Patent Application
20220017284
The present disclosure relates generally to food storage containers and, more particularly, to a vented sealable bag.
It has long been desirable to provide food storage bags with a vent making them suitable for use in cooking food items in a microwave oven. The vent is necessary during the cooking process as pressure builds and if no relief is provided an explosion can result that if not damaging to the microwave can create an awful mess. Numerous solutions have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 9,346,589 is exemplary. It describes a resealable bag with a one-way release valve. Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,061,899. Various examples of valves intended for use with resealable bags are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,066,433 and 8,074,685. All of these examples suffer from the problem that the valves are formed separately from the bag and are fastened to the bag after the bag has been constructed. This not only increases manufacturing costs but the bags may leak where the valve is attached to the bag and can also create a safety hazard should the valve become separated from the bag. Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.
A vented sealable bag comprises a container, a two-part seal and a vent. The container has opposing sidewalls and a bottom defining a cavity. The sidewalls form a neck defining an opening opposite the bottom. The sidewalls have a thickness, an inner surface facing the cavity, and an outer surface external to the container. A two-part seal is formed on the inner surface of the sidewalls adjacent the neck. The two-part seal has a hook formed on one sidewall and a clasp formed on an opposite sidewall. The hook and clasp are arranged on the inner surface of the sidewalls to form an airtight seal isolating the cavity from an external environment when the hook is embedded in the clasp but otherwise maintain the opening in the container. A vent is integrally formed in one of the sidewalls. The vent is further comprised of a dimple having a thickness that is thinner than the thickness of the sidewalls. The dimple is concave when viewed from the cavity and has a slit formed at an apex that is closed except when the container is sealed and an internal pressure is created that is higher than an external pressure on the outer surface of the sidewalls. In another embodiment, the sidewalls have a thickness in the range of 0.075 inches to 0.095 inches. In another embodiment, the sidewalls have a thickness in the range of 0.075 inches to 0.095 inches and the dimple has a thickness in the range of 0.025 inches to 0.045 inches. In another embodiment, the vented sealable bag is constructed of a flexible polymeric material. In another embodiment, the vented sealable bag is constructed of silicone. In another embodiment, the bottom forms a rectangular platform. In another embodiment, the bottom forms a platform sufficient to support the vented sealable bag.
In another embodiment, a vented sealable bag comprises a container, a two-part seal and a vent. The container has two opposing sidewalls and a bottom that define a cavity. The sidewalls form a neck defining an opening opposite the bottom. The sidewalls have an inner surface facing the cavity and an outer surface external to the container. The sidewalls have a thickness. A two-part seal is formed on the inner surface of the sidewalls below the neck. The two-part seal has a hook formed on one sidewall and a clasp formed on an opposite sidewall. The hook and clasp are arranged on the inner surface of the sidewalls to form a seal preventing contents of the container from communicating with an external environment when the hook is embedded in the clasp but otherwise maintain the opening in the container. A vent is integrally formed in one of the sidewalls. The vent is further comprised of a dimple. The dimple is concave when viewed from the cavity and has a cut opening that forms an airtight seal except when the two-part seal is closed and an internal pressure is created that is higher than an external pressure on the outer surface of the sidewalls. In another embodiment, the vent has a dimple thickness equal to or greater than the thickness of the sidewalls. In another embodiment, the container, two-part seal and the vent are constructed of a flexible material. In another embodiment, the container, two-part seal and the vent are constructed of silicone. In another embodiment, the cut opening is a slit. In another embodiment, the cut opening is a duck bill valve.
In another embodiment, a vented sealable bag comprises a container, a two-part seal and a vent. The container has two opposing sidewalls and a bottom. The sidewalls and bottom define a cavity. The bottom forms a platform. The sidewalls form a neck defining an opening opposite the bottom. The sidewalls have an inner surface facing the cavity and an outer surface external to the container. A two-part seal is formed on the inner surface of the sidewalls below the neck. The two-part seal has a hook formed on one sidewall and a clasp formed on an opposite sidewall. The hook and clasp are arranged on the inner surface of the sidewalls to form a seal preventing contents of the container from communicating with an external environment when the hook is embedded in the clasp in a closed condition but otherwise maintain the opening in the container when the hook and clasp are in an open condition. A vent is integrally formed in one of the sidewalls. The vent is further comprised of a dimple. The dimple is concave when viewed from the cavity and has an opening that forms an airtight seal except when an internal pressure in the cavity is greater than an external pressure on the outer surface of the sidewalls. In another embodiment, the container, two-part seal and the vent are constructed of an impermeable flexible material. In another embodiment, the container, two-part seal and the vent are constructed of silicone. In another embodiment, the platform forms a flat surface sufficient to support the container and its contents. In another embodiment, the container, two-part seal and the vent are constructed of the same material. In another embodiment, the dimple opening is a slit. In another embodiment, the dimple opening is a one-way valve.
Other systems, devices, methods, features, and advantages will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While several embodiments are described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.
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Although exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, or alterations to the disclosure as described may be made. All such changes, modifications, and alterations should therefore be seen as within the scope of the disclosure.
