VACUUM-SEALED CONTAINER

Abstract

The invention relates to a vacuum-sealed container comprising: a container body (10); a container cover (20) having hinge portions (22); a handle (30) comprising a pair of rotating cylinders (31) having first ends rotatably coupled to respective hinge portions (22) of the container cover (20) and having channels (34, 35) to communicate with the container body (10), a pair of elevating bars (36) coupled to second ends of respective rotating cylinders (31) to be able to move upward/downward, and a connecting bar (37) for connecting the elevating bars (36), a ventilation channel (38) formed in at least one rotating cylinder (31) or in the elevating bar (36); a first check valve (40) that opens/closes first ends of the channels (34, 35) of the handle (30) as the elevating bars (36) of the handle (30) move upward/downward; and a second check valve (50) that opens/closes the ventilation channel (38).

Claims

1. A vacuumed-sealed container comprising: a container body 10 in which foods are contained; a container cover 20 which is attached to/detached from the upper surface of the container body 10, and which has a pair of hinge portions 22 formed on the upper surface of thereof and spaced from each other; a handle 30 comprising a pair of rotating cylinders 31 having first ends rotatably coupled to respective hinge portions 22 of the container cover 10 and having channels 34,34 formed therein so as to communicate with the container body 10, a pair of elevating bars 36 coupled to second ends of respective rotating cylinders 31 to be able to move upward/downward, and a connecting bar 37 connecting the elevating bars 36, a ventilation channel 38 being formed in at least one rotating cylinder 31 or in the elevating bar 36 such that the channels 34,35 communicate with the outside; a first check valve 40 that opens/closes first ends of the channels 34,35 of the handles 30 as the elevating bars 36 of the handle move upward/downward; and a second check valve 50 that opens/closes the ventilation channel 38 as the elevating bars 36 of the handle 30 moves upwards/downward.

2. A vacuum-sealed container of claim 1 wherein; an intake hole 24 is formed on the container cover 20, and an intake valve 60 is provided on the intake hole 24 to inflow outer air into the sealed inner space of the container body 10.

3. A vacuumed-sealed container of claim 1 wherein; a upper disc 36a and a lower disc 36b spaced from the upper disc 36a are formed on the lower end of the elevating bar 36, and the ventilation channel 38 is formed on the surface of the elevating bar 36, the upper end of the ventilation channel 38 extending through the upper disc 36a and the lower end of the ventilation channel 38 extending to stop above of the lower disc 36b, the second check valve 50 is formed of ring shape to be inserted between the upper disc 36a and the lower disc 36b, and the thickness t of the second check valve 50 is thinner than the distance d between the upper and lower disc 36a, 36b as well as the distance d1 between the lower end of the upper disc 36a and the lower end of the ventilation channel 38, so that if the elevating bar 36 moves downward, the second check valve 50 contacts the upper disc 36a and the ventilation channel 38 is opened, and if the elevating bar 36 moves upward, the second check valve 50 contacts the lower disc 36b and the ventilation channel 38 is closed.

4. A vacuumed-sealed container of claim 1 wherein; a recess 21 is formed on the upper surface of the container cover 20, and the hinge portions 22 being disposed on the opposed walls of the recess 21, the rotating cylinders 31of the handle 30 is formed of L shape, and first ends of the rotating cylinders 31 is coupled to the hinge portions 22 rotatably, and second ends of the rotating cylinders 31 is coupled to the elevating bar 36 of the handle 36 movably upward/downward, and the handle 30 can be rotated to be inserted in the recess 21.

5. A vacuumed-sealed container of claim 2 wherein; a upper disc 36a and a lower disc 36b spaced from the upper disc 36a are formed on the lower end of the elevating bar 36, and the ventilation channel 38 is formed on the surface of the elevating bar 36, the upper end of the ventilation channel 38 extending through the upper disc 36a and the lower end of the ventilation channel 38 extending to stop above of the lower disc 36b, the second check valve 50 is formed of ring shape to be inserted between the upper disc 36a and the lower disc 36b, and the thickness t of the second check valve 50 is thinner than the distance d between the upper and lower disc 36a, 36b as well as the distance d1 between the lower end of the upper disc 36a and the lower end of the ventilation channel 38, so that if the elevating bar 36 moves downward, the second check valve 50 contacts the upper disc 36a and the ventilation channel 38 is opened, and if the elevating bar 36 moves upward, the second check valve 50 contacts the lower disc 36b and the ventilation channel 38 is closed.

6. A vacuumed-sealed container of claim 2 wherein; a recess 21 is formed on the upper surface of the container cover 20, and the hinge portions 22 being disposed on the opposed walls of the recess 21, the rotating cylinders 31 of the handle 30 is formed of L shape, and first ends of the rotating cylinders 31 is coupled to the hinge portions 22 rotatably, and second ends of the rotating cylinders 31 is coupled to the elevating bar 36 of the handle 36 movably upward/downward, and the handle 30 can be rotated to be inserted in the recess 21.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective of the first embodiment of the invention.

[0017] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are partially enlarged view showing pumping operation of the first embodiment of the invention.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective of the second embodiment of the invention.

[0019] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the above embodiment of the invention.

[0020] FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are view showing pumping operation of the second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 show various embodiment of the invention.

[0022] Referring FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the vacuum-sealed container according to the first embodiment of the invention comprises a container body 10, a container cover 20 detachably attached on the upper surface of the container body 10, a handle 20 rotatably coupled to the container cover 20 and having channels 34,35 communicating with the container body 10, and first and second check valves 40,50 to open/close the channel 34,35, and an intake valve 60 on the container cover 20.

[0023] The container body 10 is formed as a case with an opening on the upper part of it and has locking projections 11 to detachably clamp the container cover 20. The container cover 20 can be engaged on the upper of the container body 10 and has a recess 21 on the upper surface of it to accommodate the handle 30 and an intake hole 24 in which the intake valve 60 is plugged. As shown in FIG. 2, hinge portions 22 are respectively formed on the opposed walls of the recess 21, into which the handle 30 is coupled rotatably. The hinge portions 22 may be formed of a projection or an engaging hole, but in FIG. 2, the exemplary hinge portion 22 is formed of a recess having a hole 23 on the bottom of it. On the periphery of the container cover 20 are provided flaps 25 having locking holes 26 which can be engaged with the locking projections 11 of the container body 10. And on the upper end of the container body 10 is provided a packing rubber to contact the container cover 20 airtightly when the container cover 20 is closed on the container body 10.

[0024] The handle 30 includes a pair of rotating cylinders 31 having first ends rotatably coupled to the respective hinge portions 22 of the container 10, a pair of elevating bars 36 rotatably coupled to the rotating cylinders 31, and a connecting bar 37 connecting the elevating bars 36 to be gripped by user. The pair of elevating bars 36 and the connecting bar 37 may form of U shape. The rotating cylinder 31 comprises a horizontal portion 31a engaged with each hinge portion 22 of the container cover 20 at the first end and a vertical portion 31b extending upward from the second end of the horizontal portion 31a and engaged with the elevating bar 36 to form of L shape. As shown in FIG. 2, channels 34,35 are formed at least in the rotating cylinder 31 through the horizontal portion 31a and the vertical portion 31b. In case the channels 34,35 are formed only in one rotating cylinder 31, then the other cylinder would have a follow space for the elevating bar 36 to move upward/downward. A cap 33a having an exhaust hole 33 is plugged on top of the vertical portion 31b of the rotating cylinder 31. And a packing 39 is provided between the horizontal portion 33 of the rotating cylinder 31 and the hinge portion 22 of the container cover 20.

[0025] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of the elevating bars 36 are movably engaged within the rotating cylinder 31, and a upper disc 36a and a lower disc 36b are formed on the lower end of the elevating bar 36 with an interval d. And a ventilation channel 38 is formed on the surface of the elevating bar 36 to communicate the channels 34,35 with the outside of the container. The ventilation channel 38 may be formed on the rotating cylinder 31, or between the elevating bar 36 and the rotating cylinder 31. Then, the upper end of the ventilation channel 38 extends through the upper disc 36a and the lower end of the ventilation channel 38 extends to stop above of the lower disc 36b.

[0026] The first check valve 40 opens/closes the inlet 32 of the rotating cylinder 31 to exhaust air in the container body 36 through the channels 34,34 of the handle 30, but it prevents the air in the channels 34,35 from flowing into the container body 10. The first check valve 40 is provided on the hole 23 of the hinge portion 22 of the container cover 20, or on the inlet 32 of the rotating cylinder 31 of the handle 30.

[0027] The second check valve 50 opens/closes the channel 38 according to the up-down movement of the elevating bar 36 and it is made of ring-shaped rubber member and it is inserted between the upper disc 36a and the lower disc 36b. The second check valve 50 is attached on the inner wall of the rotating cylinder 31 to partition the channel of the rotating cylinder 31 into an upper channel 34 and a lower channel 35. As shown in FIG. 2, the thickness t of the second check valve 50 is thinner than the distance d between the upper disc 36a and the lower disc 36b, and, as shown in FIG. 3, it is also thinner than the distance d1 from the lower end of the upper disc 46a to the lower end of the ventilation channel 38. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2, if the elevating bar 36 of the handle 30 moves upward, the second check valve 50 contacts the lower disc 36b, so the ventilation channel 38 is closed and the upper channel 34 and the lower channel 35 are shut off. If, as shown in FIG. 3, the elevating bar 36 moves downward, the second check valve 50 contacts the upper disc 36a so that the ventilation channel 38 is open and the upper channel 34 can communicate with the lower channel 35.

[0028] The intake valve 60 is plugged on the intake hole 24 of the container cover 20 and it can release a vacuum state inside the container boy 10 sealed by the container cover 20 to make it easy to open the container cover 20 from the container body 10. The intake valve 60 is preferably opened by pulling or pushing operation.

[0029] Hereinafter, the method to form vacuum state in the container is explained. As shown in FIG. 1, the container cover 20 is clamped on the container body 10 in which foods are stored. If the user moves the handle 30 upward, then he elevating bar 36 moves upward, and lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31 is expanded. Accordingly, pressure in the lower channel 35 is relatively lowered than that in the container body 10, so the first check valve 40 opens the hole 23 of the hinge portion 22 of the container cover 20. And as the elevating bar 36 moves upward, the second check valve 50 moves upward accordingly to contact the lower disc 36b and close the ventilation channel 38. Therefore, the air in the container body 10 flows into the lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31 by pressure difference.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, as the handle 30 moves downward, the elevating bar 36 also moves downward, and the lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31 is compressed. Then the pressure in the lower channel 35 becomes relatively higher than that in the container body 10, so the second check valve 50 contacts the upper disc 36a and the ventilation channel 38 is opened. Accordingly, the compressed air in the lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31 exhausts through the opened ventilation channel 38 to the outside, and the air in the lower channel 35 would not inflow into the container body 10.

[0031] As the above mentioned operation is repeated, the air inside the container body 10 exhausts to the outside of the container, and the inner space of the container 10 becomes vacuum, so that the decaying or fermenting of the foods inside the container 10 will be retarded, and the foods can be kept fresh for long time.

[0032] FIG. 4 to FIG. 7 shows the second embodiment of the invention, in which single disc 36c is formed on the lower end of the elevating bar 36 of the handle 30. A packing 39a is provided on the periphery of the lower disc 36c contacting the inner wall of the rotating cylinder 31 of the handle 30, so that the channel 34,35 is partitioned into the upper channel 34 and the lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31 by the disc 36. A cap 33b having exhausting hole 33 is threaded on the upper end of the vertical portion 31b of the rotating cylinder 31. And ventilation channels 38 are formed through the disc 36 of the elevating bar 36.

[0033] Meanwhile, a first check valve 40 is attached on the inlet 32 of the rotating cylinder 31 of the handle 30. The first check valve 40 includes flexible membrane (not shown) which can be opened one way. The second check valve 50 is made of cut membrane and is displaced on the upper surface of the disc 36c of the handle 30 and it can open/close the ventilation channels 38 by bending or deforming of membrane due to pressure increasing/decreasing in the lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31. A step 31c is formed on the inner wall of the vertical portion 31b of the rotating cylinder 21, on which the disc 36c of the elevating bar 36 is stopped, so the downward moving of the elevating bar 36 of the handle 30 is restricted, which will prevent the elevating bar 36 and the connecting bar 37 from colliding and being broken due to the excessive pushing of the handle 30.

[0034] The use method or operation of this second embodiment is almost same with that of the first embodiment. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, if the user moves the handle 30 upward, the lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31 is expanded. Then the first check valve 40 opens the inlet 32 of the rotating cylinder 31, and the second check valve 50 closes the ventilation channel 38. Therefore, the air in the container body 10 flows into the lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31 by pressure difference.

[0035] And, as shown in FIG. 6, if the user moves the handle 30 downward, the lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31 is compressed. Then the first check valve 40 closes the inlet 32 of the rotating cylinder 31 and the second check valve 50 opens the ventilation channel 38. Accordingly, the compressed air in the lower channel 35 of the rotating cylinder 31 exhausts through the opened ventilation channel 38 to the outside, and the air in the lower channel 35 would not inflow into the container body 10. Therefore, the inside of the container body will become vacuum.