Liquid detection vacuum

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11628964-B2
Application number	US-202117231459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2021
Priority date	Apr 15, 2020
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

An appliance is provided that is able to vacuum and heat seal plastic bag members containing liquids such as sauces and soups. The appliance may take on a uniquely shaped profile to allow the liquid to sit upright within a bag during the vacuuming process. The appliance also preferably includes a pressure sensor to constantly monitor pressure inside of the bag during the vacuum and sealing process. This may help to prevent liquid from being sucked up and into the appliance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An appliance for vacuum sealing a bag member having a closed bottom portion and an open top portion, the appliance comprising:
a housing including a front wall member, a rear wall member, and two side walls;
an opening in the front wall member of the housing for receiving the open top portion of the bag member, the opening facing upwardly and outwardly from the housing;
a vacuum chamber into which a vacuum may be created, the vacuum chamber in communication with a pressure sensor;
a vacuum pump in communication with the vacuum chamber for drawing the vacuum in the vacuum chamber; and
wherein the pressure sensor within the appliance continuously monitors pressure within the bag member, and wherein:
the pressure sensor includes a liquid thin setting and a liquid thick setting, each of which correlate to preset pressure sensor measurements;
when the liquid thin setting is activated and a first pressure level is reached, the vacuum pump slows down its pump speed; and
when the liquid thick setting is activated and a second pressure level is reached, the vacuum pump stops, and at least one solenoid is opened to reduce pressure in the appliance.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein when the bag member is received in the opening, the bag member is substantially upright.

3. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein when the pressure sensor senses a decrease in pressure, the vacuum pump at least one of slows down and ceases operating.

4. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the at least one solenoid is in communication with the vacuum pump for relieving pressure.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the appliance includes at least one air piston in communication with the vacuum pump for relieving pressure.

6. The appliance of claim 5 , wherein the appliance includes a vacuum release lever in communication with the at least one air piston for actuating the at least one piston.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the appliance also includes a handheld adapter in communication with the vacuum chamber for manual operation.

8. An appliance for vacuum sealing a bag member having a closed bottom portion and an open top portion, the appliance comprising:
a housing including a front wall member, a rear wall member, and two side walls;
an opening in the front wall member of the housing for receiving the open top portion of the bag member;
a vacuum chamber into which a vacuum may be created, the vacuum chamber in communication with a pressure sensor;
a vacuum pump in communication with the vacuum chamber for drawing the vacuum in the vacuum chamber; and
wherein the pressure sensor within the appliance continuously monitors pressure within the bag member, and wherein:
the pressure sensor includes a liquid thin setting and a liquid thick setting, each of which correlate to preset pressure sensor measurements;
when the liquid thin setting is activated and a first pressure level is reached, the vacuum pump slows down its pump speed; and
when the liquid thick setting is activated and a second pressure level is reached, the vacuum pump stops, and at least one solenoid is opened to reduce pressure in the appliance.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the opening faces upwardly and outwardly from the housing.

10. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein when the pressure sensor senses a decrease in pressure, the vacuum pump at least one of slows down and ceases operating.

11. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the at least one solenoid is in communication with the vacuum pump for relieving pressure.

12. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the appliance includes at least one air piston in communication with the vacuum pump for relieving pressure.

13. The appliance of claim 12 , wherein the appliance includes a vacuum release lever in communication with the at least one air piston for actuating the at least one piston.

14. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the appliance also includes a handheld adapter in communication with the vacuum chamber for manual operation.

Assignees

• Sunbeam Products Inc

Inventors

• Owens David
• Cheuk Chan Wing
• Kwong Poon Chi

Classifications

• B65B57/00 Primary

  Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices (registering wrapping or container-forming material fed from rolls B65B41/18) · CPC title

• B65B31/048 Primary

  specially adapted for wrappers or bags · CPC title