Refrigerator appliance with improved produce storage

Abstract

A method of operating a refrigerator appliance includes monitoring humidity within a food storage compartment of the refrigerator appliance and comparing the monitored humidity level with a predetermined humidity threshold. In response to the monitored humidity level dropping below the predetermined humidity threshold, a mist of water is sprayed into the food storage compartment for a predetermined spraying time. The method also includes activating an ultraviolet light source to direct ultraviolet light into the food storage compartment for a predetermined lighting time. At least a portion of the predetermined lighting time is concurrent with the predetermined spraying time. The method also includes waiting a predetermined rest time before repeating the step of spraying the mist of water into the food storage compartment in response to the monitored humidity level below the predetermined humidity threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a food storage chamber, the food storage chamber extending between a top portion and a bottom portion along the vertical direction, a first side portion and a second side portion along the lateral direction, and a front portion and a back portion along the transverse direction;   a drawer slidably mounted within the food storage chamber, the drawer comprising a plurality of walls defining a food storage compartment;   a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the food storage compartment, the spray nozzle configured to direct a mist of water into the food storage compartment;   a humidity sensor positioned and configured to monitor a humidity level within the food storage compartment;   an ultraviolet light source in optical communication with the food storage compartment, the ultraviolet light source configured to direct ultraviolet light into the food storage compartment; and   a controller, the controller in operative communication with the spray nozzle, the humidity sensor, and the ultraviolet light source, the controller configured for:
 continually monitoring, with the humidity sensor, the humidity level in the food storage compartment; 
 comparing the monitored humidity level with a predetermined humidity threshold; 
 spraying a mist of water into the food storage compartment from the spray nozzle for a predetermined spraying time when the monitored humidity level is less than the predetermined humidity threshold; 
 activating the ultraviolet light source for a predetermined lighting time, wherein at least a portion of the predetermined lighting time is concurrent with the predetermined spraying time; 
 waiting for a predetermined rest time after the end of the predetermined spraying time; and 
 repeating the step of spraying the mist of water into the food storage compartment from the spray nozzle for the predetermined spraying time when the monitored humidity level is less than the predetermined humidity threshold after the predetermined rest time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the drawer comprises a vent aperture in one wall of the plurality of walls and wherein the vent aperture is unobstructed. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined rest time is proportional to the average volume of water droplets produced by the spray nozzle during the predetermined spraying time, whereby the water from the step of spraying the mist of water evaporates completely during the predetermined rest time. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined spraying time is a constant value. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for identifying a food item and wherein the predetermined spraying time is variable based on the identified food item. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 5 , further comprising a camera, wherein the controller is configured for identifying the food item based on an image captured by the camera. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for detecting an opening of a door and pausing the spraying of the mist of water into the food storage compartment in response to detecting the opening of the door during the predetermined spraying time. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured for returning to the step of comparing the monitored humidity level with the predetermined humidity threshold after detecting a closing of the door after pausing the spraying of the mist of water into the food storage compartment in response to detecting the opening of the door during the predetermined spraying time, and wherein the controller is further configured for spraying the mist of water into the food storage compartment from the spray nozzle for a remainder of the predetermined spraying time when the monitored humidity level is less than the predetermined humidity threshold after detecting the closing of the door. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured for waiting for a predetermined period of time to elapse after detecting the closing of the door and before returning to the step of comparing the monitored humidity level with the predetermined humidity threshold. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance comprising a cabinet defining a food storage chamber and a drawer slidably mounted within the food storage chamber, the drawer comprising a plurality of walls defining a food storage compartment, the method comprising:
 continually monitoring, with a humidity sensor positioned and configured to monitor a humidity level within the food storage compartment, the humidity level in the food storage compartment;   comparing the monitored humidity level to a predetermined humidity threshold;   spraying a mist of water into the food storage compartment from a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the food storage compartment, the spray nozzle configured to direct a mist of water into the food storage compartment, for a predetermined spraying time when the monitored humidity level is less than the predetermined humidity threshold;   activating an ultraviolet light source in optical communication with the food storage compartment, the ultraviolet light source configured to direct ultraviolet light into the food storage compartment, for a predetermined lighting time, wherein at least a portion of the predetermined lighting time is concurrent with the predetermined spraying time;   waiting for a predetermined rest time after the end of the predetermined spraying time; and   repeating the step of spraying the mist of water into the food storage compartment from the spray nozzle for the predetermined spraying time when the monitored humidity level is less than the predetermined humidity threshold after the predetermined rest time.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the drawer comprises a vent aperture in one wall of the plurality of walls and wherein the vent aperture is unobstructed. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined rest time is proportional to the average volume of water droplets produced by the spray nozzle during the predetermined spraying time, whereby the water from the step of spraying the mist of water evaporates completely during the predetermined rest time. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined spraying time is a constant value. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising identifying a food item and wherein the predetermined spraying time is variable based on the identified food item. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the refrigerator appliance further comprises a camera, wherein the step of identifying the food item comprises identifying the food item based on an image captured by the camera. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising detecting an opening of a door and pausing spraying the mist of water into the food storage compartment in response to detecting the opening of the door during the predetermined spraying time. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising returning to the step of comparing the monitored humidity level with the predetermined humidity threshold after detecting a closing of the door after pausing the spraying of the mist of water in response to detecting the opening of the door during the predetermined spraying time, and further comprising spraying the mist of water into the food storage compartment from the spray nozzle for a remainder of the predetermined spraying time when the monitored humidity level is less than the predetermined humidity threshold after detecting the closing of the door. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising waiting for a predetermined period of time to elapse after detecting the closing of the door and before returning to the step of comparing the monitored humidity level with the predetermined humidity threshold.