Patent ID: 8192182
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: F04B

Abstract:
1. A pump for evacuating gases, including air, from a container, the pump comprising: an evacuation chamber having a closed end and an evacuation end; a piston slidably disposed within the evacuation chamber and attached to a first end of a piston rod, the piston rod extending through an opening in the closed end of the evacuation chamber and a handle attached to a second end of the piston rod; a check valve disposed on the piston to allow gas to flow past the piston when the piston is reciprocated toward the evacuation end of the evacuation chamber; a flexible convex suction cup adapted to form a gastight seal by direct contact with a surface of the container, the flexible convex suction cup extending from the evacuation end of the evacuation chamber, and the flexible convex suction cup having an aperture disposed therethrough for fluid communication with the evacuation chamber; and a plurality of support members extending from the evacuation end of the evacuation chamber to restrict movement of the flexible convex suction cup between the surface and the evacuation end of the evacuation chamber to prevent a portion of the flexible convex suction cup from collapsing onto the surface while still maintaining a gastight seal with the surface, each support member having a distal surface disposed radially outside of an outer circumferential perimeter of a distal end of the flexible convex suction cup.