freshness-keeping container of the type provided with legs 1e. Two containers of the same shape are piled up, in which case one of them is turned upside down. By stacking them, the vegetables 11 and the fruits 12 can be housed, so that the lid 2 can also be used.

[0017]

Industrial Applicability According to the present invention, vegetables and fruits can be stored in a home refrigerator or the like for a long period of time while keeping freshness.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a freshness storage container of the present invention of a type that can be stored in a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator.

FIG. 2A is a side view of a type that can be stored in a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator, and FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of a hinge portion.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a freshness-keeping container of a type that can be stored in a shelf in which small solids such as eggs provided on a door of a refrigerator are stored.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an example of a freshness storage container of a type that is installed on a shelf for storing milk or the like in a vertical direction.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a freshness-keeping container of a type that allows two layers to be stacked.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Airtight container 2 Lid 3 Water reservoir 4 Ventilation shelf 5 Hinge 6 Elastic band 10 Low temperature storage 10a Door 11 Vegetable 12 Fruit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A closed container 1 which can be installed in a low temperature refrigerator 10 such as a refrigerator, wherein the closed container 1 has a lid 2 for putting in and taking out vegetables and fruits, a water reservoir 3 at the bottom, and water in the water reservoir 3. A container for keeping freshness of vegetables and fruits, comprising a ventilation shelf 4 provided at a higher position apart from the level. 2. The closed container 1 according to claim 1 is sized to fit in a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator, has a plurality of ventilated shelves 4 inside, and has a hinge 5 and a lid 2 at the top and elasticity between the container 1. A container for keeping freshness of vegetables and fruits, which has a lid 2 which can be opened and closed by a band 6. 3. The closed container 1 according to claim 1 is a refrigerator door.
A container for freshness of vegetables and fruits which is a horizontally long container that can be installed in a door shelf such as an egg storage shelf provided in 10a. 4. The closed container 1 according to claim 1 is a refrigerator door.
A container for freshness of vegetables and fruits which is a vertically long container that can be installed in a door shelf such as a milk storage shelf provided in 10a.