JPH072486B2 - Vacuum packing device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a vacuum packing device for vacuum packing foods and the like, especially for household use. This type of vacuum pack device is arranged on the outside of the base frame, the vacuum pump housed in the base frame, the suction pipe extending from the vacuum pump, and the suction pipe opposite to the vacuum pump. End suction element that is connected to the side end and is introduced into the opening of the bag to be filled with food to suck the air in the bag, and the end suction element that operates near the opening end of the bag to remove air from the bag. A sealing means is provided for hermetically sealing the bag therein and a sealing means for actuating near the end suction element to hermetically seal the opening of the bag when the removal of air is complete. [Prior Art] There are various types of vacuum packing devices for food and the like. Among them, the vacuum pack device that the applicant has sold for a long time has a base frame that houses a vacuum pump. A suction tube extends from the vacuum pump, and the suction tube has a terminal suction element outside the base frame. The terminal suction element is introduced inside the bag containing the food and sucks air from the bag by the action of the vacuum pump. This vacuum packing device is provided with one rocking pressure rod swingably attached to the base frame, and is also provided with a sealing means for pressing the open end of the bag during the suction process to hermetically seal the bag. There is. There is also provided a sealing means having a second pressure rod substantially identical to the first pressure rod, cooperating with the heat source and hermetically sealing the bag at the end of the suction step. In this vacuum packing device, a filter is provided on the suction pipe, and the liquid or fluid sucked from the bag is held by the filter.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

Although this vacuum packing device sufficiently fulfills the function of a vacuum packing of food, it has the following drawbacks. Since this vacuum packing device is exclusively for disposable bags that can normally be used only once, it is not suitable for vacuum packing storage of foods that are used little by little every day. Moreover, the bag is not suitable for vacuum-pack storage of liquid foods or semi-liquid foods such as sauces and fruit cocktails. As a matter of fact, when liquid food is contained in the bag, the food is also sucked together with air. And since the filter is completely housed in the base frame, in order to clean the filter, it is necessary to open the base frame and remove the filter from here, which is troublesome to clean the filter. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum packing device suitable for vacuum packing storage of foods used little by little every day, as well as liquid or semi-liquid foods, and easy filter cleaning work. [Means for Solving the Problems] A vacuum packing device according to the present invention includes a base frame,
The vacuum pump housed in this base frame, the suction pipe extending from the vacuum pump, and the outside of the base frame are connected to the ends of the suction pipe on the opposite side of the vacuum pump to accommodate food. A terminal suction element that is introduced into the opening of the bag to suck air in the bag and a sealing means that operates near the open end of the bag to hermetically seal the bag while removing air from the bag. And a sealing means that operates in the vicinity of the terminal suction element and hermetically seals the opening of the bag when the removal of air is completed. Is provided with a pot-shaped filter having an opening at the top where the lid is detachably and airtightly placed, and the pot-shaped filter includes a first suction tube.
There is a first nozzle that communicates with the vacuum pump through the portion of, and extends inside the bowl-shaped filter, and has a free end located adjacent to the opening, and on the side surface of the bowl-shaped filter. , A second nozzle is provided that extends laterally and is in communication with the distal suction element via the second portion of the suction tube, the first nozzle evacuating air from the rigid food container when the lid is removed. The rigid food container is connectable to an auxiliary suction pipe used for removing, and the rigid food container is connected to the auxiliary suction pipe and a lid capable of closing an opening of the container so as to maintain a vacuum in the container, And a valve that is opened when the air in the container is being removed.

[Action]

In the above vacuum packing device, when used as a bag device, the terminal suction element is inserted into the bag through the opening as in the prior art, the vacuum pump is driven to exhaust the air in the bag, and then the bag is sealed. Seal by means. On the other hand, when storing foods that are used little by little every day and vacuum-packed storage of liquid or semi-liquid foods, put these foods in a rigid food container. Then, the filter lid is removed to expose the first nozzle, and the auxiliary suction pipe is connected thereto. After that, the vacuum pump is driven to exhaust the inside of the rigid food container through the auxiliary suction pipe and the valve. In this way, the food product is vacuum packed in a rigid food container. Then, when a part of the food is used, the lid of the rigid food container is opened, the food is taken out, and then the rigid food container is evacuated by the same operation as described above.

【Example】

An embodiment of the vacuum packing device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 is a vacuum packing device of the present invention for vacuum packaging foods and the like. The vacuum pack device 1 has a base frame 2 and a vacuum pump 3 housed in the base frame. The vacuum pump 3 has a suction pipe 4. The suction tube 4 has a known end suction element 5 at a tip portion located outside the base frame 2. The terminal suction element 5 is introduced into the opening of a normal bag 6 for food. The introduction is carried out by placing the food product in the food bag 6 and then essentially fitting the opening of the bag into the terminal suction element 5. The vacuum packing device 1 is provided with a sealing means which operates near the end of the opening of the bag 6 and seals the opening of the bag when the suction of air is completed, as is known. The sealing means comprises a first pressure rod 7 pivotably mounted on the base frame 2 by means of two arms 8 and extending transversely to the end of the suction tube 4 adjacent to the end suction element 5. .
The first pressure bar has a slat 9 at the bottom. When the first pressure rod is pushed down, it enters the abutment sheet 10 formed on the base frame 2 and tightens the end of the bag 6 located on the abutment sheet to hermetically seal the opening of the bag 6. . A known microswitch (not shown) is arranged between the base frame 2 and one of both arms 8. The microswitch operates the vacuum pump 3 when the first pressure rod 7 is pushed down. The vacuum packing device 1 is provided with a sealing means which operates on the side of the terminal suction element 5 and hermetically seals the opening of the bag 6 when the suction process is completed. The sealing means is of a known and conventional type and is located in front of the first pressure rod 7 and
Has a second pressure rod 11 which extends parallel to the first pressure rod 7 and swings by being coupled to the first pressure rod 7. The second pressure rod 11 is the end suction element 5
It is manually pressed against the heating element 12 mounted on the base frame 2 further forward. When pressed against the heating element 12 of the second pressure bar 11, the bag 6 located between them is sealed by a combination of localized heat and pressure and the bag 6 is maintained in vacuum. When the liquid is also sucked together while sucking air from the bag 6, the sucked liquid is collected in a bowl-shaped filter 13 attached to an appropriate sheet formed on the upper portion of the base frame 2. . As is clearly shown in FIG. 2, the bowl-shaped filter 13 has an opening 14 at the top. A lid 15 is detachably and airtightly placed on the upper opening 14. The lid 15 is preferably only covered with the bowl-shaped filter 13. The lid 15 is provided with a circumferential protrusion 15a, and a gasket 16 is attached to the lower portion of this protrusion. The gasket 16 abuts on a housing portion 16a (FIG. 2) formed on the top of the filter 13 in the circumferential direction. During the process of sucking air from the bag 6, the inside of the bowl-shaped filter 13 has a negative pressure, so that the gasket 16 has a protrusion 15 in the circumferential direction.
Completely adhere between a and the accommodating portion 16a. The bowl-shaped filter 13 is provided with a first nozzle 17 connected to the pump 3 via the first portion 4a of the suction tube 4. The first nozzle 17 extends vertically in the filter 13 from the bottom 13a of the filter 13 and is provided with a free end adjacent to the opening 14.
It is preferable to have 17a. Bowl-shaped filter 13
On the side surface of the first nozzle 17, there is a second nozzle 18 which extends laterally at a position slightly lower than the free end 17a of the first nozzle 17 and communicates with the terminal suction element 5 via the second portion 4b of the suction tube 4. It is provided. As is apparent from FIG. 1, when the lid 15 is attached to the opening 14, the free end 17a of the first nozzle 17 is located inside the recess 19 formed in the lower portion of the lid, so that the liquid is It rarely goes into one nozzle 17. When the lid 15 is removed from the opening 14, an auxiliary suction tube 21 designed for sucking air from the rigid food container indicated by reference numeral 22 in FIG. 2 can be connected to the first nozzle 17. The connection element between the first nozzle 17 and the auxiliary suction pipe 21 is formed of an elastomer material (an elastic polymer material) so as to match the shape of the first nozzle, and is supported at one end of the auxiliary suction pipe 21. Made by 20. The container 22 is the subject of an Italian patent application filed by the applicant on the same day as the present application and comprises a base 23 and a lid 24. The two are hermetically engaged with each other by mounting the seal 25 therebetween. The lid 24 is provided with a valve 26. Valve 26
Has a hole 28 formed in the bottom of a substantially cylindrical recess 29 provided in the lid 24 and a ball 27 made of an elastomeric material and seated in the hole 28. The diameter of the hole 28 is smaller than the diameter of the outer periphery of the ball 27, and the hollow 29
Is deeper than the diameter of the ball 27. Cylindrical depression 29
Preferably has a sufficient depth so that the balls 27 do not project upward from the surface of the lid 24 when seated in the holes 28. To evacuate the container 22, a valve 26 is actuated by a valve fitting 30 mounted on the other end of the auxiliary suction tube 21 (the end opposite the connecting element 20). The valve fitting 30 is preferably formed of an elastomeric material and has a cylindrical portion 31 that engages and seals the cylindrical recess 29. Cylindrical portion 31 covers lid 24 when mounted in cylindrical recess 29.
It has a protrusion 32 around its upper surface. A hemispherical recess 33 having several ribs 34 is formed in the cylindrical portion 31. An auxiliary suction tube 21 is provided on the top of the hemispherical depression 33.
Is provided with a connection hole 35. The operation of the device of the present invention having the above structure will be described below. First, the case where the bag 6 containing food is vacuum-packed will be described. In this case, first, the opening 14 of the bowl-shaped filter 13 is covered with the lid 15
Then, the bag 6 containing the food is put on the end suction element 5 as in a conventional device, and the end of the mouth of the bag is put on the abutment sheet 10. Then, the first pressure rod 7 is pushed down to close the mouth of the bag and make it airtight. At this time, the micro switch between the base frame 2 and the one arm 8 is activated to activate the vacuum pump 3. Due to the operation of the vacuum pump 3, a negative pressure is generated in the suction pipe 4 and the bowl-shaped filter 13, and the air inside the bag 6 is sucked. The internal pressure of the bag is measured using a vacuum gauge attached to the vacuum packing device, and when the internal pressure reaches a predetermined value, the second
The pressure bar 11 is manually lowered and the bag 6 is sealed in a conventional manner. After the sealing is completed, the first and second pressure bars 7 and 11
Lift again to remove the vacuum-packed bag. Here, the device can be used for vacuum packing in another bag. When the vacuum packing device 1 is to be stored, the lid 15 is removed and then the bowl-shaped filter 13 is washed. Since the lid 15 is only placed on the bowl-shaped filter 13 as described above, it can be easily removed. Next, the case where air is evacuated from the rigid food container 22 of the type described above will be described. In this case, first, the lid 15 of the vacuum packing device 1 is removed.
Next, one end of the auxiliary suction pipe 21 is attached to the first nozzle 17 of the vacuum packing device 1 using the connecting element 20, and the other end of the auxiliary suction pipe 21 is attached to the rigid container 22 containing food using the valve fitting 30. It is attached to the cylindrical recess 29 of. The valve is located in the cylindrical recess 29.
Contains 26. The first pressure rod 7 is lowered to activate the micro switch, or it is arranged on the base frame 2 (not shown).
The vacuum pump 3 is started by pressing the push button. The micro switch and the push button can be switched in a known manner depending on the position of a changeover switch provided between them. When the vacuum pump operates, a negative pressure is generated in the portion 4a of the suction pipe 4, and this is transmitted to the auxiliary suction pipe 21 via the first nozzle 17 to suck the air in the rigid container 22. During this suction operation, the ball 27 is urged toward the hemispherical recess 33 of the valve fitting 30 and is in contact with the rib 34. Under this condition, the air in the rigid container 22 is sucked into the auxiliary suction pipe 21. When the suction step is completed, the balls 27 drop and fit into the holes 28 due to the difference between the pressure inside the rigid container 22 and the ambient atmospheric pressure. In this way, the ball 27 completely seals the hole 28. Further, the lid 24 of the rigid container is pressed against the base 23 due to the difference between the pressure inside the rigid container 22 and the ambient atmospheric pressure. By the way, since the seal 25 is arranged between the lid 24 and the base 23, the lid and the container are completely sealed. When the lid 24 is removed from the base 23 and the food inside is taken out, if the ball 27 is manually removed from the hole 28, the atmosphere enters the rigid container 22, so the pressure inside the container becomes the same as the ambient pressure. . In this state, the lid 24 can be easily removed, so that the food can be easily taken out from the container 22. Thus, the present invention achieves the intended purpose. Since not only the disposable bag but also the inside of the rigid container can be evacuated, the present invention, compared with the conventional technology, the vacuum of liquid food such as salad, soup, fruit and the food used little by little every day. It has the advantage that it can be saved. Further, the apparatus of the present invention uses a pot-shaped filter which is very simple as compared with the prior art and does not need to be removed for cleaning. The present invention has various modifications and changes within the scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that changes can be made.

【The invention's effect】

The vacuum packing device of the present invention is capable of vacuum packing using a rigid food container, in addition to vacuum packing using a disposable bag that can normally be used only once. For this reason, if this rigid food container is used, it is possible to perform vacuum-pack storage of foods that are used little by little every day, or sauces, and vacuum-pack storage of liquid or semi-liquid foods such as fruit cocktails. . Further, by removing the lid of the filter and opening the opening, the inside of the filter is exposed, so that the filter can be easily washed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a partial cross-section of a vacuum packing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a bowl-shaped filter of the present invention having an auxiliary suction pipe for evacuating air from the inside of a rigid food container. FIG. 3 is a diametrical cross-sectional view. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vacuum packing device, 2 ... Base frame, 3 ... Vacuum pump, 4 ... Suction tube, 4a ... 1st part, 5 ... End suction element, 6 ... Bag, 13 ... Bowl-shaped filter, 14 ... Opening, 15 …
Lid, 17 ... First nozzle, 17a ... Free end, 18 ... Second nozzle, 21 ... Auxiliary suction tube, 22 ... Rigid food container.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A base frame (2) and a vacuum pump (3) housed in the base frame (2).
And a suction pipe (4) extending from the vacuum pump (3) and located outside the base frame (2) and connected to ends of the suction pipe (4) opposite to the vacuum pump (3). And the end suction element (5) that is introduced into the opening of the bag (6) containing the food and sucks the air in the bag, and operates near the open end of the bag (6) to remove air from the bag. A sealing means for hermetically sealing the bag during the removal of the air, and an airtight sealing of the opening of the bag (6) when actuated near the end suction element (5) to complete the removal of air In a vacuum packing device for vacuum packing foods and the like, the suction tube (4) has a lid (15) on which a lid (15) is detachably and airtightly placed in a pot-like shape. The filter (13) is provided, and the bowl-shaped filter (13) includes a first portion (4a) of the suction pipe (4). The first nozzle (17) communicating with the vacuum pump (3) via the), extending inside the bowl-shaped filter (13), and having the free end (17a) positioned adjacent to the opening (14). Is provided on the side surface of the bowl-shaped filter (13) and extends laterally to communicate with the terminal suction element (5) through the second portion (4b) of the suction tube (4). A second nozzle (18) is provided, and the first nozzle (17) is an auxiliary suction pipe (21) used for removing air from the rigid food container (22) when the lid (15) is removed. The rigid food container is connected to the lid (24) capable of closing the opening of the container so as to maintain the inside of the container in a vacuum, and the auxiliary suction pipe to remove air in the container. A vacuum packing device comprising a valve (26) which is opened during removal. 2. The engagement between the lid (15) and the bowl-shaped filter (13) is achieved simply by placing the lid (15) on the opening (14), and the lid (15) is circumferentially attached. The protrusion (15a) is provided, and the bowl-shaped filter (13) is located below the protrusion.
The vacuum pack device according to claim 1, further comprising a gasket (16) attached to a top portion of the container, the gasket (16) being in contact with a housing portion (16a) formed in a circumferential direction. 3. The vacuum packing device according to claim 2, wherein the second nozzle (18) is provided at a position lower than the free end (17a) of the first nozzle (17). 4. When the lid (15) is placed in the opening (14), the free end (17a) of the first nozzle (17) is inside the recess (19) formed in the lower surface of the lid (15). The vacuum packing device according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum packing device is arranged in the. 5. The first nozzle (17) is a bowl-shaped filter (1).
The vacuum packing device according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum packing device extends vertically from the bottom of (3). 6. A rigid food container (22) is provided with a base (23) which is hermetically engaged with the lid (24) by mounting a seal (25), and the lid (24) has the valve (26a9). The valve is made of an elastomeric material and has a ball (27) seated in a hole (28) formed in the bottom of a generally cylindrical recess (29) in the lid (24). However, the diameter of the hole (28) is smaller than the diameter of the outer surface of the ball (27), and the valve (26) is actuated by the valve fitting (30) supported by the suction pipe (21) to suck air from the container. The vacuum packing device according to claim 1, wherein: 7. A valve fitting (30) for engaging and sealing a cylindrical recess (29) containing a ball (27), the hemisphere having several ribs (34). Dimples (33)
7. The vacuum pack according to claim 6, further comprising: a lower portion, and a connection hole (35) communicating with the auxiliary suction pipe (21) is provided at the top of the hemispherical recess (33). apparatus.