Vacuum sealed container for perishable and non-perishable goods

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vacuum storage containers for perishable items, particularly baked goods, face issues such as freezer burn, odor absorption, and failure to maintain a consistent vacuum over extended periods, leading to bacterial and fungal growth, as well as the ingress of outside air and flavors.

Innovation Solution

A vacuum sealed container with a top cover, base plate, expandable seal, integrated pump, power supply, pressure sensor, and controller that automatically maintains a vacuum level by activating the pump as needed to prevent atmospheric ingress, ensuring a consistent vacuum environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a vacuum sealed bag is used to store baked goods, then protection against freezer burn and bacterial growth is improved, but the flexible container collapses and compresses the baked good into a dense lump

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefreezer burn and bacterial growth protectionVSAvoidbaked good shape and texture

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a flexible collapsible container made of thin film material that can be deformed as vacuum is applied. The container includes a flange that engages with a plate to maintain the vacuum seal while allowing the body to collapse. This flexible shell design protects against freezer burn and bacterial growth while accommodating the volume reduction of baked goods under vacuum without causing excessive compression damage to the product structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Strength

If a rigid container is used to store baked goods under vacuum, then protection against compressor damage is improved, but the container becomes bulky and difficult to store

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer structural integrityVSAvoidcontainer storage volume

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamic container system that transitions from a rigid or semi-rigid state during filling to a collapsible state during vacuum application. The container includes a collapsible body with a flange that maintains structural integrity for sealing purposes while allowing the main body to collapse as vacuum is applied, reducing storage volume significantly while maintaining sufficient structural strength to protect the baked goods during the vacuum process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Stress or pressure

If a vacuum seal is created using prior art methods, then initial vacuum pressure is achieved, but the vacuum is not maintained over extended periods due to seal failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevacuum pressure levelVSAvoidvacuum maintenance duration

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates a pressure sensor that continuously monitors the vacuum level within the container and provides feedback to a control system. When the sensor detects that the vacuum pressure has degraded below a threshold level, the system automatically activates a vacuum pump to restore the vacuum. This closed-loop feedback control ensures long-term maintenance of vacuum pressure by compensating for seal degradation and atmospheric leakage over extended storage periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Device complexity

If manual vacuum sealing is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the vacuum level cannot be maintained consistently over time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing system complexityVSAvoidvacuum consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service vacuum maintenance system where the container automatically monitors its own vacuum level using an integrated pressure sensor and autonomously activates a vacuum pump when needed through a control system. This eliminates the need for manual intervention to maintain vacuum while ensuring consistent vacuum levels are preserved over time, with the system servicing itself by detecting and correcting vacuum degradation automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

The solution effectively preserves the freshness and flavor of baked goods by maintaining a consistent vacuum, preventing freezer burn, bacterial growth, and odor absorption, while ensuring compact storage without compressing the items.

Implementation Method 1

creating and maintaining a vacuum cavity within which to store items

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Implementation Method 2

an expandable seal, wherein the expandable seal is situated so that when a vacuum is created within the vacuum chamber, the expandable seal expands to contact the interior surface of the sidewalls of the top cover

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11603251B2Vacuum sealed container for perishable and non-perishable goods

Publication Date: 2023.03.14 BAMONTE ERIKA

AI summary

An inventive vacuum storage container for long term storage of perishable and non-perishable items, incorporating a pump, power supply, controller, sensor, top cover, expandable seal, pressure sensor and base plate. The controller activates the pump based on signals from the sensor to maintain a vacuum state within an interior vacuum chamber formed by the top cover, expandable seal, and base plate. The container is configured to effectively maintain vacuum pressure by activating a pump when the lack of vacuum pressure is indicated.