Abstract:
The present invention features a storage container having a lever-actuated rod and piston mechanism that extracts air from inside the interior chamber, thus creating a vacuum state. This vacuum state is desirable for the fresher storage of many air sensitive materials, including perishable food items and other goods. The opening to the chamber is sealed with an air-sealing cover in order to retain a state of vacuum in the chamber once the interior chamber has achieved a vacuum state.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to storage containers and, more particularly, to storage containers with air removal provisions.  
           [0003]    2. Discussion of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Air sensitive materials and products may have a longer and fresher shelf life when they are stored in a vacuum state. Air contains oxygen and other gases which naturally engage in decaying processes (e.g., oxidation, etc.) that shorten the liveliness of various materials. Sealed storage containers are used to store goods and perishable items in specialized enclosure means such as receptacles, containers and the sort. The removal of air from containers is often desirable to aid in preservation. It is therefore desirable to provide a device for storage that would facilitate the removal of air from containers that is practical and inexpensive.  
           [0005]    The prior art is replete with devices that aid in the vacuum process of removing air from storage devices and packaging. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,349, issued to Hickey, et al., on Jan. 6, 1981, teaches of a container for goods employing the use of vacuum technology. The patent discloses a container that has a rigid base with an impermeable and flexible cover that is sealed to the base. Air is evacuated from a region between the cover and the base so that the cover is drawn down into the goods on the bases, thereby providing a vacuum state.  
           [0006]    The U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,925) to Hawkins, issued on Apr. 22, 1986, teaches of a suction pump device used to suck air out of a container using a cylinder piston and check valve device. The U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,397) to Bachhuber, issued on Jun. 6, 2000, teaches of a self sealing, storage system. The disclosed system provides a means and method of exhausting air from, and sealing food products. The means includes a self-adhering patch for attachment to the exterior side of the container.  
           [0007]    The two U.S. patents to Schultz (U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,028) and Carson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,557) issued Dec. 4, 1990, and Jul. 30, 1998, respectively, teach of vacuum pump devices used to remove air from containers. The vacuum pump of Carson includes a pump housing in the form of a conduit with a piston formed therein. The outside end of the piston is adapted to fit over a valve secured to the container such that movement of the housing away from the piston will draw a vacuum through the valve to remove air from the container through the valve. Schultz&#39;s pump apparatus similarly employs the use of a cylinder housing with a reciprocating piston-check-valve configuration to remove air form rigid containers.  
           [0008]    None of these patents either teaches or suggests a storage container with a built-in pump mechanism that extracts air from it and brings the interior of the container to a state of vacuum. As will be seen in greater detail hereinafter, the present invention involves an air extraction means for the storage of air sensitive materials within a container having its own built-in extraction means.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention features a storage container having a lever-actuated rod and piston mechanism that extracts air from inside the interior chamber thus creating a vacuum state. This vacuum state is desirable for the fresher storage of many air sensitive materials, including perishable food items and other goods. The opening to the chamber is sealed with an air-sealing cover in order to retain a state of vacuum in the chamber once the interior chamber has achieved a vacuum state.  
           [0010]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a container for storage that has a built-in mechanism for removing air from within the container.  
           [0011]    It is another object of the invention to provide a self-vacuuming rigid storage container that produces a vacuum state and has a self attached cover for retaining the state of vacuum.  
           [0012]    It is also an object of the invention to provide a self-vacuuming container that is easy to use.  
           [0013]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a self-vacuuming container device having few working parts, thus being inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.  
           [0014]    These and other objects, features and advantages will be more apparent from a study of the enclosed text and the appended drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when taken in conjunction with the detail description thereof and in which:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a side view of the self-vacuuming storage container in its open state.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a side view of the self-vacuuming storage container in its closed state.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3A illustrates the valve operations with a first valve open and a second valve closed, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3B illustrates the alternative valve operation as shown in FIG. 3A, wherein a first valve is closed and a second valve is open.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 shows the lever in cooperation with the housing cap, in accordance with the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0021]    This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).  
         [0022]    Generally speaking this invention relates to a storage container that maintains freshness of the items stored therein. This storage device is thus dubbed a self-vacuuming storage container (SVSC)  100 , as shown in plan view, in its open state, at FIG. 1. The SVSC  100  comprises a housing  10 , the walls of which forming an interior chamber with a hollow core. Integral to the housing  10  is a piston mechanism  30 . The interior of the chamber  10  may be closed with an air-sealing cap  20 . The cap  20  may be attached by a hinge  25 , or any known suitable attachment means.  
         [0023]    The piston mechanism  30  comprises an elongated cylindrical, hollow piston chamber  31  that extends the length of the housing  10 . Contained within the shaft  31  is a rod  50 , slidably and rotably engaging said shaft  31 . The rod  50  has a flat rod base  55  at a distal end and a lever  40  at a proximal end. This flat rod base  55  forms an air seal within the piston chamber  31 . The lever  40  allows for actuation of the rod  50  along the length of the piston  30 . In the open state of the SVSC  100 , items to be contained 95 are placed therein.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 shows the SVSC  100  in a closed state. Cap  20  sealingly covers the housing  10  such that storage item  95  is contained therein. Once the cap  20  is closed, lever  40  is then pulled up along a longitudinal axis Y parallel with the length of the housing  10 . By applying an upward, normal force on the lever  40 , the rod  50  and rod base  55  in turn moves upward to force the air  12  from inside of the housing  10  through a connecting air-check valve  60  located on the side wall of the housing. This connecting air-check valve  60  also serves as an aperture connecting the inside of housing  10  and the interior passage of piston  30 .  
         [0025]    As shown in FIG. 2, the arrows  12  and  72  illustrate the movement of air in and around the SCSV  100  involved in the vacuuming process. When the lever  40  is pulled up vertically, relative to axis Y, air  12  is forced out of the housing  10  and through the connecting air-check valve  60  entering the piston mechanism  30 . When lever  40  is pushed down vertically, relative to the axis Y, air  72  is forced out from chamber  30  via valve  70 .  
         [0026]    Once all the air  12  has been removed from around the stored item  95  within housing  10 , the rod  50  stops motion. The piston mechanism  30  may be actuated several times, i.e., the lever  40  (with rod  50 ) may be pushed and pulled several times before it reaches a state of vacuum. The number of times depends on the ratio between the volume capacity of the piston chamber  31  and the volume capacity of the housing  10 . After air removal, lever  40  (and subsequently rod  50 ) may be pushed down such that lever  40  mates with cap  20 .  
         [0027]    Since the connecting air check valve  60  is a one-directional valve working in conjunction with the one-directional air check valve  70 , in tandem they provide the mechanism to the vacuuming process. To further detail the vacuuming process, FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrates the off-and-on value states of the one-directional valves  60  and  70 . FIG. 3A illustrates the valve states wherein valve  60  is open and valve  70  is closed. Herein, air  12  from the housing  10  exits through open valve  60  and into the piston chamber  31 , and bypasses closed valve  70 . FIG. 3B illustrates the valve states wherein valve  60  is closed and valve  70  is open. In this instance, air  72  contained within the piston chamber  31  bypasses closed valve  60 , and exits out of valve  70 .  
         [0028]    In a preferred embodiment, the lever  40  may be designed and configured in such a shape that it may come in flush, fitting contact with the cap  20  when the lever  40  is not in use. FIG. 4 illustrates the mating shape relationship between lever  40  and cap  20 . Because the rod  50  may be rotably connected within chamber  31 , likewise the lever  40  attached to the proximal end of the rod  50  will rotate for placement thereof. The cap  20  may contain a recess  22  which matingly receives the shape of lever  40 . It will be understood that any cooperating mating shape of the lever  40  and cap  20  may be taken on.  
         [0029]    Since other modifications and changes varied to fit a particular operating requirements and environment will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute a departure from the true spirit and scope of the invention.  
         [0030]    For example, the housing  10 , for the purposes of this description, is considered to be a rigid, elongated body, however, the shape and rigidity may vary without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, the housing  10  may be compartmental. In addition, the lever  40  may take on any shape (including a shape that does not matingly conform with cap  20 ) that facilitates actuation without departing from the scope of the invention.  
         [0031]    Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequent appended claims.