Abstract:
A storage system comprising: an evacuable and reclosable bag comprising a wall made of a flexible material and a one-way valve attached to said wall of said bag; a container having walls made of a material less flexible than the flexible material; and an attachment device that attaches the bag to the container such that at least a portion of the bag resides within the container. To use this storage system, compressible articles are placed inside the evacuable bag. Then the bag is hermetically sealed and evacuated. During evacuation, the shape of the compressible articles inside the bag conform to the shape of the container interior volume. In one embodiment, when the bag with compressed articles is removed from the container, its shape facilitates stacking. In another embodiment, the storage bag with compressed articles remains inside the container.

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit, under Title 35, United States Code, § 119(e), of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/896,973 filed on Mar. 26, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This invention generally relates to evacuable storage containers, and in particular, to evacuable reclosable and flexible storage bags. 
         [0003]    Collapsible, evacuable storage containers typically include a flexible, airtight bag, an opening through which an article is inserted inside the bag, and a fixture through which excess air is evacuated. A user places an article into the bag through the opening, seals the opening, and then evacuates the air in the bag through the fixture. With the bag thus evacuated, a compressible article contained therein may be significantly compressed so that it is easier to transport and requires substantially less storage space. 
         [0004]    For example, compressible items such as clothing may be stored in collapsible, evacuable storage containers. The compressed items may then be stacked on shelves in a closet or other storage area. It is desirable that the compressed items be stackable in a stable configuration inside a storage space. There is a need for a system that will enable compressed items to be stacked with little tendency for the stacked items to slide or fall off of the stack. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The invention is directed to systems and methods for storing compressible articles. 
         [0006]    One aspect of the invention is a storage system comprising: an evacuable and reclosable bag comprising a wall made of a flexible material and a one-way valve attached to the wall of the bag; a container having walls made of a material less flexible than the flexible material; and an attachment device that attaches the bag to the container such that at least a portion of the bag resides within the container. 
         [0007]    Another aspect of the invention is a storage system comprising: a receptacle having an interior volume and a mouth that allows communication between an exterior and the interior volume, the receptacle comprising a wall made of a flexible material; a reclosable closure installed in the mouth; a one-way valve mounted to a hole in the receptacle wall; a container having walls made of a material less flexible than the flexible material; and an attachment device that attaches the bag to the container such that at least a portion of the bag resides within the container. 
         [0008]    A further aspect of the invention is a storage system comprising: an evacuable and reclosable bag comprising a wall made of a flexible material and a one-way valve attached to the wall of the bag; a container precursor comprising walls made of a material less flexible than the flexible material, contiguous ones of the walls being pivotable relative to each other such that the container precursor is generally flat in a collapsed state and forms a container having an interior volume in an assembled state; and an attachment device that attaches the bag to the container precursor such that at least a portion of the bag will reside within the interior volume of the container in the assembled state. 
         [0009]    Yet another aspect of the invention is a method of storing compressible contents in a storage bag, comprising the following steps: (a) arranging an evacuable reclosable bag having a wall made of flexible material such that a portion thereof lies inside a container having walls made of material less flexible than the flexible material; (b) placing compressible contents inside the bag; (c) closing the bag after the compressible contents have been placed inside; and (d) drawing air out of the bag after the bag has been closed until the compressible contents have been sufficiently compressed to fit inside the container. 
         [0010]    Other aspects of the invention are disclosed and claimed below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a drawing showing an isometric view of one conventional type of collapsible, evacuable storage bag. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a drawing showing an exploded isometric view of a known valve assembly suitable for use with a bag of the type depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a drawing showing a cross-sectional view of a known valve assembly attached to a bag of the type depicted in  FIG. 1  (the cap of the valve assembly is removed). 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a drawing showing an isometric view of a known cap for a valve assembly. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a drawing showing an elevational view of a valve assembly of an evacuable reclosable storage bag mounted in an opening in a container wall and a partially sectioned elevational view of a retainer ring to be coupled to the valve assembly for retaining the latter in its mounted position in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a drawing showing a perspective view of an evacuable reclosable storage bag combined with a plastic container by means of a device of the type depicted in  FIG. 5 . The bag is shown in an unevacuated state with compressible articles (e.g., towels or clothing) contained therein. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a drawing showing an elevational view of a portion of a plastic container having an opening for receiving a valve assembly of a reclosable storage bag. This drawing shows a user placing a retainer ring in coupling relationship with the valve assembly for retaining the latter in the opening. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a drawing showing a reclosable storage bag with compressed contents after removal from the container. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing an unassembled cardboard box having an evacuable reclosable storage bag attached to the interior surface of a wall of the box. 
       
    
    
       [0020]    Reference will now be made to the drawings in which similar elements in different drawings bear the same reference numerals. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a conventional collapsible, evacuable storage bag  2  comprising a flexible receptacle  4 , a one-way valve assembly  6 , and a reclosable means  8 . For example, the reclosable means may take the form of an extruded plastic zipper comprising a pair of mutually interlockable zipper strips that are joined to each other at opposing ends thereof; mutually opposing strips of cohesive material; or a strip of low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive material. Although not shown in  FIG. 1 , the conventional valve assembly  6  also typically comprises a cap that can be snapped onto a portion of the valve assembly that is disposed on the exterior of the receptacle  4 . The cap must be removed before the bag can be evacuated, and then is replaced after the bag has been evacuated. The cap is intended to supplement the air pressure on the diaphragm and help to seal the valve assembly to prevent air from entering the evacuated bag. 
         [0022]    The receptacle  4  typically comprises front and rear walls or panels (made of flexible thermoplastic material) that are joined together at the bottom and two sides by conduction heat sealing to form a receptacle having an interior volume and a mouth in which the reclosable means  8  is installed. However, the receptacle may have any known construction, including, for example, side gussets with or without a bottom panel. Also, the front and rear walls may be connected by a fold instead being joined by a heat seal. One wall of receptacle  4  has a hole (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) in which to install the valve assembly  6 . The bag may be constructed of a blended extrusion layer of polyethylene sandwiched between a nylon layer and a layer of polyethylene sheeting. 
         [0023]    During use, one or more discrete compressible articles (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) may be placed inside the receptacle  4  while the reclosable means  8  is open, e.g., while the closure profiles of two interlockable zipper strips are disengaged from each other. After the articles to be stored have been placed inside the bag, the mouth of the receptacle  4  can be sealed, e.g., by pressing the zipper strips together to cause their respective closure profiles to interlock with each other. Although the zipper closure profiles may have many different designs, the design must be one that ensures that an airtight seal can be formed at the mouth of the bag. 
         [0024]    With the reclosable means  8  closed, the interior volume of the bag or receptacle  4  is hermetically sealed. The interior volume can now be evacuated by sucking air out of the bag via the one-way valve assembly  6 . Air can be drawn out of receptacle  4  through valve assembly  6  using a conventional vacuum source, such as a household or industrial vacuum cleaner. The valve assembly  6  and the reclosable means  8  maintain the vacuum inside receptacle  4  after the vacuum source is removed. 
         [0025]    One conventional type of valve assembly will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 2  is an exploded isometric view showing a conventional valve assembly  6 . The valve assembly  6  comprises a base  10  and a valve element  28 . The valve assembly  6  is mounted to the receptacle  4  (see  FIG. 1 ) such that an annular flange  12  of base  10  is on the inside of the bag. Base  10  extends through the hole in the bag and is held in place by welding the base flange  12  to the bag material to provide the seal. 
         [0026]    The valve element  28  provides the one-way airflow feature in valve assembly  6 . In a known embodiment, the valve element  28  is made of clear polyvinylchloride (PVC). Valve element  28  has an outer annular portion  30  and an inner diaphragm  32 . The annulus  30  and diaphragm  32  are connected by respective neck or bridge portions, but are otherwise separated by a pair of arc-shaped slots or gaps  38 . The annular portion  30  functions as a face against which a vacuum source, such as a conventional household or industrial vacuum cleaner nozzle (not shown), may be sealed as the nozzle is pressed against the base  10 . When the nozzle is in place and a vacuum device or source draws air through the nozzle, the diaphragm  32  flexes open and air inside the bag passes through a plurality of holes  20  in base  10  and into the vacuum nozzle. When the nozzle is removed, the diaphragm  32  returns to its original shape and seals against the base  10 , thus preventing air from passing back into the bag through holes  20  in the base. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , a plurality of radial vanes  22  separate holes  20 . Vanes  22  radiate outward from a circular inner sidewall  16  that supports an annular seat  14 . The annular valve element seat  14  surrounds an opening through which the head  34  at the end of the stem  36  of the valve element  28  is passed, as best seen in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the assembled valve assembly  6 , the section plane being parallel to and intersecting the central axis indicated by a dash-dot line in  FIG. 2 . The annular seat  14  is a ring having an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the head  34  and having an inner diameter less than the outer diameter of the head  34 . The valve element  28  is made of an elastic material, so that the head  34  compresses as it passes through the opening in the annular seat  14  and then expands on the other side, in which state the undersurface of the head rests on and is supported by the seat  14 . 
         [0028]    Still referring to  FIG. 3 , the base  10  further comprises a circular outer sidewall  18  that supports another annular valve element seat  24 . The annular seat  24  is a ring having an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the outer annular portion  30  of the valve element  28  and having an inner diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the stem  36 . The outer annular portion  30  of the valve element  28  sits on the seat  24 , while the diaphragm  32  sits on a circular bead  40  that projects above the plane of the surface of seat  24  at the edge of a circular opening  42  provided in the base  10 . Bead  40  has a generally constant profile along its circumference. 
         [0029]    In  FIG. 3 , the valve base  10  is shown inserted through an opening in receptacle  4 . A vacuum source (not shown) can be placed with the terminus of its nozzle pressed against the outer annular portion  30  to draw air through the valve. The suction applied by the vacuum nozzle causes the diaphragm  32  to flex. The opening  42  is in fluid communication with the multiplicity of holes  20  when any portion of the diaphragm  30  is lifted off of the bead  40 . The flow of air out of the bag during suction is indicated by the arrow  44  in  FIG. 3 . During lifting of the diaphragm  32 , the head  34  is latched behind the seat  14 , thereby preventing the valve element from popping out of the base  10 . When the vacuum source nozzle is removed, diaphragm  32  returns to its position sealed against bead  40  so as to prevent air from flowing in a reverse direction through the valve. 
         [0030]    It is known to place a removable cap  48  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) over the opening  42  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) to protect inner portions of the one-way valve assembly  6 . After the vacuum source has been removed, the cap can be snapped onto the end of the sidewall  18 , which has an outer peripheral bead  46 . Bead  46  has a generally constant profile along its circumference. The cap has a sidewall with an inner peripheral bead that is pushed past the bead  46 . The cap will be held on by frictional forces as well as by the resistance presented by the bead  46  to removal of the cap. It is known to provide a central post  50  inside the cap  48  (see  FIG. 4 ) that presses the central portion of the diaphragm (at the base of the stem  36  shown in  FIG. 3 ) downward when the cap is pushed onto the base sidewall  18 . This design is intended to exert a pressure that maintains the diaphragm  32  in contact with the bead  40  on the seat  24 . The known cap also has a circular downwardly depending wall  52  that stops the cap as it is pressed onto the base. 
         [0031]    The person skilled in the art of manufacturing reclosable bags on a machine would readily appreciate that instead of forming the bag from two separate webs of plastic film joined together on three sides, the bag can be formed from a single web of film that has been folded, cut and then side sealed. In the completed bag, this fold will form the bottom of the bag, while the two side seals are formed by conduction heat sealing. Alternatively, the bags could be made by forming a tube of bag making material (with or without side gussets) and then forming a bottom seal by application of heat. 
         [0032]    A first embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 5-7 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , a portion of an evacuable gusseted reclosable storage bag  60  is placed inside an open plastic container  58  in the form of a tub. The bag may contain a plurality of compressible articles  62  when its bottom portion is placed inside the container  58  or the bag may be empty when its bottom is placed in the container and thereafter the compressible articles are placed inside the bag. At the stage depicted in  FIG. 6 , the compressible articles have not been compressed yet. The container  58  has walls that are much less flexible than the walls of bag  60 . For example, the container  58  may have relatively rigid walls made of a hard plastic composition. 
         [0033]    The reclosable storage bag comprises a receptacle  64  having front and rear walls connected by gusseted sidewalls (not shown in  FIG. 6 ). A conventional plastic zipper  66  is installed in the mouth of the receptacle  64 . Typically the zipper comprises a pair of zipper strips made of extruded plastic and having mutually interlockable profiles. The ends of the zipper strips are fused together. The zipper is closed by means of a plastic inverted U-shaped slider or clip  68  mounted thereto. The slider may be of the type disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/940,213, filed on Sep. 13, 2004 and entitled “Improved Slider for Use with Evacuable Storage Bags.” The slider  68  is capable of closing an open zipper, i.e., by camming the opposing zipper strips into engagement during slider travel in either direction, but cannot be used to open a closed zipper. The slider  68  does not have means for opening the zipper because typically such means (e.g., a separating plow or finger) would leave a gap in the zipper, thereby preventing formation of a hermetic seal. The reclosable bag must be hermetically sealed in order to maintain a vacuum inside after the compressible articles have been compressed by evacuating air out of the bag. Alternative reclosable means, such as opposing strips of cohesive material or a strip of low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive material, may be used. 
         [0034]    The storage bag  60  has a one-way valve assembly  70  that is installed in an opening or port formed in one wall of the flexible (i.e., collapsible) receptacle  64 . In the fully assembled state depicted in  FIG. 5 , the one-way valve assembly  70  is also installed in an opening or port formed in one wall of the relatively rigid container  58 . The one-way valve assembly  70  comprises a valve base  10  and a valve element (not visible in  FIG. 5 ) of the type previously described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The one-way valve assembly  70  is designed to receive a cover of the type depicted in  FIG. 4  after the bag has been evacuated. 
         [0035]    As seen in  FIG. 5 , the circular outer sidewall  18  of valve base  10  of the one-way valve assembly  70  projects outward through an opening (not shown) in a flexible wall  74  of the storage bag and through an opening (not shown) in a less flexible (i.e., more rigid) wall  72  of the container. After the sidewall  18  of valve base  10  has been passed through the opening in container wall  72 , the valve base  10  can be held in place by installing a retainer ring  80 . The retainer ring  80  comprises an annular flange  82  and a circular outer sidewall  84  projecting from the inner periphery of the annular flange  82  on one side thereof. The retainer ring  80  can be snapped onto the end of the sidewall  18 . As previously described, sidewall  18  has an outer peripheral bead  46  that has a generally constant profile along its circumference. The retaining ring  80  has a sidewall  84  with an inner peripheral bead  86  that is pushed past the bead  46 . The retaining ring  80  will be held on by frictional forces as well as by the resistance presented by the bead  46  to removal of the retaining ring.  FIG. 7  depicts the retainer ring  80  being snapped into place on the outside of the container  58 . The top of the retainer ring  80  has a circular opening through which the valve element  28  is visible. There may be a filter located inside the bag directly over the valve airway to block any possible contamination to the valve element. 
         [0036]    In accordance with one method of storing compressible articles, the one-way valve assembly of an empty evacuable reclosable storage bag is installed in an opening formed in a wall of a container having relatively rigid walls. The storage bag is then coupled to the container by snapping the retainer ring onto the outer side wall of the valve base of the one-way valve assembly, as depicted in  FIG. 7 . Thereafter, the zipper  66  is opened and a plurality of compressible articles  62  are placed inside the storage bag, as depicted in  FIG. 6 . Then the slider  68  is used to close the zipper. Air is then evacuated out through the one-way valve using a vacuum cleaner or similar device in conventional manner, thereby compressing the compressible contents of the storage bag. After the bag has been evacuated, the retainer ring is removed and the bag with compressed contents is removed from the container. A cover is then installed on the one-way valve in place of the retainer ring. As seen in  FIG. 8 , the resultant storage bag with contents now has been created by a molding effect, that is, the filled bag has a relatively flat surface on the top that allows it to be stacked flat onto other similar storage bags with contents that have been compressed by this method and means. 
         [0037]    A second embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 9 . An empty airtight evacuable storage bag  60  (gusseted or non-gusseted) with reclosable zipper  66 /slider  68  is permanently attached to the interior surface of a sidewall of an unfolded (i.e., not assembled) corrugated cardboard box. Cardboard boxes with attached storage bags may be stored in a flattened state. Such a cardboard box may be assembled in a conventional manner to form a bottom and four sidewalls, with an open top that can be closed by inward folding of the four top flaps in a conventional manner. The upper portion of the reclosable storage bag  60  extends outside the open top of the thus formed box. The accessible upper portion of the reclosable storage bag has a one-way valve  70  of the type previously described. After the box with open top has been formed, compressible contents are placed inside the bag, including the lower portion of the bag that is housed inside the box. Then the zipper  66  is closed by operation of the slider  68 . There may be a filter located inside the bag directly over the valve airway to block any possible contamination to the valve element. 
         [0038]    Air is then vacuumed out through the one-way valve  70  using a vacuum cleaner or similar device, thereby compressing the compressible contents inside the bag. Again, during the compression process, the walls of the cardboard, which are more rigid than the walls of the storage bag, mold the compressible contents of the bag as they shrink in volume, eventually reaching a size that will fit completely inside the box when it is closed. An airtight cover is then installed on the one-way valve on the outside of the bag to prevent air leakage from the evacuated bag. The cardboard box is then closed and sealed for storage, shipping, or further handling. 
         [0039]    In accordance with further embodiments, the walls of the container may be rigid or substantially rigid, i.e., more rigid than the plastic tub or cardboard box disclosed hereinabove. The container walls should be sufficiently rigid to serve as a mold for shaping the compressible articles to be stored during evacuation of the reclosable storage bag. 
         [0040]    While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for members thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.