Receptacles – Closures – With condition responsive vent or valve
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-27
2003-11-11
Mancene, Gene (Department: 3754)
Receptacles
Closures
With condition responsive vent or valve
C220S231000, C220S367100, C215S260000, C215S262000, C215S311000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06644489
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a container assembly, more particularly to a container assembly having a container and a cover cap provided with a pump member to pump out air from the container.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional vacuum container assembly generally includes a container that defines a storing space therein and that has a top open end for access into the storing space and a top opening defined by the top open end. A cover cap is mounted on the top open end of the container so as to close the top opening. A separate pump member is used to draw out the air from the storing space in order to preserve the foodstuff stored in the container.
In the conventional vacuum container assembly, since the pump member is normally stored separately when not in use, it tends to be misplaced after use. Moreover, the conventional vacuum container assembly requires both hands of the user to pump out the air from the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of this invention is to provide a container assembly which has a container and a cover cap provided with a pump member to pump out air from the container and which can avoid the aforesaid drawbacks encountered during use of the conventional container assembly.
Accordingly, a container assembly of the present invention includes a hollow casing, a cover cap, a pump member, an urging member, a first check valve, a second check valve, and an air-inlet valve. The casing defines a storing space, and has a top open end and a top opening defined by the top open end for access into the storing space. The cover cap is mounted detachably and sealingly on the top open end of the casing so as to cover the top opening. The cover cap has a pump-mounting wall portion of a U-shaped cross section that defines a pump-receiving chamber, an inlet formed in the pump-mounting wall portion and in fluid communication with the pump-receiving chamber and the storing space, and a valve-mounting wall portion that extends outwardly from the pump-mounting wall portion and that is formed with an opening which is in fluid communication with the storing space and the atmosphere. The pump member is disposed movably and sealingly in the pump-receiving chamber, and is movable toward and away from the inlet so as to vary pressure in the pump-receiving chamber by virtue of change in volume of the pump-receiving chamber. The pump member has an outlet in fluid communication with the pump-receiving chamber and the atmosphere. The urging member urges the pump member away from the inlet. The first check valve is mounted on the cover cap for closing the inlet of the pump-receiving chamber. The inlet is capable of being opened when the pressure in the storing space is greater than that in the pump-receiving chamber, thereby permitting fluid flow from the storing space into the pump-receiving chamber. The inlet is capable of being closed by the first check valve when the pressure in the pump-receiving chamber is greater than that in the storing space upon movement of the pump member toward the inlet against urging action of the urging member. The second check valve is mounted on the pump member for closing the outlet of the pump-receiving chamber. The outlet is capable of being opened when the pressure in the pump-receiving chamber is greater than the atmosphere upon movement of the pump member toward the inlet against the urging action of the urging member, thereby permitting fluid flow from the pump-receiving chamber into the atmosphere. The outlet is capable of being closed by the second check valve and the inlet is capable of being opened when the pressure in the pump-receiving chamber is less than the atmospheric pressure and the pressure in the storing space upon movement of the pump member away from the inlet by virtue of the urging action of the urging member. The air-inlet valve is mounted on the pump member for closing the opening of the cover cap. The air-inlet valve is capable of being manually operable to uncover the opening in the cover cap when desired.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3135411 (1964-06-01), Osborne
patent: 5390809 (1995-02-01), Lin
patent: 5546997 (1996-08-01), Miramon
patent: 5558243 (1996-09-01), Chu
patent: 5564480 (1996-10-01), Chen
patent: 5692632 (1997-12-01), Hsieh et al.
patent: 5779082 (1998-07-01), Miramon
Buechner Patrick
Ladas & Parry
Mancene Gene
LandOfFree
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