Multi-layer lid of a vacuum drawer device

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention describes a multi-layered, sandwich-construction lid for placement on a drawer of a vacuum drawer device, which enables evacuation of a drawer interior after sealing to the drawer, wherein the lid has at least one outer airtight cover layer and a core layer, wherein recesses are formed in the core layer and partially in one of the at least one outer cover layer, in which an evacuation channel, a pump and at least one sensor are arranged. State of the art

[0002] Refrigerators for storing food have several disadvantages, as they constantly require a significant amount of electrical energy to keep the interior cool. The internal climate of a refrigerator has received little attention so far. According to a study by the Hygiene Council, which conducted an international study called the Hygiene Report 2010, a refrigerator, with approximately 11,400,000 germs per square centimeter, is even more contaminated than a toilet, which has around 100 pathogens per square centimeter. This report from 2010 garnered considerable media attention, but apart from recommendations to clean the refrigerator more frequently, no noticeable improvements have been implemented to date.

[0003] For the first time, DE202017006169 disclosed a general vacuum drawer device comprising a drawer and a lid, wherein a vacuum could be generated in the drawer interior by means of a pump. The vacuum drawer device includes a drawer with walls and a drawer interior, wherein the drawer is functionally connectable to a lid and is mounted to move linearly within a drawer body. However, DE202017006169 largely leaves more precise details about the drawer, the lid, and any lifting and evacuation means unprovided.

[0004] The closest prior art is WO2019 / 141574 of the applicant. Foodstuffs that do not require refrigeration can be stored at room temperature in a vacuum drawer system, thus avoiding the increased energy consumption required for cooling. The drawer interior is evacuated to a slight negative pressure, which is generated and maintained in a controlled manner. This allows foodstuffs to be kept edible or edible for longer in a simplified way. Storage in a drawer unit with a vacuum drawer system requires less energy than a refrigerator, as the oxygen removal from the interior is complete after a few minutes, and virtually no further electricity is needed thereafter. A vacuum drawer system can be implemented without harmful materials such as refrigerants or thermal insulation.The consumption of plastic bags when using traditional vacuum sealing machines can be significantly reduced, while still allowing food to be stored for extended periods without any problems. Vacuum drawer systems offer a simpler, more environmentally friendly, and more energy-efficient way to store food. This has a positive impact on food quality and consumer health. It also reduces food waste and the often-criticized issue of food waste, as food quality can be preserved for longer.

[0005] The drawer body forms the outer shell in which the lid and drawer are securely mounted and move freely. Electrically operated lifting and evacuation mechanisms, controlled by a control system, are integrated into the lid or drawer, enabling controlled evacuation when the lid is placed on the drawer. Air can be pumped out of the drawer's interior via an air duct. With the addition of sensors, evacuation can be automated, and ventilation before the drawer is opened can also be detected and automatically initiated by the control system.

[0006] WO2019 / 141574 specifies a multi-layered, compact lid design that can be easily mounted on existing drawers. To minimize the lid's height, the lifting and evacuation mechanisms are integrated into the lid as much as possible. However, in practice, the lid is still relatively heavy and bulky, and repeated operation, i.e., alternating lifting movements, can lead to malfunctions.

[0007] US5806575 A, US2008 / 282714 A1, CN204787589 U and US2007 / 271945 A1 disclose further relevant prior art. Description of the invention

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a lid for a vacuum drawer device and a vacuum drawer device comprising a drawer, lifting means, evacuation means, and such a lid, wherein the lid is designed to be more compact with minimal height and reduced susceptibility to malfunctions. Maintenance-free and permanently fault-free operation is to be achieved with the lid for automated drawer closure.

[0009] This problem is solved with a lid according to claim 1.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of such a lid according to claim 10.

[0011] Such a sandwich-construction lid ensures permanently error-free and safe operation, thus significantly increasing the overall robustness of the lid or the vacuum drawer system. Brief description of the drawings

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below in connection with the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a vacuum drawer unit in a drawer body with the drawer open, while Figure 2 shows a schematic partial section through a vacuum drawer unit of the Figure 1Figure 1 shows a drawer unit with the drawer closed or a vacuum drawer unit. Figure 3 shows a top view of a cover when mounted on the drawer, while Figure 4 shows a schematic view of a printed circuit board as part of the cover, or a printed circuit board top surface with conductor tracks and indicated electrical components. Figure 5 shows a view of the cover from the opposite side of the printed circuit board, and thus the underside of the printed circuit board, with sealing materials applied, while Figure 6 shows a view of the underside of the cover or the underside of the printed circuit board with the sealing materials and lighting elements completed. Description

[0013] The vacuum drawer device 0 is here collectively designated as 0 and comprises a drawer 3 with an interior drawer space R and a lid 2 that is relatively movable in a lifting direction H by means of lifting means 7. The drawer 3 is operatively connected to the lid 2 and is mounted within a drawer body 9 so as to be linearly movable in a sliding direction S. The drawer body 9 forms the outer shell in which the lid 2 and the drawer 3 are mounted and protected from movement. The drawer 3 comprises walls 30 and the interior drawer space R and is mounted so as to be movable open and closed in the sliding direction S and is designed to be evacuated. The drawer 3 is mounted in a drawer slide (not further described) so that the drawer 3 can be moved into an open position and a closed position, whereby in Figure 1 The open position of drawer 3 is shown.

[0014] The evacuable drawer interior R is formed by a plurality of containers 14, the containers 14 being positioned within the drawer 3 and each having the same height but different sizes. Preferably, the containers 14 are designed as Gastronorm containers, the interiors of which can form the entire drawer interior R, which can be closed and evacuated by means of a lid 2. The containers 14 are stored in the drawer 3 and can move with the drawer 3, but can also be removed.

[0015] The interior of the drawer R is evacuated by a lid 2, which is movably arranged within the drawer body 9. This lid is airtight and is mounted so that it can be lowered onto the drawer 3 in a lifting direction H perpendicular to the direction of the sliding movement S. The lid 2 is attached to the drawer body 9 by mounting brackets 19, allowing relative movement of the lid 2 to the drawer 3. Lifting devices 7 are arranged on or in the lid 2, within the drawer body 9, which hold the lid 2 movable within the drawer body 9 in the lifting direction H. The design of the lifting devices 7 can be implemented in various ways, which will not be discussed further here.

[0016] With one side of the lid facing drawer 3, the lid 2 can be placed on the edges of the containers 14, thereby closing at least one drawer interior R. The lid 2 is mounted so that it can move relative to the drawer body 9 and drawer 3. Closing only occurs when drawer 3 is closed; when drawer 3 is open, the lid 2 remains closed. Figure 1 The lid 2 fully exposes the drawer 3. The drawer 3 can be gripped by a handle 12 and moved in the sliding direction S. The vacuum drawer device 0 can be activated and deactivated using a control button 104' on the lid 2. At least one closed position sensor 29' can be arranged on the lid 2, which signals to a control unit of the lid 2 that the lid 2 is closed.

[0017] The lifting means 7 allow the lid 2 to be raised and lowered in the opposite direction to the drawer 3 or the containers 14. This results in the lifting movement of the lid 2 in the lifting direction H being perpendicular to the sliding movement direction S of the drawer 3. The containers 14 within the drawer 3 of the vacuum drawer unit 0 can be completely sealed from above, unlike conventional drawers, by the user manually closing the drawer 3. In the closed position, the lid 2 then lowers onto the containers 14, sealing them airtight from above.

[0018] In Figure 2The illustration shows the airtight, multi-layered lid 2 resting on the drawer 3 or sealing fittings 15. For simplicity, the surrounding drawer body 9 has been omitted, and the drawer 3 is shown in cross-section with a front panel 17 and a handle 12. The lid 2 rests on the drawer, creating an airtight seal around the interior of the container R or the containers 14.

[0019] To achieve a compact design of the cover 2, as many electronic components as possible are integrated into the multi-layered cover 2. For example, at least one evacuation channel, several sensors 82', at least one valve, at least one motor, as well as at least one fan 81' and an air duct should be arranged in recesses A within the cover 2. According to the invention, recesses (A) are formed in a core layer (21') and partially in one of the at least one outer cover layer (22") of the cover (2), in which an evacuation channel and / or a dehumidification channel, a pump and / or a fan and at least one sensor are arranged.

[0020] Automated evacuation of the drawer interior R or the interiors of the containers 14 can be carried out via the at least one evacuation channel using a pump, and automated air exchange via a fan 81' can be carried out via the at least one air channel. The different paths of the air during evacuation and air exchange are indicated by dashed lines.

[0021] A power cable 27' runs to a connector 25', which powers the control unit that controls the lifting devices, the evacuation devices, the air exchange devices, and the sensors. The control unit is also located in a recess A in the cover 2, but could also be located separately from the cover 2 within the drawer body 9.

[0022] The cover 2 is manufactured using a sandwich construction, in which different materials are combined in different layers to form the cover 2. The cover 2 has two outer airtight cover layers 22', 22" and a core layer 21'. An additional circuit board 20' is arranged here, which can also be used in place of one of the outer airtight cover layers 22', 22".

[0023] The layers 20', 21', 22', 22" are bonded together to form a multi-layered cover 2, which is designed to be torsionally rigid. The upper cover layer 22' is airtight and can be made of MDF, CFRP, or glass. Alternatively, an airtight plastic coating can be applied to an airtight material as the upper cover layer 22' to achieve airtightness.

[0024] In the core layer 21', recesses A are provided in which the electrical devices, such as evacuation equipment, in particular the pump, air exchange equipment, in particular at least one fan 81', and sensors, in particular at least one humidity sensor 82', are arranged. Motors or other components of the lifting equipment may also be partially installed in the recesses A.

[0025] Not shown are at least one air duct, which is necessary for the exhaust air of the fan 81', and at least one evacuation duct, which works together with the pump and is necessary for generating a negative pressure or vacuum within the drawer interior R.

[0026] All electrical components are mechanically fastened by means of a 20' printed circuit board and electrically connected to each other and to the control system.

[0027] In order to achieve the most compact lid 2 possible, all components should ideally be stored within the lid 2, so that such a lid 2 can also be easily combined with existing drawers 3, making it possible to manufacture vacuum drawer units 0 from an existing drawer body 9, a drawer 3 and a lid 2.

[0028] The core layer 21' can be made of rigid plastic foam, a honeycomb plastic structure, or a solid plastic layer, with the necessary cutouts A being provided. The evacuation channels and / or air channels can be cut out of the material of the core layer 21'.

[0029] The circuit board 20' has conductor tracks on at least one side, to which the electrical components are connected. The connection of the electrical components, or the components to be controlled by the controller, to the controller on the circuit board 20' is simple and straightforward. The circuit board 20' is part of the sandwich-like cover 2 and is preferably installed oriented such that the conductor tracks point towards the interior of the drawer R. There is no disruptive wiring inside the cover 2 that continues outside the cover 2 in the drawer body 9. The manufacturing of the cover 2 is simplified, and the susceptibility to errors during the lifting movement of the cover 2 is minimized.

[0030] To further enhance the stability of the lid 2, a lower cover layer 22", with the same properties as the upper cover layer 22', can be used as part of the sandwich structure. This lower cover layer 22" is attached to the circuit board 20' on the drawer side. To allow air to flow through the sandwich-like lid 2, holes must be provided in the circuit board 20' and the optional cover layer 22" so that the drawer interior R or the interior of the containers 14 can be pumped out.

[0031] To improve the evacuation properties of the lid 2, a layer of sealing profiles 31' is arranged on the inside of the drawer, thereby improving the seal against the edges of the containers 14 or the sealing fittings 15. For hygienic reasons, the sealing profiles 31' are detachably attached and thus removable for cleaning purposes.

[0032] In a further embodiment with or without lower cover layer 22' and / or sealing profiles 31', a sealing holder 32' and a layer of air filter fleece 38' can be attached to the drawer-side surface of the cover 2.

[0033] In a top view of the lid 2 with the upper cover layer 22' removed, a lid frame 23' is visible, in which the individual layers of the sandwich structure are held. The core layer 21' is visible here, which has recesses A. Evacuation channels 83', holes 84' to the drawer interior R, humidity sensors 82', at least one pressure sensor 17', fans 81', evacuation channels 83', and parts of the lifting means 7 in the form of motors are arranged on or in the core layer 21'. The components project at least partially into the recesses A.

[0034] On the side of the core layer 21' opposite the future front panel 17 or the control button 104', at least one valve 4, as well as (indicated) a pump 11', an air hose 12' to the pump 11', a check valve 13', and a connection 14' of the pump 11' to the evacuation channel 83' are arranged. In the rear area of ​​the cover 2, opposite the front panel 17, an air outlet opening 85', a control board 101', an accelerometer 103', and a Bluetooth module 106', i.e., a radio transmission unit according to the Bluetooth standard, are arranged. Other radio transmission protocols would also be conceivable for programming the control unit or the control board 101' of the vacuum drawer unit 0.

[0035] To dehumidify the drawer interior in addition to evacuation, the fans 81' and humidity sensors 82' are mounted on the circuit board 20'. Air is drawn in from the outside through an air inlet opening 86' and introduced into the drawer interior R or the containers 14, and later pumped out again via dehumidification channels 87' through an air outlet opening 85'. The channels 87' and openings 85', 86', as well as the positions of the fans 81' and the sensors 82', are recessed from the core layer 21'. Preferably, side walls are arranged along the dehumidification channels 87' and the openings 85', 86'.

[0036] Figure 4Figure 1 shows a semi-schematic view of the circuit board 20' from above only, showing the various conductive traces and indicating the electrical components connected to them. The circuit board 20' forms part of the sandwich structure. The fans 81' and the humidity sensors 82', as well as other sensors, are attached to the circuit board 20' and electrically connected. A simple connection of the components to the circuit board 20' and thus to the sandwich-like cover 2 is possible.

[0037] The circuit board 20' is located on the inside of the drawer, i.e., here the underside of the circuit board 20'. Figure 5The conductive traces are not visible, as they are located on the top surface of the circuit board 20'. The connector 25' is shown for orientation and schematically illustrates the power supply to the circuit board 20'. Distributed across the surface are exhaust vents 33', intake vents 34' (for dehumidification), and vents 35' for humidity sensors 35'. The components are shown in different sections of the circuit board 20', which are placed on various containers 14.

[0038] On the underside of the circuit board 20' or the outer cover layer 22", sealing profiles 31', sealing retainers 32', and a layer of air filter fleece 38' are incorporated. The sealing profiles 31' enclose individual sections in which the position of the sealing retainers 32' is visible, which cover the air filter fleece 38', with the containers 14 later being located beneath these sections. In each of these areas, an exhaust air opening 33' is arranged at the level of the fan 81' (not shown). The opening 35' for the humidity sensor 82' is also arranged in each area, as is the supply air opening 34' through which each sealing profile 31' or the drawer interior R can be ventilated via the control unit.

[0039] The sealing elements, consisting of sealing profiles 31', the sealing holder 32' and the layer of air filter fleece 38', are designed to be replaceable and arranged on the cover 2. The sealing elements can be completely removed from the cover 2, for example for cleaning purposes.

[0040] To increase the shelf life of the openly stored food in the containers 14 or the drawer interior R, the drawer interior R should be illuminated with blue light in the wavelength range of 450 nm to 470 nm, preferably 460 nm. For this purpose, at least one corresponding light source 36' per container section is arranged on the circuit board 20', which is connected to the control unit. The light source 36' emits its light through an opening in the sealant with the largest possible light cone, covering as much area as possible. The light cone is in Figure 6 Indicated by dashed lines.

Claims

1. A multi-layer lid (2) of sandwich construction to be placed on a drawer (3) of a vacuum drawer system (0), the lid (2) allowing an evacuation and / or a dehumidification of a drawer interior (R) after sealing to the drawer (3), wherein the lid (2) includes at least one outer airtight top layer (22', 22") and a core layer (21'), wherein recesses (A) are formed into the core layer (21') and partially into one of the at least one outer top layer (22"), in which recesses (A) an evacuation duct and / or a dehumidification duct, a pump and / or a ventilator and at least one sensor are arranged, characterized in that a printed circuit board (20') is provided, wherein the electrical components integrated into the lid (2) are mechanically fixed and electrically connected on the circuit board (20'), wherein conductor tracks are arranged on at least one side of the printed circuit board (20') to which the electrical consumer are connected, wherein - the circuit board (20') is arranged on one of the at least one outer airtight top layers (22', 22") facing the core layer (21'), or wherein - the at least one outer airtight top layer (22', 22") is designed as a printed circuit board (20') on which the core layer (21') is placed, and the electrical components integrated in the lid (2) are mechanically held and electrically connected on the printed circuit board (20').

2. The lid (2) according to claim 1, wherein air exchange means, in particular the at least one ventilator (81') and a sensor, in particular at least one humidity sensor (82') are inserted in the recesses (A), and are mechanically fixed to the printed circuit board (20') and electrically connected to each other and to the controller.

3. The lid (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein parts of lifting means and / or motors are inserted in the recesses (A), and are mechanically fixed on the printed circuit board (20') and electrically connected to each other and to the controller.

4. The lid (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conductor track side of the circuit board (20') projects from the lid (2) in a direction away from the drawer interior (R).

5. The lid (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a layer of seal profiles (31') is arranged in a releasably connected manner on the printed circuit board (20') or on the outer top layer (22") on a side facing the drawer interior (R).

6. The lid (2) according to claim 5, wherein a seal holder (32') and a layer of air filter fleece (38') are inserted into the layer of seal profiles (31').

7. The lid (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the individual layers (20', 21', 22', 22") of the sandwich structure of the lid (2) are held by a lid frame (23') surrounding the layers.

8. The lid (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein on the printed circuit board (20') radiating towards the drawer interior (R), a light source (36') is mechanically and electrically connected, the light source (36') emitting light with a wavelength of 460 nm (+ / -10 nm) controlled by the controller.

9. A vacuum drawer system (0) comprising a lid (2) according to one of the preceding claims.

10. A usage of a printed circuit board (20') as part of a lid (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (2) is of sandwich construction, and, besides the printed circuit board (20'), has an outer airtight top layer (22',22") and a core layer (21').

11. A vacuum drawer system (0), comprising a drawer (3) linearly movable in a direction of the sliding movement (S) with at least one drawer interior (R), a lid (2) according to one of the preceding claims, and electrical lifting means (7), wherein the drawer interior (R) can be closed by means of the airtightly-designed lid (2) in a lifting movement in a lifting direction (H), controlled by electrical lifting means (7) extending vertically to the direction of the sliding movement (S), wherein the lid (2) has at least one air duct (11') leading into the interior of the lid (2), wherein the air duct (11') is operatively connected to electrical evacuation means in such a way that, when the lid (2) is placed, air can be pumped out from the at least one drawer interior (R) through the at least one air duct (11'), characterized in that on the side of the lid (2) facing the drawer interior (R), at least one light source (36') for emitting blue light in the wavelength range between 440 nm and 470 nm, preferably with 460 nm, is arranged.