Evacuation pump system with check valves for both rigid and flexible containers

An improved evacuation pump system with dual inlet check valves uniquely designed to evacuate both lidded rigid containers and sealable flexible containers. A vacuum cup fixed to one end of a reciprocating piston pump attaches to the lid of rigid containers for their evacuation and a flexible probe connects to the pump for flexible container evacuation. To achieve this dual function two check valves mounted in the lower end of the pump are provided for the flexible container evacuation mode. One prevents discharge flow into the flexible probe and the other maintains suction in the cup to keep the pump attached to its supporting surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a pump apparatus for evacuating containers. The 
invention is particularly adapted to evacuate air from food storage 
containers, such as jars and plastic bags. 
The prior art is prolific in patents that disclose various types of pumps 
for evaluating air from food containers. The most pertinent patents to the 
present invention are believed to be the following: 
Gill, U.S. Pat. No. 29,582 
Winters, U.S. Pat. No. 638,383 
Desmond, U.S. Pat. No. 882,874 
Staunton, U.S. Pat. No. 1,601,705 
Herzog, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,401,638 
Crook, U.S. Pat. No. 2,648,474 
Haley, U.S. Pat. No. 2,695,741 
Reisinger, U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,256 
Katell, U.S. Pat. No. 3,313,444 
Ruberg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,114 
Maruscak, U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,804 
Scanlan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,025 
von Bismarck, U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,990 
Hawkins, U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,925 
Bartle, Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,730 
European Patent No. 0 117 247 
German Patent No. 33 35 001 
Swiss Patent No. 200,360 
These patents disclose pumps for evacuating either rigid containers (jars) 
or deformable containers(plastic bags), but not both. Additionally, the 
arrangements most pertinent to this invention employ complex and difficult 
to apply check valves to the covers(or lids) of rigid containers to be 
evacuated. 
The present invention is an improvement on my U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,028 and 
portions of the specification thereof have been included in this 
application. 
The pump apparatus in my prior patent consists of three principal 
components; in particular, (1) a specially designed disposable/reusable, 
pressure-sensitive, adhesive-tape check valve that adheres to a container 
lid and covers a small air evacuating hole, (2) a reciprocating two-stroke 
piston pump that features an efficient piston check-valve and a vacuum cup 
which cooperate with plugable porting to provide for evacuation of both 
rigid and deformable containers, and (3) an accessory probe which is 
plugged into side plugable port of the pump to evacuate deformable 
containers such as plastic bags, while the bottom plugable port is 
plugged, thousands of times. 
With this pump apparatus, a jar can be reused to store anything that will 
fit and which will keep better in a vacuum. The apparatus also pulls a 
vacuum on an ordinary plastic zipper-lock type bag and allows the zipper 
to be closed without losing the vacuum. The apparatus will also evacuate 
any leak proof bag that might be sealed with a commercial home-style 
hot-sealing machine. 
A principal object of this invention is to provide relatively simple, 
inexpensive and effective apparatus for evacuating both rigid and 
deformable containers, such as jars with lids and also plastic bags. 
While my prior patented design works well and has achieved considerable 
commercial success, I have devised an improved pumping system that 
eliminates the need for a check valve in the flexible probe assembly and 
the requirement for a removable plug to maintain cup suction. The prior 
in-line check valve has many parts and is difficult to manufacture and 
expensive to purchase preassembled. The removable plug works well in 
maintaining suction in the cup but it is easily lost and its use requires 
careful operator instruction. 
Therefore, it would be desirable, and it is the principal object of the 
present invention to not only eliminate the need for the in-line check 
valve in the flexible probe assembly and the removable plug for the vacuum 
cup, but also to provide an evacuation apparatus that is simpler to use 
and requires less operator instruction. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention an evacuating pumping system is 
provided that operates in two distinct modes to evacuate flexible 
containers and rigid containers, and the switch between modes is effected 
by the insertion or removal of a tethered plug from a single part. 
Toward these ends the pump is provided with two inlet ports, one for the 
flexible evacuation probe and one for the vacuum cup interior. The probe 
port is selectively closed by a plug that is tethered to the pump to 
prevent its loss. The pump is provided with a main central inlet passage 
that connects to both of these inlet ports, the probe port being connected 
thereto by a transverse passage that intersects the inlet passage, and the 
suction cup port is a coaxial extension of the inlet passage. 
A first check valve is defined by a ball valve and seat in the main inlet 
passage between the transverse bore and the pumping chamber and operates 
to block flow to the flexible probe during the discharge stroke of the 
piston in the flexible bag evacuation mode. A second check valve is 
defined by another ball and valve seat in the inlet passage but these are 
positioned between the transverse passage and the vacuum cup. This check 
valve maintains suction in the cup during the flexible bag evacuation mode 
which would otherwise be lost in the piston discharge stroke. 
Neither of these check valves has any function in the rigid container 
evacuation mode because they both float in that mode. In that mode the lid 
mounted valve prevents discharge flow into the container and the removable 
plug, then in place, prevents flow into the flexible probe port. Since 
both valves open toward the pumping chamber, neither interfere with rigid 
container evacuation during the suction stroke. 
These two check valves considerably simplify the operation of the pump. 
When switching from the rigid container mode to the flexible container 
mode, the plug is removed and the flexible probe inserted in the probe 
port. The plug cannot be lost because it is tethered to the pump and it is 
unnecessary to plug the suction cup part as before. Switching back to the 
rigid container mode is simpler because the user can easily understand 
without instruction the flexible probe port needs to be plugged by the 
plug tethered next to it, and there is of course no need to tell the user 
to then remove the vacuum cup plug as before because it has been 
eliminated an its function is achieved automatically by one of the check 
valves. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more 
clearly from the following detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings, the principal components of my patented design 
(FIGS. 1 to 9) comprise piston pump 1 and an adhesive tape check valve 2 
(FIGS. 5 and 6). This is particularly adapted to evacuate rigid 
containers, such as jar 3, by applying check valve 2 over a small hole 
punched in lid 4 of jar 3. 
Pump 1 in association with probe 5 (FIG. 7) is also used to evacuate a 
non-rigid container, such as plastic bag 6. An in-line check valve 7 
(FIGS. 7 and 8) having a rigid housing is inserted in the air line of 
probe 5. 
In the first use, plug 8 is inserted in side port 9 (FIG. 1) to block a 
side inlet; however, in the second use plug 8 is removed from the side 
port 9, and check valve 7 end of probe 5 is inserted in side port 9. Plug 
8 is inserted in the throat of vacuum cup 10 (FIG. 9) to block any 
possible passage of air through the vacuum cup and to convert the vacuum 
cup into a vacuum cup so that the pump assembly can be affixed to a table. 
Piston pump 1 is used in both modes without any change in structure. In 
particular, the pump consists of a 13/4 inch diameter vacuum cup 10 
fabricated from a flexible soft plastic and is fixed to one end of plastic 
tube 11. Tube 11 defines a pump cylinder, the bore of which houses a 
uniquely designed O-ring piston-check-valve 12. The piston-check-valve is 
connected to one end of a spring-loaded, metal or plastic rod 13; and a 
manually actuatable push-pull knob 14 is fixed to the other rod end to 
reciprocate the piston-check-valve to effect air evacuation. Rod 13 need 
not be spring loaded when evacuating a jar. 
Pump 1 is approximately 14 inches long when assembled for use. Tube 11 is 
approximately 6 inches long and it has a 7/8 outside diameter. For 
shipment, cleaning and storage, the pump may be broken down to about 9 
inches with one simple jerking motion which separates top end cap 15 from 
cylinder 11. Alternately, the pump assembly may be conveniently stored in 
a broom clip on a wall or cabinet door. 
Bottom end cap 16 couples vacuum cup 10 to the lower end of tube 11. Side 
port 9 extends through both tube 11 and bottom end cap 16. Plug 8 is 
inserted in port 9 when air is to be evacuated from jar 3 through the 
central passage formed by throat 17 of vacuum cup 10, as is shown in FIG. 
1. Tube 11 and end caps 15 and 16 are formed of a rigid shatter resistant 
such as CPVC plastic. The tube and end caps could also be fabricated of 
glass or metal. 
An inwardly projecting annular lip 18, which defines a centrally located 
hole, is integrally formed on the lower portion of bottom end cap 16. Neck 
19 of vacuum cup 10 is formed with an annular recess 20 which engages lip 
18 when neck 19 is press fit through the hole formed by lip 18. The 
special shape of the bottom end cap defines a small chamber into which 
adhesive-tape check valve 2 can move up and down. Without this chamber 
vacuum cup 10 would be sucked flat by the pumping action, thereby 
ultimately defeating the operation of adhesive-tape check valve 2. 
Top end cap 15 is formed with a central hole to enable spring-loaded rod 13 
to reciprocate within the cylinder cavity defined by tube 11. Knob 14 is 
threaded, glued, or snap fit onto the upper end of the rod. Helical return 
spring 21 envelopes rod 13 between knob 14 and top end cap 15. The return 
spring is sized for easy operation and to supply sufficient force to 
provide adequate vacuum with a reasonable number of strokes, and to 
withstand many operations. 
Optionally, spring 21 and rod 13 are continuously lubricated by an oil 
saturated felt washer 22 sandwiched between a flat steel washer 23 and top 
end cap 15. Return spring 21 keeps washer 22 in permanent compression so as 
to fit tightly around rod 13. 
Body 24 of piston-check valve 12 is fabricated from a machined or molded 
plastic, metal, or ceramic. The outer periphery of piston body 24 is 
formed with an annular groove 25. This groove width is oversized relative 
to the cross-section of its contained O-ring 26, and the groove diameter 
is tapered and small at one end relative to the inside diameter of its 
contained O-ring, in order to provide proper pumping action which requires 
movement of the O-ring within the groove. A small piston vent hole 27 (FIG. 
3) or notch provides an air passage from groove 25 through the upper 
portion of body 24. 
Body 24 is sized diameter-wise so as to have a loose fit relative to the 
inner cylinder wall of tube 11. Air flows between body 24 and tube 11 
unless this passage is blocked by O-ring 26. 
Piston-check-valve 12 is open during the down-stroke (FIG. 4). In 
particular, during the piston down-stroke, O-ring 26 is forced upwardly 
against the top of oversized groove 25 by friction engagement with the 
cylinder wall. Accordingly, air flows around the periphery of the lower 
portion of piston body 24 into groove 25 below O-ring 26, and ultimately 
through piston vent hole 27 into the upper cylinder cavity. 
Piston-check-valve 12 is closed during the upstroke (FIG. 1). In 
particular, during the piston up-stroke, O-ring 26 is forced downwardly 
against the bottom of oversized groove 25 by friction engagement with the 
cylinder wall. This action closes off the air passage otherwise appearing 
between the loose fitting piston body 24 and the adjacent cylinder wall. 
During the piston up-stroke, air confined in the cylinder cavity located 
above body 24 is forced out of pump 1 by a venting passage formed between 
rod 13 and top end cap 15. 
During the piston up-stroke, adhesive-tape check valve 2 is open, as is 
shown in FIG. 1, thereby evacuating jar 3 of air. Conversely, during the 
piston down stroke, check valve 2 is closed. 
Adhesive-tape check valve 2 (FIGS. 5 and 6) may be rectangular or chevron 
shaped or various other shapes in the preferred embodiment shown in the 
drawings. Either configuration facilitates reciprocating action which is 
necessary for a reliable check-valve action. The point of the chevron 
shaped valve may be preferred by some for easy removal of the valve or 
release of the vacuum. 
Adhesive-tape check valve 2 is formed with a tape layer 28 which is coated 
with an adhesive layer 29. The adhesive-tape is supported on a throw-away, 
peel-off backing 30 whose ends 31 and 32 extend beyond layers 28 and 29. 
An elastomer pad 33 which serves as a valve seat is captured in the central 
portion of tape layer 28 between adhesive layer 29 and backing 30. A 
preferred sealing material is a low durometer (about 30, Shore A) FDA 
elastomer pad of approximately 0.31.times.0.31.times.0.020 inch which is 
bonded to the adhesive layer of the tape. The tape and sealing material 
that make up valve 2 can be reused many times. 
The actual construction of valve 2 is accomplished by running a roll of 
vinyl adhesive-tape partially around a roller having a groove. The 
non-sticky side is in contact with the roller. The tape is manipulated so 
it conforms to the groove in the roller. Another roller in close proximity 
to the first has a roll of backing material partially wrapped around it. 
The backing is about 15 inches wide and the vinyl tape is 1.0 inches wide. 
The two tapes are roll pressed together. The void created by the groove in 
the first roller is filled with an FDA(food grade) uncured silicone rubber 
that is injected into the void just at the pinch line of the two rolls. 
After the silicone rubber cures, the valve are die-cut through the vinyl 
tape and silicone rubber but not through the backing. The valves are then 
distributed in lengths containing 25 to 50 valves per length. 
In preparation for evacuating resealable jar 3, a small hole is punched in 
lid 4 near the center of the lid. Check valve 2 is placed (with peel-off 
backing 30 removed) with elastomer sealing pad 33 covering the small hole. 
During operation, vacuum cup 10 is placed on lid 4 over valve 2 (FIG. 1). 
As knob 14, rod 13, and piston-check-valve 12 are pushed down, 
piston-check-valve 12 is opened and adhesive-tape check valve 2 is closed. 
As spring 21 returns piston-check-valve 12 and rod 13 to its extended 
position, piston-check-valve 12 is closed and adhesive-tape check valve 2 
is opened and air is drawn from jar 3 by the vacuum created by piston pump 
1. The knob may also be pulled up manually if the spring is not used. The 
spring tension and piston diameter are designed to cause a vacuum, in the 
range of 25 to 27 inches of mercury, to be attainable. 
Repeated reciprocations are made until jar 3 is adequately evacuated, which 
is noted by only a partial return of the knob 14 and rod 13 assembly to its 
fully extended position, or by the feel of a tightly adhered vacuum cup to 
the jar lid. This feeling of tightness can be compared when pump 1 is 
sucked tight to that of a smooth flat surface with no hole or other leaks. 
The number of reciprocations required for adequate evacuation varies with 
the volume of air in the jar. Maximum vacuum may be reached with as few as 
two reciprocations. 
After jar 3 has been adequately evacuated, pump 1 is removed with 
adhesive-tape check-valve 2 remaining in place. When one desires to open 
jar 3, all that is necessary to release the vacuum, is simply to lift the 
sealing pad portion of valve 2 only far enough to uncover a portion of the 
hole in lid 4. After the hissing noise stops, the vacuum has been released 
and the jar may be more easily opened. 
Contrary to the belief of some, nearly all of the vacuum sealed 
"throw-away" jars on the market today may be permanently resealed. 
Furthermore, by using pump 1 of this invention, the same jar, lid, and 
adhesive-tape check-valve 2 may be resealed many times. And, since 
adhesive-tape check-valve 2 is itself reusable, it may be transferred to 
another jar lid. 
Additionally, using pump 1 of this invention, allows any store bought 
sealed jar to be easily opened, even by people with small and/or arthritic 
hands. Punching the hole in the jar lid, releases the vacuum that initially 
caused the jar to open with difficulty. After releasing the vacuum the hole 
may be covered with the adhesive-tape check valve in preparation for 
sealing. 
The second mode shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 employs an accessory kit which 
forms probe 5. Probe 5 is employed to evacuate non-rigid containers, such 
as plastic bags (FIG. 9). Probe 5 (FIG. 7) comprises a central section of 
an FDA approved flexible plastic tubing 34, a straight length of FDA 
approved rigid plastic tubing 35 inserted into the first end of tubing 34, 
and an in-line check valve 7 inserted into the other end of plastic tubing 
34. 
In-line check valve 7 is formed with a plastic housing body 36 that defines 
an internal cavity that contains a flexible valve seat disc 37 formed from 
FDA approved material. The periphery of the disc flexes to open and close 
the valve. Access to this internal cavity is obtained through apertured 
inlet nipple 38 and through apertured outlet nipple 39. Stop 40 limits the 
movement of valve seat disc 37 within housing body 36. 
When probe 5 is used, the free end of rigid tubing 35 is inserted into the 
open end of sack 6(FIG. 9). A foam block 42 is preferably manually 
employed to hold tubing 35 in place and to keep the sack sealed around 
tube 35 during evacuation. 
Plug 8 is removed from side port 9(the position shown in FIG. 1), and 
reinserted into central throat 17 of vacuum cup 10 (the position shown in 
FIG. 9). Outlet nipple 39 is inserted into port 9, and manual pumping is 
started as described with respect to the first embodiment of FIG. 1. The 
periphery of valve seat disc 37 flexes within the cavity of housing body 
36. During the down-stroke, disc 37 closes inlet nipple 38; and during the 
up-stroke, disc 37 flexes against stop 40 thereby opening the check valve 
to permit air evacuation as previously described with respect to jar 3. 
When bag 6 has been adequately evacuated, probe 5 is removed from the bag, 
and the bag clamped closed by conventional means. The seal of the bag may 
be enhanced by coating the inner walls at the sealing area with vegetable 
oil, butter, or margarine. 
The above description of FIGS. 1 to 9, as well as the FIGS. 1 to 9 
themselves, are essentially incorporated from my U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,028 
and are contained herein for the purpose of explaining the background of 
the present invention as well as the general dual mode operation of the 
present pump assembly, which is the same for the following embodiment 
disclosed in FIGS. 10 to 13 as in my prior patent, this following 
embodiment being essentially an improvement on my prior design. 
With that background and as illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 14, an improved pump 
assembly 110 is illustrated consisting generally of a cylinder assembly 112 
with a piston and rod assembly 114 slidable therein, an end cap and vacuum 
cup assembly 116, a tethered plug 118 useable in the rigid container 
evacuation mode, a flexible probe assembly 120 insertable into the end cap 
and vacuum cup assembly 116 as shown in FIG. 13 for the flexible container 
evacuation mode, a first upper check valve assembly 122 for blocking flow 
through evacuation probe assembly 120, and a second check valve assembly 
124 for maintaining suction in the vacuum cup while attached to a 
supporting surface. Both check valves 122 and 124 operate usably only in 
the flexible container evacuation mode illustrated in FIG. 13. 
The cylinder assembly 112 is seen to include a tubular cylinder 125 
enclosed at its upper end by a one-piece molded upper end cap 126 that has 
a flanged tubular central portion 128 extending into tube 125 and forming a 
seat for a coil compression spring 130 that partly recesses the spring into 
the tube 125 to provide a more compact arrangement than in my prior 
patented design. 
The upper end of the spring 130 engages and biases upwardly a spheroidal 
knob 132 connected to the upper end of rod 134 forming part of the piston 
and rod assembly 114. 
The piston and rod assembly 114 is also constructed of a rigid plastic 
material and has an integral piston 136 on its lower end having an O-ring 
137 mounted in an enlarged recess therein that cooperates with passage 140 
shown more clearly in FIG. 12 to form a piston check valve that operates in 
an identical fashion to the piston check valve 12 described above in 
connection with the FIGS. 1 to 9 embodiment. 
The end cap and vacuum cup assembly 116 includes a one-piece molding 142 
constructed of an elastomeric material substantially softer than the other 
parts of the pump assembly 110 that is preferably of a material in the 
Shore A durometer range of 30 to 50 to not only provide the necessary 
flexibility for vacuum cup portion 143 but also to improve the sealing 
characteristics of the check valves 122 and 124, as well as the seating of 
plug 118, all as a result of the higher resiliency of the molding 142. 
The molding 142 has a stepped inlet passage 145 communicating with pumping 
chamber 146 that defines a seat 150 for check valve ball 151 associated 
with check valve 122, and seat 155 associated with ball 156 in check valve 
assembly 124. Passage 145 has an opening 158 to the interior of the cup 
portion 143 and a transverse bore 160, tapered at its inner end, 
communicates the main inlet passage 145 in the area 162 between seats 150 
and 155 to the exterior surface of the molding 142. 
Bore 160 selectively receives a plug 165 tethered by an integral strap 166 
to the top of the molding 142 or to a separate molded ring-strap-plug 
assembly which ring fits frictionally on cylinder tube 112 at top of 
molding 142. 
The probe assembly 120 includes a flexible tube 170 having an in-line 
filter 171 therein, connected to a rigid tube extension 172 adapted to be 
inserted into flexible containers in the same manner as described above 
with respect to FIG. 9. 
To operate the evacuation pump apparatus 110 in the flexible container 
mode, it is only necessary to remove plug 165 and insert the flexible 
probe into bore 160 as shown in FIG. 13. Note that the plug 165 remains 
with the assembly because it is tethered to molding 142. During the 
downward stroke of piston 136, ball 156 seats securely against seat 150 
preventing air flow from pumping chamber 146 into flexible evacuation 
probe tube 170 which of course is important to prevent the inflation of 
the flexible container that is being evacuated. 
During the upward stroke of piston 136, ball 151 unseats from seat 150 
permitting air flow from the flexible container through the evacuation 
probe assembly 120 into the pumping chamber 146 producing the desired 
evacuation of the container. 
During both the upward and downward strokes of the piston 136, the ball 
valve 156 associated with check valve 124 remains seated due to the vacuum 
inside the vacuum cup 143 bearing in mind that during the flexible 
container evacuation mode the vacuum cup 143 is attached to a suitable 
smooth horizontal supporting surface. More specifically, the area of the 
seat 155 is sized so that the pressure drop within the pumping chamber 146 
during the flexible container evacuation mode is insufficient to unseat 
ball 156. However, even if ball 156 unseated as the piston moved upwardly, 
it would have no effect on the attachment of the vacuum cup 143 to the 
horizontal surface because it would only lower pressure within the vacuum 
cup and as soon as the piston 136 begins its downward stroke, ball valve 
156 Will immediately reseat preventing any increase in pressure within the 
vacuum cup portion 143. Thus, the sole function of the check valve 124 is 
to maintain suction within the vacuum cup portion 143 during the flexible 
container evacuation mode so that the pump apparatus 110 remains attached 
to its support. 
The return to the rigid container evacuation mode is easily achieved by 
simply withdrawing flexible probe tube 170 and re-inserting plug 165 back 
to the position shown in FIG. 11, and in this position the pump apparatus 
can be placed over the rigid container lid mounted check valve without 
further manipulation of the pump. During rigid container evacuation the 
check valves 122 and 124 have no function and simply open and close 
without any specific result because the adhesive check valve on the 
container lid prevents flow from the pump into the rigid container. 
It can be seen with the pump apparatus 110 the operation of the pump is 
considerably simpler and specific instructions about the placement of the 
plugs required in my prior patented design are unnecessary, which is 
particularly helpful because users often-times discard operating 
instructions. Secondly, the elimination of the complex check valve in my 
prior flexible evacuation probe is a considerable cost saving, and the 
simple ball valves 122 and 124 that are formed for the most part 
integrally with the end cap and vacuum cup molding 142 considerably 
simplify the assembly of the present pump 110 as well as requiring fewer 
parts.