U.S. patent application number 13/077945 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-04 for airtight container.
Invention is credited to TONY WU.
Application Number | 20120248110 13/077945 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46925884 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120248110 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WU; TONY |
October 4, 2012 |
AIRTIGHT CONTAINER
Abstract
An airtight container includes a jar, a cover, a sealing ring
and a check valve. The cover includes an opening defined therein.
The sealing ring is used to block a gap between the cover and the
jar when the cover is located on the jar. The check valve includes
a plug and a ball. The plug is fit in the opening and made with a
chamber and a tunnel in communication with the chamber. The ball is
used to contact the wall of the chamber when air tends to enter the
jar via the check valve. The ball can however be lifted from the
wall of the chamber by air leaving the jar.
Inventors: |
WU; TONY; (Taipei City,
TW) |
Family ID: |
46925884 |
Appl. No.: |
13/077945 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/203.21 ;
220/367.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2543/00555
20130101; B65D 2543/00768 20130101; B65D 2543/00092 20130101; B65D
43/0208 20130101; B65D 2543/00296 20130101; B65D 2543/00481
20130101; B65D 2543/00842 20130101; B65D 2543/00685 20130101; B65D
51/1644 20130101; B65D 2543/00805 20130101; B65D 2543/00657
20130101; B65D 2543/00518 20130101; B65D 2543/00537 20130101; B65D
2543/00972 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/203.21 ;
220/367.1 |
International
Class: |
B65D 51/16 20060101
B65D051/16 |
Claims
1. An airtight container including: a jar; a cover including an
opening defined therein; a sealing ring for blocking a gap between
the cover and the jar when the cover is located on the jar; a check
valve including: a plug fit in the opening and made with a chamber
and a tunnel in communication with the chamber; and a ball for
contact with the wall of the chamber when air tends to enter the
jar via the check valve, wherein the ball can be lifted from the
wall of the chamber by air leaving the jar.
2. The airtight container according to claim 1, wherein the chamber
is made in compliance with an inverted conical frustum.
3. The airtight container according to claim 2, wherein the plug
includes a semi-sphere, a disc and a neck extending from a planar
side of the semi-sphere to a side of the disc, wherein the neck is
located in the opening while an internal edge of the cover around
the opening is located between the semi-sphere and the disc.
4. The airtight container according to claim 3, wherein the chamber
is defined in the semi-sphere, wherein the tunnel is defined in the
disc and the neck.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an airtight container and,
more particularly, to an airtight container including a check valve
for allowing air or gas to vent from the airtight container but
preventing air or gas from entering the airtight container.
[0003] 2. Related Prior Art
[0004] Airtight containers or bags are often used to contain food
or any other things that would better be isolated from air. In
general, such airtight containers or bags perform well and are
inexpensive. Hence, such airtight containers or bags are
popular.
[0005] However, ordinary airtight containers or bags which do not
allow air to vent or enter are not suitable for containing some
sorts of food such as coffee beans and powder. Coffee beans
naturally release carbon dioxide after they are baked. Should
coffee beans be contained in an ordinary airtight container or bag,
the ordinary airtight container or bag would be expanded by carbon
dioxide released from the coffee beans. Hence, the ordinary aright
container or bag would be expanded and deformed or, in the worst
case, burst. Release of carbon dioxide from coffee powder, which is
made by grinding the coffee beans, is even faster. Should coffee
power be contained in an ordinary airtight container or bag,
expansion and deformation of the ordinary airtight container or bag
due to the release of the carbon dioxide would be even worse.
[0006] Hence, coffee beans or powder are often contained in
airtight bags equipped with check valves. The check valves allow
carbon dioxide released from the coffee beans or powder to leave
the airtight bags so that the airtight bags are protected from
expansion and deformation. The check valves prevent air from
entering the airtight bags to avoid rapid deteriorating of the
quality of the coffee beans or powder. The check valves are
connected to the airtight bags by ultrasonic waves. However, check
valves cannot be connected to airtight containers by ultrasonic
waves.
[0007] As disclosed in Taiwanese Patent M353909 issued to the
applicant of the present application, an airtight container
includes a jar, a cover for covering the jar, and a check valve fit
in the cover. The cover however includes quite a few elements and
is therefore complicated.
[0008] The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at
least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0009] It is the primary objective of the present invention to
provide an airtight container including a check valve for allowing
air or gas to vent from the airtight container but preventing air
or gas from entering the airtight container.
[0010] To achieve the foregoing objectives, the airtight container
includes a jar, a cover, a sealing ring and a check valve. The
cover includes an opening defined therein. The sealing ring is used
to block a gap between the cover and the jar when the cover is
located on the jar. The check valve includes a plug and a ball. The
plug is fit in the opening and made with a chamber and a tunnel in
communication with the chamber. The ball is used to contact the
wall of the chamber when air tends to enter the jar via the check
valve. The ball can however be lifted from the wall of the chamber
by air leaving the jar.
[0011] Other objectives, advantages and features of the present
invention will be apparent from the following description referring
to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will be described via detailed
illustration of the preferred embodiment referring to the drawings
wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an airtight container
according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the airtight container shown
in FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cover removed from a
jar of the airtight container shown in FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the jar covered by the
cover shown in FIG. 3;
[0017] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cover
closed by the check valve shown in FIG. 4; and
[0018] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cover not
closed by the check valve shown in FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an airtight container 2 includes
a jar 4, a sealing ring 8, a cover 6 and a check valve 10 according
to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The jar 4
includes an annular edge 12 extending on an upper end that is an
open end and an annular flange 14 extending around an external side
near the upper end. The jar 4 is made of plastics or any other
proper material.
[0020] The sealing ring 8 is made according to the annular edge 12
for reasons to be described. The sealing ring 8 is made of
plastics, silicone, rubber or any other proper material.
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 as well as FIGS. 1 and 2, the
cover 6 includes an opening 15, an annular groove 16 and hooks 18.
The opening 15 is defined in the center of the cover 6 so that the
cover 6 includes an internal edge and an external edge. The annular
groove 16 is defined in a lower side of the cover 6 along the
external edge. All of the hooks 18 extend from the external edge of
the cover 6. Each of the hooks 18 includes a section made with
reduced thickness so that it can easily be pivoted. The cover 6 is
made of plastics or any other proper material.
[0022] On the outside, the check valve 10 includes a plug 20 and a
ball 22. The plug 20 includes a semi-sphere 24, a disc 26 and a
neck 28. The neck 28 extends from a planar upper side of the
semi-sphere 24 to a planar lower side of the disc 26. The diameter
of the neck 28 is smaller than the diameter of the semi-sphere 24
and the diameter of the neck 28. The plug 20 is made of plastics,
silicone, rubber or any other proper material.
[0023] On the inside, the plug 20 includes a chamber 30 and a
tunnel 32. The chamber 30 is defined in the semi-sphere 26 while
the tunnel 32 is defined in the disc 26 and the neck 28. The
chamber 30 is in communication with the tunnel 32. The chamber 30
is shaped in compliance with an inverted conical frustum, i.e., it
expands as it extends from a lower end to an upper end. The lower
end of the chamber 30 is an open end. The tunnel 32 includes a
lower end and an upper end. The lower end of the tunnel 32 is in
communication with the upper end of the chamber 30. The area of the
tunnel 32 is smaller than the areas of the lower and upper ends of
the chamber 30.
[0024] The ball 22 is preferably made of a sufficient weight for
reasons to be described. Hence, the ball 22 may include a metal
core located in a coating made of plastics, silicone, rubber or any
other proper material. The diameter of the ball 22 is larger than
the diameter of the lower end of the chamber 30.
[0025] In assembly, the ball 22 is inserted into the chamber 30 via
the lower end of the chamber 30 by force. This is possible because
the plug 20 is made of an elastic material. The ball 22 is retained
in the chamber 30 since the diameter of the ball 22 is larger than
the diameter of the lower end of the chamber 30. The ball 22 is in
contact with the wall of the chamber 30 near the lower end of the
chamber 30.
[0026] The semi-sphere 24 is inserted through the opening 15 by
force because of the plug 20 is made of an elastic material. The
neck 28 is located in the opening 15. Thus, the internal edge of
the cover 6 is located between the semi-sphere 24 and the disc 26,
i.e., the plug 20 is connected to the cover 6.
[0027] The sealing ring 8 is fit in the annular groove 16. Thus,
the sealing ring 8 is detachably connected to the cover 6.
[0028] The jar 4 can be used to contain coffee beans or powder or
pickles or any other types of food that release various types of
gas. The cover 6 is located on the jar 4 so that the sealing ring 8
is located on the annular edge 12. The hooks 18 are engaged with
the annular flange 14 so that the sealing ring 8 is firmly located
on the annular edge 12. Accordingly, it is difficult for air to
travel 4 between the jar 4 and the cover 6.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 5, the ball 22 is in contact with the wall
of the chamber 30. Thus, it is difficult for air to enter the jar 4
via the check valve 10.
[0030] However, as discussed in the RELATED PRIOR ART, carbon
dioxide will be released from the coffee beans or powder or
pickles. Referring to FIG. 6, the carbon dioxide will push the ball
22 from the wall of the chamber 30 when the pressure in the jar 4
increases and reaches a value sufficient to overcome the weight of
the ball 22. That is, the carbon dioxide can push open the check
valve 10 and leave the jar 4 via the check valve 10. Therefore, the
air-tight container 2 will not be expanded, deformed or burst.
[0031] The present invention has been described via the detailed
illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art
can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without
departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the
preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present
invention defined in the claims.
* * * * *