Revolutionizing Food Storage: The ZERO Refrigerator

Wan Ki Kim's Innovative Solution to Dead Space and Food Preservation

The inspiration behind the ZERO refrigerator stems from the observation that most people struggle to utilize the unoccupied spaces between shelves and food containers in their refrigerators. Wan Ki Kim's innovative solution was to integrate a vacuum-sealing system into the refrigerator, allowing food to be stored in a more compact and organized manner, thereby maximizing the use of available space.

What sets the ZERO refrigerator apart from existing designs is its unique approach to solving the dead space problem. The refrigerator features specially-designed racks for the efficient storage of vacuum-sealed foods. This not only allows for a clearer view of all stored items but also extends their freshness. Vacuum-sealed packaging protects food from air, microorganisms, and mold, and keeps it safe from oxidation, humidity, leakage, and even pests.

The ZERO refrigerator combines an existing vacuum packaging device with a refrigerator, creating shelves capable of displaying vacuum-sealed foods in a slide rack inside the refrigerator. This innovative design addresses chronic problems in existing refrigerators, such as dead space and hygiene issues, in a user-friendly and easily accessible manner.

The vacuum packaging machine is attached to the door of the refrigerator. After food is vacuum-sealed, it can be easily hung or removed from the rack on each shelf. The ZERO refrigerator also features an IoT smart home system that marks the best before date on vacuum-sealed food and notifies the user of the expiration date in advance through an alert system that interoperates between the smartphone and refrigerator.

The design of the ZERO refrigerator is the result of extensive research into the dead space problem in existing refrigerators. By incorporating a rack designed to store vacuum-sealed foods, the ZERO refrigerator effectively utilizes these previously unoccupied spaces. This innovative design solution has earned the ZERO refrigerator several accolades, including the Silver A' Home Appliances Design Award in 2018, a testament to its outstanding expertise and innovation.