Refrigeration appliance and method for operating such appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017003065-A1
Application number	US-201615264961-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 14, 2016
Priority date	May 21, 2014
Publication date	Jan 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance comprises a cavity in which an ozone generating device is placed. The ozone generating device is configured to maintain in the cavity a concentration of ozone between 0.04 and 0.12 ppm, more preferably between 0.06 and 0.1 ppm.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A refrigeration appliance comprising a cavity in which an ozone generating device is placed, wherein the ozone generating device is configured to maintain in the cavity a concentration of ozone comprised between about 0.04 and about 0.12 ppm; and wherein the concentration of ozone inhibits microbial growth and maintains a vitamin concentration in food.

2 . The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the ozone generating device is configured to maintain in the cavity a concentration of ozone comprised between about 0.06 and about 0.1 ppm.

3 . The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the ozone generating device is mounted on a rear wall of the cavity in correspondence with a notch provided in an upper rear wall of a crisper drawer wherein the crisper is sealed so that the ozone generated by the ozone generating device is confined in the crisper drawer.

4 . The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the ozone generating device further comprises an ozone sensor for adjusting the ozone concentration to a desired value.

5 . The refrigeration device according to claim 1 , wherein the ozone generating device further comprises an ethylene sensor for adjusting the ozone concentration to a desired value.

6 . The refrigeration device according to claim 1 , wherein the ozone generating device further comprises an ozone sensor and an ethylene sensor for adjusting the ozone concentration to a desired value.

7 . A method for controlling the microbial growth and the ethylene concentration in a cavity of a refrigeration appliance, comprising: generating ozone into the cavity and maintaining an ozone concentration comprised between about 0.04 and about 0.12 ppm.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the ozone concentration is maintained between about 0.06 and about 0.1 ppm.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the ozone concentration is able to reduce the microbial growth by a factor of at least 1 logarithm unit after twelve days of storage compared to no ozone treatment.

10 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the ozone concentration is able to reduce the vitamin C decomposition by a factor of at least 1 logarithm unit after twelve days of storage compared to no ozone treatment.

11 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising using an ethylene sensor to determine when the ethylene reaches a predetermined threshold so the concentration of ozone can be increased.

12 . A method for inhibiting microbial growth and maintaining vitamin concentration in food, comprising:
providing a refrigeration appliance comprising a cavity and a crisper drawer that is moveable between an open position and a closed position; generating ozone using an ozone generating device in ozone delivery communication with the crisper drawer; delivering ozone generated by the ozone generating device into the crisper drawer; and maintaining an ozone concentration between about 0.04 and about 0.12 ppm using the ozone generating device when the crisper drawer is in the closed position.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the ozone generating device is mounted on a rear wall of the cavity in correspondence with a notch provided in an upper rear wall of the crisper drawer, so that the ozone generated by the ozone generating device is confined in the crisper drawer; and wherein the method further comprises ceasing generating ozone by the ozone generator when the crisper drawer is moved from the closed position to the open position and generation of ozone and delivery of ozone into the crisper drawer is delivered when the crisper drawer is in the closed position.

14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the ozone concentration reduces the microbial growth on a fruit stored within the crisper drawer by a factor of at least 1 logarithm unit after twelve days of storage compared to no ozone treatment.

15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the ozone concentration reduces the vitamin C decomposition of a fruit stored within the crisper drawer by a factor of at least 1 logarithm unit after twelve days of storage compared to no ozone treatment.

16 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the ozone generating device further comprises an ozone sensor for adjusting the ozone concentration to a desired value.

17 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the ozone generating device further comprises an ethylene sensor for adjusting the ozone concentration to a desired value.

18 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the ozone generating device further comprises an ozone sensor and an ethylene sensor for adjusting the ozone concentration to a desired value.

19 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the ozone concentration is maintained between about 0.06 and about 0.1 ppm within the crisper.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the ozone generating device further comprises an ozone sensor and an ethylene sensor for adjusting the ozone concentration to a desired value.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Biotti Carolina
• Paganini Raffaele
• Parachini Davide
• Pirovano Maria P

Classifications

• A23B7/144

  in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor · CPC title

• A61L9/00

  Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air (body deodorants A61Q15/00; purifying air by respirators A62B, A62D9/00; separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours B01D45/00 - B01D51/00, B03C3/00; chemical or biological purification of waste gases B01D53/34; production of ozone C01B13/10; air-conditioning systems incorporating sterilisation F24F3/16, F24F8/20) · CPC title

• A23B7/055

  with direct contact between the food and the chemical, e.g. liquid N2, at cryogenic temperature · CPC title

• F25D25/025

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D2317/0416

  using an ozone generator · CPC title