VACUUM STORAGE CONTAINER WITH INTEGRATED PUMP

• US 20080199335A1
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Livio R. Melatti
• Original Assignee: Livio R. Melatti
• Inventors: Melatti, Livio R.
• Application Number:
  US11/676,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20080199335A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/472
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/2038 with means for establishing or improving vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 45/02 having bellows

Abstract

An application for a container with integrated vacuum pump including a non-porous sealable enclosure with walls and an aperture in a first of the walls. A vacuum pump is affixed to the first of the walls of the non-porous sealable enclosure. The vacuum pump has an inflow port that is interfaced to the aperture so that the vacuum pump is adapted to evacuate air from the non-porous sealable enclosure through the aperture.

Claims

1. A container with integrated vacuum pump, the container comprising:

a non-porous sealable enclosure having walls, an aperture in a first wall of the walls; and

a vacuum pump affixed to the first wall of the non-porous sealable enclosure, an inflow port of the vacuum pump interfaced to the aperture, the vacuum pump adapted to evacuate air from the non-porous sealable enclosure through the aperture.

2. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 1, wherein the vacuum pump is a bellows vacuum pump.

3. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is a sealable plastic bag.

4. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is a rigid plastic container having a rigid storage portion and a rigid lid, the lid adapted to fit tightly on the rigid storage portion, thereby sealing the rigid plastic container.

5. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 4, wherein the first wall is the rigid lid, the aperture is in the rigid lid and the vacuum pump is affixed to the rigid lid.

6. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 2, wherein the bellows vacuum pump comprises:

a lower stiff layer affixed to the first wall, the lower stiff layer having a plurality of inflow apertures interfaced to the aperture of the first wall and the lower stiff layer having a pass-through aperture;

a flexible layer adapted to the lower stiff layer, the flexible layer having a first plurality of hinged flaps that cover each of the plurality of inflow apertures, the flexible layer having a second plurality of hinged flaps and the flexible layer having a pass-through aperture;

an upper stiff layer adapted to the flexible layer, the upper stiff layer having an inflow opening for receiving air from the plurality of inflow apertures, the upper stiff layer having a plurality of outflow apertures, and the upper stiff layer having an outflow passage, whereas each of the second plurality of hinged flaps covers a corresponding one of the plurality of outflow apertures and the outflow passage aligns with the pass-through aperture allowing air to exit the bellows vacuum pump; and

a bellows portion for pulling air out of the enclosure through the plurality of inflow apertures, through the inflow opening and pushing air out through the plurality of outflow apertures, through the pass-through aperture and through the outflow passage.

7. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 6, further comprising at least one hook for holding the bellows portion in a compressed state.

8. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 7, further comprising a seal adapted to the bellows portion, the seal covering the outflow passage when the bellows portion is held in the compressed state.

9. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 7, wherein the at least one hook is part of the upper stiff layer.

10. A method of evacuating air from material held in a non-porous sealable container, the method comprising:

providing the non-porous sealable container having walls and an aperture in a first wall of the walls and a vacuum pump affixed to the first wall of the non-porous sealable enclosure with an inflow port of the vacuum pump interfaced to the aperture, the vacuum pump adapted to evacuate air from the non-porous sealable enclosure through the aperture;

opening a seal of the non-porous sealable container;

placing the material in the non-porous sealable container;

sealing the seal of the non-porous sealable container;

until a desired amount of air is evacuated from the non-porous sealable container, repeatedly performing the steps of;

compressing the vacuum pump, blowing air from the vacuum pump to an outside environment; and

releasing the vacuum pump, pulling air from the non-porous sealable container through the aperture in the first wall.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vacuum pump is a bellows vacuum pump.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the enclosure is a sealable plastic bag.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the enclosure is a rigid plastic container having a rigid storage portion and a rigid lid, the lid adapted to fit tightly on the rigid storage portion, thereby sealing the rigid plastic container.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the bellows vacuum pump comprises:

a lower stiff layer affixed to the first wall, the lower stiff layer having a plurality of inflow apertures interfaced to the aperture of the first wall and the lower stiff layer having a pass-through aperture;

a flexible layer adapted to the lower stiff layer, the flexible layer having a first plurality of hinged flaps that cover each of the plurality of inflow apertures, the flexible layer having a second plurality of hinged flaps and the flexible layer having a pass-through aperture;

an upper stiff layer adapted to the flexible layer, the upper stiff layer having an inflow opening for receiving air from the plurality of inflow apertures, the upper stiff layer having a plurality of outflow apertures, and the upper stiff layer having an outflow passage, whereas each of the second plurality of hinged flaps covers a corresponding one of the plurality of outflow apertures and the outflow passage aligns with the pass-through aperture allowing air to exit the bellows vacuum pump; and

a bellows portion for pulling air out of the enclosure through the plurality of inflow apertures, through the inflow opening and pushing air out through the plurality of outflow apertures, through the pass-through aperture and through the outflow passage.

15. A container with integrated vacuum pump, the container comprising:

a non-porous sealable enclosure having walls, an aperture in a first wall of the walls; and

a means to pull air out of the non-porous enclosure affixed to the first wall of the non-porous sealable enclosure, the means to pull air out of the non-porous enclosure adapted to evacuate air from the non-porous sealable enclosure through the aperture.

16. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 15, wherein the means to pull air out of the non-porous enclosure is a bellows vacuum pump.

17. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 16, wherein the bellows vacuum pump comprises:

a lower stiff layer affixed to the first wall, the lower stiff layer having a plurality of inflow apertures interfaced to the aperture of the first wall and the lower stiff layer having a pass-through aperture;

a flexible layer adapted to the lower stiff layer, the flexible layer having a first plurality of hinged flaps that cover each of the plurality of inflow apertures, the flexible layer having a second plurality of hinged flaps and the flexible layer having a pass-through aperture;

an upper stiff layer adapted to the flexible layer, the upper stiff layer having an inflow opening for receiving air from the plurality of inflow apertures, the upper stiff layer having a plurality of outflow apertures, and the upper stiff layer having an outflow passage, whereas each of the second plurality of hinged flaps covers a corresponding one of the plurality of outflow apertures and the outflow passage aligns with the pass-through aperture allowing air to exit the bellows vacuum pump; and

a bellows portion for pulling air out of the enclosure through the plurality of inflow apertures, through the inflow opening and pushing air out through the plurality of outflow apertures, through the pass-through aperture and through the outflow passage.

18. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 17, further comprising at least one hook for holding the bellows portion in a compressed state.

19. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 18, further comprising a seal adapted to the bellows portion, the seal covering the outflow passage when the bellows portion is held in the compressed state.

20. The container with integrated vacuum pump of claim 18, wherein the at least one hook is part of the upper stiff layer.