Vacuum bag

Abstract

A vacuum bag includes a base; a peripheral wall formed on an edge of the base and including an opening and a plurality of sides; and a vacuum device disposed on one of the sides of the peripheral wall and including a first non-stick member on an inner surface of one of the sides of the peripheral wall, and at least one second non-stick member each disposed on an inner surface of one of the remaining sides of the peripheral wall.

Claims

1. A vacuum bag comprising: a base; a peripheral wall formed on an edge of the base and including an opening and a plurality of sides; and a vacuum device disposed on one of the sides of the peripheral wall and including a first non-stick member on an inner surface of one of the sides of the peripheral wall, and at least one second non-stick member each disposed on an inner surface of one of the remaining sides of the peripheral wall.

2. The vacuum bag of claim 1, wherein the first non-stick member includes a plurality of projections equally spaced apart and a plurality of grooves equally spaced apart along the virtual circle, and wherein each of the grooves is disposed between two adjacent ones of the projections.

3. The vacuum bag of claim 2, wherein the projections are elongated, the grooves are elongated, and the projections and the grooves are disposed on an inner surface of the vacuum device.

4. The vacuum bag of claim 3, wherein the second non-stick member is a sheet of sandpaper formed on at least one of the sides of the peripheral wall.

5. The vacuum bag of claim 1, further comprising a closing device on the opening for closing the opening prior to a vacuum operation.

6. The vacuum bag of claim 5, wherein the closing device is elongated and alternated.

7. The vacuum bag of claim 6, wherein the vacuum device is a vacuum valve.

8. The vacuum bag of claim 7, further comprising an elongated, releasable fixing member disposed across the opening.

9. The vacuum bag of claim 7, further comprising two opposite rings disposed on the opening.

10. The vacuum bag of claim 1, wherein the vacuum device includes a vent hole and a plurality of numerals around the vent hole, further comprising a suspending plug configured to insert in the vent hole and including a pointer configured to point at one of the numerals when the plug is inserted in the vent hole.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum bag according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the vacuum bag;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a vacuum bag according to a second embodiment of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the vacuum bag of FIG. 3; and

[0023] FIG. 5 is still another perspective view of the vacuum bag of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a vacuum bag in accordance with the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below.

[0025] A base 100 is provided. A peripheral wall 200 is formed on an edge of the base 100. A vacuum device 300 is provided on the wall 200. The wall 200 includes an opening 210 and a plurality of sides 220. The vacuum device 300 is disposed on an upper portion of one side 220. The vacuum device 300 includes a first non-stick member 410 on an inner surface of one side 220. A second non-stick member 221 is provided on an inner surface of one of the remaining sides 220. The first non-stick member 410 is provided on an inner surface of the vacuum device 300. This arrangement prevents the sides 220 from being stuck together in an air drawing operation. Thus, the vacuuming operation of drawing air out of the vacuum bag i is made possible.

[0026] In an embodiment, the first non-stick member 410 includes a plurality of projections 411 equally spaced apart along a virtual circle and a plurality of grooves 412 equally spaced apart along the virtual circle in which each groove 412 is disposed between two adjacent projections 411. The projections 411 serve as a means for separating one side 220 from contacting any of the remaining three sides 220 when the vacuuming operation is performed.

[0027] The projections 411 are elongated and the grooves 412 are also elongated. The projections 411 and the grooves 412 are provided on an inner surface of the vacuum device 300.

[0028] Preferably, the second non-stick member 221 is implemented as a sheet of sandpaper. Alternatively, the second non-stick member 221 is implemented a plurality of protrusions. Preferably, one or two sides 220 each are formed with the second non-stick member 221. More preferably, all sides 220 each are provided with the second non-stick member 221. Still more preferably, three sides 220 each are provided with the second non-stick member 221 and only one side 220 is smooth. One side 220 corresponds with the inner surface of the vacuum device 300.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 5, a smooth disc shaped member 2211 is provided on inner surface of one side 220 with the vacuum device 300 provided on an outer surface of one side 220 so that the smooth disc shaped member 2211 may stay attached to the inner surface of the vacuum device 300 when their corresponding sides 220 contact. This prevents air from flowing back.

[0030] It is known that the sides 220 are prone to stick together in the vacuum operation, thereby compromising the vacuum operation, thereby compromising the vacuum operation. Thus, it is preferred to have inner surfaces of two sides 220 each provided with the second non-stick member 221 implemented as a sheet of sandpaper or have the inner surface of one side 220 provided with the second non-stick member 221 implemented as a sheet of sandpaper and the inner surface of the other side 220 being smooth. This arrangement prevents the sides 220 from sticking together in the vacuum operation, thereby facilitating the vacuum operation.

[0031] There is further provided a closing device 500 on inside of the mouth of the opening 210 for closing the opening 210 prior to the vacuum operation.

[0032] Preferably, the closing device 500 projects out of the sides 220, is elongated, and is alternated.

[0033] Preferably, the vacuum device 300 is a vacuum valve which is a one-way valve for drawing air out of the vacuum bag.

[0034] There are further provided a rope 321 and a plug 320 at an end of the rope 321. The vacuum device 300 includes a vent hole 310 for drawing air out of the vacuum bag through the vent hole 210. After a vacuum has been created in the vacuum bag, a person may insert the plug 320 in the vent hole 310 to close the vent hole 310, thereby keeping the vacuum. Thereafter, the person may pull the rope 321 prior to storing the vacuum bag in a refrigerator.

[0035] Seven indicators 301 include numerals 1 (representing Monday), 2 (representing Tuesday), 3 (representing Wednesday), 4 (representing Thursday), 5 (representing Friday), 6 (representing Saturday) and 7 (representing Sunday) are provided circularly around the vent hole 310. The plug 320 has a pointer 3200 pointing at one of the seven indicators 301 when the plug 320 is inserted in the vent hole 310. This can remind a person when the plug 320 was inserted in the vent hole 310 and thus the person is aware of the life of stored food.

[0036] In use, a person first puts the food in the bag, then closes the bag, and then activates a vacuum pump to draw air out of the bag through the vacuum valve. Thus, the food is stored in a vacuum environment in the size decreased bag.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, a releasable fixing member 610 is further provided across the mouth of the opening 210 for keeping shape of the open bag prior to closing the bag.

[0038] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, two opposite rings 620 are provided on the mouth of the opening 210.

[0039] The invention has the following advantageous effects in comparison with the prior art: The vacuum device 300 is provided on the wall 200 and is capable of drawing air out of the bag. The non-stick member is provided on the inner surface of the wall 200. This arrangement prevents the sides of the wall 200 from being stuck together in an air drawing operation. Thus, the vacuuming operation of drawing air out of the vacuum bag is made possible.

[0040] While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.