WO2010032888A1

WO2010032888A1 - Circulation period timer and airtight container including the same

Info

Publication number: WO2010032888A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/005526
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sun-Ja Ham
Original assignee: Sun-Ja Ham
Priority date: 2008-09-18
Filing date: 2008-09-18
Publication date: 2010-03-25

Abstract

An circulation period timer may include: a display unit that displays an elapsed time that is counted until the expiration date of viand or food and the waiting time after the expiration date passes; an input unit that input the expiration date depending on the food or viand; a detecting unit that detects light from the outside to output a detection signal when the expiration date passes; a control unit that controls the display unit to display the expiration date that is input through the input unit, the elapsed time, and the waiting time until the light is detected by approaching of the user after the expiration date passes; an output unit that is controlled by the control unit and outputs light or sound so as to inform the end of the expiration date to the user, if the expiration date ends and the detection signal is received; and a sealing unit that is engaged with a airtight container where the viand or food is contained to combine and seal the display unit, input unit, control unit, output unit, and detecting unit with the container.

Description

CIRCULATION PERIOD TIMER AND ARITIGHT CONT ANINER

INCLUDING THE SAME

Technical Field The present invention relates to an circulation period timer, an airtight container including the same, and a control method thereof, more particularly, the present invention relates to an circulation period timer, an airtight container including the same, and a control method thereof of which an expiration date of food stored in a refrigerator can easily be recognized and the food can be efficiently managed so that the expiration date does not elapse. Background Art

Generally, food is stored in freezer or refrigerator in accordance with kinds and condition of the food, and has a proper expiration date in accordance with the kinds. Therefore, it is desirable to consume the food prior to the expiration date because freshness of the food is lost and the food is spoiled when the expiration date of the food has elapsed.

However, it is difficult for a user to always memorize the expiration date because the food stored in a refrigerator of a home or business is various and the expiration date of the food is different according to the kinds of the food. Therefore, a user writes a store date of the food on note paper or a whiteboard and manages the food by checking the expiration date of the food.

However, these methods have very uncomfortable problems because a user must record the expiration date and remaining time when the food is stored and since troublesome works adding days that can circulates until the expiration date from the stored date are appended so as to concretely grasp whether some food passes the expiration date thereof.

Also, even though a user endures these inconveniences, a user may eat food of which the expiration date has elapsed if the user has not positively confirmed whether the expiration date has elapsed or not.

To solve the mentioned problems, methods for mounting an circulation period timer have been proposed, but these methods also have problems in which a user must manage the expiration date and does not receive an elapsed signal of the expiration date because the elapsed signal is outputted and ends whether a user is on the spot or not when the expiration date elapses.

Also, the life of the circulation period timer may be shortened or the circulation period timer may be damaged by moisture of the refrigerator even if it is waterproof because it is an electronic machine.

Meanwhile, recently food containers have be developed so that food is not spoiled and is stored for a long time. However, the stored food may be spoiled even if it is stored in the food containers for a long time because it has the expiration date. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Technical Problem The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a circulation period timer, an airtight container including the same, and a control method thereof having advantages of easily recognizing an expiration date of food and efficiently managing the food. Technical Solution An circulation period timer may include: a display unit that displays an elapsed time that is counted until the expiration date of viand or food and the waiting time after the expiration date passes; an input unit that input the expiration date depending on the food or viand; a detecting unit that detects light from the outside to output a detection signal when the expiration date passes; a control unit that controls the display unit to display the expiration date that is input through the input unit, the elapsed time, and the waiting time until the light is detected by approaching of the user after the expiration date passes; an output unit that is controlled by the control unit and outputs light or sound so as to inform the end of the expiration date to the user, if the expiration date ends and the detection signal is received; and a sealing unit that is engaged with a airtight container where the viand or food is contained to combine and seal the display unit, input unit, control unit, output unit, and detecting unit with the container. Advantageous Effects

The circulation period timer, an airtight container including the same, and a control method thereof can minimize consumption of energy because the output unit sends a signal to a user through light or sound and the display unit displays elapse of the expiration date when a door of a warehouse or a refrigerator is opened by a user using the detecting unit such as a photosensor

At this time, a user may have a less unpleasant feeling because the output unit has an environmentally-friendly insect shape and outputs a sound in accordance with the insect.

Also, a user can easily be grasped storage state and present state of the food because the display unit displays the expiration date, the elapsed time and the waiting time after the expiration date elapse according to kind of viand or food and item. Further, the food of which the expiration date has elapsed can be prevented from being continually stored.

In addition, the circulation period timer, an airtight container including the same, and a control method thereof can prevent the life of the circulation period timer from being shortened or the circulation period timer from being damaged by high moisture of the refrigerator, and the expiration date of the food can be efficiently managed even if a user does not pay attention to the expiration timer, without development of a complex system. Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an airtight container having a circulation period timer according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an airtight container having a circulation period timer according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is cross-sectional views of a method of mounting a circulation period timer on an airtight container according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 4 is cross-sectional views of a method of mounting a circulation period timer on an airtight container according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is cross-sectional views of a method of mounting a circulation period timer on an airtight container according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a particular perspective view of a circulation period timer according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a circulation period timer of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is top plan views of a circulation period timer according to other exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is top plan views of a circulation period timer according to other exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Mode for Invention Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an airtight container having a circulation period timer according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an airtight container according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 100 containing viand or food, a cover 200 covering the main body 100, and a circulation period timer 300 that is mounted on the cover 200.

The main body 100 includes a housing 120 that defines size and has an opening 130 and a catching protrusion 110 that is protruded outside of both sides of the housing 120, is attachable to the cover 200 and fixes a position of the cover 200.

A silicon seal (not shown) that tightly seals the opening 130 of the main body 100 may be formed on the edge circumference of the cover 200 and the cover 200 includes a locking handle 210 that is fixed attachable to a catching protrusion 110 by being rotatably mounted and a container 240 that is formed at the center and can contain the circulation period timer 300.

The container 240 includes a depressed main portion 230 in which the circulation period timer 300 is contained and the circulation period timer 300 is attached to the depressed main portion 230 by attachable adhesive or fastening unit, seals the container 240, and further includes a clear airtight unit 220 so that the circulation period timer 300 located in the container 240 can be seen from the outside. The airtight unit 220 may be combined with an axis groove 250a of the container 240 by an axis protrusion 222 in order to rotate.

At this time, a projection 230b is protruded toward so that the airtight unit 220 is tightly fixed on the container 240 and the projection 230b is fixed in a projection groove 230a of the main portion 230 through a seal 260. Also, a protrusion 250b is formed on a one side of the airtight unit 220, the axis groove 250a is formed on a one side of the container 240, and the protrusion

250b is rotatably mounted to the container 240 by being inserted in the axis groove 250a.

Meanwhile, a protrusion 221 is formed on a second side of the container 240 that puts opposite the protrusion in order to easily open and close the container 240.

At this time, the main body 100 and the cover 200 can be variously formed as a quadrangle, a circle, etc. Also, the circulation period timer 300 may increase design effect because an environmentally-friendly insect shape such as a ladybird, a grasshopper, etc. is seen outside the airtight unit 220 and can have pleasant feeling because the circulation period timer 300 outputs a sound according to the insect shape so as to recognize elapse of the expiration date.

In the appended drawing, the main body 100 and the cover 200 are formed as a quadrangle, and the circulation period timer 300 is illustrated as a ladybird shape, but can be variously formed as a quadrangle, a circle, etc., and can be formed as other insect if the circulation period timer 300 is an environmentally-friendly.

Also, the main body 100 and the cover 200 are made of a nontoxic material so that endocrine disruptors are not generated at a high temperature when the main body 100 and the cover 200 are put in an electric oven.

Also, the catching protrusion 110 and the locking handle 210 for completing the airtight container by combing the main body 100 with the cover200 may be formed with various shapes. Although the airtight container according to the present invention shown in FIG.l has the container that can contain the circulation period timer 300, a groove is formed on the cover 200 in order to contain the circulation period timer 300, but the groove can be formed on the main body 100, and can protruded outside of the main body 100, which will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an airtight container having n circulation period timer according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, an airtight container according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 100, a cover 200 covering the main body 100, and a container 280 in which an expiration timer 300 is mounted.

The container 280 is formed to the main body 100, and is protruded outside of the main body 100 dislike FIG. 1. The circulation period timer 300 is contained in the container 280 and can be air-tightness combined to the main body 100 or the cover 200 through a rag-shape fastening unit 361a that is formed under the container 280.

Also, the container 280 can be formed with attachable adhesive and is attachable to the main body 100 or the cover 200. It will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 are cross-sectional views of a method of mounting a circulation period timer on an airtight container according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, a first fastening unit A is formed in a portion of the main body 100 or the cover 200 of the airtight container according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first fastening unit A includes at least one inputting opening 361b for example three inputting opening 361b, the circulation period timer 300 includes a second fastening unit B corresponding to the first fastening unit A, and the second fastening unit B includes an inputting protrusion 361a that has a size that is sufficient to be inputted in the inputting opening 361b of the first fastening unit A. At this time, end portions of the inputting protrusion 361a are larger than other portions of the inputting protrusion 361a, are larger than the inputting opening 361b, and have an elastic property, and then the circulation period timer 300 may be securely fixed to and tightly combined with the main body 100 or the cover 200 by pressurization when the circulation period timer 300 is mounted to the main body 100 or the cover 200.

As shown in FIG. 4, an airtight container according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first fastening unit A that is formed to a portion of the main body 100 or the cover 200, and the first fastening unit A includes an inputting opening 361b similar to the prior exemplary embodiment.

However, a second fastening unit B that is formed to the circulation period timer 300 is formed to two portions Bl and B2, a plurality of fastening openings 362a are formed to the first portion Bl, and a fastening protrusion

362b is formed to the second portion B2. The plurality of fastening openings 362a pass through the inputting opening 361b of the main body 100 or the cover 200, are inputted into the plurality of fastening protrusions 362b, and the circulation period timer is combined with the main body 100 or the cover 200 through combination of the plurality of fastening openings 362a with the plurality of fastening protrusions 362b.

As shown in FIG. 5, an circulation period timer 300 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an inputting protrusion 363 of which an edge thereof is protruded, and a first fastening unit C of a main body 100 or a cover 200 includes a inputting opening 364, similar to the prior exemplary embodiment.

Edge portions of the inputting opening 364 are thinner than other portions of the inputting opening 364, and then the inputting protrusion 363 is pressurized so that the circulation period timer 300 is attachable to the main body 100 or the cover 200.

An expiration date of food and the food can be efficiently managed because the airtight container according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes the circulation period timer.

The structure of a circulation period timer that is included in an airtight container according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a particular perspective view of a circulation period timer according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a circulation period timer of FIG 6. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the circulation period timer 300 (see FIG. 1) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a control unit 380, an input unit 310, a display unit 320, a detecting unit 330, a power supply 350, and an output unit 340.

The input unit 310 is mounted on the case 390, and the food name and expiration date of the food according to kinds of the food contained in the main body 100 are inputted to the input unit 310. The input unit 310 includes a manual input unit 311 and an automatic input unit 312. The manual input unit 311 has a function that it is capable of turning on/ off the circulation period timer 300, the expiration date that is inputted to the manual input unit 311 may be manually extended or moved back by resetting the inputted expiration date according to kinds of food, and the manual input unit 311 includes an increase and decrease switch. The automatic input unit 312 automatically identifies the expiration date when information about the expiration date is recorded to wrapping of a food or viand. The expiration date may be recorded in different ways such as with a radio frequency identification (RFID) system, a barcode, etc., and the automatic input unit 312 may be a barcode reader. In other words, the RFID system may consist of a radio frequency identification tag and a radio frequency identification reader, the radio frequency identification is attached to the wrapping when the expiration date is recorded by the RFID system, and a radio frequency identification reader is formed to the automatic input unit 312. The radio frequency identification reader transmits a radio wave, and the radio frequency identification tag transmits a signal corresponding to the transmitted radio wave when the radio frequency identification tag contacts an identification area of the radio frequency identification reader, and then the radio frequency identification reader identifies the expiration date that is recorded on the radio frequency identification tag, and the display unit 320 displays the identified expiration date. Meanwhile, a barcode is generated by combining black bars with white bars so to code characteristics or a number, and the coded expiration date is read through a scanner, transmitted to a decoder, and therefore identified. At this time, the automatic input unit 312 may consist of the scanner and the decoder.

The control unit 380 calculates remaining time until the expiration date inputted to the input unit 310, estimates whether the expiration date has elapsed or not, and then identifies whether a user has accessed the circulation period timer 300 or not after the expiration date has elapsed.

The display unit 320 displays stored time, passed time, and etc. according to establishment of the input unit 310 by dividing the expiration date according to kind of the viand or food and display the passed time that is counted according to pass of the expiration date and a elapsed time in a row if the expiration date is elapsed.

The detecting unit 330 includes a photosensor detecting light, or a temperature sensor, and he detecting unit 330 detects opening and closing of a door of a storage unit or particularly a refrigerator by detecting a temperature or light change, and the output unit 350 outputs the detected signal when a user opens the door of the refrigerator. Consumption of energy may be minimized because the output unit 350 only outputs the detected signal when the door of the refrigerator is opened, and then a problem that a user does not receive the detected signal may not be generated.

Also, the control unit 380 estimates whether a user has accessed the circulation period timer 300 or not through the detecting unit 330 when the expiration date has elapsed, and controls the output unit 350 to output the detected signal. The output unit 350 outputs light, sound, and desirably an environmentally -friendly insect sound such as a ladybird, a grasshopper, etc., so to recognize elapse of the expiration date, and then a user does not need to consciously check whether the expiration date has elapsed or not.

The control unit 380 controls the output unit 350, the display unit 320, the detecting unit 330, the input unit 310, particularly makes the display unit 320 to display by establishing the expiration date through switching of the input unit 310, receives approach of the user by a temperature or light change through the detecting unit 330, and makes the output unit 350 to output alarming or flickering. The power supply 350 supplies power so that the control unit 380, the output unit 350, the display unit 320, the detecting unit 330, and the input unit 310 may be operated, and consists of a chemical battery or a solar battery.

Also, a circulation period timer 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention further includes a sealing unit 360 that is combined with the input unit 310, the display unit 320, the detecting unit 330, the control unit 380, and the output unit 340, as shown in FIG. 6, and the sealing unit 360 can include attachable adhesive or fastening structure as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 so that the circulation period timer 300 is attachable to the container 240 and 280 of the main body 100 or the cover 200 of the airtight container that contains the viand or food.

Meanwhile, the structure of a circulation period timer according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be changed, which will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are top plan views of a circulation period timer according to other exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 8, a circulation period timer according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed with a rotary shape, and includes a date plate 430 that date is disclosed in a clockwise direction or a counter-clockwise direction thereon, a rotation plate 410 and rotation pin 420 that are mounted to be able to rotate at the outer circumference of the date plate 430, and the expiration date can be set by rotating the rotation plate 410, and a display plate 440 that is positioned at the center of the date plate 430, and informs a user of elapse or end of the expiration date by flickering.

At this time, the circulation period timer is on when a user rotates the rotation plate 410 and rotation pin 420, and is off meaning the elapse of the expiration date when the rotation pin 420 reaches 0 of the display plate 440, and at this time, the detecting unit 330 detects access of a user through light or temperature change, and the elapse of the expiration date is informed to a user through flickering of the display plate 440, sound, or vibration. The location of the rotation plate 410 and rotation pin 420 is fixed, and the date plate 430 may rotate.

The date plate 430 corresponds to the display unit, the rotation plate 410 and rotation pin 420 that are able to set the expiration date correspond to the input unit, and the display plate 440 that informs a user of the elapse of the expiration date through the flickering, sound, or vibration corresponds to the output unit in the circulation period timer 300 according to the present exemplary embodiment. At this time, the detecting unit 330 is not separately shown, and the display plate 440 may be designed by an addition of the output unit 340 separately, similar to prior exemplary embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 9, an circulation period timer 300 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a display unit 320 formed as a digital clock shape, a detecting unit 330 including a photosensor, and an input unit 310 (refer to FIG. 6) including an On/Off button designed separately and an input button 315 to be able to set the expiration date.

The circulation period timer 300 shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 9 may be variously formed so that it is combined with the main body 100 or the cover 200 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3c.

Next, a method for using an airtight container including a circulation period timer according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, a user operates the circulation period timer 300 through the input unit 310, and next a user inputs an expiration date of the viand or food through switch of the input unit 310, and then the display unit 320 displays the expiration date. After the expiration date is finally set and for example one minute elapses, the control unit 380 calculates remaining time to the expiration date, and the display unit 320 displays the remaining time. Next, the circulation period timer 300 may be tightly combined with the container or the fastening unit of the main body 100 or the cover 200 of the airtight container in which the viand or food is stored through the fastening unit 360.

Next, the control unit 380 estimates whether a user has accessed the circulation period timer 300 or not after the predetermined expiration date has elapsed, and the output unit 340 outputs sound or light so the user may recognize the elapse of the expiration date when the control unit 380 determines the user has accessed the circulation period timer 300. However, the circulation period timer 300 only displays the elapse of the expiration date or outputs the sound or the light when it is recognized that the door of the refrigerator is opened through the detecting unit 330 so as to recognize the remaining time until the expiration date or the elapsed time from the expiration date, and calculating the remaining time until the expiration date is continuously performed through the control unit 380 regardless of the opening of the door. Finally, a user recognizes the elapse of the expiration date through a signal of the output unit 340, stops movement of the expiration date, and then discards the food.

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The circulation period timer, an airtight container including the same, and a control method thereof can minimize consumption of energy because the output unit sends a signal to a user through light or sound and the display unit displays elapse of the expiration date when a door of a warehouse or a refrigerator is opened by a user using the detecting unit such as a photosensor. A user can easily be grasped storage state and present state of the food because the display unit displays the expiration date, the elapsed time and the waiting time after the expiration date elapse according to kind of viand or food and item.

Also, the food of which the expiration date has elapsed can be prevented from being continually stored because the elapse of the expiration date inform through sound or light if the expiration date is passed even if a user does not pay attention to.

Claims

WHAT IS CALIMED IS

1. A circulation period timer, comprising: a display unit that displays an elapsed time that is counted until the expiration date of viand or food and the waiting time after the expiration date passes; an input unit that input the expiration date depending on the food or viand; a detecting unit that detects light from the outside to output a detection signal when the expiration date passes; a control unit that controls the display unit to display the expiration date that is input through the input unit, the elapsed time, and the waiting time until the light is detected by approaching of the user after the expiration date passes; an output unit that is controlled by the control unit and outputs light or sound so as to inform the end of the expiration date to the user, if the expiration date ends and the detection signal is received; and a sealing unit that is engaged with a airtight container where the viand or food is contained to combine and seal the display unit, input unit, control unit, output unit, and detecting unit with the container

2. The circulation period timer of claim 1, wherein the input unit comprises an automatic input unit and a manual input unit that automatically and manually inputs the expiration date recorded to wrapping of the food or viand.

3. The circulation period of claim 2, wherein the automatic input unit comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader.

4. The circulation period of claim 2, wherein the automatic input unit comprises a bar code reader.

5. The circulation period of claim 1, wherein the output unit has an environmentally-friendly insect shape and outputs a sound in accordance with the insect and the sealing unit comprises a fastening unit that is attachable to.

6. The circulation period of claim 5, wherein the detecting unit comprises a photosensor or temperaturesensor and the detecting unit communicates with outside.

7. An airtight container having a circulation period comprising: a main body in which viand or food is contained; a cover covering the main body; a display unit that attach to the main body or the cover and displays an elapsed time that is counted until the expiration date of viand or food and the waiting time after the expiration date passes; an input unit that input the expiration date depending on the food or viand; a detecting unit that detects light from the outside to output a detection signal when the expiration date passes; a control unit that controls the display unit to display the expiration date that is input through the input unit, the elapsed time, and the waiting time until the light is detected by approaching of the user after the expiration date passes; an output unit that is controlled by the control unit and outputs light or sound so as to inform the end of the expiration date to the user, if the expiration date ends and the detection signal is received; and a sealing unit that is engaged with a airtight container where the viand or food is contained to combine and seal the display unit, input unit, control unit, output unit, and detecting unit with the container

8. The container of claim 7, wherein the output unit has an environmentally-friendly insect shape and outputs a sound in accordance with the insect and the sealing unit comprises a combining unit that is attachable to and the main body or cover comprises a container that the circulation period is contained and a fastening unit that is combined with the combining unit.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein the detecting unit comprises a photosensor or temperaturesensor and the detecting unit communicates with outside.

10. The container of claim 7, wherein the container further comprises a clear airtight unit.

11. The container of claim 7, wherein the input unit comprises an automatic input unit and a manual input unit that automatically and manually inputs the expiration date recorded to wrapping of the food or viand.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the automatic input unit comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader.

13. The container of claim 11, wherein the automatic input unit comprises a bar code reader.

14. A circulation period control method, comprising: a step that determines whether the expiration date that a control unit inputs through the input unit passes or not, a step that counts time until the expiration date, if the expiration date is not elapsed, a step that determines whether the signal about the approaching of a user is received or not, if the expiration date is elapsed, a step that controls the output unit to wait, if the expiration date is elapsed and the approaching signal of the user is not received, a step that makes the output unit to output the expiration date elapse signal, if the detecting unit receives the signal about the approach of the user.

15. The control method of claim 14, wherein the detecting unit comprises a photosensor or temperaturesensor

16. The control method of claim 14, further comprising: a step that the control unit makes the output unit to output the expiration date elapse signal repeatedly whenever the detecting unit receives the approach signal of the user if the expiration date is elapsed

17. The control method of claim 16, wherein the output unit is controlled so as to output a sound in accordance with the insect if the output unit has an environmentally-friendly insect shape.

18. The control method of claim 14, further comprising: a step that the input unit automatically identifies the expiration date recorded to wrapping of a food or viand.