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, fail to maintain an effective vacuum over extended periods, leading to issues like freezer burn, odor absorption, and the transfer of undesirable flavors and aromas, as they either compress the items or have bulkier designs with vacuum pumps that are not compact or efficient.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum sealed container with a top cover, base plate, expandable seal, power supply, pressure sensor, and controller that automatically maintains a vacuum state by activating a pump when necessary, using a diaphragm or other pressure sensors to monitor and regulate pressure levels within the chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a vacuum sealed bag is used to store baked goods, then air is removed to prevent oxidation and bacterial growth, but the flexible container collapses around the baked item causing compression into a dense lump
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible collapsible container that maintains its structural integrity while allowing controlled deformation. The container walls are designed to collapse inward in a controlled manner as vacuum is applied, preventing external atmospheric pressure from crushing the baked goods. This flexible shell approach allows the container to adapt to the vacuum environment while protecting the contents from compression damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a rigid support structure or framework within the flexible container before vacuum application. This internal support acts as pre-positioned cushioning that prevents the container walls from collapsing too far inward, thereby maintaining adequate space around the baked goods and preventing them from being compressed into dense lumps during the vacuum sealing process.
2Shape
If a ridged container is used to prevent item compression, then the container maintains structural integrity, but the design becomes bulky with the vacuum pump built into the top
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the vacuum system into separate functional modules: a compact collapsible container for storage, and a separate handheld or desk-top vacuum pump. This segmentation allows the container to remain small and portable while the pump can be stored separately when not in use, eliminating the bulkiness of integrating a large pump into the container structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum pump function is extracted from the container body and implemented as a separate device. This extraction allows the container to maintain a compact, simple design optimized for storage, while the vacuum pumping capability resides in a separate unit that can be connected temporarily when vacuum sealing is needed, thus avoiding the bulkiness of an integrated pump system.
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
This solution ensures the freshness and appeal of stored baked goods by preventing bacterial and fungal growth, evaporation, and odor absorption, while maintaining a consistent vacuum environment for extended storage without compressing the items and providing a compact, efficient storage solution.
Implementation Method 1
The creation of the vacuum occurs as atmosphere is removed from the cavity
Implementation Method 2
an expandable seal consisting of an expandable plate placed on top surface of the base plate
Data Source
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.