Foods and beverages: apparatus – Subjecting food to an enclosed modified atmosphere – Vacuum-producing means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-22
2003-09-30
Alexander, Reginald L. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Subjecting food to an enclosed modified atmosphere
Vacuum-producing means
C099S64600C, C220S231000, C220S912000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06626092
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of food storage and holding devices, and more particularly to a vacuum producing appliance that cooperates with an assortment of food and beverage holding devices.
Foods and beverages have been stored in vessels for thousands of years. Often the vessels had lids that fit tightly and helped keep the contents from spoiling or becoming contaminated by dirt or the like. Food and beverage storing and holding vessels have traditionally be constructed of materials such as metal, glass or plastic. Traditionally, these vessels are of a single wall construction. Within the last one hundred years, vacuum packing has been employed to help keep foods fresh longer. The lack of air in the food container helps prevent bacteria from growing on the food. Unfortunately, when a vacuum packed food storing vessel is opened, the vacuum is lost thereby allowing bacteria in the trapped air within the vessel to grow more rapidly and hastening the unsuitability of the food for human consumption. Additionally, foods or beverages that are heated or cooled and then stored or held in single walled containers, loose their heat or cold quality rather quickly because the vessel usually does not have good insulating qualities. Double walled carafes or the like have been constructed, primarily out of glass or metal, where the space between the walls is evacuated thereby creating a good insulator, however these types of containers tend to be restricted in shape and size due to manufacturing restrictions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the invention is to provide a vacuum producing appliance that can quickly create a vacuum within the walls of a food storing vessel such as a jar, bottle or can so that the food stored therein is preserved for a longer period than if there were no vacuum involved.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum producing appliance that can quickly create a vacuum within the walls of a plurality of unique double walled vessels such as a serving tray or a drinking tumbler thereby producing an insulating effect that helps said double walled vessel keep the food or beverage contained therein hot or cold for a longer period than if there were no vacuum involved. Even though the vacuum may be considered temporary, lasting approximately eight hours, it can be easily recharged by the vacuum producing appliance of the present invention.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum producing appliance that can be affixed to the wall of a kitchen or the like.
A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum producing appliance that is alternately capable of being placed on a counter top or the like.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.
Vacuum producing appliance and associated food and beverage holding vessels, said vacuum producing appliance comprising: a hollow housing, said housing enclosing a vacuum pump, a pressure switch, a vacuum holding tank, a solenoid valve, a power switch, and associated tubing to attach said components to each other, said vacuum pump turned on by said power switch and turned off by said pressure switch when said vacuum holding tank has reached the proper vacuum level, said pressure switch activating said solenoid valve thereby sealing in said vacuum in said vacuum holding tank, an electrical line cord and plug that supplies power to said vacuum pump, a conical shaped concavity built into the bottom of said housing capable of drawing air from a vessel and passing it through said vacuum, a plurality of vessel sealing lids, said lids having a convex conical shape at their top surface that can interface in an air tight way with a mating concave conical shape located in said main housing, said lids having a check valve that allows air to leave said lid but not reenter it, said lids having a vacuum relief valve located on their top surface that can be operated by the user to relieve the vacuum within a vessel located below said lid, said lids having a rigid conical portion built into its lower surface, said lower conical portion having a soft rubber covering around its circumference, said rubber portion capable of interfacing in an air tight way with the mouth of a jar, bottle, can or the like so that a vacuum can be drawn in said jar, bottle or can, said lids having a variety of diameters of said lower conical portion to allow said conical portion to fit a variety of diameters of food or beverage holding vessels such as a small diameter for a wine bottle, or a large diameter for a larger Ball jar, and a plurality of unique food or beverage holding vessels such as a serving tray, a tumbler, a soup bowl, an ice cream bowl or the like, each said vessel being of double walled construction and each said vessel being fitted with said convex conical interface and said check valve so that said vacuum producing appliance can interface with said food or beverage containing vessels and cause a vacuum to be created within said inner and outer walls, said vacuum acting as an insulating means for said food containing vessel..
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5195427 (1993-03-01), Germano
patent: 5394789 (1995-03-01), Evans et al.
patent: 6019034 (2000-02-01), Ford, Sr.
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