CN104101172B - Container device for household refrigeration appliance, household refrigeration appliance and corresponding method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a container device (22) for a domestic refrigeration appliance (2) having a food container (1) for receiving food, which can be hermetically closed with a door (15) and which has nitrogen gas Generating means (23) for providing a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24) in the inner chamber (9) of the food container (1), wherein the nitrogen generating means (23) has a A compressor ( 25 ) for compressing a gas mixture ( 26 ) and a separation unit ( 34 ) configured to separate a nitrogen-rich gas mixture ( 24 ) from the compressed gas mixture ( 27 ), wherein the A nitrogen generating device (23) has a through-flow coupling with the outlet (30) of the compressor (25) and the inlet (33) of the separation unit (34) for storing the compressed gas Gas box (28) for mixture (27).

Description

Container device for household refrigeration appliance, household refrigeration appliance and corresponding method

The present invention relates to a container device for a domestic refrigeration appliance having a food container for receiving food, the food container being hermetically closed with a door, and the container device having a nitrogen gas generating device for said A nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is provided in the inner chamber of the food container, wherein the nitrogen generating device has a compressor for compressing the gas mixture and a separation unit configured to extract the compressed gas mixture from the The nitrogen-rich gas mixture is separated. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a domestic refrigeration appliance with such a container device and a method for producing a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture in a food container.

The prior art has made it possible to generate nitrogen-enriched gas mixtures in food containers of refrigerated cabinets, ie gas mixtures enriched with nitrogen compared to ambient air. Such a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is known to be able to be produced by means of a separation unit (eg in the form of a membrane) by separating nitrogen from a compressed gas mixture, such as, for example, from compressed air. That is, gas separation is performed to separate one of nitrogen gas and the other of oxygen gas from each other.

It has been proven in practice that by providing a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture in a food container it is possible to keep food, such as in particular fruits and vegetables, fresh in the container for a longer period of time. This is especially because the proportion of oxygen in such gas mixtures is minimized.

A container device of the type mentioned at the outset is known, for example, from EP 0 687 966 B1. Here, atmospheric air is compressed by means of a compressor, and the compressed ambient air is fed to the membrane, which produces a nitrogen-enriched gas from the compressed air. This gas is then fed into the food container.

US 4 961 322 A describes a nitrogen generation plant in which a separation vessel is used for providing a nitrogen rich gas mixture in which the nitrogen is separated from atmospheric air. The nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is then stored in a tank.

Furthermore, vessel installations with nitrogen generators are known from WO 2007/020581 A1, WO 2007/020585 A1 and US 2002/0033023 A1.

That is, in the nitrogen generating devices known from the prior art, a compressor, eg a compressor, is used, by means of which the necessary pressure on the membrane is provided. However, it has been found that, in the case of some membrane types, the pressure provided by means of a compressor is not sufficient to perform effective gas separation by means of said membranes. That is, very high pressures of the compressed gas mixture are generally required, whereby the membrane is able to separate the nitrogen-rich gas mixture from the compressed gas mixture. Furthermore, on the known nitrogen generators, this situation can also be regarded as disadvantageous: such nitrogen generators have a relatively large noise development. In order to be able to adjust the nitrogen fraction in the food container accordingly, the compressor must be put into operation relatively frequently, which has proven to be relatively disruptive. In other words, the compressor is switched on at relatively short time intervals in order to be able to control the nitrogen proportion in the food container accordingly.

The object of the present invention is to provide a container device and a refrigeration appliance and method which are improved compared to the prior art.

According to the invention, this task is solved by the container device, the domestic refrigeration appliance and the method according to the invention.

The container device according to the invention is conceived for installation in refrigeration appliances, such as, for example, in refrigerators, freezers or refrigerated-freezers. The container apparatus includes a food container for receiving food, the food container being hermetically closed with a door. Additionally, the container apparatus includes a nitrogen generating device configured to provide a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture in the interior chamber of the food container. The nitrogen generating device comprises a compressor for compressing a gas mixture, eg ambient air, and a separation unit configured to separate a nitrogen-rich gas mixture from the compressed gas mixture. According to the invention, the nitrogen generating device comprises a gas tank for storing the compressed gas mixture, the gas tank being coupled in flow-through with the outlet of the compressor and with the inlet of the separation unit.

Thus, the effect according to the invention is achieved by a gas box which is connected between the compressor on the one hand and the separation unit on the other hand and serves to store the gas mixture compressed by means of the compressor. A gas box of this type has the advantage in particular of being able to discharge a very high pressure, compressed gas mixture onto the separation unit, so that the separation unit can be operated efficiently or an efficient gas separation can be performed. Furthermore, the compressor can be operated at longer time intervals by using a gas box, whereby the duration of the pauses between the various points in time when the compressor is put into operation is prolonged compared to the prior art. In this way, it is possible, for example, to run the compressor for such a long time each time until the gas tank is completely filled with the compressed gas mixture, and then the control of the nitrogen fraction inside the food container can be controlled by controlling the discharge of the compressed gas mixture to the separation The unit comes up to control, and the compressor itself does not have to be put into operation. As a result, a user-friendly operation of the nitrogen generator can be achieved overall, since the compressor does not need to be constantly put into operation and noise generation is reduced compared to the prior art.

A nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is currently understood to mean a gas mixture that is enriched with nitrogen relative to the compressed gas mixture, in particular relative to atmospheric air. A gas mixture with a nitrogen fraction of at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, is preferably provided by means of the separation unit.

In one embodiment, the container device includes an electronic control device, which is designed to control the compressor. The control device may comprise, for example, a digital signal processor and/or a microcontroller. On the one hand, the control of the compressor can be viewed in such a way that a complete filling process of the gas tank with the compressed gas mixture is carried out each time at predetermined time intervals. This means that the gas tank is completely filled with the compressed gas mixture at fixed predetermined time intervals or at fixed predetermined points in time. On the other hand, it can be provided in addition or as an alternative that when the pressure inside the gas box and/or the quantity of the compressed gas mixture falls below a predetermined limit value, an operation with compressed gas is always carried out. Complete filling process of the mixture filling the gas box. In this embodiment, for example, a pressure sensor can be used, by means of which the pressure inside the gas box is sensed. Both embodiments make it possible that a sufficient quantity of compressed gas mixture is always available in the gas box and that the compressor also does not have to be put into operation too frequently.

Ambient air from the surroundings of the food container is preferably supplied to the compressor as the gas mixture to be compressed. As a result, the gas box can be completely filled with the compressed gas mixture in a relatively short time. Furthermore, in such an open circuit, fresh air is always used for the production of nitrogen, instead of eg a gas mixture that is already in contact with the food.

The nitrogen generator may include a valve configured to control the discharge of the compressed gas mixture from the gas tank to the separation unit. The valve can either be arranged between the gas box and the separation unit, or it can be behind the separation unit in the flow direction. Reliable and operationally safe discharge of the compressed gas mixture from the gas tank to the separation unit is achieved by a valve of this type.

In one embodiment it can be provided that the same gas mixture is fed directly from the separation unit into the food container without the need for an additional nitrogen tank for storing the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to use an additional tank, so that the nitrogen generator can be implemented in an overall compact manner.

However, in an alternative embodiment it may be provided that the nitrogen generating device has a nitrogen tank in flow-through coupling with the outlet of the separation unit and the inlet of the food container, the nitrogen tank for storing rich Nitrogen gas mixture. By providing a nitrogen tank of this type, a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture can be stored in the nitrogen tank, even if the gas tank is empty or even if the gas tank is filled with the compressed gas mixture at the current point in time At the same time, the proportion of nitrogen gas inside the food container can also be controlled or adjusted. As a result, overall, it is possible to control or regulate the nitrogen content in the food container in an improved and particularly reliable manner.

If the nitrogen tank is used to store a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture and a valve is arranged between the gas tank on the one hand and the nitrogen tank on the other side, the control device can control the valve such that each time at predetermined time intervals Perform a complete filling process of the nitrogen tank with a nitrogen-rich gas mixture. Additionally or alternatively, the control can also appear to be such that when the pressure inside the gas box and/or the amount of the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture falls below a predetermined limit value, always A complete filling process of filling the gas tank with the compressed gas mixture is carried out. In both embodiments, a sufficient amount of nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is always available in the nitrogen box, so that the nitrogen fraction inside the food container can be constantly adjusted.

With regard to the configuration of the gas box and/or the nitrogen box, very different embodiments can be provided:

In one embodiment it is provided that the nitrogen tanks are configured to occupy different volumes. Additionally or alternatively, the gas box can also be designed to occupy different volumes. This means in particular that the gas box and/or the nitrogen box is designed as a volume-variable box. Such a configuration of the gas box and/or the nitrogen box has the advantage that the box is particularly space-saving and requires very little installation space, especially when the box is empty. This proves to be particularly advantageous when installing refrigeration appliances if the box together with the container device has to be carried by a relatively narrow space or door. Furthermore, such a variable volume tank has very little noise development, thereby further improving the user-friendliness of the nitrogen generating device.

The nitrogen tank can be made at least partially, for example also completely, of a flexible material, and the nitrogen generator can have a weight assigned to the nitrogen tank, which weight is placed on the flexible nitrogen tank. Additionally or alternatively, the gas tank can also be made at least partially, for example also completely, from a flexible material, and the nitrogen generator can have a weight assigned to the gas tank, which is placed on the on a flexible gas box. The flexible and in particular inelastic nitrogen and/or gas tank can, for example, be arranged externally on top of the housing of the refrigerating appliance together with the associated weight, so as to be designed as a bag or as a bag of nitrogen tanks And/or the gas box is sandwiched between the housing top on the one hand and the associated weight on the other hand. If the tank is filled with the corresponding gas mixture, the associated weight is lifted in the vertical direction, so that the weight of the weight acts directly on the tank and thus creates a pressure inside the tank .

In an alternative embodiment, the gas tank and/or the nitrogen tank can be configured as elastic balloons. In this embodiment, no additional weights need to be used if necessary, since the balloon contracts due to its elasticity and the pressure can be generated only due to the material properties of the balloon.

Alternatively, the gas box and/or the nitrogen box may be constructed as a box which is inherently rigid and thus fixed in volume.

Preferably, the compressor is configured as a compressor. Such compressors may include a blower and an electric drive motor for driving the blower. As a result, the gas mixture can be compressed particularly efficiently and rapidly without great outlay.

As already explained, the separation unit may comprise a membrane configured to separate the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture from the compressed gas mixture. Such membranes have the advantage that they are particularly compact in design, in particular compared to separation vessels or other separation devices.

Preferably, the food container is configured as a module for installation in a (especially closable) inner compartment of a refrigeration appliance. In this case, it can be provided in particular that the food container can be installed in the interior of the refrigeration appliance in a manner that can be detached without damage, so that the food container can be installed in the refrigeration appliance and can again be removed without damage . A simple retrofitting of a refrigeration appliance with the container arrangement is thus possible.

In order to prevent an overpressure or underpressure in the interior of the food container with respect to the environment or the atmosphere, in one embodiment a valve can be integrated into the wall of the food container, which valve is designed for the food container The pressure balance between the inner chamber and the environment of the food container.

In one embodiment, the container device comprises an electronic control device which is designed to control the compressor and/or the valve and thus to adjust the nitrogen content inside the food container. Such a control device can comprise, for example, a digital signal processor and/or a microcontroller.

The control device can be designed to control the nitrogen fraction in the gas mixture inside the food container to a predetermined setpoint value range, in particular by appropriately controlling a valve. On the one hand, this control can be a temporal and sensorless control, ie a control such that each time the valve is opened for a predetermined duration, which duration is determined such that within this duration it is possible to generate Desired nitrogen fraction. In this embodiment, the valve can also be opened at predetermined time intervals, so that it is always ensured that the nitrogen fraction is within a predetermined setpoint value range. On the other hand, the nitrogen fraction can also be adjusted by using a sensor by means of which the nitrogen fraction in the gas mixture inside the food container is sensed. The control device can then be adjusted into a predetermined setpoint value range as a function of the current nitrogen fraction. The predetermined setpoint value range can be, for example, a range from 90% to 100%, in particular a range from 95% to 100%.

With regard to the production of the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture, it can also be provided that the same gas mixture is produced as a result of or as a function of the user's input on the operating device. This input is then received by the control device, which in turn opens the valve due to the input to produce a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture in the food container. Additionally or alternatively, the control device can also be designed to sense a closing process of the door and to generate a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture in the food container after sensing the closing process.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a container device for a domestic refrigeration appliance, having a food container for receiving food, the food container being able to be hermetically closed by means of a door, and the container device having a nitrogen gas generating device, the nitrogen gas generating device for providing a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture in the inner chamber of the food container, wherein the nitrogen generating device has a compressor for compressing the gas mixture and a separation unit configured to extract the gas from the The compressed gas mixture separates a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture, wherein the nitrogen-generating device has a flow-through coupling to the outlet of the separation unit and the inlet of the food container for storing nitrogen-enriched gas Nitrogen tanks for gas mixtures, and wherein the nitrogen tanks are configured to occupy different volumes.

The nitrogen tank may be constructed at least in part from a flexible material, and the nitrogen generating device may have a weight that rests on the flexible nitrogen tank. Alternatively, the nitrogen tank can be constructed as an elastic balloon.

In the container arrangement according to the second aspect of the invention it may be provided that the nitrogen generator additionally has a flow-through coupling to the outlet of the compressor and the inlet of the separation unit for storing compressed air gas tank for gas mixtures.

The preferred embodiments and their advantages described in relation to the container device aspect according to the first aspect of the invention apply correspondingly to the container device according to the second aspect of the invention.

A domestic refrigeration appliance according to the invention comprises a container arrangement according to the invention according to the first aspect and/or according to the second aspect. The refrigerating appliance may be a refrigerating appliance, a freezing appliance or a combination of refrigerating and freezing.

The method according to the invention is used to generate a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture in the interior of a food container with the aid of a nitrogen generating device, the food container being hermetically closed with a door, the gas mixture (in particular ambient air) being generated by means of a compressor The nitrogen-rich gas mixture is compressed and separated from the compressed gas mixture by means of a separation unit. The compressed gas mixture is stored by means of a gas tank.

The method according to the invention according to the second aspect of the invention is for generating a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture in the interior of a food container with the aid of a nitrogen generating device, wherein the food container is hermetically closed with a door, with the aid of a nitrogen generating device. The compressor compresses the gas mixture, in particular ambient air, and separates the nitrogen-rich gas mixture from the compressed gas mixture by means of a separation unit. The nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is stored by means of nitrogen tanks, wherein the nitrogen tanks occupy different volumes.

The preferred embodiments described in relation to the container arrangement according to the invention and their advantages apply correspondingly to the refrigeration appliance according to the invention and to the method according to the invention.

All the features and feature combinations mentioned above in this description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the drawings and/or only shown in the drawings can not only be given in the respectively given combination, but also It can be used in other combinations or alone.

The present invention will now be further explained in terms of various preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The attached figure shows:

Figure 1 shows a food container of a container apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention in a schematic and perspective representation;

Figure 2 shows in a schematic diagram a block diagram of a container apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a refrigeration appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

4 to 6 show a refrigeration appliance according to various embodiments in schematic representations.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.

The food container 1 shown in Fig. 1 can be installed in a domestic refrigeration appliance 2 (Fig. 3). The food container 1 is constructed as a module which can be releasably mounted in the refrigeration appliance 2 . The food container 1 comprises a shell 3 made of metal or of plastic, for example, and constructed in one piece, which is of square shape and has four walls 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 . The through-going shell 3 is closed on its rear side by means of a lid 8 which approximately constitutes the rear wall of the food container 1 . Thus, the inner chamber 9 of the shell 3 is delimited by the walls 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 and by the cover 8 . A circumferential flange 11 is formed on the front side 10 of the housing 3 , which flange surrounds the front opening 12 of the housing 3 over the entire circumference or on the outer circumference. A surrounding sealing device 14 is arranged on the end face 13 of the surrounding flange 11 , with which the door 15 cooperates in a sealing manner in the closed state. Thereby, the inner chamber 9 is hermetically closed in a state where the door 15 is closed.

In this embodiment, the door 15 is connected to a drawer box 16 , which is supported in the interior 9 of the housing 3 in a movably guided manner by means of guide means 17 . However, the present invention is not limited to this drawer-like configuration of the door 15 . Alternatively, the door 15 can also be pivotably mounted on the housing 3 without the use of a corresponding drawer box 18 .

If the door 15 is closed, the door can be locked in the closed position by means of the locking device 18 in a known manner. In order to release the locking of the door 15 , the user operates the handle 19 which is pivotably supported on the door 15 .

The food container 1 has an inlet 20 which can optionally be integrated into the lid 8 .

Optionally, a valve 21 is integrated into the food container 1, which valve is configured for pressure equalization between the inner chamber 9 of the food container 1 and the environment of the food container. In this embodiment, the valve 21 is integrated into the cover 8 and can alternatively also be integrated into one of the walls 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 .

A container apparatus 22 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2 . In addition to the food container 1 , the container apparatus 22 also comprises nitrogen generating means 23 for providing a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture 24 in the inner chamber 9 of the food container 1 . The nitrogen generating device 23 comprises a compressor 25 configured as a compressor, which is fed with ambient air 26 and which supplies a compressed gas mixture 27 , ie compressed air. The compressed gas mixture 27 is stored in a gas box 28 , the inlet 29 of which is coupled in flow through with the outlet 30 of the compressor 25 . The outlet 31 of the gas box 28 is through-flow coupled to the inlet 33 of the separation unit 34 via a controllable valve 32 . The separation unit 34 is designed as a membrane for gas separation and thus for separating the nitrogen-rich gas mixture 24 from the compressed gas mixture 27 .

Alternatively, a nitrogen box 35 can also be used, the inlet 36 of which is in-flow coupled with the outlet 37 of the separation unit and the outlet 38 of which is in-flow coupled with the inlet 20 of the food container 1 . If a nitrogen tank 35 is used, a valve 39 can also be used by which the gas flow from the nitrogen tank 35 into the food container 1 can be controlled.

To control the compressor 25 , the valve 32 and the valve 39 , an electronic control device 40 is provided, by means of which the nitrogen fraction inside the food container 1 is also controlled or regulated.

For example, the compressor 25 can be put into operation at predetermined time intervals in order to ensure that the gas tank 28 is always filled with the compressed gas mixture 27 . It can also be provided that the pressure inside the gas tank 28 is measured and the compressor 25 is always controlled for completely filling the gas tank 28 when this pressure falls below a predetermined limit value. As a result, it is generally only necessary to put the compressor 25 into operation at relatively long time intervals, so that the compressor 25 does not have to be switched on as often.

If the nitrogen tank 35 is not used, the proportion of nitrogen inside the food container 1 is then controlled by corresponding control of the valve 32 . The control can be temporal, so that the valve 32 opens at predetermined time intervals and each time for a predetermined duration. Alternatively, regulation can also be carried out by measuring the current nitrogen content in the interior of the food container 1 by means of the sensor 41 and then adjusting this nitrogen content in a closed control loop into a predetermined setpoint value range.

If a nitrogen tank 35 and valve 39 are used, the nitrogen tank 35 is filled with the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture 24 by the control of the valve 32 . The filling process can also be viewed in this way: the pressure inside the nitrogen tank 35 and/or the amount of the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture 24 inside the nitrogen tank 35 is sensed by means of sensors, and when the pressure and/or the amount falls below At predetermined limit values, a complete filling process of the nitrogen tank 35 is always carried out. Thereby, a predetermined minimum amount of nitrogen-enriched gas mixture 24 is always available inside the nitrogen tank 35 . The regulation of the nitrogen fraction inside the food container 1 is then carried out by correspondingly controlling the valve 39 , wherein (as already explained) either a temporal control or a closed regulation can be carried out.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the refrigeration appliance 2 may be configured as a refrigerator-freezer combination cabinet. Arranged inside the outer housing 42 is the inner container or inner housing 42a of the refrigeration appliance 2 which is formed in one or more parts. The inner container 42a can be designed in such a way that its inner chamber is divided into three sub-chambers 43, 44, 45, which are arranged one above the other and in each case serve to receive food. Each sub-chamber 43 , 44 , 45 can be closed by means of a separate door 46 or 47 or 48 . The upper sub-chamber 43 can be used, for example, as a refrigerator compartment or as a refrigerator compartment, while the lower sub-chamber 45 can be used as a freezer compartment. The intermediate compartment 44 is in turn used to receive the food container 1 . The food container 1 is installed in the compartment 44 as a module. With regard to the temperature of the sub-chamber 44 , it can be provided that the same temperature occurs in the sub-chamber 43 as in the sub-chamber 43 . Alternatively, the temperature inside the sub-chambers 44 can also be controlled separately or individually.

The compartment 44 can be closed by means of a door 47 , preferably a door separate from the door 15 of the food container 1 . Alternatively, however, the door 15 and the drawer box 16 can be omitted if necessary, so that the food container 1 can be closed with the door 47 .

Optionally, it can also be provided that the control device 40 senses the closing process of the door 15 and controls or regulates the nitrogen proportion after sensing the closing process. Additionally or alternatively, the user can also actuate a corresponding operating device for this purpose, which is arranged, for example, on one of the doors 46 , 47 , 48 .

As can be seen from FIG. 3 , the gas tank 28 and/or the nitrogen tank 35 can be constructed in the form of a flexible bag or bag which can occupy different volumes. A weight 49 is placed on the boxes 28, 35, the weight of which acts on the flexible bag. In this case, the gas tank 28 and/or the nitrogen tank 35 are arranged externally on the housing roof 50 of the outer housing 42 and thus between the housing roof 50 and the weight 49 . The weight 49 may be constructed in the form of a heavy plate, which may have a weight ranging from, for example, 10 kg to 50 kg. If the tanks 28, 35 are filled, the weights 49 are raised. If the tanks 28 , 35 are emptied, the weight 49 is lowered again, which is indicated by the arrow illustration 51 . Optionally, a position sensor can be provided, by means of which the current position of the weight 49 is sensed, ie the position relative to the housing top 50 . The sensor can, for example, sense the distance between the weight 49 and the housing top 50 . The sensor can be arranged, for example, in a flexible bag.

Furthermore, the compressor 25 is shown in FIG. 3 , which in this embodiment is placed on the base 52 . Here, the compressor 25 is arranged in a recess 53 which is formed in the lower rear corner region of the housing 42 . The remaining components of the nitrogen generator 23 are not shown in FIG. 3 .

Now, different embodiments of the refrigeration appliance 2 are shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 .

According to FIG. 4 , the nitrogen tank 35 is shown, which is designed as a flexible bag on which a weight 49 is placed. These components are placed on the housing top 50 . Here, the gas box 28 may be constructed in the form of a rigid or inherently rigid box with a fixed volume. The gas box can be arranged, for example, on the rear side of the housing 42 .

In the embodiment according to FIG. 5 , the gas box 28 is again embodied as a flexible bag, which is located below the weight 49 . In this embodiment, an optional nitrogen tank 35 is provided, eg in the form of a rigid or fixed volume tank.

Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 6 . The gas tank 28 is omitted here, so that the nitrogen generator 23 has only a single tank, the nitrogen tank 35, which consists of a flexible material. Here, the separation unit 34 is directly coupled to the nitrogen tank 35 in a through-flow manner, wherein the gas flow from the nitrogen tank 35 into the food container 1 is controlled by means of a valve 39 . Here, too, the valve 32 does not have to be used.

List of reference marks

1 food container

2 Refrigeration appliances

3 shells

4 walls

5 walls

6 walls

7 walls

8 covers

9 inner room

10 Positive side

11 Flange

12 openings

13 end side

14 Sealing device

15 doors

16 drawer box

17 Guide

18 Stopper

19 handle

20 entrance

21 valve

22 Container Equipment

23 Nitrogen generator

24 Gas mixtures

25 compressor

26 Ambient air

27 Gas mixtures

28 Gas Box

29 entrance

30 exports

31 Exit

32 valves

33 entrance

34 Separation unit

35 Nitrogen tank

36 entrance

37 Exit

38 exit

39 valve

40 Controls

41 Sensors

42 outer casing

42a Inner container

Room 43

Room 44

Room 45

46 doors

47 doors

48 doors

49 weights

50 shell top

51 Arrow icon

52 Bottom

53 Recess

Claims (17)

1. A container device (22) for a domestic refrigeration appliance (2), the container device having a food container (1) for receiving food, the food container being able to be hermetically closed with a door (15), and the container device having A nitrogen generator (23) for providing a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24) in the inner chamber (9) of the food container (1), wherein the nitrogen generator (23) has A compressor (25) for compressing the gas mixture (26) and a separation unit (34) configured to separate the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24) from the compressed gas mixture (27) , characterized in that the nitrogen generating device (23) has a flow-through coupling with the outlet (30) of the compressor (25) and the inlet (33) of the separation unit (34) for a gas tank (28) for storing the compressed gas mixture (27), the gas tank (28) being configured to occupy different volumes, the gas tank (28) being at least partially composed of a flexible material and the nitrogen gas The generating device (23) has a weight (49) assigned to the gas box (28), which weight is placed on a flexible gas box (28), which is arranged externally in the housing of the domestic refrigeration appliance on top of the body. 2 . The container device ( 22 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the container device ( 22 ) has a control device ( 40 ) for controlling the compressor ( 25 ), which control device is designed to, 2 . - a complete filling process of filling the gas tank (28) with the compressed gas mixture (27) each time at predetermined time intervals, and/or - always carried out when the pressure inside the gas box (28) and/or the amount of the compressed gas mixture (27) inside the gas box (28) is below a predetermined limit value The complete filling process of filling the gas tank (28) with the compressed gas mixture (27). 3. The container device (22) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that ambient air can be fed into the compressor (25) as the gas mixture (26) to be compressed. 4. Vessel apparatus (22) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the nitrogen generator (23) has a valve (32) for controlling the passage of the compressed gas mixture (27) from the discharge of the gas box (28) to the separation unit (34). 5. The container apparatus (22) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24) can be fed directly into the food container (1) from the separation unit (34). 6. The container apparatus (22) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the nitrogen generating means (23) has an outlet (37) with the separation unit (34) and with the food container (1) A nitrogen tank (35) for storing the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24) is coupled in a flow-through manner with an inlet (20). 7. The container apparatus (22) according to claim 4, characterized in that the nitrogen gas generating device (23) has an outlet (37) with the separation unit (34) and an inlet with the food container (1) (20) A nitrogen tank (35) coupled in a flow-through manner for storing the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24). 8. The container device (22) according to claim 7, characterized in that the container device (22) has a control device (40) for controlling the valve (32), which control device is designed to, - a complete filling process of filling the nitrogen tank (35) with the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24) each time at predetermined time intervals, and/or - always executed when the pressure inside the nitrogen tank (35) and/or the amount of the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24) inside the nitrogen tank (35) is below a predetermined limit value Complete filling process of the nitrogen tank (35) with the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24). 9. The container apparatus (22) of claim 6, wherein the nitrogen tanks (35) are configured to occupy different volumes. 10 . The container device ( 22 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the nitrogen tank ( 35 ) consists at least partially of a flexible material and the nitrogen generator ( 23 ) has an associated nitrogen tank ( 35 ). 11 . ) weight (49), which is placed on top of the flexible nitrogen tank (35). 11. The container device (22) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the gas tank (28) and/or the nitrogen tank (35) are configured as elastic balloons. 12. Container device (22) according to one of claims 1-2, 7-10, characterized in that the food container (1) is configured for installation in an interior (2) of the domestic refrigeration appliance (2) 44) in the module. 13. Container device (22) according to one of claims 1-2, 7-10, characterized in that the food container (1) has a valve for the interior of the food container (1) The pressure balance between the chamber (9) and the environment of the food container. 14. The container device (22) according to one of claims 1-2, 7-10, characterized in that the container device (22) has a control device (40) which is designed to control the food container (1) The nitrogen fraction in the inner gas mixture is controlled to a predetermined target value range. 15 . The container device ( 22 ) according to claim 14 , wherein the control device controls the nitrogen content in the gas mixture inside the food container ( 1 ) to a predetermined setpoint value by actuating a valve. 16 . in the range. 16. A domestic refrigeration appliance (2) having a container arrangement (22) according to one of the claims 1-15. 17. A method for generating a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24) in an inner chamber (9) of a food container (1) of a domestic refrigeration appliance by means of a nitrogen generating device (23), wherein the food container (1) Hermetically closed with a door (15), the gas mixture (26) is compressed by means of the compressor (25) of the nitrogen generator (23) and by means of the separation unit (25) of the nitrogen generator (23) 34) Separation of the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture (24) from the compressed gas mixture (27), characterized in that, by means of the outlet (30) of the compressor (25) and the separation unit ( 34) inlet (33) to store said compressed gas mixture (27) in a flow-through coupled gas tank (28), said gas tank (28) being configured to occupy different volumes, gas tank (28) 28) consists at least in part of a flexible material and the nitrogen generator (23) has a weight (49) assigned to the gas box (28), which weight is placed on the flexible gas box (28), The gas box (28) is arranged externally on top of the housing of the domestic refrigeration appliance.

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