Refrigerator comprising a vacuum compartment

Abstract

A refrigerator is described (1) having at least one fresh food compartment (2) wherein foodstuffs to be cooled are placed, a vacuum compartment (3) situated in the fresh food compartment (2), wherein foodstuffs are placed for being stored without being deteriorated, a pump (4) that enables the air inside the vacuum compartment (3) to be evacuated, and at least one ultraviolet lamp (5) that is situated on the vacuum compartment (3) and that provides sterilization.

Claims

1. A refrigerator (1) comprising at least one fresh food compartment (2) wherein foodstuffs to be cooled are placed, a vacuum compartment (3) situated in the fresh food compartment (2), wherein foodstuffs are placed for being stored without spoiling, a pump (4) that enables the air inside the vacuum compartment (3) to be evacuated and at least one ultraviolet lamp (5) that is situated on the vacuum compartment (3) and that provides sterilization, characterized by a control unit (6) that operates the pump (4) during a pump operation time (t.sub.p) predetermined by the producer for each type of food and operates the ultraviolet lamp (5), prior to operating the pump for the pump operation time (t.sub.p), during a sterilization time (t.sub.s) predetermined by the producer according to the pump operation time (t.sub.p) and wherein the control unit never simultaneously operates ultraviolet lamp and the pump.

2. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 1, characterized by the control unit (6) that operates the ultraviolet lamp (5) for a predetermined sterilization time upper value (t.sub.sst) if the pump operation time (t.sub.p) is greater than a predetermined pump operation time lower value (t.sub.palt).

3. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 1, comprising at least one lid (7) disposed on the vacuum compartment (3) and that allows the foodstuffs to be placed into the vacuum compartment (3), characterized by the control unit (6) that activates the ultraviolet lamp (5) for the predetermined sterilization time (t.sub.s) when the lid (7) is opened and closed.

4. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 1, characterized by the ultraviolet lamp (5) that emits ultraviolet rays at the wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm.

5. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 2, comprising at least one lid (7) disposed on the vacuum compartment (3) and that allows the foodstuffs to be placed into the vacuum compartment (3), characterized by the control unit (6) that activates the ultraviolet lamp (5) for the predetermined sterilization time (t.sub.s) when the lid (7) is opened and closed.

6. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 2, characterized by the ultraviolet lamp (5) that emits ultraviolet rays at the wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm.

7. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 3, characterized by the ultraviolet lamp (5) that emits ultraviolet rays at the wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm.

8. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 5, characterized by the ultraviolet lamp (5) that emits ultraviolet rays at the wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm.

9. A refrigerator (1) comprising at least one fresh food compartment (2) wherein foodstuffs to be cooled are placed, a vacuum compartment (3) situated in the fresh food compartment (2), wherein foodstuffs are placed for being stored without spoiling, a pump (4) that enables the air inside the vacuum compartment (3) to be evacuated and at least one ultraviolet lamp (5) that is situated on the vacuum compartment (3) and that provides sterilization, characterized by a control unit (6) that: operates the ultraviolet lamp (5) during a sterilization time (t.sub.s), upon completion of the sterilization time (t.sub.s), operates the pump (4) during a pump operation time (t.sub.p) predetermined by the producer for each type of food such that the control unit (6) activates the ultraviolet lamp (5) while the pump (4) is not operated, wherein the sterilization time (t.sub.s) is predetermined by the producer according to the pump operation time (t.sub.p).

10. A refrigerator (9) as in claim 2, characterized by the control unit (6) that operates the ultraviolet lamp (5) for a predetermined sterilization time upper value (t.sub.sst) if the pump operation time (t.sub.p) is greater than a predetermined pump operation time lower value (t.sub.palt).

11. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 9, comprising at least one lid (7) disposed on the vacuum compartment (3) and that allows the foodstuffs to be placed into the vacuum compartment (3), characterized by the control unit (6) that activates the ultraviolet lamp (5) for the predetermined sterilization time (t.sub.s) when the lid (7) is opened and closed.

12. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 9, characterized by the ultraviolet lamp (5) that emits ultraviolet rays at the wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm.

13. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 10, comprising at least one lid (7) disposed on the vacuum compartment (3) and that allows the foodstuffs to be placed into the vacuum compartment (3), characterized by the control unit (6) that activates the ultraviolet lamp (5) for the predetermined sterilization time (t.sub.s) when the lid (7) is opened and closed.

14. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 10, characterized by the ultraviolet lamp (5) that emits ultraviolet rays at the wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm.

15. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 11, characterized by the ultraviolet lamp (5) that emits ultraviolet rays at the wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm.

16. A refrigerator (1) as in claim 13, characterized by the ultraviolet lamp (5) that emits ultraviolet rays at the wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm.

Description

(1) 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:

(2) FIG. 1is the perspective view of a refrigerator.

(3) FIG. 2is the perspective view of the vacuum compartment.

(4) The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

(5) 1. Refrigerator

(6) 2. Fresh food compartment

(7) 3. Vacuum compartment

(8) 4. Pump

(9) 5. Ultraviolet lamp

(10) 6. Control unit

(11) 7. Lid

(12) The following symbols are used for explicating the refrigerator (1) of the present invention: t.sub.s: The sterilization time predetermined by the producer t.sub.p: The pump operation time predetermined by the producer t.sub.palt: The predetermined pump operation time lower value t.sub.sst: The predetermined sterilization upper value

(13) The refrigerator (1) comprises at least one fresh food compartment (2) wherein foodstuffs to be cooled are placed, a vacuum compartment (3) situated in the fresh food compartment (2), wherein foodstuffs are placed for being stored without spoiling, a pump (4) that enables the air inside the vacuum compartment (3) to be evacuated and at least one ultraviolet lamp (5) that is situated on the vacuum compartment (3) and that provides sterilization. The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises a control unit (6) that operates the pump (4) during a pump operation time (t.sub.p) predetermined by the producer for each type of food and operates the ultraviolet lamp (5) during a sterilization time (t.sub.s) predetermined by the producer, that is based on the pump operation time (t.sub.p). By means of the coordinated operation of the pump (4) and the ultraviolet lamp (5), the vacuuming and sterilization processes are realized so as to provide optimum storage conditions.

(14) In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (6) activates the ultraviolet lamp (5) while the pump (4) is not operated. The ultraviolet lamp (5) and the pump (4) are never operated simultaneously. The ultraviolet rays are prevented from being emitted in an irregular manner inside the vacuum compartment (3) due to the vacuuming process and thus the effectiveness of the sterilization process is improved.

(15) In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (6) operates the ultraviolet lamp (5) for a predetermined sterilization time upper value (t.sub.sst) if the pump operation time (t.sub.p) is greater than a predetermined pump operation time lower value (t.sub.palt). In cases wherein the oxygen concentration inside the vacuum compartment (3) is kept low, the ultraviolet intensity can be safely increased. Thus, for easily perishable foods such as fish, chicken, etc., the high vacuuming and intense ultraviolet sterilization processes are realized in a controlled manner.

(16) In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises at least one lid (7) disposed on the vacuum compartment (3) and that allows the foodstuffs to be placed into the vacuum compartment (3). When the lid (7) is opened and closed, the control unit (6) operates the ultraviolet lamp (5) for the predetermined sterilization time (t.sub.s). By operating the ultraviolet lamp (5) before the pump (4), the microbiological load of the air that fills into the vacuum compartment (3) is reduced before the vacuuming process, the foods are prevented from being spoiled and the color and taste of the foods are prevented from changing.

(17) In an embodiment of the present invention, the ultraviolet lamp (5) emits ultraviolet rays with wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm. Since the wavelength range between 240 nm and 280 nm is the ray range with the highest effect on microorganisms, the microbiological load of the foods is effectively reduced.

(18) By means of the present invention, the ultraviolet lamp (5) that provides sterilization in the vacuum compartment (3) and the pump (4) are operated in a controlled manner. The ultraviolet radiation intensity is directly proportional with the radiation time and the radiation intensity in the fixed time period. While sterilization effectiveness decreases at low radiation intensity, oxidation and color change can occur in foods at high radiation intensity. By means of the interdependent pump operation (t.sub.p) and the sterilization times (t.sub.s) predetermined by the user or the producer, the ultraviolet radiation intensity and the pump operation time (t.sub.p) are optimized and the ultraviolet lamp (5) is activated in a controlled manner. Thus, the growth of microorganism in foods such as red meat during the storing process is prevented and the color changes in this type of foods occurring due to exposition to ultraviolet rays for a long time and/or decrease in oxygen concentration in the environment due to the vacuuming process are avoided.