Patent Application
20200165020
The invention relates to a container intended for the vacuum-storage of foods, a cover for closing a container and an assembly comprising the container and the cover. The invention also relates to a system for placing foods under vacuum comprising such an assembly.
In the culinary field, the vacuum sealing technique is used increasingly often to store foods for as long as possible. This technique can be combined with freezing, so as to be able to keep foods for more than a year and a half. In particular, the vacuum storage technique makes it possible to prevent the oxidation of foods, wine, and other beverages, such as smoothies.
In addition to aspects related to storage, an increasingly large number of professionals and individuals are using vacuum cooking techniques for foods. This type of cooking consists of vacuum cooking the foods at a low temperature, for example in a double boiler or the microwave. Vacuum cooking in particular makes it possible to retain all of the nutritional qualities, the texture and the flavor of the foods. Additionally, vacuum cooking makes it possible to obtain a more tender, juicy and uniform cooking of meats and fish than in traditional cooking methods, such as in a pan or on a grill, without risk of overcooking or burning. Furthermore, by heating meats and poultry to a high temperature, the saturated fats are released from the chemical compounds, which can be toxic for one's health, and in particular carcinogenic.
Currently, flexible hermetic pouches made from plastic are essentially used for the vacuum storage of food. Dedicated machines make it possible to create the vacuum inside the pouch containing the foods, then to seal the pouch, that is to say, to hermetically seal the pouch after welding. These machines are relatively bulky and sometimes lack efficiency, that is to say, air bubbles may remain stuck inside the pouches. Additionally, the pouches are not suitable for storing liquids or dishes with sauce.
Furthermore, according to recent surveys, in France, more than 35% of weekday mid-day meals are consumed by employees at their workplace. The foods are then kept and transported to the workplace in plastic boxes. This type of container is therefore not compatible with vacuum cooking. Additionally, the foods vacuum sealed in pouches are generally not taken to work because this requires also providing a plate or bowl to pour the contents of the pouch.
Lastly, the plastic pouches currently used are thrown away after each use, which is not ecologically friendly.
Furthermore, there is a vacuum system comprising, on the one hand, a vacuum pump, and on the other hand, a container closed with a cover. To create a vacuum inside the container, the user must connect a flexible hose between the vacuum pump and an upper part of the cover, using a specific coupling element. This type of system is not ergonomic, that is to say, not practical to use, since a series of manual operations is necessary to create the vacuum inside the container.
The invention more particularly aims to resolve these drawbacks by proposing an improved container and cover.
To that end, the invention relates to a container intended for the vacuum storage of foods, comprising a tube for passing air, which is open at the two ends thereof. In this way, the air passes through the tube when the vacuum is created inside the container.
DE 12 16 770 B discloses a system for vacuum packaging foods. This system comprises a container provided with a flexible cover. The container comprises, at the center, a tube open at the two ends thereof. To create the vacuum inside the container, a punch is inserted from below, inside the tube. The punch has two longitudinal recesses along which the air can circulate. A vacuum pump is used to extract the air from the container toward the recesses. When the vacuum has been created, the punch is removed and the cover deforms to close the orifice of the tube due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the container.
WO 2017/042801 discloses another system for vacuum storage of foods. This document discloses several embodiments, including that of
U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,317 relates to another device for vacuum storage of foods. This device comprises a standard container and a cover specially adapted for placement under vacuum. The cover comprises a first orifice open on the inside of the container and a second orifice open on the outside. The second orifice is configured to be connected to a vacuum pump. A valve system makes it possible to open the passage between the two orifices only when a vacuum is created inside the container, that is to say, when the pump is connected. As shown in
According to advantageous but optional aspects of the invention, such a container may incorporate one or more of the following features, considered in any technically allowable combination:
The invention also relates to a cover for closing the container as previously defined. This cover comprises a means for connecting with the tube of the container, a channel for passing air extending between a first orifice defined by the connecting means and a second orifice, a member for closing a channel, such as a valve, and a mechanism for opening an air passage between the first orifice and another orifice, such as the second orifice.
The specific arrangement of the cover, with a means for connecting with the tube, makes it possible to perform suction through the bottom of the container, in particular at a support on which the container is placed. There is therefore no need to connect a pump on top of the cover, which is most practical. To create a vacuum, the user simply needs to position the container on the base, and to actuate the pump housed in the base.
According to advantageous but optional aspects of the invention, such a cover may incorporate one or more of the following features, considered in any technically allowable combination:
The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a container and a cover as described above. This assembly forms a device intended for vacuum storage of foods that is more practical to transport, reusable and suitable for the storage of both solid and liquid foods.
Advantageously, this assembly comprises a pipe for emptying air from the container, this pipe comprising a first end open on the inside of the container and a second end open on the outside of the container. The first end is formed by the second orifice of the cover. The tube forms a first segment of the pipe. The channel forms two other segments of the pipe.
In the example, the closing member is configured to open the pipe automatically only when the pressure in the pipe between the closing member and the second end is lower than the pressure inside the container.
Here, the mechanism used to open an air passage between the first orifice and the second orifice makes it possible to open the container manually, by causing the air to enter at atmospheric pressure inside the container.
Owing to the invention, it is possible to arrange any type of food, solid or liquid, inside the container. Next, the container is closed with the cover and it is possible to create the vacuum in the container. When the vacuum is created, the device can be stored in the refrigerator, the freezer or on a shelf, depending on the type of food stored. Owing to the pressurization mechanism, air can be made to enter inside the container at atmospheric pressure, so as to be able to open the cover.
The invention also relates to a system for vacuum storing food, comprising an assembly as previously described, and a base, comprising a vacuum pump for creating a vacuum inside the container, by creating a vacuum inside the pipe, between the closing member and the second end. This vacuum system is more compact than those of the prior art and more ergonomic.
Owing to this system, the vacuum can be created simply by placing the device on the base and actuating the pump. It will therefore be understood that the system is easy to use and very compact since there are not, like in the prior art, two separate entities to be connected using a flexible hose.
Advantageously, the base comprises a means for weighing the food inside the container.
Advantageously, the base comprises a pressure sensor upstream from the pump and an electronic control unit of the pump, programmed to stop the pumping when the pressure measured by the sensor drops below a certain threshold and in which the base preferably comprises a means for weighing the food inside the container.
Preferably, the vacuum pump is reversible and can therefore work as a compressor in order to inject a gas inside the container, while the base further comprises a molecular filter capable of filtering the oxygen molecules of the air, such that the container can be filled with the nitrogen from the air only.
The invention and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in light of the following description of two embodiments according to its principle, provided solely as an example and done in reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Advantageously, the container 4 is made from a rigid material, in particular glass, so as to be able to be placed in the dishwasher and the oven. It will therefore be understood that the container may not be a flexible pouch, as currently exists on the market.
In a variant, the container 4 may also be made from a food-safe plastic material capable of absorbing thermal shocks. Preferably, this plastic material is a food-safe plastic that is non-toxic for health, and preferably inert. This means that the material used is devoid of harmful or toxic substances.
Preferably, the cover 6 is made from plastic, in particular a heat-stable plastic. This means that the plastic material making up the cover 6 comprises additives to accentuate the heat resistance thereof. These additives are in fact heat stabilizers, which are well known in the materials field. Thus, the cover 6 withstands, inter alia, the passage of the device 2 in the oven or the dishwasher. Furthermore, the plastic material making up the cover may be provided to be non-toxic (food-safe plastic), for example inert. Alternatively, the cover 6 is made from high-temperature and high-density silicone, to be able to be placed in the oven and withstand the mechanical stresses related to placement under vacuum.
Unlike the food-safe vacuum pouches of the prior art, the device for storing foods 2 can be placed in the oven, which allows cooks to use a vacuum cooking method.
The container 4 comprises a bottom 40 from which four walls extend parallel in pairs. These four walls together define the reception space for the foods. In the upper part, that is to say, opposite the bottom 40, the container 4 delimits an opening making it possible to fill the container 4 with foods from above. In the example, the container 4 has a rectangular section. However, in a variant, it is possible to imagine a circular section, for example.
The device 2 comprises a pipe 5 for emptying the air from the container 4. This means that once the vacuum has been created inside the container 4, the air inside the container 4 is discharged through the pipe 5. Here, the pipe 5 therefore has a passage followed by the air present inside the container when the container is depressurized. The pipe 5 can therefore be considered a volume of air or vacuum, that is to say, something immaterial, untouchable (hole, hollow, etc.).
The pipe 5 comprises a first end 50, in particular visible in
Preferably, the container 4 comprises a tube 46 forming a segment 5.1 of the pipe 5. Here, the tube 46 forms only one segment of the pipe, that is to say, the pipe is not formed in its entirety by the tube 46. The tube 46 extends inside the container 4. The tube 46 is in one piece with the walls of the container 4, in particular with the bottom wall 40 of the container.
Advantageously, the tube 46 is nested, at one end, around a connecting endpiece 81 of the base 8, protruding upward relative to the rest of the base 8 and, at the other end, in a complementary endpiece 60 of the cover 6, protruding downward relative to the rest of the cover 6. The endpiece 60 forms a connecting means with the tube 46 of the container 4. These endpieces 60 and 81 make it possible to guarantee tight connections, but remain optional, in that the tightness can be obtained differently.
Preferably, the tube 46 is straight.
The tube 46 advantageously extends from the bottom 40 of the container 4 along a direction perpendicular to the bottom 40.
It will therefore be understood that the container 4 of the device 2 according to the invention is innovative and original in itself, since this type of container does not exist in the prior art. More specifically, the container 4 is a container made from a rigid material, which is intended for the vacuum storage of foods and which is specific in that it comprises a tube 46 open at the two ends thereof and configured to allow the discharge of the air to the outside of the container 4 when the vacuum is created inside the container.
A level 44 is defined as the overflow level of the container 4. This is the filling limit of the container 4, without the contents overflowing the container 4, assuming, of course, that the container 4 is placed on a horizontal surface. In the example, the tube 46 extends past the overflow level 44. One thus ensures that the foods contained in the container 4 do not overflow the inside of the tube 46, which must remain empty.
In the example, the tube 46 does not protrude to the outside of the container 4, which is to say, upward relative to the upper opening of the container 4. Effectively, the filling opening of the container 44 is inclined relative to the bottom of the container 40. In other words, the container 4 has a variable height. More specifically, among the four side walls of the container 4, two have a different height, the other two having a variable height.
Preferably, the tube 46 extends near a wall 4.1 of the container 4, in particular near the highest wall 4.1 of the container 4, to exceed the overflow level 44. By positioning the tube 46 near the wall 4.1, one limits the risk of the latter receiving a blow or impact. The tube 46 is therefore less exposed to impacts than if it were positioned at the center of the container 4, for example, and therefore less fragile.
In the example, the end 52 of the pipe 5 used to empty the air from the container 4 is in fact the lower end of the tube 46, arranged at the bottom 40 of the container 4.
The cover 6 is generally corner-shaped, with an incline angle identical to that of the opening of the container 4, such that, when the cover 6 is placed on the container, the assembly, that is to say, the device 2, has a substantially cubic shape, or at least parallelepiped.
The device 2 comprises a member 66 for closing the pipe 5, configured to open the pipe 5 automatically when a vacuum occurs in the pipe between the closing member 66 and the second end 52 of the pipe.
The pipe 5 is said to be in the closed state when the closing member 66 opposes the passage of air between the first end 50 and the second end 52 of the pipe 5 and the pipe 5 is in the open state when the closing member 66 does not oppose the passage of air between the first end 50 and the second end 52 of the pipe 5.
Here, the closing member is a pivoting valve 66. The valve 66 is housed in the cover 6 and provides the separation between a segment 5.2 of the pipe 5 that is adjacent to the segment 5.1 and a segment 5.3 emerging inside the container 4. The segment 5.2 is arranged upstream from the tube 46 on the path of the air during the vacuum operation. Reference 68 designates the pivot axis of the valve 66.
Segments 5.2 and 5.3 together designate an air passage channel through the cover 6. This channel extends between a first orifice 61 defined by the connection means 60 and a second orifice, different from the first orifice 61, that in fact corresponds to the end 50 of the pipe 5 open on the inside of the container 4. Thus, the member 66 can be considered to be a closing member of the channel: the closing member 66 is configured to open the channel (5.2, 5.3) automatically only when the pressure between the closing member 66 and the first orifice 61, that is to say, in the segment 5.2, is lower than the pressure in the channel between the closing member 66 and the second orifice (50), that is to say, in the segment 5.3.
Advantageously, due to its geometry, the valve 66 can only pivot in one direction around the axis 68. In particular, the valve 66 is arranged so as to pivot only when the pressure in the segment 5.2 (between the valve 66 and the second end 52) is below the pressure in the segment 5.3, that is to say, the pressure in the container 4. In other words, when the pressure in the segment 5.2 is above the pressure in the segment 5.3, that is to say, when the vacuum is created in the container 4, the valve 66 then remains closed completely tightly. The pressure difference between the atmospheric pressure outside the container 4, which is close to 1 bar, and the pressure inside the container, which is close to 0 bars, therefore does not cause the valve 66 to open.
The movement of the valve 66 is controlled entirely by the pressure differential on either side of the valve. Thus, when a vacuum is created in the pipe 5, between the closing member 66 and the second end 52, that is to say, when the vacuum is created, then the valve 66 pivots automatically due to the pressure forces applied on either side, as shown by arrow F1 in
Once the vacuum operation is complete, the atmospheric pressure prevails inside the segments 5.1 and 5.2 of the pipe 5, since the end 52 remains open on the outside. Conversely, the vacuum prevails inside the pipe segment 5.3 upstream from the valve 66.
Advantageously, a filter 70 is arranged upstream from the closing member 66 on the path of the air when the vacuum is created inside the container. This filter 70 serves to filter the particles and vapors present inside the container. In the example, the filter 70 is arranged at the end 50 of the pipe open on the inside of the container 4. This filter 70 can be provided to be removable, so as to allow it to be cleaned, or replaced.
The food storage device 2 necessarily comprises a mechanism for opening the container 4 manually when the vacuum is created inside the latter. Effectively, the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the container 4 makes maneuvering the cover impossible. To open the container, the mechanism is therefore actuated to cause air to enter, at atmospheric pressure, inside the container 4. Owing to this mechanism, the user can pressurize the container 4 again at atmospheric pressure, so as to be able to remove the cover 6 and access the foods stored inside the container 4. The mechanism can therefore be described as pressurization (or “re-pressurization”) mechanism of the container.
Advantageously, this mechanism is part of the cover 6.
The mechanism comprises a pushbutton 62. The button 62 is provided on the upper surface of the cover 6. In the example, it is a resiliently deformable button, for example made from rubber, that is assembled tightly with the rest of the cover 6. The use of a pushbutton makes maneuvering easier than a pull tab system. Furthermore, owing to the tight nature of the button 62, elements outside the container 4 are prevented from penetrating inside the latter, which is practical for the user, since the latter does not have to wash his hands before pressing the button. This meets a real need for users, who often have dirty hands when they cook.
A rigid rod 72 is connected to one end of the pushbutton 62. The rigid rod 72 moves downward when the button 62 is pushed in. At the other end, the rod 72 is connected to a connecting rod 76 that is articulated around a central axis 78. The connecting rod 76 is articulated with a stopper 74, configured to selectively close off a pipe 64 communicating with the segment 5.2 of the pipe 5 arranged in the cover 6. The pipe 64 is therefore a bypass of the segment 5.2 of the pipe arranged downstream from the valve 66 during placement under vacuum.
The mechanism therefore makes it possible to open an air passage (bypass pipe 64) between the first orifice (61) and another orifice, in the case at hand the second orifice (50) of the container 4. In the example, this air passage passes around the closing member 66 and therefore is not part of the pipe 5. More specifically, this air passage can be interpreted as a pipe parallel to the channel, since it also extends between the first orifice 61 and the second orifice, but along a different path from that of the channel (5.2, 5.3).
As shown in
The button 62 returns resiliently into the configuration of
The base 8 comprises a reception surface of the device 2, that is to say, of the container 4 closed by the cover 6. The base 8 also comprises a vacuum pump 84 for creating a vacuum inside the container 4, creating a vacuum inside the pipe 5 between the closing member 66 and the second end 52 of the pipe 5, that is to say, in the segments 5.1 and 5.2. In particular, when the device 2 is positioned on the base 8, the end 52 of the tube 46 is fitted around the connecting endpiece 81 of the base 8.
In the example, the base 8 comprises a means 94 for weighing the food inside the container 4, that is to say, a scale.
The base 8 also comprises an on/off button 80 for activating the pump 84 and an electronic unit 92 for controlling the pump 84.
To create a vacuum inside the container 4, one simply positions the container 4, closed and filled with foods, on the base 8 and actuates the pump 84, in particular by pressing on the On/Off button 80. The On/Off button is optional, in that the pump could be triggered once the means 94, that is to say, the weight sensor, detects that the device 2 is positioned on the base 8.
A pressure sensor 90 is provided upstream from the pump 84, that is to say, on the side of the suction. The pressure sensor 90 dynamically sends the pressure prevailing in the pipe 5 of the device 2, and therefore as a result the pressure inside the container 4. When this pressure drops below a certain threshold, the electronic control unit 92 commands the stopping of the pump 84. This makes it possible to avoid running the pump 84 unendingly. This threshold is a predetermined threshold. In a variant, however, it is possible to imagine a variable threshold based on the vacuum level required for optimal food storage.
Preferably, the base 8 comprises, on its lower surface, nonskid pads 86 also making it possible to raise the base 8 slightly relative to the surface on which it is placed, and to discharge air extracted by the vacuum pump 84 easily.
Advantageously, the base 8 can be described as “connected” (or “communicating”), inasmuch as it comprises means 82 for connecting with another connected object. It can also involve a smart mobile telephone, such as a smartphone, a tablet, or a smartwatch.
In the example, the connecting means 82 are of the wireless type, and in particular comprise a Wi-Fi antenna. In a variant, however, it is possible to consider a radio or Bluetooth connection.
The Wi-Fi antenna 82 is configured to send the smartphone the date on which the foods were vacuum sealed and the weight of the foods contained in the container 4. The smartphone has a dedicated application, owing to which the user is able to assign the type of foods stored in the container. Additionally, the container 4 can include a marking, in particular a number, that the user can assign as input data in the application. With this type of application, it is possible to establish an alarm system to warn the user of an imminent expiration date of foodstuffs contained in the container 4 and to inform the user which container is involved, that is to say, the number of the corresponding container. In the example, the user assigns an expiration date manually. This date can also be calculated by default, for example by adding 1 month to the vacuum sealing date.
This makes it possible to remind the user that the foods may expire, and that they should therefore be eaten or frozen.
Preferably, the cover 6 is also “connected”. This means that the cover also comprises a means, preferably wireless, for communicating with another connected object. In the example, this means is an RFID chip (not shown), which is integrated into the cover 6 and which is capable of communicating with the household appliances in the house, such as the oven, the refrigerator, the freezer, etc.
For example, in the case where the device 2 is stored inside a connected refrigerator, the user can, by consulting the control panel of the refrigerator, or his smartphone directly, identify that the refrigerator contains the device 2.
The button 62′ returns resiliently into the configuration of
In a variant that is not shown, the cover 6 is not removable, but for example articulated relative to the container 4.
According to another variant that is not shown, the tube 46 could have a rectangular section. Additionally, one or two sides of the tube 46 could be formed by the very walls of the container 4. In particular, the tube 46 could extend to a corner of the container 4.
According to another variant that is not shown, the end 52 of the pipe 5 could be provided at one of the side walls of the container, for example at the wall 4.1, and the base 8 could therefore be positioned next to the container 4. This means that the invention is not limited to the embodiment where the base 8 is positioned below the container 4. This also means that, within the meaning of the invention, the tube 46 is not necessarily straight: it may also be bent or curved.
According to another variant that is not shown, the container 4 is made from stainless steel. In particular, the walls (made from glass or stainless steel) of the container 4 can be lined and separated by an insulating air knife. Thus, the container 4 makes it possible to keep the foods hot (or cold) for a certain amount of time, which is practical when one does not have means for reheating the foods (picnic, snacks, etc.).
According to another variant that is not shown, a filter is also placed upstream from the pump 84, so as to avoid premature dirtying of the component members of the pump 84. This filter can be provided to be removable, so as to allow it to be cleaned, or replaced.
According to another variant that is not shown, the tube 46 is outside the container 4, that is to say, outside the volume defined between the walls of the container. In this case, the cover 6 extends past the opening of the container so as to be able to connect with the tube 46. For example, the tube 46 can be attached to the outer surface of a wall of the container 4 (glued, welded, etc.) or form one piece with the wall of the container.
According to another variant that is not shown, the container 4 can be compartmentalized, like a meal tray or a Bento box.
According to another variant that is not shown, the cover 6 may comprise a third orifice, different from the orifices 61 and 50. In particular, the bypass pipe 64 could emerge at this third orifice. In this case, the air passage (bypass pipe 64) is separate from the channel (5.1, 5.3).
According to another variant that is not shown, the connection means 60 is simply formed by an orifice in which the tube 46 penetrates, that is to say, there is no protruding endpiece.
According to another variant that is not shown, the vacuum pump 84 is reversible and can therefore work as a compressor so as no longer to extract the air contained in the container 4, but to inject a gas inside the container 4. The base 8 further comprises a molecular filter capable of filtering the oxygen molecules of the air, such that the container 4 can be filled with the nitrogen from the air only. The principle consists of replacing the air contained in the container 4, naturally filled with bacteria, with a neutral and natural gas, such as nitrogen. This is referred to as a method for placement under a protective atmosphere or modified atmosphere. This method makes it possible to slow bacterial development inside the container 4, and to preserve the product contained inside the container from the effects of aging. This type of packaging is suitable for all types of products such as fish, prepared dishes, cut vegetables, charcuterie, etc. Obviously, the molecular filter responsible for filtering the oxygen molecules is placed on a different pipe from that used by the air during creation of the vacuum. A relatively basic valve system makes it possible to suction the ambient air inside the correct pipe, to prevent any bypass of the molecular filter during the placement under conditioned atmosphere. The advantage of using nitrogen is that this gas is already contained in the air, and there is therefore no need to provide a separate gas cartridge.
The features of the embodiments and alternatives considered above can be combined to create new embodiments of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1753286 | Apr 2017 | FR | national |
This application claims benefit under 35 USC § 371 of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2018/059485 entitled CONTAINER INTENDED FOR VACUUM-STORAGE OF FOODS, COVER, ASSEMBLY COMPRISING THE CONTAINER AND THE COVER AND SYSTEM FOR VACUUM-PACKING FOODS, filed on Apr. 13, 2018 by inventor Jen-François Bourrec. PCT Application No. PCT/EP2018/059485 claims priority of French Patent Application No. 17 53286, filed on Apr. 14, 2017.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2018/059485 | 4/13/2018 | WO | 00 |
