Tubular Light Filter for Refrigerated Display Merchandiser
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerated food displays expose perishable products to harmful light, leading to reduced shelf life, discoloration, and pathogen growth due to inadequate protection from ultraviolet and infrared radiation, as well as visible spectrum emissions from artificial lighting, which affects food safety and appearance.
Innovation Solution
A multiple filtering media system using translucent, tinted, or clear tubular elements that absorb harmful light frequencies, particularly UV-A and UV-B, while allowing specific light ranges to pass through, secured to fluorescent tubes or LED strips, and can be applied to various display surfaces, including open-faced coolers, to minimize exposure to damaging radiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If bright artificial lighting is used to illuminate refrigerated food displays, then product visibility and attractiveness to shoppers is improved, but harmful ultraviolet and infrared radiation causes surface drying, internal heating, discoloration, and pathogen growth
Solution Approach 1:
A light-filtering window panel is introduced as an intermediary component between the artificial lighting source and the refrigerated food products. The panel selectively transmits visible light wavelengths that illuminate the display while blocking harmful ultraviolet and infrared radiation, thereby maintaining product visibility without exposing foods to damaging radiation
Solution Approach 2:
The light-filtering window panel utilizes selective optical transmission properties to modify the light spectrum. It allows visible light to pass through for illumination while filtering out specific wavelength ranges (ultraviolet and infrared), effectively changing the composition of light that reaches the food products
2Loss of information
If ambient daylight and artificial lighting are used to illuminate the display case, then product visibility is improved, but prolonged exposure causes oxidation, dehydrating, and heating of merchandise
Solution Approach 1:
The light-filtering window panel serves as a protective intermediary that permits visible light transmission for product visibility while blocking infrared radiation that causes heating and moisture loss. This selective filtering prevents dehydrating effects on the merchandise
3Loss of information
If clear transparent window panels are used in refrigerated display cases, then product visibility is maximized, but harmful light frequencies cause discoloration and reduced shelf life
Solution Approach 1:
The light-filtering window panel modifies the transmitted light spectrum by blocking harmful ultraviolet frequencies that cause discoloration while maintaining transmission of visible light wavelengths. This selective spectral filtering preserves both product appearance and shelf life
Solution Approach 2:
The light-filtering window panel employs composite material construction combining multiple layers or coatings that provide selective optical properties. The composite structure enables simultaneous transmission of visible light for visibility and blocking of harmful ultraviolet radiation to protect product integrity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces shrinkage and extends the shelf life of perishable foods by blocking 98-99% of UV-A and UV-B light, maintaining product freshness and clarity, while allowing essential light spectra to be visible, thus enhancing food safety and appearance without replacing lighting sources.
Implementation Method 1
A multiple filtering media system using translucent, tinted, or clear tubular elements that absorb harmful light frequencies, particularly UV-A and UV-B
Implementation Method 2
The filtering media protects the food products... by passing light in predetermined ranges and absorbing light in all the other ranges
Data Source
AI summary
A filtering media for refrigerated display merchandiser for use with a refrigerated food merchandiser and which is ordinarily exposed to prevailing ambient light. The filtering media is at least a partial a cylindrical element that encircles a fluorescent light or LED light strip disposed within the merchandiser. A translucent sheet which functions as filter media to prevent harmful light from reaching the foods stuffs is disposed about the cylindrical element. The sheet is held in position via an arcuate element or with other means that retains the sheet in position. More than one sheet can be positioned on the cylindrical element which, itself, may be either transparent or translucent.