WO2011001455A1

WO2011001455A1 - A compact electrical appliance for processing foods and differentiating and disinfecting kitchen waste

Info

Publication number: WO2011001455A1
Application number: PCT/IT2010/000282
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alberto Patarchi
Original assignee: Micronasa Di Patarchi Alberto
Priority date: 2009-07-03
Filing date: 2010-06-25
Publication date: 2011-01-06
Also published as: ITRM20090345A1; IT1394611B1

Abstract

A compact electrical appliance for processing foods and differentiating and disinfecting kitchen waste is constituted by a kitchen furniture item having integrated in its upper part a work counter (19) and, posteriorly thereto, a machine (20) to close under vacuum foods and waste to be compacted, and a distributor of bags (26), and under the work counter (19) a series of compartments, each being able to be hermetically sealed with an oscillating sash (21), and inferiorly a hermetically closed drawer (22) with a plurality of compartments, a complex (1) being provided that comprises: ozoniser device (4), ioniser device (31) for negative ionisation and scenting device (5).

Description

A Compact Electrical Appliance For Processing Foods And Differentiating And

Disinfecting Kitchen Waste

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a compact electrical appliance for processing foods and differentiating and disinfecting kitchen waste.

The diversified collection of waste, which is everyone's duty, is the best way to preserve national resources for our own benefit and for future generations.

In other words, diversified collection means energy conservation, environmental protection, better quality of life.

Background Art

Containers for home use which allow diversified collection are known, along with other devices for home treatment such as triturators for the reduction of bulk, centrifuges and dehydrators to reduce the water contained in the waste and decrease their mass. It is well known that the bulk of the waste to be disposed of represent a significant problem both in the home environment and in their transport and storage. However, these complex devices introduce annoying unpleasant effects, e.g. humid waste causes bad odours, and they are generally positioned far from where the waste is produced.

Therefore, the need is felt for kitchen furniture items that, serving as work counters, allow a direct treatment both of the foods to be preserved and of the waste to be differentiated, compacted, sealed and disposed of.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problems of treating foods or waste with the diversification of the waste.

Another object of the invention is to allow the preservation of the waste until its transfer to disposal in separate hermetically sealed compartments.

Yet another object of the invention is to allow the processing of the foods with the greatest production of waste to be exactly facing a central container of the humid waste for increased convenience in disposal operations.

Ad additional object of the invention is to allow the preservation of waste to take place in compartment that are periodically subjected to ozonisation, deodorisation and refrigeration.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an electrical appliance that has in it machines and consumable material for the treatment of the foods to be preserved and of those to be disposed of.

Therefore, according to the present invention a compact electrical appliance is provided for processing foods and differentiating and disinfecting kitchen waste, constituted by a kitchen furniture item having integrated in its upper part a work counter and, posteriorly thereto, a machine to close under vacuum foods and waste to be compacted, and a distributor of bags, and under the work counter a series of compartments, hermetically sealed with an oscillating sash, and inferiorly a hermetically closed drawer with a plurality of compartments; in proximity to at least one of said compartments being provided a complex of: ozoniser device, ioniser device for negative ionisation and scenting device, regulated by a power supply and control circuit.

The electrical appliance provides a solution to the diversified collection and to the compaction of home waste with the combination of various functions such as: diversified collection in closed and sealed compartments; processing on a work counter made of suitable material such as laminate, wood, acrylic or stone, that is easily replaceable; placement of foods under vacuum and compaction of waste integrated with processing on the work counter; and distribution of bags for placement under vacuum.

Preferably, the combined and compact electrical appliance of the invention has a generator of negative ions for a first step of disinfecting and deodorising the containers and the surrounding kitchen environment, an ozoniser apparatus for a second step of heavy disinfection aimed at eliminating the bacterial charges and bad odours released by the waste, scent dispenser apparatus, a vacuum waste compactor on preferably biodegradable bags, sealed against the diffusion of odours and the release of substances that harmful for health. Advantageously, the electrical appliance has a refrigeration device to reduce the waste decomposition process.

The electrical appliance is built in standard sizes of the kitchen furniture in such a way as to be perfectly integrated in all kitchen lines. The diffusion of negative ion and scenting take place through fan diffusers that create a flow of air lapping elements, that face the fans, able to support a scented liquid of tablet. The liquid or tablet normally found on the market are formed by an aggregate of substances comprising scents, so the tablet or liquid are capable of releasing volatile substances until their depletion and possible disposal.

Sanitisation takes place in two steps, the first one by means of the emission of negative ions activated upon opening a compartment with consequent sanitization of its interior and of the surrounding space, the second step of strong sanitization takes place with the ozone injected into the furniture item through tips emanating electrostatic discharges produced through an electronic generator activated and timed at the closing of the compartments, for a standard pre-set time or through the manual control. This treatment exceeds the manual operations for the sanitisation of the waste holder, which are effected by washing the containers with chemical products that are often revealed to be insufficient, because there are points where it is difficult, if not impossible, to remove contaminants. There, bacteria, viruses, spores, moulds, etc. proliferate and this accumulation of microorganisms infects the environment and becomes a source of bad odours. Chemical products on the market today are often found insufficient, they sometimes need long washing and application cycles, they always leave chemical residues which are often harmful, they are expensive and they do not guarantee satisfactory results in difficult points as well. Instead, ozone is a natural gas universally recognised as a disinfectant, as are negative ions. Moreover, ions attack the particles of the odours and destroy them, hence they do not cover them but eliminate them.

Ozone is produced by means of a generator that transforms the oxygen (O₂) present in the air into nearly pure ozone (O₃) without leaving chemical residues. Ozone is an antimicrobial agent, because it kills bacteria attacking, with an oxidizing mechanism, their protective membranes and altering their internal enzymes, without leaving chemical residues. Many viruses are first deactivated and then physically destroyed, whilst in other viruses the ozone penetrates deeply and damages viral nucleic acids. Moreover, with regard to organic molecules, they are attacked by ozone with an oxidizing action of triatomic oxygen (03) or through the formation of unstable compounds (ozonides) that lead to the break-up of the molecules. It deodorizes because the action of ozone does not entail a masking, but a destruction of the volatile compounds contained in the odour- bearing groups, so it does not cover odours, but rather it eliminates them.

Kitchens teem with bad odours and harmful volatile substances. The quality of the air we breathe depends on the quantity of negative oxygen ions present therein. The negative air ioniser of the waste compactor electrical appliance was conceived and designed specifically to purify air and to combat allergies and several other pathologies. The production of millions of negative ions per second eliminates all polluting agents present in the compactor and in the kitchen environment, such as dusts, bad odours, smoke, pollen, bacteria, spores, mites, viruses.

Description of the Drawings

The invention shall be better understood through the detailed description that follows of an embodiment of an electrical appliance for closing under vacuum the foods to be preserved and for differentiating the waste to be disposed of, considered together with the accompanying drawing, in which

- Figure 1 is a front elevation view of the electrical appliance according to the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a lateral view of the electrical appliance of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a block diagram that systematically describes parts of the electrical appliance and their operation;

- Figure 4 is a block diagram of the entire circuit for the treatment in the electrical appliance according to the invention.

Description of the Illustrative Embodiment

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the electrical appliance according to the invention is shown in a front view and, respectively, in a lateral view.

It is constituted by a kitchen furniture item having integrated in its upper part a work counter 19 and, posteriorly thereto, a machine 20 to close under vacuum foods and to compact and hermetically seal waste. Under the work counter 19 there is a series of compartments, which can be hermetically sealed with an oscillating sash, generically indicated with the reference number 21. Inferiorly to the work counter 19 there is a drawer 22 with a plurality of compartments, also with hermetically sealing closure.

Adjacent to the machines for vacuum sealing is a distributor 26 of rolled bags, which are to contain the foods or the waste for their vacuum treatment. Of the sealed compartments of the sash 21, preferably the central compartment is intended to receive the more biodegradable, foul smelling humid waste, while those at its sides are intended to contain paper and plastic. The lateral compartments of the underlying drawer 22 contain depleted kitchen oil and glass, whilst the two central compartments are intended for the containment of batteries and pharmaceutical products.

The compartments closed by the sash 21 are provided with a complex 1 of ozoniser device 4, of a ioniser device for negative ionisation 31 and of a scenting device 5, hence an apparatus for disinfecting and deodorising the interior of an electrical appliance according to the invention.

The apparatus is preferably in a single complex 1 supported by a counter that serves also as a support base. On the lower side of the counter a fastening system is provided, e.g. a bi-adhesive layer 3, for mounting inside the electrical appliance furniture item at least at one of its compartments closed by the sash 21, as shown in Figure 2.

The complex 1 of the apparatus, as it is shown in Figures 2 and 4, comprises an ioniser ozoniser device 4, a negative ion generator device 31 and a scenting device 5, all connected to an electrical power supply 7.

As shown in Figure 4, the ozoniser device 4 is shown only schematically, with ionization tips 10 that transform into ozone the oxygen in the air.

The scenting device 5, not shown in the structural details because it is known, may be in the form of a container provided with through openings at opposite ends, having, at one side, a grid door and, at the other, a fan diffuser. As shown in Figure 3, the reference number 14 indicates a scenting tablet, able to be housed inside the container.

The ozoniser circuit 4 is connected to the power supply circuit through switches, preferably reed relays 15, 15a with reed switches 37, 37a and a timer 16. The reed relays 15, 15a are activated by permanent magnets 17, 35 upon closing the sash 21 and/or the drawer 22.

The negative ion generator device shall be described schematically below. Their hermetic closure is obtained with a sheath 23 made of rubber, preferably magnetic.

With reference to Figure 3, a block diagram is shown that systematically describes parts of the electrical appliance and their operation;

In particular, the reference Sl indicates the work counter, where the cutting operation is schematically indicated, represented on the cutting board of Figure 2. Sl is in functional relationship on one side with S2, the machine for placing waste and foods under vacuum, and on the other side with S3, i.e. the containers for diversified collection, i.e. the central one for humid waste. S2 indicates that what is treated on the work counter can become, in the vacuum machine, both foods to be preserved in a bag S4, and waste which, compacted in a biodegradable bag, is sent into the diversification container S3. In S3, temporary preservation, before reaching the packaged diversified disposal S5, takes place without creating problems to the kitchen environment, thanks to the disinfectant and sterilizing ozonisation in S6, to the generation of negative ions in S7, and to the release of scented substances S 8 into the compartments and the surrounding environment. The ozonisation, negative ionization and scenting functions are obtained by means of the complex 1, which, like the vacuum machine in S4, is operated by a control unit in S9 and powered by the grid SlO.

The operation of the apparatus according to the invention and other accessory characteristics thereof are shown in the block diagram of figure 4, in which the components already described in the previous figures are assigned the same reference numbers.

In Figure 4, the reference number 24 indicates a power supply and control circuit. The power supply and control circuit 24 is connected through manual and automatic switches, operating when the sashes 21 and the drawer 22 are opened and closed, as shall be described in detail below.

In particular, the manual switch 25 is positioned on a power supply line for a dispenser of bags for vacuum containment, represented schematically in 26. The manual switch 27 is positioned on a power supply line for a machine 20 for closing foods under a vacuum and for compacting and sealing waste. The manual switch 28 is positioned on a power supply line that leads to the ozoniser device 4 with ionization tips 10 that transform into ozone the oxygen in the air. The same ozoniser device 4 is automatically powered by at least one of the reed relays 15, 15a with the corresponding reed switches 37, 37a and the timer 16. The reed relay 15, 15a are activated by the permanent magnets 17, 35 upon closing the sash 21 and the drawer 22. An ozoniser indicator light, designated by the reference number 29, indicates that the ozoniser device is operating.

Moreover, a manual switch 30 is positioned on a power supply line that leads to a set comprising a negative ion generator 31 with ionisation tips 32 and fan diffuser 33, and the scenting device 5 provided with fan diffuser 13. The same set of negative ion generator and scenting device 5 is powered automatically through the two reed relays 15, 15a with the reed switches 37, 37a activated by the permanent magnets 17, 35 at the opening of the sash 21 and/or of the drawer 22. An indicator light of this set, designated with the reference number 36, attests its operation.

When the position of the reeds 37, 37a of the first reed relay 15 and/or of the second reed relay 15a is opposite to the one shown in Figure 4, the fan diffuser 13 is activated to act on the scenting tablet 14, or, in another case, on a support containing a scented liquid substance. When at least the sash 21 or the drawer 22 are closed, the magnets 35, 17 mounted thereon are in proximity to the reed relay 15, 15a, the ozoniser 4 is activated, thanks to the displacement of the reed 37 and/or 37a.

Hence, the emission of the scents and of the negative ionisation and of the ozone alternate with the opening and closing of at least one of the sashes 21 of the electrical appliance or of the drawer 22 and it will be turned of upon its closing in automatic by means of the reed relays opened or closed with the flow of a permanent magnet applied to the sash. The same operation can be carried out with a manual pushbutton through the switches 28, 30. The release of scent and of negative ions takes place immediately upon the opening of the sash or of the drawer or when the manual command is given, whilst the ozone is started upon the closing of the sash or with manual activation and deactivation, to enable the disinfection of the entire space of the electrical appliance.

Treatment with ozone is complete, effective, decisive and, used according to instructions, it has not contraindication. For example, the standard automatic treatment with a duration of 15 minutes, disinfects assuring the total elimination of bacteria and of normal odours in the electrical appliance. The additional manual treatment, with a duration of 30 minutes or more, is used for decisive one- off interventions, mainly after a long period of non opening of the sashes.

Advantageously, the electrical appliance of the invention, as is shown in the figures, further comprises a refrigeration device 70, e.g. Peltier cells, arranged as shown in Figure 1, thermally joined to at least one compartment, to obtain an adequate temperature in order to avoid and reduce the putrefaction of humid waste. Said refrigeration device, as shown in the figures, is connected to a temperature regulator 100.

Changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment described above without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A compact electrical appliance for processing foods and differentiating and disinfecting kitchen waste, characterised in that it is constituted by a kitchen furniture item having integrated in its upper part a work counter (19) and, posteriorly thereto, a machine (20) to close under vacuum foods and waste to be compacted, and a distributor of bags (26), and under the work counter (19) a series of compartments, hermetically sealed with an oscillating sash (21), and inferiorly a hermetically closed drawer (22) with a plurality of compartments; in proximity to at least one of said compartments being provided a complex (1) of: ozoniser device (4), ioniser device for negative ionisation (31) and scenting device (5), regulated by a power supply and control circuit (24).

2. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said devices of the complex (1) are activated automatically with operation linked to the opening and closing of sashes and drawer.

3. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the hermetic closure of the sashes (21) is obtained with a rubber sheath (23).

4. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the hermetic closure of the sashes (21) is obtained with a magnetic rubber sheath (23).

5. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the power supply and control circuit (24) comprises a first bi-directional switch that automatically switches the power supply on the ozoniser device (4) through a timer device (16) upon the closure of at least the sash or the drawer and a second bi-directional switch on the negative ion generator device (31) and on the scenting device (5) which switches upon the opening of at least the sash (21) or the drawer (22).

6. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said first bidirectional switch is a reed relay (15) that is activated by a permanent magnet (17) mounted in the electrical appliance at the sash (21).

7. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said second bidirectional switch is a reed relay (15a) that is activated by a permanent magnet (35) mounted on the drawer (22) in the electrical appliance.

8. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said ozoniser device (4), and set of scenting device (5) and negative ion generator (31) have respective indicator lights (29, 36) that show their operating condition.

9. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said complex (1) of apparatus for disinfecting and deodorising is fastened onto a counter on whose lower side is provided a bi-adhesive layer for mounting inside the furniture item.

10. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that a manual switch (25) of the bag distributor activates the distribution of a bag from the distributor (26) of vacuum bags.

11. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that a manual vacuum machine switch (27) activates a machine (20) for closing under vacuum foods and waste to be compacted.

12. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that a manual ozoniser device switch (28) activates the ozoniser device (4).

13. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that a manual switch (30) of the set of ioniser device and scenting device activates the ioniser device for negative ionisation (31) and the scenting device (5).

14. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a refrigeration device (70) regulated by a temperature regulator (100).

15. Electrical appliance as claimed in claim 14, characterised in that said refrigeration device is a Peltier cell.