US-12624884-B2 - Cell for storing a set of products in which an air flow through the set of products is implemented and which is equipped with an inflatable sealing device

Abstract

The storage cell includes ventilation means suitable for creating a rear-to-front air flow or a front-to-rear air flow, an inflatable sealing device, and inflation means which allow the inflatable sealing device to be inflated. The inflatable sealing device includes an upper inflatable sealing element and at least one side inflatable sealing element which directly or indirectly allow, in the inflated state, a seal between the upper wall of the cell and at least one part of the top face of a set of products positioned in the cell and a seal between at least one side wall of the cell and at least one part of one of the side faces of this set of products. The upper inflatable sealing element and the side inflatable sealing element delimit a single inflatable chamber, and the inflation means allow the upper inflatable sealing element and the side inflatable sealing element to be inflated by blowing air into this single inflatable chamber.

Inventors

• Benoit Paupardin

Assignees

• FROMFROID

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20200915

Priority Date

20190927

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A cell for storing a set of products that is arranged on at least one storage support, said cell comprising: first and second side walls which face each other and are spaced apart from each other and an upper wall that defines, together with the first and second side walls, a housing for the set of products, the housing comprising an opening on a front face for introduction and/or removal of the set of products; a ventilator suitable for creating a rear-to-front air flow that circulates in the housing from a rear to a front of the housing or for creating a front-to-rear air flow that circulates in the housing from the front to the rear of the housing; and an inflatable sealing device and an inflation device which allows the inflatable sealing device to be inflated, the inflatable sealing device comprising: an upper inflatable sealing element and at least one side inflatable sealing element which allow, in an inflated state, a sealing between the upper wall of the cell and at least one part of a top face of the set of products positioned in the cell and a sealing between at least one side wall of the cell and at least one part of one of side faces of the set of products positioned in the cell, wherein the upper inflatable sealing element and the at least one side inflatable sealing element delimit a single inflatable chamber, and the inflation device allows the upper inflatable sealing element and the at least one side inflatable sealing element to be inflated by blowing air into the single inflatable chamber, the cell further comprising: an upper flexible sealing skirt fixed to the upper wall of the cell such that the upper inflatable sealing element of the inflatable sealing device is positioned between the upper wall and the upper flexible sealing skirt, said upper flexible sealing skirt being suitable for inflating with respect to the upper wall of the cell and toward an interior of the housing under an effect of an air pressure which is generated in the housing, in a presence of the set of products in the cell, by means of said air flow created by the ventilator of the cell, or at least one side flexible sealing skirt fixed to one of the first or second side walls of the inflatable cell such that the at least one side inflatable sealing element is positioned between the one of the first or second side wall and the at least one side flexible sealing skirt, the at least one side flexible sealing skirt being suitable for inflating with respect to said one of the first or second side wall of the cell and toward an interior of the housing under an effect of an air pressure which is generated in the housing, in a presence of the set of products in the cell, by means of said air flow created by the ventilator of the cell; or both the upper flexible sealing skirt and the at least one side flexible sealing skirt.
2. 2 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the inflatable sealing device comprises first and second side inflatable sealing elements which, together with the upper inflatable sealing element, define said inflatable chamber and which, in the inflated state, make it possible to provide a seal between each of the first and second side walls of the cell and at least one part of each side face of the set of products positioned in the cell.
3. 3 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the inflatable chamber comprises at least one air inlet so that the air blown in via the air inlet allows the upper inflatable sealing element and the at least one side inflatable sealing element to be inflated.
4. 4 . The cell according to claim 3 , wherein the air inlet is formed in the upper inflatable sealing element or in the at least one side inflatable sealing element.
5. 5 . The cell according to claim 3 , wherein said air inlet is formed in the upper inflatable sealing element and is positioned substantially centrally with respect to the upper inflatable sealing element.
6. 6 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the inflation device comprises at least one fan or air compressor and said inflatable chamber comprises at least one air inlet which is connected to the fan or to the air compressor so that the air blown into said inflatable chamber through the air inlet, by the fan or the air compressor, allows the upper inflatable sealing element and the at least one side inflatable sealing element to be inflated.
7. 7 . The cell according to claim 6 , wherein the fan or air compressor of the inflation device is distinct from the ventilator of the cell.
8. 8 . The cell according to claim 6 , wherein said fan or said air compressor makes it possible to draw in air outside the cell and blow air into the inflatable chamber by passing the air through at least one of the first or second side walls or the upper wall of the cell.
9. 9 . The cell according to claim 8 , wherein said fan or said air compressor is positioned through one of the first or second side walls or the upper wall of the cell and allows air to be blown directly into the inflatable chamber.
10. 10 . The cell according to claim 6 , wherein said fan or air compressor is integrated in the upper inflatable sealing element or in the at least one side inflatable sealing element of the inflatable sealing device.
11. 11 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the upper inflatable sealing element and each of the at least one side inflatable sealing element are distinct parts which are or can be detachably or permanently joined to each other so as to form a one-piece.
12. 12 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein said inflatable sealing device is formed in one piece.
13. 13 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein said inflatable sealing device comprises one or more inflatable sealing ducts.
14. 14 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the upper inflatable sealing element comprises an upper inflatable duct which is fixed to the upper wall of the cell, and each of the at least one side inflatable sealing element has a side inflatable duct which is fixed to one of the first or second side walls of the cell and which communicates directly and in a sealed manner with the upper inflatable duct so as to form said inflatable chamber.
15. 15 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the upper inflatable sealing element is fixed to the upper wall of the cell and each of the at least one side inflatable sealing element is fixed to one of the first or second side walls of the cell, such that said inflatable sealing elements delimit, together with said walls of the cell, said inflatable chamber.
16. 16 . The cell according to claim 2 , comprising the at least one side flexible sealing skirt, which includes first and second side flexible sealing skirts, wherein the first side flexible sealing skirt is fixed to one of the first side wall or the second side wall of the inflatable cell such that the first side inflatable sealing element is positioned between the one of the first side wall or the second side wall and the first side flexible sealing skirt, the first side flexible sealing skirt being suitable for inflating with respect to said one of the first or second side wall of the cell and toward an interior of the housing under an effect of an air pressure which is generated in the housing, in a presence of the set of products in the cell, by means of said air flow created by the ventilator of the cell, wherein the second side flexible sealing skirt is fixed to the other of the first side wall or the second side wall of the inflatable cell such that the second side inflatable sealing element is positioned between the other of first side wall or the second side wall and the second side flexible sealing skirt, the second side flexible sealing skirt being suitable for inflating with respect to said one of the first side wall or the second side wall of the cell and toward an interior of the housing under an effect of an air pressure which is generated in the housing, in a presence of the set of products in the cell, by means of said air flow created by the ventilator of the cell.
17. 17 . The cell according to claim 1 , comprising a controller configured to for automatically control the ventilator and the inflation device of the inflatable sealing device such that, during at least one operating phase of the cell, the ventilator generates an air flow in the housing which, in a presence of the set of products in the storage cell, allows each flexible sealing skirt to be inflated.
18. 18 . The cell according to claim 1 , comprising a controller configured to automatically control the ventilator and the inflation device of the inflatable sealing device such that, during at least one operating phase of the cell, the inflatable sealing device is inflated and the ventilator generates an air flow in the housing which does not allow the flexible sealing skirt or skirts to be inflated.
19. 19 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the ventilator is arranged to create non-simultaneously a rear-to-front air flow that circulates from the rear to the front of the housing and a front-to-rear air flow that circulates from the front to the rear of the housing, or vice versa.
20. 20 . A method comprising: using the cell according to claim 1 for adjusting a temperature and/or a moisture content of the set of products.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the storage of a set of products in a storage cell in which an air flow through the set of products is created, in particular, but not exclusively, a reversible air flow, said storage cell being equipped with an improved inflatable sealing device. In particular, it can be used for the temporary storage of a set of food products, for example, but non-exhaustively, dairy, or non-dairy food products, such as fermented yogurts, farm-made yogurts, other yogurt products, dessert creams, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, ready meals, yeast, compotes, fruit juices, non-dairy desserts, and butter, with modification or maintenance of the temperature and/or moisture content of the products by means of said air flow. PRIOR ART It is known in the agri-food sector to use storage cells, such as those described in international patent application WO99/11141, in French patent application FR2871222, in international patent application WO2019/174985, or in French patent application FR2938242, for the temporary storage of a set of products, in particular food products, for example dairy or non-dairy products such as yogurts, yogurt products, cheeses, etc., packaged and positioned on a storage support, in particular of the pallet, rack or trolley type, with the creation of a flow of conditioned air through this set of products in order to adjust the temperature and/or moisture content of the products. This air flow may be, for example, a flow of cold air having a controlled temperature and, where appropriate, a controlled relative humidity level, so as to allow cooling or low-temperature storage of the products, such as fermented yogurts, other yogurt products, and cheeses, where appropriate with controlled product moisture content. This air flow may also be a flow of hot air having a controlled temperature and, where appropriate, a controlled relative humidity level, so as to allow heating of the products, where appropriate with controlled product moisture content. This type of hot air flow is, for example, used to store fermentable products, such as farm-made yogurts, by heating them so that they ferment during their time in the cell with a controlled fermentation period. This air flow may also be an air flow at the temperature of the products, where appropriate with a controlled relative humidity level, so as to allow the products to be maintained at a temperature for the duration of storage in the cell, where appropriate with a controlled product moisture content. In international patent applications WO99/11141 and WO2019/174985 and in French patent application FR2871222, the air flow is created by means of at least one fan which is positioned at the rear of the storage cell and which, in operation, makes it possible to blow an air flow from the rear to the front of the cell. In order to canalize and force the air flow through the set of products positioned in the storage cell, seals on the top and on both sides of the set of products are created, respectively, by means of three sealing tarpaulins which inflate under the action of the air pressures in the storage cell when the fan is operating and which, upon inflation, come to press against the set of products so as to create a seal on the top and on both sides of the set of products. Due to the implementation of this seal, an air flow is thus forced to circulate from the rear to the front of the cell through the set of products. In this type of storage cell, the inflation of the upper sealing tarpaulin and of each side sealing tarpaulin can only be brought about in the presence of the set of products positioned in the cell. The presence of this set of products in the cell makes it possible to bring about a pressure drop sufficient to divert part of the air blown by the fan toward the space formed between the upper sealing tarpaulin and the upper wall of the cell and part of the air blown by the fan toward the space formed between each side sealing tarpaulin and the corresponding side wall of the cell, the remaining part of the air blown by the rear fan passing through the set of products. If this fan is operated at the rear of the storage cell when the set of products is not in the cell (i.e. when the storage cell is empty), the air flow blown by the fan does not inflate the upper and side sealing tarpaulins. When the set of products is not in the cell, including when the fan is operating and blowing a rear-to-front air flow into the cell, the upper sealing tarpaulin and each side sealing tarpaulin remain deflated. In addition, in this type of storage cell, even when a set of products is positioned in the cell and the fan is blowing a rear-to-front air flow, the air entering between the upper sealing tarpaulin and the upper wall only inflates this upper sealing tarpaulin with respect to the upper wall due to the presence of the side tarpaulins which extend up to the upper wall of the cell (cf. FIG. 8), and do not inflate either