Patent ID: 7047874

Claim:
A food treatment apparatus, comprising a base unit and a canister for rotatable placement on the base unit; said base unit comprising a housing comprising a cradle section and a control panel section; a vacuum pump disposed in the housing; a control unit disposed in the housing; a control panel on the housing and in electronic communication with the control unit; at least one rotatable roller in the cradle section of the housing; and an electric motor operatively connected to the rollers for causing rotation thereof; said canister comprising a substantially cylindrical main body and a cover comprising a main cover plate and a valve and handle assembly operatively attached to the main cover plate, said cover being sealably attachable to said main body, wherein said valve and handle assembly comprises: a valve movable between an open position and a closed position; a handle for moving the valve between the open and closed positions thereof, the handle having an inner surface with gear teeth formed thereon in a curved pattern; and a gear plate disposed between said valve and said handle, said gear plate having a curved outer edge with a plurality of gear teeth formed thereon, the gear plate situated so that the gear teeth thereof intermesh with the gear teeth of the handle; and wherein said valve comprises: a valve body, a substantially spherical valve ball which fits into the valve body and which has a hollow central bore formed therethrough, and a valve stem having a proximal end which fits in the valve body and which engages the valve ball, and a distal end which is operatively connected to the gear plate.