U.S. patent application number 12/625088 was filed with the patent office on 2011-05-26 for table with ethylene scrubber.
This patent application is currently assigned to HUSSMANN CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Lubos Forejt, Michal Kolda, Marketa Kopecka, John M. Roche, Antonin Ryska, Daniel Zmola.
Application Number | 20110123694 12/625088 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44062258 |
Filed Date | 2011-05-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110123694 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ryska; Antonin ; et
al. |
May 26, 2011 |
TABLE WITH ETHYLENE SCRUBBER
Abstract
A display table for supporting produce includes an enclosure, a
table top defining an upper surface of the enclosure, a blower, an
ethylene scrubber and an outlet. The table top is open to the
atmosphere and configured to support the produce, and includes
perforations. The blower is positioned in communication with the
enclosure to create an underpressure that draws a gas into the
enclosure through the perforations. The ethylene scrubber is
positioned in communication with the enclosure and in a flow path
of the gas, the ethylene scrubber being configured to remove at
least a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of the gas. The
outlet is located downstream of the ethylene scrubber for returning
the gas from the enclosure to the atmosphere.
Inventors: |
Ryska; Antonin; (Prague,
CZ) ; Kopecka; Marketa; (Vsetin, CZ) ; Forejt;
Lubos; (Statenice, CZ) ; Roche; John M.;
(Bishop, GA) ; Zmola; Daniel; (Lety, CZ) ;
Kolda; Michal; (Prague, CZ) |
Assignee: |
HUSSMANN CORPORATION
Bridgeton
MO
|
Family ID: |
44062258 |
Appl. No.: |
12/625088 |
Filed: |
November 24, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/321 ;
422/186.3; 422/187 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23L 3/28 20130101; A23B
7/152 20130101; A23B 7/015 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/321 ;
422/187; 422/186.3 |
International
Class: |
A23L 3/00 20060101
A23L003/00; B01J 8/00 20060101 B01J008/00; B01J 19/12 20060101
B01J019/12 |
Claims
1. A display table for supporting produce, comprising: an
enclosure; a table top open to the atmosphere and configured to
support the produce, the table top defining an upper surface of the
enclosure and including perforations; a blower positioned in
communication with the enclosure to create an underpressure that
draws a gas into the enclosure through the perforations; an
ethylene scrubber positioned in communication with the enclosure
and in a flow path of the gas, the ethylene scrubber configured to
remove at least a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of
the gas; and an outlet downstream of the ethylene scrubber for
returning the gas from the enclosure to the atmosphere.
2. The display table of claim 1, wherein the ethylene scrubber
includes a reactive oxygen species generator.
3. The display table of claim 1, wherein the ethylene scrubber
includes an ultraviolet lamp configured to irradiate a surface
including a photocatalyst suitable to provide photocatalytic
oxidation of ethylene.
4. The display table of claim 3, wherein the photocatalyst includes
titanium dioxide.
5. The display table of claim 3, wherein the table top prevents at
least some light from the ultraviolet lamp from exiting through the
perforations.
6. The display table of claim 5, wherein the table top includes at
least two layers of perforations offset from one another.
7. The display table of claim 1, wherein the ethylene scrubber
includes potassium permanganate.
8. The display table of claim 1, wherein the blower is positioned
within the enclosure below the perforated table top.
9. The display table of claim 8, wherein the blower is positioned
below the ethylene scrubber, and wherein the blower is positioned
proximate the outlet.
10. A method of preserving produce, comprising: supporting the
produce on a perforated table top open to the atmosphere; drawing a
gas into an enclosure through perforations in the perforated table
top; removing at least a portion of ethylene from at least a
portion of the gas; and directing the gas from the enclosure to the
atmosphere after at least a portion of the ethylene has been
removed from at least a portion of the gas.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of removing at least a
portion of ethylene includes positioning a reactive oxygen species
generator within the enclosure.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of removing at least a
portion of ethylene includes: positioning an ultraviolet lamp
within the enclosure, and irradiating a surface covered by a
suitable photocatalyst within the enclosure.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of removing at least a
portion of ethylene further includes preventing light from the
ultraviolet lamp from directly exiting the perforated table
top.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of removing at least a
portion of ethylene includes oxidizing at least a portion of
ethylene using potassium permanganate.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein drawing a gas into the
enclosure includes positioning a blower in communication with the
enclosure.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning a blower includes
positioning the blower below the perforated table top.
17. The method of claim 10, wherein directing the gas to exit the
enclosure includes positioning a blower proximate an outlet of the
enclosure.
18. A display table for supporting produce, comprising: an
enclosure; a table top open to the atmosphere and configured to
support the produce, the table top defining an upper surface of the
enclosure and including perforations; a blower positioned in
communication with the enclosure to create an underpressure that
draws a gas into the enclosure through the perforations; an
ultraviolet lamp positioned in communication with the enclosure and
in a flow path of the gas; a surface irradiated by the ultraviolet
lamp, the surface having a photocatalyst suitable to provide
photocatalytic oxidation of ethylene; and an outlet downstream of
the ethylene scrubber for returning the gas from the enclosure to
the atmosphere; wherein the ultraviolet lamp and photocatalyst
remove at least a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of
the gas; and wherein the table top includes at least two layers of
perforations that are staggered with respect to each other and
configured to prevent at least some light from the ultraviolet lamp
from directly exiting through the table top.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention relates to display tables for produce,
such as fruits and vegetables. Display tables typically include a
table top for supporting produce.
SUMMARY
[0002] In one construction, the invention provides a display table
for supporting produce. The display table includes an enclosure, a
table top defining an upper surface of the enclosure, a blower, an
ethylene scrubber and an outlet. The table top is open to the
atmosphere and configured to support the produce, and includes
perforations. The blower is positioned in communication with the
enclosure to create an underpressure that draws a gas into the
enclosure through the perforations. The ethylene scrubber is
positioned in communication with the enclosure and in a flow path
of the gas, the ethylene scrubber being configured to remove at
least a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of the gas. The
outlet is located downstream of the ethylene scrubber for returning
the gas from the enclosure to the atmosphere.
[0003] In another construction, the invention provides a method of
preserving produce. The method includes supporting the produce on a
perforated table top open to the atmosphere, drawing a gas into an
enclosure through perforations in the perforated table top,
removing at least a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of
the gas, and directing the gas from the enclosure to the atmosphere
after at least a portion of the ethylene has been removed from at
least a portion of the gas.
[0004] In yet another construction, the invention provides a
display table for supporting produce. The display table includes an
enclosure, a table top defining an upper surface of the enclosure,
a blower, an ultraviolet lamp, a surface irradiated by the
ultraviolet lamp, and an outlet. The table top is open to the
atmosphere and configured to support the produce, and includes
perforations. The blower is positioned in communication with the
enclosure to create an underpressure that draws a gas into the
enclosure through the perforations. The ultraviolet lamp is
positioned in communication with the enclosure and in a flow path
of the gas. The surface irradiated by the ultraviolet lamp has a
photocatalyst suitable to provide photocatalytic oxidation of
ethylene. The outlet is positioned downstream of the ethylene
scrubber for returning the gas from the enclosure to the
atmosphere. The ultraviolet lamp and photocatalyst remove at least
a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of the gas. The table
top includes at least two layers of perforations that are staggered
with respect to each other and configured to prevent at least some
light from the ultraviolet lamp from directly exiting through the
table top.
[0005] Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by
consideration of the detailed description and accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a display table for supporting
produce according to the present invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another construction of the
display table of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in
detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in
its application to the details of construction and the arrangement
of components set forth in the following description or illustrated
in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in
various ways.
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a display table 10 for produce, such as
fruits and vegetables. The display table 10 includes an enclosure
14, a table top 18 defining an upper surface of the enclosure, a
blower 22, an ethylene scrubber 26, and an outlet 30. The display
table 10 is designed to remove ethylene gas from the vicinity of
the produce supported on the display table to extend the life of
the produce. Ethylene is a hormone produced by fruits and
vegetables that accelerates ripening. Removal of ethylene slows the
ripening process and extends the life of produce. As will be
described in greater detail below, ethylene gas is drawn into the
enclosure 14, removed by the ethylene scrubber 26, and clean air is
expelled through the outlet 30.
[0010] The table top 18 is open to the atmosphere and configured to
support the produce, and includes perforations 34. In the
illustrated construction, the table top 18 includes first and
second perforated sheets 38, 42 having staggered, or offset,
perforations 34. The perforations 34 are provided to allow a flow
of gas through the table top 18, as will be described in greater
detail below. In other constructions, the table top 18 may have
one, three or more perforated sheets that allow gas to flow through
the table top 18.
[0011] In the illustrated construction, the ethylene scrubber 26
includes an ultraviolet lamp 44 and a surface 48 irradiated by the
ultraviolet lamp having a photocatalyst. The ultraviolet lamp 44 is
positioned in communication with the enclosure 14 and in a flow
path of the gas. The ultraviolet lamp 44 and surface having a
photocatalyst 48 cooperate in photocatalytic oxidation, a process
that removes air pollutants, such as ethylene, on an ultraviolet
irradiated surface having a suitable photocatalyst, such as
titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2). The ultraviolet lamp 44 and
photocatalyst 48 remove at least a portion of ethylene from at
least a portion of the gas. As described above, the table top 18
includes at least two layers of perforations 34 that are staggered
with respect to each other. The two perforated sheets 38, 42 are
arranged such that at least a portion of light from the ultraviolet
lamp 44 that passes through the first perforated sheet 38 is
blocked by a non-perforated portion of the second perforated sheet
42. Preferably, the first and second perforated sheets 38, 42 are
arranged such that no light from the ultraviolet lamp 44 can
directly escape through the table top 18.
[0012] In the illustrated construction, two blowers 22 are
positioned within the enclosure 14 adjacent two outlets 30. The
outlets 30 are positioned in the sides of the enclosure 14
downstream of the ethylene scrubber 26, and the blowers 22 are
positioned for returning the gas from the enclosure 14 to the
atmosphere. In other constructions, the outlets 30 may be
positioned in another suitable location on the enclosure 14.
[0013] In operation, the display table 10 preserves and extends the
life of produce. The table top 18 is open to the atmosphere and
supports produce that produces ethylene gas. One or more of the
blowers 22 work to create an underpressure to draw gas from the
atmosphere into the enclosure 14 through the perforations 34 in the
table top 18. The ethylene scrubber 26 removes at least a portion
of ethylene from the gas, producing a clean gas, and the clean gas
is expelled to the atmosphere through one or more of the outlets
30.
[0014] In other constructions, the ethylene scrubber 26 may include
potassium permanganate (KMnO.sub.4), an effective oxidizer of
ethylene. Major intermediates of the oxidation of ethylene are
ethylene oxide (C.sub.2H.sub.4O), acetaldehyde (CH.sub.3CHO), vinyl
acetate (C.sub.4H.sub.6O.sub.2), and ethylene glycol
(C.sub.2H.sub.4(OH).sub.2).
[0015] In yet other constructions, the ethylene scrubber 26 may
include a reactive oxygen species (ROS) generator. The ROS
generator produces one or more of oxygen ions, free radicals,
organic and inorganic peroxides, ozone, and other reactive oxygen
species. These reactive oxygen species oxidize air pollutants, such
as ethylene, to effectively remove them from the air. In one
construction, the ROS generator is positioned within the enclosure
14, similar to the other ethylene scrubbers 26 described above, to
remove ethylene after it is drawn in through the perforations
34.
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates another construction of the display table
10 having an ROS generator 52 positioned outside of the enclosure
14 and directing reactive oxygen species to the vicinity of the
produce supported by the table top 18. In the illustrated
construction of FIG. 2, the ROS generator 52 is provided in
addition to the ethylene scrubber 26, which is positioned within
the enclosure 14 as described above. The ROS generator 52
supplements the ethylene scrubber 26 by providing reactive oxygen
species to neutralize ethylene above the table top 18.
[0017] In other constructions, the ROS generator 52 is positioned
in fluid communication with the interior of the enclosure 14, or
within the enclosure 14. The blower 22 is positioned in
communication with the enclosure 14 to draw a gas from the
atmosphere into the enclosure 14 through the bottom or sides of the
enclosure 14, e.g., through the outlets 30. The blower 22 directs
ROS and clean air out through the perforations 34 in the table top
18 to the vicinity of the produce to neutralize ethylene.
[0018] In yet other constructions, the ethylene scrubber may
include any combination of one or more of a ROS generator, an
ultraviolet lamp with photocatalyst, potassium permanganate, and
other ethylene scrubbers.
[0019] Thus, the invention provides, among other things, a display
table with ethylene scrubber for preserving the life of produce.
Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in
the following claims.
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