US20070034628A1

US20070034628A1 - Food container

Info

Publication number: US20070034628A1
Application number: US11/199,887
Authority: US
Inventors: Aegerter Adrian
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-08-09
Filing date: 2005-08-09
Publication date: 2007-02-15

Abstract

Disclosed is food container, which includes a container body formed off a casing and a cover, a lock for locking the cover to the casing, a vacuum pump controlled by a control circuit to draw air out of the container body, and a relief installed in the cover of the container body for pressing by the user to release the inside space of the container body from the vacuum status.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to food containers and more particularly, to such a food container, which uses a vacuum pump to draw air out of the container body after storage of foods in the container body, keeping storage foods fresh.
2. Description of the Related Art:
When foods are kept in touch with air, they cannot be kept fresh for long. There are sealing containers designed for keeping foods. However, these sealing containers simply keep the containers in an airtight status. They cannot keep storage foods in a vacuum status.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the food container comprises a container body formed off a casing and a cover, a lock for locking the cover to the casing, a vacuum pump controlled by a control circuit to draw air out of the container body, and a relief installed in the cover of the container body for pressing by the user to release the inside space of the container body from the vacuum status. According to another aspect of the present invention, the lock comprises comprising a fixed rail fixedly provided at the front side of the cover, a retaining block fixedly provided at the front side of the casing corresponding to the fixed rail, a sliding rail coupled to and movable along the fixed rail, and a hook movable with the sliding rail for engagement with the retaining block to lock the cover to the casing. According to still another aspect of the present invention, the relief valve comprises an air hole formed in the cover, a valve block fastened to the cover around the air hole, the valve block having an opening and two bottom notches, a button mounted in the opening of the valve block, the button having two bottom coupling rods respectively inserted through the bottom notches and pivotally coupled to the cover, a rod-like stopper adapted to close the air hole, and a spring member supported between the button and the cover to force the stopper to stop the air hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a food container according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is another exploded view of the food container according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a part of the present invention, showing the structure of the locking device.
FIG. 4 is a sectional assembly view of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a part of the present invention, showing the structure of the locking device.
FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing the operation of the relief valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1˜5, a foot container 1 in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a container body 1 formed of a casing 12 and a cover 13, a tray 13 with slanting lines mounted in the casing 12, and an iron rack 14 carried on the tray 13 in the casing 12. The cover 13 has the back side thereof hinged to the back side of the casing 12, a relief valve 2 mounted in the top center thereof, and a locking device 13 at the front side thereof. A vacuum pump 4 comprised of a motor 41 and a pump 42 is mounted in the bottom side of the casing 12 and connected to an air intake 15 of the casing 12 through a pipe 43. A control circuit 5 is the bottom side of the casing 12 and electrically connected to the vacuum pump 4 for controlling the operation of the motor 41. A battery pack 6 is provided at the bottom side of the casing 12 and electrically connected to the control circuit 5 to provide the necessary working voltage to the control circuit 5 and the vacuum pump 4. An on/off switch 7 is installed in the front side of the casing 12 for closing/opening the circuit between the battery pack 6 and the control circuit 5. An AC adapter cable 8 is electrically connected to the control circuit 5 and extending out of the casing 12 for connection to a city power supply outlet to convert AC power supply to DC power supply for the control circuit 5 and the vacuum pump 4.
Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, the cover 11 has a recessed chamber 111 at the top center, an air hole 113 formed in the recessed chamber 111, and a pin 112 suspending in the recessed chamber 111. The relief valve 2 comprises a valve block 21, a button 22, and a spring 222. The valve block 21 has an opening 211 cut through the top and bottom sides thereof, and two bottom notches 212 formed in the bottom wall at two sides. The button 22 is mounted in the opening 211 of the valve block 21, comprising two bottom coupling rods 221 pivotally coupled to the recessed chamber 111, and a rod-like bottom stopper 223 for stopping the air hole 113. The spring 222 is supported between the pin 112 in the recessed chamber 111 and a part of the button 22. Normally, the stopper 223 closes the air hole 113. When pressed the button 22 against the spring 222, the button 22 is biased to lift the stopper 221 from the air hole 113, enabling air to pass through the air hole 113.
Referring to FIG. 5, the locking device 3 comprises a fixed rail 114 fixedly provided at the front side of the cover 11, a retaining block 121 fixedly provided at the front side of the casing 12 corresponding to the fixed rail 114, a sliding rail 31 coupled to and movable along the fixed rail 114, a hook 32 movable with the sliding rail 31 for engagement with the retaining block 121 to lock the cover 11 to the casing 12, and an end cap 33 at one end of the sliding rail 31.
After storage of foods in the casing 12, the cover 11 is closed, and the on/off switch 7 is switched on to start the vacuum pump 4, causing the vacuum pump 4 to draw air out of the casing 12, thereby keeping the inside space of the casing 12 in a vacuum status for keeping storage foods fresh for long.
When wishing to take storage foods out of the food container, press the button 22 to disengage the stopper 223 from the air hole 113, enabling outside air to pass to the inside of the casing 12, allowing the user to open the cover 11.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A food container comprising:

a container body, said container body comprising a casing, a cover closing said casing;

a vacuum pump adapted to draw air out of said container body;

a control circuit adapted to control operation of said vacuum pump;

a battery pack electrically connected to said control circuit and said vacuum pump to provide the necessary working voltage;

an on/off switch electrically connected between said control circuit and said battery pack;

a lock adapted to lock said cover to said casing, said lock comprising a fixed rail fixedly provided at a front side of said cover, a retaining block fixedly provided at a front side of said casing corresponding to said fixed rail, a sliding rail coupled to and movable along said fixed rail, a hook movable with said sliding rail for engagement with said retaining block to lock said cover to said casing; and

a relief valve, said relief valve comprising an air hole formed in said cover, a valve block fastened to said cover around said air hole, said valve block having an opening and two bottom notches, a button mounted in said opening of said valve block, said button having two bottom coupling rods respectively inserted through said bottom notches and pivotally coupled to said cover, a rod-like stopper adapted to close said air hole, and a spring member supported between said button and said cover to force said stopper to stop said air hole.