STORAGE BAG

Abstract

A storage bag comprises a bag body including a first sheet and a second sheet attached to the first sheet to have an internal empty space, lips formed along an upper edge of the bag body, a fastener formed in the lips to open or close the internal empty space, and an air exhaustion means opening or closing an opening formed in at least one of the first sheet or the second sheet.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure concern food storage bags, and more specifically, to food storage zipper bags allowing easier removal of the air therein, thus keeping food fresh longer.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

One recent dietary trend influenced by the western dietary pattern accelerates meat consumption. Further, dual-income families on the rise nowadays tend to keep a storage of food in the fridge and consume a little bit whenever necessary.

As time goes by, raw meat, seafood, and vegetables may easily lose freshness and cause odors albeit kept in the freezer or refrigerator. To prevent this, plastic bags or other packing materials oftentimes come into use, even in which case, however, the above-mentioned issues still remain due to a failure to fully seal up food from outside.

Thus, various types of vacuum packing come into being.

One approach is to use a vacuum packing sealer and vinyl packing bags. The vacuum packing sealer removes all of the air in a vinyl packing bag with a food item placed therein, whose inlet is then thermally fused and closed. This approach may be effective in sealing the internal vacuum from an influx of the air but is an uneconomical way in light that a separate vacuum packing sealer is required and that vinyl bags, once used, should be wasted.

An alternative way known is food storage using zipper bags. However, conventional zipper bags cannot completely (or almost completely) eliminate the air from inside because of frequent influx of the air upon opening or closing the bags, rendering it difficult to keep food fresh for a long time.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a zipper bag comprises a first sheet and a second sheet attached at lower ends and two opposite side ends thereof, with an inlet formed at upper ends of the first sheet and the second sheet, zipper sheets respectively attached onto inner surfaces of the upper ends of the first sheet and the second sheet, and zippers respectively attached onto the zipper sheets to be fastened or unfastened, wherein an air exhausting means is formed in a surface of at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet to exhaust air from an inside of the zipper bag between the first sheet and the second sheet to an outside with the inside of the zipper bag sealed up.

The air exhaustion hole means may include an air exhaustion hole formed in at least one sheet of the first sheet and the second sheet, a first sheet zipper formed around the air exhaustion hole on an inner surface of the at least one sheet, and a second sheet zipper formed on an inner surface of the opposite sheet of the at least one sheet.

The air exhausting means includes an air exhaustion hole formed in a surface of at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet, a first zipper projecting from the surface around the air exhaustion hole, and an air lock sheet including a second zipper that may be fastened onto or unfastened from the first zipper on an internal circumferential surface of the air lock sheet.

The air exhausting means is formed at an upper and right or left portion of the surface of at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet.

The first zipper and the second zipper are formed in two or more rows with a predetermined interval therebetween.

The air exhausting means is shaped as a circle or a polygon.

The air exhausting means includes an air exhaustion valve, and wherein the air exhaustion valve includes a thermal fusion plate having an air exhaustion hole at a center thereof and attached onto a surface of at least one of the first sheet or the second sheet, an anti-stick part projecting from a surface of the thermal fusion plate to prevent the first sheet and the second sheet from sticking together upon air exhaustion, and a vacuum sucking part projecting to communicate with the air exhaustion hole on an opposite surface of the thermal fusion plate, a packing inserted into the air exhaustion hole, and a sealing member opening and closing the vacuum sucking part and including a coupling ring fitted over an outer circumferential surface of the vacuum sucking part to tightly contact the thermal fusion plate and a lower surface of a thermally fused portion of the first sheet, a lead inserted onto an inner circumferential surface of the vacuum sucking part, and a connecting band connecting the coupling ring with the lead.

The inner circumferential surface of the vacuum sucking part includes a first surface whose inner diameter decreases to the air exhaustion hole and a second surface connected with the first surface and having a constant inner diameter.

The packing includes a tight seal plate covering an upper portion of the air exhaustion hole, a jaw fastened to a lower portion of the air exhaustion hole, and a connecting body connecting the tight seal plate with the jaw and inserted into the air exhaustion hole.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a storage bag comprises a bag body including a first sheet and a second sheet attached to the first sheet to have an internal empty space, lips formed along an upper edge of the bag body, a fastener formed in the lips to open or close the internal empty space, and an air exhaustion means opening or closing an opening formed in at least one of the first sheet or the second sheet.

The air exhaustion means includes a first engaging part formed around the opening and a cap including a second engaging part to open or close the opening, and wherein the first engaging part and the second engaging part fit together to close the opening.

The air exhaustion means includes a first coupling member and a second coupling member with the opening disposed therebetween, and wherein the first coupling member includes a cap configured to detachably couple with the second coupling member to close the opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and many of the attendant aspects thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a zipper bag, with an air lock member disassembled therefrom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a zipper bag, with an air lock member disassembled therefrom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a zipper bag, with an air lock member assembled thereto, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 5, wherein a first sheet and a second sheet are separated from each other, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 5, wherein a first sheet and a second sheet are assembled together, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a zipper bag whose zipper is in a closed position, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating an air exhaustion valve of a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an air exhaustion valve as illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating a body of an air exhaustion valve as illustrated in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a cross-reference view illustrating a body of an air exhaustion valve as illustrated in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a bottom view illustrating a body of an air exhaustion valve as illustrated in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 16 is a bottom view illustrating an air exhaustion valve, as illustrated in FIG. 15, with a packing assembled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or similar elements throughout the specification and the drawings. The inventive concept, however, may be modified in various different ways, and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” “coupled to,” or “adjacent to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected, coupled, or adjacent to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present.

As used herein, the term “zipper” is presented merely for purposes of description, and embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereby or thereto, and may rather adopt use of other various fasteners capable of achieving substantially the same effects as does a zipper.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a zipper bag, with an air lock member disassembled therefrom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a zipper bag, with an air lock member disassembled therefrom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a zipper bag, with an air lock member assembled thereto, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a zipper 10 for food storage (simply referred to herein as “zipper bag”), according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, may include a first sheet 12 and a second sheet 14, respectively, constituting two opposite sides of the zipper bag 10, a zipper 16, and an air lock sheet 30 constituting an air discharge means.

The zipper 16 may be formed at upper edges of the first sheet 12 and the second sheet 14 to open or close an inlet of the zipper bag 10.

An opening 20 of a predetermined size may be formed in a surface of one of the first sheet 12 and the second sheet 14, and a first zipper 22 may protrude around the opening 20.

The air lock sheet 30 may be provided to open or close the opening 20. The air lock sheet 30 may include a second zipper 32 along a circumference on its internal surface to fit into the first zipper 22 to seal or to be separated from the first zipper 22.

The second zipper 32 may have a groove 34 for insertion of the first zipper 22.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first zipper 22 and the second zipper 32 may fit together to seal or shut the opening 20 from the outside, or the first zipper 22 and the second zipper 32 may be separated from each other to render the opening 20 open to the outside.

For example, the opening 20 and the air lock sheet 30 may be positioned at one side of the first sheet 12 or the second sheet 14, e.g., at an upper and right side thereof, to discharge the air inside the zipper bag 10 to the outside. However, the position of the opening 20 and the air lock sheet 30 is not limited thereto.

Now described is a method for storing food using the zipper bag 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As the zipper 16 is opened, the inlet of the zipper bag 10 is opened allowing a food for storage to be put therein. Then, the zipper 16 is closed back to seal the zipper bag 10, with the food in the bag 10.

After closing the zipper 16, the air lock sheet 30 is separated from the first sheet 12 or the second sheet 14 to open the opening 20, and the zipper bag 10 is then compressed to exhaust the internal air to the outside.

When the inside of the zipper bag 10 is rendered a vacuum, or substantially vacuum, by the internal air exhaustion, the air lock sheet 30 is fitted back to shield and seal the opening 20.

In other words, as the second zipper 32 formed along a circumference on the internal surface of the air lock sheet 30 fits into the first zipper 22 formed around the opening 20 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sealing is achieved, shutting the opening 20 from the outside and blocking an air inflow from the outside.

Although the air lock sheet 30 is described and shown to be substantially circular in shape merely for description purposes, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, the air lock sheet 30 may be shaped as a triangle, rectangle, or a polygon, at its plan view.

For description purposes alone, although the air lock sheet 30 is positioned at an upper and right side of the first sheet 12 in the zipper bag 10, this is merely an example, and embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, the air lock sheet may also be formed at an upper and left side, center, lower and right (or left) side, or wherever, of the first sheet 12 or second sheet 14.

Although the description focuses primarily on an example where the air lock sheet 30 is placed on a surface of the first sheet 12, it may be not. For example, the air lock sheet 30 may also be provided to be placed on the second sheet 14, or air lock sheets 30 may be placed on the first sheet 12 and the second sheet 14, respectively.

Although the example is described herein that the first zipper 22 and the second zipper 32 each are formed in a single row, the first zipper 22 and the second zipper 32 each may also be formed in two or more rows with a predetermined interval therebetween, for better sealability.

Although such an example has been described with reference to FIG. 2 that the air lock sheet 30 is provided as a separate component that is separated from one surface of one of the first sheet 12 or the second sheet 14, the air lock sheet 30 may be configured so that a part of the air lock sheet 30 may be integrally formed on one surface of one of the first sheet 12 or the second sheet 14, preventing loss.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 5, wherein a first sheet and a second sheet are separated from each other, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 5, wherein a first sheet and a second sheet are assembled together, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a zipper bag includes a first sheet 12 and a second sheet 14. An opening 20 of a predetermined size is formed in the first sheet 12 and the second sheet 14. A first sheet zipper 22-1 protrudes around the opening 20 from an inner surface of the sheet 12 or 14 having the opening 20. A second sheet zipper 32-1 is formed at a position corresponding to the first sheet zipper 22-1 to protrude from an inner surface of the opposite sheet 14 or 12 of the opening-formed sheet 12 or 14. For example, the first sheet zipper 22-1 may be formed protruding around the opening 20 from an inner surface of the first sheet 12, and the second sheet zipper 32-1 may be formed protruding from an inner surface of the second sheet 14. The first sheet zipper 22-1 may be engaged or fitted into the second sheet zipper 32-1, allowing for sealing or separation.

The second sheet zipper 32-1 may include a fitting groove 34-1 where the first sheet zipper 22-1 is inserted and fitted.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the first sheet zipper 22-1 may fit into the second sheet zipper 32-1, closing and sealing the opening 20 from the outside. The first sheet zipper 22-1 may be separated from the second sheet zipper 32-1, so that the opening 20 may be opened, allowing for communication between the inside and outside of the zipper bag.

The zipper bag described above in connection with FIGS. 5 to 7 presents substantially the same operational relation and effects as the zipper bag described above in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4, e.g., except that the first sheet zipper 22-1 and the second sheet zipper 32-1 are provided to open and close the opening.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a zipper bag whose zipper is in a closed position, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 8 to 10, a zipper bag 100 may include a first sheet 110 and a second sheet, respectively, constituting two opposite sides of the zipper bag 100, zipper sheets 130, and an air exhausting valve 200 constituting an air exhausting means.

The first sheet 110 and the second sheet 120 may be formed in the same size and substantially rectangular in shape, and may be attached together by vertical attaching parts 112 provided at two opposite side edges thereof and a horizontal attaching part 116 provided at a lower part thereof.

The vertical attaching parts 112 and the horizontal attaching part 116 may be subject to a thermal fusion under a high pressure or temperature, allowing for attachment.

The zipper sheets 130, respectively, may be formed on internal surfaces of the respective upper ends of the first sheet 110 and the second sheet 120 to face each other. Zippers 132 may be thermally fused to the zipper sheets 130, respectively, to fit or unfit together.

Reference number 114 of FIG. 9 denote joining parts at side corners of the upper end of the sheet 110 or 120, and reference number 118 of FIG. 6 denotes an inlet that is not subject to attachment and is thus openable.

The zipper sheets 130, as shown in FIG. 10, may be shaped as rectangles longer along the horizontal direction and may allow the zippers 132 to be placed and thermally fused thereto at their central portions.

The features that the zippers 132 are formed on the zipper sheets 130 separately provided and that the zipper sheets 130 are attached onto the first sheet 110 and the second sheet 120 may prevent damage to the zipper bag under repetitive use.

The air exhaustion valve 200 may be formed in a side of the first sheet 110 or the second sheet 120, e.g., at an upper and right end thereof, allowing the air to be discharged from the zipper bag 100 to the outside.

The air exhaustion valve 200 may include a body 210, a packing 230, and a sealing member 240. The body 210 may be thermally fused to an internal surface of the first sheet 110, forming a thermally fused portion. An exemplary configuration and operation are described below with reference to FIGS. 11 to 16.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating an air exhaustion valve of a zipper bag according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an air exhaustion valve as illustrated in FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating a body of an air exhaustion valve as illustrated in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a cross-reference view illustrating a body of an air exhaustion valve as illustrated in FIG. 13. FIG. 15 is a bottom view illustrating a body of an air exhaustion valve as illustrated in FIG. 12. FIG. 16 is a bottom view illustrating an air exhaustion valve, as illustrated in FIG. 12, with a packing assembled.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an air exhaustion valve 200 applied to a zipper bag 100 may include a body 210, a packing 230, and a sealing member 240.

Referring to FIGS. 13 to 15, the body 210 may include a thermal fusion plate 212, an anti-stick part 224, and a vacuum sucking part 214.

The thermal fusion plate 212 may function to attach the body 210 to an internal surface of the first sheet 110 and support the anti-stick part 224 and the vacuum sucking part 214 respectively formed on two opposite surfaces thereof.

The thermal fusion plate 212 may be substantially circular in shape, and the thermal fusion plate 212 may have an upper surface that has, formed thereon, a portion to be thermally fused to an internal surface of the first sheet 110, and a lower surface positioned to face an internal surface of the second sheet 120.

The thermal fusion plate 212 may have an air exhaustion hole 216 at a center thereof. As shown in FIG. 13, the air exhaustion hole 216 may have substantially a “+” shape constituted of four line holes combined together in a vertical direction. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, the air exhaustion hole 216 may also be shaped substantially as a “̂” or a star.

The air exhaustion hole 216 may allow the packing 230 to be inserted therethrough, so as to be opened when the air inside the zipper bag 100 is exhausted to the outside and closed when the inside becomes a vacuum, or substantially vacuum.

The anti-stick part 224 protrudes from a surface of the thermal fusion plate 212, which is, e.g., the surface facing the internal surface of the second sheet 120, preventing the first sheet 110 and the second sheet 120 from sticking together upon exhausting the internal air from the zipper bag.

The anti-stick part 224 may also prevent the air exhaustion hole 216 beans, grains, or other tiny food from being stuck and clogging the air exhaustion hole 216.

The anti-stick part 224 may include rounded walls 225 arrayed around the air exhaustion hole 216 and inner walls 226 facing the air exhaustion hole 216 while crossing the internal circumference of the rounded walls 225 as shown in FIG. 15.

Although, in the example shown and described, four rounded walls 225 each shaped as an arc are provided, with one spaced apart from another substantially at 90 degrees, this is merely an example, and other various numbers and arrangements are also possible depending on the shape of the air exhaustion hole 216.

Sucking holes 228 each are formed between two neighboring rounded walls 225, allowing the air inside the zipper bag 100 to be seamlessly discharged through the air exhaustion hole 216.

Each inner wall 226 may be formed substantially in a plate shape towards the air exhaustion hole 216.

The inner walls 226 may be arranged so that each inner wall 226 is positioned between two adjacent ones of the four line holes constituting the air exhaustion hole 216 and is angled substantially at 45 degrees with respect to an adjacent line hole as illustrated in FIG. 15.

Forming the inner walls 226 as described supra allows a sufficient distance between a first end of an inner wall 226 where the inner wall 226 connects to its corresponding rounded wall 225 and a second end of the inner wall 226 positioned adjacent to the air exhaustion hole 216—referred to herein as a “inner wall length.”

The inner wall length being formed to be shorter may cause the second sheet 120 to be pulled into a space between the second end of the inner wall 226 and the air exhaustion hole 216, interrupting seamless air exhaustion.

Referring back to FIGS. 13 and 14, the vacuum sucking part 214 may be shaped as a pipe to communicate with the air exhaustion hole 216 in the direction of an opposite surface of the thermal fusion plate 212—e.g., the upper surface of the thermal fusion plate 212 or the external surface of the first sheet 110.

The vacuum sucking part 214 may serve as an inlet upon sucking in the air from the inside of the zipper bag 100 using a separate vacuum sucking machine and may allow a lead 244 of the sealing member 240 to be inserted therethrough.

The vacuum sucking part 214 may include a first surface 218 inclined at a predetermined angle so that its inner diameter decreases to the air exhaustion hole 216 and a second surface 220 connecting to the first surface 218 and having a constant inner diameter.

As such, the first surface 218 may be an inclined surface, and the second surface 220 may be formed substantially perpendicular to the thermal fusion plate 212, forming a predetermined angle between the first surface 218 and the second surface 220.

The lead 244 may be formed to have a shape fitting the first surface 218 and the second surface 220.

As the first surface 218 and the second surface 220 of the vacuum sucking part 214 come in tight contact with the lead 244, double blocking can be achieved on influx of external air through the vacuum sucking part 214.

A coupling ring attachment groove 222 is formed along an outer circumference of a lower end of the vacuum sucking part 214, allowing a coupling ring 242 of the sealing member 240 a secure coupling. Thus, the body 210 and the sealing member 240 may be separately produced and then assembled, leading to enhanced productability.

The packing 230 may include a tight seal plate 232, a jaw 236, and a connecting body 234.

The tight seal plate 232 may be shaped substantially as a circular disc covering an upper part of the air exhaustion hole 216, e.g., an outer surface of the first sheet 110.

The tight seal plate 232 may be sized or dimensioned to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second surface 220 of the vacuum sucking part 214 to fully cover the air exhaustion hole 216 and to be lifted up to open the air exhaustion hole 216 when pulling out the internal air from the zipper bag 100.

The jaw 236 may be stuck to a lower part of the air exhaustion hole 216, e.g., an inner surface of the first sheet 110, to firmly hold the packing 230, preventing the packing 230 from escaping off the air exhaustion hole 216 upon exhausting the internal air to the outside.

The jaw 236 may also open part of the air exhaustion hole 216, e.g., the tip of the four line holes constituting the air exhaustion hole 216, allowing for smooth air exhaustion from the zipper bag.

The jaw 236 may be sized or dimensioned to allow the end tip of the four line holes of the air exhaustion hole 216 to be opened while preventing the packing 230 from escaping out of the air exhaustion hole 216.

The jaw 236 may be sized or dimensioned so that its surface abutting a lower part of the air exhaustion hole 216 is larger in area than another surface facing an inner surface of the second sheet 120 to prevent the escape from the air exhaustion hole 216, and thus, the jaw 236 may be shaped substantially as a cone or truncated cone as illustrated in FIG. 12.

The connecting body 234 may be inserted through the air exhaustion hole 216 to connect the tight seal plate 232 with the jaw 236.

The sealing member 240 may include a coupling ring 242, a lead 244, and a connecting band 248 as illustrated in FIG. 12.

The coupling ring 242 may fit over the outer circumference of the vacuum sucking part 214. The coupling ring 242 may function to couple the sealing member 240 to the body 210 and tight-sealingly cover the thermal fusion plate 212 and the thermally fused portion of the first sheet 110, protecting the thermally fused portion.

The coupling ring 242 may be surface-treated by, e.g., sandblasting to allow for the user's easier grasp and enables the sealing member 240 to be separated from the body 210 to provide easier cleaning of, e.g., the vacuum sucking part 214.

The lead 244 may be fitted onto the inner circumferential surface of the vacuum sucking part 214. The lead 244 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the first surface 218 and the second surface of the vacuum sucking part 214, which may subject the vacuum sucking part 214 to dual-sealing.

A know 246 is projected from a side of the lead 244, allow the user easier opening of the lead 244. Although not shown in the drawings, an upper surface of the lead 244 may also be surface-treated by, e.g., sandblasting, to prevent a slip.

The connecting band 248 connects the coupling ring 242 with a cap, preventing loss of the cap. The connecting band 248 may be formed of a highly elastic polymer material to provide easy access to the vacuum sucking part 214 when the lead 244 is opened.

A method for storing food using the zipper bag 100 is described below, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The zipper of the first sheet 110 and the second sheet 120 is opened, thus opening the inlet of the zipper bag. A food desired to be stored is placed in the zipper bag 100 through the inlet, and the zipper is closed and sealed.

Then, the lead 244 is opened, and the first sheet 110 and the second sheet 120 are compressed by hands to exhaust the internal air through the air exhaustion valve 200.

The air exhaustion may also be performed using a separate vacuum sucking machine.

When the air is discharged from the zipper bag 100 to the outside through the air exhaustion valve 200, the anti-stick part 224 provided at a lower part of the body 210 prevents the second sheet 120 underneath the body 210 from sticking to the air exhaustion hole 216 and tiny foods, e.g., beans, from clogging the air exhaustion hole 216.

Upon pulling out the air inside the zipper bag 100, the tight seal plate 232 of the packing 230 is ascended in the direction of the air exhaustion, resulting in the air exhaustion hole being partially opened. Thus, the internal air may be discharged to the outside along the edges of the line holes constituting the air exhaustion hole 216.

Since the pressure is rendered to be higher in the outside of the zipper bag 100 than in the inside of the zipper bag 100 after most of the internal air has been discharged to the outside, the tight sealing plate 232 of the packing 230 is pulled back towards the inside of the zipper bag 100, cutting off the influx of air into the inside of the zipper bag 100 through the air exhaustion valve 200.

In this position, the user may close the lead 244, reinforcing the blocking of the air influx through the vacuum sucking part 214.

Although the air exhaustion valve 200 is substantially circular in shape in the above example, the air exhaustion valve 200 may also be formed in other various shapes, e.g., a triangle, rectangle or other polygonal shapes, without limited thereto.

For illustrative purposes, the air exhaustion valve 200 has been shown and described to be positioned at an upper and right side of the first sheet 110 in the example set forth above, but embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to such mere example; it may also be formed in other various positions, e.g., an upper and left, center, lower and right or left, or wherever of the first sheet or the second sheet.

The description above deals with an example where the air exhaustion valve 200 is formed in a surface of the first sheet 110 for description purposes. Without limited to such, however, air exhaustion valves 200 may also be provided in the first sheet 110 and the second sheet 120, respectively.

The above-described configuration of the air exhaustion valve 200 including the body 210, the packing 230, and the sealing member 240 may also be replaced with an alternative configuration in which the internal air is pulled out of the zipper bag 100 upon the user's pressing in the jaw, and releasing the pressure stops the air flow between inside and outside of the zipper bag 100.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a storage bag 10 or 100 comprises a bag body including a first sheet 12 or 110 and a second sheet 14 or 120 attached to the first sheet 12 or 110 to have an internal empty space, lips formed along an upper edge of the bag body, a fastener 16 formed in the lips to open or close the internal empty space, and an air exhaustion means opening or closing an opening 20 formed in at least one of the first sheet 12 or 110 or the second sheet 14 or 120.

The air exhaustion means includes a first engaging part 22 formed around the opening and a cap 30 including a second engaging part 32 to open or close the opening 20, and wherein the first engaging pan 22 and the second engaging part 32 fit together to close the opening.

The air exhaustion means includes a first coupling member 240 and 244 and a second coupling member 210 with the opening 20 disposed therebetween, and wherein the first coupling member 240 and 244 includes a cap 244 configured to detachably couple with the second coupling member 210 to close the opening 20.

As set forth above, the air inside the zipper bag 100 may be exhausted through the air exhaustion valve 200 in a simplified fashion, with a food in the zipper bag 100 sealed up from the outside. Therefore, the food in the zipper bag 100 may be left in a vacuum, or almost vacuum, condition, and may thus remain fresh for a long time.

While the inventive concept has been shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive concept as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A zipper bag, comprising:

a first sheet and a second sheet attached at lower ends and two opposite side ends thereof, with an inlet formed at upper ends of the first sheet and the second sheet;

zipper sheets respectively attached onto inner surfaces of the upper ends of the first sheet and the second sheet; and

zippers respectively attached onto the zipper sheets to be fastened or unfastened, wherein an air exhausting means is formed in a surface of at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet to exhaust air from an inside of the zipper bag between the first sheet and the second sheet to an outside with the inside of the zipper bag sealed up.

2. The zipper bag of claim 1, wherein the air exhaustion hole means includes:

an air exhaustion hole formed in at least one sheet of the first sheet and the second sheet;

a first sheet zipper formed around the air exhaustion hole on an inner surface of the at least one sheet;

a second sheet zipper formed on an inner surface of the opposite sheet of the at least one sheet.

3. The zipper bag of claim 1, wherein the air exhausting means includes:

an air exhaustion hole formed in a surface of at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet;

a first zipper projecting from the surface around the air exhaustion hole; and

an air lock sheet including a second zipper that may be fastened onto or unfastened from the first zipper on an internal circumferential surface of the air lock sheet.

4. The zipper bag of claim 1, wherein the air exhausting means is formed at an upper and right or left portion of the surface of at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet.

5. The zipper bag of claim 3, wherein the first zipper and the second zipper are formed in two or more rows with a predetermined interval therebetween.

6. The zipper bag of claim 1, wherein the air exhausting means is shaped as a circle or a polygon.

7. The zipper bag of claim 1, wherein the air exhausting means includes an air exhaustion valve, and wherein the air exhaustion valve includes:

a thermal fusion plate having an air exhaustion hole at a center thereof and attached onto a surface of at least one of the first sheet or the second sheet, an anti-stick part projecting from a surface of the thermal fusion plate to prevent the first sheet and the second sheet from sticking together upon air exhaustion, and a vacuum sucking part projecting to communicate with the air exhaustion hole on an opposite surface of the thermal fusion plate;

a packing inserted into the air exhaustion hole; and

a sealing member opening and closing the vacuum sucking part and including a coupling ring fitted over an outer circumferential surface of the vacuum sucking part to tightly contact the thermal fusion plate and a lower surface of a thermally fused portion of the first sheet, a lead inserted onto an inner circumferential surface of the vacuum sucking part, and a connecting band connecting the coupling ring with the lead.

8. The zipper bag of claim 7, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the vacuum sucking part includes a first surface whose inner diameter decreases to the air exhaustion hole and a second surface connected with the first surface and having a constant inner diameter.

9. The zipper bag of claim 7, wherein the packing includes:

a tight seal plate covering an upper portion of the air exhaustion hole;

a jaw fastened to a lower portion of the air exhaustion hole; and

a connecting body connecting the tight seal plate with the jaw and inserted into the air exhaustion hole.

10. A storage bag, comprising:

a bag body including a first sheet and a second sheet attached to the first sheet to have an internal empty space, lips formed along an upper edge of the bag body;

a fastener formed in the lips to open or close the internal empty space; and

an air exhaustion means opening or closing an opening formed in at least one of the first sheet or the second sheet.

11. The storage bag of claim 10, wherein the air exhaustion means includes a first engaging part formed around the opening and a cap including a second engaging part to open or close the opening, and wherein the first engaging part and the second engaging part fit together to close the opening.

12. The storage bag of claim 10, wherein the air exhaustion means includes a first coupling member and a second coupling member with the opening disposed therebetween, and wherein the first coupling member includes a cap configured to detachably couple with the second coupling member to close the opening.