Hand-held vacuum pump

• US 8,096,329 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Thuot, Raechell M., Ackerman, Bryan L., Dais, Brian C., Turvey, Robert R., Dubay, Jeramy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUST, TIMOTHY LEWIS
• Application Number:
  US11/818,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20080308177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 141/65, 141/67, 141/127, 417/415, 417/521, 535/12
• US Class Current: 141/65
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 31/04 Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied

Abstract

A hand-held vacuum device includes a housing to hold an electrical motor operable to drive a piston pump that is configured to draw a substantially continuous vacuum for each complete cycle of the piston pump. The hand-held vacuum device also includes an expansion chamber releasably connected to and in fluid communication with the housing and a vacuum interface that has a vacuum connector in fluid communication with the expansion chamber and is configured to releasably couple to a valve disposed on a container. The expansion chamber separates air and liquid from a fluid drawn into the expansion chamber.

Claims

1. A hand-held vacuum device for evacuating a container, the device comprising:

a housing to hold an electrical motor operable to drive a piston pump and a piston valve, the piston pump and the piston valve being configured to draw a substantially continuous vacuum during each complete cycle of the piston pump, wherein the piston pump comprises a first cylinder having a first piston and a first check-valve and a second cylinder having a second piston and a second check-valve, a first piston shaft eccentrically connected to a worm gear wheel and the first piston and a second piston shaft eccentrically connected to the worm gear wheel and the second piston, wherein the electrical motor is operatively connected to a worm gear that drives the worm gear wheel to reciprocate the first piston and the second piston within the first cylinder and the second cylinder to draw the substantially continuous vacuum;

an expansion chamber releasably connected to and in fluid communication with the housing and the piston pump, the expansion chamber having a deflector to alter a fluid pathway of a fluid before entering an interior volume of the expansion chamber; and

a vacuum interface having a vacuum connecter in fluid communication with the expansion chamber and configured to releasably couple to a valve disposed on a container to form an airtight seal therewith,

wherein the expansion chamber separates air and liquid from the fluid drawn into the interior volume of the expansion chamber and collects the liquid therein.

2. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 1, wherein the vacuum interface has a slot to receive a guide member disposed on the container to align an aperture on the vacuum interface with the valve disposed on the container.

3. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 2, wherein the aperture is surrounded by an oval-shaped o-ring seal to form an airtight seal between the expansion chamber and a valve disposed on the container.

4. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 2, wherein the vacuum interface is configured to accept a side edge of a pouch and form the airtight seal with the valve on a pouch wall proximal to the side edge.

5. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 2, wherein the guide member is adapted to be a closure mechanism with a valve disposed in the closure mechanism.

6. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 2, wherein the guide member is adapted to be a closure mechanism with a valve disposed proximate to the closure mechanism.

7. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 1, wherein the expansion chamber includes a window to allow a user to monitor an amount of the liquid held within the expansion chamber.

8. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a switch and a power cord attached thereto.

9. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 1, wherein the housing and the expansion chamber are configured so as to enable the vacuum device to be used in a hand-held mode and a hands-free mode.

10. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 1, wherein the deflector comprises at least one of an angled tube and a narrowing tube.

11. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 10, wherein the angle of the tube is about 10°

or greater from horizontal.

12. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 1, wherein the vacuum connector is at least one of an oval-shaped o-ring and a suction cup-shaped vacuum connector.

13. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 1, wherein the expansion chamber is releasably connected to the housing by a quick release mechanism.

14. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 1, wherein the substantially continuous vacuum drawn by the piston pump through the expansion chamber is from about 10 to about 30 in. Hg.

15. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 1, wherein the piston pump generates a flow rate through the expansion chamber of about 0.25 to about 1.0 cfm.

16. A vacuum system comprising:

a hand-held vacuum device comprising a housing including a piston pump comprising a first cylinder having a first piston and a first check-valve and a second cylinder having a second piston and a second check-valve, an electrical motor operatively connected to a worm gear and a worm gear wheel, a first piston shaft eccentrically connected to the worm gear wheel and the first piston and a second piston shaft eccentrically connected to the worm gear wheel and the second piston, an expansion chamber having an internal reservoir and a vacuum connector capable of forming a vacuum seal with a pouch valve, wherein the expansion chamber is releasably secured to the housing to enable access to the reservoir and prevents fouling of the piston pump when a vacuum is drawn through the vacuum interface; and

a container having a valve disposed thereon to provide fluid communication with the hand-held vacuum device.

17. A vacuum system comprising:

a hand-held vacuum device comprising a housing including a dual action piston pump comprising a cylinder having a piston, an electrical motor with a drive shaft with a worm gear attached thereon and in cooperative engagement with a worm gear wheel, a piston shaft eccentrically connected to the worm gear wheel, a plurality of one-way valves associated with a proximal end and a distal end of the cylinder to allow a vacuum to be drawn substantially continuously by the dual action piston pump as the piston is reciprocated from the distal end and from the proximal end, an expansion chamber having an internal reservoir and a vacuum connector capable of forming a vacuum seal with a pouch valve, wherein the expansion chamber is releasably secured to the housing to enable access to the reservoir, and prevents fouling of the piston pump when a vacuum is drawn through the vacuum interface; and

a container having a valve disposed thereon to provide fluid communication with the hand-held vacuum device.

18. A hand-held vacuum device for evacuating a container, the device comprising:

a housing to hold an electrical motor operable to drive a piston pump and a piston valve, the piston pump and the piston valve being configured to draw a substantially continuous vacuum during each complete cycle of the piston pump, wherein the piston pump comprises a dual action piston pump that includes a cylinder having a piston, a drive shaft with a worm gear attached to the electrical motor and in cooperative agreement with a worm gear wheel, a piston shaft eccentrically connected to the worm gear wheel, a plurality of end-caps associated with a proximal end and a distal end of the cylinder to allow the substantially continuous vacuum to be drawn continuously by the dual action piston pump as the piston is reciprocated from the distal end and from the proximal end;

an expansion chamber releasably connected to and in fluid communication with the housing and the piston pump, the expansion chamber having a deflector to alter a fluid pathway of a fluid before entering an interior volume of the expansion chamber; and

a vacuum interface having a vacuum connecter in fluid communication with the expansion chamber and configured to releasably couple to a valve disposed on a container to form an airtight seal therewith,

wherein the expansion chamber separates air and liquid from the fluid drawn into the interior volume of the expansion chamber, and collects the liquid therein.

19. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 18, wherein the vacuum interface has a slot to receive a guide member disposed on the container to align an aperture on the vacuum interface with the valve disposed on the container.

20. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 19, wherein the aperture is surrounded by an oval-shaped o-ring seal to form an airtight seal between the expansion chamber and a valve disposed on the container.

21. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 19, wherein the vacuum interface is configured to accept a side edge of a pouch and form the airtight seal with the valve on a pouch wall proximal to the side edge.

22. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 19, wherein the guide member is adapted to be a closure mechanism with a valve disposed in the closure mechanism.

23. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 19, wherein the guide member is adapted to be a closure mechanism with a valve disposed proximate to the closure mechanism.

24. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 18, wherein the expansion chamber includes a window to allow a user to monitor an amount of the liquid held within the expansion chamber.

25. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 18, wherein the housing further comprises a switch and a power cord attached thereto.

26. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 18, wherein the housing and the expansion chamber are configured so as to enable the vacuum device to be used in a hand-held mode and a hands-free mode.

27. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 18, wherein the deflector comprises at least one of an angled tube and a narrowing tube.

28. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 27, wherein the angle of the tube is about 10°

or greater from horizontal.

29. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 18, wherein the vacuum connector is at least one of an oval-shaped o-ring and a suction cup-shaped vacuum connector.

30. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 18, wherein the expansion chamber is releasably connected to the housing by a quick release mechanism.

31. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 18, wherein the substantially continuous vacuum drawn by the piston pump through the expansion chamber is from about 10 to about 30 in. Hg.

32. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 18, wherein the piston pump generates a flow rate through the expansion chamber of about 0.25 to about 1.0 cfm.

33. A hand-held vacuum device for evacuating a container, the device comprising:

a housing to hold an electrical motor operable to drive a piston pump and a piston valve, the piston pump and the piston valve being configured to draw a substantially continuous vacuum during each complete cycle of the piston pump, wherein the piston pump comprises a motor gear attached to a drive shaft, a piston rigidly attached to an end of an oval rack gear having an exterior guide surface, an arm pivotally attached to the drive shaft and having a guide pin functionally engaged against the exterior guide surface, and a planetary gear carried by the arm and operatively coupling the motor gear to the oval rack gear, wherein the arm holds the planetary gear in engagement with the motor gear and the oval rack gear as the oval rack gear reciprocates;

an expansion chamber releasably connected to and in fluid communication with the housing and the piston pump, the expansion chamber having a deflector to alter a fluid pathway of a fluid before entering an interior volume of the expansion chamber; and

a vacuum interface having a vacuum connecter in fluid communication with the expansion chamber and configured to releasably couple to a valve disposed on a container to form an airtight seal therewith,

wherein the expansion chamber separates air and liquid from the fluid drawn into the interior volume of the expansion chamber, and collects the liquid therein.

34. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 33, wherein the vacuum interface has a slot to receive a guide member disposed on the container to align an aperture on the vacuum interface with the valve disposed on the container.

35. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 34, wherein the aperture is surrounded by an oval-shaped o-ring seal to form an airtight seal between the expansion chamber and a valve disposed on the container.

36. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 34, wherein the vacuum interface is configured to accept a side edge of a pouch and form the airtight seal with the valve on a pouch wall proximal to the side edge.

37. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 34, wherein the guide member is adapted to be a closure mechanism with a valve disposed in the closure mechanism.

38. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 34, wherein the guide member is adapted to be a closure mechanism with a valve disposed proximate to the closure mechanism.

39. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 33, wherein the expansion chamber includes a window to allow a user to monitor an amount of the liquid held within the expansion chamber.

40. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 33, wherein the housing further comprises a switch and a power cord attached thereto.

41. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 33, wherein the housing and the expansion chamber are configured so as to enable the vacuum device to be used in a hand-held mode and a hands-free mode.

42. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 33, wherein the deflector comprises at least one of an angled tube and a narrowing tube.

43. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 42, wherein the angle of the tube is about 10°

or greater from horizontal.

44. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 33, wherein the vacuum connector is at least one of an oval-shaped o-ring and a suction cup-shaped vacuum connector.

45. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 33, wherein the expansion chamber is releasably connected to the housing by a quick release mechanism.

46. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 33, wherein the substantially continuous vacuum drawn by the piston pump through the expansion chamber is from about 10 to about 30 in. Hg.

47. The hand-held vacuum device of claim 33, wherein the piston pump generates a flow rate through the expansion chamber of about 0.25 to about 1.0 cfm.