Abstract:
A display for supporting produce generating ethylene gas as the produce ripens includes a surface for supporting the produce, a blower positioned in communication with the produce to move a gas containing at least a portion of the ethylene gas from the produce and an ethylene scrubber positioned in communication with the produce and in a flow path of the gas. The ethylene scrubber removes the at least a portion of the ethylene from the gas. The display does not include a refrigeration system such that a life of the produce is lengthened without use of refrigeration.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/625,088, filed Nov. 24, 2009, and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/493,537, filed Jun. 11, 2012, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/625,088, filed Nov. 24, 2009, the entire contents of both of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to display tables for produce, such as fruits and vegetables. Display tables typically include a table top for supporting produce. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In one construction, the invention provides a display table for supporting produce. The display table includes an enclosure, a table top defining an upper surface of the enclosure, a blower, an ethylene scrubber and an outlet. The table top is open to the atmosphere and configured to support the produce, and includes perforations. The blower is positioned in communication with the enclosure to create an underpressure that draws a gas into the enclosure through the perforations. The ethylene scrubber is positioned in communication with the enclosure and in a flow path of the gas, the ethylene scrubber being configured to remove at least a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of the gas. The outlet is located downstream of the ethylene scrubber for returning the gas from the enclosure to the atmosphere. 
         [0004]    In another construction, the invention provides a method of preserving produce. The method includes supporting the produce on a perforated table top open to the atmosphere, drawing a gas into an enclosure through perforations in the perforated table top, removing at least a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of the gas, and directing the gas from the enclosure to the atmosphere after at least a portion of the ethylene has been removed from at least a portion of the gas. 
         [0005]    In yet another construction, the invention provides a display table for supporting produce. The display table includes an enclosure, a table top defining an upper surface of the enclosure, a blower, an ultraviolet lamp, a surface irradiated by the ultraviolet lamp, and an outlet. The table top is open to the atmosphere and configured to support the produce, and includes perforations. The blower is positioned in communication with the enclosure to create an underpressure that draws a gas into the enclosure through the perforations. The ultraviolet lamp is positioned in communication with the enclosure and in a flow path of the gas. The surface irradiated by the ultraviolet lamp has a photocatalyst suitable to provide photocatalytic oxidation of ethylene. The outlet is positioned downstream of the ethylene scrubber for returning the gas from the enclosure to the atmosphere. The ultraviolet lamp and photocatalyst remove at least a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of the gas. The table top includes at least two layers of perforations that are staggered with respect to each other and configured to prevent at least some light from the ultraviolet lamp from directly exiting through the table top. 
         [0006]    Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a display table for supporting produce according to the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of another construction of the display table of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a display table  10  for produce, such as fruits and vegetables. The display table  10  includes an enclosure  14 , a table top  18  defining an upper surface of the enclosure, a blower  22 , an ethylene scrubber  26 , and an outlet  30 . The display table  10  is designed to remove ethylene gas from the vicinity of the produce supported on the display table to extend the life of the produce. Ethylene is a hormone produced by fruits and vegetables that accelerates ripening. Removal of ethylene slows the ripening process and extends the life of produce. As will be described in greater detail below, ethylene gas is drawn into the enclosure  14 , removed by the ethylene scrubber  26 , and clean air is expelled through the outlet  30 . 
         [0011]    The table top  18  is open to the atmosphere and configured to support the produce, and includes perforations  34 . In the illustrated construction, the table top  18  includes first and second perforated sheets  38 ,  42  having staggered, or offset, perforations  34 . The perforations  34  are provided to allow a flow of gas through the table top  18 , as will be described in greater detail below. In other constructions, the table top  18  may have one, three or more perforated sheets that allow gas to flow through the table top  18 . 
         [0012]    In the illustrated construction, the ethylene scrubber  26  includes an ultraviolet lamp  44  and a surface  48  irradiated by the ultraviolet lamp having a photocatalyst. The ultraviolet lamp  44  is positioned in communication with the enclosure  14  and in a flow path of the gas. The ultraviolet lamp  44  and surface having a photocatalyst  48  cooperate in photocatalytic oxidation, a process that removes air pollutants, such as ethylene, on an ultraviolet irradiated surface having a suitable photocatalyst, such as titatnium dioxide (TiO 2 ). The ultraviolet lamp  44  and photocatalyst  48  remove at least a portion of ethylene from at least a portion of the gas. As described above, the table top  18  includes at least two layers of perforations  34  that are staggered with respect to each other. The two perforated sheets  38 ,  42  are arranged such that at least a portion of light from the ultraviolet lamp  44  that passes through the first perforated sheet  38  is blocked by a non-perforated portion of the second perforated sheet  42 . Preferably, the first and second perforated sheets  38 ,  42  are arranged such that no light from the ultraviolet lamp  44  can directly escape through the table top  18 . 
         [0013]    In the illustrated construction, two blowers  22  are positioned within the enclosure  14  adjacent two outlets  30 . The outlets  30  are positioned in the sides of the enclosure  14  downstream of the ethylene scrubber  26 , and the blowers  22  are positioned for returning the gas from the enclosure  14  to the atmosphere. In other constructions, the outlets  30  may be positioned in another suitable location on the enclosure  14 . 
         [0014]    In operation, the display table  10  preserves and extends the life of produce. The table top  18  is open to the atmosphere and supports produce that produces ethylene gas. One or more of the blowers  22  work to create an underpressure to draw gas from the atmosphere into the enclosure  14  through the perforations  34  in the table top  18 . The ethylene scrubber  26  removes at least a portion of ethylene from the gas, producing a clean gas, and the clean gas is expelled to the atmosphere through one or more of the outlets  30 . 
         [0015]    In other constructions, the ethylene scrubber  26  may include potassium permanganate (KMnO 4 ), an effective oxidizer of ethylene. Major intermediates of the oxidation of ethylene are ethylene oxide (C 2 H 4 O), acetaldehyde (CH 3 CHO), vinyl acetate (C 4 H 6 O 2 ), and ethylene glycol (C 2 H 4  (OH) 2 ). 
         [0016]    In yet other constructions, the ethylene scrubber  26  may include a reactive oxygen species (ROS) generator. The ROS generator produces one or more of oxygen ions, free radicals, organic and inorganic peroxides, ozone, and other reactive oxygen species. These reactive oxygen species oxidize air pollutants, such as ethylene, to effectively remove them from the air. In one construction, the ROS generator is positioned within the enclosure  14 , similar to the other ethylene scrubbers  26  described above, to remove ethylene after it is drawn in through the perforations  34 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates another construction of the display table  10  having an ROS generator  52  positioned outside of the enclosure  14  and directing reactive oxygen species to the vicinity of the produce supported by the table top  18 . In the illustrated construction of  FIG. 2 , the ROS generator  52  is provided in addition to the ethylene scrubber  26 , which is positioned within the enclosure  14  as described above. The ROS generator  52  supplements the ethylene scrubber  26  by providing reactive oxygen species to neutralize ethylene above the table top  18 . 
         [0018]    In other constructions, the ROS generator  52  is positioned in fluid communication with the interior of the enclosure  14 , or within the enclosure  14 . The blower  22  is positioned in communication with the enclosure  14  to draw a gas from the atmosphere into the enclosure  14  through the bottom or sides of the enclosure  14 , e.g., through the outlets  30 . The blower  22  directs ROS and clean air out through the perforations  34  in the table top  18  to the vicinity of the produce to neutralize ethylene. 
         [0019]    In yet other constructions, the ethylene scrubber may include any combination of one or more of a ROS generator, an ultraviolet lamp with photocatalyst, potassium permanganate, and other ethylene scrubbers. 
         [0020]    Thus, the invention provides, among other things, a display table with ethylene scrubber for preserving the life of produce. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.