Vacuum seal indicator for food preservation bags

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9340324-B2
Application number	US-201414483390-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2014
Priority date	Sep 11, 2013
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

Sealable plastic bag with a vacuum indicator is comprised of first and second sheets, each formed of a thin flexible plastic membrane. At least one perforation is formed in the first sheet. An indicator is disposed on the first sheet over the at least one perforation. The indicator is comprised of a resilient material which forms a resilient convex protrusion on an external surface of the bag. The convex protrusion defines a chamber which is airtight except for the at least one perforation. A containment structure is associated with the perforation to inhibit migration of particles from the interior compartment into the chamber. The resilient material is responsive to an air pressure differential as between the interior compartment and an environment external of the interior compartment to collapse the convex protrusion under a predetermined pressure differential condition.

First claim

I claim:

1. A sealable plastic bag, comprising:
first and second sheets, each formed of a thin flexible plastic membrane;
each of the first and second sheets respectively having a substantially rectangular shape which defines four linear sheet edges;
first, second and third seals respectively formed along the length of three of the four linear sheet edges which attach the first sheet directly to the second sheet to partially enclose an interior compartment of a bag and define an opening to the interior compartment between the first and second plastic sheets along the fourth linear sheet edge;
at least one perforation formed in the first sheet spaced apart from the opening and each of the first, second and third seals;
an indicator of vacuum pressure disposed on said first sheet over the perforation, the indicator comprised of a resilient material which forms a resilient airtight convex protrusion on an external surface of the bag to define a chamber;
a containment structure associated with the perforation to inhibit migration of particles from the interior compartment into the chamber; and
wherein said resilient material is responsive to an air pressure differential as between said interior compartment and an environment external of said interior compartment to collapse said convex protrusion under a predetermined pressure differential condition.

2. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 1 , wherein the containment structure comprises at least one flexible panel adjacent to the at least one perforation arranged to at least partially open and close an aperture defined by the perforation responsive to the air pressure differential.

3. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one flexible panel of the containment structure is formed from a portion of the first sheet disposed along a periphery of the perforation.

4. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 3 , wherein the perforation is comprised of a slit in which opposing sides of the slit are abutted to each other except when the flexible panels are flexed.

5. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 4 , wherein each perforation of said plurality of perforations defines an aperture in the first sheet which is less than 1/10 of a diameter defined by the convex protrusion.

6. The sealable plastic, bag according to claim 4 , wherein said containment structure further comprises a plurality of flexible flaps formed of a portion of the first sheet and respectively extending from a peripheral edge of each said perforation to at least partially obstruct an opening defined by each said perforation.

7. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one perforation comprises a plurality of perforations, and the containment structure is comprised of an integral mesh formed in the first sheet by the plurality of perforations.

8. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 1 , wherein the containment structure is formed from a portion of the indicator disposed between the convex protrusion and first sheet.

9. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 1 , wherein the convex protrusion is formed of a translucent material of a first color and wherein a surface of said chamber opposed from the convex protrusion, comprises a second translucent color different from the first translucent color, whereby a color of the convex protrusion appears to change in accordance with a color change function when the convex protrusion is caused to collapse.

10. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 1 , wherein the indicator is attached to the first sheet by an adhesive material.

11. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 1 , wherein the indicator is attached to the first sheet by a thermal weld.

12. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 1 , wherein the containment structure is comprised of a planar member disposed on said first sheet.

13. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 12 , further comprising a reed valve disposed on said planar member.

14. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 13 , wherein the chamber and an air channel defined by the reed valve are both in fluid communication with a shared plenum disposed between an exterior surface of the first sheet and an interior surface of the planar member.

15. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 14 , wherein the planar member is secured to the first sheet along a peripheral edge of the planar member to define the shared plenum.

16. The sealed bag according to claim 14 wherein said shared plenum is in fluid communication with the interior compartment of said bag through said at least one perforation.

17. A sealable plastic bag, comprising:
first and second sheets, each formed of a thin flexible plastic membrane;
each of the first and second sheets respectively having a substantially rectangular shape which defines four linear sheet edges;
first, second and third seals respectively formed along the length of three of the four linear sheet edges which attach the first sheet directly to the second sheet to partially enclose an interior compartment of a bag and define an opening to the interior compartment between the first and second plastic sheets along the fourth linear sheet edge;
at least one perforation formed in the first sheet spaced apart from the opening and each of the first, second and third seals;
an indicator of vacuum pressure disposed on said first sheet, the indicator comprised of a resilient material which forms a resilient convex protrusion on an external surface of the bag to define a chamber;
a containment structure associated with the perforation to inhibit migration of particles from the interior compartment into the chamber; and
wherein said resilient material is responsive to an air pressure differential as between said interior compartment and an environment external of said interior compartment to collapse said convex protrusion under a predetermined pressure differential condition;
wherein the containment structure comprises at least one flexible panel adjacent to the at least one perforation arranged to at least partially open and close an aperture defined by the perforation responsive to the air pressure differential;
wherein the at least one flexible panel of the containment structure is formed from a portion of the first sheet disposed along a periphery of the perforation.

18. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 17 , wherein the perforation is comprised of a slit in which opposing sides of the slit are abutted to each other except when the flexible panels are flexed.

19. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one perforation comprises a plurality of perforations, and the containment structure is comprised of an integral mesh formed in the first sheet by the plurality of perforations.

20. The sealable plastic bag according to claim 19 , wherein each perforation of said plurality of perforations defines an aperture in the first sheet which is less than 1/10 of a diameter defined by the convex protrusion.

Assignees

• Sunbeam Products Inc

Inventors

• Plazarte Enrique

Classifications

• B65D81/2023

  in a flexible container (B65D81/2038 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D79/005

  Packages having deformable parts for indicating or neutralizing internal pressure-variations by other means than venting · CPC title

• B65D33/004 Primary

  Information or decoration elements, e.g. level indicators, detachable tabs or coupons · CPC title