Refrigeration – Gas controller or director – Cooled gas directed relative to cooled enclosure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-22
2001-01-16
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Gas controller or director
Cooled gas directed relative to cooled enclosure
C062S465000, C062S371000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173580
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liner for a refrigerator crisper drawer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Perishable food items, particularly produce items such as fruits and vegetables, are commonly stored in refrigerator crisper drawers to maintain freshness and avoid spoilage. Typically, enough produce to be used over a given period of time, such as a week, is stored in a refrigerator crisper drawer. However, the bottom portions of individual items of produce tend to be compressed against the drawer floor during such storage.
Due to the compression of the produce, the bottom, outermost layers or skin of individual produce items will suffer from trauma resulting in cellular dissolution. Such cellular dissolution is undesirable and can lead to visible blemishes, poor taste, and accelerated spoilage. Furthermore, free flow of refrigerated air, or other chilled fluid, to and about the bottom layers of the produce items is obstructed because of the compressed contact between the produce and the drawer floor. Such free flow of refrigerated air is desirable in order to prevent bacterial growth and spoilage of the produce. Also, when produce is stored directly on the drawer floor, water or liquids oftentimes pool and provide a stagnant, moist environment which encourages bacterial growth, further accelerating spoilage.
Heretofore, it has been known to support food products with a grill-like surface in order to allow liquids to drain away. Examples of such constructions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,756,681, 3,915,532, and 3,698,783. However, the constructions disclosed in these patents are directed to closed containers rather than to refrigerator crisper drawers and do not provide a suitable solution to the problems outlined above.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a liner for a refrigerator crisper drawer which provides enhanced air flow to the produce stored therein and allows undesirable liquids to drain away from the produce. It is also desirable to do so in such a way that abrasion and trauma to the produce is minimized as the produce is moved about within the drawer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to meet the above-described needs. To meet these needs, the present invention provides a removable liner to be used in combination with a refrigerator crisper drawer. The liner comprises a main body and provides a drawer engaging surface. The main body provides a generally upwardly facing produce supporting surface on which items of produce can be placed. The main body also has a plurality of openings formed therethrough which enable fluids, such as moisture, juices, or condensation, to drain away from the items of produce placed on the supporting surface. The engaging surface removably engages a liner supporting surface inside the crisper drawer so as to support the items of produce placed on the produce supporting surface in spaced relation above the drawer floor, thereby allowing the fluid draining away from the items of produce through the openings to drain to the floor and also allowing chilled air within the drawer to flow generally upwardly through the openings to lower portions of the items of produce. The liner may be removed from the drawer for cleaning or replacement when desired.
Preferably, the upwardly facing produce supporting surface is defined by a plurality of smooth, rounded portions. Rounded portions are preferred to minimize both the contact between the liner and the produce and the amount of abrasion to which the produce is subjected. The grill-like surfaces of the aforementioned patents have sharp points or edges which are designed to minimize contact while supporting food items. Such sharp points or edges, however, will abrade or scrape sensitive produce items, such as lettuce, and thus damage them. Rounded portions provide the optimal balance between minimizing both contact and damage.
It has been found that using a liner constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention functions quite effectively at allowing the circulation of chilled air and the drainage of moisture to and from the produce stored in the refrigerator drawer. In fact, it has been found that using the liner of the present invention reduces degradation of the produce and extends its life.
A further aspect of the present invention provides rolling support structures. These rolling support structures are mounted to the main body for rolling movement and have produce engaging portions which project upwardly from the produce supporting surface to rollingly support the produce items. These rolling structures are particularly advantageous because they allow the produce to be moved easily along the produce supporting surface. This rolling action prevents friction and abrasion of the produce as it is moved within the drawer. This feature is well-suited for home and restaurant applications, wherein produce items are frequently moved around within the drawer during selection. In the preferred embodiments, these rolling structures are generally cylindrical rollers or generally spherical balls.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
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Doerrler William
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
Shulman Mark
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