Portable vacuum packaging appliance

Abstract

A portable vacuum packaging appliance for use with a bag is described. The vacuum packaging appliance includes a housing body with a slot opening for engaging bag for sealing the open bag end via the sealer mechanism; a bag penetration nozzle mechanism capable of puncturing holes in the bag with top and bottom gasket temporary seals, allowing evacuation of bag air and gas; a vacuum pump operatively coupled to the vacuum chamber portion and communicatively coupled with the penetration nozzle mechanism, isolating the bag contents in an evacuated state, and a sealer mechanism to seal the open bag end and also to re-seal along a perimeter between the bag penetration nozzle and the bag contents. The process of the invention vacuum sealing is instrumental in its compact design and mobile utility, which includes a bag sealing before evacuation and resealing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to vacuum packaging appliances and methods of vacuum packaging. More particularly, the invention teaches vacuum packaging appliances with compact footprints and portability characteristics, alternative bag seal processing configurations, and alternative seal methods promoting bag material type and composition variability.

2. Background

Contact with air causes food to deteriorate. Vacuum packaging involves removing air or other gases from a storage container and then sealing the container to prevent the contents from being exposed to ambient air. Vacuum packaging is particularly useful in protecting food and other perishables against oxidation. Oxygen is a main cause of food spoilage and contributes to the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast. Accordingly, vacuum-packaged food often lasts three to five times longer than food stored in ordinary containers. Moreover, vacuum packaging is useful for storing clothes, photographs, silver, and other items to prevent discoloration, corrosion, rust, oxidation and tarnishing. Vacuum packaging also produces tight, strong, and compact packages, reducing the bulk of articles and allowing for more space to store other supplies.

Conventional vacuum packaging appliances include a base typically large enough to span the bag container to be sealed, with a pivoting lid which traps and holds the bag in a fixed position. A receiving chamber can apply a vacuum to the bag evacuating and then thermally sealing the bag opening.

Conventional vacuum packaging bags include two panels attached together with an open end. Typically, the panels each include two or more layers. The inner layer can be a heat sealable material, and the outer layer can be a gas impermeable material to provide a barrier against the influx of air. The plasticity temperature of the inner layer is lower than the outer layer. As such, the bag can be heated to thermally bond the inner layer of each panel together to seal the bag without melting or puncturing the outer layer.

A conventional vacuum packaging process may include depositing the object in the specially made bag and positioning an open end of the bag in a lower trough of the vacuum packaging appliance. Next, a lid pivots downward to form the vacuum chamber with the open end of the bag disposed within the vacuum chamber. The vacuum pump then removes gas from the vacuum chamber and the interior of the bag, which is in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber. After gas has been removed from the interior of the bag, the heating element heats a strip of the bag proximate to the open end to bond the inner layer of each panel together and thermally seal the bag.

One such vacuum packaging system, 20040168404—“Vacuum packaging apparatus and method”, teaches a combined cutting blade and heat bar for use with a vacuum packaging device having a lid for sealing over the cavity of a base. The cutting blade and heat bar are connected to one another and movable via a single actuating mechanism mounted to the lid. In use, in one step the combined mechanism is lowered with the heat bar unheated and the cutting element cuts slits in the bag for evacuation of the air. After air evacuation, the combined mechanism is lowered with the heat bar heated, melting the bag closed behind the slit area of the bag. The base is slightly longer than the heating element, 27 inches. Although this method reduces some steps in the vacuum and packaging process, the appliance size and bulk limit its portability and mobile use. This deficiency is characteristic of most vacuum packaging appliances.

These conventional vacuum packaging appliances are large bulky devices commanding much valuable counter top space and are not portable, precluding them from many uses and limiting their utility. Food and other items are susceptible to spoilage, oxidation, rust and otherwise waste, in the presence of air. These are often not proximate to a vacuum packaging system, which are left on kitchen counter tops. Thus a ready market exists for vacuum packaging systems that are compact, portable, cheaper to build, use less material and occupy less counter top space.

What are needed are compact vacuum packaging systems that can serve mobile uses. What are needed are portable vacuum packaging appliances which can provide utility outside the kitchen and aren't tethered to power sources. What are needed are vacuum packaging systems that can reuse the bags or use collapsible containers, which are recyclable or reusable. What are needed are processes that reduce waste.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A portable vacuum packaging appliance for use with a bag is disclosed. An embodiment of the instant invention vacuum packaging appliance comprising: a housing body with a slot opening for engaging bag for sealing the open bag end via a sealer mechanism; a bag penetration nozzle mechanism capable of puncturing holes in the bag with top and bottom gasket temporary seals, allowing evacuation of bag air and gas without communication with ambient air; a vacuum pump operatively coupled to the vacuum chamber portion and communicatively coupled with the penetration nozzle mechanism for removing air from the bag, isolating the bag contents in an evacuated state, and a sealer mechanism to seal the open bag end and also to re-seal along a perimeter between the bag penetration nozzle and the bag contents.

Other embodiments include various sealing processes and mechanisms enhancing portability of vacuum packaging appliances, mobile operation and use while reducing appliance size, weight, and material cost.

The process of vacuum sealing packages is instrumental in its compact design. This includes feeding an open-end edge of a bag through an intake feeder mechanism, first sealing the edge of the open end of the bag by translation of bag open end through a sealing mechanism; puncturing bag with a penetration nozzle mechanism establishing convective communication with the bag contents through penetration hole; evacuating air and gas from the bag internals via the penetration nozzle mechanism, and resealing the bag along a perimeter between the punched hole and bag contents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric view of a vacuum packaging appliance in accordance with an embodiment of the invention

FIG. 2 is a process diagram showing stages of bag sealing evacuating and resealing in accordance with an aspect of the invention

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the bag penetration nozzle mechanism in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic isometric view of a vacuum packaging appliance in accordance with another embodiment of the invention

FIG. 5 contains two schematic isometric views of an edge vacuum and seal packaging hand held appliance in accordance with another embodiment of the invention

FIG. 6 contains two schematic isometric views of a corner vacuum and seal packaging hand held appliance in accordance with another embodiment of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of the present invention teaches a vacuum packaging appliance that is designed to vacuum pack food, products and items requiring isolation from air. Moreover, the embodiment is designed in a manner that reduces bulk, is not tethered by power cords, is portable and made for mobile uses. Applications offered by the embodiment are realized by changing the process, which achieves a vacuum packed product, but in an unconventional process step order.

Single Thermal Element Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric view of a vacuum packaging appliance in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a base 103, housing body 109, user interface panel 111, bag penetration nozzle vacuum and seal slot 105 and vacuum suction port 101.

A bag open end is fed through the insertion seal slot 105 to seal the bag across the entire open end with the contents from ambient. The bag open end is initially fed through the initial seal slot 105 and sealed with a seal bar, extrusion thermal contact, controlled laser heat deposition melt seal, or other sealing method known to those skilled in the art. The bag feed process can be manually done or positionally configured to employ available bag length extension and surface support of bag contents coupled with an automatic feed mechanism. Alternate feed methods may include external support members, depending on the bag material being moved and bag dimensions and appliance anchors to various surfaces.

The present invention contemplates a variety of sealing mechanisms, the selection of which depends upon the desired application and the type of the bag material. For example, a conductive wire heat sealing mechanism widely used in state of the art vacuum packaging appliances would be suitable for bags formed with a heat sealable resin, as would a laser heat deposition device, or any other suitable heat seating mechanism. Additionally, those skilled in the art will recognize that the application of pressure can have a similar result in forming a seal on a heat sealable resin.

The housing body 109 contains a bag insertion slot 105 that serves several functions. The operation of the vacuum packaging is briefly as follows. Initially the bag open end is sealed with the contents to be vacuum packaged inside the bag. This is done by insertion and feeding of the bag open-end edge into the bag penetration vacuum and seal slot 105 for sealing. The bag is then inserted again into the vacuum and seal slot 105 for a small opening and evacuation. By selecting the evacuation option on the user panel 111, the bag penetration nozzle mechanism engages and punctures the bag, retaining a top and bottom gasket temporary seal for suctioning bag internal air out of the bag. This is followed by a resealing of the perimeter between the hole and the bag contents maintaining the vacuum condition inside the bag.

The housing body 109 and base 103 contain a vacuum chamber with vacuum pump operatively coupled with a power source, suction side of the vacuum chamber communicatively coupled to the penetration nozzle mechanism with controls to the user interface panel 111.

One embodiment of the penetration nozzle is a retractable mechanism containing a special sealing disc on a jaw that automatically seals the small hole in the bag once the air and gas are removed. In cases where the contents of the bag are consumed incrementally and the contents require the vacuum storage between uses, the bag can be opened and resealed as necessary, applying the operation cited above, in a slightly different location on the bag, advantageously moving the opening closer to the bag contents so that re-sealing can done upstream of the previous opening(s). Since the hole penetrations are small, the process can be repeated with the same bag at slightly different locations, bag width allowing, thus reusing the bag reduces waste of bag and waste of bag contents to spoilage or oxidation. For this reason, there is no “final seal” as bags can be resealed numerous times.

The user interface panel 111 can be made as sophisticated as desired, but the primary purpose would be to enable the user to operate the device for its intended purpose. The interface will provide the user information regarding vacuum level, sealing operation, allow the user to establish parameters for these operations such as length of seal, vacuum profile, etc. The user interface panel 111 allows the user to control the order of the operation necessary to accomplish the initial sealing, and then the bag penetration, evacuation and re-sealing.

The present invention contemplates a variety of penetration mechanisms, the selection of which depends upon the desired application, cost, size and the type of the bag material used. Although a penetration mechanism is described below, one skilled in the art will recognize that there are other means of penetrating a bag and maintaining a sealed communication within the bag.

Bag Vacuum and Seal Process

FIG. 2 is a process diagram showing stages of a bag sealing-puncturing-evacuating-resealing process in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The process of vacuum packaging goods in accordance one embodiment begins with inserting product into the bag. Next, the user feeds the open-end edge of a bag through an intake feeder mechanism, the bag having an open end 201 side edges 203 and a closed distal end 205. The user then seals the edge 209 of the open end 207 of the bag as it translates through the sealing mechanism. At this point the product is sealed within the bag, but no vacuum has been applied.

Next, the user punctures the bag 211 on the inside of the sealed bag, with a penetration mechanism, thus putting the contents of the bag in convective communication with the appliance vacuum chamber, while maintaining internal bag air integrity from outside bag ambient air. Actuation of the appliance then evacuates air and gas from inside the bag through the penetrating nozzle, and resealing along a perimeter 213 between the punched hole 211 and bag contents 215 such that the at least one punched bag hole is no longer coupled with the inner portion of the bag. The re-seal perimeter double lines 213 illustrate the upper and lower gasket seals. Note that the shown re-seal 217 219 is not drawn to scale and occupies a much smaller region than depicted. The re-seal perimeter geometry is also not necessarily concentric to the bag penetration but is substantially isolating of contents of bag from ambient. The process results in a vacuum packaged product.

Bag Penetration Nozzle Mechanism

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of one suitable bag penetration nozzle mechanism. The penetration nozzle includes a hole puncher head 303 with cylindrical slice surface 301, head 303 attached to a base 309 with groove channels for convective communication between bag inside and vacuum chamber via the channels 309 in base stand 313 inside the head 303. Channel grooves are in convective communication 315 with a vacuum chamber, not shown. The penetration nozzle assembly includes a concentric outside housing portion 311. The channel grooves are optional and may take any suitable form effective to enhance the evacuation process.

During non-use, the hole puncher head 303 remains in a recessed position inside the housing 311 and the housing 311 itself remains in a re-tracked position. Upon operation of the now sealed and pressed together bag forming a two layer surface flattened bag, the penetration mechanism extends to the bag, the nozzle housing 311 impinges on the first bag surface creating a temporary top gasket seal. The puncher head 303 is positioned to penetrate the first bag surface and push the second layer surface side of the bag outward, positioning the head between the two bag sides so that the groove channels 309 running subjacent to the penetration head 303 are exposed to the inside of the bag, just between the bag surfaces, with the penetration head slightly forward creating a temporary second gasket seal. Following the bag air and gas evacuation, the sealing element forms a seal isolating the hole from the contents. The sealing elements can be of various types known to those skilled in the art and also alternate bag puncture mechanisms known to those skilled in the art are not precluded here.

A Two Thermal Element Embodiment

FIG. 4 is a schematic isometric view of a vacuum packaging appliance in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The FIG. 4 embodiment includes a base 403, housing body 409, user interface panel 411, bag penetration nozzle vacuum and seal slot 405, initial seal slot 407 and vacuum suction port 401. In short, this preferred embodiment adds a slot with thermal element mechanism to facilitate the initial sealing of the bag open end establishing a closed and sealed bag with contents to be vacuum packaged.

The appliance body 409 is shaped to enhance portability as well as handheld use. Thus the cylindrical body shape allows the user to grasp the appliance in one hand while engaging the bag to be vacuum packaged with the other hand. This aspect of the invention allows the user to anchor or stabilize the appliance during operation without the necessity of weight or a flat wide dimensionality conventionally used to stabilize the appliance during operation. In addition, the user interface panels location allows the user to control selection and options with a thumb if desired, thus facilitating appliance operation with one hand under some circumstances.

A bag with contents to be vacuum packaged is fed with the open bag end through the initial seal slot 407 to seal the bag with the contents to be protected from air and gas. The slot can comprise a gripper gear mechanism for a programmed feed rate dependent on the type of bag, bag thickness and sealing mechanism used. The bag open end is fed through the initial seal slot 407 and sealed with a seal bar, extrusion thermal contact, controlled laser heat deposition melt seal, or other sealing method known to those skilled in the art. The bag feed process can be manually done or positionally configured to employ bag length extension and surface support of bag contents coupled with an automatic feed mechanism. Alternate feed methods may include external support members, depending on the bag material being moved and bag dimensions and appliance anchors to various surfaces.

The remaining operation of the vacuum packaging is briefly as follows. After the bag is sealed, it is inserted again into the vacuum and seal slot 405 for puncturing, evacuation and re-seal. By selecting the evacuation option on the user panel 411, the bag penetration nozzle mechanism engages and punctures the bag, retaining a top and bottom gasket temporary seal for suctioning bag internal air out of the bag. This is followed by a resealing of the perimeter between the hole and the bag contents maintaining the vacuum condition inside the bag as in the FIG. 1 embodiment.

The housing body 409 and base 403 contain a vacuum chamber with vacuum pump operatively coupled with a power source, suction side of the vacuum chamber communicatively coupled to the penetration nozzle mechanism whose selection and operation can be controlled via the user interface panel 411.

The penetration nozzle is a retractable mechanism functioning much as described above in the FIG. 1 embodiment, as is the user interface panel 411.

In addition to it's volumetric utility in containing vacuum pump, chamber or other components, the base 401 is shaped for possible use to brace the appliance against a surface during operation. Other embodiments can use suction or other surface attachment devices to the base to provide further stability if two-hands free operation is required.

As in the above embodiments, a variety of sealing mechanisms can be used, the selection of which depends upon the desired application and the type of the bag material. A conductive wire heat sealing mechanism widely used in state of the art vacuum packaging appliances would be suitable for bags formed with heat sealable resin, as would a laser heat deposition device, or any other suitable heat sealing mechanism. Additionally, those skilled in the art will recognize that the application of pressure can have a similar result in forming a seal on a heat sealable resin.

Flat Design Handheld Embodiments

Alternate handheld embodiments are illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. Portability is closely associated with handheld vacuum packaging systems but they are different aspects of the instant invention. As in the cylindrical housing shapes of the above embodiments are designed for handheld operation, likewise the flat design handheld embodiments illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 make use of handgrip operation by providing handles for free mobile uses of vacuum packaging operation.

FIG. 5 contains two schematic isometric views 501 502 of an edge vacuum and seal packaging hand held appliance in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. View 501 illustrates the outside and view 502 has a cutout view of the inside portion of the vacuum and seal mechanism.

Both views 501 502 show the sealing feature 505 functions the same for the corner and edge embodiments. The edge vacuum & seal feature 503, compression wheel 507 in the seal feature, and the handle 506 used in holding the vacuum packaging appliance during operation are shown in view 501.

In the initial bag open-end seal, a sealing motion is used to push or pull the open-end of the bag through the trough-like sealing channel 505, which uses a compression wheel 507 to press seal the open-end closed and bonded. The other side of the edge sealer 502 appliance illustrates the edge vacuum and seal feature. The vacuum and seal feature 503 functions similarly to the above embodiments in that a penetration mechanism inserts a punch nozzle with small ducts or channel into the sealed bag allowing evacuation of the air or gas from within the bag, collapsing the back tightly around the contents and forming a vacuum seal. The penetration is then sealed as expressed above. This embodiment acts on a side edge of the bag, which is aligned flush, or nearly so, and held steady to position the penetration hole where the re-seal can be accomplished without misalignment between the processes. A curved sealing element 511 is shown in conjunction with a single blade 509.

FIG. 6 contains two schematic isometric views of a corner vacuum and seal packaging hand held appliance in accordance with another embodiment of the invention

Both views 601 602 show the initial seal feature 603 functions the for corner seal embodiment similarly as in the edged seal embodiment. The views 601 602 illustrate the initial seal feature 603, corner vacuum & seal feature 605, compression wheel 607 in the seal feature. The handle attachment 606 used in holding the vacuum packaging appliance during operation is shown in view 601.

In the initial bag open-end seal, a sealing motion is used to push or pull the open-end of the bag through the trough-like sealing channel 605, which uses a compression wheel 607 to press seal the open-end closed and bonded similar to the edge embodiment above. The other side of the corner sealer 602 appliance illustrates the corner vacuum and seal feature. The corner vacuum and seal feature 603 also functions similarly to the above embodiments in that a penetration mechanism inserts a punch nozzle, penetration neck containing small ducts or channels, into the sealed bag allowing evacuation of the air or gas from within the bag, collapsing the back tightly around the contents and forming a vacuum seal. The penetration is then sealed as expressed above. This embodiment acts on a corner of the bag, which is aligned flush, or nearly so, and held steady to position the penetration hole where the re-seal can be accomplished without misalignment between the processes. A corner-sealing element 611 is shown which allows for less than perfect alignment with a corner so long as the bag corner is held in a non slip position between penetration and re-seal.

While the invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, it is understood that variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A portable vacuum packaging appliance for use with a bag, the appliance comprising:

a body housing a sealer mechanism, a bag penetration mechanism, a vacuum chamber and vacuum pump;

a housing body with a slot opening for engaging bag for sealing the open bag end via the sealer mechanism;

a bag penetration mechanism capable of puncturing at least one hole in the bag with top and bottom gasket temporary seals, allowing evacuation of the bag without substantial communication with ambient air;

a vacuum pump operatively coupled to the vacuum chamber portion and communicatively coupled with the penetration mechanism for removing air from the bag, isolating the bag contents in an evacuated state, and

a sealer mechanism to seal the open bag end and also to re-seal along a perimeter between the bag penetration mechanism and the bag contents.

2. Appliance as in claim 1 further comprising a hose attachment coupled to the vacuum pump for connecting a hose conduit to a container which can be evacuated through the hose and then sealed, thus isolating contents of the container substantially in a vacuum.

3. Appliance as in claim 1 further comprising a penetration mechanism with channels on base supporting nozzle punch head, channels allowing convective communication between inside bag and vacuum chamber when bag is penetrated.

4. Appliance as in claim 1 further comprising a battery for portable operation.

5. Appliance as in claim 4 further comprising a rechargeable battery operation.

6. Appliance as in claim 1 further comprising a portable utility by having average hand dimensionality in body and base size dimensions.

7. Appliance as in claim 6 further comprising a handheld look and feel design in body housing for stability during manual operation.

8. Appliance as in claim 6 further comprising a handheld body design for hand held use and operation of the appliance.

9. Appliance as in claim 1 further comprising a user interface panel for use by the user in controlling the appliance.

10. Appliance as in claim 9 wherein the user interface provides appliance function adjustments and option selection, user information regarding vacuum level, sealing operation and allowing the user to select parameters for operations such as length of seal and vacuum profile.

11. Appliance as in claim 9 further comprising a user interface panel with digital display and electronically connected with an appliance control system.

12. A method of vacuum packaging goods comprising:

feeding an open-end edge of a bag through an intake feeder mechanism, the bag having an open end and a closed distal end;

sealing the edge of the open end of the bag by translation of bag open end through a sealing mechanism;

puncturing bag with a penetration nozzle mechanism establishing convective communication with an inner portion of the bag through at least one punched bag hole;

evacuating the bag via the penetration nozzle mechanism, and

sealing the bag such that the at least one punched bag hole is no longer coupled with the inner portion of the bag.

13. Method of claim 12 further comprising resealing the bag penetration nozzle hole through application of conducted wire heat seal to bag between hole and bag contents.

14. Method of claim 12 further comprising resealing the bag penetration nozzle hole through application of material compression heat to bag between hole and bag contents.

15. Method of claim 12 further comprising resealing the bag penetration nozzle hole through deposition of metered heat application by laser along a perimeter between hole and bag contents.

16. Method of claim 12 further comprising sealing the bag open end through application of conducted wire heat spanning the bag open end.

17. Method of claim 12 further comprising sealing the bag open end through application of material compression heat spanning the bag open end.

18. Method of claim 13 further comprising sealing the bag through deposition of metered laser heat application translated along bag open end.

19. A vacuum sealed bag formed according to the process of claim 12.

20. A vacuum sealed collapsible container forming a vacuumed package of contents, wherein the container is sealed before evacuation and vacuum packed under sealed conditions.

21. A vacuum sealed bag formed as in claim 20 process further allowing multiple resealing through the process repetition.

22. A portable vacuum packaging appliance for use with a bag, the appliance comprising:

an appliance body housing first and second thermal sealer mechanisms, a hole penetration nozzle mechanism, a vacuum chamber and vacuum pump;

the body with a slot opening for engaging and translating the bag open end through the first sealer mechanism for initial bag sealing;

a hole penetration nozzle mechanism capable of puncturing holes with top and bottom gasket temporary seals maintaining convective fluid integrity between bag internals and vacuum chamber;

a vacuum pump coupled to the vacuum chamber for removing air from the bag, and

a second sealer mechanism to reseal a perimeter between the bag penetration nozzle and the bag remaining contents thus isolating the bag contents in an evacuated state.

23. Appliance as in claim 22 further comprising a penetration mechanism with channels on the hole penetration nozzle mechanism communicatively coupling the bag to the vacuum chamber.