Technical Field

This invention is about a storing mechanism that allows various types of food to be kept frozen or to be kept cool in a closed media or cooling unit, without mixing the smell or humidity of the foods to each other in the chambers gathered around the centre, and allowing an easy loading and a comfortable re-using condition of the food.

Prior Technique

In the prevent applications, preserving pots, various refrigerator preserving elements or stretch films to tighten the open pots are used to preserve the food that is prepared at home or ready - made food. Each one of them has several drawbacks experienced in operation.

Separate preserving pots have to be used for each type of food to prevent the smell and humidity of the foods not to mix. And also, using those pots in a cooling unit or closed media causes bad appearance and placing the pots over each other or behind the others causes operational problems. There are also problems getting the pots out of cooling unit, which are placed below and backside. In addition,- each pot should be opened randomly to reach the desired food when using more than one pot and when it is forgotten which pot contains which food. Moreover, in such a system, each type of food is kept in the same environmental temperature. The food stuff that is covered by a stretch film is to be consumed in a shorter period of time if they are not frozen. This application is for just single use, and a new stretch film is needed to cover after each use of the pot.

When storing certain types of food stuff, the product should be isolated to prevent air contact or the vacuuming of the air of the environment is needed which the product is in. Prior technique was placing the products in a plastic bag and vacuuming the air from the bag, so that the environment was made suitable for the product. This causes some obstacles in emptying the bag while consuming and presenting to the customers. In addition to that, after consuming the product, it is

difficult to vacuum the environment of the remaining product due to the nature of the bag.

In the present applications, the food stuffs are being placed in different compartments in the cooling unit. During the said placement, the type of product and quantity are not taken into account. While consuming the product, determining the place of the product and the stock amount of the product is difficult for the consumer. At the same time, the liquid part of the products and the smells contact the other products and a bad scent and contamination in the cooling unit occurs.

In the patent numbered US2638400 is mentioned a circular refrigerator, which allows an easy access to the products inside and reduces the dust accumulation to minimum by means of its circular shape.

In the patent numbered CH277786 is mentioned a circular refrigerator, which has panels that cuts the circular racks perpendicularly and divides the racks to compartments.

In the patent numbered JP4143587 is mentioned a rack, which is designed circularly to make the cooling more effective and to help the consumers to reach the products on the rack more easily.

In conclusion, the necessity of a storing mechanism for preserving the various types of food without mixing the humidity and the smell of the food in the cooling unit and providing an easy and fast access to the products, and the inadequacy of the present solutions make it obligatory to have technical improvements in this field.

Brief Description of the Invention

The present invention is about the food storage mechanism that meets the above requirements eliminating all the disadvantages and bringing new advantages.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a storing mechanism for the food, which prevents the interaction of the smell and humidity of the food stuff, preferably when they are placed in a cooling unit.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a storing mechanism that weighs every food placed inside it and presents quantity information related to the food, thus allows presenting the suitable information to a system, which collects information about the type and weight of the food.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a storing mechanism that allows taking out only the necessary food rack without taking all of the preserving racks out, by the help of an incitement device that automatically rotates the preserving compartments aligned circularly around the centre.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a storing mechanism that can be controlled easily by a control unit placed in the cooling unit, presenting an empty compartment to the user when user wants to load food in the cooling unit and after the compartment is filled, weighing the product and adding the quantity information to the food data entered by the user and allow to present the related food compartment to the user when desired, which is chosen by the user through an interface presented by the control unit.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a storing mechanism that allows keeping the various foods in different temperatures at the same time.

To achieve all the advantages mentioned above and will be illuminated after the detailed explanations below, the invention is a food storage mechanism that allows food stuff to be preserved without mixing the smell and humidity and etc. of the products to each other, and comprising a food storage compartment and a compartment positioning base that can rotate around the centre which the compartment is placed.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a compartment positioning primary slot and a centre slot to position the preserving compartment.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises an impermeability element, which fits to the shape of the cover, which completely covers the preserving compartment and its space to prevent the said effects to leak outside of the compartment and to allow the vacuuming operation.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a weighing device to weigh the preserving elements on the base.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a case that comprises a body which circularly surrounds the preserving compartment or compartments and compartment positioning base and a compartment removal slot.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a cover, preferably to position on a cooling unit, when the cover is pulled by hand, it can come out till the body base centre and comprises a compartment removal slot to remove the compartment.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a vacuum opening constructed on the product compartment and thus the air inside the compartment can be vacuumed.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a stopper positioned on the vacuum opening to prevent the air intrusion through the vacuum opening after the vacuuming process.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a vacuum pipe positioned to provide vacuuming to the vacuum opening.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a carrier cylinder and a panel to place the food, which are placed on the compartment positioning base, to the pre-designated positions.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a carrier belt constructed on the compartment positioning base, to transport the product that is received from the ingress - egress space to its compartment.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a product channel constructed on the compartment positioning base, basically to position the canned drinks.

A preferable embodiment of the invention also comprises a product presentation compartment where the products are released, where after the canned drinks are

positioned on the product channel, during releasing, by rotating the compartment positioning base the product channel is aligned and products are released.

The structural and characteristic properties of the invention and all of its advantages will be clarified by the figures given below and the detailed explanations about those figures and therefore, evaluation should be done considering these figures and detailed explanations.

V

Brief Description of the Figures

Figures 1a, b, c depicts a dismantled view of the subject food-storing machine.

Figures 2a, b depicts a perspective and top view of a preferable embodiment of the food-storing machine, which is ready to enter into the cooling unit.

Figures 3a, b, c depicts a structural view of the preserving compartments of the food - storing machine.

Figures 4a, b, c depicts a preferred layout of the storing machine in a cooling unit and removal of a preserving compartment.

Figures 5a, b depicts a view of layout of a preserving compartment which allows the vacuuming process in the subject food storage machine and the vacuuming process.

Figure 6 depicts a view of preferred layout of a food storage machine, formed by preserving compartments, which allows the vacuuming process.

Figures 7a, b depicts a perspective and a top view of food storage machine formed by the mobile parts of the preserving compartments.

Figure 8 depicts a sample application of food storage mechanism formed by preserving compartments comprising mobile partitions.

Figures 9a, b depicts an outer perspective and top view of preferred layout of food storage mechanism positioned on a circular refrigerator that allows the canned drinks and food stuff to be stored.

Figure 10 depicts a sample application that represents loading and taking when desired of the canned drinks, preferably to a food storage mechanism placed in a cooling unit.

Reference Numbers Used in the Figures

1. Preserving Compartment

2. Compartment Cover

3. Compartment inner space

4. Compartment positioning front slot

5. Compartment positioning centre slot

6. Impermeability element

7. Compartment positioning base

8. Base section

9. Weighing element

10. Base centre

11. Mechanism case

12. Body

13. Cover

14. Compartment removal slot

15. Compartment separating element

16. Cooling unit

17. Locking element

18. Vacuum opening

19. Vacuum pipe

20. Stopper

21. Drive shaft

22. Panel carrying cylinder

23. Panel

24. Ingress - egress opening closing cylinder (inner)

25. Ingress - egress opening closing cylinder (outer)

26. Product Ingress - egress opening

27. Conveyor belt

28. Product

29. Product channel

30. Ingress opening

31. Egress opening

32. Product presentation compartment

Detailed Explanation of the Invention

In this detailed explanation, the preferred embodiment of the storing mechanism for cooling units, which is the subject of this invention, is explained as an example aiming to clarify the subject without producing any limiting effect.

The preferred embodiment of the preserving compartments (1) which forms a circle when combined and/or surrounding a centre (10) and dividing the whole part to preferably 6-12 sections, is seen in figure 1. As it can be understood from the dismantled view, preserving compartments (1 ) are positioned over a compartment positioning base (7) aligned around a centre (10) inside the mechanism case (11). Inner surface of mechanism case (11 ) is designed circularly to allow the

preserving compartments (1 ) to be placed easily. The said case (11) comprises a body (12) which constitutes a support for the compartments and comprises a cover (13) positioned in front of the body (12) and that can be seen outside of the cooling unit (4). Between the cover (13) and the preserving compartments (1), a compartment removal slot (14) is formed. Compartment positioning base (7) comprises base sections (8), preferably as many as compartment (1) number, that are aligned around the base centre (10) and helps the compartments (1) to be placed over the base (7). On one of the base sections (8) that are on the side of compartment removal slot (14), preferably a weighing element (9) is added.

In the perspective and top view which can be seen in figure 2, the preserving compartments (1 ) placed in the mechanism case (11 ) exhibits a holistic view.

The user, using a hole on the cover (13) that is opened for hand, preferably by pushing it to a suitable space that is big enough for the mechanism case (11) on the cooling unit to enter in, provides a comfortable placement.

Base (7) is preferably fixed, a compartment separating element (15) that is positioned on the base can rotate around preferably the centre (10) manually or by the help of a motor. Compartments (1 ) are positioned over the base (7) preferably by the help of compartment separating element (15). The compartments (1 ) may either be positioned between the tiny separating heights formed on the said separating element (15), or may be positioned by the help of the posts rising up to the compartment (1 ) height from the base (7).

The compartments (1) are preferably equal sized, and as it can be seen in the figure 3, each compartment (1) comprises a compartment cover (2), Front or centre compartment positioning slots (4, 5). Food stuffs are placed in the compartment inner space (3). Impermeability element (6) should be placed preferably on the compartment opening being sides on the compartment cover (2) in order to prevent the mixing of the smells and the humidity of various food stuffs in different compartments and to prevent any leakage outside the compartment.

In figure 4, a preferred positioning and usage of the food storage mechanism case (11) in a cooling unit (16) is shown. As shown in figure 4a, user pulls the

mechanism to himself/herself preferably by putting his/her hand inside the opening placed on the cover (13) in front of the mechanism case (11). Thus the case (11) comes out till the base centre (10) so that it can take a compartment (1) inside. The food desired is manually or using a control unit on the cooling unit (16) by the help of a motor, rotating the compartment separating element (15) and making the compartment of the desired food (1) comes to the front side where the cover (13) is. The user can pull the compartment (1 ) out of its slot by putting his/her hand inside of the compartment removal slot (14).

In figure 5a, a perspective picture of the vacuum compartment application of food storage mechanism, which is another layout of the invention, can be seen. In the subject application, the preserving compartment (1) where the product is stored in a geometrical shape is configured. Locking elements (17) are positioned over a preserving compartment (1 ). It is connected over the compartment said (1 ) by a hinge or connecting element to the cover (2).

A gasket is positioned as an impermeability element (6) on the surface that is in touch with the cover (2). A vacuum pipe (19) is positioned on the vacuum opening (18) of the preserving compartment (1 ) so that it is connected to the compressor in the cooling unit. (Figure 5b)

A gasket is positioned as a stopper (20) on the compartment (1) side of the vacuum opening (18) in order to prevent the air intrusion through the vacuum opening (18) to the vacuumed compartment (1 ). The vacuum compartment said is positioned on the circularly formed carrying body (12) that is placed on the cooling unit.

The food to be stored is placed in the compartment (1 ) and using the locking element (17) the compartment cover (2) is closed. Closed vacuum compartment is then positioned on the carrying body (12), after being recorded to the control unit, which can be placed on the cooling unit (16). The tip of the vacuum pipe (19) enters into the vacuum opening (18) of the vacuum compartment placed on the carrying body (12) (Figure 6).

The air of the compartment is being vacuumed by a compressor that is connected

to the vacuum pipe (19). After the vacuuming process is ended, vacuum pipe (19) is pulled back from the vacuum opening (18). The gasket, whose purpose is to work as a stopper (20) on the vacuum opening, covers the subject opening (18) in order to prevent the air intrusion to the compartment (1).

In figure 7a, a preferred embodiment of the invention applied on especially the circular shaped cooling units' food storage mechanism's mobile compartments (1) can be seen. In the subject application, a circular body (12) that is carrying the mechanism and in the centre (10) space of the body (12), a drive shaft (21) that is actuated by the motor of preferably a circular cooling unit (16) can be positioned.

Threads are formed around the drive shaft (21) and base centre (10) in a way that they can be clamped to each other. The said drive shaft (21 ) also passes through the centre of a circular panel carrying cylinder (22). Thread slots are opened to the inner side of the panel carrying cylinder (22) for the threads on the drive shaft (21 ). Along the circumference of the panel carrying cylinder (22), there are many panels configured.

Between the panels (23) on the panel carrying cylinder (22) and the body (12) side walls, ingress - egress opening closing cylinders (24, 25), which can rotate fully around their axis, are positioned. The said cylinders (24, 25) are rotating being incited by the gear that they are positioned on.

Product ingress- egress opening (26) is formed on the body (12), inner and outer compartment panel carrying cylinders (22) and on the closing cylinders (24, 25). Between the product ingress - egress opening (26) on the body (12) and the inner compartment panel carrying cylinder (22), conveyor belt (27) is placed on the body (12).

The products (28) are introduced to the control unit by making the barcode reader in the control unit read the barcode of the products (28) or manually entering the product (28) information. Subject product (28) should be released through the ingress - egress opening (26), over the conveyor belt (27). Conveyor belt (27) carries the product (28) to the product storage compartment (3) formed between the two panels (23). Panel (23) drags the product (28) on the conveyor belt (27) by

rotating the cylinder (22), which the panel (23) is connected, around its axis.

When the descriptive information about the product (28) is entered into the control unit that can be positioned in the cooling unit (16), related product is being brought on to the conveyor belt (27) and presented to the user from the product ingress - egress opening (26).

In figure 9a, a perspective view of a different layout of a food storage mechanism, in which the canned drinks (28) are stored and presented to the user in the cooling units (16). The subject mechanism is positioned on the cooling unit (16). A canned drink storage mechanism body (12), which carries the mechanism, is positioned on the shaft (21), which is positioned on the centre of the mechanism (10) and connected to the motor of the cooling unit (16). The subject body (12) is able to rotate clockwise or counter clockwise around the axis of the shaft (21 ) fully.

On the body (12), there are many product channels (29) positioned, where canned drinks (28) are placed on. A cylinder formed cover (13) is positioned on the subject body (12). On the Cover (13), the product ingress - egress opening (31), where the product (28) is dragged to the product channels (29) is formed.

On the side of the cover (13), the product egress opening (31 ), where the product (28) is sent to the compartment, where it is presented to the user, is formed. The information of the product (28), which will be stored in the mechanism, is entered to the control unit by the barcode reader in the control unit or by entering it manually by the user.

When the product (28) is detected by the control unit, the product channel (29) related to the product (28), which is introduced to the control unit before, will come in front of the product ingress opening (31), and loading of the product (28) is done.

When the user wants to buy the product (28), he/she enters the name of the desired product (28) into the control unit manually. Desired product (28) is being brought in front of the product channel (29) by the body's (12) rotation around its axis and it is transmitted to the product presentation compartment (32) from the

product egress opening (31).

The extent of the protection of this application is specified in the claims section, and it cannot be restricted to the representative application given above in this section. It is obvious that an skilled person in the art may introduce the changes brought by the invention using similar structures and / or may apply those in other fields. Therefore, it is also obvious that those kinds of structures will lack of the criterion that is about improving the present technique.