WO2016062441A1

WO2016062441A1 - A refrigerator comprising a sensor that detects the spoilage of foods

Info

Publication number: WO2016062441A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/069999
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aylin MET; Samet AKAN; Aydin Celik
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2014-10-24
Filing date: 2015-09-02
Publication date: 2016-04-28
Also published as: EP3209956B1; EP3209956A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator (1) comprising a compartment (3) that is suitable to place therein a storage container (2) that preserves foods such as vegetable, fruit, meat, etc, a door (4) that closes the compartment (3) and that allows access into the compartment (3) if required, a handle (5) that is disposed on the door (4) and that provides the opening of the door (4) and sensors (8) that are disposed in the handle (5) and that detect the spoilage status of the foods.

Description

A REFRIGERATOR COMPRISING A SENSOR THAT DETECTS THE SPOILAGE OF FOODS

The present invention relates to a refrigerator wherein it is determined if the foods stored therein are spoiled or not.

The foods stored in refrigerators spoiling in the course of time decreases the food quality. The user generally decides that the food is spoiled by seeing the spoilage signs on the surface of the food and by smelling the undesired odors in the refrigerator. Although no spoilage signs are seen on the surface of the food stored in the refrigerator, spoilage and rotting may start in the food and it becomes difficult for the user to detect if the spoilage has started. In the state of the art embodiments, whether the food stored in the refrigerator has started to spoil or not is detected by gas sensors and if the food stored is spoiled, the user is warned to take the spoiled food from the refrigerator.

In the state of the art German Patent No. DE19806041, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a gas sensor are provided in the food storage compartment in a cooling device and the values related to the ambient air in the storage compartment monitored by means of the said sensors are compared with the reference values and controlled. An opening that enables the air passage into the storage compartment is provided and the surface area that the air passes is adjusted by means of a closing member according to the data received from the sensors.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator wherein foodstuffs are stored in a safe manner.

The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof comprises a compartment that is suitable to place therein a storage container that preserves foods such as vegetable, fruit, meat, etc, a door that closes the compartment and that allows access into the compartment if required and a handle that is disposed on the door and that facilitates the opening of the door.

The refrigerator furthermore comprises an air duct that extends from the handle to the storage container so as to partially remain in the handle and that allows the air transfer from the storage container into the handle, and at least one sensor that is disposed inside the air duct and that measures the gas concentration in the air sucked from the storage container.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises a suction port that is arranged at the inlet of the air duct at the handle side and that allows the air transfer from the storage container into the handle.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises a receptacle on the handle, wherein the sensors are stored. The vacuumed air from the storage container is accumulated in a leak-proofing volume wherein the sensors are disposed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises a vacuum pump that is arranged on the handle, that is connected to the suction port and that vacuums the air inside the storage container.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises a filter that is disposed between the sensors and the vacuum pump and that enables the air vacuumed from the storage container to be filtered before being transferred to the sensors. The humidity and solid particles inside the air are retained on the filter, thus prevented from filling into the receptacle, thereby the gas concentration inside the air is prevented from being erroneously measured.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises an outlet port that is arranged on the handle and that opens to the outer environment and a valve that is disposed between the outlet port and the sensors. After the gas concentration of the air sucked into the handle from the storage container, the control unit opens the valve and the air inside the handle is discharged to the outer environment through the outlet port.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises at least one temperature and humidity sensor that is disposed between the sensors and the suction port. While the gas concentration of the air inside the storage container is being measured, correction factors predetermined by the producer, corresponding to the humidity and temperature value of the same air measured by the humidity and the temperature sensor are used. Thus, the measurements are enabled to be conducted more accurately.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises a control unit that evaluates the signals about the air concentration received from the sensor on the handle and an indicator that enables the signals evaluated by the control unit to be monitored by the user. By classifying the foods to be stored in the storage container, types of the gases and the amounts of gases such as ethylene, ethanol, aldehyde, trimethylamine, etc. that dissipate into the environment when each food in each class is fresh and spoiled are predetermined by the producer with experimental studies and recorded in the control unit. The values detected by the gas sensor disposed in the storage container are compared with the values recorded in the control unit, the type and amount of the food inside the storage container, whether it is fresh or not and whether it is at the initial stages of spoilage or completely spoiled if the food is detected to be spoiled are determined and shown on the indicator. Thus, the user monitors if the foods taken out of the compartment are fresh or not via the handle.

The model embodiments relating to a refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention are illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 – is the perspective view of a refrigerator.

Figure 2 – is the partial perspective view of a handle.

Figure 3 – is the front perspective view of a handle.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Refrigerator
Storage container
Compartment
Door
Handle
Suction port
Vacuum pump
Sensor
Control unit
Indicator
Receptacle
Filter
Outlet port
Valve
Temperature and humidity sensor
Control button
Air duct

The refrigerator (1) comprises at least one compartment (3) wherein foods and/or beverages are placed; a door (4) that closes the compartment (3) and that allows access into the compartment (3) if required; a storage container (2) that is placed into the compartment (3) or onto the door (4) shelf and that preserves easily-perishable foods such as vegetable, fruit, meat, etc. and a handle (5) that is disposed on the door (4) and that provides the opening of the door (4).

The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises an air duct (17) that extends from inside the handle (5) to the storage container (2) and that allows the air transfer from the storage container (2) into the handle (5), and at least one sensor (8) that is disposed inside the handle (5) and that measures the gas concentration in the air sucked from the storage container (2) into the handle (5). By disposing the sensors (8) measuring the gas concentration in the storage container (2) into the handle (5), the handle (5) disposed on the refrigerator (1) door (4) is used without measuring in a separate region for foods, the spoilage status of which are desired to be detected. Thus, the handle (5) is used for various purposes. Controlling the foods taken out of the compartment (3) from over the handle (5) positioned close to the compartment (3) provides ease of utilization.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a suction port (6) that is arranged on the air duct (17) and that allows the air transfer into the handle (5). The air inside the storage container (2) is received into the air duct (17) by means of the suction port (6).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a receptacle (11) that is disposed on the handle (5), that carries the sensors (8) and wherein the air sucked from the storage container (2) into the handle (5) is accumulated. The receptacle (11) preserves the sensors (8) and allows a more accurate measurement by enabling the air to be accumulated in a volume suitable for measurement.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a vacuum pump (7) that is arranged on the handle (5) and that is connected to the suction port (6) allowing the air to be sucked from the storage container (2) into the receptacle (11).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a filter (12) that is disposed in the handle (5) between the receptacle (11) and the vacuum pump (7) and that enables the air vacuumed from the storage container (2) to be filtered before being transferred to the sensors (8). After the air sucked from the storage container (2) is filtered by means of the filter (12), the measurement process is performed. Thus, if any, airborne particles such as dust are filtered and the measurement precision of the indicative gases in the air is improved.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises an outlet port (13) that is arranged on the handle (5) and that opens to the outer environment and a valve (14) that is disposed between the outlet port (13) and the receptacle (11). At the end of the gas concentration measurement time predetermined by the producer, the valve (14) is opened and the air taken into the receptacle (11) in the handle (5) is enabled to be discharged to the outer environment.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises at least one temperature and humidity sensor (15) that is disposed between the receptacle (11) and the suction port (6). While the gas concentration of the air inside the storage container (2) is being measured, correction factors predetermined by the producer, corresponding to the humidity and temperature value of the same air measured by the humidity and the temperature sensor (15) are used. Thus, the air gas concentration measurement is enabled to be conducted independently from the humidity and the temperature of the air.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a control unit (9) that evaluates the signals about the air concentration received from the sensor (8) and an indicator (10) that is disposed on the handle (5) and that enables the signals evaluated by the control unit (9) to be monitored by the user.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises at least one control button (16) disposed on the handle (5) and when the control button (16) is actuated by the user, the control unit (9) enables the vacuum pump (7) to be operated and the air to be taken from the storage container (2) into the receptacle (11) in the handle (5) to measure the gas concentration thereof.

By means of the present invention, whether the foods stored in the storage container (2) in the compartment (3) are spoiled or not can be easily detected by means of the sensors (8). Thus, the handle (5) is used for various purposes.

Claims

A refrigerator (1) comprising at least one compartment (3) wherein foods and/or beverages are placed; a door (4) that closes the compartment (3) and that allows access into the compartment (3) if required; a storage container (2) that preserves foods such as vegetable, fruit, meat, etc. and a handle (5) that is disposed on the door (4) and that provides the opening of the door (4), characterized by an air duct (17) that extends from inside the handle (5) to the storage container (2) and that allows the air transfer from the storage container (2) into the handle (5), and at least one sensor (8) that is disposed inside the handle (5) and that measures the gas concentration in the air sucked from the storage container (2) into the handle (5).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by a suction port (6) that is arranged on the air duct (17) and that allows the air transfer into the handle (5).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by a receptacle (11) that is disposed on the handle (5), that carries the sensors (8) and wherein the air sucked from the storage container (2) into the handle (5) is accumulated.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 3, characterized by a vacuum pump (7) that is arranged on the handle (5) and that is connected to the suction port (6) allowing the air to be sucked from the storage container (2) into the receptacle (11).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 3 or Claim 4, characterized by a filter (12) that is disposed in the handle (5) between the receptacle (11) and the vacuum pump (7) and that enables the air vacuumed from the storage container (2) to be filtered before being transferred to the sensors (8).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the Claims 3 to 5, characterized by an outlet port (13) that is arranged on the handle (5) and that opens to the outer environment and a valve (14) that is disposed between the outlet port (13) and the receptacle (11).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the Claims 3 to 6, characterized by at least one temperature and humidity sensor (15) that is disposed between the receptacle (11) and the suction port (6).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a control unit (9) that evaluates the signals about the air concentration received from the sensor (8) and an indicator (10) that is disposed on the handle (5) and that enables the signals evaluated by the control unit (9) to be monitored by the user.
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by at least one control button (16) disposed on the handle (5) and the control unit (9) that enables the vacuum pump (7) to be operated when the control button (16) is actuated by the user.