Patent Application
20250042639
The inventive subject matter is generally directed towards systems and methods for fitting a container with a valve means to facilitate removing gas from the container with a vacuum device. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to a storage container (such as a reusable, resealable food storage bag, for example) configured with a valve to facilitate removing air from inside the storage container.
Currently, food or other perishables are often stored in resealable containers such as resealable thermoplastic pouches. To keep food stored inside a pouch fresh for an extended period, a user may evacuate air out of the pouch before completely sealing a closure mechanism of the pouch. Other resealable pouches have been developed that have a valve that allows air to be evacuated from the pouch after the closure mechanism has already been sealed.
Some pouch valves have a patch of thermoplastic material covering an aperture in a pouch wall and sealed over a limited area of the pouch wall around a periphery of the patch. The patch has an aperture therethrough that is offset from the aperture in the pouch wall. Pressure from outside of the pouch forces the patch against the pouch wall keeping the valve closed. However, pressure from within the pouch forces the patch to separate from the pouch wall to allow air to flow through both apertures and out of the pouch.
Other valves have a cover flap disposed over an aperture in a pouch wall, wherein the cover flap lacks an aperture. The valves have an unsealed edge that provides a path for escaping air. One such valve has a separator layer disposed between an adhesive layer disposed on an inner surface of the cover flap and an aperture in the pouch wall. The separator layer is smaller than the cover flap, but larger than the aperture and is shaped so that the adhesive layer makes asymmetrical contact with the pouch wall around a periphery of the cover flap. Pressure from within the pouch forces a portion of the cover flap having a smaller adhesive contact area to separate from the pouch wall. The valve may also have an intermediate gas permeable layer between the separator layer and the aperture.
Another valve has a cover flap that is disposed across the entire width of a pouch wall. The flap overlays one or more apertures in the pouch wall to allow air to escape from within the pouch and prevent air from entering the pouch.
Yet another valve for a pouch has a patch that is disposed across an entire width of a pouch wall and is sealed to the pouch wall around a periphery of the patch. A first plurality of apertures extending through the pouch wall is offset from a second plurality of apertures extending through the patch. An adhesive is disposed between the first and second pluralities of apertures. Pressure from within the pouch overcomes the adhesive and forces the patch to separate from the pouch wall to allow air to escape from within the pouch.
Another valve has a patch that is sealed around the periphery of the valve over an inner or outer surface of a plastic tube. The patch may be oriented axially along the length of the tube, or circumferentially around the tube. The patch has a vent opening that is offset from a vent opening through the tube surface. A vent seal zone is defined between the patch and the tube surface. The tube is sealed on both ends such that pressure from within the tube forces the patch to separate from the tube surface to allow air to escape from within the tube.
Yet another valve has first and second zipper flanges sealed to an inside surface of a pouch wall. A line of apertures is disposed through the pouch wall, wherein the first zipper flange is attached to the pouch wall on a first side of the apertures and the second zipper flange is attached to the pouch wall on a second opposite side of the apertures. An air path is formed between the first and second zipper flanges and the apertures. Pressure from within the pouch forces the second flange away from the first flange and pressure from outside the pouch forces the second flange into contact with the first flange. Alternatively, the second flange is eliminated and the pouch wall on the second side of the line of apertures contacts the first flange. In another variation, one or more apertures disposed through the first flange are covered in flap fashion by the second flange.
Vacuum compression storage bags are known in the art. 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 to obtain the removal of substantially all 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, for example, clothing, stored in the bag to avoid inhibiting the air flow and removal of the air from the bag.
It is known that frozen foods are sometimes sold in plastic packages with built-in zipper strips for resealing. Some of them are vacuum sealed at the factory. When the seal is broken to allow removal and/or addition of food, the entry of air and moisture into the package frequently causes ice formation. The result is a deterioration of the food and a reduction in flavor and edibility. Also, the long-term storage viability of the food contained therein is reduced upon resealing. Various patents have been disclosed pertaining to closures and sealing systems for food packages, and they include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,941,310; 5,009,828; 5,070,584; US 2003/0152296 A1; U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,147; B2; 2004/0114837 A1; 2004/0161178 A1; 2005/0196077 A1; 2005/0244083 A1; and 2007/0110340 A1.
What is needed in the art are systems and methods that simply and economically facilitate the use of a vacuum to remove gas/air from containers closed/sealed containers.
Additional features and advantages of the embodiments disclosed herein will be set forth in the detailed description that follows, and in part will be clear to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.
In one aspect the invention concerns a valving system for a container. In one embodiment, the valving system includes an air sieve; a sealing part placed on the air sieve, the sealing part having at least one perforation; a retaining cap configured to be coupled to the air sieve. In some embodiments the retaining cap has a central air passage configured to allow air flow when the valving system is coupled to a vacuum pump, the central air passage further configured to allow atmospheric pressure to be applied to the sealing part when the valving system is uncoupled from the vacuum pump. In certain embodiments, the sealing part is retained between the air sieve and the retaining cap.
In one embodiment, the air sieve comprises a sealing part seat configured to provide a surface that the sealing part pushes against when under atmospheric pressure. In some embodiments, the air sieve further includes: a plurality of radial grooves configured to allow air flow; a central air channel in fluid communication with the plurality of radial grooves to receive air from the plurality of radial grooves, the central air channel formed in a first side of the air sieve; and at least one air outlet configured to allow passage of air from the central air channel to a second side of the air sieve.
In some embodiments, the retaining cap has a cap threaded part, and the air sieve further includes a sieve threaded part configured to couple to the cap threaded part. In certain embodiments, the retaining cap further includes means for facilitating manual coupling and uncoupling of the retaining cap from the air sieve. In yet other embodiments, the central air channel has two compartments and two air outlets, with each compartment in fluid communication with a unique air outlet.
In one embodiment, the retaining cap is further configured to facilitate the use of a vacuum pump to evacuate air from the container. In some embodiments, the air sieve is configured to fit into a hole in a wall of the container, wherein first side of the air sieve is internal to the container and the second side of the air sieve is external to the container. In certain embodiments, the retaining cap comprises a cap threaded part; the air sieve further comprises a sieve threaded part configured to couple to the cap threaded part; and the sieve threaded part is formed at least partly on the second side of the air sieve.
In another aspect the invention is directed to a container with a vacuum valve. In some embodiments, the container can include a sidewall having an orifice; an air sieve configured to fit into the orifice and to allow passage of air from inside the container to outside the container; a sealing part configured to cooperate with the air sieve to allow flow of air from inside the container to outside the container, the sealing part further configured to push against the air sieve when the sealing part is under atmospheric pressure; and a retaining cap configured to be coupled to the air sieve, the retaining cap further configured to retain the sealing part between the retaining cap and the air sieve.
In one embodiment, the air sieve has a sealing part seat configured to provide a surface that the sealing part pushes against when under atmospheric pressure. In some embodiments, the air sieve further can include: a plurality of radial grooves configured to allow air flow; a central air channel in fluid communication with the plurality of radial grooves to receive air from the plurality of radial grooves, the central air channel formed in a first side of the air sieve; and at least one air outlet configured to allow passage of air from the central air channel to a second side of the air sieve.
In certain embodiments, retaining cap can include a cap threaded part, and the air sieve further includes a sieve threaded part configured to couple to the cap threaded part. In one embodiment, the retaining cap further can include means for facilitating manual coupling and uncoupling of the retaining cap from the air sieve. In yet other embodiments, the central air channel has two compartments and two air outlets, with each compartment in fluid communication with a unique air outlet. In some embodiments, the retaining cap can be further configured to facilitate the use of a vacuum pump to evacuate air from the container.
In one embodiment, the first side of the air sieve is internal to the container and the second side of the air sieve is external to the container. In certain embodiments, the retaining cap can include a cap threaded part; the air sieve can include a sieve threaded part configured to couple to the cap threaded part; and the sieve threaded part is formed at least partly on the second side of the air sieve. In yet other embodiments, at least part of the sidewall is compressed between the retaining cap and the air sieve. In certain embodiments, the container is a silicone bag for storing food.
Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present embodiments intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the embodiments disclosed herein. The accompanying drawings are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure, and together with the description explain the principles and operations thereof.
A more complete understanding of the embodiments, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by references to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The specific details of the single embodiment or variety of embodiments described herein are set forth in this application. Any specific details of the embodiments are used for demonstration purposes only, and no unnecessary limitation or inferences are to be understood therefrom.
Before describing in detail exemplary embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of components related to the system. Accordingly, the device components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
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In certain embodiments, air sieve 110 can include radial grooves 180 running along a side of air sieve first retaining flange 155. Radial grooves 180 are preferably configured to facilitate air flow from the inside of the container to air sieve central air channel 185. In one embodiment, air sieve 110 can be made as a single piece having sieve internal side 190 and sieve external side 195. Radial groove 180 and air sieve central air channel 185 can be formed on sieve internal side 190. Sieve threaded part 140, air sieve second retaining flange, and sealing part seat 175 can be formed on sieve external side 195. In some embodiments, air sieve 110 can include one or more air outlets 200 configured to allow passage of air from air sieve central air channel 185 to a space created between sealing part 115 and sealing part seat 175 when a vacuum pump acts upon valving system 100. In certain embodiments, as illustrated in
In one embodiment, a vacuum bag (not shown) can be made by providing a bag having multiple sidewalls. One of the walls can be sidewall 130 having sidewall orifice 125. Air sieve 110 can be inserted through orifice 125 so that sieve internal side 190 is placed in the internal space of the vacuum bag and sieve external side 195 is placed in the space external to the vacuum bag. Sealing part 115 is placed on sealing part seat 175. Retaining cap 105 is coupled to air sieve 110 by, for example, threading retaining cap 105 onto air sieve 110.
During use of the vacuum bag, the vacuum bag can be closed or sealed with, for example, a resealable fastener such as a zip lock. It is then desired to store the items in the bag under vacuum by evacuating air from the vacuum bag. A vacuum pump is coupled to retaining cap 105 and activated. Under action of the vacuum pump, air flows through radial grooves 180 to air sieve central air channel 185, then through air outlets 200, and to the outside of the vacuum bag through perforation 120. As air is evacuated from the vacuum bag, atmospheric pressure starts to apply a negative pressure against the walls of the vacuum bag. When the vacuum pump is removed, the atmospheric pressure pushes sealing part 115 against sealing part seat 175, which prevents any external air from entering the vacuum bag through perforation 120.
When desired, retaining cap 105 can be uncoupled from air sieve 110 to, for example, clean valving system 100. Sealing part 115 is also removable, disposable, and replaceable independently of the other components of valving system 100. If a vacuum bag is damaged, or becomes too old, or acquires a bad smell, valving system 100 can be removed from the vacuum bag and used with another bag having a sidewall orifice adapted to receive valving system 100.
Many different embodiments have been disclosed herein, in connection with the above description and the drawings. It will be understood that it would be unduly repetitious and obfuscating to literally describe and illustrate every combination and subcombination of these embodiments. Accordingly, all embodiments can be combined in any way and/or combination, and the present specification, including the drawings, shall be construed to constitute a complete written description of all combinations and subcombinations of the embodiments described herein, and of the manner and process of making and using them, and shall support claims to any such combination or subcombination.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present embodiment is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. A variety of modifications and variations are possible considering the above teachings without departing from the following claims.
