Re-Vac

Abstract

The RE-VAC invention is a housing, open on one end with an embedded sealing ring, and a port on the other end. The port allows insertion of a nipple and tube that is attached to a vacuum device. Or a housing, open on both ends with sealing rings embedded on each, and flanged ported lid. When the sealing ring on the open end of the housing is placed on a clean, hard, smooth non-porous surface, and firm pressure applied to the ported end, a vacuum chamber is created upon activation of the vacuum device. Air will be evacuated from any container with a lid, that was placed inside the housing. Releasing the chamber vacuum will not release the container vacuum.

Description

Many products available at local markets are sold in tempered glass vacuum sealed jars, for example: jellies, preserves and jams, pickles, olives, pimentos, fruits, salsa, mustard, mayonnaise and other dressings, fruit juices and drinks, etc. Once these containers are opened and air is introduced into the jar, even though they are kept tightly closed and refrigerated, the contents are subject to spoilage or drying, loss of flavor, contamination, and acquisition of foreign odors that may make them unpalatable or impart an undesirable taste.

The invention described in this document, and twenty accompanying drawings, provides a method to evacuate these jars, (remove the air, i.e. re-vacuum), and establish a vacuum very near to the vacuum that was obtained when the product was originally produced. This will prolong the useful life of the contents and delay deterioration.

This invention is a housing, made in several different sizes, open on one end with a seal on the open end, to allow the housing to be placed over a jar to be re-vacuumed, so as to create a vacuum chamber with any clean, hard, smooth, nonporous surface, (a counter, desk, table top or tile), requiring no additional closing device, as shown on drawings 1/20 through 4/20, FIGS. 1 through 1C, (large housing), drawings 5/20 through 6/20, FIGS. 2 through 2A, (medium housing), and drawings 7/20 through 8/20, FIGS. 3 through 3A, (small housing).

In lieu of producing housings of different sizes, (heights), a set of sealed volume reducers could be supplied to reduce the volume of air to be evacuated when the smaller sized jars are re-vacuumed. It would speed up the process, making it more efficient. This is depicted on drawings 9/20 through 11/20, FIGS. 4 through 4b.

This device could also be made as an open ended bayoneting housing, consisting of several different sized bayoneting sections, with a seal at each mating bayonet section joint and a seal on the bottom of the last section, depicted on drawings 12/20 through 15/20, FIGS. 5 through 5c.

It could also be produced as a tube open on both ends. There would be a seal on each end of the tube, to seal with a flanged lid on the top end, and any clean, hard, smooth, nonporous surface, thereby creating a vacuum chamber to re-vacuum the jars. This is illustrated on drawings 16/20 through 20/20, FIGS. 6 through 6D.

The closed ends of all the housings would have a small hole in them to allow the insertion of a nipple. This could be a tapered hole, to match the tapered end of the nipple, or a straight hole into which a nipple with a gasket could be inserted, securing a tight seal. The other end of the nipple would allow a tube or small hose to be attached and connected to a vacuum source.

The operation of the “Re-Vac” device is accomplished by placing the jars on a clean, hard, smooth, nonporous surface. The housing is placed over the jars, then the vacuum nipple with tube attached is inserted into the housing, and with the other end of the tube connected to a vacuum source and with light hand pressure on the top of the housing, the vacuum source is then switched on. The resulting vacuum chamber can be immediately felt to grip the nonporous surface, indicating that a vacuum is being established. When the vacuum is complete, the vacuum source is switched off. The vacuum nipple is then removed from the housing, allowing air to re-enter the vacuum chamber.

When the vacuum nipple is removed from the vacuum housing, the air entering the vacuum housing can be seen visibly forcing the jar cover down in a concave shape indicating the vacuum in the jar has been established. If this does not occur, then the vacuum in the jar has not been achieved, and the process must be repeated until this does occur.

Several vacuum sources already on the market are suitable for use with the “Re-Vac; FoodSaver by Tillia, Rival Seal-a-Meal, and a similar unit by Black and Decker, are a few. Most of the above vacuum sources have built-in vacuum indicators, which greatly aid in being able to know when total vacuum has been obtained. For a vacuum source without a built-in indicator, a simple child's balloon, only minimally inflated and sealed, can be placed in the housing with jars to be re-vacuumed. As the air is removed from the housing, the balloon will begin to expand due to the air pressure inside it. When it ceases to expand, the vacuum will be complete. Another method would be to provide a diaphragm somewhere on the outside surface of the housing. The evacuation of air in the housing would cause the diaphragm to be drawn into the interior of the housing, indicating complete vacuum.

Any number of jars that can be fit or stacked inside the housing can be simultaneously re-vacuumed, so long as the stacking, or packing, does not interfere with the integrity of the sealing of the bottom, or top, of the housing and the clean, hard, smooth, non-porous surface, (i.e., a counter, desk, table top or tile).

The compelling reason for housings of different sizes is to speed the evacuation of air when re-vacuuming the smaller sized jars. For example, for a domed cylindrical housing with an inside diameter of 5 inches, and an inside height of 9.25 inches for the large housing, 7.25 inches for the medium housing, and 5.25 inches for the small housing, the respective volumes would be 165.26, 126.00 and 86.72 cubic inches, or 0.72, 0.55 and 0.38 gallons of air respectively. It is obvious that the smaller the housing the faster the evacuation time, (about twice as fast for the smallest housing compared to the largest).

In addition to re-vacuuming jars containing an original product, jars saved after the contents have been consumed can be re-sterilized and used to vacuum leftover food items. Leftovers can be packed in the smallest jar, saving valuable storage space in the refrigerator. Dry food products can also be stored in evacuated jars, such as coffee, sugar, flour, various varieties of beans, peas, as well as crackers, cookies, nuts, chips, dry cereals and pasta, etc, to keep them dry, and protect them from insects and rodents and becoming stale.

The storage of other than food products is also possible. Paints, glues, putties, liquids, paste, Spackle, slurried and jellied sealants or lubricants can be protected from drying and contamination, prolonging their useful life. Artifacts and other items of value can also be preserved by “Re-Vac”, (i.e., biological specimens, coins, jewelry, souvenirs and keepsakes, etc,) protecting them from mold, mildew, rot, general deterioration and contamination, and attack by insects and rodents.

Additionally, to the above mentioned uses, this system could be made portable by having a battery operated vacuum device. A rechargeable battery would be preferable, or a power cord that could be plugged into the cigarette lighter or power jack in a car or truck. It would make this system extremely handy and convenient for travel, camping, picnics and beach parties, construction sites, etc, or any location where standard AC household power is not readily available.

The collection and saving of used tempered glass jars has practical advantages, in that it allows one to empty the contents of an original jar into a smaller one when the original jar is less than full. This will reduce the head space or amount of air that needs to be evacuated from a jar holding less than a full quantity. Besides speeding the evacuation time, it reduces the head space or the amount of residual air that still may remain inside a jar and lessen the chance for spoilage. By continuing this process the useful life of any product may be extended even further.

Products purchased in sealed vacuumed jars can be difficult to open. If a small hole is pierced through the cover, (with an ice pick, for example), allowing air to be drawn into the jar, the removal of the cover is made substantially easier. A small piece of tape, (clear plastic postal or parcel sealing tape, etc), can then be used to cover or seal the hole, and the jar may be re-vacuumed as before. Lifting or removing the tape to expose the hole allows the cover to again be easily removed. Replacing the tape allows the jar to be “Re-Vac'ed” again, creating an endless cycle.

SPECIFICATION OF DISCLOSURE FOR THE RE-VAC INVENTION

This invention provides a means of evacuating air from jars or containers that had been vacuum sealed and have had air introduced into them as a result of being opened to access the material contained inside.

The RE-VAC invention is a housing, open on one end with an embedded sealing ring, and a port on the other end. The port allows insertion of a nipple and tube that is attached to a vacuum device. The housing may also be made as open ended bayoneting sections that seal with each other and a closed ported end. Or as a housing, open on both ends with sealing rings embedded on each, and a flanged ported lid. When the sealing ring on the open end of the housing is placed on a clean, hard, smooth non-porous surface, and firm pressure is applied to the ported end, a vacuum chamber is created upon activation of the vacuum device.

The housings could be made in varying heights to accommodate containers of different heights. This would make the evacuation of air faster and more efficient.

If only one height were to be made, sealed volume reducing spacers could be inserted under smaller sized containers to lift them higher in the housing, thereby reducing the total volume of air needed to be evacuated to achieve a complete vacuum. This would also speed the time required for evacuation and increase efficiency.

To operate RE-VAC, place a container to be re-vacuumed on a clean, hard, smooth non-porous surface. Position the open end of the RE-VAC housing over the container. Insert the nipple and tube that is attached to a vacuum device into the ported end. Apply firm pressure to the ported end, and turn on the vacuum device. A vacuum chamber will be created and all air will be evacuated. Then turn off the vacuum device, remove the nipple from the ported end of the housing allowing air to reenter, and then remove the re-vacuumed container.

The drawings that accompany this specification illustrate the application of the RE-VAC invention.

Drawing 1/20, FIG. 1, depicts a tall or large housing with a seal on the open end resting on a clean, hard, smooth nonporous surface, and a range of different sized jars that could be re-vacuumed. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 2/20, FIG. 1A, illustrates the typical evacuation of a single large jar in a large housing. (Jar shown in phantom line).

Drawing 3/20, FIG. 1B, shows that two or more jars can be re-vacuumed simultaneously in a large housing. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 4/20, FIG. 1C, duplicates the process of FIG. 1B, but with a different combination of jars. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 5/20, FIG. 2, displays the range of smaller sized jars that could be evacuated in a smaller medium sized housing. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 6/20, FIG. 2A, illustrates that two or more jars could be simultaneously evacuated in a medium sized housing. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 7/20, FIG. 3, shows a still smaller sized housing, and a typical range of jars that might be evacuated in this small housing. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 8/20, FIG. 3A, shows that two or more jars may still be evacuated even in this small housing. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 9/20, FIG. 4, is an illustration of a technique used to reduce the volume of air that would need to be removed from the large housing when smaller sized jars were being re-vacuumed. A solid or filled sealed spacer could be placed under any smaller sized jar to lift it higher in the housing, effectively decreasing the volume of the housing. Faster evacuation and greater efficiency would be the result. (Jar shown in phantom line).

Drawing 10/20, FIG. 4A, depicts the insertion of two spacers for even smaller sized jars. (Jar shown in phantom line).

Drawing 11/20, FIG. 4B, shows the insertion of three spacers for the re-vacuuming of the smallest of jars. (Jar shown in phantom line).

Drawing 12/20, FIG. 5, illustrates a housing created of several individual sections, that bayonet into each other, with a seal at the joining surfaces as well as the clean, hard, smooth nonporous surface on which it will rest. This housing would allow the separate parts to be joined in different configurations to make housings of different sizes for the re-vacuuming of jars of different sizes. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 13/20, FIG. 5A, is an exploded view of this bayoneting housing showing the location of the bayonet feature, and the location of the various required sealing rings.

Drawing 14/20, FIG. 5B, shows a possible configuration with this bayoneting type housing, for jars of intermediate sizes. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 15/20, FIG. 5C, illustrates another configuration for jars of a small size. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 16/20, FIG. 6, this drawing depicts a variation of all previously shown housings. This housing is open on both ends and contains an embedded seal on each of these ends. This housing would have an accompanying flanged lid that would mate with and seal one open end, while the other end and seal would rest on any clean, hard, smooth nonporous surface. It also shows the range of jar sizes that could be evacuated. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 17/20, FIG. 6A, is an exploded view of this lid and double ended open housing. It shows how the lid and housing mate and the location of the seals.

Drawing 18/20, FIG. 6B, shows a medium large housing for medium sized jars. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 19/20, FIG. 6C, illustrates a still smaller housing for evacuating medium small and smaller sized jars. (Jars shown in phantom line).

Drawing 20/20, FIG. 6D, depicts probably the smallest practical size of housing for the smallest of jars. (Jar shown in phantom line).

The volume reducing spacers, (Drawings 9/20, 10/20 and 11/20, FIGS. 4, 4A, and 4B), could also be used with the double open ended housing and mating flanged lid, (Drawing 16/20, FIG. 6).

Claims

1. That the open ended housing that permits the evacuation of air inside sealed jars without any additional closing apparatus, other than a clean, hard, smooth, nonporous surface, such as a counter, desk, table top or tile, is the subject matter I regard as the invention.

2. That the open ended housing be made in several sizes, from large to small, to provide for the efficient evacuation of air for smaller sized jars.

3. That in lieu of different housing sizes, sealed volume reducing spacers be supplied to lift smaller jars higher in the housing, and thereby reduce the volume of air necessary to be evacuated to achieve a complete vacuum, decreasing the time required for evacuation of smaller sized jars.

4. That an open ended housing be combined with one or more open ended housings that bayonet into each other and contain a seal at the joining surfaces and any other end where necessary, so that when they mate, they create a sealed vacuum chamber with each other and any clean, hard, smooth nonporous surface.

5. That when one or more open ended housings with embedded seals on both ends, are combined with a flanged lid, they will create a vacuum chamber with the lid and any clean, hard, smooth nonporous surface.