Patent ID: 6923111
Filing Date: 2005-08-02
Classification: A23B,F25D

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for closely controlling the temperature of perishable goods in a mobile container having a refrigeration unit for delivering conditioned air into a mixing chamber located adjacent the front wall of the container, said apparatus including: a pair of supply air plenum chambers extending rearwardly from the mixing chamber toward the rear of the container along the sidewalls of the container that are arranged to receive supply air from said mixing chamber, one wall of each plenum being spaced apart from an adjacent side wall of said container and being formed by a stacked row of air permeable cartons containing said perishable produce, fan means for delivering supply air from said mixing chamber into said plenum chambers at a volume rate of flow that is high enough to force the supply air into heat transfer relation with said produce contained in said cartons, a gas generator located within the mixing chamber for introducing a ripening agent into the conditioned air at the beginning of a ripening cycle, a fresh air exchanger unit which is normally in a closed condition to retain the conditioned air within said container during said ripening cycle and to exchange conditioned air with ambient air when placed in an open condition at the conclusion of said ripening cycle, and control means for activating the gas generator at the beginning of a ripening cycle and for automatically deactivating the gas generator at the end of a ripening cycle; and control means for determining when said gas generator is deactivated and responsively and automatically placing the fresh air exchanger unit in an open condition for a given period of time to vent the ripening agent from said container and automatically closing the fresh air exchanger when the ripening agent has been vented to ambient.