Method and apparatus for evacuating air from a container

Abstract

A suction attachment for an air evacuation attachment includes a suction housing with a plurality of suction openings and an air permeable cover covering the plurality of suction openings.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/681,790, filed May 17, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Items may be stored inside of a container made of air-impermeable material. The container may be a flexible bag or pouch. Air may be evacuated from or partially evacuated from container or bag prior to closing or sealing the container for storage. In the case of a flexible container, such as a plastic bag or the like, the container may form-fit around the item to be stored as the air is evacuated from the container. Removing air from the container may prevent damage or other undesirable effects due to the presence of air in the container during storage and, in the case of storage of compressible goods, may reduce the volume of the stored items, resulting in a more efficient use of storage space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the disclosure will be readily appreciated by persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an air-evacuation system.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a vacuum port fitting.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a method for evacuating air from and storing an item in a container.

FIGS. 4A-4E illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a method for evacuating air from and storing an item in a container.

FIG. 5A illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a suction attachment.

FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a suction attachment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional detail view of an exemplary embodiment of a suction attachment evacuating air from an exemplary embodiment of a container.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a suction opening in a distal end of a suction housing.

FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate exemplary embodiments of suction housings for use in an air evacuation attachment.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a suction attachment.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a distal portion of a suction housing.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a suction housing.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a cover for a suction housing.

FIGS. 13A and 13B cross-sectional views of at least a portion of an exemplary air evacuation system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

In the following detailed description and in the several figures of the drawing, like elements are identified with like reference numerals.

FIG. 1 illustrates an air-evacuation system 100 for evacuating air from a container 110. In an exemplary embodiment, the system 100 includes a vacuum source 120. In an exemplary embodiment, the vacuum source 120 may be a vacuum cleaner 121 or other air evacuating device capable of creating a low pressure zone into which air may be drawn. In an exemplary embodiment, the vacuum source may include a vacuum device 122, which may include, for example, a housing and the machinery for drawing the vacuum, and an air hose/air tube section 123.

In an exemplary embodiment, a vacuum port 130 may be provided at the distal end of the air-hose/air-tube section 123. Throughout this description, distal and proximal are used to refer to relative proximity to the vacuum device 122 where the low pressure zone is created, with proximal being relatively closer to the lowest pressure and distal being furthest from the lowest pressure. In an exemplary embodiment, the connection section 123 may define an air path from the suction port 130 to the vacuum device 122.

In an exemplary embodiment, the vacuum port 130 may be suitable for attaching an air evacuation attachment 140. In an exemplary embodiment, the air evacuation attachment 140 may include a vacuum port fitting 141, a connection section 144 and a suction attachment 143.

In an exemplary embodiment, the vacuum port fitting 141 may be a universal fitting. In an exemplary embodiment, the term universal is used to refer to the ability of a fitting to mate with vacuum ports 130 having a range of diameters —not just one or several discrete diameters. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the vacuum port fitting 141 may have a tapered profile which may be, for example, conical. In an exemplary embodiment, the proximal end of the vacuum port fitting 141 may taper from a larger, distal end, to a smaller, proximal end. In an exemplary embodiment, the circumference of the vacuum port fitting 141 may taper from about three-quarters of an inch to about an inch and a half.

In an exemplary embodiment, the vacuum port fitting may be held in place during use by a coupling or other device, may be held in place by vacuum pressure when the vacuum source is in operation and/or may be held in place by friction. In an exemplary embodiment, the proximal end of the vacuum port fitting may have an opening 242 (FIG. 2B) of about three-quarters of an inch. In an exemplary embodiment, having an opening with a cross-section sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the vacuum port may create sufficient pressure to hold the vacuum port fitting in place under the force of the vacuum when in operation.

In an exemplary embodiment, the connection section 144 may include at least one section of air hose, an air tube and/or a combination of both. In an exemplary embodiment, the connection section 144 may be a flexible vacuum hose, for example a corrugated vacuum hose, which is resistant to collapse under the pressures generated when the vacuum device 122 is in operation.

In an exemplary embodiment, the proximal end of the connection section 144 may be attached to the vacuum port fitting 141 by appropriate fitting 146 and the distal end of the connection section 144 may be attached to the suction attachment 143 by an appropriate fitting 147.

In an exemplary, the suction attachment 143 may be inserted into an opening 111 of the container 110. In an exemplary embodiment, the container opening 111 may be sealably arranged about a sealing surface of the air evacuation attachment when the vacuum device 122 is operated, thereby evacuating air from the container 111. In an exemplary embodiment, the container may be a flexible container, for example, a plastic bag, which may shrink down around any items that may be inside of the container 111.

FIGS. 3 and 4A-4E illustrate an exemplary method of evacuating air from a container and storing items in a relatively reduced-air environment. In the description that follows, reference numbers beginning with three (3XX) refer to FIG. 3 and reference numbers beginning with four (4XX) refer to FIGS. 4A-4E.

An exemplary method 300 of evacuating air 460 from a container 411 may include placing 310 an item or items 450 within a container 410. In an exemplary embodiment, compressible items 450, for example, pillows, sweaters, clothing or any other suitable item to be stored in a reduced-volume state or reduced-air environment, may be placed inside of a container 410.

In an exemplary embodiment, the container 410 may be air impermeable and/or substantially air impermeable. In an exemplary embodiment, the container 410 may be a compressible or flexible container such as, for example, a plastic bag. In an exemplary embodiment, the bag may be about 0.83 mils thick or may be within a range of about 0.5 mils to 1 mil thick. In other embodiments, the container 410, for example bag, may be thicker or thinner as desired for a particular application or depending on the structural properties of the material from which the bag is formed. In an exemplary embodiment, the container may be a 33 gallon KIRKLAND trash bag available at COSTCO.

In an exemplary embodiment, an air evacuation attachment may be sealably attached 320 to the container 410. In an exemplary embodiment, sealably attaching 320 may include placing a distal end of a suction attachment into an opening 411 of the container 410. In an exemplary embodiment, the container may be sealed against an exterior surface of the air evacuation attachment 442, for example, at a proximal end of the suction attachment 443 or an exterior surface of an air tube or air hose 445, depending on the size of the various parts of the air evacuation attachment 442, the container 410 and how far inside the container the air evacuation attachment 442 or vacuum attachment 443 may be placed.

In an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4A, sealably attaching 320 a container 410 to an air evacuation attachment 442 may include a user manually grasping a flexible container 410 or bag from an outer surface and holding the interior surface of the container 410 against the exterior surface of a suction attachment 443 sufficiently tightly so that when a vacuum device 120 (FIG. 1) is operated 340, air 460 may be evacuated 350 from inside the container faster than air may leak back into the container from outside of the container. As a result, the net effect may be that air may be evacuated from the bag during operation of the vacuum device. In other embodiments, a container may be clipped, clamped or otherwise secured to the attachment. In an exemplary embodiment, the sealing may be done against a surface of the connection section 144 (FIG. 1) of an air evacuation attachment 140 (FIG. 1).

In an exemplary embodiment, a user may gather the end of the container 410 or bag and grasp the container 410 around the air evacuation attachment 442. In an exemplary embodiment, the container 410 may be grasped far enough beyond the opening 411 to permit secure grasp and to grasp around the air evacuation attachment 442 far enough downstream, toward the proximal end of the attachment, so that at least some if not all of the suction openings 523 (FIGS. 5A, 5B) are further inside of the container 410 than where the container 410 is grasped or sealed against the air evacuation attachment 442. This may ensure that air 460 drawn into the air evacuation attachment is evacuated from the interior of the container 410 rather than being drawn into the air evacuation attachment from ambient air.

In an exemplary embodiment, the suction attachment 443 may be placed between items within the container 410 or bag. In an exemplary embodiment, drawing suction from between items may reduce the tendency of the container to plug suction inlets on the attachment. In an exemplary embodiment, an air permeable covering on the attachment, may also reduce the tendency of the container to plug suction inlets on the attachment, even where the container 410 or bag, or items within the container 410 or bag, collapse directly against the exterior surface of the suction attachment, as illustrated in FIG. 4B.

In an exemplary embodiment, a method 300 for evacuating air 460 from a container 410 may include attaching 330 the air evacuation attachment to a vacuum port 130 (FIG. 1), operating 340 a vacuum device 122 (FIG. 1) and evacuating 350 air 460 from the container 410. In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, the volume of items 450 within the container 410 may compress under atmospheric pressure as the air 460 is evacuated 350 from the container 410.

An exemplary embodiment of evacuating air from and storing items in a container may include removing 360 the air evacuation attachment 442 from the container 410 after sufficient air 460 has been evacuated from the container 410. In an exemplary embodiment, an air seal should be maintained 365 on the container 410 as the air evacuation attachment is removed 360 from the container 410. In an exemplary embodiment, maintaining 365 the seal may include holding the neck of a flexible container 410 or bag closed as a suction attachment is slid out from inside of the container 410. 1828.1

In an exemplary embodiment, the container 410 may be sealed 370. In exemplary embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 4C and 4D, sealing 370 the container 410 may include manually tying an open end 412 (the end of the container 410 with the opening 411) into a knot 413. The open end 412 may be twisted before it is tied into a knot to provide additional sealing. In an exemplary embodiment, pulling the knot sufficiently tight may prevent air from reentering the container 410 and may hold the container under a seal. In an exemplary embodiment, sealing 370 a container 410 may include using a clip, clamp, rubber band, stopper, heat seal, adhesive seal, tape or other seal sufficient to prevent air from re-entering the container 410.

In an exemplary embodiment, a user may decide 375 whether to store the items 450 inside of additional containers 410A. In the event that a user decides, for example, to double-bag an item, the user may repeat 380 the method and seal the sealed item 450—together with a first container 410.

In FIG. 4E, for example, an item 450 has been placed inside of a container 410 from which air has been evacuated and the container 410 has been sealed by tying an end of the container 410 into a knot 413. The container 410 has been placed inside of a second container 410A from which air has been evacuated and which has been sealed by tying an open end 412 A into a knot 413A. In an exemplary embodiment, placing the item 450 into the container 410A may include placing the item into the container 410A so that the sealed open end 412 of the container 410 is directed away from the open end 412A of the container 410A, at about a 90 degree angle away from the open end 412A. In an exemplary embodiment, placing the item 450 into the second container 410A so that the open end 412, which may be a sealed open end 412, is directed away from the open end 412A of the second container 410A may improve air-tight sealing of the item within the two bags, when compared to sealing an item in one bag alone or two bags where the open ends are in close proximity. One may wish to double-bag if relatively thin bags are used as the container 410, to provide additional sealing against entrance of air into the sealed container.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate an exploded view and an assembled view, respectively, of an exemplary embodiment of a suction attachment 542. In an exemplary embodiment, a suction attachment may include a cover 510, a suction housing 520 and a sleeve 530. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 520 may be in the form of a hollow tube or pipe. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 520 may be plastic, for example ABS, may be injection molded and/or may be made from metal, for example, copper, aluminum and/or steel. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 520 may be substantially rigid. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 520 may be about 17.5 inches long, may have an interior dimension of about 0.25-0.75 inches, for example about 0.5 inches.

In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 520 may have a proximal portion 521 without suction openings and may have a distal portion 522 with suction openings 523. In an exemplary embodiment, the exterior dimension of the proximal portion 521 of the suction attachment may be larger than the exterior dimension of the distal portion 522 of the suction attachment. In an exemplary embodiment, the exterior dimension of the distal portion 522 may have a diameter in a range from about 0.5 inches to about 0.75 inches, for example about 0.625 inches. In an exemplary embodiment, the exterior dimension of the proximal portion 521 may have an exterior dimension with a diameter in a range from about 0.5 inches to about 1.0 inch, for example about 0.7 inches. In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 520 may be in the form of a single section of tube with an exterior dimension that is substantially constant along its entire length.

In an exemplary embodiment, the sleeve 530 may be made from a soft or elastomeric material, such as rubber, or a shrink wrap tubing product, and may cover at least a part of the suction housing 520, for example the proximal portion 521. In an exemplary embodiment, the sleeve may extend up to about twelve inches along the proximal portion 521 of the suction housing 520. In exemplary embodiment, the sleeve 530 may provide a surface for making a seal when sealingly attaching (FIG. 3) a container to an air evacuation device. In an exemplary embodiment, the sleeve 530 may be shrink wrapped onto the suction housing and may, at least in part, help secure the cover 510 on the suction housing and may help secure the connection section 144 (FIG. 1) to the suction housing 145 (FIG. 1), for example by covering at least a portion of the fitting 147 (FIG. 1).

In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 510 may be air-permeable or porous. In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 510 may be made of mesh, woven fabric, micro-fiber or any other material which may provide a path for air to be drawn in from outside the cover, through the cover, and into suction openings in the suction housing. In an exemplary embodiment, the permeability, mesh density, weave, fibers and/or other specifications of the material from which the cover is made may depend on the size of suction openings, the strength of a vacuum device or other system parameters. In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 510 may be made from nylon, for example 200 weight nylon flag fabric. In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 510 may be sewn or knitted to a sock-like or sheath-like shape which may conform to the shape of the suction housing 520 over which the cover 510 may be places when in an assembled condition.

In an exemplary embodiment, the material from which the cover is made may be selected such that it permits air to be drawn into the suction housing 520 through suction openings 523 in the air housing. In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 510 may permit air to be drawn into the suction housing 520 even when a flexible, air-impermeable surface—such as the inner surface 612 of a plastic bag or other flexible container 610—collapses onto an outer surface of the cover as air 660 is evacuated from a container 610 during operation of a vacuum device, as illustrated in FIG. 6. In an exemplary embodiment, a discontinuity 624 where a wider proximal portion 621 of the suction housing 620 meets a narrower distal portion 622 of the suction housing 620 may provide extra space which may provide additional air paths for the evacuation of air 660 from inside a container 610 into the suction attachment through suction openings when the attachment is attached to a vacuum source and the vacuum source is in operation. In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 620 may not have any such discontinuities along its length as shown, for example, in FIG. 11.

Referring again to FIGS. 5A and 5B, in an exemplary embodiment, the cover 510 may be a sheath that extends around the entire diameter of at least a portion of the suction housing 520 and may extend at least as far along a distal portion 522 of the suction housing 520 such that it covers all of the air inlet openings 523. In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 510 may cover up to about sixteen inches of a suction housing 520. In an exemplary embodiment, the sleeve 530 may overlap the cover 510 and may help secure the cover in place. In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 510 may be attached to the air evacuation attachment by a fitting, clamp or other appropriate manner. In a further embodiment, the cover 510 may simply be slid in place on the housing 510 from its distal end.

In an exemplary embodiment, the distal end 511 of the cover 510 may extend a distance beyond the distal end 524 of the suction housing 520 of a suction attachment 542. In an exemplary embodiment, the distal end 511 of the cover 510 may extend a distance in a range from about one inch to about two inches, for example about 1.5 inches, beyond the distal end 524 of the suction housing 520, when in an assembled condition.

In an exemplary embodiment, the distal portion 511 of the cover may be sewn closed to form a cross-wise seam 512 where the distal end 524 of the suction housing 520 meets the distal end 511 of the cover. In an exemplary embodiment, the seam 512 may form a stop which meets the distal end 524 of the suction housing 520 when assembled.

In an exemplary embodiment, the distal end of the cover 510 may have length-wise seams 513 which may run the entire length of the distal end 511 of the cover 510. In an exemplary embodiment, the seams may define channels 514 through the distal end 511 of the cover 510. In an exemplary embodiment, there may be two seams 513 defining three channels. In an exemplary embodiment, the width of the cover 510 may be about one inch, when laid flat, and the channels 514 may be about one-third of an inch wide, each. In an exemplary embodiment, the distal end 511 may provide air pathways for air being evacuated from a container to reach suction openings in the suction housing 523, including suction openings in the distal end 524 of the suction housing 520.

In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing may have suction openings 523 spaced around its diameter and extending along a length of a portion, for example the distal portion 522, of the suction housing 520. For example, the suction openings may extend at least about three-and-a-half inches from the distal end 524 of the suction housing 520. In an exemplary embodiment, the openings 523 may be about a quarter of an inch long and about a sixteenth of an inch wide. In an exemplary embodiment, at least some of the suction openings 523 (623, FIG. 6) may have a tapered profile-tapering from a wider opening at the outer surface of the suction housing to a narrower portion at the inner surface of the suction housing, as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 6. In an exemplary embodiment, the taper may be in at least one dimension—and may be in both dimensions. In an exemplary embodiment, tapered suction openings 523 may be formed by milling the outer surface of the suction housing 520.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view and an end view of an exemplary embodiment of the arrangement of air openings 723 in a distal end 724 of a suction housing 720. In an exemplary embodiment, the distal end of the suction housing may have at least one opening 723. In an exemplary embodiment, the opening 723 may be in the form of a cross. In an exemplary embodiment, the width of the crossed openings may be about one sixteenth of an inch wide.

FIGS. 8A through 8D illustrate various arrangements and shapes of exemplary air openings and air trenches in surfaces of exemplary suction housings.

FIG. 8A illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a suction housing 820. In an exemplary embodiment, suction housing 820A has air trenches 825A recessed into the outer surface. In an exemplary embodiment, the air trenches 825A form a network of air trenches 825A connecting adjacent suction openings 823A. In an exemplary embodiment at least some of the air trenches 825A open into a tapered surface of a suction opening 823A. In an exemplary embodiment, at least some of the surface trenches 825A may extend to an opening 823A at the distal end 824A of the suction housing 820A. In an exemplary embodiment, the trenches 825 may have dimensions in a range from about one sixteenth of an inch to about one eighth of an inch wide and about one thirty-second of an inch to about one sixteenth inch deep.

In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 820A may have a plurality of air openings 823A. In an exemplary embodiment, at least some of the openings 823A may be elongated. In an exemplary embodiment, the air openings may be about one quarter of an inch wide and about one sixteenth of an long at the interior surface of the suction housing 820A. In an exemplary embodiment, the air openings may have a tapered profile, tapering from wider at the outer surface of the suction housing to narrower at the inner surface of the suction housing. In an exemplary embodiment, the air openings may have longer tapers along the length of an elongated opening. In an exemplary embodiment, the openings 823A may taper to a length of about three quarters of an inch to about an inch at the exterior surface of the suction housing 820A. In an exemplary embodiment, a suction housing 820A may have rows of longitudinal 823A and lateral 823B elongated suction openings.

FIG. 8B illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a suction housing 820B. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 820B may include a plurality of elongated air inlet openings 823B. The air inlet openings 823B may be arranged in several rows of regularly spaced suction openings 823B. The suction openings 823B in alternating rows may be arranged at angles different from neighboring rows. In an exemplary embodiment, the openings 823B may include rows of longitudinally arranged (with respect to the length of the suction housing) openings 823B and a row or rows of openings 823C set at an angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees offset from the angular orientation of the longitudinally arranged openings 823B. In an exemplary embodiment, the angle may be about 30 to 50 degrees of offset.

FIG. 8C illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a suction housing 820C. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing may include one or more rows of longitudinally arranged elongated openings 823C.

FIG. 8D illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a suction housing 820D. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 820D may be in the form of a tube, for example a plastic tube. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing may be about sixteen inches long and may have an interior diameter of about one and a quarter inches and an exterior diameter of about one and a half inches.

In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 820D may have a number of suction openings 823D along at least a portion of its length. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction openings may have a diameter of about one sixteenth of an inch. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction openings 823D may extend for a distance of about three and a half inches along the distal portion 822D. In an exemplary embodiment, the distal end 824D of the suction housing 820D may be capped or otherwise closed off to air. In an exemplary embodiment, capping the distal end 824D may help prevent air from drawing a cover 910 (FIG. 9) into the open, distal end 924 of the suction housing when a vacuum source is attached and in operation.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a suction attachment 942. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 920 may be similar to the suction housing 820D illustrated in FIG.8D. In an exemplary embodiment, the air evacuation attachment 942 may have a cover 910. In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 910 may be air permeable and may be, for example, mesh and/or fabric, for example silk. In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 910 may be made from a fabric which extends at least around the entire circumference of the suction housing 920 and may be fabric which is wound around the circumference more than once. In an exemplary embodiment, the cover 910 may extend a distance beyond the distal end 924 of the suction housing 920, for example, by about two to four inches.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a distal portion 1022 of a suction housing 1020. In an exemplary embodiment, the suction housing 1020 may be formed from two pieces, for example a body piece 1026 and an end piece 1027. In an exemplary embodiment, the body piece 1026 may be made by extrusion, for example an extruded plastic tube, and the end piece 1027 may be made by injection molding. In an exemplary embodiment, the two pieces may be made with tolerances such that the end piece may be held in the body piece by pressure when the narrow end of the end piece 1027 is inserted into the body piece 1026. In an exemplary embodiment, the two pieces may be secured together with glue or other appropriate method.

FIG. 12 illustrates an alternate exemplary embodiment of a cover 1210 for a suction housing. In an exemplary embodiment, a cover 1210 may include at least two portions, an inner cover 1215 and an outer cover 1216. For example, the inner cover 1215 may be placed directly over a suction housing 520 (FIG. 5) and be sized to cover suction openings 523 (FIG. 5) in the suction housing. In an exemplary embodiment, an outer cover 1216 may be placed over the inner cover 1215. The outer cover 1216 may be longer than the inner cover 1215.

In an exemplary embodiment, the inner cover 1215 may have larger air pathways through its material than the outer cover. For example, the inner cover 1215 may be mesh with openings that stretch open to about a quarter of an inch when installed on the distal portion of a suction housing 1120 (FIG. 11). The outer cover may be nylon, woven or knit material that is more tightly woven or knit, such that the air pathways through the material are smaller than through the inner cover 1215. The outer cover 1216 may be, for example, 200 weight nylon flag fabric. In an exemplary embodiment, the use of a more porous inner cover 1215 between the outer cover 1216 and a suction housing may provide improved air removal for certain containers, particularly when the container, for example a bag, is sucked up against the outer surface of a cover during air removal. For example, a more porous inner cover 1215 may provide relatively better air removal when a relatively thicker plastic bag is used as opposed to a relatively thinner plastic bag.

FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate cross-sectional views of at least a portion of an exemplary air evacuation system 1300 before and after evacuating air 350 (FIG. 3). In an exemplary embodiment, the air-evacuation system 1300 may be used in the application to remove air 350 (FIG. 3) from a flexible container 1310 in which a non-compressible item 1350 is to be stored. An exemplary air-evacuation system 1300 may include an air evacuation attachment 1340 with a suction attachment 1343 and/or suction housing similar to embodiments described above with respect to FIGS. 1-12. In an exemplary embodiment, removing air 1360 from the container prior to sealing 370 (FIG. 3) may provide some protection against insects, moisture and/or other problems during storage or shipping of the item.

It is understood that the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the possible specific embodiments which may represent principles of the present invention. Other arrangements may readily be devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of evacuating air from a container, comprising:

inserting a suction attachment into an open end of the container, wherein the suction attachment comprises a suction housing with at least one suction opening and an air permeable cover, wherein the cover covers the at least one suction opening;

evacuating air from the container, whereby air in the container is drawn into the suction housing through the cover and the suction openings;

removing the suction attachment from the open end of the container;

sealing the open end of the container.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises one of a flexible or compressible container.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises a plastic bag.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said plastic bag has a thickness within a range of about 0.5 mils to 1 mil thick.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said plastic bag has a nominal thickness of 0.83 mils.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein sealing the open end of the container comprises tying the open end of the container into a knot.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sealing the open end of the container around the suction attachment, wherein the at least one suction opening is inside of the container when the open end of the container is sealed.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

attaching an air evacuation attachment to a vacuum port, wherein the air evacuation attachment comprises the suction attachment.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

operating a vacuum device, wherein the vacuum device comprises the vacuum port.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein operating the vacuum device creates a vacuum within the suction housing.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining an air seal while removing the suction attachment from the open end of the container.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises a first container and further comprising:

placing an item in the first container;

evacuating air from the first container and sealing the first container with the item inside of the first container;

placing the first container in a second container after sealing the first container;

evacuating air from the second container and sealing the second container with the first container inside of the second container.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the open end of the first container is turned away from the open end of the second container before sealing the second container.

14. An air evacuation attachment, for evacuating air from a container, comprising:

a vacuum port fitting;

a connection portion attached to a distal end of the vacuum port fitting;

a suction attachment attached to a distal end of the connection portion, wherein the suction attachment comprises a suction housing with a plurality of suction openings and an air permeable cover covering the plurality of suction openings.

15. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein the connection portion comprises a flexible hose.

16. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein the cover comprises a woven fabric.

17. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein the cover comprises 200 weight nylon flag fabric.

18. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein a distal end of the cover extends beyond a distal end of the suction housing when in an assembled condition.

19. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein the cover comprises an inner cover and an outer cover.

20. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein the inner cover comprises mesh and the outer cover comprises a fabric that is more dense than the mesh.

21. The air evacuation attachment of claim 20, wherein the mesh has openings which open to about a quarter inch wide.

22. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a tapered suction opening.

23. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise an elongated suction opening.

24. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a plurality of rows of suction openings.

25. The air evacuation attachment of claim 14, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a first plurality of elongated suction openings, each of the first plurality of elongated suction openings oriented at a first angle with respect to a length of the suction attachment and a second plurality of elongated suction openings, each of the second plurality of elongated suction openings arranged at a second angle with respect to the length of the suction attachment.

26. The suction attachment of claim 25, wherein the first angle is oriented at about thirty to ninety degrees with respect to the second angle.

27. The suction attachment of claim 14, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise an elongated suction opening with a width of about one sixteenth of an inch and a length of about a quarter of an inch.

28. A suction attachment for an air evacuation attachment, comprising:

a suction housing with a plurality of suction openings; and

an air permeable cover covering the plurality of suction openings.

29. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the cover comprises a woven fabric.

30. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein a distal end of the cover extends beyond a distal end of the suction housing when in an assembled condition.

31. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the cover comprises an inner cover and an outer cover.

32. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the inner cover comprises mesh and the outer cover comprises a fabric that is more dense than the mesh.

33. The suction attachment of claim 32, wherein the mesh has openings which open to about a quarter of an inch wide.

34. The suction attachment of claim 28, comprising an end portion, wherein the end portion comprises a suction opening, and comprising a body portion, wherein the body portion comprises a plurality of elongated suction openings.

35. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the end portion comprises molded plastic and the body portion comprises extruded tubing.

36. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the suction attachment further comprises a sleeve over at least a portion of a proximal portion of the suction attachment.

37. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a tapered suction opening.

38. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise an elongated suction opening.

39. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a plurality of rows of suction openings.

40. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a first plurality of elongated suction openings, each of the first plurality of elongated suction openings oriented at a first angle with respect to a length of the suction attachment and a second plurality of elongated suction openings, each of the second plurality of elongated suction openings arranged at a second angle with respect to the length of the suction attachment.

41. The suction attachment of claim 40, wherein the first angle is oriented at about thirty to ninety degrees with respect to the second angle.

42. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise an elongated suction opening with a width of about one sixteenth of an inch and a length of about a quarter of an inch.

43. The suction attachment of claim 28, wherein the cover has a lateral seam which defines a distal end of the cover.

44. The suction attachment of claim 43, wherein the distal end of the cover has a plurality of longitudinal channels.

45. A suction housing for an air evacuation attachment, comprising:

an end portion, wherein the end portion comprises molded plastic and wherein the end portion comprises at least one suction opening and comprises a mating portion;

a body portion, wherein the body portion comprises extruded plastic tubing and wherein an end of the body portion is adapted to mate with the mating portion of the end portion, and wherein the body portion comprises a plurality of suction openings.

46. The suction housing of claim 45 wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise elongated, tapered suction openings.