Vacuum compression storage bags

Abstract

There is disclosed an improved stand-off for large vacuum compression storage bags made from a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene or other thermoplastic material and preferably made by extrusion. The stand-off includes a base having an aperture therein for alignment with the valve of the bag. The base further includes a plurality of ribs. The stand-off may include a variety of geometries provided that it is of sufficient length and width to cover the valve area. It may extend from one side of the bag to the other side of the bag or include variations thereof in size.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to vacuum compression storage bags. More specifically, the invention is directed to large vacuum compression storage bags for clothing and other items which include a stand-off for optimizing the air flow and evacuation of air from the bag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vacuum compression storage bags are known in the art. For example, SPACE BAG® brand vacuum compression storage bags are commercially available for storage of clothing and other items. Such storage bags generally include a first side panel and a second side panel which side panels are sealed at the edges and the bottom forming the bag having an open top. These bags further include a re-closable closure mechanism near the top portion of the bag for opening and closing the bag. The bags further include a valve for release of air from the storage bag after the bag is filled with the material to be stored such as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,872. Air is removed from the bag by placing a pump over the valve to remove the air. One shortcoming of such large vacuum compression storage bags for clothing and other items is the need to use a rather large and complex injection molded valve. Such valves increase the cost of manufacture of the bag and the corresponding cost to the consumer. The complexity of the valve is often necessary in order to obtain the removal of substantially all of the air in the bag. The valve will include rigid legs or protrusions to prevent the valve from contacting the adjacent side panel of the bag or the items, e.g. clothing, stored in the bag to avoid inhibiting the air flow and removal of the air from the bag.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrated such a prior art vacuum compression storage bag 100 having a valve 102. When pump P is placed over valve 102 to evacuate air from bag 100, the air flow is generally not inhibited when the content C of the bag is adjacent to the valve due to the size and complexity of the valve, including the plurality of legs L which are provided to allow substantially complete evacuation of the air from the bag.

Accordingly, while the current vacuum compression storage bags may be useful in storing clothing or other items, there is room for improvement, including providing a large vacuum compression storage bag using a simple valve and stand-off which are easy and inexpensive to manufacture while providing for substantially complete evacuation of air from the storage bag.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention is directed to large vacuum compression storage bags for clothing and other items which are simple and inexpensive to manufacture. The storage bags of the present invention include a valve and a stand-off for evacuation of air from the bag after the bag has been closed with the item(s) to be stored therein. The bags have a first side wall, a second side wall and a bottom portion which forms the bag and having an open top portion for receiving and removing items to be stored, such as clothing, blankets or other items. The bag further includes a closure mechanism near the open top of the bag, such as a zipper closure, which provides for a re-closable bag. The bag includes a one-way valve for evacuation of air from the bag after the material to be stored has been placed in the bag and the closure mechanism closed. The air is evacuated using a pump placed over the valve. The present invention provides for an improved stand-off which will allow for improved air flow and evacuation of air from the bag. Various embodiments of the improved stand-off and valve are disclosed herein.

The improved stand-off of the invention is made from a plastic material such as polyethylene or other thermoplastic material and is preferably made by extrusion. The stand-off includes a base having an aperture therein for alignment with the valve. The base further includes a plurality of ribs. The stand-off may include a variety of geometries. However, the stand-off must be of sufficient length and width to cover the valve area; it may extend from one side of the bag to the other side of the bag or include variations thereof in size. In one embodiment, the standoff base is adhered to the inside side wall of the bag adjacent to the valve such that the aperture in the base, the aperture in the bag and the aperture in the valve are in alignment. The stand-off ribs extend inwardly toward the storage portion of the bag. When the pump is placed over the valve to evacuate air, the ribs of the standoff will maintain space between the side wall to which the stand-off is adhered and the opposite side wall or maintain space between the stand-off and the contents of the bag, thereby providing for improved air flow and evacuation of air from the bag.

Another embodiment of the vacuum compression storage bag using the stand-off of the invention is to have the stand-off adhered to an inside side wall of the bag with the base facing toward the storage portion of the bag and the ribs of the stand-off being adjacent to the inside side wall of the bag and the valve. In this embodiment, a series of minute apertures are provided in the grooves between the ribs to aid in evacuation of air from the bag by the pump. Having the base facing the storage portion of the bag provides for a flush or smooth contact surface of the stand-off with the material being stored or with the opposite side wall.

A further advantage of the stand-off of the invention is that it provides additional rigidity to the bag at the location of the valve. If the stand-off extends from one side of the bag to the other, this provides further rigidity to the bag and to the aesthetics of the ornamental design of the bag. Additionally, such rigidity limits the valve protrusion toward the inside of the bag. This is significant in that if the valve protrudes toward the inside of the bag, there is convex arching of the bag which results in the bag remaining taut and inhibiting avenues of airflow through the valve.

As discussed above, current valves are pre-made. As an alternative to using a pre-made valve, the stand-off of the invention may be modified to function as part of the valve assembly. Specifically, the bag will include an aperture in the side wall in the form of a hole or slit. Adjacent thereto on the inside portion of the side wall, the flat base portion of the stand-off is adhered to the side wall. The ribs of the stand-off extend inwardly toward the storage portion of the bag. The stand-off further includes at least one hole or slit positioned on the stand-off such that the hole or slit is adjacent the hole or slit in the bag. Preferably, the stand-off includes two holes or slits aligned symmetrically on either side of the hole or slit of the bag. When the pump is placed over the hole or slit in the bag and the holes and slits of the stand-off, air will be evacuated. Accordingly, the holes and slits in the stand-off work in conjunction with the hole or slit in the bag to evacuate the air. The stand-off, therefore, also functions as part of the valve assembly.

The different embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description of specific non-limiting embodiments of the present invention can be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structures are indicated with like reference numbers.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective exploded view of a portion of a vacuum compression storage bag illustrating a valve and the stand-off of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a reverse view of FIG. 1 illustrating an inside portion of the bag with the stand-off of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side partial cross-sectional view of a portion of a prior art bag and valve.

FIG. 4 is a side partial cross-sectional view generally taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 of a vacuum compression storage bag and the stand-off of the present invention illustrating the evacuation of air from the bag and the air flow thereof.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a vacuum compression storage bag illustrating one embodiment of the stand-off shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a vacuum compression storage bag illustrating another embodiment of the stand-off shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a vacuum compression storage bag illustrating another embodiment of the stand-off of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a vacuum compression storage bag illustrating another embodiment of the stand-off of the present invention

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of a portion of a vacuum compression storage bag illustrating another embodiment of the stand-off of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a reverse view of FIG. 11 illustrating an inside portion of the bag with the stand-off of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is directed to large vacuum compression storage bags which are simple and inexpensive to manufacture while providing substantially complete evacuation of air from the bag without the need for a complex and expensive valve and bag assembly. The storage bag of the invention includes a simple and inexpensive valve and an improved stand-off which provides for efficient evacuation of air from the storage bag after it is filled with the items, e.g. clothing, blankets and other material, to be stored and closed. The improved stand-off of the invention is preferably made by extrusion from a plastic material such as polyethylene. The stand-off is flexible and rigid, i.e. it has greater thickness than the storage bag walls. Other materials may also be used for the stand-off such as polypropylene, nylon or bioplastics.

Referring generally to FIGS. 5-8, large vacuum compression storage bags, e.g. in the range of about 18 inches by 20 inches to about 35 inches to 48 inches, include a first side wall 10, a second side wall 12 and a bottom portion 14 which forms the bag and having an open top portion 16 for receiving and removing items to be stored, such as clothing, blankets or other items. The side walls and bottom wall are sealed using known sealing techniques such as heat sealing. The bag may be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, bioplastics or like materials. The bag further includes a closure mechanism 18 near the top of the bag such as a zipper closure which provides for a re-closable bag. Zipper closures are known in the art. Such storage bags may include ribs 20 on the inside of each side wall for gripping to aid in opening of the bag, although these are not necessary to a good storage bag.

The storage bags further include a valve 22 for evacuation of air from the bag. One type of valve is a label valve and as best shown in the FIGS. 1 and 4. Label valve assemblies comprise a hole or slit 24 in the side wall of the bag and a plastic label 26 covering the hole or slit on the outside of the side wall. The plastic label is sealed to the bag side wall by an adhesive. The degree of sealing strength may vary. The plastic label 26 further includes a hole or slit 28. In one preferred embodiment of label valves, the bag side wall 10 includes an annular slit 24 and the thermoplastic label 26 includes an annular hole 28 covered by a separate piece of plastic 29.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the improved stand-off 30 of the present invention is adhered to a first side wall 10 of a vacuum compression storage bag by thermal welding, adhesives or by other known bonding means. The stand-off is adjacent valve 22. The stand-off comprises an extruded thermoplastic material comprised of polyethylene or other thermoplastic material such as polypropylene, nylon or bioplastics. The stand-off includes a base 32, aperture 34 and a plurality of ribs 36. In a preferred embodiment, the stand-off includes three ribs 36 as best shown in FIG. 2. The stand-off 30 is positioned adjacent to valve 22 such that aperture 34 is in alignment with the apertures 24 and 28 of the valve assembly. Ribs 36 include rib 36a which has a space 36b at aperture 34. The stand-off 30 must be sufficiently large in dimension to fully cover the valve 22 and the pump area as shown, for example, in FIG. 4. As seen in FIG. 5, stand-off 30 may cover only a segmented portion of the bag side wall or, as shown in FIG. 6, may extend from one edge of the bag to the other edge of the bag.

As stated above, the stand-off in a preferred embodiment is an extruded thermoplastic such as polyethylene. The plastic base has a thickness generally greater than the thickness of the side walls 10 and 12 and while flexible provides rigidity to the valve and stand-off assembly. The ribs 36 may be of different shapes, the preferred being a rectangular shape as shown in the drawings. However, other shapes may be used without departing from the scope of the invention, for example the ribs may have rounded edges. The ribs dimensions will be relative to the size of the storage bag and the evacuation of air from the storage bag. Therefore, the stand-off 30 has greater rigidity than the side walls 10 and 12. This will provide additional rigidity to the bag at the valve, thereby providing additional strength to the bag when using the pump to evacuate air from the bag. Additionally, this will provide for improved air flow as the valve will not be held too taut when the pump is placed over the valve.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base 32 of the stand-off is adhered to the inside wall of the bag with the ribs 36 facing inwardly toward the inside storage portion of the bag. Referring to FIG. 4 which is generally a partial cross-section along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 and further showing the operation of the invention, when the pump P is placed over the valve 22, stand-off 30 with ribs 36 will provide for improved air flow as referenced by the arrows in the Figure when evacuating air from the bag. Ribs 36 will prevent the content C of the bag from contacting the stand-off base, thereby preventing the inhibition of the air flow.

In an alternative embodiment and referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the stand-off 30 may be adhered to the side wall of the bag adjacent the valve (which is not shown in FIG. 11 for simplicity of illustration) with the ribs 36 in contact with the side wall and the base portion 32 facing the interior storage area of the bag. In this embodiment, a series of minute holes or slits 38 are punched in grooves 39 formed by ribs 36. Such holes and/or slits contribute to and allow for evacuation of the air. Additionally, air may also be evacuated from the bag at the ends of the stand-off.

A further alternative embodiment is stand-off 50 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the same stand-off 50 except for the dimensions of the stand-off, namely FIG. 7 shows the stand-off covering only a segmented portion of the bag and FIG. 8 shows the stand-off extending from one edge of the bag to the other edge of the bag. The stand-off 50 is the same as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 except that instead of aperture 34 it includes two holes or slits 58 which function as part of the valve assembly as discussed hereafter. In this embodiment, no pre-made valve is necessary in the storage bag. Rather, the side wall 10 of the bag includes an annular hole or slit 11. The stand-off 50 includes holes or slits 58 symmetrically on each side of hole 11. Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown a cross-section of the stand-off 50 along line 9-9 of FIG. 7 and illustrating bag 10, base 52 and ribs 56. Referring to FIG. 10, there is shown a cross-section of the stand-off 50 along line 10-10 of FIG. 7 illustrating bag 10, stand-off 50 with base 52, ribs 56 and hole or slit 58. The stand-off 50 is attached along its outer longitudinal edges to side wall 10 in order that the film 10 can bow up and create a path for air to evacuate. When pump P is placed over hole or slit 11 in the bag and holes or slits 58 in the stand-off, air will be evacuated from the bag through hole or slit 11 and slits or holes 58 of stand-off 50. Therefore, this alternative embodiment of the stand-off while providing the benefits of the stand-off discussed above also functions as part of the valve assembly. While the preferred embodiment in FIGS. 7 and 8 utilizes two slits or holes 58, it is understood that one slit or hole or a plurality of slits and holes may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

As seen above, large compression storage bags can be made using a simple and inexpensive valve based on the improved stand-offs of the invention. The stand-off of the present invention provides for improved air flow in evacuating air from a large vacuum compression storage bag. The stand-off may be used with a label valve as disclosed herein or with other one-way valves known in the art. The stand-off also provides additional rigidity to the bag at the valve which is useful in large storage bags.

The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. For example, while the invention has been disclosed in relation to large storage bags, it may be useful in smaller vacuum compression storage bags. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vacuum compression storage bag comprising: first flexible wall panel and second flexible wall panel coupled together to form a bag with opposing sealed side edges, a sealed bottom end, an open top end, a closure mechanism near said top end adapted to close said bag, and an air evacuation valve positioned in said first flexible wall panel, said valve having an aperture therein,a stand-off affixed to an inside wall of said first flexible wall panel adjacent to said air evacuation valve, said stand-off comprising an extruded thermoplastic material having greater rigidity than said first flexible wall panel and having a base, an aperture in said base and a plurality of ribs wherein said ribs do not cover said aperture in said base, andwherein said aperture in said valve and said aperture in said base are adapted to be in substantial alignment and said stand-off completely covers said valve.

2. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of ribs extend from said base inwardly toward a storage area of said bag.

3. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of ribs extend from said base toward said inside wall of said first flexible wall panel.

4. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 3 wherein said plurality of ribs form grooves between said ribs and said grooves include a plurality of apertures therein adapted to aid in an evacuation of air from said bag.

5. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 1 wherein said valve comprises a label valve.

6. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 5 wherein said label valve comprises a thermoplastic base layer having a hole or slit therein and a top thermoplastic layer adhered to said base layer.

7. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 1 wherein said bag dimensions are in the range of about 18 inches by 20 inches to about 35 inches by 48 inches.

8. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 1 wherein said extruded thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon and bioplastics.

9. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 8 wherein said first flexible wall panel and said second flexible wall panel are made from a plastic selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon and bioplastics.

10. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 8 wherein said stand-off is constructed and arranged to extend from one edge to an opposite edge of said first flexible wall panel.

11. A vacuum compression storage bag comprising: first flexible wall panel and second flexible wall panel coupled together to form a bag with opposing sealed side edges, a sealed bottom end, an open top end, a closure mechanism near said top end adapted to close said bag, and an aperture for air evacuation positioned in said first flexible wall panel,a stand-off affixed to an inside of said first flexible wall panel adjacent to said air evacuation aperture, said stand-off comprising an extruded thermoplastic material having greater rigidity than said first flexible wall panel and having a base, at least one aperture in said base and a plurality of ribs wherein said ribs do not cover said at least one aperture in said base, andwherein said at least one aperture in said base of said stand-off is adapted to be adjacent to said air evacuation aperture in said bag and said stand-off completely covers said air evacuation aperture in said first flexible wall panel.

12. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of ribs extend from said base inwardly toward a storage area of said bag.

13. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 12 wherein said at least one aperture comprises two apertures symmetrically adjacent to said air evacuation aperture in said first flexible wall panel.

14. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 11 wherein said extruded thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon and bioplastics.

15. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 14 wherein said flexible wall panels are made from a plastic selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon and bioplastics.

16. A vacuum compression storage bag according to claim 13 wherein said stand-off is constructed and arranged to extend from one edge to an opposite edge of said first flexible wall panel.