Patent Publication Number: US-2009235793-A1

Title: Membrane perforating device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a film or membrane perforating device, and more particularly to a membrane perforating device for engaging with a film or membrane and for perforating the film or membrane and for allowing air to flow through the film or membrane and for preventing water to flow through the film or membrane. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Typically, for preserving the beverage, the food, particularly the sea food, a film or membrane is required to be provided and engaged onto the outer or upper portion of the cup or receptacle or container that is provided for receiving the beverage or the food, in order to suitably seal the cup or receptacle or container. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,500 to Danforth et al. discloses one of the typical lid sealing machines for applying and sealing lids on the trays. 
     Some of the cups or receptacles or containers may be disposed in a microwave oven for heating the beverage or the food contained in the cup or receptacle or container. 
     However, if the cups or receptacles or containers are tightly sealed with the lids or films or membranes, a vapor may be generated within the cups or receptacles or containers which may be exploded because the vapor may not flow out through the lids or films or membranes. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional membrane perforating devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a membrane perforating device provided for engaging with a film or membrane and for perforating the film or membrane and for allowing air to flow through the film or membrane and for preventing water to flow through the film or membrane. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a perforating device for perforating a membrane, the perforating device comprising a three-dimension element including a number of particles secured together, and the particles each including a number of protruded peaks for engaging with the membrane and for perforating the membrane. 
     The element may be formed into or selected from a planar element, a longitudinal bar element, or a cylindrical element, and may include a bore formed in the cylindrical element for receiving or engaging with a shaft. 
     A carrier may further be provided for supporting the element. The particles may be selected from silicon sands, or diamond sands, and may be selected from natural sands or synthetic sands. 
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan schematic and partial cross sectional view illustrating a cup or receptacle or container having a film or membrane to be perforated with a membrane perforating device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the film or membrane; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view illustrating the operation of the cup or receptacle or container; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the film or membrane as shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a sand or particle for making or forming the membrane perforating device; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating one example of the membrane perforating device; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating another example of the membrane perforating device; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating the application or the operation of the membrane perforating device as shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating the application or the operation of the membrane perforating device as shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the operation of the membrane perforating device for perforating the film or membrane; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view illustrating the other example of the membrane perforating device; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view illustrating a further example of the membrane perforating device; 
         FIG. 13  is a partial perspective view illustrating the application or the operation of the membrane perforating device as shown in  FIG. 12 ; and 
         FIG. 14  is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the operation of the membrane perforating device as shown in  FIGS. 12-13  for perforating the film or membrane. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1-4 , a membrane perforating device  1  in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 6-14  and is provided for engaging with a film or membrane  20  and for perforating the membrane  20  or for forming a number of perforations  21  in the membrane  20 , and arranged for allowing the air to flow through the membrane  20  and for preventing the water to flow through the membrane  20 , best shown in  FIG. 4 . The membrane  20  is to be attached or applied or engaged onto the outer or upper portion of a cup or receptacle or container  30  which is provided for receiving the food or beverage  31 , in order to suitably seal the container  30  and to preserve the food or beverage  31 . 
     In operation, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the container  30  and the food or beverage  31  may be disposed in a microwave oven  32  which may be provided for heating the food or beverage  31  contained in the container  30 . After heating, a vapor may be generated within the container  30  and may flow out through the perforations  21  of the membrane  20  for preventing the container  30  from being exploded, and the perforations  21  of the membrane  20  are arranged for preventing the water from flowing out through the perforations  21  of the membrane  20  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The membrane perforating device  1  in accordance with the present invention is thus provided for perforating the membrane  20  and for forming a number of perforations  21  in the membrane  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the membrane perforating device  1  comprises a number of natural or synthetic silicon sands or diamond sands or particles  10  each including a Mohr&#39;s hardness of about eight (8), and each including a number of pointed ends or tips or protruded peaks  11  for engaging with the membrane  20  and for perforating the membrane  20 , and the particles  10  may be secured together with such as powder metallurgy procedures, powder pressing procedures, sintering method, or with adhesive materials, for forming a spatial or three-dimension object or element, such as a planar element  12  as shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  8 ,  10 , a longitudinal bar element  13  as shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  9 , a cylindrical element  14  as shown in  FIG. 11 , or a cylindrical element  15  as shown in  FIGS. 12-14  and having a longitudinal bore  16  formed therein for receiving a mandrel or shaft  17  and for allowing the cylindrical element  15  to be rotated together with the shaft  17  ( FIG. 14 ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8-10 , the elements  12 ,  13  of the membrane perforating device  1  may be attached to a carrier  40  which may be coupled to a moving or actuating or actuating or operating device or machine  41  that may move the elements  12 ,  13  of the membrane perforating device  1  toward or away from the membrane  20  for selectively engaging with the membrane  20  and for perforating the membrane  20  or for forming a number of perforations  21  in the membrane  20 . The membrane  20  may be disposed on or supported by or moved over a supporting or cushioning pad  42  for allowing the membrane  20  to be suitably perforated with the elements  12 ,  13  of the membrane perforating device  1 . 
     Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 14 , the membrane  20  may also be disposed on or supported by or moved over a cylindrical supporting or cushioning pad  43  which is aligned with the cylindrical element  15  for allowing the membrane  20  to be moved or sent or fed through the cylindrical pad  43  and the cylindrical element  15  and for allowing the membrane  20  to be suitably perforated with the element  15  of the membrane perforating device  1 . 
     It is to be noted that the elements  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  of the membrane perforating device  1  are formed or made of a number of silicon sands or diamond sands or particles  10  each including a number of pointed ends or tips or protruded peaks  11  for engaging with the membrane  20  and for perforating the membrane  20 , and for allowing the membrane  20  to be suitably perforated with the elements  12 - 15  of the membrane perforating device  1 . The particles  10  may be selected from natural or synthetic silicon sands or diamond sands. The elements  12 - 15  of the membrane perforating device  1  include a great Mohr&#39;s hardness of about eight (8) and will not be rusted. 
     Again, as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the perforations  21  of the membrane  20  include a size or dimension or diameter arranged for allowing the air, the gas, the vapor or the like to flow through the perforations  21  of the membrane  20 , and thus for preventing the container  30  from being exploded, In addition, when the alive sea food is received or contained in the container  30  and sealed with the membrane  20 , the sea food may be kept alive with the air flowing through the perforations  21  of the membrane  20 . 
     Accordingly, the membrane perforating device in accordance with the present invention may be provided for engaging with a film or membrane and for perforating the film or membrane and for allowing air to flow through the film or membrane and for preventing water to flow through the film or membrane. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.