Vacuum sealing cap

• US 8,186,527 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Free-Free Industrial Corp.
• Original Assignee: Free-Free Industrial Corp.
• Inventors: Liu, Sheng-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wright, Madison L
• Application Number:
  US12/434,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20100084365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 215/317, 215/318, 215/320, 215/321, 215/354, 215/359, 220/233, 220/234, 220/238
• US Class Current: 215/317
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 39/12 expansible, e.g. inflatable

Abstract

A vacuum sealing cap for a container includes an outer cap body, an inner cap body movable toward or away from the outer cap body, a sealing gasket compressible by the outer cap body to abut sealingly against the mouth of the container when the inner cap body moves toward the outer cap body, a slide member connected to the inner cap body, and an operating member connected pivotally to the slide member and pivotable between first and second positions, where the operating member pulls upwardly and pushes downwardly the slide member to move the inner cap body upwardly toward and downwardly away from the outer cap body. The sealing gasket is pressed and is not pressed sealingly against the mouth of the container in the first and second positions, respectively.

Claims

1. A vacuum sealing cap for a container, comprising:

an outer cap body adapted to cover removably a mouth of the container and having a top wall;

an inner cap body disposed below and movable toward

or away from said outer cap body;

a sealing gasket that is disposed around an outer periphery of said inner cap body and that is compressible by said outer cap body to abut sealingly against the mouth of the container when said inner cap body moves toward said outer cap body;

a slide member movably extending through said outer cap body and connected to said inner cap body; and

an operating member connected pivotally to said slide member above said top wall of said outer cap body, and being pivotable between a first position, where said operating member pulls upwardly said slide member to move said inner cap body upwardly toward said outer cap body so that said sealing gasket is pressed sealingly against the mouth of the container, and a second position, where said operating member pushes downwardly said slide member to move said inner cap body away from said outer cap body so that said sealing gasket is not pressed sealingly against the mouth of the container

wherein said operating member has a transverse bottom end face and two opposite longitudinal side faces, said bottom end face being spaced apart from a pivot point of said operating member at a distance smaller than a distance from said pivot point to either one of said side faces, said bottom end face facing said top wall of said outer cap body when said operating member is in said second position, one of said side faces abutting against said top wall of said outer cap body when said operating member is in said first position; and

wherein said inner cap body has a base wall opposite to said top wall of said outer cap body and connected to said slide member, and a lower limiting member extending upwardly and annularly from said base wall and indented inwardly immediately above said base wall to define an annular groove above said base wall, said sealing gasket having an inner section received in said annular groove, and an outer section extending upwardly and inclinedly from said inner section and compressible by said outer cap body to move downwardly and outwardly when said inner cap body moves toward said outer cap body.

2. The vacuum sealing cap of claim 1, wherein said outer cap body further includes a skirt portion extending downwardly from said top wall, and a first upper limiting member projecting downwardly and annularly from said skirt portion, said lower limiting member overlapping and contacting an inner surface of said first upper limiting member, said sealing gasket being compressible by said first upper limiting member when said inner cap body moves toward said outer cap body.

3. The vacuum sealing cap of claim 2, wherein said outer cap body further includes an upper aligning wall projecting downwardly and annularly from said top wall inwardly of said first upper limiting member, said lower limiting member being disposed between said upper aligning wall and said first upper limiting member.

4. The vacuum sealing cap of claim 3, wherein said inner cap body further includes a lower aligning wall projecting upwardly and annularly from said base wall inwardly of said lower limiting member, said lower aligning wall overlapping and contacting said upper aligning wall.

5. The vacuum sealing cap of claim 4, wherein said inner cap body further includes a connecting portion projecting upwardly from a central portion of said base wall, said slide member being connected fixedly to said connecting portion.

6. The vacuum sealing cap of claim 5, further comprising a spring element disposed between said top wall and said base wall for biasing said inner cap body downwardly away from said outer cap body.

7. The vacuum sealing cap of claim 5, wherein said outer cap body further includes a second upper limiting member projecting downwardly and annularly from said top wall between said first upper limiting member and said upper aligning wall, and a plurality of angularly spaced-apart hook members provided on said upper aligning wall, said lower aligning wall being provided with a plurality of angularly spaced-apart guide holes, said hook members extending respectively into said guide holes and being movable upwardly and downwardly within said guide holes, respectively.