This invention relates to vacuum containers and is specifically concerned with storage containers in which a vacuum is created for the purpose of preserving material contained in the container.

Such containers find particular application in the preservation of foodstuffs and maybe utilized either commercially to prolong the shelf life of the contents or domestically to prevent deterioration of a foodstuff which has already been exposed to atmosphere.

The invention provides a simple means by which a lid may first be placed on a storage container and then air may be evacuated from the inside of the container to create a vacuum therein. Having created such a vacuum within the container, the container may be stored and deterioration of matter within the container will be either prevented or very substantially retarded.

One example of a domestic use of the invention would be .the storage of home made preserves, σhutneys, etc. In this manner a preserve, for example, may be made at a time when the fruit base of the preserve is in season. The preserve may then be placed in a container and the container lid seated on the container to enclose a preserve. There¬ after, by means of the invention, air is evacuated from within the chamber and a vacuum is created therein. It will be appreciated that the life of the preserve will be increased by the creation and maintenance of this vacuum since deterioration of the product will be very sub¬ stantially retarded.

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As will be apparent from the following description the invention has many other domestic culinary uses. For example, the vacuum chamber of the invention may be utilized to store breads, cheeses and other products which are prone 5 to mildew.

Moreover, the uses of the invention are in no way limited to the preservation of foodstuffs. For example, suitable containers may be provided to contain photographic chemicals which are notorious for rapid deterioration when

10 exposed to the atmosphere. Additionally, vacuum containers constructed in accordance with the invention may be utilized to store paints, varnishes, etc. and other substances which tend to form a skin on the surface when subjected to the atmosphere.

15 The present invention provides a simple, robust and reliable vacuum container which is a substantial im¬ provement over all prior art known to the applicants. The best prior art known to the applicants is U.S. Patent 4,016,999 which issued to one of the applicants of this

20 application. That prior United States patent discloses a vacuum container in which two separate air passages extend through the lid. The first passage permits with¬ drawal of air from within the container to create a vacuum therein. The second passage is separate and remote from _{; .} 25 the first passage and is operable to exhaust the vacuum created. . The present invention provides a much more simple arrangement in which a single valve assembly is provided and a common air passage is used both for creating and exhausting a vacuum within the container.

30 According to the present invention there is provided a valve assembly for a vacuum container including a valve housing attachable to said container, said housing defining a valve chamber adapted to communicate with the interior of the container to provide both an inlet and an

35 outlet for air, first and second valve seats within said chamber, a valve member arranged selectively to seat on said first seat to seal the container interior form

ambient air and on said second seat to permit passage of ai to and from the container interior, and means for releasing said valve member form said first seat.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a vacuum container comprising a container body, a mating lid and a valve assembly, wherein the valve assembly is arranged selectively to control evacuation of air from within the container to create a vacuum therein and to exhaust said vacuum to permit opening of said container.

In order that the invention may be more clearly and readily understood, embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompany¬ ing drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a vacuum container constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectioned elevation through the container of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a still further enlarged section showing a detail of Figure 2 but with the component parts in a different position;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the components of the container of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing component parts of the container in a different position;

Figure 6 shows schematically one method of exhausting the vacuum container;

Figure 7 shows schematically another method of exhausting the container; and

Figure 8 shows an alternative container embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a container 10 having a lid 11 seated thereon. The container 10 takes the form of a metal canister and the lid 11 is of plastics material.

As most clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

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the container 10 has a beaded lip 12 extending peripherally around the open end thereof. The opposite end of the con¬ tainer is closed in conventional manner by a bottom formed integrally with the cylindrical walls. The lid 11 is sub- stantially disc shaped but has a peripheral rim 13 which defines a channel 14 dimensioned to engage over the lip 12 at the open end of the container 10,

The lid 11 has an integral spigot 15 located in the center thereof and a flexible wall portion 16 extending from the spigot 15 to the peripheral rim 13.

The wall portions 16 are flexible and, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, in the unstressed condition adopt a convex shape whereby the lid 11 is generally dome shaped. The spigot 15 is part of a valve assembly which will now be described in detail. The valve assembly com¬ prises a valve housing 17 which is seated on the spigot 15 and def nes a valve chamber 18. To this end the valve housing 17 comprises opppsitely directed sleeves defined by cylindrical wall portions. The cylindrical wall portion 19 is dimensioned securely to seat over the external surface of the spigot 15 and the wall portion 20 is adapted to receive a hose or conduit, not shown in Figure 2 but schematically illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, leading to a vacuum pump. A valve seat 21 is provided internally within the valve chamber 18 and, as shown in Figure 2, this se^t is preferably formed proximate the junction of the wall portions 19 and 20.

A valve is longitudinally displacεable within th _$ chamber 18 and comprises a valve member 22 and a valve releas pin 23 integral therewith.

The valve member shuttles between the valve seat 21 and a further valve seat 24 defined by the extremity of the spigot 15 and the valve pin 23 extends longitudinal¬ ly out of the valve housing 17 through the wall portion 20. Figures 2 and 3 show how the valve member 22 has a cross-sectional area which is less than that of the portion of the valve chamber 18 defined between the wall

portions 19. The cross-sectional area of the valve member 22 is, however, such that when the valve member is seated on the valve seat 24 the passage extending through the spigot 15 to the interior of the container 10 will be totally sealed.

The foregoing description describes how the valve seat 21 is located at the junction of the portions of the valve chamber 18 defined by the wall portions 19 and 20. The valve chamber portion 18a defined by the wall 19 has a larger cross-section than the valve chamber 18b which is defined by the wall 20. Although the valve member 22 is intended firmly to seat on the valve seat 21 between the valve chamber portions 18a_ and 18b_, it is important that air ς:an by-pass the valve .member 22 when seated on said seat 21. To this end, air passages are provided between the valve chamber portions 18a_ and 18b.

These air passages are most conveniently in the form illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 where notches 25 and 26 are shown cut into the valve seat 21. Preferably, four such notches are provided and are arranged at 90° intervals. Figures 2 and 3 show only two such notches. Alternatively, the valve chamber portion 18b might have a greater cross-section and fingers or like projections, not shown, might extend from the valve seat 21 into the chamber portion 18b to abut the valve member 22, In a still further and preferred embodiment, spaced ribs pro¬ ject downwardly from the valve ?eat 21 to hold the valve member 22 spaced from the seat 21.

In any event, when the valve member 22 seats on the valve seat 21 air is free to pass from the valve chamber portion 18a to the valve chamber portion 18b and vice versa.

Having described the construction and configuratio of the valve assembly, the operation of the container of the invention will now be explained. In explaining the operatio it will e assumed that it is desired to prevent ground coffee beans from losing their flavor.

The ground coffee beans to be preserved are placed

SUBSTITU

in the container 10 and the lid 11 is seated on the con¬ tainer open end with the channel 14 of the lid seating over the beaded lip 12 of the container 10. At this time the valve assembly adopts the position illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

One end of the flexible hose 27 is then seated over the wall portion 20 of the valve housing 17, The other end of the flexible hose is connected to a pump 28, Figure 6 of the drawings shows a pump 28 in the form of a conventional water pump which has its inlet connected to a faucet in such manner that when the faucet is turned on water running through the pump 18 will draw air through the hose 27. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7, a hand pump 28' may be utilized, said hand pump having a hose 27' hich is similarly engaged over the wall portion 20. Other conventional forms of pump may be utilized providing the pump is operable tq_ draw air from within the container 10 through the valve housing 17 and the hose 27. This withdrawal of air will create a vacuum in the container 10. All the time that air is being withdrawn through the hose 27, the valve member 22 will seat on the valve seat 21 permitting air freely to be withdrawn from the container 10, through the valve chamber portion 18a, around the valve member 22 by means of the notches 25, 26, through the valve chamber portion 18b and through the hose 27 to the pump. The instant that the pumping force is interrupted, the negative pressure created within the chamber 10 will dratf the valve member 22 downwardly firmly to seat on the valve seat 24 and the partial vacuum within the chamber 10 will retain the valve member in..this position. It will be understood that where the pump is of the type, such as the water pump 28 shown in Figure 6, in which a continuous evacuating force is created, the valve member 22 will remain seated on the valve seat 21 until the withdrawing force is interrupted. On the other hand, where an intermittent pumping action is created, such as by the hand pump 28' shown in Figure 7, the valve member 22 will shuttle between

TE SHEET

the valve seats 24 and 21 in accordance with the ^" intermitten pumping action created.

Whatever type of convenient pump is utilized, the pumping action will continue and air will be withdrawn from the container 10 until the desired vacuum is created within the chamber 10, At that point the pumping action will be discontinued and the valve member 22 will descend firmly to seat on the valve seat 24 thereby sealing and containing the vacuum. Thereupon, the hose 27, 27' will be disconnected from the wall portion 20 and the evacuated container and contents may be removed to a storage location.

The vacuum created within the container 10 serves not only to prevent deterioration of material within the container but also very firmly to.retain the lid 11 on the container. When it is desired to open the container, it is necessary first to exhaust this vacuum. For this purpose the valve member 22 is provided with the release pin 23. To release the vacuum from within the container 10, it is necessary only to grasp the release pin 23 and raise that pin ^' a sufficient amount tp remove the valve member 22 from the valve seat 24, Atmospheric air will then rapidly by¬ pass the valve member 22 and enter the chamber 10 which will no longer be pressurized. When the pressure within the chamber 10 is equal to the ambient atmospheric pressure, the lid 11 may be simply lifted off to provide access to the contents within the container.

In the foregoing description, the lid 11 is described as having flexible wall portions 16, which, in the unstressed condition, provide a domed closure when seated on the container lid 12. The flexibility of these wall portions is important since it permits an indication of when the desired degree of vacuum has been created in the closed container 10 and the pumping action should be discontinued. When this desired vacuum has been attained, the lid 11 will "pop" from the domed configuration shown in Figure 2 to the dished configuration shown in Figure 5. This "popping" provides both a visual and audible signal

_UBS TITUTE SHEET

to the operator to discontinue the vacuum pumping force.

Figure 8 of the drawings shows an embodiment in which the container is a bread bin having a base 29 and a lid 30 in the form of a relatively rigid dome. The dome has a crown portion which may be flexed relative to the remainder of the dome walls. To this end score lines 35 extend around the dome walls to encompass a crown 36 which may "pop" inwardly when the desired degree of vacuum has been created in the dome interior. This "popping" is made possible by the score lines 35 which act as a hinge to permit limited inward movement of the crown 36. It will be appreciated that instead of score lines, any other flexible medium may be utilized to permit displacement of a. portion of the dome .under vacuum. A peripheral rib 31 upstands around the base 29 and seats within a cooperating recess 32 in the periphery of the lid 30. A valve housing 33 substantially identical to the valve housing 17 is located in the crest of the dome and communicates with the interior thereof through a passage 34. In operation, a loaf of bread, for example, is placed on the base 29 and the dome lid 30 is seated on the base 29 with the rib 31 engaged in the recess 32, There¬ upon, a flexible hose is attached, at one end, to the valve housing 33 and, at the other end, to an exhaust pump. Air is then exhausted from within the space defined by the base 29 and lid 30 in the manner described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings. When the desired vacuum has been achieved, this will be indicated by displacement of the crown and pumping is discontinued and the flexible hose is disconnected. Until such time as the valve release is activated, the vacuum created within the space defined by the base and lid will prevent mildew or other deterioration of the loaf.

Whilst the foregoing description has described preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that modifications may be made thereto within the scope of the accompanying claims. For example, whilst

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only two convenient types of exhaust pumps have been described, it will be appreciated that any convenient conventional pumping means may be utilized, Thus, for example, a small electric pump might be utilized, Additionally, if a large number of containers are simul- taneously to be sealed, a "cascade" pumping system might be adopted in which a plurality of containers are connected, in series and/or in parallel to a common pump.

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