WO2007125122A1

WO2007125122A1 - A refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2007125122A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/054224
Authority: WO
Inventors: Emre Arisoy; Soner Kahraman; Turgay Ercan; Fatih Demiray
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2006-05-01
Filing date: 2007-04-30
Publication date: 2007-11-08
Also published as: TR200807954T1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator (1) comprising an irradiation device (5) that preserves the freshness of the foodstuff stored inside. In the refrigerator (1) of the present invention, an irradiation device (5) movably attached to the body (2) and a box (8) that when disposed inside the body (2) enables the irradiation device (5) to turn are provided.

Description

Description A REFRIGERATOR

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator comprising an irradiation device that provides to keep fresh the foodstuff stored inside for a longer period of time.

[0002] The foodstuff stored in refrigerators for a long time are observed to lose their nutritional values, their characteristics degraded and turn yellow with time. The research done has shown that some foods that are exposed to light, particularly to light of certain wavelengths, have a prolonged storage life, also increase in the vitamin values and preserved their color. For example, the chlorophyll present in the green leafed vegetables is most sensible to light in wavelengths of 420-430 and 620-630 nm, the carotenoid in orange colored foods is sensible to light in wavelengths of 460-490 nm. Therefore various irradiation devices have been emplaced in refrigerators to preserve foodstuffs for a longer period of time.

[0003] In the state of the art Japanese patent application no. JP2005065622, a refrigerator comprising an irradiation board having red, blue and green LED's is described. These LED' s are turned on in suitable combinations to form the light wavelength required for each vegetable group.

[0004] In the Japanese patent application no. JP2005164131, an irradiation device is energized when the vegetable container is installed in place. When the vegetable container is not installed in the storage room, the irradiation device is stopped. A transparent window is situated on the vegetable container and the light radiating from an exterior source passes through reaching the vegetables. Whether or not the vegetable container is in place is detected by a sensor or a switch.

[0005] In the Japanese patent application no. JP1028473, an irradiation device is described that illuminates the vegetable container. A group of reflecting plates provides the light to be dispersed to the vegetable container.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to design a refrigerator comprising an irradiation device that can be used effectively, providing to prolong the storage life of foodstuff.

[0007] The refrigerator designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is explicated in the attached claims. In the refrigerator of the present invention, an irradiation device is provided, preferably rotatably disposed on the body, and movable between at least two positions. The refrigerator furthermore comprises a box that when emplaced in the body provides the irradiation device to be moved from one position to the other. When the box is not in the body, the irradiation device is in a non-irradiation position. When the box is disposed in place, a pusher situated on the box provides the irradiation device to move towards a position of irradiating the interior of the box. When in this position, the irradiation device starts to irradiate light in the suitable wavelength providing to increase the vitamin values and prolong the storage life of the foodstuff in the box. Consequently, the irradiation device is provided to be energized only when the box is in place by utilizing a simple mechanism. The problem is solved by using a relatively low cost apparatus instead of expensive devices like sensors.

[0008] In another embodiment of the present invention, the irradiation device radiates a white light. In this embodiment, furthermore a transparent and colored filter is arranged on the box. The user can provide different types of foodstuff to be bathed in different wavelengths of light by using different filters. Accordingly, it is possible to select the most suitable wavelength of light for a certain foodstuff.

[0009] In another embodiment of the present invention, the irradiation device, while in non-irradiation position, stays in housing in the body, without forming a protrusion on the wall of the body. Consequently, the irradiation device is prevented from being damaged by the impact of items within the body.

[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, the box is a drawer (for ex. the vegetable container). When the box is pushed into place, the irradiation device rotates to the radiation position. However, in order to use the same irradiation device for illuminating the interior of the body, a biasing means is provided that moves the box away from the irradiation device when the door is opened, allowing the irradiation device to be free in changing to another position for illuminating the interior of the body. This biasing means is situated on the body, and is compressed when the box is mounted in place. On the other hand, the box that bears on the door provides both the contraction of the biasing means and the box to stay in place. However, when the door is opened, the biasing means pushes the box back. Consequently, the irradiation device being freed of the pusher resumes the position of lacing upwards and illuminates the entire body.

[0011] In this embodiment, instead of the biasing means, it is possible to utilize an arm with one end attached to the door and the other end to the box. When the door is opened, the box is pulled towards the opening of the body by means of the arm.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, the carrier is configured with two vanes arranged on both sides of its rotational axis. The weight of one vane is more than the weight of the other. Accordingly, it is possible for the irradiation device to stay in the non-irradiating position or to automatically change to non-irradiating position when the box is displaced without the need of using any additional gadgets.

[0013] In another embodiment of the present invention, the irradiation device is forced to stay in the non-irradiating position by being pushed / pulled by a spring when the box is not in place. The box that is pushed into place provides the irradiation device to turn towards the radiating position by overcoming the force applied by the spring.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, connectors are disposed on the body whereto the conductive ends of the irradiation device contact only while in the radiating position. The irradiation device rotated by being pushed by the pusher of the box can conduct electricity when in the radiating position.

[0015] The refrigerator designed to fulfill the object of the present invention is illustrated in the attached claims, where:

[0016] Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a refrigerator.

[0017] Figure 2 - is another schematic view of the refrigerator.

[0018] Figure 3 - is the perspective view of the irradiation device and the box.

[0019] Figure 4 - is the detailed view of the refrigerator when the irradiation device is in non-radiating position.

[0020] Figure 5 - is the detailed view of the irradiation device in non-radiating position.

[0021] Figure 6 - is another detailed view of the irradiation device in the radiating position.

[0022] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Refrigerator

2. Body

3. Door

4. Housing

5. Irradiation device

6. Vane

7. Carrier

8. Box

9. Pusher

10. Filter

11. Biasing means

12. Conductor

[0023] The refrigerator (1) comprises a body (2) and a door (3) providing access from outside into the body (2). [0024] The refrigerator (1) of the present invention furthermore comprises a carrier (7) movably attached to the body (2) and an irradiation device (5) secured on the carrier (7). The irradiation device (5) is preferably a LED (Light Emitting Diode). The electric current required for the irradiation device (5) can be supplied from a power source (not shown in the figures) on the carrier (7) or from the main power supply.

[0025] The refrigerator (1) in addition to the above, comprises a box (8) that can be emplaced within the body (2) when desired, having a pusher (9) that provides the irradiation device (5) to be moved between at least two positions by bearing on the carrier (7) (figure 1 and Figure 2). The pusher (9) provides the irradiation device (5) to shift from the non-radiating position to a position illuminating the interior of the box (8) by sliding or preferably by rotating the carrier (7) around an axis.

[0026] In this embodiment, the irradiation device (5) is preferably disposed on the rear wall of the body (2) and the pusher (9) is situated correspondingly on the surface of the box (8) facing this wall, in a position aligned with the irradiation device (5). If the box

(8) is not in its place in the body (2), the irradiation device (5) is in the non-radiating position (Figure 1, Figure 5). When the user disposes the box (8) in place, the pusher

(9) starts to push the carrier (7) providing the irradiation device (5) to turn towards the radiating position (Figure 2, Figure 6). In this position, the irradiation device (5) starts to irradiate and most of the light emitted enters the box (8). Consequently, the light radiated in the suitable wavelength provides to increase the vitamin values and help in prolonging the storage life of foodstuff in the box (8).

[0027] By means of this embodiment, while the box (8) is empty, the irradiation device (5) does not radiate unnecessarily and also does not occupy space within the body (2) needlessly. When relatively fast spoiling food like green leafed vegetables is desired to be stored for as long a time as possible, the user places them in the box (8) and disposes the box (8) within the body (2). The pusher (9) contacts the carrier (7) as the user pushes the box (8) towards the rear wall, without the need to do anything else. As the carrier (7) starts to rotate, the irradiation device (5) resumes the radiating position.

[0028] In a second embodiment of the present invention, while the box (8) is disposed in place and if the irradiation device (5) is in the position of illuminating the inside of the box (8), the irradiation device (5) can change to the position of illuminating the interior of the body (2) when the door (3) is opened. In order to provide this the refrigerator (1) comprises a biasing means (11) that moves the box (8) away from the irradiation device (5), freeing the irradiation device (5) to resume the said position (Figure 4). This biasing means (11) is situated on the body (2) and is compressed while the box (8) is pushed into place. The door (3) that bears on the box (8) from the opposite side of the biasing means (11) enables the biasing means (11) to be compressed. However, when the door (3) is opened, the biasing means (11) pushes back the box (8). The irradiation device (5) freed of the pusher (9), turns towards the suitable position and starts to illuminate all of the body (2).

[0029] In another alternative of this embodiment, instead of the biasing means (11), it is also possible to utilize an arm (not shown in the figures), with one end attached to the door (3) and the other end to the box (8) for moving the box away from the irradiation device (5) when the door (3) is opened. When the door (3) is opened, the arm pulls the box (8).

[0030] In a third embodiment of the present invention, the carrier (7) comprises a cylindrical portion forming the rotational axis and vanes (6) that extend thereof from both sides (figure 3). The weight of one vane (6) is more than the weight of the other. Accordingly, when the box (8) is displaced, the irradiation device (5) resumes the non- radiating position automatically.

[0031] In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a spring (not shown in the figures) that provides the irradiation device (5) to stay at the non-radiating position by pulling or pushing the carrier (7) when the box (8) is not in its place. The spring and the pusher (6) exert force on the carrier (7) from different sides of the axis, each one trying to turn the carrier (7) to opposite directions. The force exerted on the box (8) by the user is transferred to the carrier (7) by way of the pusher

(9) and provides the irradiation device (5) to turn towards the radiating position by overcoming the force applied by the spring.

[0032] In a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises more than one conductor (12) on the carrier (7) conveying the required electric current to the irradiation device (5) and more than one connector (not shown in the figures) to which the ends of the conductors (12) contact only when the irradiation device (5) is in a certain position. Consequently, electric current can be supplied when the irradiation device (5) resumes the radiating position.

[0033] In a sixth embodiment of the present invention, an irradiation device (5) that radiates white light is utilized. In this embodiment, furthermore the box (8) comprises a transparent and colored filter (10) that corresponds to the front of the irradiation device (5) (figure 3, Figure 4). The user can provide each foodstuff to be bathed in the light of suitable wavelength by using boxes (8) having filters (10) of different colors and/or filters (19) of different colors on the same box (8). This provides the user with flexibility of application.

[0034] In a seventh embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a housing (4) on the body (2) in which the irradiation device (5) is situated (figure 1, Figure 2). The housing (4) has a shape and size that does not inhibit the movement of the irradiation device (5) and the carrier (7). The irradiation device (5) stays in the housing (4) when in the non-irradiation position and preferably does not protrude from the wall of the body (2). By this means, the irradiation device (5) is prevented from being damaged by the impact of items emplaced in the body (2).

[0035] By means of the irradiation device (5) situated in the refrigerator (1) of the present invention that can rotate to resume the radiating position when the box (8) is disposed in place, a simple and low cost device is provided. Furthermore, as the box (8) can be displaced out of the body (2) when empty, the volume can be utilized more efficiently. In addition, the user is provided with a convenient mode of utilization by the refrigerator (1) of the present invention.

Claims

[0001] A refrigerator (1) comprising a body (2) and a door (3) providing access from outside into the body (2) and characterized by a carrier (7) movably attached to the body (2) and an irradiation device (5) secured on the carrier (7), providing to radiate the light of the suitable wavelength for preserving the nutritional values of vegetables and fruit, that can be moved between at least two positions, one being the radiating position and the other non-radiating position and a box (8) having a pusher (9) that provides the irradiation device (5) to be moved from the non-radiating position to a position of illuminating the inside of the box (8) by bearing on the carrier (7) as it is emplaced within the body (2).

[0002] A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a an irradiation device (5) emitting a white light and box (8) having a transparent and colored filter (10), corresponding to the front side of the irradiation device (5).

[0003] A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a housing

(4) situated on the body (2) in which the irradiation device (5) is disposed.

[0004] A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a biasing means (11) that moves the box (8) away from the irradiation device (5) when the door (3) is opened, providing the irradiation device (5) to be free to resume the position of illuminating the inside of the body (2).

[0005] A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized by an arm with one end attached to the door (3) and the other end to the box (8) providing the irradiation device (5) to change to the position of illuminating the inside of the body (2) by moving the box (8) away when the door (3) is opened.

[0006] A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by an irradiation device (5) which is a LED (Light Emitting Diode).

[0007] A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a carrier

(7) that can rotate around an axis by the contact of the pusher (9), comprising a cylindrical portion forming the rotational axis and vanes (6) that extend thereof from both sides, the weight of one being more than the weight of the other.