Apparatus for quick evacuating and closing lidded jars and vessels containing foodstuff and other products
First Claim
1. A vacuum apparatus for evacuating and hermetically closing containers filled with foodstuff or other products, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber adapted to receive at least one container, the at least one container having an opening and a lid loosely placed onto the opening, said vacuum chamber being hermetically closable after receiving the at least one container;
a vacuum pump driven by an electric motor, said vacuum pump having a suction port connected to said vacuum chamber and a delivery port connected to the atmosphere;
a valve which is automatically openable at a predesignated vacuum pressure within the vacuum chamber, the automatically openable valve fluidly coupling said vacuum chamber with the atmosphere, said valve being manually closable to thereby interrupt the fluid coupling between said vacuum chamber and the atmosphere, wherein said valve has an upstream end open to the atmosphere and a downstream end communicating with said vacuum chamber, said valve comprising an adjustable mechanism adapted to hold said valve in a closed position until a predesignated vacuum level has been attained, said adjustable mechanism comprising a permanent magnet positioned at the upstream end and adapted to magnetically attract a magnetically attractable body attached to the upstream end of said valve body, adjustment of the magnetic attracting force being made by changing the distance between said magnet and said magnetically attractable body by axial displacement of said magnet to automatically open said valve in response to said predesignated pressure;
an electric power supply; and
an electric circuit coupling said electric power supply to said pump motor for actuating said pump motor responsive to a closing motion of said valve, and for interrupting actuation of said pump motor responsive to an opening motion of said valve, thereby stopping the operation of said vacuum pump when said valve is opened.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable vacuum apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber to be filled with lidded jars, bottles or other containers containing foodstuff or other products for the purpose of storing the contents under vacuum. The vacuum chamber is composed of a platform covered by a layer of a resilient material serving as a seal, and of a removable cover seated on the platform. The chamber is pipe-connected to an electrically operated vacuum pump and to an automatic valve connecting the chamber with the atmosphere in open state. To evacuate the chamber and the jars the valve is manually closed and the pump is started exhausting air from the chamber and the jars. The valve is adapted to open automatically as soon as the required vacuum has been reached and to interrupt the electric supply to the pump motor. The valve is designed to open a wide passageway to the chamber causing the air to rush in and to create a shock wave. The lids on the jars and containers are of the conventional kind provided with gaskets and are slightly lifted off their seats during evacuation and are firmly pressed onto the openings of the jars by this shock and thus closed under vacuum conditions.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vacuum apparatus for evacuating and hermetically closing containers filled with foodstuff or other products, comprising:
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a vacuum chamber adapted to receive at least one container, the at least one container having an opening and a lid loosely placed onto the opening, said vacuum chamber being hermetically closable after receiving the at least one container; a vacuum pump driven by an electric motor, said vacuum pump having a suction port connected to said vacuum chamber and a delivery port connected to the atmosphere; a valve which is automatically openable at a predesignated vacuum pressure within the vacuum chamber, the automatically openable valve fluidly coupling said vacuum chamber with the atmosphere, said valve being manually closable to thereby interrupt the fluid coupling between said vacuum chamber and the atmosphere, wherein said valve has an upstream end open to the atmosphere and a downstream end communicating with said vacuum chamber, said valve comprising an adjustable mechanism adapted to hold said valve in a closed position until a predesignated vacuum level has been attained, said adjustable mechanism comprising a permanent magnet positioned at the upstream end and adapted to magnetically attract a magnetically attractable body attached to the upstream end of said valve body, adjustment of the magnetic attracting force being made by changing the distance between said magnet and said magnetically attractable body by axial displacement of said magnet to automatically open said valve in response to said predesignated pressure; an electric power supply; and an electric circuit coupling said electric power supply to said pump motor for actuating said pump motor responsive to a closing motion of said valve, and for interrupting actuation of said pump motor responsive to an opening motion of said valve, thereby stopping the operation of said vacuum pump when said valve is opened. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification