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Food strorage apparatus and method for controlling the sameFood strorage apparatus and method for controlling the same description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070196543, Food strorage apparatus and method for controlling the same. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0016947, filed on Feb. 21, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, Korean Application No. 10-2006-0016948, filed Feb. 21, 2006 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office and Korean Application No. 10-2006-0016949, filed on Feb. 21, 2006 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]1. Field of the Invention [0003]The present invention relates to a food storage apparatus and a method of controlling the same, and, more particularly, to a food storage apparatus to store food in a fresh state for a long period, and a method of controlling the same. [0004]2. Description of the Related Art [0005]Food storage apparatuses store food in a fresh state for a long period. A representative example of a food storage apparatus is a refrigerator. Recently, refrigerators have been developed to include certain products for storing specific foods or articles. Examples of such products include a "Kim-chi refrigerator" to store Kimchi as a Korean representative fermented food, and the like, and a "Cosmetics refrigerator" to preserve cosmetics for a long period. [0006]In the case of food, it may be processed in a state wherein bacteria living in soil, etc. have infiltrated raw food when the raw food was grown in the soil, and thus, part of the bacteria may still remain in the processed food. [0007]In particular, fermented food may be excessively fermented (matured) during a storage period thereof because the propagation speed of lactobacillus, etc. can increase due to a variation of surrounding environment. Also, if a storage container is frequently opened to take out some of the fermented food stored therein, the fermented food may suffer from secondary contamination by aerobic bacteria as it is exposed to the air. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008]Therefore, it is an aspect of the present invention to solve the above and/or other problems. [0009]It is an aspect of the invention to provide a food storage apparatus and a method of controlling the same, which can appropriately maintain the degree of fermentation of food stored therein at a desired level by generating a sterilizing power corresponding to the degree of fermentation of the food in association with the sterilization of bacteria living in the food. [0010]It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a food storage apparatus and a method of controlling the same, which can prevent excessive fermentation (maturing) of food by restricting propagation of bacteria such as lactobacillus or lactic acid bacteria participating in the fermentation of food. [0011]It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a food storage apparatus and a method of controlling the same, which can prevent secondary contamination by aerobic bacteria that may be generated when food is taken out of a storage container and exposed to the outside. [0012]It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide a food storage apparatus and a method of controlling the same, which can ensure sterilization of raw food prior to being processed, thereby achieving sanitary food manufacture. [0013]Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. [0014]The forgoing, and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a food storage apparatus comprising at least one storage container, wherein electric energy in the form of electric current is applied to food stored in the storage container, to enable sterilization of the food. [0015]The apparatus may further comprise at least two first electrode units provided at the storage container and adapted to transmit the electric energy in the form of electric current to the food stored in the storage container. [0016]The apparatus may further comprise: at least one storage chamber provided with at least two second electrode units and configured to receive the storage container, and the at least two second electrode units may come into contact with the at least two first electrode units, respectively, to achieve electric connection therebetween if the storage container is put into the storage chamber, thereby allowing the electric current to flow through the food inside the storage container. [0017]Each of the at least two second electrode units may include: an electrode housing; an elastic member seated in the electrode housing while being fixed at a first end thereof to the electrode housing; and a first electrode fixed to a second end of the elastic member while protruding outward from an entrance of the electrode housing, and, if an external force is applied to the first electrode, the first electrode may be inserted into the electrode housing as the elastic member is compressed. [0018]The apparatus may further comprise: a door to open and close the storage chamber; a door sensor to detect the opening and closing of the door; a power source to supply electric power to the at least two first electrode units; a switch provided on a conductive path defined between the power source and the at least two first electrode units; and a controller to turn off the switch if the door sensor detects the opening of the door, so as to intercept the supply of electric power from the power source to the at least two first electrode units. [0019]Each of the at least two first electrode units may include: a second electrode mounted to come into contact with an outer wall surface of the storage container, to come into contact with a respective one of the first electrodes; and a third electrode mounted to come into contact with an inner wall surface of the storage container; and the second and third electrodes may be coupled to each other by passing through a hole perforated through the storage container, to be fixedly mounted to the storage container at the outside and inside of the storage container, respectively. [0020]The apparatus may further comprise a controller to control the electric current, wherein a sterilizing operation mode to sterilize the food stored in the storage container may be programmed into the controller. [0021]The apparatus may further comprise: a display device and/or speaker to inform a user of completion of sterilization if the food stored in the storage container is completely sterilized. 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