Food conservator system
AssigneeSharper Image Corporation
InventorsEdward C. McKinney, Charles E. Taylor, Richard J. Thalheimer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A preferably self-contained food conservator system includes a vacuum compartment appropriate for storing baked goods, in which a negative pressure of about 10" Hg in maintained, preferably at about 60% relative humidity. The environment of the compartment preferably is feed-back-controlled by a microprocessor control. The microprocessor preferably can control vacuum, relative humidity, temperature, the amount of ozone introduced into the compartment to retard bacterial growth, as well as outgassing time cycles. A pushbutton type menu allows a user to input data used to control the microprocessor, and permit optimization of the compartment environment for the particular foodstuffs presently being stored.
Claims20
A system for extending lifetime of foodstuffs, comprising:
- a container having a sealable compartment sized to hold said foodstuffs;
- means for creating a vacuum within said sealable compartment;
- and
- means for maintaining a desired humidity within said sealable compartment;
- wherein at least one of said means for creating and said means for maintaining is disposed within said container.
A system for extending lifetime of foodstuffs, comprising:
- at least one sealable compartment sized to hold said foodstuffs;
- at least one of feedback means for creating within said sealable compartment a controllable vacuum of about 10" Hg, and feedback means for maintaining within said sealable compartment at least about 60% relative humidity;
- and
- a control unit, coupled to said feedback means, that permits user setting at least one of vacuum and humidity within said sealable compartment.
A method for extending lifetime of foodstuffs, comprising the following steps:
- (a) placing said foodstuffs in a sealable compartment and sealing said sealable compartment;
- (b) creating within said sealable compartment at least one condition selected from a group consisting of (i) a controllable vacuum of about 10" Hg, and (ii) a humidity that is at least about 60% relative humidity;
- and
- (c) providing feedback to sense and control at least one of (i) magnitude of said vacuum, (ii) magnitude of said humidity, (iii) ozone content within said sealable compartment, (iv) ultraviolet radiation to which said sealable compartment is exposed, (v) temperature within said sealable compartment, and (vi) amount of activated charcoal to which said sealable compartment is exposed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.