MXPA01004079A - Vegetable compartment in refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

Vegetable compartment in a refrigerator including a partition for forming a vegetable storage space in a cold storage room, a container for being accommodated in the vegetable storage space, and a cover over the container, the cover having water collecting means on a bottom surface, thereby permitting fresh and prolonged storage of vegetables.

Description

VEGETABLE COMPARTMENT IN A REFRIGERATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator and, more particularly, to a compartment of vegetables in a refrigerator, for storing vegetables separately from other foods, in a cold storage area of a refrigerator.

BACKGROUND OF RELATED ART In general, separately from the general food storage chamber, the refrigerator has the vegetable compartment in the lower part of the cold storage area for the storage of vegetables. As shown in Figure 1, such a vegetable compartment is provided with a partition 6 to form a vegetable storage space in the cold storage area 2, and a container 4 in the storage space. This container 4, which has an open upper part, is covered by the partition 6 mounted on the side walls 2a and 2b of the cold storage area 2 and is opened / closed by pulling / pushing the container 4, ie pulling this container 4, the open top of the container 4 is exposed, through which the vegetables can be stored or removed. In general, inside the container 4 can be cooled, directly or indirectly. However, even if the interior of the container 4 is cooled, an interior temperature of this container 4 will be slightly higher than the temperature of the cold storage area 2. Actually, taking into consideration the characteristics of the vegetables, the interior temperature of the container 4 is set to maintain a temperature slightly higher than the temperature of the cold storage area 2, with the consequent temperature difference between the interior of the container 4 and the 2 cold storage area. Particularly, while an upper surface of the division 6 is at a low temperature, as the upper surface is exposed to the cold storage area 2, a bottom surface of the division 6 is at a relatively high temperature, as the background surface is exposes to the interior of the container 4, to cause dew formation, in which the moisture, inside the container 4 with the relatively higher temperature, condenses on the bottom surface of the partition 6. As the cooling is maintained, the humidity condensed on the bottom surface of division 6 grows in droplets of water, until these drops of water fall into container 4, as the weight of the drops of water is greater than the surface tension of the water droplets. Figure 2 illustrates the drop of water droplets, formed on the bottom surface of division 6, schematically. In the end, the drops of water accelerate the decomposition of the vegetables, which results in the early degradation of the freshness of the stored vegetables. Meanwhile, the humidity in the air, in the cold area 2 storage, is deposited on a surface of an evaporator, and grows frost, because the surface temperature of the evaporator is very low during the operation of the refrigerator. As this process actually maintains the cold storage area 2, more particularly, the interior of the container 4 dries, to significantly degrade the freshness of the stored vegetables. Many efforts have been made to solve this problem, which will be explained briefly. To prevent droplet dropping, patent EP 0 505 171 Bl discloses a division having a plurality of grooves in the bottom surface to be mounted with an inclination to discharge these drops of water to the outside of the container. However, patent EP 0 505 171 Bl has disadvantages in that the system becomes complicated and takes up a lot of space because a separating member is required to collect water droplets, which flow along the inclined division and discharge outside the refrigerator. Likewise, patent EP 0 505 171 Bl, fails, in fact, to maintain the humidity of the container properly. And, the publication of a Korean Utility Model, No. 10-1997-14694, or Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1997-28396, discloses a moisture filter having activated carbon, which has an excellent capacity of Adsorption mixed therein, mounted inside the container, to adsorb the vaporized moisture of the vegetables, to maintain a quantity of moisture, like the ethylene gas, produced by the oxidation as the air flows inside it. The Korean Utility Model publication, No. 10-1997-63487, discloses a grid of housings formed on the bottom surface of the container partition, each of which forms an open space inside the container, which has a configuration memory network and a moisture filter mounted in succession, to absorb the vaporized moisture of the vegetables and discharge this absorbed moisture, when the container dries. The configuration memory network allows moisture to be discharged into the cold storage area, when the moisture absorbed is excessive, to keep the humidity inside the container constant. However, these descriptions do not intrinsically prevent dew formation, even if the moisture filter, which has mixed activated carbon, is placed in appropriate places on the bottom surface of the division, because surface dew formation occurs. background of the division, is caused by the temperature difference between the upper surface and its bottom surface. And, periodic replacement of the moisture filter causes inconveniences and increases in cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention is directed to a compartment of vegetables in a refrigerator, which substantially obviates one or more of the problems, due to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art. An object of the present invention is to provide a compartment of vegetables in a refrigerator, which can prevent the formation of water droplets by a difference in temperature, between a compartment of vegetables and a cold storage area, which fall • on the vegetables stored in said compartment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vegetable compartment in a refrigerator, which can maintain an appropriate humidity inside the container. Additional features and advantages of the invention are indicated in the following description and in part will be apparent from the description or can be learned by the practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and obtained by the structure indicated in the written description and claims, as in the attached drawings. To achieve these and other advantages and, in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as incorporated and described broadly, the vegetable compartment in the refrigerator includes a division to form a vegetable storage space in a cold storage area, a container to be accommodated in the vegetable storage space and a cover on the container, this cover has an element for the collection of water on a bottom surface. The element for collecting the water includes a plurality of ribs formed to cross each other, each with a fixed width and a fixed height, extended downwards, and a plurality of water collecting spaces formed by the ribs, and preferably further includes supplementary elements for collecting water, for substantially increasing a surface area of the water collection element. Preferably, the supplementary water collecting element is a cavity formed in the ends of the ribs at a crossing of the ribs in a hemispherical shape. Preferably, the supplementary water collection element includes supplementary ribs in the water collection space and a supplementary water collection space, formed by the supplementary ribs, to have a height less than the height of the rib in the shape of a cross or circular. Preferably, the supplementary water harvesting element includes a cavity formed at the ends of the ribs, and a supplementary rib, formed in the water collection space and an additional water collection space, formed by the supplementary rib. The water harvesting element includes a plurality of metal strips, each with a fixed width and a fixed thickness, crossed with each other, and a plurality of water collecting spaces, formed by the strips, and, preferably, the cover includes only the water collection element. In another aspect of the present invention, a compartment of vegetables is provided in a refrigerator, which includes a partition to form a storage space for vegetables in a cold storage area, the division has a water collection element on its surface of bottom and a container to be accommodated in the vegetable storage space. Different forms of the water collection element can be applied, independently of the structure and function and will have the same effect. Thus, the present invention can keep water droplets stable and maintain a moisture within the container at an appropriate level. It will be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and for explanation and are intended to provide a further explanation of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a greater understanding of the invention and are incorporated and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a vegetable compartment of the related art; Figure 2 illustrates a side section of the vegetable compartment of the related art; Figure 3 illustrates a bottom view of a cover of a vegetable compartment, according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 illustrates a side section of a cover of a vegetable compartment, according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, which has a mode of water harvesting elements applied; Figures 5A to 5D illustrate a growth process of a drop of water, in the water harvesting element in Figure 4; Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of a modification of the water collection element; Figures 7 and 8 illustrate perspective views of other modifications of the water collection element; Figures 9A and 9B illustrate plan views of another embodiment of the water collection element; and Figure 10 illustrates a side section of a vegetable compartment, according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Reference is now made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In explaining the present invention, identical parts will have the same names and reference symbols and repetitive explanations of these parts will be omitted. Figure 3 illustrates a bottom view of a cover of a vegetable compartment, according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 illustrates a side section of a cover of a vegetable compartment, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, having an embodiment of an applied water harvesting element. The vegetable compartment, according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cover 200 having a water harvesting element on a bottom surface mounted on a conventional container, together with a conventional partition and the container. The water harvesting element includes a plurality of ribs 210, each with a width and height extended downward from the bottom surface of the cover 200, which intersect each other, and a plurality of water collection spaces 220. , formed by the ribs 210. As the plurality of ribs 210 intersect, the plurality of water collection spaces 220, each having an upper portion closed by the cover, the sides closed by the cross ribs and an open bottom portion. only, they are trained. A form of water collection space 220 may vary depending on the types of rib crossings 210, i.e., an array of the ribs 210, and the shape of the water collection space in the present invention, including the first modality, will be based on a square. Likewise, the water collection elements can be formed by the crossing of the ribs 210, but also a plurality of circular or polygonal ribs of fixed shapes under the cover 200 and a plurality of water collecting spaces formed by the ribs. The functions of the vegetable compartment, according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, which have the water collection elements with the anterior ribs applied, will be explained with reference to Figures 5A to 5D. According to the process of forming a drop of water on the cover 200, caused by a temperature difference between the container 100 and the cold storage area 2, is the same as that already explained, the explanation of the process will be omitted. The drops of water, formed on the bottom surface of the cover 200 by the dew formation, are contained in the plurality of water collecting spaces 220, formed as they cross the plurality of ribs 210. Figures 5A illustrate an initial state of the drops of water "W" contained in the water collection space 210, when there are small water droplets formed on the bottom surface and the side walls of the ribs 210 and, as shown in Figure 5B, as the dew formation, adjacent water droplets melt into a larger drop of water. And, as shown in Figure 5C, as the "" drop of water continues to grow, the drop of water forms a bridge, and so the drop of water "" fills the water collection space 220, completely, at the end . This large drop of water "W" in the water collection space 220, does not drip inside the container 100, because the surface area, composed of the bottom surface and the lateral surface of the ribs 220, is large. the drop of water is in contact. That is, the large surface area provides a large surface tension sufficient to support the weight of the water drop "W" by itself, the water drop "" in the water collection space 220, will not drip. And, as explained, if the vegetable compartment, more particularly, inside the container 100, is dry, the water drop "" in the water collection space 220 vaporizes, to keep the interior of the container 100 in with a proper humidity. Therefore, the vegetable compartment, according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, prevents the decomposition of the vegetables, keeping the drops of water in the water collection spaces 22, when the humidity inside the container 100 is high, and keeps the interior of the container in an appropriate humidity, as water droplets in the water collection spaces 220 vaporize, when the interior of the container is dry, thus allowing the storage of fresh vegetables for a prolonged period. The water collection element, with the ribs, may have supplementary water collection elements, to efficiently contain the water droplets, and Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of a modification of the water collection element , which has the supplementary element of water collection. Referring to Figure 6, the supplemental water harvesting element includes a plurality of cavities 230 at the ends of the ribs 210. That is, in the modification of the water harvesting element, a plurality of ribs 210 are crossed, for forming a plurality of water collecting spaces 220, and a cavity 230 at each crossing of the ribs 210, as a supplemental water harvesting element, to increase the surface area of a lower portion of the ribs 210. Therefore, the water droplets formed, not only in the water collection spaces 220, but also in a lower surface of the ribs 210 can be stored in the cavity 230. And, the cavity 230 can be formed larger than in the grows of the ribs 220, to allow in the adjacent communication water collection spaces 220, the water droplets can move between the adjacent water collection spaces through is from the cavity 230, which allows the uniform storage of the drops of water in all the water collection spaces 220, because a large water drop grows in a water collection space 220, it can be moved to other spaces 220 of water collection, in which no drop of water or only tiny drops of water are formed. With respect to the formation of the cavity 230 in the ribs 210, the cavity 230 can be formed, not limited to the crossing of the ribs 21-0, but in a portion in which the ribs 210 do not cross, whose function is the same. And although the cavity 230 may have a variety of shapes, a hemispherical shape is preferred for the actual increase in surface area and for stable maintenance of the water drop. Figures 7 and 8 illustrate perspective views of other modifications of the water harvesting element, which has supplementary elements of water collection. The other modifications of the supplemental water collection element include a supplementary rib, 211 or 212, formed in a water collection space 220, and an additional space, 221 or 222, of water collection, formed by the supplementary rib 211 or 212. The supplementary rib, 211 or 2121, has a height less than the height of the rib 210, because, if the height of the supplementary rib, 211 or 212, is greater than or equal to, the height of the rib 210, the volume of the water harvesting element can be reduced, due to the own volume of the supplementary rib, 211 or 212. In the above water harvesting supplementary element, shown in Figure 7, a cross shape of the rib Supplementary 211 is formed in the water collection space 220, to increase a surface area, for the stable retention of the water drop formed in the water collection space 220, and the supplementary space io 221 water collection. That is, the water drop makes a uniform contact with the sides of the water collecting space, and an upper lateral surface area of the water drop is increased for the stable retention of an even larger drop of water. In addition to this, the water droplet, formed in the supplementary water collecting space 250, before growing to a larger water droplet, is also a surface area augmented by the supplementary rib 221, it is also possible the stable retention of water. Water's drop. And, as shown in Figure 8, the supplemental water harvesting element may include a circular supplementary rib 212 of a supplementary water collection space 212, in the water collection space 220. This circular supplementary rib 212 can provide the same function and effect as agüella in Figure 7, explained above. The supplementary rib may be in another form in addition to the cross shape, and may be circular, but polygonal, with the same function and effect, explained above. And, although not shown, it is preferable that the modifications in Figures 6 to 8 be applied to the water harvesting elements having ribs, all together. That is, the cavity 230 in Figure 6 is formed at the junction of the ribs 210 and the supplementary rib 211 or 212 and the supplementary space, 221 or 222, of water collection, are formed in the water collection space 220. , according to Figures 7 or 8, to obtain a combined effect of retaining the drop of water formed under the bottom surface of the rib 210 and allowing stable growth of the water drop in the water collection space. Meanwhile, another form of the water collection element can be supplied to the cover 200, which will be explained with reference to Figures 3 and 9A and 9B. The other shape of the water collection element includes a plurality of metal strips, 210a, each with a fixed width and thickness, crossed with each other, and a plurality of water collection spaces 220a, formed by the strips. Each of the water collection spaces between each crossing of the plurality of metal strips 210a, has an upper portion closed by the cover 200 and an open bottom portion. Accordingly, as shown in Figure 3, when viewed from the bottom of the cover 200, the water harvesting element has a profile similar to the water harvesting element having ribs in general. Y, similar to the water collection element, which has the ribs, the water collection space 220a can have a variety of shapes, which depend on the ways of crossing the strip 210, that is, the arrangement of the strip 210a. The cover may only consist of the water collection element of the metal strips. That is, the water collection element is placed on the container 100 instead of the cover, to protect the vegetables in the container 100. When the vegetable compartment having the water collection element cools, directly or indirectly, the water collection element is first cooled as this water collection element is formed of a metal, which has a high thermal conductivity, which causes the concentrated occurrence of the dew formation in the water collection element. Then, the growth and retention process of the water droplet "W" formed, as shown in Figures 9A and 9B, progresses in a manner similar to the water collection element, which has the ribs. And, the stable maintenance of, and the maintenance of moisture by, the water drop "W", are also similar to the water collection element that has the ribs. Figure 10 illustrates a side section of a vegetable compartment, according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment of the present invention, explained above, the vegetable compartment has a cover 200 coupled by a hinge or similar to an upper portion of the container 100, separated from the division 6, which is not convenient in the placement or removal of the vegetables from the vegetable compartment, because the container 100 must be pulled out, before opening the cover 200. Consequently, referring to Figure 9, the vegetable compartment, according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, includes a division 300, which has a water collection element on its bottom surface and a container 100. In addition to the formation of the vegetable storage space in the cold storage area 2, instead of the cover 200 in the first mode, division 300 serves to protect the vegetables in container 100. Therefore, division 300 simplifies a structure of the company. Vegetables and vegetables can be placed in the compartment. Although Figure 10 illustrates a division 300, which has the water collection element with the ribs applied, the water collection element with the strips, may also be applicable, and the previous water collection element, in the second embodiment , has substantially the same definition and modification with the first modality, in terms of the system and function. It can be known from the explanation of the first embodiment that the vegetable compartment of the second embodiment can remain stable in the water droplets formed by the water collection element in division 300, and keep the moisture inside the container, appropriately. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made in the vegetable compartment in a refrigerator of the present invention, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention that are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (16)

1. CLAIMS 1. A compartment of vegetables in a refrigerator, this compartment includes: a division, to form a storage space for vegetables in a cold storage area; a container, accommodated in the vegetable storage space; and a cover sips the container, this cover has water collection elements, to collect it on a bottom surface, where moisture condensed on the bottom surface, is collected and contained within the water collection element by means of the surface tension.
2. 2. A vegetable compartment, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water harvesting element includes: a plurality of ribs, formed to cross each other, each having a predetermined width and a predetermined height, extending downwardly , and a plurality of water collection spaces, formed by the ribs.
3. 3. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising supplementary elements of water collection, to substantially increase the surface area of the water collection element.
4. 4. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 3, in which the supplementary element for collecting water is a cavity formed at the ends of the ribs.
5. 5. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 4, in which the cavity is formed in a crossing of ribs.
6. 6. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 5, in which the cavity is hemispherical.
7. 7. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the supplemental water cooling element includes: a supplementary rib in the water collection space, and an additional water collection space, formed by the supplementary rib.
8. 8. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 7, in which the supplementary rib has a height less than the height of the rib.
9. 9. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 8, in which the supplementary rib is in the form of a cross.
10. 10. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 8, in which the supplementary rib is circular.
11. 11. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the supplementary water harvesting element includes: a cavity, formed at the ends of the ribs, and a supplementary rib, formed in the water collection space and the additional water collection space, formed by the supplementary rib.
12. 12. A vegetable compartment, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water harvesting element includes: a plurality of metal strips, each with a predetermined width and predetermined thickness crossed with each other and a plurality of collection spaces of water, formed by the strips.
13. 13. A compartment of vegetables, as claimed in claim 12, in which the cover comprises only the water collection element.
14. 14. A compartment of vegetables in a refrigerator, this compartment includes: a division to form a storage space for vegetables in a cold storage area, the division has a water collection element on its bottom surface; and a container, accommodated in the vegetable storage space, in which the moisture condensed on the bottom surface is collected and contained in the water collection element by the surface tension.
15. 15. A vegetable compartment, as claimed in claim 14, wherein the water harvesting element comprises: a plurality of ribs, shapes for crossing each other, each having a predetermined width and a predetermined height, extending downwardly , and a plurality of water collection spaces, formed by the ribs.
16. 16. A vegetable compartment, as claimed in claim 14, wherein the water collecting element includes: a plurality of metal strips, arranged to cross each other, each having a predetermined width and a predetermined height, extending to below, and a plurality of water collection spaces, formed by the strips.