KR102042792B1 - Food storage apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A food storage apparatus comprises: a housing having an air suction port and a supply port; a cooling fan disposed in the housing and adjacent to the air suction port and the supply port; a motor disposed in the housing and rotating the cooling fan; a thermoelement adjacent to the cooling fan in the housing; and a cover connected to the housing and having a space that can accommodate foods.

Description

Food Storage Appliances {FOOD STORAGE APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a food storage device, and more particularly to a food storage device that can be used at the table.

In general, the refrigerator is provided with a door in the front, and is configured to open the door to store various drinks and foods, or to take out the stored foods. However, these refrigerators are large and are mainly disposed separately in the kitchen, and thus, in order to take out food, the refrigerators need to be frequently moved to the kitchen, which is very troublesome.

In particular, in order to store food on the table again, when storing it in the refrigerator, the food must be moved to a separate container in the refrigerator, and when the food is left on the table, there is a problem of food corruption or loss of freshness. there was. Accordingly, as a food storage mechanism, there is a table refrigerator (Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0038919) and the like, but the existing dining table needs to be replaced, and the portable refrigerator is integrated with the existing dining table. There was no special convenience of being.

In addition, even though the consumption of food is very important, modern people who are becoming small families are uncomfortable in preparation and eating after eating, and it is difficult to dispose of the remaining foods. There was a need to keep.

Republic of Korea Patent Application Publication No. 10-2018-0038919

Accordingly, the technical problem of the present invention was conceived in this respect, the object of the present invention is to provide a table food storage mechanism that can be used easily.

Food storage mechanism according to an embodiment for realizing the object of the present invention is a housing formed with an intake port and a supply port, the cooling fan is disposed in the housing, adjacent to the intake port and the supply port, in the housing And a motor disposed to rotate the cooling fan, a thermoelectric element disposed in the housing adjacent to the cooling fan, and a cover connected to the housing and configured to accommodate food.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the cover includes an upper surface and a side, the lower surface is open, can cover and accommodate the food.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the lower opening and the upper opening may be formed on the side of the cover facing the inlet and the supply port. The lower opening may face the intake port, and the upper opening may face the supply port.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the cover may further include a connecting portion coupled to the housing. The cover may be rotatable with respect to the housing about the connection portion.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the food storage mechanism may further include a sealing portion disposed under the sides of the cover. When the cover is closed to accommodate the food in the space, the sealing portion may contact the upper surface of the table on which the food is placed.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the thermoelectric element may include a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface. The first surface may be disposed to face the cooling fan, and as the food storage device is operated, endotherm may be generated at the first surface and heat dissipation may be performed at the second surface.

In one embodiment of the present invention, it may further include an exhaust fan disposed in the housing, disposed on the second surface of the thermoelectric element.

In one embodiment of the invention, the food storage mechanism may further include a cooling fan cover coupled to the housing. The intake port and the exhaust port may be formed in the cooling fan, and after opening the cooling fan cover, the cooling fan may be detachable.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the food storage mechanism may be disposed in the housing, and may further include a control unit for controlling the operation of the motor and the thermoelectric element.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing may include a first portion, a second portion and a third portion disposed in order along the first direction. The motor may be disposed in the first portion, the controller may be disposed in the third portion, and the cooling fan and the thermoelectric element may be disposed in the second portion.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the food storage mechanism is connected to the housing and the support for supporting the housing, and the suction plate disposed under the support portion is adsorbed on the surface on which the food storage mechanism is placed to fix the housing It may further include.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing may be cylindrical extending in the first direction. The cover can be attached directly to the housing, along a sealing line of the housing surface.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing and the components inside the housing may constitute a body. The center of gravity of the body may be located above the cover side with respect to the central axis of the cylinder.

In one embodiment of the present invention, protruding from the housing, when the body is rolled, it may further include a locking portion that can support and secure the body.

Food storage device according to an embodiment for realizing the object of the present invention is formed in the housing, the cylindrical housing extending in the first direction, the inlet and the supply port, the inlet and the supply port A cooling fan disposed adjacently, a motor disposed in the housing and rotating the cooling fan, a thermoelectric element disposed adjacent to the cooling fan in the housing, and a space connected to the housing to accommodate food It includes a formed cover. The cylindrical housing is rolled on an upper surface such as a table so that the cover is closed or opened.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the food storage device is a housing having an intake port and a supply port, a cooling fan disposed in the housing, adjacent to the intake port and the supply port, disposed in the housing, the cooling fan It includes a motor for rotating a, a thermoelectric element disposed adjacent to the cooling fan in the housing, and a cover connected to the housing, the space is formed to accommodate food. By operating the food storage device, the food in the space can be conveniently stored without the need for separate storage in the refrigerator.

However, the effects of the present invention are not limited to the above effects, and may be variously extended within a range without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of a food storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main body of the food storage device of FIG. 1. FIG.
3 is a side cross-sectional view of the food storage mechanism of FIG. 1.
4 is a plan cross-sectional view of the food storage mechanism of FIG. 1.
5A and 5B are views for illustrating a state of use of the food storage device of FIG. 1.
6 is a perspective view of a food storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7A and 7B are views for illustrating a state of use of the food storage device of FIG. 6.
8 is a perspective view of a food storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is an exploded perspective view of the cover of the food storage mechanism of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II ′ of FIG. 8.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As the inventive concept allows for various changes and numerous embodiments, particular embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the text. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific disclosed form, it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of a food storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main body of the food storage device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the food storage mechanism of FIG. 1. 4 is a plan cross-sectional view of the food storage mechanism of FIG. 1.

1, 2, 3, and 4, the food storage device may include a body 100 and a cover 200.

The body 100 may include a housing 110, a cooling fan cover 120, a cooling fan 130, a motor 140, a thermoelectric element 150, an exhaust fan 160, and a controller 170. .

The body 100 may have a cylindrical shape extending in the first direction D1. However, the shape of the body 100 is not limited thereto. The body 100 may provide cold air to the space SP in the cover 200 and may suck hot air in the space SP. An operation switch 102 is formed on the body 100 to control the operation of the food storage device.

The support part 104 may be disposed below the body 100. The support part 104 may support the cylindrical body 100 to be fixed on a table or a table. A suction plate 106 may be further disposed below the support part 104 to be adsorbed on the upper surface of the table or the table. The suction plate 106 may be firmly supported by the upper surface of the table or table, even when the cover 200 of the food storage device is opened or closed.

The housing 110 may include a first portion 110a and a second portion 110b. The first portion 110a and the second portion 110b may be combined to form an outer surface of the body 100. The cooling fan 130, the motor 140, the thermoelectric element 150, the exhaust fan 160, and the control unit 170 may be accommodated in the housing 110.

The housing 110 may include a first region A1, a second region A2, and a third region A3 arranged in order along the first direction D1. The second area A2 is disposed between the first area A1 and the third area A3, and the second area A2 is disposed between the first and third areas A1 and A3. Can be separated.

The cooling fan 130, the thermoelectric element 150, and the exhaust fan 160 may be disposed in the second area A2. The motor 140 may be located in the first area A1, and the controller 170 may be located in the third area A3.

An inlet 122 and a supply port 124 may be formed in the cooling fan cover 120. The supply port 142 and the inlet 122 may be disposed adjacent to the cooling fan 130. The supply port 124 may be formed above the inlet 122. Cold air may be supplied into the space SP of the cover 200 through the supply port 124. Hot air in the cover 200 may be introduced into the body 100 through the inlet 122.

The cooling fan cover 120 is installed to be detachable from the housing 110, so that the user removes the cooling fan cover 120 as necessary to remove the cooling fan cover 120 and the cooling fan 130. Can be cleaned or replaced

The cooling fan 130 may be disposed in the housing 110, and may be disposed adjacent to the inlet 122 and the supply port 124. The cooling fan 130 may include a cylindrical body 132 and a plurality of blades 134 formed in the cylindrical body. That is, the cooling fan 130 has a cylindrical shape extending in the first direction D1, and the plurality of blades 134 may be formed along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical body 132.

The motor 140 may be disposed in the housing 110 and may rotate the cooling fan 130. The rotation shaft 42 of the motor 140 may protrude from the first space A1 into the second space A2 and be coupled to the cooling fan 130. On the other hand, the cooling fan 130 may be separated from the rotation shaft 42 as necessary, it may be coupled to the rotation shaft 42, so that it can be easily washed.

The thermoelectric element 150 may be disposed adjacent to the cooling fan 130. That is, the cooling fan 130 may be disposed between the thermoelectric element 150, the intake port, and the supply ports 122 and 124. Here, the thermoelectric element refers to a device that implements heat absorption and heat generation by using the Peltier Effect. The Peltier effect refers to an element that generates heat when one type of metal is paired to flow current. The other contact point refers to a phenomenon of endotherm (吸熱 = cooling).

The thermoelectric element 150 may include a first surface 152 facing the cooling fan 130 and a second surface 154 facing the first surface 152. An endotherm may be formed on the first surface 152, and heat radiation may be formed on the second surface 154.

The exhaust fan 160 may be disposed on the second surface 154 of the thermoelectric element 150. As the food storage mechanism is operated, the exhaust fan 160 may discharge heat generated from the second surface 154 to the outside of the body 100.

The controller 170 may be disposed in the housing 110 to control the operation of the motor 140 and the thermoelectric element 150. For example, the controller 170 may include a control circuit and a battery for controlling the operation of the motor 140 and the thermoelectric element 150. A user may operate the control unit 170 by operating the operation switch 102.

The cover 200 may be disposed adjacent to the body 100 in a second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1. The cover 200 is connected to the housing 110, and a space SP for accommodating food may be formed therein. The cover 100 includes an upper surface and a side surface, and a lower surface thereof is opened to cover and accommodate the food. The cover 200 may be formed of antibacterial plastic. In another embodiment, the cover 200 may be divided into a plurality of parts and opened and closed in a sliding manner. That is, parts of the cover 200 divided into a plurality of parts may be overlapped or unfolded to form an openable structure.

A lower opening 204 and an upper opening 202 are formed on the side of the cover facing the inlet 122 and the supply port 124, and the lower opening 204 faces the inlet 122. The upper opening 204 may be disposed to face the supply port 124.

The cover 200 may further include a connection portion 210 coupled to the housing 100. The connection portion 210 may protrude from the cover 200 toward the body 100 and be coupled to a connection portion coupling groove formed in the body 100. The cover 200 is rotatable with respect to the housing 110 with respect to the connecting portion 210, the cover 200 is a vertical perpendicular to the first and second directions (D1, D2) The space in which food is stored may be opened by rotating in three directions D3. (See Figure 5)

The sealing unit 220 may be disposed below the side surface of the cover 200. The sealing unit 220 is configured to closely contact the upper surface of the table or table on which the food storage device is placed and the cover 200, and may be formed of an elastic material such as rubber. Accordingly, the cold air may be prevented from escaping through the space between the cover 200 and the table or the table.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 again, as the motor 140 rotates, the cooling fan 130 may rotate to suck hot air in the cover 200 into the body 100. The suctioned hot air reaches the first surface 152 of the thermoelectric element 150 as the cooling fan 130 rotates, and the endothermic effect of the first surface 152 of the thermoelectric element 150 is increased. As a result, the temperature is lowered, and cold air passing through the thermoelectric element 150 may be supplied into the cover 200 by the cooling fan 130 again. Accordingly, the space SP in the cover 200 may maintain a low temperature and keep food fresh. Heat generated from the second surface 154 of the thermoelectric element 150 may be discharged to the outside of the body 100 through the exhaust fan 160.

According to the present embodiment, the food storage mechanism has a refrigeration function with respect to the space SP. However, the first surface 152 of the thermoelectric element 150 and the thermoelectric element 150 are operated by operating the controller 170. It is also possible to reverse the endothermic and heat generating functions of the second surface 154 to function as a warmer.

5A and 5B are views for illustrating a state of use of the food storage device of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 5A, food 20 is placed on a table or table 10. The body 100 of the food storage device may be positioned on the upper surface of the dining table 10, and the cover 200 may be closed to store the food 20 in the space SP of the cover 200. As the food storage device is operated, the foods 20 in the space SP may be conveniently stored without needing to be separately stored in the refrigerator.

Referring to FIG. 5B, the cover 200 may be opened to remove or eat the food 20. In this case, the cover 200 may be rotated about the rotation shaft 212 of the connecting portion 210 to open the cover 200. Accordingly, even if the food 20 placed on the dining table 10 is not moved to be stored separately in the refrigerator, it can be freshly stored and eaten for a long time.

6 is a perspective view of a food storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The food storage mechanism is a cover 400 is attached to the body 300 is formed integrally, the body 300 is rolled (rolling) relative to the table surface (Fig. 1) except that the cover 400 is opened. It may be substantially the same as the food storage device of the fourth to fourth. Therefore, repeated description is omitted.

Referring to FIG. 6, the cover 400 may be directly attached to the body 300. That is, along the sealing line SL of the body 300, the cover 400 is directly attached to the housing of the body 300, so as to the space between the body 300 and the cover 400 Problems such as cold air leakage can be reduced. In addition, the cover 400 may be opened or closed by rolling the lower surface of the body 300 with respect to the upper surface of the table or the table. In addition, the engaging portion 308 is formed in the body 300, the body 300 may be supported so as not to move in the open state. (See FIGS. 6A and 6B for details)

According to this embodiment, since the inlet port 324 and the supply port 324 are directly connected to the space SP without going through the lower opening or the upper opening (204, 202 of FIG. 1), the cooling efficiency can be improved. have. In addition, since it does not include a separate configuration for rotating the cover 200, the structure can be simplified, the design can be elegant.

7A and 7B are views for illustrating a state of use of the food storage device of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 7A, food 20 is placed on a table or table 10. The body 300 of the food storage device is positioned on the upper surface of the dining table 10, and the cover 400 is positioned to cover the food 20 so that the food in the space SP of the cover 400. 20 can be stored.

At this time, the center of gravity (CM) of the body 300 on the basis of the center (CT) of the cylindrical body 300 of the upper side of the cover 400 side (in the drawings, A, B, C, D region of the A region). Therefore, even if the lower surface of the body 300 is curved, since the force acts in the direction in which the cover 400 is closed by the position of the center of gravity (CM), the cover 400 may not be easily opened.

Referring to FIG. 7B, the body 300 may be rolled with respect to the dining table 10, the cover 400 may be opened, and the food 20 may be taken out or eaten. At this time, by the locking portion 308, the body 300 can be supported in the open state, the cover 400, in this case, according to the position of the center of gravity (CM) of the body 300, the cover Since the force acts in the opening direction 400 and the locking portion 308 prevents the body 300 from moving, the body 300 can be stably fixed in the open state of the cover 400. have.

8 is a perspective view of a food storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the cover of the food storage mechanism of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II ′ of FIG. 8.

8 to 10, the food storage device may be substantially the same as the food storage device of FIG. 1 except for the cover 600, the air flow guide 630, the release button 620, and the plate 700. have. Therefore, repeated description is omitted.

The cover 600 includes an outer cover 600a and an inner cover 600b and may be formed in a double manner. An air gap AG or a vacuum layer may be formed between the inner cover 600b and the outer cover 600a. The cover 600 is formed in a double, it is possible to more efficiently insulate the space in the cover 600 from the outside.

The cover 600 may be opened and closed like the food storage device of FIG. 1 by being coupled with the housing 500 by the connection part 610, and may be separated from the housing 500 as necessary.

In addition, although not shown, the driving unit and the control unit may be connected to the cover 600 to automatically control the opening and closing of the cover 600.

An air flow guide 630 may be disposed inside the cover 600 and above the space. The air flow guide 630 facilitates cold air provided to the space in the cover 600 from a supply port (see 124 of FIG. 1, etc.) to an end of the cover 600 (direction away from the housing). Can be moved. Meanwhile, a plurality of openings 632 may be formed in the air flow guide 630 to provide cold air to food in the cover 600 through the openings 632.

A release button 640 may be provided on the cover 600. The release button 640 is a button for removing the pressure difference between the outside and the inside by introducing outside air when the pressure of the space in the cover 600 is lower than the outside pressure to become a negative pressure state. By pressing the release button 640, the pressure difference between the outside and the inside can be eliminated, and the cover 600 can be easily opened.

On the other hand, the space may be in a negative pressure state of the pressure lower than the outside as the food storage mechanism is operated. This is because the air temperature in the space is lowered, a portion of the air flows out through the exhaust fan, etc., and the sealing part 620 may seal the space.

The plate 700 may be disposed under the cover 600 to form the space together with the cover. The plate 700 may be a double plate behavior in which the hollow H is formed, and may include a heat radiation material. That is, the plate 700 may include a heat dissipation sheet. Therefore, as the temperature in the space is lowered, the plate 700 is lowered, so that the food on the plate 700 may be kept at a low temperature for a predetermined time even when the cover 600 is opened. On the other hand, the plate 700 is formed with a fixing portion 702, the body of the food storage mechanism can be fixed or separated.

Although not shown, an air purification filter (not shown) may be added to a passage through which air is circulated in the body of the food storage device to further include an air purification function.

The operation panel 502 may be disposed to correspond to an opposite surface to which the cover 600 of the housing 500 is coupled and an upper portion of the housing 500. The operation panel 502 may include a display panel, an operation switch touch screen, and the like, and a user may control the operation of the food storage device such as on / off and temperature control through the operation panel 502.

According to embodiments of the present invention, by simply covering the food on the table or table using a cover of the food storage mechanism, and by activating the cooling function, the food can be stored fresh without having to put in the refrigerator.

In addition, the food storage device may be used not only for the home table, but also for the storage of certain foods such as showcases for bakery shops, medical and infection prevention tables, and certain foods such as sushi and cakes that can maintain the flavor of the food at a low temperature. have.

Although described with reference to the embodiments above, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be variously modified and changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Could be.

100: body 110: housing
120: cooling fan cover 130: cooling fan
140: motor 150: thermoelectric element
160: exhaust fan 200: cover

Claims (18)

A housing formed with an intake port and a supply port;
A cooling fan disposed in the housing and disposed adjacent to the intake port and the supply port;
A motor disposed in the housing and rotating the cooling fan;
A thermoelectric element disposed in the housing adjacent to the cooling fan; And
A cover connected to the housing, the cover having a space for receiving food,
Cold air is provided to the space in which the food in the cover is received through the supply port, and the hot air in the space is sucked through the intake port,
The cover includes an upper surface and a side, the lower surface is open, food storage mechanism, characterized in that to cover and accommodate the food. delete According to claim 1,
A lower opening and an upper opening are formed in the side surface of the cover facing the intake port and the supply port,
And the lower opening faces the intake port, and the upper opening faces the supply port. The method of claim 3, wherein
The cover further includes a connection portion coupled with the housing,
And the cover is rotatable relative to the housing about the connection. According to claim 1,
Further comprising a sealing portion disposed below the side of the cover,
And the sealing portion is in contact with the upper surface of the table on which the food is placed when the cover is closed to accommodate the food in the space. According to claim 1,
The thermoelectric element includes a first side and a second side facing the first side, the first side facing the cooling fan, and the first side is endothermic as the food storage mechanism is operated. And the heat dissipation is performed on the second surface. The method of claim 6,
And an exhaust fan disposed in the housing and disposed on the second side of the thermoelectric element. According to claim 1,
Further comprising a cooling fan cover coupled to the housing,
And the intake port and the exhaust port are formed in the cooling fan, and after the cooling fan cover is opened, the cooling fan is removable. According to claim 1,
And a control unit disposed in the housing and controlling a operation of the motor and the thermoelectric element. The method of claim 9,
The food storage device, characterized in that the cooling fan and the thermoelectric element is disposed between the motor and the control unit. The method of claim 9,
A support part connected to the housing and supporting the housing; And
And a suction plate disposed under the support, the suction plate being fixed to the surface on which the food storage device is placed to fix the housing. According to claim 1,
The housing is cylindrical,
And the cover is attached directly to the housing, along a sealing line of the housing surface. The method of claim 12,
The housing and the components inside the housing constitute a body,
The center of gravity of the body is located above the cover side with respect to the central axis of the cylindrical food storage mechanism. The method of claim 13,
It is formed to protrude from the housing, when the body is rolled, the food storage mechanism, characterized in that it further comprises a locking portion for supporting and fixing the body. According to claim 1,
The cover includes an outer cover and an inner cover, it is formed in double, the food storage mechanism, characterized in that an air gap or vacuum layer formed between the outer cover and the inner cover. According to claim 1,
And the cover is provided with a release button for equalizing the pressure in the space with the external pressure. According to claim 1,
And a plate disposed under the cover to form the space together with the cover. delete

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