Abstract:
A handheld air injector apparatus that is to be used in conjunction with an airtight closeable container where the injector apparatus is to connect with a container and supply air within the container to a preselected level.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The field of this invention relates to a handheld air injector apparatus that is to be usable with a container which has a controlled pressurized atmosphere that surrounds a foodstuff that is stored within the container for the purpose of retaining freshness of the foodstuff. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Foodstuffs, principally produce such as fruits and vegetables, assimilate carbon dioxide, water and other chemicals in their growth. This invention will be described primarily in relation to produce. However, this invention will also work for meats and flowers. Carbon dioxide, water and chemicals are nutrients that are energy sources for all living organisms. In relation to plants, this process is called photosynthesis which also releases oxygen into the atmosphere. Produce cells respire. Cellular respiration comprises a sequence of chemical reactions wherein oxygen is used in the breakdown of glucose generating energy which is usually manifested as heat and exhaling carbon dioxide. The surface of the foodstuff of the product is a porous barrier through which the foodstuff breathes. Inside the barrier, the relative humidity is almost one-hundred percent while outside the barrier the ambient relative humidity is generally lower. This relative humidity gradient causes a partial vapor pressure gradient from inside the product to the outside, forcing water, oxygen and nutrients to leave the foodstuff resulting in drying and deterioration of the foodstuff. It has been known in the past that the rate of cellular maturity is a exponential function of respiration rate. Thus, an increase in pressure is known to retard foodstuff respiration. 
     In storing food within a household, the primary concern is to the freshness of the food. To maintain freshness in the past, two main methods have been employed. The first method is refrigeration and the second is containment. Refrigeration is the providing of a reduced temperature environment. The containment is to supply containers within which the foodstuff is to be located. The containers, of course, are to be stored within the refrigerated environment. The purpose of the containment is to seal the foodstuff against air exchange with the ambient environment. 
     It would be most desirable to provide a container that could be utilized to substantially increase the time that a foodstuff can be stored while yet maintaining the freshness of the foodstuff. For a consumer to be able to store a foodstuff and maintain such fresh over an extended period of time provides a significant advantage in that immediate shopping for foodstuffs is not necessarily required and spoilage rates for foodstuffs are substantially diminished. Also, if foodstuffs can be retained for an extended period of time, possibly canning and freezing techniques could be diminished or eliminated altogether. 
     It is necessary for the purpose of providing widespread use of pressurized containers for storing of foodstuffs that an injector for supplying of the pressurized air with water vapor within the container be supplied that is convenient to use, inexpensive to manufacture and is non-complex in usage. It is believed that these advantages are obtained with usage of the injector apparatus of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A basic embodiment of air injector apparatus for injecting a pressurized fluid within a closed container for causing a foodstuff contained within the container to have an extended shelf life where the apparatus includes a hand holdable housing. A dispensing needle is attached to the housing with the dispensing needle adapted to engage with an injection port mounted on an enclosed airtight container which is to contain the foodstuff. This dispensing needle is to dispense pressurized air within that container. There is a pressure adjustment mounted on the housing with this pressure adjustment being manually selectable to select a maximum pressure level of the air that is to be supplied within the container. A switch is mounted on the housing with this switch being manually actuatable to cause the air to be dispensed from the dispensing needle. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by the pressure adjustment means being defined as two separate switches with each switch to be selectable to a maximum pressure value. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by the maximum pressure values being defined as three pounds and five pounds per square inch of differential pressure. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by the apparatus including a moisture supply chamber with this moisture supply chamber being mounted within the flowpath of the air so that moisture laden air will be dispensed from the dispensing needle. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the moisture supply chamber being defined to include the removable filter cartridge which is designed to be soaked with water and with air to be passed through the filter cartridge in the flowpath within the housing in order to humidify the air that is to be dispensed from the dispensing needle. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by there being included an altitude adjustment in conjunction with the housing. The altitude adjustment is to be manually moved to different positions with each position corresponding to a particular geographical elevation which will correspond to the geographical elevation of usage. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by including an altitude adjustment to adjust for altitude between sea level and ten thousand feet. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of air injector apparatus of the present invention showing the air injector apparatus being held in the position for usage; 
     FIG. 2 is a back end view of the air injector apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 showing the air inlet arrangement for the apparatus; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of injector apparatus of the present invention showing the apparatus being held within a user&#39;s hand, which would be the typical position of usage; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of a portion of the second embodiment of injector apparatus of FIG. 3 showing the moisture supply arrangement utilized to add humidity to the air flow path passing through the second embodiment of apparatus; 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric view of yet a third embodiment of air injector apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a fourth embodiment of air injector apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a fifth embodiment of air injector apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic longitudinal cross-sectional view depicting the inner mechanism within any one of the embodiments of air injector apparatus of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the dispensing needle section of any one of the embodiments of air injector apparatus of the present invention showing the position of the air injector apparatus in conjunction with an injection port of a pressurized container. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a first embodiment  10  of air injector apparatus for injecting of a pressurized fluid within a closed container. The first embodiment  10  includes a sheet material housing  12 . Housing  12  has molded therein a handgrip  14 . Handgrip  14  will generally be a rubber or some other resilient material that is to provide comfort when a user grasps the housing  12  by his or her hand  16 . Mounted on the exterior surface of the housing  12  is a pressure level display window  18 . Also mounted on the housing  12 , directly adjacent the window  18 , is a knob  20 . Also mounted on the exterior surface of the housing  12  is a button  22 . Button  22  is to be pressable in order to activate the first embodiment  10  of air injector apparatus of this invention. 
     The back surface of the housing  12  is formed into a ventilation grate  24 . The grate  24  is to provide entry of air to within the interior of the housing  12 . Also mounted on the exterior surface of the housing  12  is a slide switch  26 . The slide switch  26  is to be movable at least to two different positions and possibly three or more. In one position, which will be defined as the left position, the slide switch  26  is to be set in that position when the environment of usage of the first embodiment  10  is at sea level. Let it be assumed that the right position of the slide switch  26  is where the environment of usage is at a much higher elevation, such as a mile above sea level. The pressure level in the display window  18  will generally range between zero and six pounds per square inch. The pressure level displayed in the window  18  will take into consideration the elevation of usage. Generally, the pressure level will rarely exceed five to six pounds of pressure in the window  18 . The barometric of Denver, Colo. is about three pounds per square inch less than at sea level. Mexico City is about four pounds less than sea level. By moving of the slide switch  26 , the first embodiment  10  can be adjusted at a zero pressure in the window  18  at its particular altitude of usage. If it was not adjusted, there would be a three pound per square inch reading in window  18  in Denver, Colo. and a four pound reading in window  18  in Mexico City. It just makes it convenient for the user to start at zero in the particular elevation where the injector is being used. It is to be understood that the slide switch  26  can actually have numerous different settings, for example, at thousand foot increments of elevation. 
     For most fruits that are being stored, a three pound differential pressure will be adequate. There can be incorporated a slide switch  28  which could be adjusted to that three pound value. This will not permit the injector to inject a pressure greater than that three pound value. For some vegetables, it is desired that a higher pressure be used, such as five pounds per square inch. For that purpose, a slide switch  30  could be moved which could limit the amount of pressure that could be emitted from the injector to five pounds per square inch. 
     Instead of slide switches  28  and  30 , there may be used a single slide switch  32 . The slide switch  32  could be adjusted to different positions, such as for fruits, vegetables and even meats. Generally, when the slide switch  32  is in the position of meats, that will permit the injector to inject the maximum amount of pressure which may actually even exceed six pounds per square inch. 
     The front end of the housing  12  of the first embodiment  10  includes an injector needle  34 . Referring particularly to FIG. 9, the injector needle is to be pushed through an injector port  36  of a container  38 . The injector port has a hole which is normally closed by a flap valve  35 . Inserting of needle  34  into the port  36  displaces the flap valve  35 . When needle  34  is withdrawn, the flap valve  35  again closes the hole. The fruit, vegetable or meat, which is not shown, is to be stored within the internal chamber  40  of the container  38 . 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 3, there is shown a second embodiment  42  which has a housing  44 . The housing  44  includes a handgrip  46  which is basically similar to handgrip  14 . The housing  44  is to be held by the handgrip  46  by means of a user&#39;s hand  48 . Mounted on the housing  44  is an operation switch  50 . Also mounted on the housing  44  is a pressure adjust slide switch  52  which is to be movable to various altitude positions. There is included also in the housing  44  a knob  54  which is basically similar to previously described knob  20 . The knob  54  can be basically unscrewed from a cavity  56 . Within the cavity  56  is to be located a filter unit  58 . The filter unit  58  is capable of containing a quantity of water with the air passing through the ventilation openings  60  to be conducted through the filter unit  58  so that the air that is dispensed from the needle  62  will include moisture. The use of moisturized air in the preserving of fruits, vegetables and meats is desirable. A presoaked with water tissue could be inserted within the filter unit  58 . 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 5, there is a third embodiment  64  of injector of this invention. Third embodiment  64  has a housing  66  which is yet of a different configuration than the previously discussed housings  12  and  44 . The front end of the housing  66  includes an injector needle  68 . Mounted within the housing  66  is a handgrip  70 . The housing  66  also has an operational activating switch  72  which is basically similar to switches  22  and  50 . Also mounted within the housing  66  are slide switches  74 ,  76  and  78  which are basically similar to previously discussed slide switches  26 ,  28  and  30 . Included within the housing  66  are ventilation openings  80  which are basically similar to previously described ventilation openings  24  and  60 . Also included within the housing  66  is a pressure display window  82 . The pressure that is being produced within the container  38  will be displayed within the window  82 . 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 6, there is shown a fourth embodiment  84  of this invention. The fourth embodiment  84  has a housing  86  within which is formed a handgrip  88 . The front end of the housing  86  connects to a dispensing needle  90 . Mounted within the housing  86  is a dial switch  92 . The dial switch  92  is to be turned to the different selected pressure levels which will be indicated at indicators  94 . 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 7, there is shown a fifth embodiment  96  of injector of this invention. The fifth embodiment  96  includes a housing  98 . From the front end of the housing  98  extends an injector needle  100 . Formed within the housing  98  is a handgrip  102 . Formed within the housing  98  are a series of ventilation openings  104 . There will be included appropriate switching means to dial a particular selected pressure, which is not shown. 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 8 of the drawings, there is diagrammatically shown the internal mechanism contained within each of the housings  12 ,  14 ,  66 ,  86  and  98 . Internally of each of these housings is an internal chamber  106 . Mounted within internal chamber  106  is a pump  108 . The pump  108 , which will probably comprise a piston and cylinder, is to be operationally driven by a motor  110 . The motor  110  is to be operationally driven by battery  112 . The buttons  22 ,  50  and  72  are connected through a controller, which is not shown, to the battery  112 . Pushing of the buttons  22 ,  50  and  72  will cause the motor  110  to be turned on. The turning on of the motor  110  will cause the pump  108  to be operated and moisture ladened air will then be pushed through chamber  114  to be dispensed exteriorly to the needle  34 ,  62 ,  68 ,  90  or  100 . The pressure that is produced within the container  38  is to be fed back through the pressure select switches  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  52 ,  74 ,  76  and  78  to the controller. The pressure level that is ascertained within the internal chamber  40  of the container  38  will then be displayed within the display window, such as display windows  18  and  82 . The air that is sucked in through the ventilation openings  24 ,  60 ,  88  and  104  will be transmitted through the filter unit  58  to then be conducted within the chamber  114 .