Patent ID: 8066433

Claim:
A container, comprising: a flexible, air-tight bag having an entrance opening for inserting an item to be stored into said bag; a releasably-closable seal across said entrance opening; a one-way valve assembly installed in a surface of the bag and forming a flow path from the inside of the bag, through a circular flange and to the outside of the bag, the valve having an outer portion with an exterior surface located outside the bag and further having a center with at least one exit hole sufficiently close to the center so a vacuum cleaner nozzle can be placed over the at least one exit hole, the exit hole having a side near the center and a side away from the center, the exterior surface having at least one ridge or at least one groove therein extending away from the center and having a portion located sufficiently close to the at least one groove or at least one ridge so that the nozzle abuts the ridge or overlaps the groove when the nozzle is placed over the at least one hole during use, wherein the exterior surface is located on an outer body portion which in turn is connected to an inner body portion that contains the circular flange; and a flexible diaphragm resiliently urged against an edge of the circular flange to permit and prevent air flow through that circular flange depending on the configuration of the flexible diaphragm, the diaphragm having at least one tab thereon located to bend in the direction of a suction force applied to the at least one exit hole to change the configuration of the flexible diaphragm and allow air flow through the circular flange from inside the container, the at least one tab being on an outer periphery of the diaphragm which outer periphery is non-circular, the diaphragm having a centrally located post extending therefrom, the post having an end fastened to the valve assembly and not moving relative to the circular flange.