PLASTIC, RE-SEALABLE ELONGATED CHECK VALVE APPLICATION TO A SQUARE, CYLINDRICAL OR FLAT TYPE OF A VACUUM FOOD PACKAGE

Abstract

A flexible, plastic thin film food package is provided having an elongate opening check valve with an air removal port that allows repeated opening and resealing of the package followed by removal of air and moisture by vacuuming. The top open edge of the food package is bonded to a flexible but rigid frame that fits a lid with the air removal port flat valve. The flat valve is a compressed foam sponge and a thin film housed in a rigid case that is bonded to the lid. Air is removed with a spatula attachment of the vacuum pump that is inserted into the space between the lid and the flat check valve. Once vacuum is induced in the interior of the food package, the film covering the frame is sucked against the lid thereby shutting off influx of air into the package.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 12/880,253 filed Sep. 13, 2008 and is a continuation-in-part of applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 12/079,847 filed Mar. 27, 2008 the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a new and improved collapsible film food package suitable for vacuum storage of frozen fresh or cooked foods at low temperature and for an extended period of time. The food package of this invention allows repeated opening and closing to facilitate the addition and/or removal of food without significant loss of flavor or edibility.

2. Description of Related Art including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The food packaging industry includes vacuum or non-vacuum sealed food products, many of which packages are intended for use in storage at extremely low temperatures over long periods of time. Products include raw meat, poultry, fish, and other sea foods such as crustaceans, fresh vegetables, fully cooked foods such as pizza, and frozen confections such as ice cream.

Current re-sealable vacuum packages utilizing zipper strips and a flat disk check valve for removal of air from the interior of the containers. These packages are limited to a flat configuration, namely bags. Testing has indicated that these seals provided by the zipper strips fail to maintain vacuum over-night in about 20-30% of the time. A flat disk check valve is used in the current re-sealable vacuum food packages on the market. Testing has further found that sometimes it is difficult to aspirate air by a vacuum pump even when the food package is placed on a hard flat table surface.

The problem with presently designed factory sealed food packages is two-fold, the first being that ice is formed on the food content if the package is sealed without vacuum and the second being that no measures are provided to reseal the package for restoring the vacuum following opening of the sealed package for addition of food or for removing a portion of its content. In both cases, when the seal is broken to allow removal and/or addition of food, the entry of air and moisture into the package frequently causes ice formation. The result is a deterioration of the food and a reduction in flavor and edibility. Also the long term storage viability of the food contained therein is reduced upon resealing.

Various patents have been disclosed pertaining to closures and sealing systems for food packages, and they include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,941,310; 5,009,828; 5,070,584; U.S. 2003/0152296 A1; U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,147; B2; 2004/0114837 A1; 2004/0161178 A1; 2005/0196077 A1 ; 2005/0244083 A1; and, 2007/0110340 A1. However, as noted, supra, none of the above patents provide a solution to the problem of ice formation and air and moisture contamination following opening of a food package to access the contents therein. Also, these patents do not provide long term vacuum sealing at very low temperatures for square or cylindrical food containers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the plastic re-sealable food package with an air removal port to provide an inexpensive, flexible, plastic package for vacuum storage of food which enables a user to easily access the contents therein and, to reseal and vacuum the package for continued, long term storage at extremely low temperatures.

It is another object of the plastic re-sealable food package to use a square shape of packages because this shape is the most space efficient in storing in a square box carton. There is no square re-sealable food package available on a market. Current re-sealable food package employs zipper strips, which allow only a linear locking engagement. Our elongate check valve facilitates closure of a food package of various shapes. In this patent application, we describe a square, cylindrical and flat bag shape food package.

A trough shape elongate check valve of previous applications is replaced with a simpler and more efficient elongate check valve.

Testing indicated that the air removal via a needle through the compressed foam sponge of previous application was found too slow. In the present application, it was replaced with the air removal port consisting of compressed foam sponge, a thin film and rigid housing. This compressed foam sponge valve blocks a large opening of the lid or side wall of the food package. A large diameter flat check valve allows much quicker air removal from the package.

One-way check valves are in common use to allow flow of gas or liquid through a tube or pipe in one direction while blocking in the opposite direction. These check valves are designed to fit a circular opening of a tube or pipe, but not for an elongate opening of square, cylindrical or linear food package. This plastic re-sealable food package relates to a new elongate check valve that fits into an elongate opening of a plastic film food package and for maintaining a vacuum within the package, hence enabling storing fresh or cooked foods at low temperature for a long time. The food package allows repeated opening and closing the check valve followed by restoring a vacuum to facilitate adding and/or removal of food without significant flavor or edibility loss.

It is another object of the plastic re-sealable food package to have a flexible but rigid rectangular, round or linear frame made of common polymer, e.g. high or low density polyethylene, polycarbonate or equivalent. For a square box type food package, the frame is encased by the top edge of a plastic film food package with a gusseted bottom. The film is made of thermo-plastics, e.g. polypropylene, polyethylene, etc., of about 2-3 mils in thickness. The free edge of the film is bonded to the side wall of the package, or lower edge of the frame, thus encasing the frame. A flexible but rigid lid is made of similar polymers, e.g. high or low density polyethylene, polycarbonate, nylon. The lid fits the frame snugly but this does not create air-tight closure. Thin polymer film is sandwiched between the frame and lid all way around the ridge of the square or round food container lid. When the air is removed from the interior of the package, the sandwiched film is sucked against rigid receptacle of the lid, inducing an air-tight sealing in a reproducible fashion.

A flat check valve with a compressed foam sponge and thin plastic film encased inside a rigid housing is installed on the lid opposing to a large opening of the lid. A flat hollow spatula attachment of a vacuum pump can be inserted into the flat check valve housing between the compressed foam sponge and the lid. When the large opening of the lower wall of the spatula faces the large opening of the lid, vacuum pump is activated to aspirate air from the food package. When the air is removed, the vacuum around −90 kPa is generated interior of the film package which sucks the wrapping film of the package around the frame to the lid. The firmly sucked film against the lid shuts off the influx of air into the package. The lid can be opened easily by hands against the vacuum pressure of −90 kPa. After the food content is taken out/or added from/to the food package, the lid is placed back to the frame over the elongate check valve and air is removed, establishing vacuum inside the sealed package. The resealed vacuum package then can be stored in a freezer.

If a conventional rectangular or square rigid food container is preferred in storing foods in a freezer or refrigerator, but at the same time, the vacuum packaging is desired, a collapsible film package with an air removal port may be used. A few rigid food containers with air removal ports are on a market. When the air is sucked out of these containers, the air pressure inside the container can be reduced but vacuum can never be achieved because the rigid structure prevents its collapse. The air removal port of a traditional design (FIG. 8) is installed on a plastic film square package that fits the entire interior wall of the rigid container (FIG. 9). After foods to be stored are placed inside the rigid square container (FIGS. 9, B & C), the film package with the air removal port is snapped on to the upper rim of the container (FIG. 9, A). When the air is aspirated from the interior of the package, the film package collapses, compressing the foods and the upper edge of the film is firmly sucked against the upper rim of the container, shutting off the influx of air into the package (FIG. 9, D). A rigid lid (not shown) is capped simply to cover the container. This maneuver may be repeated as often as required. Since the air removal port drops down into the container along with the film liner, a conventional check valve as shown in FIG. 9 may be easier to use than a flat valve (FIG. 4).

For a bag-type food package, the film of the package wraps around a male polymer strip. When the male polymer strip is pushed into the female strip, the plastic film is sandwiched between them. When the air is vacuumed from the interior of the bag, the vacuum induces an air-tight fitting between the film and the female plastic strip.

The suction force generated by the vacuum, e.g. −90 kPa, is strong enough to shut off the air inflow into the interior of the food package but is weak enough to allow manual opening of the package. Opening of the elongate check valve enables access to the food package for removal and/or addition of food. After a desired portion of the food is taken out of the package, the lid is placed back on the rectangular, square or cylindrical frame or plastic strips of the bag and is closed so the vacuum can be reinstated by removing air from the interior of the package.

The bottom and or sidewall structure of the food package comprises a flexible, plastic film material such as low and high density polyethylene's, nylons, polyesters, possibly polyurethanes, and laminates thereof, with sufficient thickness to reduce significant migration of air through the film. Preferred materials of construction of the compressible foam are silicone foam rubbers and possibly polyurethane foams. Other rubber foams may be useful providing they have suitable characteristics similar to those of silicone and polyurethane foams without toxicity. These foam rubbers are listed in the Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, by Kirk-Othmer, 3.sup.rd Edition, 1982 at: Vol. 11, page 78; Vol. 18, page 470; and, Vol. 20, pages 365-368 and 943; ISBN 0-471-02073-7; and incorporated herein by reference.

Periodic inspection of the film package during storage would be appropriate to determine if any migration of air through the plastic sidewalls of the package has occurred, causing a reduction in vacuum. This can be simply rectified by entering the package with the aspirating spatula, and in conjunction with the aspirating pump vacuuming out any air, and moisture. The presented re-sealable food storage package represents a significant improvement of frozen food storage that requires repeated open and closure for food retrieval, resealing the package, and restoring a vacuum. Aspiration will restore the vacuum and reseal the food package to enable storage at extremely low temperature, e.g. −60° C. with minimal ice formation on the stored food contents.

Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a square box type food package.

FIG. 1B is an isometric view of a cylindrical food package.

FIG. 1C is an isometric view of a flat bag type food package.

FIG. 2A is perspective view of a package frame of square shape.

FIG. 2B is a side view of the package frame of square shape.

FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of the package frame along the line 2C-2C of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a lid.

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the lid through the line 3B-3B of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral rim of the lid from detail line 3C in FIG. 3B.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the top of a flat air removal port.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the underneath the air removal port.

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of a thin film valve leaflet.

FIG. 4D is a cross-sectional view of the air removal port along the line 4D-4D in FIG. 4B.

FIG. 4E is a frontal view of the air removal port.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the package wrapping the frame.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the peripheral rim of the lid.

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of the assembled lid-film covered frame.

FIG. 6A shows a perspective view of a flat bag type food package.

FIG. 6B is an enlarged cross-sectional view along the 6B-6B of FIG. 6A before the strips are engaged.

FIG. 7A shows a perspective view of a vacuum bag with a rigid top housing in an open configuration.

FIG. 7B shows a perspective view of a vacuum bag from FIG. 7A as it is being vacuumed.

FIG. 7C shows a perspective view of a vacuum bag from FIG. 7A in a vacuumed condition.

FIG. 8A shows a plan view of a conventional check valve.

FIG. 8B shows a cross sectional side view cut along line 8A-8A

FIG. 9A shows is a perspective view of a collapsible film foods package attached to a rigid square foods container.

FIG. 9B shows a side view of a collapsible film foods package attached to a rigid square foods container.

FIG. 9C shows illustrates a cross-sectional view of the collapsible foods package.

FIG. 9D shows the film is pulled down to the inside wall of the rigid foods container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1A shows an isometric view of a square shape collapsible plastic film food package 101. The top edge 103 of the collapsible film food package 102 is turned over the top ridge of the frame (105) and covered under the rigid but flexible lid 104. An air removal port 401 is installed on the lid.

FIG. 1B shows a cylindrical food package 105. The top edge 109 of a cylindrical film package 106 is turned over the top edge of a rigid but flexible ring (107). A flexible but rigid lid 108 is pushed against the ring frame (107) to close the container. The air removal port 401 is installed on the lid.

FIG. 1C illustrates a bag-type food package 110. Three sides 113, 114 and 115 of two film walls 111 & (112) are sealed. The top portions of the film walls 118 & 119 are sandwiched between two plastic strips 116 & (117). An air removal port 401 is bonded to the one side of wall of the bag 111.

FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of the rigid but flexible frame 201 of the square shape collapsible film package. FIG. 2B shows a side view of the frame 202. Its top portion is made round inwards (not visible). FIG. 2C shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the frame 201, along the line 2C-2C of FIG. 2A. Its top portion 203 is rounded inwards.

FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of the lid 301 of the square food package. Its peripheral rim 303 is made round, matching the top rim of the frame 203. A large opening 304 is made on the central part of the lid 302.

FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view of the lid along the line 3B-3B of FIG. 3A. The central portion of the lid 302 has a large opening 304. Its periphery forms a round recess 303, 305 all the way around its periphery that fits the top rim of the frame 203 of FIG. 2C.

FIG. 3C shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the rim of the lid 3C-3C of

FIG. 3B. A round recess 307 is formed between the outer rim 305 and the inner rim 306 of the lid 303.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the flat film check valve 401. Its housing 402 is made of rigid plastic, such as polycarbonate or high density polyethylene. FIG. 4B shows the undersurface of the flat check valve. Three sides 403-405 are elevated slightly. A foam sponge 407 is placed between the housing 402 and a film valve leaflet 406. The valve leaflet is bonded to the front surface of the housing 408. FIG. 4C shows a valve leaflet 407 made of a thin plastic film such as polypropylene or polyethylene.

FIG. 4D shows a cross-sectional view of the valve along line 4D-4D before it is installed on the lid. Rectangular foam sponge 407 is placed between the valve housing 402 and the film valve leaflet 406. The valve leaflet is bonded to the front surface of the valve housing 408.

FIG. 4E shows a frontal view of the flat valve installed on the lid 409. The foam sponge block (not visible in this view) is compressed between the valve housing and the lid 409. The valve leaflet 406 runs between the lid 409 and the compressed foam sponge block.

FIG. 5A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the elongate film valve 501. The film 503 wraps around the frame 202. The top edge of the film 502 is bonded to the film below the frame 504. FIG. 5B shows a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the lid 302. It forms a round groove 305, 303 & 306 along the periphery of the lid 202. FIG. 5C demonstrates how the elongate check valve 501 is engaged. The round recess 303,305 & 306 of the lid 302 is pushed to the frame 202, sandwiching the film 503. After vacuum is applied to the interior of the food package 505, the thin film 503 is sucked against the inner rim of the lid 306, shutting the influx of air into the interior of the package.

FIG. 6A shows a perspective view of a flat package 601. Three sides of two thin films 602 & (603) are bonded on three sides, 604,605 & 606. Female 607 and male (608) strips are made of flexible but rigid plastics, such as low or high density polyethylene. The front plastic film wall 602 is boded to the low inner edge of the female plastic strip 607, whereas the top edge of the back film wall (608) is bonded to the top inner edge of the male plastic strip (608). A flat film check valve 609 is bonded to the front film wall 602 of the film package.

FIG. 6B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the plastic strips 607 & 608 before they are engaged. Anterior film wall 602 is bonded to the low inner side of the female strip. Posterior film wall 603 is bonded to the top inner edge 614 of the male strip 608. When the male protrusion 611 is pushed into the female groove 610, the bag is closed. This closure is, however, not air-tight. When vacuum pressure is generated in the interior of the package 613, the top portion of the film wall 612 is sucked against the female round groove 610, shutting the air influx into the interior of the package.

FIG. 7A shows a perspective view of a vacuum bag with a rigid top housing in an open configuration, FIG. 7B shows a perspective view of a vacuum bag from FIG. 7A as it is being vacuumed and FIG. 73C shows a perspective view of a vacuum bag from FIG. 7A in a vacuumed condition. From these figures the expandable bag 70 is shown on or placed over the compression rim 62 such that the free end 71 is draped over the compression rim 62. A labeling area 75 is shown on the front of the bag 70 in FIG. 7A. This labeling area 75 can be used to write information regarding the contents of the bag or when the bag was stored to indicate and expiration date of the contents. The rigid end housing lid 60 is shown with the air removal port 401 extending from the lid 60 with the air removal port 401. The lid also shows an optional burp or vent port 63 that can be operable as a burp valve to quickly exhaust air out of the expandable bag 70 by squeezing the bag 70 or as a vent valve to make the lid 60 easier to remove by providing a vacuum release.

From FIG. 7A the bag 70 is shown in a filled condition. The aspiration spatula 82 of the vacuum device 80 is brought onto the air removal port 401 and the activation button 81 is depressed 83 to begin removal of the air. In FIG. 7B the bag 72 is partially vacuumed and the pleats 74 or bellows of the bag 72 begin to show as the bag 72 is reduced in size. From FIG. 7C, sufficient air has been removed from bag 73 and the bag can be placed into storage.

Rigid foods container with air removal port installed on the rigid lid is on a market. However, it is technically impossible to induce vacuum inside the rigid container. If vacuum is to be induced inside the rigid square foods container, it can be achieved only by installing a collapsible foods package with the air removal inside the container. For the collapsible film foods package, a conventional tubular check valve may be technically easier to use the bottom the rigid container than the flat valve (FIG. 4).

FIG. 8 illustrates a conventional tubular check valve. (A) is a perspective view and (B), cross-sectional view along the line 8A-8A. A hole 807 is created in the film package 806. The base 801 is bonded to the film package 806 against the hole, 807. Tubular valve housing 802 facilitates attaching the vacuum pump (not shown). A thin flat disk 808 can move up and down inside the tubular housing 803 between the disk stop 805 and the film 806. When the disk is sucked against the hole 807 of the film by vacuum, it shuts off the influx of air into the interior of the package. When the disk 808 is pulled up against the valve stop 805, the disk 808 does not close the passage of the tubular housing 802, leaving the spaces, 809-812, though which the air is sucked out of the package.

FIG. 9 (A) is a perspective view of a collapsible film foods package 902 attached to a rigid square foods container 901. The air removal tubular port 802 is installed in the center of the collapsible film foods package 902. FIG. 9 (B) shows a side view. In this view, the collapsible film package is pulled below the ridge of the container 901. A ring 907 of the container is provided for the ease of handling. FIG. 9 (C) illustrates a cross-sectional view of the collapsible foods package 902 which is attached to the upper rim 905 of the rigid square foods container 901. The tubular valve housing 802 is readily accessible in the center of the film collapsible package 902. When the air is sucked out of the interior of the package 903, the film 902 is pulled down to the inside wall of the rigid foods container FIG. 9 (D) 901. The film is sucked against the inside wall of the upper rim FIG. 9 (C) 904, creating an elongate check valve. The pulled down tubular check valve 802 is still accessible since it is located on the top of the collapsible film package 902.

Thus, specific embodiments of a plastic re-sealable food package have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A food package providing a plastic film food container comprising:

a rigid end housing having an air removal port means bonded coextensively on said rigid end housing;

said rigid end housing having an essentially flat top surface wherein said closure means in bonded;

an annular lip extending essentially perpendicular to said essentially flat surface;

a separate compression rim that is temporally engageable with said annular lip;

a bag configured to fit within and around said compression rim whereby food or other perishable material can be placed within said bag, and closed with said rigid end housing to for a vacuum seal, and

wherein a vacuum pump is temporally installed on said air removal port to vacuum said food package whereby reducing an internal volume of said bag thereby enabling long term use of food in said bag at low temperatures and vacuum pressures.

2. The food package according to claim 1 wherein said air removal port provides a sufficient closing force to maintain a vacuum of about −90 kPa and at a low temperature about −20° C. to about −60° C.

3. The food package according to claim 2 wherein said air removal port can be repeatedly operable with said vacuum pump to maintain a vacuum of about −90 kPa.

4. The food package according to claim 1 wherein said air removal port is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubbers, thermoplastic rubbers, synthetic rubbers, and polyurethanes.

5. The food package according to claim 1 wherein said bag is selected from the group consisting of low and high density polyethylene, nylon, polyester, polyurethane, or laminate.

6. The food package according to claim 1 wherein said vacuum pump has an aspirating spatula and is associated with an exhaust pump.

7. The food package according to claim 1 wherein bag is essentially transparent or translucent thereby providing visual inspection and tactile monitoring of a vacuum in the package, and upon loss of vacuum, insertion of said vacuum pump into said air removal port enables removal of air and moisture therefrom.

8. The food package according to claim 1 wherein said air removal port is a rectangular valve leaflet.

9. The food package according to claim 1 wherein said air removal port comprises an engaging closure side elements:

said closure side elements defining an air removal port for containment of a sponge element;

a bore defined within said sponge element for insertion of a spatula there through, whereupon closing of said closure side elements compresses said sponge element to form a vacuum seal between said sponge element thereby enabling repeated aspiration of air and moisture from said food package to maintain a vacuum therein.

10. The food package according to claim 1 wherein said open bag is configured as a box or a cylindrical carton.

11. A food package providing a plastic film food container comprising:

a bag having flexible sides with an openable end;

said openable end having interlocking male and female strips to close said bag;

at least one side of said bag further includes an air removal port that is bonded thereon said at least one side;

said air removal port, and

wherein a vacuum pump is temporally installed on said air removal port to vacuum said bag whereby reducing an internal volume of said bag thereby enabling long term use of food in said bag at low temperatures and vacuum pressures.

12. The food package according to claim 11 wherein said elongate valve provides a sufficient closing force to maintain a vacuum of at least about −90 kPa, at a low temperature about −20 C to about −60 C.

13. The food package according to claim 12 wherein said air removal port can be repeatedly operable with said vacuum pump to maintain a seal of about −90 kPa.

14. The food package according to claim 11 wherein said air removal port is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubbers, thermoplastic rubbers, synthetic rubbers, and polyurethanes.

15. The food package according to claim 11 wherein said bag is selected from the group consisting of low and high density polyethylene, nylon, polyester, polyurethane, or laminate.

16. The food package according to claim 11 wherein said vacuum pump has an aspirating spatula and is associated with an exhaust pump.

17. The food package according to claim 11 wherein bag is essentially transparent or translucent thereby providing visual inspection and tactile monitoring of a vacuum in the package, and upon loss of vacuum, insertion of said vacuum pump into said closure valve enables removal of air and moisture therefrom.

18. The food package according to claim 11 wherein said closure valve is a rectangular valve leaflet.

19. The food package according to claim 11 wherein said valve comprises an engaging closure side elements:

said closure side elements defining an air removal port for containment of a sponge element;

a bore defined within said sponge element for insertion of a spatula there through, whereupon closing of said closure side elements compresses said sponge element to form a vacuum seal between said sponge element thereby enabling repeated aspiration of air and moisture from said food package to maintain a vacuum therein.

20. The food package according to claim 11 wherein said bag further includes a marking area.