A container for facilitating fermentation and transport of vegetables

Abstract

The utility model relates to vegetable fermentation container technical field, concretely relates to a container convenient to vegetable fermentation and transportation, its including the barrel body for the material of placing fermentation, the upper cover of seal setting on the barrel body in detachable mode, is provided with pressure relief exhaust valve on the barrel body or upper cover. The container makes the sauerkraut manufacturer no longer need to spend manpower, material resources and divides sauerkraut to the transportation container, and the fermentation material completes the vegetable fermentation process in the transportation process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vegetable fermentation container technology, and more specifically, it relates to a container that facilitates vegetable fermentation and transportation. Background Technology

[0002] Existing industrial-grade vegetable fermentation containers include plastic buckets, fiberglass tanks, stainless steel fermentation tanks, ceramic jars, and fermentation pools. To accommodate large-scale production, these containers generally have a volume between 200L and 1000L. After fermentation is complete and the vegetables are made into sauerkraut, manufacturers need to package the sauerkraut into transport containers with a volume of 20L-150L for easy transportation to customers. These transport containers are generally standard plastic or stainless steel buckets with sealing lids.

[0003] Therefore, manufacturers need to expend manpower and resources to complete the repackaging process in order to ship the goods. In other words, existing industrial-grade vegetable fermentation containers are not suitable for transportation and shipping, and existing transport containers used for transporting sauerkraut are not suitable for manufacturers to use for fermentation.

[0004] In summary, the existing technology lacks a container that can be used by sauerkraut manufacturers for both fermentation and transportation. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a container that facilitates vegetable fermentation and transportation. This container eliminates the need for sauerkraut manufacturers to spend manpower and resources to package sauerkraut into transport containers, and the fermentation material completes the vegetable fermentation process during transportation.

[0006] The above-mentioned technical objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: A container for facilitating vegetable fermentation and transportation includes a barrel for holding fermentation materials, a top cover that is detachably and sealed on the barrel, and a pressure relief valve provided on the barrel or the top cover.

[0007] Preferably, the top cover has an annular groove inside, and an annular sealing ring is provided in the annular groove to enhance the sealing between the top cover and the barrel body.

[0008] Preferably, the top cover and the barrel body are connected by threads or fasteners.

[0009] Preferably, the volume of the barrel is set to hold 5Kg-100Kg of fermentation material.

[0010] Preferably, the connection between the top cover and the pressure relief valve is recessed downward to form a protective groove for protecting the pressure relief valve; the pressure relief valve is located inside the protective groove to avoid being squeezed by the upper container.

[0011] Preferably, the pressure relief valve includes an umbrella-shaped exhaust column and an elastic air guide hose sleeved on the umbrella-shaped exhaust column; the umbrella-shaped exhaust column is fixedly connected to the upper cover.

[0012] Preferably, the umbrella-shaped exhaust column includes a cylindrical part and an umbrella-shaped part, and an exhaust hole is provided on the side wall of the umbrella-shaped part; an elastic air guide hose is sleeved on the umbrella-shaped part; the upper end of the cylindrical part is integrally formed with the umbrella-shaped part, and its lower end is integrally formed with the upper cover.

[0013] Preferably, the height difference between the upper end face of the umbrella-shaped exhaust column and the bottom face of the protective groove is 3-10mm; the length of the flexible air guide hose is 5-20mm.

[0014] Preferably, the material of both the barrel body and the lid is selected from stainless steel and plastic.

[0015] Preferably, both the barrel body and the lid are made of food-grade plastic.

[0016] In summary, this utility model has the following beneficial effects: By combining the fermentation container and the transport container into one, and installing a pressure relief valve on the barrel or lid, the sauerkraut ferments naturally in a sealed environment and automatically releases excess gas, effectively avoiding the labor and material costs of traditional packaging processes. The pressure relief valve, combined with a protective groove design, prevents damage to the valve during transport and stacking, ensuring a safe and controllable fermentation process; the annular sealing ring further enhances the sealing performance, preventing air leakage or contamination. The barrel volume is suitable for fermentation volumes of 5Kg-100Kg, balancing fermentation efficiency and transportation convenience, and is made of food-grade plastic or stainless steel to ensure hygiene standards. The overall structure is simple and low-cost, significantly improving the continuity and economy of sauerkraut production. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of region A in the middle; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The diagram does not include the flexible air-conducting hose. Figure 4 This is a top view of the upper cover in this utility model; Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Sectional view at section BB.

[0018] In the diagram: 1. Barrel body; 2. Top cover; 21. Protective groove; 22. Annular groove; 23. Annular sealing ring; 3. Pressure relief and exhaust valve; 31. Umbrella-shaped exhaust column; 311. Cylindrical part; 312. Umbrella-shaped part; 3121. Exhaust hole; 32. Flexible air guide hose. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments of this utility model are shown in the drawings. However, this utility model can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0020] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0021] In this invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" of the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," "above," "below," and similar expressions are for illustrative purposes only and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0023] This utility model provides a container that facilitates vegetable fermentation and transportation, such as... Figure 1-4 As shown, it includes a barrel 1 for holding fermentation materials, and a top cover 2 that is detachably sealed on the barrel 1; a pressure relief valve 3 is provided on the barrel 1 or the top cover 2.

[0024] Specifically, fermentation materials refer to the materials used to produce sauerkraut. In addition to vegetables and water, they can also include iodized salt, sugar, lactic acid bacteria preparations, and spices such as ginger, garlic, and chili peppers that can enhance flavor and inhibit spoilage bacteria. The barrel 1 and the top cover 2 can adopt a variety of detachable sealing connection structures, such as: (1) matching threads are machined on the outer side of the opening of the barrel 1 and the inner side of the top cover 2 respectively, and the top cover 2 is rotated to achieve a tight seal. Fine thread can be selected to enhance the sealing performance, and anti-slip texture is set at the end of the thread for easy operation. (2) Elastic buckles are set on the edge of the top cover 2, and an annular groove is designed at the corresponding position of the opening of the barrel 1. The buckles are engaged with the groove by pressing. Sealing strips can be embedded inside the buckles to further prevent gas leakage. (3) An annular flange is set on the contact surface between the barrel 1 and the top cover 2. The sealing ring is tightened by bolts or quick-release clamps to achieve a seal, which is suitable for large-volume containers (such as those with a capacity of 50Kg or more).

[0025] The pressure relief and exhaust valve 3 can be a conventional spring-loaded pressure relief and exhaust valve (installed on the top of the cover 2 or on the side wall of the barrel 1 in a conventional manner), a diaphragm-type pressure relief and exhaust valve (installed on the top of the cover 2 or on the side wall of the barrel 1 in a conventional manner), or a combined structure provided by this utility model. In the spring-loaded pressure relief and exhaust valve, the valve core is pressed against the valve seat by the spring preload. When the air pressure inside the barrel exceeds a set value (e.g., 5-10 kPa), the valve core is opened to release air, and it automatically closes after the air pressure returns to normal. The diaphragm-type pressure relief and exhaust valve uses an elastic rubber diaphragm to cover the exhaust hole. When the air pressure increases, the diaphragm deforms to open the air passage, resulting in low cost and corrosion resistance.

[0026] The aforementioned structural design innovatively integrates the traditionally separate fermentation and transportation functions into a single container, achieving integrated "fermentation-transportation" through structural optimization. Specifically, the container utilizes the barrel 1 and the lid 2 to form a movable, sealed fermentation tank. Its key innovation lies in integrating a dedicated pressure relief valve 3 onto either the barrel 1 or the lid 2. This design allows the sauerkraut to directly enter the transportation stage after fermentation begins in the completely sealed container, without needing to be opened or repackaged. During transportation, the pressure relief valve 3 automatically senses and releases excess carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, maintaining a suitable pressure inside the tank. Simultaneously, its one-way valve characteristic effectively prevents backflow of external air and microorganisms, ensuring the purity of the fermentation process and food safety. The resulting benefits completely eliminate the high-cost, contamination-prone intermediate step of "post-fermentation repackaging" in sauerkraut production. This not only significantly saves on labor, material, and time costs but also improves product quality stability and safety by maintaining a continuous fermentation environment, providing key technological equipment for the standardized and efficient production of the sauerkraut industry.

[0027] Furthermore, the upper cover 2 has an annular groove 22 inside, and an annular sealing ring 23 is provided in the annular groove 22 to enhance the sealing between the upper cover 2 and the barrel 1.

[0028] Specifically, the annular sealing ring 23 (made of food-grade silicone rubber or EPDM rubber, with a cross-section that can be designed as an "O" shape or a self-tightening "V" shape) is installed in the annular groove 22 via an interference fit. When the top cover 2 and the barrel 1 are connected by threads or a snap-fit ​​method, the annular sealing ring 23 is compressed and deforms uniformly, tightly filling the gap between the cover and the barrel opening, effectively preventing fermentation gas leakage and the intrusion of external contaminants. This design not only ensures the stability of the anaerobic environment during fermentation but also guarantees the sealing safety during long-distance transportation. Furthermore, the sealing ring is removable and replaceable, extending the container's service life.

[0029] Furthermore, the volume of barrel 1 is set to hold 5Kg-100Kg of fermentation material.

[0030] Specifically, the volume of container 1 is designed to hold fermentation material ranging from 5kg to 100kg, precisely covering the various shipping specifications required by manufacturers. In practice, standardized specifications such as 5kg, 10kg, 25kg, 50kg, and 100kg can be set to achieve modular management of production and transportation. Container 1 is made of food-grade plastic or stainless steel, and its structure has been optimized to ensure sufficient mechanical strength to withstand stacking and transportation under full load. This volume design allows the fermentation container itself to serve as a transportation unit, eliminating the cumbersome step of repackaging from large fermentation tanks to smaller packages in traditional processes, significantly reducing labor and material costs while ensuring the continuity of the fermentation process and the stability of product quality.

[0031] Furthermore, the connection between the upper cover 2 and the pressure relief valve 3 is recessed downward to form a protective groove 21 for protecting the pressure relief valve 3; the pressure relief valve 3 is located in the protective groove 21 to avoid being squeezed by the upper container.

[0032] Specifically, such as Figure 2-3 As shown, the connection between the top cover 2 and the pressure relief valve 3 is recessed downwards to form a protective groove 21, providing crucial physical protection for the pressure relief valve 3. The depth of this protective groove 21 is designed to be slightly higher than the top of the pressure relief valve 3 by 3-10mm, ensuring that the pressure relief valve 3 is completely contained within the groove. When multiple containers are stacked vertically, the weight of the bottom of the upper container is supported by the rigid flanges around the protective groove 21, effectively preventing the umbrella-shaped exhaust column 31 and the flexible air guide hose 32 of the pressure relief valve 3 from deformation or damage due to direct pressure. The sidewalls of the protective groove 21 are designed with appropriate inclination or rounded corners for easy cleaning and to prevent stress concentration. This structure of the protective groove 21, while ensuring the normal operation of the pressure relief function, greatly improves the stability and safety of containers during storage and transportation stacking.

[0033] Furthermore, the pressure relief valve 3 includes an umbrella-shaped exhaust column 31 and an elastic air guide hose 32 sleeved on the umbrella-shaped exhaust column 31; the umbrella-shaped exhaust column 31 is integrally fixedly connected to the upper cover 2.

[0034] Furthermore, the umbrella-shaped exhaust column 31 includes a cylindrical part 311 and an umbrella-shaped part 312. An exhaust hole 3121 is provided on the side wall of the umbrella-shaped part 312. The elastic air guide hose 32 is sleeved on the umbrella-shaped part 312. The upper end of the cylindrical part 311 is integrally formed with the umbrella-shaped part 312, and its lower end is integrally formed with the upper cover 2.

[0035] Specifically, such as Figure 2-3 As shown, the main body of the combined pressure relief and exhaust valve 3 provided by this utility model is an umbrella-shaped exhaust column 31, which includes an integrally formed cylindrical part 311 (with a through hole communicating with the exhaust port 3121) and an umbrella-shaped part 312. One or more exhaust ports 3121 are opened on the side wall of the umbrella-shaped part 312 for guiding the fermentation gas out. The lower end of the cylindrical part 311 is fixedly connected to the upper cover 2 by a welding process, and its upper end is covered by an elastic gas guiding hose 32. The elastic gas guiding hose 32 is 5-20mm in length and is made of food-grade silicone or rubber. Its lower end tightly covers the outer wall of the umbrella-shaped part 312 (similar to the structure of an English valve core), and its upper end is naturally suspended to form a one-way exhaust channel: when the gas pressure inside the barrel rises to the threshold, the gas pushes open the elastic gas guiding hose 32 to be discharged; when the gas pressure recovers, the elastic gas guiding hose 32 falls back and closes to prevent external air from flowing back in. A detachable filter screen (not shown in the attached figure) can be added inside the vent 3121 of the umbrella-shaped part 312. The filter screen is made of stainless steel or nylon and the mesh diameter ranges from 0.1 to 0.5 mm. It is used to intercept solid particles or bacterial films in the fermentation liquid and prevent blockage of the vent 3121. The filter screen is embedded in the cylindrical part 311 through an annular groove and can be disassembled and cleaned regularly. In addition, the connection between the pressure relief valve 3 and the top cover 2 also includes the following forms: (1) The cylindrical part 311 of the umbrella-shaped vent column 31 and the top cover 2 are directly molded as a whole during injection molding, reducing assembly steps and avoiding air leakage at the interface. (2) A threaded hole is opened in the top cover 2, and the cylindrical part 311 is machined with external threads and screwed in for fixation. If necessary, sealant is added to enhance air tightness. (3) The bottom of the cylindrical part 311 is designed with elastic claws. After being embedded in the reserved mounting hole of the top cover 2, the claws open and lock, which is suitable for quick replacement scenarios. If necessary, an "O" ring is added.

[0036] Furthermore, the height difference between the upper end face of the umbrella-shaped exhaust column 31 and the bottom face of the protective groove 21 is 3-10mm; the length of the flexible air guide hose 32 is 5-20mm.

[0037] Specifically, such as Figure 2-5As shown, there is a 3-10mm height difference between the upper surface of the umbrella-shaped exhaust column 31 and the bottom surface of the protective groove 21, and a 5-20mm long flexible air-conducting hose 32 is matched to achieve an optimized balance between protection and function of the pressure relief exhaust valve 3. This size combination ensures that the flexible air-conducting hose 32 has sufficient free deformation space within the protective groove 21: when containers are stacked, the depth of the protective groove 21 effectively isolates external pressure, preventing the flexible air-conducting hose 32 from being flattened; while the length of the flexible air-conducting hose 32 slightly exceeds the height difference of the umbrella-shaped exhaust column 31, allowing it to extend smoothly upward and exhaust air under air pressure, and to completely fit the umbrella-shaped part 312 to form a seal when the air pressure drops. This design ensures both pressure relief sensitivity and avoids airtightness failure caused by vibration or compression during transportation.

[0038] Furthermore, both the barrel body 1 and the top cover 2 are made of materials selected from stainless steel and plastic.

[0039] Furthermore, both the barrel body 1 and the top cover 2 are made of food-grade plastic.

[0040] Specifically, the container body 1 and the lid 2 are made of carefully selected stainless steel (such as 304 / 316L grade) or food-grade plastics (such as PP polypropylene and HDPE high-density polyethylene). Stainless steel is high in strength and corrosion-resistant, suitable for long-term repeated use and high-temperature cleaning scenarios; food-grade plastics have the advantages of being lightweight, low in cost, acid and alkali resistant, and having good impact strength. Among them, PP can withstand temperatures up to 120℃, making it suitable for thermal fermentation, while HDPE is more suitable for room temperature transportation. All materials strictly comply with the GB 4806.7-2016 food safety standard, ensuring that no harmful substances are released when in direct contact with the vegetable fermentation medium, thus balancing the container's durability, hygiene, safety, and economy.

[0041] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model. The protection scope of this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. All technical solutions falling within the scope of this utility model's concept are protected. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, any improvements and modifications made without departing from the principle of this utility model should also be considered within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A container for facilitating vegetable fermentation and transportation, characterized in that: Includes a container for holding fermentation materials, a top cover that is removably and sealed to the container; and a pressure relief valve is provided on the container or the top cover. The connection between the top cover and the pressure relief valve is recessed downwards to form a protective groove for protecting the pressure relief valve; the pressure relief valve is located inside the protective groove to prevent it from being squeezed by the upper container; The pressure relief and exhaust valve includes an umbrella-shaped exhaust column and an elastic air guide hose sleeved on the umbrella-shaped exhaust column; the umbrella-shaped exhaust column is fixedly connected to the upper cover. The umbrella-shaped exhaust column includes a cylindrical part and an umbrella-shaped part, with an exhaust hole provided on the side wall of the umbrella-shaped part; an elastic air guide hose is fitted onto the umbrella-shaped part; the upper end of the cylindrical part is integrally formed with the umbrella-shaped part, and its lower end is integrally formed with the upper cover. The top cover is made of plastic.

2. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top cover has an annular groove inside, and an annular sealing ring is installed in the annular groove to enhance the seal between the top cover and the barrel.

3. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top cover is connected to the barrel body by threads or fasteners.

4. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The volume of the container is designed to hold 5kg-100kg of fermentation material.

5. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The height difference between the upper end of the umbrella-shaped exhaust column and the bottom of the protective groove is 3-10mm; the length of the flexible air guide hose is 5-20mm.

6. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The barrel body is made of either stainless steel or plastic.

7. The container according to claim 6, characterized in that: Both the bucket body and the lid are made of food-grade plastic.

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