Method for storing food items within a refrigerator appliance

Abstract

A method for storing food items within a refrigerator appliance is provided. The method includes placing a plurality of food items within a chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance and establishing an identity of each food item of the plurality of food items. The method also includes determining a preferred storage condition of the chilled chamber based upon the identities of the plurality of food items and adjusting a current storage condition of the chilled chamber to about the preferred storage condition. Operating the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance at the preferred storage condition can improve a useful life of food items within the chilled chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for storing food items within a refrigerator appliance having a chilled chamber, comprising:
 placing a plurality of food items within the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance;   establishing an identity of each food item of the plurality of food items;   determining a preferred storage condition of the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance based upon the identities of the plurality of food items; and   adjusting a current storage condition of the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance to about the preferred storage condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of adjusting comprises modifying ambient conditions of the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of adjusting comprises at least one of:
 altering a temperature of the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance;   modifying a humidity of the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance;   changing a wavelength or an intensity of light within the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance; and   varying a composition of ambient gas within the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said step of altering comprises activating or deactivating a refrigeration system of the refrigerator appliance. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said step of changing comprises adjusting a light source positioned within the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said step of varying comprises increasing or decreasing a flow of gas from a gas source of the refrigerator appliance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preferred storage condition is selected in said step of determining in order to increase a storage life of the food items within the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance relative to the current storage condition. 
     
     
         8 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet that defines a chilled chamber;   a drawer positioned within the chilled chamber of said cabinet, said drawer defining a storage volume configured for receipt of food items for storage;   a compressor positioned within said cabinet; and   an evaporator positioned within the chilled chamber of said cabinet, said compressor being in fluid communication with said evaporator in order to supply said evaporator with refrigerant; and   a controller in communication with said compressor, said controller configured for
 establishing an identity of each food item within the storage volume of said drawer; 
 determining a preferred storage condition of the storage volume of said drawer based upon the identities of food items within the storage volume of said drawer; and 
 adjusting operation of said compressor in order to increase or decrease a supply of refrigerant to said evaporator and to assist with changing a current storage condition of the storage volume of said drawer to about the preferred storage condition. 
   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising a gas source configured for selectively directing a flow of gas into the storage volume of said drawer, said flow of gas comprising at least one of a nitrogen gas, an oxygen gas, a carbon dioxide gas, an ozone gas, and an argon gas, wherein said controller is in communication with said gas source and configured for activating said gas source in order to direct the flow of gas into the storage volume of said drawer and to assist with changing the current storage condition of the storage volume of said drawer to about the preferred storage condition. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising a humidity regulator mounted to said drawer and configured for selectively adjusting a flow of air between the storage volume of said drawer and the chilled chamber of said cabinet, wherein said controller is in communication with said humidity regulator and configured for adjusting said humidity regulator in order to change a humidity of the storage volume of said drawer and to assist with changing the current storage condition of the storage volume of said drawer to about the preferred storage condition. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising a light source mounted within the chilled chamber of said cabinet, said light source configured for directing light into the storage volume of said drawer, said controller in communication with said light source and configured for adjusting said light source in in order to change a wavelength or an intensity of light emitted by said light source into the storage volume of said drawer and to assist with changing the current storage condition of the storage volume of said drawer to about the preferred storage condition. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising a camera mounted to said cabinet and directed towards the storage volume of said drawer, said controller being in communication with said camera and configured for receiving an image from said camera, the image from said camera assisting said controller with identifying food items within the storage volume of said drawer during said step of establishing. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising a user input mounted to said cabinet, said controller being in communication with said user input and configured for receipt of a signal from said user input, the signal from said user input corresponding to an identity of a food item within the storage volume of said drawer and assisting said controller with identifying each food item within the storage volume of said drawer during said step of establishing. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising a scanner for reading identifiers mounted to food items, said controller being in communication with said scanner and configured for receipt of a signal from said scanner, the signal from said scanner corresponding to an identity of a food item within the storage volume of said drawer and assisting said controller with identifying each food item within the storage volume of said drawer during said step of establishing. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the preferred storage condition is selected in said step determining in order to increase a storage life of food items within the storage volume of said drawer relative to the current storage condition. 
     
     
         16 . A method for storing food items within a refrigerator appliance having a drawer disposed within a chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance, the drawer defining a storage volume, the method comprising:
 placing a plurality of food items within the storage volume of the drawer;   establishing an identity of each food item of the plurality of food items;   determining a preferred storage condition of the storage volume of the drawer based upon the identities of the plurality of food items; and   adjusting at least one of a temperature of the storage volume, a humidity of the storage volume, a wavelength or an intensity of light within the storage volume, or a composition of gas within the storage volume in order to shift the storage volume of the drawer from a current storage condition to about the preferred storage condition.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said step adjusting comprises activating or deactivating a refrigeration system of the refrigerator appliance in order to adjust the temperature of the storage volume. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said step adjusting comprises altering a light source positioned within and directing light into the storage volume of the drawer in order to adjust the wavelength or an intensity of light within the storage volume. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said step adjusting comprises increasing or decreasing a flow of gas from a gas source of the refrigerator appliance in order to adjust the composition of gas within the storage volume. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the preferred storage condition is selected in said step of determining in order to increase a storage life of the food items within the storage volume of the drawer relative to the current storage condition.