Vacuum Chamber with Adjustable Wall for Compact Food Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum devices for food packaging face challenges in accommodating items of varying sizes efficiently, as existing designs require large storage space and lengthy evacuation times due to fixed chamber volumes, and are not compact enough to fit in smaller kitchen drawers.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum device with an adjustable chamber volume, achieved by designing at least one wall as a hollow body that can be adjusted between two closed positions, allowing flexible adaptation to the size of the items being vacuumed, and a compact design suitable for storage in low-height drawers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the vacuum chamber volume is increased to accommodate larger food items, then the device can handle more varieties of items, but the evacuation time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum chamber incorporates a movable wall that can be adjusted between different positions to dynamically change the chamber volume. This allows the chamber to be expanded for large items and contracted for small items, optimizing evacuation time while maintaining versatility in handling different food sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber wall is divided into movable and fixed segments, allowing independent movement of specific portions to adjust the overall chamber volume according to the size of the items being vacuum sealed
2Productivity
If the vacuum chamber volume is reduced to decrease evacuation time, then the evacuation process is faster, but the device cannot accommodate larger food items
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber volume is made dynamically adjustable through the movable wall mechanism, enabling the system to switch between small-volume mode for fast evacuation of small items and large-volume mode for accommodating larger items, thus achieving both speed and versatility
3Adaptability or versatility
If the vacuum chamber is designed with large volume for storage, then it can hold larger items, but the device requires more storage space and cannot fit in smaller drawers
Solution Approach 1:
The movable wall can be positioned to nest the chamber components more compactly when not in use, reducing the overall footprint of the device to fit in smaller drawers while maintaining the capability to expand to full volume when needed for large items
4Volume of stationary object
If the vacuum chamber is designed compact for storage, then it fits in smaller drawers, but it cannot accommodate larger food items
Solution Approach 1:
The compact design is achieved through a movable wall that allows the chamber to contract to a small storage-friendly configuration while maintaining the structural capability to expand to a larger volume when large food items need to be accommodated
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quick evacuation and storage of items of different sizes, reducing storage space requirements and allowing the device to be used in smaller kitchen drawers, while maintaining efficiency in vacuuming both small and large items.
Implementation Method 1
at least one evacuation device (8) for evacuating fluid located in the vacuum chamber (2)
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The vacuum device according to the invention and the method are particularly suitable for packaging foodstuffs. The vacuum device has a closable vacuum chamber with two walls and with an evacuation device for evacuating fluid in the vacuum chamber. In order to adjust the volume of the vacuuming chamber, one wall is designed to be adjustable between two closed positions.