A Light Treatment Apparatus assisting with Preservation of Food in Appliances

Field of the invention

[001] The present invention relates to light treatment apparatus for use in assisting with preservation of food in refrigerators and the like.

Background of the invention

[002] The use of white and coloured light to assist with the preservation of food in refrigerators has been known for some time. There has been a need to provide an improved light treatment apparatus.

[003] Any reference herein to known prior art does not, unless the contrary indication appears, constitute an admission that such prior art is commonly known by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, at the priority date of this application.

Summary of the invention

[004] The present invention provides a light treatment apparatus associated with an appliance to assist with food preservation, said apparatus including at least one panel member for the transmission of light generated by a light emitting means.

[005] The panel member can receive light for transmission at one or more of the following: an external surface; an edge surface; an internal surface.

[006] The panel can be able to transmit light which is reflected therefrom, internally reflected therein, or carried along said panel.

[007] The panel can be one or more than one of the following: transparent; translucent; semi-transparent; partly opaque; diffusive features or a combination of these.

[008] The panel can also form a portion at least of a wall or shelf of a cabinet of said appliance. P<

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[009] The panel can be positioned relative to an appliance cabinet so as to be adjacent a food receptacle.

[010] The panel can be formed as part of a food receptacle.

[011] The panel can provide a boundary with respect to said food receptacle.

[012] The appliance can include a receptacle which includes one or more of the following: a clear front wall; an opaque generally vertical wall; an opaque wall; a clear or transparent wall; a generally vertical transparent, semi-transparent or translucent panel; an open top; a transparent or translucent upper surface.

[013] The light emitting device can generate one or more of the following: white light; coloured light suited to assisting the preservation of specific foods.

[014] The light emitting device can generate light according to a program controlled by a controller.

[015] The light emitting device can generate light intermittently.

[016] The light emitting device can emit light on the basis of a cumulative total of eight hours in 24; on the basis of one hour on and two hours off; or other intermittent pattern.

[017] The light emitting device can utilise LEDs to generate said light.

[018] The light emitting device can generate light of a colour which is selected from one or more of the following: cool white, neutral white, warm white and other coloured light suited to assisting the preservation of specific foods.

[019] The light emitting device generates light of a colour which is selected from one or more of the following approximate colour temperatures: 6000 K, 3750 K and 2850 K.

[020] The LEDs can have a viewing angle of approximately 120°.

[021] The LEDs can have approximately a 0.5W power rating.

[022] The light emitting device can generate light which has similar properties of sunlight.

[023] The panel can include a scatter or a diffusion feature formed and / or assembled thereon or therein. P(

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[024] The scatter or diffusion feature can be formed as one or more lines, arcs or rings on said panel.

[025] The scatter or diffusion feature can be rings, which are formed concentric with said light source as a centre.

[026] The panel can be made from one of the following: polycarbonate; acrylic;

HDPE; LDPE; glass; composite material; laminated material; heat treated glass.

[027] The panel can be glass and a scatter or diffusion feature is formed by etching said glass, painting said glass, applying film to said glass, or other method. The light emitting device can be mounted to an appliance cabinet.

[028] The light emitting device can be mounted to said panel.

[029] The light conductor can conduct light from said light emitting device to said panel.

[030] The light conductor can direct light simultaneously to a generally horizontal surface of said panel and an edge of said panel and direct light into the food receptacle.

[031] The light conductor can direct light simultaneously to a generally an edge of said panel and direct light into the food receptacle.

[032] The light conductor includes a diffusive feature.

[033] The food receptacle includes an insert in a wall adapted to and positioned to receive light from at least one of said light emitting device and said light conductor in order to transmit light to within the receptacle.

[034] The insert has one or more diffusive features.

[035] The wall with the insert being adapted to internally receive light from the insert and transmit the light to within the receptacle.

[036] At least one of the adjoining walls and the adjoining base to the wall with the insert being adapted to internally receive light from the wall with the insert and transmit the light to within the receptacle.

[037] The light treatment apparatus further including one or more light pipes within the receptacle for distributing light from the insert.

[038] The light pipes are adapted to receive light from the insert. PC

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[039] The panel includes a window.

[040] The panel may be able to be disassembled from said cabinet of said appliance, said light conductor and or said light emitting device.

[041] The light treatment apparatus can be formed as one or a combination of more than one of the following: as a system built into an appliance; a system built into a receptacle which will go into an appliance; a system where some components are assembled onto a receptacle and some components are assembled onto an appliance; as a system assembled onto or into an appliance other than the receptacle- which is separable from the appliance.

[042] A light treatment apparatus can be associated with a cold appliance such as a refrigerator.

Brief description of the drawings

[043] An embodiment or embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[044] Figure 1 is a cross-section through a light treatment apparatus located in a base of a refrigeration appliance;

[045] Figure 1 A is an enlarged view of the circled region in Figure 1.

[046] Figure 2 is a perspective cut-away view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

[047] Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of Figure 2 where the light treatment panel is located in a wall or floor of the refrigeration appliance.

[048] Figures 4 and 5 illustrate an embodiment, where an insert for illuminating the receptacle is placed in a rear wall of the receptacle.

[049] Figure 6 is an exploded perspective schematic of the insert and the rear wall of Figures 4 and 5

[050] Figure 7 illustrates an embodiment of the embodiment, where the light via the insert is provided from the receptacle walls and /or base.

[051] Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment, where light is provided by light pipes upon or within the receptacle internal surfaces. PC

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Detailed description of the embodiment or embodiments

[052] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the light treatment apparatus 10 is located within an appliance cabinet 34, which in this case is a refrigeration appliance such as a refrigerator or combination refrigerator and freezer.

[053] The apparatus 10 is made up of several elements which include a light emitting means 20, a light conduit 22 (manufactured from high clarity acrylic) to deliver light from the light emitting device 20 to an upper panel 28. The panel 28 is part of a shelf 26 which is located in the lower cabinet of the refrigeration appliance to separate the plant matter (such as vegetable and or fruit) storage area from the rest of the compartment of the cabinet. The shelf 26 is formed from a frame 32 which has a plastic or metallic construction which is of an opaque nature, whilst in the portion of the shelf 26 above the fruit or vegetable drawer 12 there is a glass window portion 24 of the panel 28 which is approximately of the same extensiveness or size of the upper opening of the fruit and or vegetable receptacle / drawer 12.

[054] As seen in the cross-section of Figure 1 and the enlarged view of Figure

1A, the glass portion 24 of the panel 28 makes connection at an under surface 24.1 thereof with an upwardly directed surface 25 of a light conductor 22 whilst the light conductor 22 also has a generally vertical surface 27 to make contact with the rear edge of the glass panel 24. The upwardly directed surface 25 together with the under surface 24.1 serve both a structural purpose of connecting the conductor 22 onto the glass 24, and also a light transmission function. However, due to potential for glare in a user's ^• eyes, a portion of an opposing upper surface 24.2 to the under surface 24.1 of the window portion 24 can be partially or wholly coated with chrome to reflect some or all light which strikes the upper surface 24.2 of the window portion 24 back into the conductor 22. An alternative means to address the issue of glare for the user, is to apply film, reflective film, paint, a cover sheet or otherwise to cover the area on the upper surface 24.2 of the glass window over the upwardly directed surface 25 of the light conductor 22 to minimise or remove the glare from light passing through the surface 25. Such treatments to reduce glare will also assist in trapping light within the glass window portion 24 of the panel 28. PC

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[055] As illustrated best in Figures 1 and 1A, the light conductor 22 includes an angularly oriented or inclined third outlet surface 29 in addition to the upwardly directed surface 25 and the laterally directed surface 27. The surface 29 emits light from the light conductor 22 in a downwardly and outward direction there from, as shown by arrows 23.1 , for the purposes of illuminating vegetables or fruit which may be in the fruit or vegetable receptacle 12. The third outlet surface 29 can include a diffusive feature 29.1 to aid in more evenly illuminating the vegetables or fruit in the receptacle 12. The diffusive feature 29.1 may be formed as described below with respect to diffusive features.

[056] The light conductor 22 can also transmit light through the generally vertical surface 27 into the rear edge of the window portion 24 of panel 28 such that the light will travel along the window 24 in the direction of arrow 23. Unless otherwise directed, light travelling through the glass window 24 would simply travel to the other end. As such, a series of etched rings 30 (otherwise termed diffusive features) are provided, which are at different radial dimensions from the light conductor 22 and light emitting device 20 as is best illustrated in Figure 2. The etched lines or rings 30 provide a surface roughness and / or a discontinuity which helps to diffuse or scatter the light out of the window 24 as schematically represented by the groups of radiation lines 21 on the upper and or lower surfaces of the glass window 24. The light directed upwardly from the window 24 of the panel 28 serves as a decoration or aesthetic feature which assists in indicating to the user, when the fridge door is open, that their vegetable or fruit preservation system is functioning. Whereas light directed downwardly and scattered towards receptacle 12 from the surface 29 irradiates the plant matter in receptacle 12. Other diffusive features which can be used instead of the etched surfaces or together with are described below and with reference to Figure 6.

[057] Whilst the window 24 of panel 28 of Figure 1 and 2 includes the etched surfaces 30 to provide scattering and diffusion of light, other diffusive features / formations such as: arrays of bubbles within the glass or polymeric material of the window 24 can be utilised, or embedding of other reflective materials in lines or concentric curves (as in the case of the etchings 30), features or lines or shapes formed by painting the window, or by applying film to the window, or channels or grooves provide in the glass or polymeric material of the window (which may or may not have t

7 light pipes and /or leaky optical fibres associated wherewith) or other method, could be utilised so as to produce a scattering or diffusive effect from the panel 28.

[058] The vegetable and or fruit receptacle 12 has opaque opposed side walls

16.1 (only one is illustrated in Figure 2), an opaque rear wall 16 and an opaque base 18 which are preferably white in colour so as to reflect light generated by the lighting device 20 which irradiates into the receptacle 12. A front wall 14 of the receptacle 12 is preferably of glass or transparent polymeric material, with a partially reflective inner face, so that a portion of the light incident upon the inner face of the front wall14 is reflected internally for the purposes of irradiating food, as is indicated by the broken arrow 23.2 in Figure 1. The semi-transparent nature, of the front wall 14 also permits the user of the system to view from outside the refrigerator the contents of the receptacle 12. By the side and rear walls and base 16, 16.1 and 18 being of a white opaque construction, this ensures that whatever light is radiated into the receptacle 12, which may hit these walls, will be reflected so as to direct light to assist in the plant preservation process. The front wall 14 while preferably of a transparent, semi- transparent or translucent material is provided for user visibility, however it could also, in the case of a less optioned appliance be made from an opaque material which is preferably white and / or reflective on its inner face. The front wall 14 can be formed integrally formed with the receptacle 12, or it can be made as a separate panel and attached to the sides to the receptacle 12

[059] The under surface 24.1 of the glass window 24 of the panel 28 also serves to reflect light being emitted from the conductor 22 at third outlet surface 29 to be reflected off this under surface 24.1 onto other surfaces which are part of the receptacle 12 and in directions, as illustrated by broken arrow 23.3, which will make their way towards the plant produce in the receptacle 12.

[060] A similar means of reflection will occur from light emitted from the conductor 22 through the surface 25 and internally reflected from the glass window 24 down into the receptacle 12 through the under surface 24.1 of the window 24. Thus it can be seen that the window 24 assists by providing light which is reflected from one or more of its external surfaces and / or providing light which is internally reflected therein or carried along the window 24. In order to minimise light leaving the window 24 of the panel 28 in an upward direction further areas of the top or upper surface of the window 24 can be coated with paint, polymeric coating, opaque panel, or adhesive film or such like, so as to reflect or scatter light, which is emitted from the top surface 25 of the light conductor 22, back into the receptacle 12. Similarly to maximize the light passing out of the conductor 22, in the directions required, this can be achieved by applying a coating on outer and or selected surfaces of the light conductor 22, so that light exits the conductor to direct as much light as possible to the receptacle 12. Such a coating can also reduce glare which would otherwise be associated with the conductor 22.

[061] The window 24 by virtue of the etched surfaces 30 and the rest of the surfaces being transparent assists with the scattering and diffusion of light into the receptacle 12. This is further assisted by an under surface 26.2 of a forward portion 26.1 of the shelf 26 being angled relative to the upper panel 28 which will also help to reflect light back in a downward direction relative to the receptacle 12.

[062] In an another embodiment as illustrated Figure 3, the panel 28 including a window portion and together with a light emitting means and a light conduit, as appropriate, are readily adapted to form part of the appliance cabinet rear wall 36, floor 38 and / or side wall 40 which are adjacent the receptacle 12. Figure 3 illustrates a location of a rear wall panel 42, a side wall panel 44 and a floor panel 46 to illuminate / irradiate the receptacle 12. The adjacent receptacle walls 16, 16.1 and / or base 18 are then suitably transparent and / or semi-transparent, with optional diffusive features. The adjacent receptacle wall / base can transmit, reflect and / or diffuse the light from a respective panel 42, 44, 46 incorporated in the adjacent appliance cabinet wall or floor to the plant matter in the receptacle 12.

[063] In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the panel 28 is formed as part of a shelf 26 of the appliance or as part of a wall / floor of the appliance as in Figure 3. However, the panel 28, and optionally the light conductor 22, could be formed as part of a receptacle 12 which will slide into place below an appliance cabinet shelf. Such an arrangement may not be as convenient as the one disclosed in Figures 1 , 2 and 3 to the user of the appliance, but a similar technical result will be achieved with respect to the irradiation of the plant matter contained within the receptacle 12.

[064] Whilst in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 the panel 28 is illustrated as being in a position on top of the receptacle 12, the panel 28 could be, for example, included as part of the rear wall 16 of the receptacle 12 such that light could be transmitted within the receptacle 12 and any externally directed light would reflect off the surfaces of the cabinet 34 to pass through the window 24 and back into the receptacle 12. Further, for the case of higher value appliances, each of the walls 16, 16.1 and 18 of the receptacle 12 can be manufactured from similar panels 28 to conduct and reflect light as illustrated in Figure 1 so that the plant matter contained within the receptacle 12 is receiving light from rearward and underneath directions and side directions particularly so that any portions of the plant matter in contact with those sides or base of the receptacle 12, will also be receiving light. In these instances where the sides of the receptacle 12 contain the light treatment apparatus, it would be preferred that the panel above the receptacle 12 cooperate with a reflective material provided above the receptacle 12 so as to reflect any upwardly directed light back down into the receptacle 12.

[065] In a further embodiment as schematically illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the light from the light emitting means 20 is provided to the receptacle 12 via a transparent insert 48 in the rear wall 16 of the receptacle 12. In Figure 5 the light conductor 22 is shown offset vertically from the light emitting means 20 such that light directly from the lower portion of the light emitting means 20 may pass through the insert 48 and into the receptacle 12 as shown by the arrows 50. Optionally the light conductor 22 can be engineered so that the third outlet surface 29 is absent and light from the conductor 22 can directly enter the receptacle upper regions as shown by the arrow 52.1. Light from the conductor 22 can also pass through the insert 48 as shown by the arrow 52.2.

[066] Figure 6 is an exploded, perspective view of a section of the rear wall 6 of the receptacle 12 showing where the insert 48 can be inserted into a suitable recess 54 of the rear wall 16. Lugs 56 and clips 58 can be provided to the insert 48 to allow it to be easily press fitted into recess 54 of the rear wall 16. The insert 48 can have moulded into its external surface/s diffusive features such as a pattern of convex and / or concave features 60. In Figure 6 a prismatic diffuser pattern 60 for the diffusive features is shown. Other diffusive features as described above can also be used for the insert 48 as appropriate.

[067] Figure 7 is another embodiment to Figures 4 to 6 and the embodiment described above to lighting panel/s 28 being incorporated into the receptacle 12 walls 16, 16.1 or base 18. In Figure 7 the joint 62 between the insert 48 and rear wall 16 can be made suitable for transmitting internally reflected light within the insert 48 into a F

10 transparent rear wall 16, as shown by the arrow 64. The arrow 64 indicating the internally reflected light rays in a similar manner to the arrow 23 for the light rays in the window 24 of panel 28. The light emitted by the insert as shown by arrows 50.1 can be attenuated by the diverting of a portion of the incident light 50 into the rear wall 16 of the receptacle 12. The insert's surfaces can also be modified as described for the window's under and upper surfaces 24.1 , 24.2 and/or with diffusive features to control the proportion of light diverted into the walls of the receptacle 12. The light from the insert can thus be provided into the receptacle 12 via the at least partially transparent walls 14, 16, 16.1 and/or base ί8 in the manner described above with respect to Figures 1 and 2 for the panel 28. In the embodiment of Figure 7 the receptacle walls and / or base can form the window 24 or a portion of a window 24 as desired. In Figure 7 it is shown that the light is internally reflected from the rear wall 16 to the base 18 and then the front wall 14, as shown by the arrow 64. Light can then be emitted from the walls 16, 16.1 and base 18 by the diffusive features 21.

[068] Figure 8 is a further embodiment, where the light is distributed about the walls of the receptacle by a use of light pipes 64 or similar light conducting techniques such as leaky fibre optics. The light pipes 64 can be of a material and assembly suitable for conducting the light in the manner of conductor 22 or the window 24. The light pipes 64 can also include diffusive features as described above in order to aid in irradiating / illuminating the plant matter in the receptacle 12. The light pipes 64 may be embedded within the insert 48, receptacle walls 14, 16, 16.1 and base 18 and/or formed upon or adhered to the receptacle 12. A light pipe 64 can have a trunk 66 which can be in contact with the insert 48 and or adjacent rear wall 16 so that light is transmitted from the insert 48 into the trunk 66 of the light pipe 64. The trunk 66 of the light pipe 64 can have several branches 68 of the light pipe to aid in more uniformly illuminating the plant matter within the receptacle.

[069] It is preferred that the light emitting means or device 20 is emitting light which is of a composition similar to that as provided by sunlight. Thus, whilst white light is preferred, and variations of light such as cool white, neutral white, warm / yellow light could be used, other coloured light could also be either continuously or intermittently emitted from the device 20, such as blue and / or red wavelength lights which are known to be useful for preservation of specific plant materials. The approximate colour temperatures for cool white, neutral white and warm white are respectively 6000 K, ΐ

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3750 K and 2850 Κ ("Κ" denoting degrees Kelvin). The light can also be selected to aid in maintaining the freshness of specific plant materials.

[070] The light emitted from the light emitting device 20 is controlled by means of a controller on a printed circuit board (not illustrated) located on the appliance. Such a controller can control the light generation and intensity so that it is only generated intermittently according to a formula such that the cumulative total of light emitted and irradiated into the receptacle 12, for example can be in a 24 hour period, accumulates to a total of 8 hours. Another way of operating the light emitting device 20 is for light to irradiate for one hour and then a two hour period of no light whereupon one hour will be recommenced, and alternate in this manner for each 24 hour period* or continuously.

[071] The light source of the light emitting means 20 is preferably of a low power and current usage, such as light emitting diodes or LEDs. It is preferred in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 that three approximately 0.5W LEDs with a viewing angle of approximately 120 degrees are located on a printed circuit board 20.1. The printed circuit board with the LED array 20.1 can be arranged so as to transmit through a lens or a set of lenses 19 (see Figures 1 and 1A for example) into the light conductor 22, which will then direct light to be emitted to the respective surfaces for irradiating in their respective directions from surfaces 25, 27 and 29 as described above.

[072] The LED array with printed circuit board 20.1 for Figures 4 and 5 is preferably a square array of four LEDs. The top row of LEDs are preferably emitting a cool or neutral white light so as to illuminate the window 24 of the panel 28 with predominately cool or neutral white light. The bottom row LEDs are preferably a warm / yellow light in order to predominately illuminate the plant matter contents of the receptacle with warm / yellow light.

[073] In further embodiment of the lighting emitting means, the window 24 can be edge lighted by an array of LEDs mounted along the edge of the window. Light can then be provided to the receptacle as described above with respect to Figures 1 and 2 as well as generally in the specification. In one preferred embodiment an array of 38 cool white light emitting LEDs can be mounted on two opposing edges of the window 24 of the panel 28. A rectangular array of square diffusive feature etches can be made in the upper and /or lower surfaces of the window in order to provide the light to the receptacle and for viewing by the user as desired. 1

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[074] Whilst the above description denotes the window 24 being manufactured from glass, it could be made of any material of a suitable nature such as polycarbonate or acrylic materials, high density polyethylene (HDPE) or low density polyethylene (LDPE), glass / other composite materials, laminated glass / other materials, laminated plastics, or heat treated glass depending upon the application and desired result. The material utilised can be translucent, semi-transparent or transparent also according to need.

[075] As is illustrated in the relevant Figures, the light emitting device 20 is preferably mounted to the cabinet 34 of the appliance. If desired, the light emitting device 20 could instead be mounted to the panel 28 to illuminate the window 24 if such a construction benefits the use of the appliance. In addition the LED array could be mounted to the panel 28 so as to edge light the window 24 as described above.

[076] A particular advantage of the construction of Figures 1 , 2, 4 to 8 is that the shelf and panel 28 can be readily removed for cleaning purposes, as can the receptacle 12. In order to ensure the best possible transmission of light from the conductor 22 to the panel 28, the conductor 22 can be adhered, via transparent adhesives, to the under surface 24.1 and rear edge of the window 24 of the panel 28.

[077] The construction of Figure 3, where the lighting panels 42, 44, 46 are incorporated in the appliance walls and/ or floor, can be readily sealed so that disassembly for cleaning is not required. The surfaces of the panels 42, 44, 46 within the appliance cabinet can be made readily suitable for household cleaning by wiping with a moist cloth.

[078] Where ever it is used, the word "comprising" is to be understood in its

"open" sense, that is, in the sense of "including", and thus not limited to its "closed" sense, that is the sense of "consisting only of. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words "comprise", "comprised" and "comprises" where they appear.

[079] It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention. J

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[080] While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all modifications which would be obvious to those skilled in the art are therefore intended to be embraced therein.