Patent Application
20080000204
The present invention relates to a vacuum sealer for packaging, sealing and storing items and a film cartridge for a vacuum sealer. More particularly, the invention relates to a vacuum sealer having a center filling film cartridge. The invention also relates to a vacuum sealer having a means to feed, form, seal and cut film bags for storing items.
Many types of material and methods are available for packaging, sealing and storing various items, including vacuum packaging using plastic film bags. Vacuum packaging involves removing air and/or gases from a storage container or bag so that the contents thereof are not exposed to the air. Vacuum packaging is especially useful in protecting food and other perishable items from spoilage and the growth of bacteria or mold since air does not come in contact with the food. Additionally, vacuum packaging is useful for storing other items such as clothes, jewelry, fragile items and the like. Since vacuum packaging produces tight and compact packages, the bulk of an item is reduced thereby minimizing the space that the item occupies.
A problem with conventional vacuum packaging methods and apparatus is that the items must be placed horizontally into a packaging bag such that the open end of the bag is on a side. This creates difficulties when the items to be sealed are food items, especially those being liquid or having a liquid content. These types of food items often spill out of the bag or the bag may not be completely filled in order to avoid spillage from the bag.
The art discloses various methods and apparatus and for vacuum packaging and sealing items. One such apparatus is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0022473 A1 which describes a clamp structure for holding a bag and a removable drip tray which are each used in a vacuum packaging appliance.
Further, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0028488 A1 describes a vacuum packaging appliance for use with a bag including a base, a lid movably coupled to the base, a vacuum portion on the base and/or lid for receiving the open end of the bag, and a vacuum pump operably coupled to the vacuum chamber for removing gas from the vacuum chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,234 B2 describes a sealing machine including a main case, a first sealing member, a second sealing member, a movable supporting part movably supporting the second sealing member, a heater for heating and melting the pack and a pair of grip parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,390 describes an apparatus for evacuating and sealing thermoplastic bags. A foodstuff to be preserved is placed within a bag and the open mouth of the bag is then sleeved over an evacuation nozzle in the apparatus and held in place by a retaining means. A vacuum pump and heater bar are then activated to evacuate and seal the bag respectively.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,370,847 B1 and 6,516,588 B2 describe a waste or diaper disposal system for packing odorous waste in individually sealed (air-tight) packages. The system includes a hinged base and container body with a loading area including a tubular core for holding flexible tubing. Alternatively, a flexible bag may be used. The bag is supported by a retaining ring. The tubing or bags can be sealed by thermal fusing, an ultrasonic technique, adhesives or other sealing techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,829 describes a clamping member for receiving and holding a bag during vacuum sealing. A vacuum excavation nozzle is present on the clamp structure for insertion in a bag held by the clamp.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0022474 A1 describes a heating element and control therefore used in a vacuum packaging appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,968 B1 describes a horizontal vacuum packaging apparatus including a sensor system including use of an algorithmic factor for computing the time for reaching a predetermined evacuation level.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,253 describes the manufacture of non-returnable packages for e.g. milk which is frequently carried out by the conversion of web-shaped, laminated packing material to a tube, filling of the tube with milk and sealing and forming filled packing containers of the desired, e.g. parallelepipedic, shape. During the forming, which is done by means of external forming devices, the contents are used as an internal mandrel or a holder-up for the forming devices, so that the desired shape can be achieved without creasing or other deformations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,269 describes a vacuum sealer having three wires that are heated to varying degrees. Two wires are used or dedicated to sealing a plastic bag and one of the wires is used to cut the bag after the vacuum sealing step. The vacuum sealer is tapered downwardly, i.e., has a low profile, for a better air flow during the vacuuming step. A turbine with curved fins is used to increase the air flow and reduce the time to evacuate air from the bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,822 describes a tapered vacuum bag sealer that can be used to seal conventional plastic bags and to vacuum canning jars or other food containers. The rear of the sealer housing has a connection for a PVC tube or other flexible tube that will extend into the jar or container being vacuumed to remove air therefrom. This rear connection avoids the necessity of the housing lid being opened before the vacuum procedure could be accomplished.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,710 B2 describes a vacuum bag sealing machine used for vacuuming and sealing plastic bags containing food or the like therein so as to keep the food or the like fresh. The vacuum bag sealing machine includes a main body consisting of a top cover and a base connected pivotally with the top cover; a static sealing unit including an upper and a lower sealing strip which are disposed on the front portion of the main body, the lower sealing strip being provided with a predetermined number of through holes; a vacuum generating unit including a vacuum pump and an exhaust tubule mounted on the base, the vacuum pump being communicated with the predetermined number of through holes formed in the lower sealing strip through the exhaust tubule; and a heating and opening-sealing unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,194 B2 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0134914 A1 describe a waste storage device including an inlet aperture and a length of flexible tubing passing through the inlet aperture from a cassette. The flexible tubing is pinched by a pair of rollers which can have continuous surfaces or multiple paddles. The waste product is placed into the aperture and the rollers rotate drawing the waste product down into the device and pinching the storage bag above it. The operation can be manually or motor driven.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,666 B2 describes an apparatus for storing rolls of material so that a user can create individual bags from the rolls. The device may store vacuum bag material suitable for filling with food and vacuum sealing. The apparatus has a support platform, a storage unit and a base for transporting two rolls of material simultaneously to the front of the apparatus. The storage unit has two rollers for storing up to two rolls. The apparatus also has a cutting mechanism for creating straight edges.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0140603 A1 describes a bag sealing apparatus including a frame having a fixed bag insertion slot extending into a vacuum chamber, a heat sealer connected to the frame, and means forming a vacuum connected to the vacuum chamber. The heat sealer is for sealing a bag located in the slot.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0231294 A1 describes a vacuum sealable storage bag and method in which a pad of material is located within the storage bag and is positioned to block, trap, and/or absorb fluid from a product to be stored within the storage bag. The pad of material can include a fluid-absorbing material, and may be positioned between an open mouth of the bag and an interior of the bag in which the product is retained.
U.S Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0044819 A1 describes an automated sealing waste disposal apparatus using tubular material. The waste storage or waste disposal device or container employs tubular sealing material/flexible tubing, wherein the sealing operation of the tube about a waste load is performed mechanically, electrically and electro-mechanically. The waste storage device has an automated operated sealing mechanism.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0050855 A1 describes an appliance for storing articles within flexible and non-flexible containers under vacuum. The appliance includes a lid adapted to define a vacuum chamber when it is moved to a closed position relative to a trough in the base of the appliance. The trough is slidably removable from the base of the appliance. The appliance is further adapted for connection to vacuum sealing attachments for various containers whereby the containers can be selectively evacuated. The appliance includes a thermal sealing mechanism for sealing a flexible container as well as a cutting mechanism for cutting the flexible container to a desired size. The appliance includes a control panel for selectively operating the vacuuming and sealing processes.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0050856 A1 describes a vacuum packaging appliance for forming a hermetically sealed evacuated container. The appliance includes a lid adapted to define a vacuum chamber when moved to a closed position relative to a trough in the lower portion of the appliance. The trough in the lower portion of the appliance is removable from the lower portion of the appliance. The appliance may include pneumatic latches that are used to hold the lid in a substantially fixed position relative to the lower portion of the appliance. Additionally, a single vacuum source can be used to activate the pneumatic latches and then evacuate the vacuum chamber. The appliance is further adapted for connection to vacuum sealing attachments for various containers whereby the containers can be selectively evacuated.
The vacuum sealer devices described above have various shortcomings. These vacuum sealer devices remove air from around food or other items and create a tight seal to keep the item fresh and/or to make the item easier to store. However, current devices are big, clumsy and difficult to use. Also, these devices do not provide an easy and efficient manner of sealing and storing liquid or partial liquid food items. These and other shortcomings of the prior art devices are addressed by the present invention.
The present invention relates to a vacuum sealer for packaging, sealing and storing items and a film cartridge for a vacuum sealer. More particularly, the present invention is a vacuum sealer having a center filling film cartridge. The invention also relates to a vacuum sealer having a means to feed, form, seal and cut film bags for storing items.
The vacuum sealer preferably comprises a body, a top portion, a base portion, a film cartridge, a drive mechanism, a sealing and cutting mechanism and a vacuum/pump mechanism. The vacuum sealer preferably has a feed opening through a top side of and preferably in the center of the top portion. The film cartridge is operatively positioned in the feed opening in the center of the top portion of the vacuum sealer. The film cartridge has an opening in a top face thereof to allow for inserting items into a formed film bag. The top face of the film cartridge is adjacent to and preferably in the same plane as the top side of the top portion of the vacuum sealer.
The film cartridge houses film for forming film bags for use in the vacuum sealer. The film cartridge may have tubular film contained in a collapsed state in a preferably doughnut-shaped film cartridge. The film cartridge may alternatively have two film rolls which are brought together and sealed at the edges. The two film rolls are preferably in the same plane and substantially parallel to each other.
In operation, a leading edge of the film is sealed as the film extends across and below the opening in the film cartridge. The sealed leading edge of the film is suspended within the film cartridge and below the opening of the film cartridge, thereby providing a suspended film bag in the vacuum sealer, which is ready to be filled. The film cartridge provides for the automatic feeding and forming of the film, e.g., tubular film or film rolls, to provide the film bag by a drive mechanism.
The drive mechanism spreads and flattens the film as the film advances from the film cartridge or other suitable film holder through the drive mechanism into the vacuum sealer. After forming a film bag to a predetermined size, the film bag is then filled with a predetermined item or items. Depending on the type of item put into the film bag, the film may need to be cleared prior to vacuuming/inflating or prior to sealing and cutting thereof. Film clearing and compression can be automatically provided through use of compressed air from a vacuum/pump mechanism to move the film bag forward after filling to insure that no contaminated film, i.e., film having fill thereon, is present in the area to be sealed by a sealing and cutting mechanism.
After the film bag is filled, and cleared if necessary, air can inflate or draw a vacuum in the film bag by the use of a vacuum/pump mechanism. The vacuum/pump mechanism may be a reversible vacuum/pump mechanism. The film bag is then ready for sealing and cutting by the sealing and cutting mechanism. Sealing and cutting of the filled film bag may be automatically provided upon closure of a lid of the vacuum sealer and/or upon selecting a desired operation from a control mechanism on the vacuum sealer. Sealing of the film bag may be achieved by any suitable means.
The film used in the vacuum sealer can be any suitable film, including single ply or multiple-ply. The film can optionally be pre-embossed or embossed as the film advances through the sealing and cutting mechanism or in some other position in the vacuum sealer. The embossments ensure a faster and complete vacuum to be pulled on the film bag or film by creating pathways for air to be pulled therethrough.
As detailed herein, the vacuum sealer of the invention provides (1) feeding of film and forming a film bag; (2) movement of a film bag through the vacuum sealer; (3) film clearing and compression; (4) vacuuming or inflating a film bag; and (5) sealing and cutting a film bag. Each of these functions may independently be automatic or mechanical.
To provide feeding of film and forming a film bag in the vacuum sealer, the film cartridge, which may have tubular film or film rolls, is inserted into the feed opening of the vacuum sealer. Once the film cartridge is secured in the vacuum sealer, the film is advanced to form a film bag of a suitable size and is then filled. Then the lid of the vacuum sealer is closed in order to enclose the film cartridge with an air-tight seal.
The vacuum/pump mechanism is activated to create a vacuum in the film bag or to blow air into and inflate the film bag depending on the direction of the motion of the vacuum/pump mechanism. The vacuum/pump mechanism has a vacuum port which is adjacent to the opening of the film bag. The vacuum port may be operatively positioned on an underside of the lid of the vacuum sealer or near at least one side of the film cartridge or the vacuum sealer, such as near the drive rollers or the sealing and cutting mechanism. The vacuum port may also be in any other suitable position. Air passing through the vacuum port on the lid or on the side of the vacuum sealer or the film cartridge can either inflate the film bag or vacuum the air from the film bag.
When the film bag is initially being formed, air may be blown into the film bag to aid in forming the desired size of the film bag by pushing the desired amount of film from the film cartridge. Also, by using air to forward the film through the vacuum sealer, the film bag is substantially fully opened for convenient loading of the film bag by the user. Optionally, the inside wall of the vacuum sealer may have expansion chambers and/or may be lined with a bag opening aiding component to help keep the film bag fully opened once the air pressure is released.
The vacuum sealer also provides film clearing and compression thereof. Once the contents have been placed into the film bag, some contamination from the contents, e.g., food items, may be on the film bag around the surface of the neck of the film bag. The film bag may then be advanced again, preferably by selecting a film advance or film clear button on the control panel, to make sure that all contaminated film is at a position below the sealing and cutting mechanism.
Once the film bag has been forwarded and has passed through the film clearing and compression step, e.g., by the means of compressed air, the film bag may be sealed and cut. The sealing and cutting mechanism moves into position flattening the film bag to facilitate the sealing and cutting operation. The sealing and cutting operation may occur in any suitable manner and with any suitable mechanism. Preferred embodiments of the sealing and cutting mechanism and methods of operation are described in greater detail hereafter.
Once the filled film bag is sealed and cut, the filled film bag is then released, either automatically or mechanically, into a receiving area of the vacuum sealer. The next film bag is then advanced through the vacuum sealer in the same manner. The movement of the film and film bag through the vacuum sealer may be a mechanical or an automatic movement or operation.
The vacuum sealer of the invention preferably provides at least one of the following: (1) quick and convenient packaging of items, including, but not limited to, food items, liquids, fragile items and clothes; (2) containing items for long term storage; (3) quick and convenient packaging and freezing of leftovers or other items; (4) quick and convenient debulking and storing of items; (5) space reduction; (6) air packing of items to provide protection thereof; and (7) aesthetic design for convenient storage or display of the vacuum sealer. Vacuum sealing using the vacuum sealer of the invention enables a user to: extend the freshness of food (by up to five times longer than without vacuum sealing); eliminate freezer burn; keep moist foods from drying out; protect dry foods from moisture or from becoming hard or stale; keep foods high in fats and oils from spoiling; marinate meat and fish in minutes; protect collectibles and other nonfood items from aging and corrosion; protect items such as brittle snacks or collectibles by using the inflate mode; provide an adjustable bag size to fit desired contents; provide a film bag ready in the open position for filling; reduce the cost of film bag refills for the vacuum sealer; eliminate the need for a tool to open a film bag, e.g., such as a knife or scissors; provide better and easier packaging of liquid or fluid foods; eliminate spillage of liquid from food contents; eliminate a vacuum lock on a film bag; and/or reduce the amount of manual effort needed to use the vacuum sealer.
The vacuum sealer is designed to be aesthetically pleasing so that the vacuum sealer may be left on a countertop or in plain view by the user for easy access thereto. The vacuum sealer may be made of any suitable material including plastics, metals, or any combination thereof.
The vacuum sealer is preferably operated in a vertical orientation. However, the vacuum sealer may be structured to change orientation. By activating or pressing a multiple orientation button, the vacuum sealer may be switched from a vertical position to a horizontal position for items which may be more conveniently vacuum sealed in a horizontal position. The vacuum sealer may also be able to be used in an angled position, for example at a 45° angle.
Referring to the drawings:
Vacuum Sealer in General
Referring to
The vacuum sealer 100 preferably comprises a body 102, a top portion 104, a base portion 106, a film cartridge 200, a drive mechanism 140, a sealing and cutting mechanism 170 and a vacuum/pump mechanism 180. The vacuum sealer 100 preferably has a feed opening 108 through a top side of and preferably in a center of the top portion 104. The film cartridge 200 is operatively positioned in the feed opening 108 in the top portion 104. The feed opening 108 is preferably in a center of the top portion 104 of the vacuum sealer 100. The film cartridge 200 has an opening in a top face 202 thereof to allow for inserting items into a formed film bag 308. The top face 202 of the film cartridge 200 is preferably adjacent to and preferably in the same plane as the top side 110 of the top portion 104 of the vacuum sealer 100.
The film cartridge 200 houses film 300 for forming film bags 308 for use in the vacuum sealer. In one embodiment, the film cartridge 200 may have tubular film 302 contained in a collapsed state in a preferably doughnut-shaped film cartridge. In an alternative embodiment, the film cartridge 200 may have two film rolls 304, having flat rolls of film, which are brought together and sealed at the edges prior to filling. The two film rolls 304 are preferably in the same plane and substantially parallel to each other. However, the film rolls may be in any suitable position. These embodiments of the film cartridge 200 with corresponding film 300 are described in greater detail hereafter.
In operation, a leading edge 306 of the film 300 is sealed as the film 300 extends across and below the opening 204 in the film cartridge 200. The sealed leading edge of the film 300 is suspended within the film cartridge 200 and below the opening 204 of the film cartridge 200, thereby providing a suspended film bag 308 in the vacuum sealer 100, as shown for example in
The drive mechanism 140 spreads and flattens the film as the film advances from the film cartridge 200 or other suitable film holder through the drive mechanism 140 into a receiving area 116 of the vacuum sealer 100. More particularly, drive rollers of the drive mechanism 140 may be parallel and linear or angled to spread and flatten the film as the film 300 advances through the drive mechanism 140. After forming a film bag 308 to a predetermined size, the film bag 308 is then filled with a predetermined item or items. Depending on the type of item put into the film bag 308, the film 300 may need to be cleared prior to vacuuming/inflating or prior to sealing and cutting thereof.
Next, film clearing and compression can be automatically provided through use of compressed air from a vacuum/pump mechanism 180 to move the film bag 308 forward after filling to insure that no contaminated film 300, i.e., film having fill thereon, is present in the area to be sealed by a sealing and cutting mechanism 170.
After the film bag 308 is filled and either before or after film clearing and compression, air can inflate or draw a vacuum in the film bag 308 by the use of the vacuum/pump mechanism 180. The vacuum/pump mechanism may be a reversible vacuum/pump mechanism. The film bag 300 is then ready for sealing and cutting by the sealing and cutting mechanism 170. Sealing and cutting of the filled film bag 308 may be automatically provided upon closure of a lid 112 of the vacuum sealer 100 and/or upon selecting a desired operation from a control mechanism on the film sealer 100.
Sealing of the film bag 308 may be achieved by any suitable means. One means is by thermal sealing the film bag 308. The sealing and cutting mechanism 170, through the sealing element 172, provides heat up to about 800° Fahrenheit (426.7° Celsius) in about 1.5 seconds to the area of the film bag 308 to be sealed. The area is then cooled to room temperature in about 2 seconds. Radio frequency (RF) bonding may also be used to seal the film bag 308 rather than using heat, such as by the use of a RF adhesive system. These and other suitable sealing and cutting mechanisms and means are described in greater detail hereafter.
The film 300 used in the vacuum sealer 100 can be any suitable film 300, including single layer or multiple layer film. The film 300 can optionally be pre-embossed or embossed as the film advances through the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 or in some other position in the vacuum sealer 100. The embossments ensure a faster and complete vacuum to be pulled on the film bag 308 or film 300 by creating pathways for air to be pulled therethrough. Embossment of the film 300 is described in greater detail hereafter.
The vacuum sealer 100 of the invention provides (1) feeding of film 300 and forming a film bag 308; (2) movement of film 300 through the vacuum sealer 100; (3) film clearing and compression; (4) vacuuming or inflating a film bag 308; and (5) sealing and cutting a film bag 308. Each of these functions may independently be automatic or mechanical.
To provide feed and form of a film bag 308 in the vacuum sealer 100, the film cartridge 200, which may have tubular film 302 or film rolls 304, is inserted into the feed opening 108 of the vacuum sealer 100. The feed opening 108 of the vacuum sealer 100 is preferably cylindrical in shape. However, the feed opening 108 may be any suitable shape. Once the film cartridge 200 is secured in the vacuum sealer 100, the film 300 is advanced to form a film bag 308 of a suitable size and is then filled. Then a lid 112 of the vacuum sealer 100 is closed in order to enclose the film cartridge 200 with an air-tight seal.
Then, the vacuum/pump mechanism 180 is activated to create a vacuum in the film bag 308 or to blow air into and inflate the film bag 308 depending on the direction of the motion of the vacuum/pump mechanism 180. The vacuum/pump mechanism 180 has a vacuum port 182 which is near the opening of the film bag. In one embodiment, the vacuum port 182 may be operatively positioned on an underside of the lid 112 of the vacuum sealer 100, such as shown in
When the film bag 308 is initially being formed, air may be blown into the film bag 308 to aid in forming the desired size of the film bag 308 by pushing the desired amount of film 300 from the film cartridge 200. Also, by using air to forward the film through the vacuum sealer 100, the film bag 308 is substantially fully opened for convenient loading of the film bag 308 by the user. Optionally, the inside wall of the vacuum sealer 100 may have expansion chambers and/or may be lined with a bag opening aiding component to help keep the film bag fully opened once the air pressure is released.
The vacuum sealer 100 also provides film clearing and compression thereof. Once the contents have been placed into the film bag 308, some contamination from the contents, e.g., food items, may be on the film bag 308 around the surface of the neck of the film bag 308. The film bag 308 may then be forwarded or advanced again, preferably by selecting a film advance or film clear button on the control panel 160, to make sure that all contaminated film is at a position below the sealing and cutting mechanism 170.
Once the film bag 308 has been forwarded and has passed through the film clearing and compression step, e.g., by the means of compressed air, the film bag 308 may be sealed and cut. The sealing and cutting mechanism 170 moves into position flattening the film bag 308 to facilitate the sealing and cutting operation. The sealing and cutting operation may occur in any suitable manner and with any suitable mechanism. Preferred embodiments of the sealing and cutting mechanism and methods of operation are described in greater detail hereafter.
Once the film bag 308 is filled, sealed and cut, the film bag 308 is then released, either automatically or mechanically, into a receiving area 116 of the vacuum sealer 100. The next film bag is then advanced through the vacuum sealer 100 in the same manner. The movement of the film and film bag through the vacuum sealer 100 may be a mechanical or an automatic movement or operation.
The vacuum sealer 100 of the invention preferably provides at least one of the following: (1) quick and convenient packaging of items, including, but not limited to, food items, liquids, fragile items and clothes; (2) containing items for long term storage; (3) quick and convenient packaging and freezing of leftovers or other items; (4) quick and convenient debulking and storing of items; (5) space reduction; (6) air packing of items to provide protection thereof; and (7) aesthetic design for convenient storage or display of the vacuum sealer. Vacuum sealing using the vacuum sealer 100 of the invention enables a user to: extend the freshness of food (by up to five times longer than without vacuum sealing); eliminate freezer burn; keep moist foods from drying out; protect dry foods from moisture or from becoming hard or stale; keep foods high in fats and oils from spoiling; marinate meat and fish in minutes; protect collectibles and other nonfood items from aging and corrosion; protect items such as brittle snacks or collectibles by using the inflate mode; provide an adjustable bag size to fit desired contents; provide a film bag ready in the open position for filling; reduce the cost of film bag refills for the vacuum sealer; eliminate the need for a tool to open a film bag, e.g., such as a knife or scissors; provide better and easier packaging of liquid or fluid foods; eliminate spillage of liquid from food contents; eliminate a vacuum lock on a film bag; and/or reduce the amount of manual effort needed to use the vacuum sealer.
The vacuum sealer 100 is preferably designed to be aesthetically pleasing so that the vacuum sealer may be left on a countertop or in plain view by the user for easy access thereto. The vacuum sealer 100 may be made of any suitable material including plastics, metals, or the like and any combination thereof.
In a preferred embodiment, the film cartridge 200 is preferably a center filling circular film cartridge which uses tubular film 302 as described hereafter. In this embodiment, the film cartridge 200 does not require any prefabrication of the film bags 308, enables the film bag size to be adjusted during the filling operation, provides hands-free operation, and enables the vacuum intake, i.e., vacuum port 182, to be located above the film cartridge 200 or below the top component 206 of the film cartridge 200, but above the open end of the film bag 308.
In another preferred embodiment, the film cartridge 200 is preferably a center filling dual roll film cartridge which uses two film rolls 304 as described hereafter. The dual roll film cartridge provides less wrinkling of the film 300, provides a better way to implement zippers, if desired, provides a final product which looks like a high-quality bag, and enables the vacuum intake, i.e., vacuum port 182, to be located above the film cartridge 200 or below the top component 206 of the film cartridge 200, but above the open end of the film bag 308. The film cartridge 200 will be described in greater detail hereafter.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the vacuum sealer 100 may comprise a film housing container 220 instead of a film cartridge 200. A preferred film housing container 220 is shown in
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the vacuum sealer 100 may comprise rolls of film instead of a film cartridge 200 or a film housing container 220. This embodiment is described in more detail hereafter.
The vacuum sealer 100 of the invention may have various shapes and designs including, but not limited to, those embodiments shown for example in
Drive Mechanism
The drive mechanism 140 primarily functions to feed the film 300 and advance the film bag 308 through the vacuum sealer 100. As shown in
The drive rollers 142 are preferably operatively positioned downstream from the film. The drive rollers 142 may be operatively positioned in the film cartridge 200 or in the top portion 104 or in the body 102 of the vacuum sealer 100. The drive rollers 142 are operatively positioned along the sides of the opening of the film cartridge 200 or the opening of the vacuum sealer 100 lengthwise therein. However, the drive rollers 142 may be in any other suitable position. A drive roller latch 144 may be preferably used to aid in installing the film 300 into the drive rollers 142 by separating the drive rollers 142 or end drive rollers 143 by a predetermined distance. The end of the film is placed between the two drive rollers 142 and/or the end drive rollers 143 on each side of the film cartridge or vacuum sealer. The drive roller latch 144 may be closed to pinch the film again once the film is fed through the drive rollers 142 or the end drive rollers 143. The drive roller latch 144 and the drive rollers 142 and/or the end drive rollers 143 preferably operate similarly to an arm on a typewriter opening rollers to feed a piece of paper in a typewriter.
As shown in
The motorized drive 146 is preferably provided for moving the drive rollers 142 and, thus, the film 300. As shown in
The drive rollers 142 may be angled in order to angle the sealed advancement of the film and thereby eliminate wrinkles from the film 300, thereby making the film flatter and thus easier to handle and advance during operation.
The drive mechanism 140 is preferably a component of the film cartridge 200. However, the drive mechanism 140 or any component thereof may be a component of the vacuum sealer 100 and not a component of the film cartridge 200.
Sealing and Cutting Mechanism
In the vacuum sealer 100, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 preferably simultaneously seals the top of a filled film bag, cuts the sealed film bag and seals the bottom of the next film bag. The sealing and cutting mechanism 170 may preferably only be operated when the lid 112 of the vacuum sealer 100 is closed. This functioning provides enhanced safety to the user. The closing of the lid 112 is preferably indicated by a lid position sensor 114, which is preferably located on the top side 110 of the top portion 104 of the vacuum sealer 100, such as shown in
A preferred embodiment of a general orientation of a sealing and cutting mechanism 170 of the vacuum sealer 100 is shown in
Embodiments of the sealing elements and cutting element are shown for example in
In this embodiment, the sealing and cutting members 171 are preferably crescent shaped sealing and cutting members 171. The sealing and cutting members 171 are operatively positioned such that the crescent shape of each sealing and cutting member 171 is in an outwardly facing position in the open position and the outwardly extending portions of the crescent shaped bars are substantially opposite facing one another. In order to facilitate sealing and cutting, one sealing and cutting member 171 pivots so that the crescent shape of the sealing and cutting members 171 are in alignment and facing the same direction prior to being in the closed position, such as when the sealing and cutting members 171 are moving together into the closed position, and thereby pushing the film together. Once the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 is in the closed position or almost in the closed position, any desired vacuuming or inflation of air occurs by the vacuum/pump mechanism 180 via the vacuum port 182. The vacuum port may be operatively positioned in the underside of the lid 112, such as shown in
Another embodiment of the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 is shown in
In this embodiment, the sealing and cutting members 171 facilitate sealing and cutting by being moved from the open position, as shown in
In operation, this embodiment of the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 seals and cuts the film bags 308 into separate film bags, such as shown in
Sealing and cutting of the film bag 308 may be achieved by thermal heating. One type of thermal heating is Athalite™ technology for low voltage film bag sealing and cutting. Generally, Athalite™ technology can generate temperatures over 800° Fahrenheit (426.7° Celsius) in less than 2 seconds. Once the current is released, the system returns to room temperature in less than 2 seconds. More particularly, the sealing and cutting mechanism may use Athalite™ technology in combination with a foil strip for a heating element.
More particularly, Athalite™ technology is ColdHeat™ technology which has several proprietary components: (1) an unconventional resistive material named Athalite™, which has physical properties that allow it to create heat from a low source power supply, (2) innovative mechanical designs that minimize thermal mass and increase heat flow, and (3) electronic controls that efficiently manage the limited power source for optimal operation. By applying this ColdHeat™ technology to a variety of applications, products take on unique rapid heating, quick cooling and low power consumption properties that make these tools easier to use, safer and more efficient. The unique chemical and physical properties of Athalite™ deliver significant heating potential. With the ability to reach temperatures exceeding 800° Fahrenheit in mere seconds, Athalite™ cools down just as quickly.
In addition, Athalite™ is a highly malleable material and can be milled into multiple form factors, thus permitting the innovative design of a broad array of products. Using Athalite™ technology, the heating element is able to heat up to 800° Fahrenheit (426.7° Celsius) in about 1.5 seconds and can cool to room temperature in about 2 seconds. For example, three strips of Athalite™ are in parallel arrangement, by setting the three strips to operate at different voltages, the outer two Athalite™ strips, i.e., the sealing elements 172, can be set to achieve a sealing temperature and the middle Athalite™ strip, i.e., the cutting element 174, can be set to achieve a melt through or cutting temperature. Each sealing and cutting cycle could effectively seal and cut off the top of a filled film bag 308 while forming the bottom seal of the next film bag.
Sealing and cutting of the film bags 308 may also be achieved by the use of RF bonding technology. In using RF bonding technology, the open ends of the film bags may be sealed. One example of RF bonding technology is a Codaco RF system which is a combination of RF seal-generating equipment and an RF active adhesive. In this embodiment, a small RF seal-generating system is placed in the vacuum sealer 100 and an adhesive is placed on the open ends of the film 300 that need to be sealed, i.e., the top of the filled film bag and the bottom of the next film bag. The adhesive is inserted and then treated by the RF bonding to provide the seal, i.e., by the sealing elements 172. The cutting element 174 also substantially simultaneously cuts the film between the two seals, i.e., between the seal of the top of the filled film bag and the seal of the bottom of the next film bag.
While preferred embodiments of the arrangement and types of sealing and cutting mechanisms have been detailed above, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 of the vacuum sealer 100 may be any suitable sealing and cutting mechanism having any suitable arrangement and using any suitable technology type. Additionally, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 may be a component of the film cartridge 200 or a component of the vacuum sealer 100.
Film Cartridge
The film cartridge 200 has been described generally above. More particularly, as shown for example in
The film cartridge 200 may optionally be a replaceable and/or disposable component such that a new film cartridge will be inserted into the vacuum sealer 100 whenever additional film is needed. Also, the film cartridge 200 can be designed to be inserted into any suitable vacuum sealers, including prior art vacuum sealers and future designed vacuum sealers.
In order to lower manufacturing costs and/or to provide for easier manufacturing of a replaceable and/or disposable film cartridge 200, the film cartridge 200 may include the top component 206 and the film holder 208, while the drive mechanism 140, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 and/or components thereof may be separate from the film cartridge 200 and be in the vacuum sealer 100 since the drive mechanism 140, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 and/or components thereof preferably have a longer functioning life than the life of the film 300. In this embodiment, multiple replacement film may be utilized in the vacuum sealer 100 without having to incur the costs to replace the drive mechanism 140, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 and/or components thereof. The novel arrangement of the film cartridge 200 and functioning of the components in relation to each other is the same or substantially similar whether the drive mechanism 140, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 and/or components thereof are in the film cartridge 200 or structured in the body of the vacuum sealer 100. Accordingly, the description of the functioning of these components described herein correspond to the arrangement of the component in either location unless specified otherwise.
Preferred embodiments of the drive mechanism 140 and the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 have been described in detail above. These embodiments of the drive mechanism 140 and the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 function in the same or similar manner and have the same or similar or corresponding components whether they are a part of the film cartridge 200 or separate therefrom and a part of the vacuum sealer 100.
In a preferred embodiment, the top component 206 of the film cartridge 200 has a top face 202 with an opening 204 therethrough. The opening 204 is preferably centrally located. The film 300 is preferably operatively positioned below the top face 202 of the film cartridge 200 in a film holder 208. More particularly, the film 300 is preferably a tubular film 302 as shown for example in
The film 300, e.g., the film roll 304 in each roll film holder 212 or the tubular film 302 in the tubular film holder 208, extends through the drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143 in the drive mechanism 140 as detailed above in the description of the drive mechanism. The placement of the film 300 through the drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143 is preferably provided by aid of the manual drive roller latch 144. The motorized drive 146 is preferably provided for moving the drive rollers 142 and/or the end drive rollers 143 and, thus, the film 300. As shown in
The film cartridge 200 of the vacuum sealer 100 supplies the film 300, in either pre-made film bag form, i.e., tubular film 302, or on separate rolls, i.e., film rolls 304, which must be sealed along the sides prior to filling. The sides of the film rolls can be sealed in any suitable manner and by any suitable means.
The film cartridge 200 allows for the presentation of the film bag 308 in its open form, making it easier for the user to fill the film bag 308 with food or other items.
The film cartridge 200 may also optionally include an end-of-film indicator and a reclosable film means in the film cartridge. Alternatively, the end-of-film indicator may be located in the vacuum sealer 100 or on the film 300. The end-of-film indicator alerts the user that the film 300 is coming to an end and additional or replacement film 300 will need to be inserted into the film cartridge 200 in due course. For example, the end-of-film indicator may be a color or other symbol indicator on the film 300, such as a color stripe on the film. Also for example, the end-of-film indicator may be a signal indicator given off by the vacuum sealer 100 or the film cartridge 200 such as, but not limited to, a light or sound indicator. However, any suitable end-of-film indicator may be used in the invention.
The film cartridge 200 or vacuum sealer 100 may also preferably have a reclosable film means/feature in the film 300 in the film cartridge 200.
The film cartridge 200 preferably has an asymmetrical (non-symmetrical) shape that only permits the film cartridge 200 to be installed into the vacuum sealer 100 in one position, thus, automatically providing proper alignment in the vacuum sealer 100. This geometry of the film cartridge 200 enables a user to easily orient the film cartridge 200 in the correct position in the vacuum sealer 100 and will align a closure of the film bag 308, e.g., tear-strip or zipper profile, if used, in the vacuum sealer 100. The quality of the seal of the film bag 308 will depend on the accuracy of the position of the closure of the film bag 308 profiles or tear-strips relative to the sealing elements 172.
Control Panel
The vacuum sealer 100 also includes a control panel 160 which enables a user to control the vacuum sealer 100 by selecting and controlling various functions including: (1) the start/stop of the vacuum sealer 100, (2) the inflation and the degree of inflation of the film bag 308, (3) the vacuuming and the degree of vacuuming the film bag 308, (4) the advancing of the film bag 308 and/or clearing of the film bag 308, (5) monitoring the degree of a vacuum or inflation of the film bag 308 until completion, (6) the sealing and cutting of the film bag 308 and (7) any other suitable function of the vacuum sealer 100.
The control panel 160 of the vacuum sealer 100 preferably includes, but is not limited to, the specific control mechanisms for operating and controlling the functions of the vacuum sealer 100. More particularly, the control panel 160 preferably includes at least a means for initiating starting and stopping, i.e., power, of the vacuum sealer 100; a means for initiating and controlling vacuuming and/or inflating a filled film bag 308; a means for initiating and controlling the advancement and/or clearing of the film bag 308; and a means for initiating and controlling the sealing and cutting of a filled film bag 308. For example, the control panel 160 may include the following function controls in the form of a button, lever, switch, scroll pad, or other suitable control: a power control 161 which may be a start control 161a and a stop control 161b or a combination start/stop control 161c; a seal/cut control 162; at least one inflate control 163; and at least one vacuum control 164. The control panel 160 may also optionally include a film advance control 165 and/or a clear film control 166.
The power control 161 starts and stops the vacuum sealer 100. The seal/cut control 162 initiates and controls the sealing and cutting of the film bag 308 in either one step or multiple steps. The seal/cut control 162 preferably does not provide any inflation or vacuuming of the film bag 308. The inflate control 163 may be one control or multiple controls. The inflate control 163 may provide any suitable predetermined inflation percentage to the film bag including, but not limited to, 100% and 50%, or the inflate control 163 may provide a predetermined range of inflation percentages. The vacuum control 164 may be one control or multiple controls. The vacuum control 164 may provide any suitable predetermined vacuum percentage to the film bag including, but not limited to, 25%, 45%, 75% and 100%. In another embodiment, the predetermined vacuum percentage of the film bag includes, but is not limited to, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%. In another embodiment, the vacuum control 164 may provide a predetermined range of vacuum percentages. The film advance control 165 and/or the clear film control 166 provides advancement or clearing of the film bag 308. Preferred embodiments of the control panel 160 as detailed above are shown for example in
In another preferred embodiment, such as shown for example in
LED lights may preferably be illuminated to indicate the chosen inflation or vacuum percentage setting in any embodiment of the control mechanism or control panel. The functioning of the LED lights are described in more detail hereafter.
In another preferred embodiment, the vacuum sealer 100 may have a combination control mechanism as shown for example in
Lid
The vacuum sealer 100 also preferably comprises a lid 112. The lid 112 of the vacuum sealer 100 may be operatively connected to the top portion 104 of the vacuum sealer 100 by any suitable means. For example, the opening of the lid 112 of the vacuum sealer 100 may be by a hinge mechanism such as shown for example in
Vacuum/Pump Mechanism
The vacuum/pump mechanism 180 of the vacuum sealer 100 may be any suitable vacuum/pump mechanism. The vacuum/pump mechanism 180 preferably comprises a motor 184, a pump 186, a compressor 188, a pressure transmitter 190, a vacuum/pressure select solenoid valve 192, and a vacuum port 182 as shown for example in
A preferred embodiment of a motor mechanism 184 is shown in
A preferred embodiment of a pump mechanism 186 is shown in
Vacuum Port
The vacuum port 182 is the component which extends into or near the opening of the film bag 308 to add air thereto or remove air therefrom. The vacuum port 182 is preferably operatively positioned on an underside of the lid 112, such as shown for example in
In an alternative embodiment, an external vacuum port 182a may be located on an external side of the body 102 of the vacuum sealer 100, such as shown in
Operation
The user may operate the vacuum sealer 100 by installing the film cartridge 200 (or rolls of film if no film cartridge is used). The film cartridge 200 may contain tubular film 302 or two film rolls 304 as described above. The lid 112 is opened and the film cartridge 300 (or the rolls of film if no film cartridge is used) is placed into the opening 108, e.g., feed opening or filling chute, of the vacuum sealer 100. If a film cartridge 200 is used, the film cartridge 200 is aligned in the opening 108, preferably in a predetermined manner.
If individual rolls of film are used, the rolls of film are placed into film holders, such as cylindrical troughs, on either side of the opening 108 in the top portion 104 of the film sealer 100.
In one embodiment, the film on the rolls of film may be one continuous piece of film with a fold in the center thereof. To make the individual rolls of film, a total length of film could be wound on a first roller and then the free end of the film would contact an empty core. About half of the film could then be rewound back onto a second roller. A user could then insert the two cores of the film into the cylindrical troughs and feed the joined piece of film down through the drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143. In order for the film to be open around the opening 108 in the top side 110 of the film sealer 100, a pleated film gathering technology may be used to allow a film bag to billow between fixed end points to provide a wide open mouth of the film bag. The core could have corrugation in its circumference to pre-pleat the film during the winding operation.
In an embodiment having a film cartridge 200 having two film rolls 304, the two film rolls 304 are preferably held in a parallel fashion on either side of the opening 204 in and under the top face 202 of the top component 206 of the film cartridge 200. The leading edge 306 of both film rolls 304 are inserted through the drive rollers 142 and/or the end drive rollers 143 of the drive mechanism 140 and joined and sealed together to form the bottom of the first film bag 308 as detailed hereafter. The side edges of the film rolls 304 are also sealed in a suitable manner. Additionally, adhesive may be provided along the side edges of the film 300 to provide side seals or the side edges may be sealed by thermal technology or any other suitable technology. A reclosable adhesive may optionally be provided on one side of the film bag to provide a means to open and close the film bag 308.
In an embodiment having a film cartridge 200 having tubular film 302, the tubular film 302 is contained in a collapsed state in the film cartridge 200. An example of tubular film 302 is shown in
Next, the first film bag 308 is advanced from the film cartridge 200 or from the individual rolls and is pushed downward through the center of the film sealer 100 until the bottom of the film bag can be seen in the receiving area 116. This may be achieved mechanically or automatically by the user pushing a film advance control 165 on the control panel 160 to advance the film bag slightly to ensure that the film is locked into the mechanism.
More particularly, to form the film bag 308, the film is fed through the drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143. The drive rollers 142 are operatively positioned downstream from the film. The drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143 may be operatively positioned in the film cartridge 200 or in the top portion 104 or in the body 102 of the vacuum sealer 100 as detailed above. A drive roller latch 144 may be preferably used to aid in installing the film into the drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143 by separating the drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143 by a predetermined distance. The end of the film is placed between the two drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143 on each side of the film cartridge or vacuum sealer. The drive roller latch 144 may be closed to pinch the film again once the film is fed through the drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143. The drive roller latch 144 and the drive rollers 142 and/or end drive rollers 143 preferably operate similarly to an arm on a typewriter opening rollers to feed a piece of paper in a typewriter. In another embodiment, the edges of the film may have profiles which can be guided into slots on the drive rollers 142 in order to advance the film.
More particularly, as shown in
The leading edge of the first film bag is then sealed as described herein. The film advance control 165 is then operated in order to forward the film until the desired size of the film bag 308 is reached. The position of the vacuum sealer 100 may then be determined. While the preferred embodiment is for the vacuum sealer 100 to be in a vertical orientation, a multiple orientation control 118 may be operated in order to change the vacuum sealer 100 among a vertical orientation, a horizontal orientation or an angled orientation. The multiple orientation control 118 may be located in any suitable position on the vacuum sealer 100, but is preferably operatively positioned near the base portion 106 of the vacuum sealer 100, such as shown for example in
In an alternative embodiment, the vacuum sealer 100 may be able to be positioned in an angled orientation. When the multiple orientation control 118 is operated, the body 102 of the vacuum sealer 100 is angled to a predetermined degree, e.g., forty-five degrees, and set in position to provide easier filling of items that are desired to be loaded in a horizontal orientation, but may need to prevent any spillage thereof. This orientation may also be achieved by pivoting the whole vacuum sealer, using a low pivot point on the vacuum sealer, using a high pivot point on the vacuum sealer or removing a top of the vacuum sealer.
The film bag 308 is then ready to be filled with the desired contents. The film bag 308 is filled to a desired level. If a larger film bag 300 is needed than what has been initially predetermined prior to filling, the film advance control 165 may be operated to advance the film and increase the size of the film bag 308. The film may also be advanced so that the film in the sealing area is clear.
In one embodiment, the vacuum sealer 100 may be preprogrammed such that the film is automatically forwarded following the filling of the film bag 308 to prevent contamination of the vacuum sealer equipment or the next film bag. In a preferred embodiment, the lid 112 of the vacuum sealer 100 may not be able to close until contaminated film has been forwarded.
Rollers may be located on the sides of the vacuum sealer to limit contamination of the vacuum sealer and contamination of the next film bag. The sealing and cutting mechanism 170 is also operatively located near the top of the vacuum sealer to reduce the amount of film used when advancing the film bag, such as shown in
Once the film bag is filled and the film is cleared, if necessary, the desired operation is then selected from the control panel 160 or control mechanism. The desired operations preferably include inflate, seal or vacuuming the film bag. While inflate, seal and vacuum are used throughout the description, any suitable nomenclature may be used to represent these functions. Also, any other suitable functions may be performed by the vacuum sealer.
Vacuuming is for vacuum storage of items. Total vacuum of the film bag 308 is possible, as well as partial vacuuming. Partial vacuuming is useful if the contents of the film bag are fragile. To vacuum, the vacuum control 164 having a desired predetermined vacuum percentage is selected from the control panel 160 or control mechanisms. For example, the predetermined vacuum percentages may include 25%, 45%, 75% and 100%. In another example, the desired predetermined vacuum percentages may include 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%. Any suitable vacuum percentages may be predetermined. Preferred embodiments of a control panel having vacuum control 164 are shown for example in
To inflate a film bag, the inflate control 163 having a predetermined inflation percentage is selected from the control panel 160 or control mechanism. For example, predetermined inflation percentages may include 50% and 100%. Any suitable predetermined inflation percentages may be predetermined. Preferred embodiments of a control panel 160 having inflate control 163 are shown for example in
For packaging an item without providing vacuuming or inflation to the film bag 308, zero percent (0%) inflation and zero percent (0%) vacuum would be set. Then, a seal/cut control 162 may be selected from the control panel 160. Preferred embodiments of a control panel 160 having a seal/cut control 160 are shown for example in
The film bag 308 may be further or optionally advanced at this stage, if necessary or desired, by selecting the film advance control 165 or a clear film control 166 in order to advance any contaminated film forward before sealing and cutting.
Next, the lid 112 of the vacuum sealer is closed. A lid closing latch 115 locks around the lid 112 to hold the lid 112 in place and is locked in place by a lid lock 113. Latching of the lid 112 depresses a lid position sensor 114 which allows the vacuum sealer to operate. The lid closing latch 115 is operatively positioned on the top portion 104 of the vacuum sealer 100 and adjacent to or near the lid 112 such as shown in
The lid position sensor 114 is also preferably operatively positioned on the top side 110 of the top portion 104 of the vacuum sealer 100, such that the lid 112 comes in contact with the lid position sensor 114 when the lid 112 is closed. The lid position sensor 114 indicates that the lid 112 is locked down and enables the vacuum sealer 100 to operate and to ensure safety of the user. Specifically, the motor 184, the pump 186 and the compressor 188, which may preferably be a dual head miniature diaphragm pumping compressor, in conjunction with a vacuum/pressure select solenoid valve 192, becomes operable to either vacuum or inflate the filled film bag 308. Then, solenoid 130 in conjunction with solenoid 131 become operable to seal and cut the film bag at a predetermined time. Closing the lid 112 preferably moves the sealing and closing mechanism 170 in contact with the film bag 308.
Next, the vacuum sealer 100 is ready for operation. The power control 161, e.g., start control 161a or the combination start/stop control 161c, is pressed to begin the pre-selected operation (inflate, seal or vacuum). The various components then commence operation to pull the film bag from the film cartridge or from the individual rolls of film. The film or rollers will run for a predetermined time to bring all contaminated film below the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 and then turns off. Next, the drive base 150 moves in and tugs on the film that extends up.
In an embodiment where a vacuum control 164 is selected, the pump 186, the motor 184 and the vacuum/pressure select solenoid valve 192 operate to vacuum the film bag 308 to the predetermined vacuum percentage. A light adjacent to the pre-selected vacuum percentage vacuum control may light up and the predetermined vacuuming percentage will commence. The light may then indicate that the process has evacuated the predetermined amount of air from the film bag 308.
In an alternative embodiment, as air is removed from the film bag, a second indicator light near the first indicator light may optionally turn on when a predetermined percentage of vacuuming, but less than the total vacuuming desired, is achieved. Various indicator lights may turn on and stay on as the vacuum percentage increases until the total predetermined vacuum percentage is reached and all of the indicator lights up to the total predetermined vacuum percentage turn on. The purpose of each indicator light is to indicate to the user the amount of pressure, i.e., vacuum percentage, in the film bag 308. A user will become familiar with the levels of vacuum necessary for their needs where total vacuum, i.e., 100% vacuum, may be too much.
Another purpose for the indicator light array is to give the user some sense of progress regarding the vacuuming percent of the film bag 308. When all indicator lights are on up to the predetermined vacuum percentage, the vacuum sealer will then perform the sealing and cutting function. In the sealing function, a first side solenoid 130 and a second side solenoid 131 will move into position in preparation for sealing and cutting the film bag 308. Simultaneously, the sealing and cutting mechanism will turn on and the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 will then come together to preferably simultaneously seal the filled film bag 308, cut the film bag 308, and seal the bottom of the next film bag.
On either side of the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 may be a spring actuated tension isolating bar 178, as shown for example in
During vacuuming, a user may manually stop the vacuuming at a desired point by pressing the power control 161, e.g., stop control 161b or combination start/stop control 161c, on the control panel 160 or control mechanism.
In an embodiment where the seal/cut control 162 is selected on the control panel 160, an indicator light may turn on to indicate as such. The first side solenoid 130 and the second side solenoid 131 will move into position in preparation for sealing and cutting the film bag 308. Preferably simultaneously, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 will be activated and the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 will come together to seal the filled film bag 308, cut the film bag 308 and seal the bottom of the next film bag. After a predetermined time, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 will shut off and an operator interface will indicate such on the control panel 160 or control mechanism that the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 has shut off, e.g., an indicator will light up. The sealed film bag 308 will then fall to the bottom of the receiving area 116 of the vacuum sealer 100.
In an embodiment where an inflate control 163 is selected, a vacuum/pressure select solenoid valve 192 will cycle and change the output of the pump 186 and compressor 188 from vacuum to inflate and the film bag 308 will be inflated to the predetermined inflate percentage. A light adjacent to the pre-selected inflate percentage may light up as the inflation of the film bag 308 begins. A user may manually stop the inflation process by pushing the power control 161, e.g., stop control 161b or the combination start/stop 161c.
In an alternative embodiment, as air is blown into the film bag 308, a first indicator light may optionally turn on when the film bag 308 is 50% inflated. If the film bag 308 is to be totally inflated (100% inflation), a second indicator light may optionally turn on when that inflation percent is reached. When the pre-selected inflation percentage is reached, and, if the embodiment has indicator lights, all indicator lights are on up to the pre-selected inflation percentage, the vacuum sealer 100 will go into the seal/cut operation.
Once the inflation is complete, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 comes together to seal the filled film bag 308, cut the filled film bag 308 and seal the bottom of the next film bag. More particularly, the first side solenoid 130 and the second side solenoid 131 will move in preparation for sealing and cutting the film bag as set forth above. Preferably simultaneously, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 will be activated. After a predetermined time, the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 will shut off and an operator interface will indicate on the control panel 160 or control mechanism that the sealing and cutting mechanism 170 has shut off. The sealed film bag 308 will then fall to the bottom of the receiving area 116 of the vacuum sealer 100.
In each of the embodiments described above, the vacuum sealer 100 also has at least one pressure transmitter 190 in the vacuum/pump mechanism 180 that functions in both vacuum and pressure ranges. The pressure transmitter 190 is preferably a combination high/low pressure sensor or two pressure transmitters 190 including a high pressure shut off sensor and a low pressure shut off sensor. The pressure sensor(s) of the pressure transmitter 190 monitor the amount of pressure in the film bag 308 while vacuuming or inflation is occurring, such as to prevent the film bag 308 from exploding from too much pressure. The pressure shut off sensor or combination high/low pressure sensor operates in conjunction with the vacuum control 164 or the inflate control 163 that was selected by the user. The indicator lights on the control panel 160, if present, may light up in different colors or intensity, for example, in order to indicate positive pressure for increasing levels of vacuuming or inflation and a neutral/start position having no vacuum pressure or no inflation pressure inside the film bag 308.
Once the filled film bag 308 is sealed and cut, the vacuum sealer 100 is ready to have another film bag filled or ready to be shut off. If another film bag is to be filled, the lid lock 113 and the lid closing latch 115 are released, the lid 112 is opened and the process may be repeated by selecting the desired operation and filling the film bag with the desired contents and then proceeding as detailed above. The vacuum sealer 100 of the invention may have an automatic turn off mechanism which automatically turns the vacuum sealer 100 off after a predetermined time of non-use.
Position of Sealer
The vacuum sealer 100 is preferably operated in a vertical orientation such as shown for example in
The vacuum sealer 100 is preferably operated in a vertical orientation as described above and thus the vacuum port 182 is positioned above the contents of the film bag 308. This structure allows gravity to minimize the sucking up of juices or other liquid that may be present in the film bag 308 into the vacuum port 182 and thus, the vacuum/pump mechanism 180. This vertical orientation of the vacuum sealer 100 avoids the need for a drip tray as required in horizontal vacuum sealers. However, in some circumstances, it may be desired for the user to position and/or used the vacuum sealer 100 in the horizontal orientation or in an angled orientation.
Closures
Various types of other closures may be added to the film bag 308 to provide the seal thereof and/or to provide resealable film bags 308. The film bag 308 may be closed by thermal heating as discussed above. Other types of seals include, but are not limited to, (1) a pinch and seal closure, (2) a pinch and seal closure with adhesive seal technology, (3) an adhesive seal closure, (4) an adhesive seal closure with a tear strip, (5) a slider seal closure, (6) an adhesive embedded in an embossed pattern closure, (7) a pinch and seal closure inside a sealed flap, (8) an adhesive embossed pattern closure covering a top of a film bag, and (9) a pinch and seal closure with a peelable heat seal. The seal of the film bag 308 may also be a vacuum activated closure which uses a vacuum to make extremely tight fitting profiles such as shown for example in
The pinch and seal closure is in-line or along the same axis as the film. The bottom of the film bag 308 is formed at the same time as the pinch and seal closure. The vacuum sealer 100 can form both sides of the film bag adjacent to the pinch and seal closure when film rolls 304 are used.
The pinch and seal closure with an adhesive seal is in-line or along the same axis as the film. The bottom of the film bag 308 is formed at the same time as the pinch and seal closure. The vacuum sealer 100 can form both sides of the film bag adjacent to the pinch and seal closure when film rolls 304 are used. An adhesive at, near or below the pinch and seal closure is used to improve the seal of the film bag 308.
The adhesive seal closure and the adhesive seal closure with a tear strip is in-line or along the same axis as the film. The film may also have a non-air permeable tear strip, at, near or above the adhesive seal closure for initially opening a vacuum packed film bag 308. The tear strip could be composed of foam which would keep the integrity of the film bag and not allow leakage, but yet is readily torn apart by the user when desired. The tear strip can be colored for easy user identification. The bottom of the film bag 308 is formed at the same time as the adhesive seal closure. The vacuum sealer 100 can form both sides of the film bag adjacent to the adhesive closure when film rolls 304 are used.
The slider seal closure is in-line or along the same axis as the film. The bottom of the film bag 308 is formed at the same time as the slider seal closure. The vacuum sealer 100 can form both sides of the film bag adjacent to the slider seal closure when film rolls 304 are used.
The adhesive embedded in an embossed pattern closure is in-line or along the same axis as the film. The bottom of the film bag 308 is formed at the same time as the adhesive seal closure. The vacuum sealer 100 can form both sides of the film bag adjacent to the adhesive seal closure when film rolls 304 are used.
The pinch and seal closure inside a sealed flap is formed by placing the closure inside the flap of the film bag which makes the film bag non air-permeable. The flap could have a tear strip to expose the pinch and seal closure upon initial use. The pinch and seal closure inside the flap is in-line or along the same axis as the film. The bottom of the film bag is formed at the same time as the pinch and seal closure. The vacuum sealer 100 can form both sides of the film bag adjacent to the pinch and seal closure when film rolls 304 are used.
The adhesive embossed pattern closure covering a top of the film bag preferably fully covers one interior half of the film and the closure is in-line or along the same axis as the film. The bottom of the film bag is formed at the same time as the closure. The vacuum sealer 100 can form both sides of the film bag adjacent to the closure when film rolls 304 are used. It may not be necessary to have thermoform side seals if the adhesive forms an airtight seal.
The pinch and seal closure with a peelable heat seal is a pinch and seal closure which is in-line or along the same axis as the film. The film bag 308 also has a peelable heat seal at, near or below the pinch and seal closure for the purposes of improving the seal. The bottom of the film bag 308 is formed at the same time as the pinch and seal closure. The vacuum sealer 100 can form both sides of the film bag adjacent to the pinch and seal closure when film rolls 304 are used.
Another type of closure that may be used is a leak-proof foam tear strip. Foam tear strips do not leak fluid like serrated tear strips. Foam tear strips can contain a vacuum for a predetermined time unlike serrated tear strips which cannot contain a vacuum. With foam tear strips, a user is able to open a film bag 308 easily without the aid of tools. Foam tear strips are also beneficial especially when used with nylon film bags which are nearly impossible to tear without using scissors, a knife or some other sharp instrument. Also, foam tear strips rip substantially straight every time.
Foam tear strip closures can be produced using a multiple section die which would allow a different material to be placed in the strip. The strip can be made of any number of resins, including a foaming agent added to the blend. One such foaming agent used for polyethylene is SAFOAM FPE-20, manufactured by Reedy International, Key Port, N.J. The foaming agent needs to be added only at about 1-2% to be effective.
Film
The film 300 used in the vacuum sealer 100 of the invention may be any suitable film. The film 300 may be a single layer or may have two or more layers, such as shown in
It is known that air permeates through low gauge polyethylene film. It has been determined, however, that when an air permeable film in the form of a film bag is sealed properly, it will take the air weeks to months to equalize the pressure between the inside and the outside of the film bag. This is accomplished by adding a second layer and optionally putting a second vacuum (the first vacuum being on the interior storage section of the film bag) between the two layers. The process of equalizing pressure must then occur first in the space between the two layers and the outside of the film bag prior to affecting the inside of the film bag. This slows down the rate of permeation such that the film bag performs as well as a film bag made of higher cost gas impermeable film.
The film may also optionally be produced with ribs or segments that connect both layers of the film and keep the layers in close proximity to each other. This connection serves to prevent a loss of the vacuum between the two layers from being noticeable. However, there should be little or no permeation through the film bag due to the vacuum in the space between the two layers and the connecting ribs or segments which prevent compression or expansion of the space.
The vacuum between the two layers can be provided during production of the film 300 prior to loading into the film cartridge 200 which will be inserted into the vacuum sealer 100 or at any other suitable time. Producing vacuums between two or more layers of film may be achieved by using the heat of an extruded polymer to expand the gases between the layers and then sealing the gap prior to allowing the plastic of the film to cool. Also, production of a vacuum between the two layers may be achieved by any other method. The film preferably has controlled oxygen permeability, such as a film structure with sufficient oxygen permeability to maintain headspace oxygen levels inside the package above 2% during food storage. It may also be preferable to allow this amount of permeation for better food storage.
The film used in the vacuum sealer 100 of the invention may optionally be pre-embossed film or the film may be embossed as it advances through the vacuum sealer 100. The film may be embossed by enabling a vacuum to be pulled on a film bag or film, thereby creating paths for the air to be pulled through. When the film is embossed by the vacuum sealer 100, rollers may be provided to emboss the film as it comes from the film cartridge 200.
Any suitable film 300 may be used in the vacuum sealer 100 of the invention. Preferred embodiments of film are shown for example in
Another type of film that may be used to form the film bags 308 is foam film. Foam film bags provide (1) a thermo-clarity seal, (2) a contact clarity vacuum, (3) visually appear to be a thicker gauge, (4) have enhanced rightability, (5) have an aluminum foil look, (6) potentially affect air permeability, and (7) have the ability to open manually. Potentially, foam film bags are more flexible than other types of film bags. The pliability of the film may have an impact on the efficiency of the vacuum sealer 100.
A film having nylon make the film bags 308 made therefrom very stiff. In order for the end product to have a perfectly conformed film vacuum look, the vacuum pumps for these film bags have to be much more powerful. If a very soft and pliable film is used, the vacuum pump can be much less powerful and still be effective. If a small pump can be used to get the same effect, there is less of a chance for sucking up liquid contents from the film bag. Smaller, less powerful pumps also tend to cost less. After the film bag is formed, the stiffness of the film works in conjunction with the air permeability of the film to cause the film bag to lose the vacuum therein. Less stiffness in the film equates to a longer period where the film remains conformed to the contents of the film bag.
Other types of film may also be used in the present invention. In choosing a film to use with the vacuum sealer 100 of the invention, the ability of the film 300 to maintain contact with the contents of the film bag 308 is preferably greater than or equal to (1) the compression resistance of the contents, plus (2) the stiffness of the film, i.e., the force required to overcome the memory of the film, plus (3) the air permeability of the film, plus (4) the thickness of the film, plus (5) the delta pressure between the atmosphere and the inside of the film bag 308.
However, any suitable means may be utilized to produce vacuums between the two or more layers of film. It may also be preferable to allow this amount of permeation for better food storage results.
Film Bag Labeling
Optionally, the vacuum sealer 100 may have the capability to manipulate, label or print on a surface of a film bag 308 in order to provide a date of the contents therein, to identify the contents therein and/or to inventory the contents therein. In order for a vacuum sealer 100 to manipulate the surface of a film bag 308, the vacuum sealer could thermo-form, indenture or emboss a pattern into the film bag in order to date, identify and/or inventory the contents therein. In a preferred embodiment, manipulating the surface of a film bag may be achieved by a heat-sealing barcode over a foamed strip in-line or along the same axis as the film. Contacting a bar type heating element against a foam opaque strip would cause the foam to be clear at the point of contact. This heat manipulated portion of the foam strip would be placed into a slot on the vacuum sealer 100 so that the pertinent information would be on a display on the vacuum sealer and then on the film bag. The clear bars of the foam strip can be placed over a black surface so that the bars would appear much like a barcode seen on present-day store packages. In another preferred embodiment, printing content information directly on the surface of the film bag 308 may be achieved by corona treatment of the film prior to loading the film into the film cartridge 200.
The display on the vacuum sealer 100 could also have an interface that allows the user to select a vacuum setting that matches the contents of the film bag. Not only would the vacuum sealer 100 adjust the vacuum pressure appropriately based on the selection made on the interface, but could enter the contents into a database for inventory control. Additionally, reminders could be displayed on the vacuum sealer to help the user use their inventory items, e.g., food, more wisely.
Replacement for Film Cartridge and Film
In an alternative embodiment, the vacuum sealer 100 can be designed such that the film cartridge 200 can be replaced with a film housing container 220, such as shown for example in
Miscellaneous
The vacuum sealer 100 may optionally release freshness enhancing volatile compounds into the head space of the film bag 308 after filling thereof, but prior to or during sealing thereof. The compounds may be dispensed from a canister that is optionally attached to or a part of the vacuum sealer 100. These compounds may include, but are not limited to, ethanol, carbon dioxide, ethylene blocking compounds with anti-microbial properties, and/or any other suitable compounds.
The vacuum sealer 100 may also have additional optional functional accessories or modular components such as, but not limited to, an integrated scale, a perforating roller, a vibration mode and a pleating unit. An integrated scale would weigh the contents of the film bag 308 or film housing container 220 during or after filling thereof. A perforating roller, which may be removable, could perforate the film bag 308 to allow transpiration of stored fruits and vegetables, if desired. A vibration mode would cause the vacuum sealer 100 to vibrate while filling so that the contents may settle in the film bag 308 or film housing container 220 in order to accommodate more contents into the film bag or film housing container. A pleating unit, which may be removable, could enable a user to pleat the film as the film is dispensed or retracted so that a pleated or non-pleated film bag is produced.
The vacuum sealer may also optionally include a sensor to prevent bursting or tearing of the film bag during inflating and vacuuming.
The vacuum sealer and the film cartridge may be made of any suitable material, e.g. plastics, metals, and any combination thereof.
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. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/816,869 filed Jun. 28, 2006.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60816869 | Jun 2006 | US |
