Suction device to create a vacuum in containers

Abstract: A suction device suitable to create a vacuum in containers particularly for the preservation of food in a vacuum, consisting of a casing formed by two coupled halves (4, 5) that contain an electric motor (7) that actuates a suction pump formed by a cylinder-piston unit (14, 15), by means of a reducer group formed by a pinion (17) force-fit onto the shaft (16) of the motor (7) and by a crown gear (19) having an eccentric (37) which actuates a connecting rod (23) connected to the piston (15). The device has at one end a holed tip (34) which can be pluged directly in the seating of the valve (3) that is provided on the container, so that it can be used with one hand only.

Description: The present invention refers to a suction device suitable to create a vacuum in containers, particularly for the preservation in a vacuum of food and of perishable materials in general. It is well know that almost every type of food, either solid, semi-solid or liquid, tends to deteriorate rapidly when it is in contact with air, due to the aggression of air components, oxigen in particular. The "oxidization" of food can be prevented by preserving it in a vacuum. Although there are suction devices to create a vacuum in containers, this technique to preserve food is not very widespread, on the contrary it is absolutely unknown to most consumers, at domestic level, due to the drawbacks of the suction systems, that will be briefly illustrated. First of all, the known suction devices are very expensive, bulky and heavy, for this reason they must be fixed installations, at least during use. These equipments, in fact, are fixed to the wall or leaned on a flat surface and are connected to the valve of the container in which the vacuum must be created, by means of a flexible tube. As far as the internal structure of such equipments is concerned, they comprise an electric motor, on whose exit shaft an eccentric is mounted that directly actuates the piston of a suction pump whose shaft is perpendicular to the axis of the motor shaft. The position of the motor and of the pump plus the direct transmission between these elements require a high power, and therefore an over-dimensioning of the whole equipment. Although the problem of making the above equipments portable and handy, in order to increase their diffusion, is strongly felt, up to now that couldn't be realized, meanly due to the technical solutions adopted in the devices presently on the market. The applicant knows about a "portable" device consisting of a manual pump that presents the clear drawback of not reaching acceptable vacuum levels and of requiring the user to grip it with both hands. A device for domestic use is also known, being suitable to create a vacuum in containers and comprising a casing which houses an electric motor, a suction pump provided with a tip connected to a valve located on the container cover. This devices is provided with electronic means suitable to establish the vacuum degree inside the container by measuring the motor absorption power and comprising transmission devices in which a bevel gear pair is arranged to transmit motion from the motor to an eccentric actuating the pump. This device is illustrated in the Italian Patent Application MI91 A 000927 filed by the same applicant on April 03, 1991. US-A-4 984 611 which represents the closest prior art discloses a suction device comprising a closed vessel for storing food with an air exhaust part provided with a check valve, and a pressure reducing device for drawing out air in the closed vessel. The vessel is composed of vessel body and a lid provided with a central bore for the air, while the pressure reducing device comprises a vacuum pump provided at its bottom with an annular projection surrounding a central suction part. US-A- 2 629 539 relates to a compressor pump comprising an electric motor, a pinion-gear transmission, a double piston compressor and a hollow tip. The aim of the invention is to improve the previously illustrated devices, supplying a suction device that can be used with one hand only, that is capable of creating a high vacuum degree in the containers, as defined in independent claim 1. In the suction device according to the invention as is defined in independent claim 1 and the claims dependent thereon, between the motor and the suction pump, a reducer group is installed which is formed by a pinion force-fit onto the motor shaft and by a crown gear with an eccentric that actuates a connecting rod connected to the piston of the suction pump. According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the axis of the crown gear is perpendicular to the axis of the pinion, therefore motor and pump can be located on the same axis and the device substantially has a straight line shape. According to a possible different embodiment, the pinion force-fit onto the motor shaft may be replaced by a worm, whose complanate axis is perfectly parallel to the pump axis. In the front part of the device an interchangeable and elastic tip is provided that can perfectly fit the valve seating provided in the containers in which the vacuum must be created, said tip being housed in a transparent removable little cup collecting the eventual condensation during the use of the device. The device thus conceived can be used with one hand, putting the tip directly into the valve seating provided in the container and pushing with the thumb or the forefinger of the same hand a push-button switch conveniently located near the end of the device opposite to the tip. On the housing of the device a set of leds of different colours can be installed, whose lighting is controlled by the absorption of the motor to signal, for instance, the functioning of the device and the reached degree of vacuum. In alternative or in addition, a mechanical vacuum measuring device may be advantageously arranged and directly connected to the suction tip. The electric motor can be fed by the main electrical line by means of an electric cable with related plug, that comes out from the device. According to an advantageous different embodiment, the device can work with low voltage supplied by a rechargeable battery incorporated therein. The device according to the invention may be used to blow in air, instead of suckering it, and this will not involve substantial changes in what has been previously illustrated and it may be easily accomplished by actuating the pump as a compressor. Further characteristics of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description, referring to a purely illustrative therefore in no ways limitative embodiment, illustrated in the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an axonometric view showing the suction device according to the invention, during its use to create a vacuum in a container; Figure 2 is an exploded axonometric view of a preferred embodiment of the device of figure 1; Figure 3 is a mid-section taken from the device according to the invention; Figure 4 is a further section of the device; Figure 5 is a side-view of a possible modified embodiment of the shape of the device shown in the previous figures; Figure 6 is a mid-section of a different embodiment of the device according to the invention. With reference to figures 1 to 3, the device according to the invention has been indicated as a whole with reference number 1 and it is shown in figure 1 applied on valve 3 of a container 2, in which a vacuum must be created. As better shown in the exploded view of figure 2, the suction device 1 comprises an outer casing formed by to substantially identical halves 4, 5, that are assembled with screws 6. Inside such casing, in the upper part, there is an electric motor 7, operated by a press switch 8, actuated by a pivoted key 9. In these figures a power cable 10 is partially shown, in case the motor 7 is fed by the line current. It is evident, however, that the device can be fed by a battery eventually rechargeable by the line current. In the figures three leds 11 of different colours are also shown whose status is determined by the absorption of the motor 7 and which serve to signal the degree of vacuum reached in the container during the functioning of the device. Below motor 7 a support cage 13 is provided to hold the cylinder 14 of the pump and the reducer group, which will be described and which transmits the reciprocating motion to the piston 15. On the outgoing end of the shaft 16 of the motor 7, a conical pinion 17 is force-fit, that may be made integral with an impeller 18 for the cooling of the motor. The pinion 17 is engaged on a crown gear 19 rotatably mounted on a pivot 20 held by the cage 13. Inside the crown gear 19 an hallow eccentric 37 is provided, which carries inside a lubricating tampon 21. Around the eccentric 37, there is the head of a connecting rod 23, whose free end supports the piston 15. In particular, said free end has the shape of a sphere 40 located in semispheric seatings 41 of two symmetrical pads 42, opposed, to the piston. The pads 42 are fixed to a bush 43 inserted on them upon interposition of a gasket 44. In the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 3, the pivot 20, that is the axis of the crown gear 19, is perpendicular to the motor shaft 16, and the piston-cylinder unit of the suction pump is perfectly aligned with the axis of motor 7, therefore the device is substantially straight-lined. However, it is evident that, keeping the position of pivot 20, unchanged, the axis of the cylinder 4 can be inclined, for instance up to 90° with respect to the motor shaft 16, on a plane perpendicular to the plane of the sheet in figure 3. Below cylinder 14 there is a valve body 24, upon interposition of a diaphragm valve 25. At the bottom of cylinder 14 there are two openings 26 and 27 connected, through the diaphragm valve 25, with a suction duct 28 and an exhaust duct 29 of the valve body 24, respectively. As shown is figure 3, the valve body 24, the diaphragm valve 25 and the cylinder 14 (the latter might also be integral with cage 13) are assembled by means of a ring nut 30, threaded on a thread 31 made externally at the lower ends of two halves 4, 5 of the device casing. To the body valve 24 a terminal cap 32 is fixed, e.g. by means of a bayonet joint or by screwing, with a locking ring 31 interposed therebetween. This terminal cap, preferably in transparent material, has an internal seat 33 for the press fit of a tip 34 in flexible material, such as rubber. This tip will engage the seating of valve 3 provided on the container 2. In the embodiment shown in the attached figures, the tip 34 and the corresponding seating of valve 3 have the shape of a truncated piramid. The seat 33 of the terminal cap 32 has a solid end 35, as shown in the exploded view of figure 2, and side openings 36, through which the air sucked form container 2 is forced during the functioning of the device. In this way, the possible condensation is collected in the terminal cap 32 and drained by removing the cap from the device. The transaprency of the cap 32 allows a visual check of the accumulation of condensation in the cap. In alternative or in addition to the leds 11 signalling the vacuum degree, a mechanical indicator may be provided comprising a cylinder 45 whose lower end is connected, through a duct (not shown) obtained in the sidewall of the body valve 24, to the suction tip 34 and therefore, to the container 2, in which a vacuum is to be created. In the cylinder 45 a piston 46, with its gasket 47, is arranged and normally moved upwards by a spring 48. The vacuum obtained in the container 2 during the functioning of the device tends to move downwards the piston 46 , in opposition to the action of the spring 48, whose position, visible through the transparent cylinder 45 and through an opening 49 arranged in one of the two halves 4 and 5, signals the degree of vacuum created. The functioning of the suction device according to the invention is the following. The device is grabbed with one hand, as schematically indicated in figure 1 (or putting the hand of the opposite side in order to actuate the switch with the forefinger) and is located directly on a container 2 in which a vacuum must be created, by inserting the tip 34 in the seating of the corresponding valve 3 of the container. Pushing the pivoting key 9 the motor 7 is actuated, thus rotating the conical pinion 17 that transmits the rotation to the crown gear 19 which, through the eccentric 37, moves the connecting rod 23 - piston 15 group by alternate motion. During the upward movement of the piston, that is the suction phase, the air sucked from the container passes through the openings 36, leaves the condensation and possible solid particles in the terminal cap 32 and enters the chamber of the cylinder passing through the duct 28 of the valve body 24, through the diaphragm valve 25 and through the opening 26 of the cylinder bottom. In this phase, the opening 27 in the cylinder botton is obviously closed by the diaphragm valve 25. During the downward movement of the piston, the diphragm valve 25 closes the opening 26 and opens the opening 27 of the cylinder bottom 14, thus sending to the exhaust the air present in the cylinder, through the duct 29 provided in the valve body 24. As the vacuum increases in container 2, the absorption of the motor 7 increases, too and that is sensed by suitable electronic circuit and is signalled to the user by the selective lighting of the leds 11 indicating the degree of vacuum reached in the container. In the case of a mechanical indicator, the degree of vacuum reached is signalled by the position of the piston 46, which moves as the vacuum in the container increases. The transmission system between motor and suction pump according to the invention is particularly advantageous when the above elements are perfectly aligned, but can be conveniently used up to an inclination of 45° of these elements. Even though in figure 1 a rigid container is shown, it is evident that the device according to the invention can be used with any other type of containers, for instance flexible ones, provided that they have a valve suitable to seat the tip 34, which has a convenient square section but, being interchangeable, could be substituted with a tip having a different transverse section, e.g. a round one. In figure 5 and 6 a possible different embodiment of the invention is shown, wherein , in the place of pinion 17, a worm , still indicated with reference number 17, is located offset with respect to the rod 23, actuating a crown gear 19 having a suitable profile. According to this ambodiment, 50 feeder batteries are provided, overlapped on a side of the device. With 51 batteries, a socket for the battery recharge or, in case, for the feeding by the line current is provided. Without any substantial change, but simply by inverting the functioning of the diaphragm valve 25, namely by actuating the pump as a compressor, it is possible to utilize the device according to the invention to blow in air, instead of sucking it.

Claims: A suction device to create a vacuum in containers (2) provided with valve (3), comprising a casing which houses an electric motor (7) and a suction pump, formed by a cylinder-piston unit (14, 15) actuated by said electric motor, a reducer group formed by a pinion (17) force-fit onto shaft (16) of motor (7) and by a crown gear (19) engaged with said pinion and carrying an eccentric (37) actuating a connecting rod (23) carrying the piston (15), said reducer group being interposed between the motor and the suction pump, characterized in that at the end of the device, facing said piston, a hollow tip is provided for the direct coupling of the device to the seating of the valve of the container, and that said piston 15 comprises two symetrical pads 42 having hemispherical seatings for the spherical end 40 of the rod 23 by means of a bush 43, upon interposition of a gasket 44. Suction device according to claim 1, characterized in that said casing is formed by two substantially equal halves (4, 5) forming, after being assembled, a thread (31) at one end, on which a ring nut (30) is screwed locking in position a valve body (24) and a diaphragm valve (25) at the bottom of the cylinder (14). Suction device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the eccentric (37) has an internal cavity that houses a lubricating tampon (21) and is closed by a cap (22). Suction device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tip (34) is interchangeable and is housed in a seat (33) of a terminal cap (32), said cap being provided with a solid end (35) the inner part of which communicates with the tip (34) and which is provided, at its upper end, with openings (36) for the sucked air, so as to serve as filter for the condensation and is removably fixed on the front of the valve body (24). Suction device according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said tip (34) has the shape of a truncated piramid. Suction device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a mechanical indicator of the vacuum degree reached in the container 2 is provided, comprising a chylinder 45, at least partially transparent, arranged adjacent to an opening 49 obtained in one of the two halves 4, 5, housing a piston 46, opposed to elastic means 48 and connected to the container 2 through said valve body 24. Suction device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the two halves (4, 5) of the casing form in the assembly a window from which a pivoting key (9) stretches out acting on a switch (8) that operates the motor (7), as well as possible holes from which leds (11) stretch out, that signal the status of functioning of the device and the degree of vacuum created in the container (2) determined by the absorption of the motor (7).

Inventors: MAINA GERMANO, MAINA, GERMANO
Applicants: JANKOVIC MILAN, JANKOVIC, MILAN
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65B31
IPC codes: B65B31, F04B35