Abstract:
The foot-print of a vacuum packaging appliance may be decreased by decoupling the appliance into a base component and a movable receptacle unit according to certain embodiments of the invention.

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/492,035, entitled, “D ECOUPLED  V ACUUM  P ACKAGING  M ACHINE ” by Landen Higer and Alexandre A. N. Baptista, filed on Jul. 31, 2003, and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to vacuum packaging machines. More particularly, the invention is directed to appliance configurations that provide ease of use and convenient storage. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Vacuum packaging is a process for removing oxygen and other gases from food and other items that deteriorate in the presence gases. For example, food spoilage can occur due to oxidation and valuable manuscripts deteriorate when exposed to air. Metal objects can corrode or tarnish when exposed to moist air. Thus, food and other items can be vacuum packaged in a storage bag or storage container in order to increase either their “shelf life” or useful life. However, such appliances can be unwieldy and occupy too much counter space and/or storage space. Thus, there is a need for vacuum packaging appliances that are configured for both ease of use and convenient storage. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation. 
       FIG. 1A  is an isometric view that illustrates one embodiment of a vacuum packaging appliance with detachable wand; 
       FIG. 1B  is a transverse cross-sectional view through the detachable wand, taken in the direction of arrows A—A in  FIG. 1A ; and 
       FIG. 1C  is an isometric view that illustrates a storage configuration of a vacuum packaging appliance with detachable wand with storage canister. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   An appliance for vacuum packaging storage bags and/or storage canisters is described. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. 
     FIG. 1A  is an isometric view that illustrates certain embodiments of a vacuum packaging appliance with a wand. In  FIG. 1A , the configuration of the vacuum packaging appliance  103  is one that allows for a small footprint. Base  102  includes a control panel  106  and a storage slot  152  for wand  104 . Wand  104  is a separate unit that is decoupled from base  102 . Wand  104  is also referred to herein as a receptacle unit. 
   Wand  104  includes a compartment  117  with a lid  114 . Compartment  117  includes a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber includes a vacuum channel that is in communication with the vacuum pump in base  102  through vacuum hose/seal conductor  158 . Further, the vacuum chamber includes one or more gaskets for statically sealing the vacuum chamber when the lid  114  is in the closed position. For example, there may be a gasket on compartment  117  surrounding the vacuum channel and/or a corresponding gasket on lid  114 . Compartment  117  may optionally include a storage bag-cutter (not shown) integrated into lid or base, and a shelf mechanism for holding one or more rolls of storage bags. Further, wand  104  may include locks  105  that automatically lock during the sealing and/or vacuuming operation. Locks  105  are released in order to pop lid  114  open. Wand  104  also includes a vacuum-release mechanism for contacting the vacuum chamber with ambient atmosphere. 
   Base  102  includes a vacuum pump (not shown), sealing mechanism (not shown) and controls (not shown) associated with the operation of the vacuum pump and sealing mechanism. 
   According to certain embodiments, base  102  has a control panel  106  at the top frontal portion of the base. Control panel  106  includes an instant seal button  110  to manually start sealing a storage bag, and a vacuum button  112  to start removing gases from storage bags or canisters. 
   To explain, the sealing function may be automatically activated when the lid of wand  104  is in the closed position over one end of a storage bag, which end is not in a vacuum channel of the vacuum packaging appliance. When a storage bag is being evacuated through activation of the vacuuming function, the instant seal button may be used to seal a storage bag before a complete vacuum is created in the storage bag. This feature is useful when vacuum packaging fragile items so that such items do not get crushed. The sealing mechanism in base  102  activates a heating element in wand  104  through a seal conductor that is ganged with a vacuum hose, such as vacuum hose/seal conductor  158 . The heating element may be in the form of a heating strip. 
   In addition, control panel  106  may include indicator lights to signal the start or completion of various processes such as the sealing process, vacuum process and/or machine re-programming when transitioning from one process to the next. Control panel  106  may optionally include an automatic On/Off button. The automatic On/Off button acts as a fail-safe mechanism to ensure that the heat sealing and/or vacuum mechanisms are not unintentionally activated. Further, control panel  106  may optionally include a Cancel Button for canceling a given operation that is in progress. 
   Control panel  106  may also include a sealing time adjustment knob for controlling the heating element associated with the heat sealing mechanism. For example, the sealing time adjustment can be set to a first setting when storage bags are being sealed. The heat-sealing time adjustment can be set to a second setting when canisters are being sealed. In the case of sealing canisters, there is no need for activating the heating element. 
   In certain embodiments, the vacuum operation for removing gases automatically starts when the lid of wand  104  is in the closed position. In such cases, control panel  106  may include an Extended Vacuum Button. The Extended Vacuum Button may be used to extend the vacuum time to ensure that the maximum amount of air is removed, especially when using extra large storage canisters or bags. 
     FIG. 1B  is a transverse cross-sectional view through the wand  104 , taken in the direction of arrows A—A in  FIG. 1A .  FIG. 1C  is an isometric view that illustrates a storage configuration of a vacuum packaging apparatus  103  with wand  104  and with storage canister  160 . As shown in  FIG. 1C , wand  104  may be conveniently stored in storage slot  152 . The gases in storage canister  160  can be evacuated using vacuum hose  158  to connect storage canister  160  to a vacuum pump in base  102 . 
   Storage bags and canisters may be used with the vacuum packaging appliance described above. Storage bags and rolls may be made from special 3-layer plastic material with channels that facilitate the removal of gases during the vacuum operation. The storage bags and rolls are reusable, washable and recyclable. 
   Storage canisters include a specially designed lid with a port for connecting to the vacuum pump of the vacuum packaging appliance through a hose attachment. The canister lids are designed to seal the canister once the gases are removed from the canister. The storage bags and canisters may be used to store food or other items for which vacuum packaging is desired. 
   A specially designed jar sealer may be used for vacuum packaging standard-mouth mason jars. The jar sealer is designed to fit mason jars and can be connected to the vacuum pump of the vacuum packaging appliance through a hose attachment. Similarly, bottle stoppers may be used to vacuum package bottles to extend the life of liquids. The stoppers are designed for connection to the vacuum pump of the vacuum packaging appliance through a hose attachment. 
   In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. Thus, the sole and exclusive indicator of what is the invention, and is intended by the applicants to be the invention, is the set of claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction. Any express definitions set forth herein for terms contained in such claims shall govern the meaning of such terms as used in the claims. Hence, no limitation, element, property, feature, advantage or attribute that is not expressly recited in a claim should limit the scope of such claim in any way. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.