Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VACUUM STORAGE CONTAINER
BACKGROUND
[0001] A variety of different containers are available for storing and
preserving food
items for later consumption. Such containers may be flexible, as in the case
of plastic
storage bags, or may be rigid, as in the case of plastic storage containers.
An advantage
of rigid storage containers is that they can maintain their shape and thereby
protect the
stored food items from being crushed. Another advantage is that rigid
containers are
usually easily washable and therefore can be reusable. Also, it is desirable
that rigid
containers be temperature and microwave resistant to allow for heating,
cooling and
freezing of the stored food items within the container.
[0002] To accomplish these advantages, rigid containers are often made as a
relatively thick-walled structure of a stiff material such as glass or
polycarbonate plastic.
Such materials, in addition to being relatively heavy, are also costly. It is
also desirable
to reduce the quantity of air that may become trapped within the container
during storage.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0003] A storage container for storing food items may include a base
delineating a
storage cavity and a detachable lid connectable to the base to seal the
contents. To
remove air trapped in the storage cavity after the base and lid have been
attached, the
storage container can include a one-way valve element that allows air to be
evacuated.
The one-way valve element is normally closed so as to seal the cavity with
respect to the
environment and thereby maintain the evacuated condition of the storage
device.
[0004] At least one of the base and/or lid may be made of a flexible or semi-
flexible
material. For example, in one aspect, the lid can be made comparatively
flexible with
respect to a more rigid base. Under vacuum conditions, when the air pressure
within the
storage cavity is reduced with respect to the pressure of the environment
surrounding the
storage container, the flexible container can collapse or move into the
storage cavity.
Hence, the storage cavity can have an initial un-evacuated condition with a
given initial
volume and a subsequent evacuated condition which is less than the initial
volume.
Additionally, when in the evacuated condition, the storage container can have
a reduced
head space and smaller overall volume. In other embodiments, the base can be
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comparatively flexible with respect to the lid or both the lid and the base
may
demonstrate degrees of flexibility.
[0005] An advantage of the storage container is that it facilitates improving
the
freshness of food items by retaining those food items in an evacuated state.
Another
advantage is that, when evacuated, the container has a reduced size and head
space for
improved storage of the evacuated container. Additionally, the reduced size
and/or head
space can provide a visual indication to a user about the presence and
prolonged
maintenance of the evacuated condition of the container. These and other
advantages and
features of the storage container will be apparent from the following drawings
and
detailed description of the embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum storage container including
a base
and a comparatively flexible lid with a one-way valve element, all in relation
to a
handheld evacuation device.
[0007] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines A-A illustrating
the base
and lid attached together and in a first un-evacuated condition with the lid
covering the
opening to the storage cavity.
[0008] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines A-A illustrating
the base
and lid attached together and in an intermediate, partially evacuated
condition with the lid
partially depending into the storage cavity.
[0009] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines A-A illustrating
the base
and lid attached together and in a second evacuated condition with the lid
depending into
the storage cavity.
[0010] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a
vacuum
storage container including a base and a comparatively flexible lid, wherein
the lid
includes an elastic portion and a comparatively rigid periphery.
[0011] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the base and lid of Figure 5 attached
together
and in a first un-evacuated condition with the lid covering the opening to the
storage
cavity.
[0012] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the base and lid of Figures 5 and 6
attached
together and in a second evacuated condition with the lid depending into the
storage
cavity.
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[0013] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a
vacuum
storage container including a base and a comparatively flexible lid, wherein
the lid is
made of a highly elastic material.
[0014] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the base and lid of Figure 8 attached
together
and in a second evacuated condition with the lid depending into the storage
cavity.
[0015] Figure 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a vacuum
storage
container including a base and a lid in the form of a flexible sheet or wrap.
[0016] Figure 11 is a detailed view taken along circle B-B of Figure 10
illustrating in
detail the surface features of the sheet.
[0017] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the base and the sheet of Figure 10
attached
together and in an evacuated condition with the flexible sheet wrapped to the
base and
depending into the storage cavity.
[0018] Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a
vacuum storage container including a comparatively flexible base and a lid,
the base
having a rim and a collapsible sidewall depending therefrom.
[0019] Figure 14 is a side elevational view of the base and lid of Figure 13
illustrating
the sidewall fully depending from the rim.
[0020] Figure 15 is a side elevational view of the base and lid of Figure 13
illustrating
the sidewall partially collapsed toward the rim.
[0021] Figure 16 is a side elevational view of the base and lid of Figure 13
illustrating
the sidewall fully collapsed with respect to the rim.
[0022] Figure 17 is a perspective view of a storage container and another
embodiment
of a diaphragm type one-way valve element for attachment to and use with
storage
containers.
[0023] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of Figure 17
showing
the diaphragm type one-way valve element in a normal closed state whereby the
valve
seals the apertures communicating with a storage cavity.
[0024] Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of Figure 17
showing
the diaphragm type one-way valve element in an opened state whereby the valve
unseals
the apertures.
[0025] Figure 20 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a rigid
one-
way valve element for use with the storage containers of the foregoing type.
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[0026] Figure 21 is a rear perspective view of the one-way valve element of
Figure
20.
[0027] Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of Figure 20
through
the one-way valve element.
[0028] Figure 23 is an exploded perspective view of a storage container and a
flexible
multi-ply one-way valve element for use with storage containers.
[0029] Figure 24 is an exploded perspective view of a storage container and a
flexible
single ply one-way valve element for use with storage containers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates a vacuum storage container 100 that includes a base
102 and
a detachable lid 104. To receive items for storage, the base 102 is shaped to
delineate a
storage cavity 106. In the illustrated embodiment, the base 102 may have a
bowl-like
shape and may include a generally flat, circular bottom wall 110 and a
cylindrical,
upward extending sidewall 112 joined to the bottom wall. The bottom wall 110
and the
sidewall 112 can generally define a central axis line 114. In some
embodiments, to
facilitate nested stacking of multiple bases together, the sidewall can
inversely taper or
angle radially outwards from the axis line 114. The upper edge of the sidewall
112
provides a rim 116 that outlines an opening 118 through which the storage
cavity 106 can
be accessed. In other embodiments, the storage container can have different
shapes
including a different number and orientation of the bottom and sidewalls. For
example,
the storage container can be rectangular and the base can include four
orthogonal
sidewalls, such as the container shown in FIG. 17. The containers can also be
provided in
different sizes.
[0031] The base 102 can be made from any suitable, rigid material including,
for
example, tempered glass, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate,
polystyrene, or
polyester. Such materials may be sufficiently firm so as to maintain the set
shape of the
base under a variety of conditions. Hence, the base is generally free-standing
and can be
used for both storing and serving food items. Additionally, to facilitate food
preparation
and storage, the material of the base may be selected to enable washing,
heating and
freezing of the storage container. The base material may be transparent,
translucent, or
opaque.
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[0032] To completely enclose the storage cavity 106, the lid 104 can be formed
as
another circular structure including having a peripheral edge 120 that
corresponds to the
rim 116. The lid 104 has a shape so that it may extend over and across the
opening 118 to
cover the storage cavity 106. In this embodiment, the lid 104 may have an
overall planar
shape. In other embodiments, the lid 104 can have other shapes and sizes
depending
upon the shape and arrangement of the base 102.
[0033] To securely attach the base 102 and the lid 104 together and facilitate
an air
tight seal between them, the upper rim 116 of the base can be configured as a
projecting
tongue. Specifically, the rim 116 can be formed by folding or bending the
cylindrical
sidewall 112 radially outward and downward so that the rim is generally shaped
as an
arch extending annularly around the axis line 114. Disposed into the lid 104
about the
periphery 120 is a corresponding substantially U-shaped groove 122. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the groove 122 is provided by forming into the material of the lid
104 an
upward arch 124 extending about the periphery 120 and in which the groove is
located.
Referring to FIG. 2, the U-shaped groove 122 can receive the correspondingly
shaped rim
116 when the lid 104 and base 102 are attached. The groove 122 can have the
same as or
slightly smaller dimensions than the rim 116 so that the groove positively
compresses or
urges against and about the rim thereby retaining the lid and base together.
[0034] Referring back to FIG. 1, the container can include a one-way valve
element
140 that communicates with the storage cavity 106. In the illustrated
embodiment, the
valve element 140 is attached at an outwardly exposed location which may
correspond to
the center point of the circular lid 104 but in other embodiments, could be
located at other
suitable locations on the storage container 100. The valve element 140 can be
an
umbrella-type valve element that can be made from a flexible material such as
synthetic
or natural rubber and includes a flexible skirt 142 and a neck 144 projecting
from the
skirt. To attach the valve element 140 to the lid 104 such that the valve
element
communicates with the storage cavity 106, there can be disposed through the
center of the
lid three closely-spaced holes or apertures 128 which may be in a straight
line with each
other. The neck 144 is inserted into the center aperture 128 to retain the
valve element
140 to the lid 104 in such a manner that the flexible skirt 142 overlays the
apertures. In
other embodiments, the lid may include one, two, four, five or more apertures.
For
example, in a one aperture embodiment, the center aperture may be used to
retain the
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valve element and also allow the passage of air, such as, by a loose fit or by
a groove in
the neck of the valve element.
[0035] To evacuate the storage cavity, referring to FIG. 1, the valve element
140 can
interface with a vacuum device 150. The illustrated embodiment of the vacuum
device
150 is configured as a handheld, electrically operated device which includes
an elongated
housing 154 which houses an airflow generating unit. Formed at one end of the
housing
154 can be a nozzle 152 that communicates with the airflow generating unit.
The tip of
the nozzle 152 can include a gasket 156 that can be made from a resilient
material such as
foam to ensure a good seal between the vacuum device 150 and the storage
container 100.
The vacuum device can be electrically operated and powered by a cord
terminating in a
wall socket plug or can be powered by batteries such as rechargeable
batteries.
[0036] During evacuation, the vacuum device 150 is placed adjacent to the lid
104 so
that the nozzle 152 surrounds the valve element 140. When the airflow
generating device
is activated which draws air through the nozzle 152, the flexible skirt 142 of
the valve
element 140 lifts upward from the lid 104 exposing the apertures 128. Thus,
air trapped
in the storage cavity 106 can be removed by the vacuum device 150. When the
vacuum
device 150 is turned off or removed from the storage container 100, the skirt
142
resiliently falls adjacent the lid 104 covering the apertures 128 and thereby
preventing
environmental air from reentering the container 100. Moreover, the vacuum
within the
storage cavity 106 will tend to pull the flexible skirt 142 adjacent the lid
104 via the
apertures 128 and thereby the apertures remain sealed.
[0037] To improve functionality and storage of the storage container 100, at
least one
of the base 102 and/or lid 104 can demonstrate some comparative or measurable
flexibility. This flexibility enables the storage container to change in size
and/or shape as
air is evacuated from the storage cavity. Hence, as the pressure inside the
storage cavity
is reduced from an initial pressure equal to the surrounding atmospheric
pressure to an
evacuated pressure substantially less than the surrounding atmospheric
pressure, the
initial volume of the storage container can likewise be reduced to a smaller
evacuated
volume. The smaller evacuated volume may result in improved food freshness in
storage.
The smaller evacuated volume may facilitate storage of the evacuated storage
container
in, for example, a crowded refrigerator. Additionally, the reduced volume can
provide a
visual indication to a user that the evacuated state of the storage container
has or has not
been maintained during storage.
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[0038] In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the lid 104 can be relatively
flexible
compared to the more rigid base 102. In particular, the lid 104 can be formed
from
thermoplastic sheet material by a suitable process such as thermoforming or
vacuum
forming. While overall planar in shape, the formed thermoplastic lid 104 can
include a
centrally located, upward protruding button or boss 130 that can be circular
in shape.
Additionally, the peripheral edge 120 of the lid includes the upward
protruding annular
arch 124. As illustrated, the valve element 140 can be attached to the boss
130. The
majority of the lid 104 can be sufficiently firm or stiff so as to maintain
the overall set
shape of the lid under normal conditions.
[0039] However, located radially or annularly between the central boss 130 and
the
peripheral arch 124 can be one or more concentric flexible zones 132. The
flexible zone
132 can demonstrate increased flexibility with respect to the comparatively
rigid zones
that can correspond to central boss 130 and peripheral arch 124. The increased
flexibility
can be provided by alternating the thickness of the lid or by altering the
elasticity of the
material of the lid in the appropriate areas. For example, the material
thickness
corresponding to the rigid zones can be in a range from about 0.13 to about
3.00 mm.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 2, in the normal un-evacuated state, the overall
stiffness of
the lid 104 including the flexible zone 132 suspends the lid as attached to
the base 102
over and covering the opening 118 with the boss 130 directed away from the
bottom wall
110. Referring to FIG. 3 however, during evacuation, as the surrounding
environmental
pressure increases with respect to the pressure internal to the storage cavity
106, this
pressure differential is sufficient to overcome the initial rigidity of the
lid 104 and forces
the flexible zone 132 to bend or distort downward toward the bottom wall. The
lid 104
including the boss 130 thereafter depends through the opening 118 into the
storage cavity
106. Referring to FIG. 4, after evacuation is complete and vacuum conditions
exist in the
storage cavity, the flexible zone 132 is distorted such that the boss 130 is
now directed
toward the bottom wall. As can be appreciated from FIGS. 2 and 4, the volume
of the
overall storage container 100 and the storage cavity 106 as evacuated is
smaller than the
initial volume of storage container and storage cavity when in the un-
evacuated condition.
Also, as can be appreciated from FIG. 4, the evacuated container 100 has a
reduced head
space due in part to the inward directed boss 130.
[0041] When the storage cavity 106 is accessed by detaching the lid 104 from
the
base 102, the evacuated state of the container is eliminated and the flexible
zone 132 can
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recover to its undistorted shape and the lid can return to its initial shape
illustrated in FIG.
2. The container can thereafter be washed and reused. To facilitate removing
the lid 104
from the base 102, referring to FIG. 1, a tab 134 can extend from the
peripheral edge 120.
[0042] While evacuation of the above described storage container can be
achieved by
a vacuum device, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, evacuation
can occur
by hand manipulation of the container. Particularly, referring to FIGS. 2, 3,
and 4, it will
be appreciated that a user can press the boss 130 down into the storage cavity
106 thereby
displacing air from the storage cavity through the valve element 140.
[0043] Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, there is illustrated another embodiment
of a
vacuum storage container 200. The container 200 includes a base 202 having a
bottom
wall 210 and a sidewall 212 that delineate a storage cavity 206. The storage
cavity 206 is
accessible through the opening 218 delineated by the upper edge or rim 216 of
the
sidewall 212. The lid 204 can be attached to the base 202 to cover and enclose
the
storage cavity 206. The lid 204 may be circular in shape and terminates at a
peripheral
edge 220. To attach the base 202 and lid 204, the upper rim 216 and peripheral
edge 220
can include an interlocking tongue and groove design. When attached to the
base 202, as
illustrated in FIG. 6, the lid 204 extends generally as a dome over the
opening 218.
[0044] To enable evacuation of the storage cavity 206 after the base 202 and
lid 204
are attached, the storage container 200 can include a one-way valve element
240 attached
to the lid and which communicates with the storage cavity. Specifically, the
valve
element 240 is illustrated as being attached to the center portion 226 of the
lid 204. As
described herein, the valve element 240 can interface with a vacuum device to
allow air to
be drawn from the storage cavity 206. In other embodiments, the valve element
could be
in other locations.
[0045] At least one of the base and/or lid can demonstrate a relative
flexibility that
allows the storage container to alter shape and/or size between its normal, un-
evacuated
state and its evacuated state. For example, the base 202 can be sufficiently
rigid or firm
to maintain its shape under a number of conditions. However, the lid 204 can
be formed
with alternating zones of rigidity and relative flexibility or elasticity. The
zones of
rigidity can correspond to the center 226 of the lid 204 to which the valve
element 240 is
attached and to the peripheral edge 220, both of which can be made from a
suitable rigid
thermoplastic such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene
trephthalather, nylon,
polycarbonate, polystyrene or ethylene vinyl acetate. To provide the flexible
zone 232,
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the material in the annular middle portion of the circular lid 204 can be made
of a
relatively flexible or elastic material such as: (1) block copolymers, such
as, styrene
butadiene-styrene triblocks, copolyesters, polyurethanes and polyamides; (2)
elastomer/thermoplastic blends, such as, elastomer thermoplastic (TEO) blends
with 20-
30 parts of rubber based ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) in a
continuous
phase of 70-80 parts of plastic such as isotactic polypropylene; or (3)
elastomeric alloys,
such as, elastomeric alloys (EA) which are highly vulcanized rubber systems
with
vulcanization having been done dynamically in the melted plastic phase. The
hardness of
the flexible or elastic zones can be in a range from about 3 to about 80 Shore
A scale.
The flexible or elastic zone 232 can include a plurality of annular
corrugations 234
concentrically arranged about the comparatively rigid center 226 of the lid
204. The
alternating zones within the lid can be produced by any suitable process
including, for
example, over-molding.
[0046] Referring to FIG. 6, prior to evacuation of the storage cavity 206, the
lid 204
including the flexible zone 232 extends generally as a dome across the opening
218.
Referring to FIG. 7, during evacuation, the reduced pressure in the storage
cavity 206
causes the flexible zone 232 to distort so that the lid 204 including the
center 226 depends
through the opening 218 and into the storage cavity. As illustrated, depending
the lid 204
into the storage cavity 206 can cause the corrugations 234 to appear as a
plurality of
steps. Thus, in the evacuated condition, the volume and shape of the storage
container
200 and the storage cavity are smaller as compared to their initial, un-
evacuated state.
Upon releasing the evacuated condition of the storage cavity 206, the lid 204
can recover
its initial condition with the flexible zone 232 extending across the opening
218.
[0047] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, there is illustrated another embodiment of
a
vacuum storage container 300 including a base 302 having a bottom wall 310 and
a
sidewall 312 that provides a storage cavity 306. The storage cavity 306 is
accessible via
an opening 318 outlined by the upper rim 316 of the sidewall 312. The base can
be
sufficiently rigid so as to retain its as formed shape in a variety of
conditions. To cover
the storage cavity 306, the storage container can also include a detachable
lid 304 in the
form of a highly elastic cover which provides the flexibility that enables the
storage
container to adjust between its normal condition and an evacuated condition.
To provide
the elastic quality, the lid 304 can be made from a highly flexible or
resilient material
such as elastomers. The elastomers may be thermoplastic elastomers or
silicone. The
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hardness of the lid material can be in a range from about 3 to about 80 Shore
A. The
hardness of the base material can be in a range from about 60 to about 96
Rockwell A.
Moreover, the lid can be transparent, translucent, or opaque.
[0048] To form the illustrated embodiment of the lid 304, a thin-walled sheet
or
membrane can be molded to include a central portion 320 and a downward
depending
sidewall 322. The size and shape of the central portion 320 and the depending
sidewall
322 corresponds in size and shape to the sidewall 312 of the base 302. Thus,
the lid 304
can be pulled over the base 302 so as to cover the opening 318 as illustrated
in FIG. 9.
The central portion 320 becomes the top surface of the storage container 300.
To
facilitate attachment of the base 302 and lid 304, the lid can include one or
more tabs 326
extending from the sidewall. Moreover, the elastic material of the lid 304 can
allow the
lid to stretch about the circumference of the rim 316 and secure itself to the
base 302. To
facilitate evacuation of the storage cavity 306 after the base 302 and lid 304
are attached,
the storage container 300 can include a one-way valve element 340 which can be
attached
to the center of the central portion 320 of the lid 304.
[0049] When the base 302 and the lid 304 are attached and the container 300 is
in its
normal un-evacuated state, the central portion 320 of the elastic lid can be
stretched over
the opening 318 and is generally parallel to the bottom wall 310 of the base.
Additionally, the elastic material of the lid helps maintain this arrangement.
However, in
the evacuated state when the air pressure within the storage cavity 306 is
reduced with
respect to the surrounding environmental air pressure, the elastic material
allows the
central portion 320 of the lid to depend through the opening 318 and into the
storage
cavity 306 as illustrated in FIG. 9. Thus, the evacuated container can have an
inwardly
dished appearance which may be enhanced by yielding or stretching of the lid
into the
storage cavity. The elastic material of the lid 304 can also maintain an
elastic grip of the
depending sidewall 322 about the circumference of the rim 316 to maintain a
seal
therebetween. The evacuated storage container therefore has a smaller shape
and reduced
volume as compared to its initial un-evacuated state.
[0050] In another embodiment, the lid 304 may include a flexible central
portion 320
and a rigid sidewall or rim 322. The rigid sidewall 322 may be attached to the
flexible
central portion 320. The flexible central portion 320 may be made from the
materials
noted above. The rigid sidewall 322 may be made from a suitable rigid
thermoplastic
such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene trephthalather, nylon,
polycarbonate,
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polystyrene or ethylene vinyl acetate. The rigid sidewall 322 may allow for
easier
attachment and removal of the lid 304 from the base 302.
[0051] Referring to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, there is illustrated another
embodiment of a
storage container 400 that includes a rigid base 402 having a bottom wall 410
and an
upward extending sidewall 412 which provides a storage cavity 406. The storage
cavity
406 can be accessed through an opening 418 outlined by a rim 416 formed by the
upper
edge of the sidewall 412. To cover the opening 418 and thereby enclose the
storage
cavity 406, a lid 404 in the form of a sheet of flexible material can be
wrapped about the
rim 416 of the base 402. To facilitate evacuation of the storage cavity 406
after the lid
404 of flexible material has been attached to the base 402, a one-way valve
element 440
can be attached to the flexible material.
[0052] As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the lid 404 of flexible
material can be
initially provided as a square or rectangular sheet 420 with the valve element
440
generally located at the center. The sheet 420 can be made from a thin,
flexible web of
thermoplastic material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, EVA, thermoplastic
polyester, or combinations thereof. The flexible nature of the sheet material
allows it to
wrap and gather about the rim of the base in a manner that thereby securely
attaches the
sheet and base together. Desirably, the strength of the grip or adhesion
between the sheet
and base is such as to affect a substantially air-tight seal therebetween.
[0053] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the surface of the sheet 420 can
be
textured by including a plurality of densely spaced protrusions 422 projecting
upwards
from the surface of the sheet. The protrusions 422 can be randomly shaped and
spaced
about. The protrusions can cause the sheet to cling or grip to various
surfaces or even to
other parts of the sheet when pressure is applied. Additionally, the sheet 420
can include
cling or other adhering additives to improve adhesion of the sheet to the base
402. Also,
an adhesive may be applied to the sheet. The sheet of flexible material can be
provided as
a plurality of sheets packaged together for commercial distribution or as a
continuous web
that can be cut to the appropriate size at the time of use. One example of a
suitable sheet
is available from The Glad Products Company of Oakland, California under the
trade
name Press'n Seal .
[0054] When the sheet 420 is wrapped or attached to the base 402, the sheet
can
typically extend or be stretched across the opening 418 generally planar to
the bottom
wall 410. However, when the storage container 400 is in the evacuated
condition and the
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air pressure within the storage cavity 406 is reduced with respect to the
surrounding
environment, the flexible sheet 420 can be partially drawn through the opening
418 and
into the storage cavity 406 as illustrated in FIG. 12. Thus, as illustrated,
the sheet 420
appears to be dished inward of the base 402. The degree which the sheet 420 is
drawn
into the storage cavity 406 may depend upon the vacuum pressure within the
storage
cavity and the elasticity associated with the sheet. It is desirable that the
strength with
which the sheet grips about the rim of the base is such that the sheet is not
entirely drawn
into the storage cavity or that seal between the sheet and base is otherwise
compromised.
After use of the storage container, the plastic sheet can be discarded.
[0055] Referring to FIG. 13, there is illustrated another embodiment of a
storage
container 500 for receiving food items and which includes a base 502 defining
a storage
cavity 506 and a detachable lid 504. The base 502 can include a bottom wall
510 and an
upward extending sidewall 512 which terminates in a circular rim 516. To
access the
storage cavity 506, there is disposed through and outlined by the rim 516 a
circular
opening 518. The sidewall 512 can generally taper or narrow between the rim
516 and
the bottom wall 510 so that the base 502 has a bowl-like shape. The lid 504
can be
substantially planar and correspond in diameter to the circular rim 516. To
attach the
base 502 and lid 504 together, the lid can include a ridge 522 extending
generally around
and proximate to its circular peripheral edge 520 and into which is disposed a
groove 524
(shown in cutaway). The groove 524 can receive a corresponding circular tongue
514
that projects upward from the rim 516. The lid 504 can include a tab 526
extending
outward from the peripheral edge for assisting in attaching and detaching the
lid to the
base 502. To facilitate evacuation of the storage cavity 506, a one-way valve
element 540
can be attached to the proximate center of the lid 540.
[0056] The base 502 can be designed to be comparatively flexible with respect
to the
more rigid lid 504. Specifically, the base 502 can be designed to collapse
upon itself. To
facilitate collapsing of the base 502, the sidewall 512 can be comprised of a
material that
is comparatively flexible with respect to the lid 502 and with respect to the
bottom wall
510 and rim 516. The flexibility can be achieved by selecting suitable
materials and/or
additives or by altering dimensions and thickness of the materials. Different
materials
can be formed together by any suitable process including, for example,
overmolding.
Additionally, the base 502 can be formed with a plurality of telescoping or
nesting folds
in the form of hollow circular bands that are operatively connected together.
Referring to
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FIGS. 13 and 14, the base includes a first fold 530 depending from the rim
516, a smaller
diameter second fold 532 depending from the first fold, and a yet smaller
diameter third
fold 534 between the second fold and the bottom wall 510. When the storage
container
500 is in its un-evacuated normal state, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the
plurality of folds
fully extend from the rim 516 and thereby maximize the volume of the storage
cavity 506.
[0057] As the storage container 500 is evacuated and the pressure within the
storage
cavity 506 is reduced with respect to the surrounding environment, the folds
530, 532,
534 of the sidewall 512 can begin to collapse together. Referring to FIG. 15,
the first fold
530 can telescope or nest within the rim 516 and thereby reduce the overall
volume and
size of the storage container. At this stage of evacuation, only the second
and third folds
532, 534 remain extended with respect to the rim 516. As evacuation continues,
referring
to FIG. 16, the second fold 532 can telescope or nest into the first fold 530
and the third
fold 534 can nest into the second fold. The folds can collapse in any sequence
or partially
collapse in any sequence. In the evacuated condition, the storage container
500 has a
flatter appearance than in the un-evacuated condition and correspondingly has
a smaller
volume and size. Thus, the evacuated storage container is easier to store and
can provide
a visual indication of its evacuated state.
[0058] Referring to FIGS. 17, 18, and 19 there is illustrated another
embodiment of a
one-way valve element 640, specifically a diaphragm type valve element, which
can be
used with storage containers described herein. The storage container 600 can
be
rectangular in shape and include a base 602 and detachable lid 604. The
diaphragm type
valve element 640 may be positioned in a depressed region 626 disposed into
the lid 604
such that the valve element is generally recessed below the plane of the lid
in order to
protect the valve element. In its normally closed position, illustrated in
FIGS. 17 and 18,
the diaphragm valve 640 may include a generally planar flexible diaphragm 642
with a
circular peripheral edge 644 and a central aperture 646 disposed therein.
Excess material
648 in the form of a folded collar or sleeve is included within the plane of
the diaphragm
642 and extends annularly and concentrically about the aperture 646. To enable
communication between the diaphragm valve element 640 and the storage cavity
606, one
or more holes 628 are disposed through the depressed region 626 of the lid
604. The
diaphragm valve 640 is then attached by its peripheral edge 644 to the lid 604
such that
the valve material 648 can generally align over the lid holes 628. The inner
portion of the
diaphragm 642 including the central aperture 646 adjacently overlay a solid
portion of the
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depressed region 626. Thus, fluid communication between the lid holes 628 and
the
diaphragm aperture 646 is not normally possible as shown in FIG. 18.
[0059] Referring to FIG. 19, when the nozzle of a vacuum device 650 is
interfaced
with the diaphragm valve element 640 and suction is applied, the valve
material 648
unfurls and allows the central portion of the flexible diaphragm 642 to lift
away from the
lid 604. Air from the storage cavity 606 can move through the lid holes 628
and exit
through the diaphragm aperture 646. Once the nozzle of the vacuum device 650
is
removed or the vacuum device is turned off, the valve material 648 may return
to its prior
shape so that the central portion of the diaphragm 642 again overlies the
depressed lid
region 626 sealing the storage cavity 606 as illustrated in FIG. 18.
[0060] Referring to FIGS. 20, 21, and 22, there is illustrated another
embodiment of a
one-way valve element 740 that can be used with storage containers described
herein.
The illustrated one-way valve element 740 can include a rigid valve body 742
that
cooperates with a movable disk 744 to open and close the valve element. The
valve body
742 may include a circular flange portion 746 extending between parallel first
and second
flange faces 750, 752. Concentric to the flange portion 746 and projecting
from the
second flange face 752 may be a circular boss portion 748 which terminates in
a planar
boss face 754 that is parallel to the first and second flange faces. The
circular boss
portion 748 may be smaller in diameter than the flange portion 746 so that the
outermost
annular rim of the second flange face 752 remains exposed. The valve body 742
can be
made from any suitable material such as a moldable thermoplastic material like
nylon,
HDPE, high impact polystyrene (HIPS), polycarbonates (PC), and the like.
[0061] Disposed concentrically into the valve body 742 may be a counter-bore
760.
The counter-bore 760 may extend from the first flange face 750 part way
towards the
boss face 754. The counter-bore 760 may define a cylindrical bore wall 762.
Because it
extends only part way toward the boss face 754, the counter-bore 760 may form
within
the valve body 742 a planar valve seat 764. To establish fluid communication
across the
valve body 742, there is disposed through the valve seat 764 at least one
aperture 766. In
the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of apertures 766 may be arranged
concentrically
and spaced inwardly from the cylindrical bore wall 762.
[0062] To cooperatively accommodate the movable disk 744, the disk is inserted
into
the counter-bore 760. Accordingly, the disk 744 may be smaller in diameter
than the
counter-bore 760 and has a thickness as measured between a first disk face 770
and a
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second disk face 772 that may be substantially less than the length of the
counter-bore
760 between the first flange face 750 and the valve seat 764. To retain the
disk 744
within the counter-bore 760, there may be formed proximate to the first flange
face 750 a
plurality of radially inward extending fingers 776. The disk 744 can be made
from any
suitable material such as, for example, a resilient elastomer.
[0063] Referring to FIG. 22, when the disk 744 within the counter-bore 760 is
moved
adjacent to the fingers 776, the valve element 740 is in its open
configuration allowing air
to communicate between the first flange face 750 and the boss face 754.
However, when
the disk 744 is adjacent the valve seat 764 thereby covering the apertures
766, the valve
element 740 is in its closed configuration. To assist in sealing the disk 744
over the
apertures 766, a sealing liquid can be applied to the valve seat 764.
Furthermore, a piece
of foam or other resilient member may be placed in the counter-bore 760 to
provide a
tight fit of the disk 744 and the valve seat 764 in the closed position.
However, when the
valve element 740 is attached to the storage container with the apertures 766
exposed to
the interior cavity, air escaping from the internal cavity will move the
movable disk 744
against the fingers 776 and allowing air to escape to the environment.
Afterwards, the
disk 744 can again move adjacent the valve seat 764 to cover the apertures
766.
[0064] Referring to FIG. 23, there is illustrated another embodiment of a one-
way
valve element 840 for use with the storage containers described herein. The
valve
element 840 can be constructed as a flexible, multi-layered valve element that
includes a
flexible, circular base layer 842 that cooperates with a correspondingly
circular shaped,
resilient top layer 844 to open and close the valve element. The top and
bottom layers
can be made from any suitable material such as, for example, a flexible
thermoplastic
film. Disposed through the center of the base layer 842 is an aperture 846,
thus providing
the base layer with an annular shape. The top layer 844 may be adhered to the
base layer
842 by two parallel strips of adhesive 848 that extend along either side of
the aperture
846, thereby covering the aperture with the top layer and forming a channel.
The base
layer 842 is then adhered by a ring of adhesive 850 to the lid 804 of a
storage container
800 so as to cover the hole 828 disposed through lid
[0065] When storage container 800 is being evacuated, air from the storage
cavity can
pass through the hole 828 disposed through the lid 804 and the aperture 846
thereby
partially displacing the top layer 844 from the base layer 842. The air can
then pass along
the channel formed between the adhesive strips 848 and escape to the
environment.
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When the force driving evacuation subsides or ceases, the resilient top layer
844 will
return to its prior configuration covering and sealing the aperture 846. The
valve element
840 may also contain a viscous material such as an oil, grease, or lubricant
between the
two layers in order to prevent air from reentering the storage container. In
an
embodiment, base layer 842 may also be a rigid sheet material. In another
embodiment,
the base layer 842 may be eliminated and the top layer 844 may be adhered
directly to the
lid 804 by strips of adhesive. In another embodiment, the hole 828 in the lid
804 may be
a slit or slits in the sidewall.
[0066] Illustrated in FIG. 24 is another embodiment of the valve element 940
that can
be attached to the storage containers described herein. The valve element 940
may be a
rectangular piece of flexible thermoplastic film that includes a first end 942
and a second
end 944. The valve element 940 is attached to the lid 904 of the storage
container 900 so
as to cover and seal a hole 928 disposed through the lid. The valve element
940 can be
attached to the lid 904 by patches of adhesive 948 placed on either side of
the hole 928 so
as to correspond to the first and second ends 942, 944. When the storage
container 900 is
being evacuated, air being directed from the storage cavity displaces the
flexible valve
element 940 so as to unseal the hole 928. After evacuation of air from the
storage cavity,
the valve element 940 will cover and seal the hole 928. In another embodiment,
the hole
may be a slit or slits in the lid.
[0067] All references, including publications, patent applications, and
patents, cited
herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each
reference were
individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and
were set forth
in its entirety herein.
[0068] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar referents in
the
context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the
following claims) are
to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise
indicated
herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising," "having,"
"including," and "containing" are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e.,
meaning
"including, but not limited to,") unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges
of values
herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring
individually to
each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated
herein, and each
separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were
individually recited
herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order
unless
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otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The
use of any
and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is
intended
merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on
the scope of
the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification
should be
construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice
of the
invention.
[0069] Exemplary embodiments are described herein. Variations of those
embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon
reading the
foregoing description. The inventor(s) expect skilled artisans to employ such
variations
as appropriate, and the inventor(s) intend for the invention to be practiced
otherwise than
as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all
modifications
and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as
permitted
by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements
in all
possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise
indicated
herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
17
