Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator having a vegetable storage chamber for maintaining freshness of vegetables stored therein for a long time and minimizing nutrient degradation of the vegetables. When a large quantity of vegetables are stacked and stored in the vegetable storage chamber, sufficient light reaches the vegetables located at inner and lower parts of the vegetable storage chamber, thereby facilitating photosynthesis of the vegetables. The refrigerator includes the vegetable storage chamber to store vegetables, light emitting diodes (LEDs) to irradiate light onto the vegetables stored in the vegetable storage chamber so that the vegetables photosynthesize, and a control unit to receive data corresponding to types of the stored vegetables and to control the LEDs so that the LEDs emit light, having characteristics corresponding to the types of the stored vegetables, onto the vegetables.

1 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a vegetable storage chamber to store vegetables;    light emitting diodes (LEDs) to irradiate light onto the vegetables stored in the vegetable storage chamber so that the vegetables photosynthesize; and    a control unit to receive data corresponding to types of the stored vegetables and to control the LEDs so that the LEDs emit light, having characteristics corresponding to the types of the stored vegetables, onto the vegetables.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the light emitted from the LEDs is green light; and    the green light has a wavelength of approximately 480˜660 nm.    
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the light emitted from the LEDs is red light; and    the red light has a wavelength of approximately 720 nm.    
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the light emitted from the LEDs comprises different colors according to the types of the vegetables stored in the vegetable storage chamber.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the LEDs so that the LEDs emit light having a wavelength, a light intensity, and an irradiation time corresponding to the types of the stored vegetables.  
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a moisture supply device to supply moisture to the vegetables stored in the vegetable storage chamber.  
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a light-setting unit to receive data corresponding to the types of the stored vegetables from a user.  
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are arranged on internal surfaces of the vegetable storage chamber to emit light.  
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the vegetable storage chamber is divided into at least two spaces, and lights at different wavelengths are respectively emitted onto the divided spaces.  
   
   
       10 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a vegetable storage chamber to store vegetables;    a plurality of different single-colored light emitting diodes (LEDs) to irradiate light onto the vegetables stacked and stored in the vegetable storage chamber so that all the stored vegetables photosynthesize;    a light-setting unit to receive data corresponding to types of the stored vegetables from a user; and    a control unit to receive the data corresponding to the types of the stored vegetables through the light-setting unit and controlling the LEDs so that the LEDs emit lights, having characteristics corresponding to the types of the stored vegetables, onto the vegetables.    
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 each of the LEDs is selected from a group consisting of a green-colored LED for irradiating green light and a red-colored LED for irradiating red light;    the green light has a wavelength of approximately 480˜660 nm; and    the red light has a wavelength of approximately 720 nm.    
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the control unit selectively controls at least one type of the LEDs, intensities of lights emitted from the LEDs, and irradiation times of the LEDs, according to the types of the stored vegetables.  
   
   
       13 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising a moisture supply device to supply moisture to the vegetables stored in the vegetable storage chamber.  
   
   
       14 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the LEDs are arranged on at least parts of circumferential surfaces of the vegetable storage chamber.  
   
   
       15 . The refrigerator as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the vegetable storage chamber is divided into at least two spaces, and the single-colored LEDs for irradiating different lights are respectively installed in the divided spaces.  
   
   
       16 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a vegetable storage chamber to store vegetables under a condition that the vegetables are stacked;    a plurality of green-colored and red-colored light emitting diodes (LEDs) to irradiate light onto the vegetables stored in the vegetable storage chamber so that nutrients are properly formed in all the stored vegetables;    a light-setting unit to receive data corresponding to types of the stored vegetables from a user; and    a control unit to receive the data corresponding to the types of the stored vegetables through the light-setting unit and to control the LEDs so that the LEDs emit lights at wavelengths, corresponding to the types of the stored vegetables, onto the vegetables.    
   
   
       17 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a food chamber to store food therein;    light sources to irradiate light onto the food stored in the food chamber; and    a control unit to receive data corresponding to the types of food stored, and to control the light sources to emit light having characteristics corresponding to the types of food stored, onto the food.