Field of Invention

This invention refers to improvements made to an organizing support for a set of modular recipients with a vacuum- maintenance device applied to refrigerators in general, more specifically such organizing support is portable and specially used for support and conditioning of one or more covered recipients with valves, subject to receiving the vacuum application by a manual bomb. History of the Invention

As it is well known, in order to store food in refrigerators, safely, so to maintain its protein and vitamin properties, for longer, a series of measures are needed as, food conditioning in covered recipients, due temperature control, separation of each kind of food, hygienic handling, etc.

It is also known that food conditioning in general, be it raw or cooked, in the package with the vacuum-modified atmosphere, is a technologic procedure that preserves referred food and that, essentially, consists on the exposure of food to the absence of air, controlling the development of microorganisms, enzyme action and oxidation, main mechanisms of food deterioration . The vacuum package does not modify the flavor of the products, conserving them longer with their original characteristics original, or else, it improves the life span of the latter.

Presently, there are in the market a dozen of packages that enable a vacuum interior part. They are usually presented as plastic bags or wrappings with due closing means, "zip" kind or another, and possess means for air extraction, for example, special valves or nozzles, from where it is possible to extract the oxygen by vacuum bombs. In these vacuum packages, bags or wrappings, the plastic must remain well close to the food, if not the package is not well sealed . To wrap the vacuum, as such a vacuum bomb is needed. It may be a large or medium sized machine, used in refrigerators, supermarkets and other establishments, or as an electric device with smaller proportions, quite used in residences and small establishments and even a manual bomb. All such equipments must supply the vacuum and enable the package to possess sealing means.

The conventional vacuum closing packages, if compared to the traditional packages, are slightly more costly, but, if their benefits are considered to the most variable products, as, meat, fish, sausages, vegetables, ham, beef jerky, fresh pasta, among others, the real gain can be verified, particularly if these packages are cooled, or refreshed.

In spite of the efficiency of such plastic bag or wrapping packages, their substantial inconvenience is verified, for the vacuum production makes such bags/wrappings to adjust to the wrapping products, which makes it more difficult to pile the various different food vacuum wrappings. This refrains the possibility of the refrigerator shelves having a minimum organization .

Other vacuum packages models are the known plastic covered recipients with valves (or not), that enable the partial vacuum obtainance by hand pressure of user upon the cover, in order to remove part of the oxygen from the recipient. Although such packages have some benefit with regards to the others that do not enable the vacuum possibility, there is some improvement with regards to the possibility of piling and organization in the refrigerator shelves. These recipients, nevertheless, are not as efficient as vacuum packages of the plastic bags wrappings kind. Analysis of the State of the Arts

A brief research in the national and international data basis enabled the knowledge of some recipient models that present vacuum applied refrigerator recipients, as document # . PI 9706754-7 and the document # 3732105 that deal with recipients whose covers, have devices or valves that enable the attachment of a vacuum bomb for oxygen removal .

Although the referred covered recipients with valves allow the extended conservation of conditioned food, referred recipients are conditioned in the refrigerator and piled on the shelves randomly making a space and visual organization for the food supply impossible.

Other documents were found, #. WO 2006097801, # FR 2780146, # WO 2004036129, # WO 0171263 and document # EP 0545246, which, in general, present refrigerator models that have an internal area specially developed and equipped with devices that enable vacuum-recipients, also specially developed so to, through terminals or similar manners, connect to the vacuum enabling device; this device consists of a tube, automatic switches and valves, composing the complex vacuum system incorporated to the refrigerator, resulting in a considerable additional cost to the refrigerator final price.

Besides the "cost" factor, these refrigerator models with incorporated vacuum system, whose food storage recipients are specific for such device, make it impossible to use their vacuum if taken to other refrigerators that lack such vacuum system .

Also during such research, documents # EP 0405680 and # EP 0440296 were found that present refrigerators with internal compartments developed for the attachment of loose recipients that, on their turn, are connected in a vacuum production system of such refrigerator.

The main inconvenience of the referred models lies on the fact that the vacuum system solely works when the recipients are attached to the respective compartments, restricting the application of vacuum system in the external part of the refrigerator. Brief description of the Invention

After due analysis of the state of the arts, the present invention has as purpose disposing of the organizing support of vacuum-maintenance applied to refrigerators in general where, more specifically, such organizing support is portable and specially used for the support and conditioning of one or more covered recipients with valves, subject to receiving the vacuum application by a small manual bomb that is part of the set.

The organizing support comprehends an individual and portable structure that has means for the conditioning and/or removal of one or more modular recipients; such organizing support has lateral borders that may be supported or affixed to a refrigerator shelf, as so to keep itself suspended . Such organizing support also has a space, as an outstretching pin or another form that enables the assemblage of the separate vacuum device, preferably configured as a manual vacuum bomb.

The mentioned set of modular recipients may be large, or else, with a depth equivalent to the depth of the support and at least two smaller recipients in a way that, when place side to side, the sum of depth areas achieves the maximum dimension of the cover of the large recipient, making it possible for the smaller recipients to be piled over the larger recipient, so to maintain due organization . The covers of the large and smaller recipients have valves for vacuum application, and, as so, are sized in a way that enables to attachment of the vacuum device.

One of the great advantages of the innovated organizing support resides in the fact that it comprehends means to enable the conditioning and organization of a set of modular covered recipients with valves for vacuum application, support that is installed in one of the shelves of the refrigeration chamber of the refrigerator.

Another advantage resides in the fact that the organizing support and set of modular recipients with a vacuum- maintenance device are portable, and any part of the set may be transferred to other refrigerators.

Another advantage consists in the simple configuration of the modular organizing support and recipients so to enable individual and appropriate cleaning of each piece.

Another advantage consists in the modularity of the recipients facilitating the organization and space visualization of food storage, also making the expiration date and amount control easier.

Detailed description of drawings

To accompany the present description so to grant a better comprehension of the characteristics of the present invention, and according to preferential practical realization of the latter, the description, is accompanied with the set of designs, as schedules, where in an exemplified manner, although not limiting, the following is represented :

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the exploded organizing support, set of modular recipients and vacuum- maintenance device in one of its preferential constructive forms; Figure 2 revels a perspective assembled view of the set of modular recipients and maintenance device of the organizing support;

Figure 3 represents a cross-sectional view indicated in the previous figure, illustrating two enhanced details of the sealing and piling constructions;

Figure 4 shows a superior scheme view of the assembling of the organizing support, set of modular recipients and vacuum-maintenance device in a conventional refrigerator shelf; and

Figure 5 illustrates a frontal view of the illustration represented in Figure 4.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring to the indicated drawings, the present invention refers to "IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO AN ORGANIZING SUPPORT AND SET OF MODULAR RECIPIENTS WITH A VACUUM- MAINTENANCE DEVICE APPLIED TO REFRIGERATORS IN GENERAL", more precisely a support (1), installed in the refrigeration chamber (CR) of refrigerators (RF), this support being able to condition one or more recipients (R) so to apply vacuum in its interior by vacuum devices (DV).

According to the present invention, the organizing support (1) comprehends an individual and portable structure (2), subject to be installed in suspension in a interspace (V) pre-fabricated between the hoops (AR) of the shelf (P) of a refrigerator (RF) by means of thickened longitudinal lateral borders (2a); such structure (2) being configured through a frontal opening (AC) for the conditioning and/or retreat of one or more modular recipients (3) with covers (4) which are provided with anti-return valves (5); the covered recipients may be piled among themselves inside the structure, composing the organizing support ( 1) ; the structure (2) encompasses one member (6), as an outstretching pin or another form fit to anchor the separate vacuum device (DV), preferably configured by a manual vacuum bomb (7) .

In a preferential constructive option, without limitation intent, receptacle (2) has a transversal "U" section, with a flat basis (2b), from where lateral parallel walls (2c) and rear walls develop (2d), united to the basis (2b) by bowled edges; each one of the frontal edges of the lateral walls (2c) has a retreat (2e) with regards to such basis (2b) in a way to configure an outstretching tab (2f) in such basis that, together with the frontal opening (AC) and the superior space (VS), constitute the access for the conditioning and/or the retreat of the modular recipients (3); the internal wall surface (2c), when in accordance with the basis (2b) may present one or more vertical nerves outstanding (2h), that act as an structural reinforcement.

The superior edges (2a) of the mentioned lateral walls (2c) are shaped by thick collars, preferentially in an inverted "U" section, having a slightly angular internal surface of the external wall (2g) in a way to allow the accommodation of longitudinal ring (AL) making space (V) for conventional shelf fitting (P) for refrigerators in general(RF).

The extreme frontal superior portion for at least one of the lateral walls (2c) presents one outstanding member (6), laminar, whose external flat surface develops a four-angular projection (6a) configuring one bolt.

A Set of modular recipients (R), in a preferential constructive option, adjusted to the support (2) described above, is composed by one recipient (3a), preferentially of transparent or translucent glass, with depth (x) equivalent to the length of the basis (2b) of the structure (2) and at least two smaller recipients (3b), than the recipient (3a), measured in a manner that the sum of depth (y) of its areas achieves a maximum (χ') relative to the cover (4) of the major recipient (3a); enabling the smaller recipients (3b) to be piled in the major recipient (3a), maintaining the space organization among the latter.

The sum of heights (h) of each recipient (3a)/(3b) with its respective covers (4) corresponds to the height (hi) of the lateral walls (2c) and rear wall (2d).

The superior free borders (3c) of each recipient (3), when with due covers (4), are isolated by a mounting (8) (details of Figure 3) preferably in rubber, which, in a preferential constructive option, has a section in an inverted and mirrored "L", whose internal surface of the vertical wall (8a) has one or more lips (8b) that assist in the sealing of the external edge surface (3c), while both the outside vertical wall (8a) and the flat wall outside surface (8c) have rectangular outstretching projections (8d) that anchor close to the edge (4a) in an inverted "U" cover (4).

Each cover (4), close to the edges (4a), has a soft descending chamber (4b) in direction to the flat surface (4c); that limits the contour in recess of such cover (4), imagined for the support of round corners (3d) of the recipients (3).

Each cover (4) has an anti-regressing valve is applied (5), (best viewed in Figure 2), preferably composed by a small central tower (5a), whose internal wall has an angular plan (5b); this central tower (5a) is framed by a peripheral fillister (5c), applied to the surface (4c) of the cover (4).

In the peripheral fillister (5c) it is possible to assent extreme inferior of the (7a) vacuum bomb (7), in which extreme is mounted a voiding ring retention (7b), the area of which is identical to the one of the mentioned fillister (5c) ; the body (7a) is tubular and allows the internal movement of one plumber (7c) that has, in one extreme, a suction device (7d), and in the other extreme opposite, a knob (7e) with a hole (7f) is measured according to the bolt (6a) of the member (6) .

The structure (2) is, preferably, manufactured in a thermoplastic material, in an entire folded plate, but may be made by any other wire, screen or other similar one piece materials or not.

When the present invention is put in practice, some changes may be included with regards to certain construction and format details, without implying in increasing the distance to the fundamental Principles that are clearly substantiated in the claims, being it understood that the terminology employed did not have the purpose of not limiting.