AU764879B2 - A closure means for a vacuum sealed container - Google Patents

Description

-1- P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention Title: A CLOSURE MEANS FOR VACUUM SEALED

CONTAINER

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:

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A CLOSURE MEANS FOR A VACUUM SEALED CONTAINER FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a closure for sealing the contents of a bottle or container in a vacuum. This invention has particular but not exclusive application to sealing bottles of non-sparkling wine and other non-carbonated beverages.

PRIOR ART A bottle of non-sparkling wine has conventionally been sealed with a cork but more recently plastic stoppers have been used as a substitute stopper. When the contents have not been completely consumed, the bottle is often resealed with the stopper trapping air inside the bottle. Unfortunately the air in the bottle can oxidize the remaining wine and contribute to its spoiling. In the case of food stored in a container, air retained in the container may contribute to microbiological spoilage of the food. Thus on these and other occasions it is advantageous to evacuate the air from the bottle or container to reduce the rate of spoilage of the contents.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a alternative closure means in which air can be evacuated from a bottle or container to form a vacuum seal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 20 The present invention in one aspect broadly resides in a closuremeans for vacuum sealing a container including: a base member sealably mountable to the container, said base member has a bore and an engagement means adjacent said bore; a top member engageable with said base member, said top member has a bore and an engagement means which is complementary to the base member engagement means, said top member engagement means is adjacent said top member bore; a valve member locatable between the top member and base member so that the valve member does not extend through the top member bore, wherein said valve member is adapted to form a seal with the top or base member when air is evacuated from the container and the pressure inside the container is less than the pressure outside the container.

A vacuum means such as a vacuum pump may be used to evacuate the air from within the container and effect sealing of the valve member.

The seal formed by the valve member and one of said members is preferably released by inserting lifting means through the top member bore and lifting the valve member. The lifting means is suitably a protrusion such as a finger that can be inserted through the top member bore to the valve member.

Preferably the valve member forms a seal with the base member. In a preferred embodiment the valve member forms a seal against a peripheral region around the base member bore. The peripheral region around the base member bore forms a valve seat.

20 The base member is preferably a lid. Alternatively the base member may be attachable to a lid. The top surface of the lid is preferably substantially flush. The engagement means of the base member preferably has an engagement portion that substantially surrounds the bore. In one preferred embodiment the engagement portion includes an annular channel surrounding the bore. The peripheral bore region is bordered by the bore and the annular channel.

Preferably the base member also has a seat for locating the vacuum pump.

The seat preferably surrounds the bore and is recessed from the top surface of the base member or lid.

The top member in a preferred embodiment is a cylindrical cap. The wall of the cylindrical cap serves as an engagement portion that press-fits or friction-fits into the annular channel of the base member. When the top member engages the base member, a cavity is produced in which the valve member can be operatively positioned. Preferably the top of the cylindrical cap is at the same level as the base member vacuum pump seat when the cap and base member are engaged.

The engagement means of both members is preferably located within the neck or opening of the container. Other types of engagement means such as projections and recesses may be used. For example in an alternative embodiment the base member may have projections that are capable of engaging a channel or recesses in the top member.

The top member preferably has a bore that is off-centre. The bore preferably has a shape that allows a finger or the like access to the valve member and lift the valve member off the peripheral region around the base member bore. The shape of 20 the bore in one preferred embodiment is substantially semicircular.

There may also be a groove on an inside surface of a wall of the top member that extends at least partially around the wall. The groove is preferably adjacent the top member bore so to provide an enlarged passageway for the passage of air.

The valve member is a diaphragm of flexible material such as rubber or the like. In a preferred form the diaphragm has a substantially planar disc shape and can fit within the cavity formed by the press-fitted top member and base member. The seal can be broken when the diaphragm is separated from the peripheral region around the base member bore and allows air to enter the container.

In another aspect the present invention broadly resides in a sealable closure for a vacuum sealed container including a closure body having a vent passage there through; and a valve member locatable within the closure body for closing the vent passage against ingress of fluid to the container, wherein an opening in an outer portion of the closure body provides access to the valve member to enable seal release.

The closure body is preferably a rigid body. Suitably the rigid body is made of hardened plastics material such as polyoxymethylene (for example Delrin by DuPont), polypropylene or a nylon derivative.

The closure body may be a one piece unit or consist of a plurality of components assembled together to form the closure body.

The closure body may have integral gasket means for sealing engagement S0 with an abutting container or lid surface. Integral gasket means may be in the form of one or more fins which extend around an outer surface and project substantially 20 outward. Alternatively a separate gasket means may be used for sealing engagement.

Where the sealable closure is locatable in a container lid, the closure body in one preferred form includes a threaded shaft and a valve housing member having a 6 complementary receiving thread. The threaded shaft preferably has an outwardly extending flange for abutment against an inner surface of the container lid. The valve housing member is preferably locatable on an outer surface of the lid when connected to the threaded shaft.

Where the sealable closure is locatable in a container lid or in an open container, the closure body in another preferred form includes a one piece or assembled closure body insertable within the opening. Preferably the closure body has a flange extending outwardly enabling location on an outer surface of the lid or container.

The valve member is preferably operatively located on a valve seat which surrounds the vent passage. The valve seat is preferably rigid. The valve seat preferably is made of hardened plastics material such as mentioned above. The valve seat preferably has a substantially sharp perimeter edge which is adapted to sealably engage the valve member.

15 The valve member is preferably biased for engagement with the valve seat.

The valve member is preferably retained between the valve seat and an opposing body edge or surface. Preferably the valve member is flexible. The valve member is preferably a diaphragm as discussed above. The valve member may be captured.

The valve member is preferably a non-return valve that in use allows air to 20 evacuate from the container and only allow air into the container when the seal is broken.

Preferably the seal is formed with sealable engagement of a flexible valve member on a rigid valve seat. Preferably the seal can be released by lifting an edge portion of the valve member off the valve seat. Preferably the opening on the outer surface of the closure body allows a user's finger to enter the opening and initiate release of the valve member from the valve seat.

Preferably the valve member is recessed from an outer surface of the closure body. Preferably the valve member is positioned so that it is substantially protected by the closure body from accidental release of the seal.

In another preferred form the sealable closure includes an integrally formed vacuum piston pump.

In another aspect, the invention broadly resides in a method of using the aforementioned sealable closure or closure means to a container including placing a vacuum piston pump on or around the closure body if not integrally formed therewith; pumping the pump to evacuate air from the container through the valve member; and forming a vacuum within the container.

The seal is broken and the vacuum is lost when the valve member is lifted and air can enter the container.

In another aspect the invention is a wine bottle stopper being a sealable closure as described above.

20 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that this invention may be more readily understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein 8 Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a bottle with a first preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the first embodiment; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the first embodiment; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a lid with the second preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the assembled second embodiment; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the components of the second embodiment; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a third embodiment of the sealable closure; Fig. 8 is another diagrammatic view of the third embodiment of the sealable closure; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a fourth embodiment of a sealable closure; S:Fig. 10 is a perspective cut-away view of the fourth embodiment of the invention; Fig. 11 is a further cut-away view of the fourth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to Fig. 1 there is shown a stopper 10 which is a first embodiment of the invention. The stopper 10 is positioned in the opening of bottle 11. Stopper 10 has a flange 12 extending outwardly from the body portion 13 of the 20 stopper 10. The stopper 10 forms a seal with the bottle 11 with a separate gasket 14 spaced between flange 12 and bottle rim With reference to Figs. 2 and 3 there is shown stopper 10, flange 12 and body portion 13. There is also shown a valve member 16 which includes valve seat 9 17 and valve diaphragm 18. The valve diaphragm 18 is a non-return valve that in use allows air and the like to evacuate from the container and only allow air in the container when the seal is broken.

The valve seat 17 comprises a hollow cylindrical tube 19 with a substantially sharp inner perimeter edge 20. The tube 19 is formed separately and interference fitted with outer sleeve 21. Alternatively the stopper 10 may be made as a one piece unit. Valve diaphragm 18 is a flexible diaphragm retained in position by inner edge and opposing inner surface 22 of outer sleeve 21. The valve diaphragm 18 extends across vent passage 23 and partially across opening 24. The valve diaphragm 18 can be lifted upward so that there is fluid communication between vent passage 23 and opening 24. The opening 24 is wide enough to permit a user's finger to lift the valve diaphragm 18 when the seal needs to be broken. The valve diaphragm 18 is recessed from the top outer surface 25 of the stopper 10 thereby protecting the valve S diaphragm 18 from accidental release.

Both the tube 19 and outer sleeve 21 are made of rigid plastics material such as delrin. The valve diaphragm 18 however is made of a flexible material such as rubber or flexible plastics material.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. With reference to Fig. 4 there is shown a lid 31 and valve member 32 inserted within 20 aperture 33 in the lid 31. The valve member 32 includes a valve housing 34, threaded shaft 35 and valve diaphragm 36. The valve housing 34 is substantially cylindrical in shape with an opening 37 in the side wall 38 of the valve housing 34.

The valve housing 34 has an inward extending flange 39 for retaining valve diaphragm 36. The valve housing 34 has an inner recessed thread 40 which is complementary to the thread 41 on the threaded shaft 35. The threaded shaft 35 has an outwardly extending flange 42 at one end. At the other end there is a valve seat 43 in the form of surrounding sharp edges. In use the threaded shaft 35 is inserted through the aperture 33 in the lid so that flange 42 abuts the inner lid surface. A gasket (not shown) is spaced between flange 42 and the inner lid surface. The valve diaphragm 36 is placed over the valve seat 43 and valve housing 34 is threaded onto threaded shaft 35 50 that the valve diaphragm 36 abuts flange 39. Valve diaphragm 36 is then retained in position by inner surface of flange 39 and valve seat 43. The seal is broken by permitting a user's finger to pass through the opening and lift the free edge of the valve diaphragm 36.

In use the stopper 10 or valve member 32 is placed in position and a vacuum piston pump is used to evacuate air from the container or bottle. The subsequent higher pressure outside the container or bottle forces an effective seal by the valve diaphragms 18, 36 and the valve seat 17 and 43. The seal is broken by lifting the free edge of the valve diaphragm 18, 36. The valve housing 34 and threaded shaft 35 is made of rigid plastics material such as delrin manufactured by Dupont. The valve diaphragm 36 is made of any suitable flexible material including flexible plastics material and rubber.

0:*i 20 A third embodiment of the sealable closure is shown in figures 7 and 8 where there is shown a sealable closure 70 which includes an outer sleeve 71, an inner sleeve 72, and valve diaphragm 73. The outer sleeve 71 is substantially cylindrical with an annular outwardly extending flange 74. The outer sleeve 71 has an internal 11 aperture 75 along the central longitudinal axis. The outer sleeve 71 has a valve diaphragm seat 76 which has surfaces inclined towards the aperture 75. The perimeter edge 77 surrounding the aperture 75 on the valve diaphragm seat 76 is able to effect a seal with the valve diaphragm 73. The outer sleeve 71 also has an annular recess 78 surrounding the valve diaphragm seat 76.

The inner sleeve 72 is substantially cylindrical and able to be friction fitted into the recess 78 in the outer sleeve 71. The insertion of the inner sleeve 72 into the recess 78 is shown in figure 8. The insertion is such that the top surface of the inner sleeve 72 is substantially flush with the top surface of the outer sleeve 71. The inner sleeve 72 has an internal ledge 79 to allow the valve diaphragm 73 to rest there upon.

The assembled closure 70 is used to form a seal with a bottle or container. A ooooo gasket may be used to effect a seal with the rim of the container and flange 74.

An advantage of the closure 70 of the third embodiment is that the fitting of the inner sleeve with the outer sleeve is a frictional fit and the inner sleeve is substantially *oo captured within the outer sleeve and therefore substantially prevents leakage of fluid.

With reference to Figs. 9, 10 and 11 there is shown a lid 90 on container 91.

The lid 90 includes a top member 92 and valve 93. The lid 90 has a substantially flush top surface 94 except for a lid recess 95. The lid recess 95 serves as a seat for 20 a vacuum pump. The lid 90 has a lid bore 96. The lid 90 also has an annular channel 97 between the lid bore 96 and the lid recess 95. There is a peripheral region 98 located between the lid bore 96 and annular channel 97. The peripheral region 98 is adapted to serve as a valve seat for the valve 93.

12 The top member 92 is a cylindrical cap with side walls 99 that can sealingly engage with the annular channel 97 in a press-fit or friction-fit arrangement. The top member 92 has a substantially semi-circular aperture 100 in a top wall 101. The level of the top wall 101 is approximately the same level as the lid recess 95 when the top member is fitted to the lid The valve 93 is a flexible disc shaped diaphragm located between the peripheral region 98 and the top wall 101 of the top member 92.

The lid 90 is attached to the container 91 by complementary screw threads and sealed with O-ring 102.

In use, air is evacuated from container 91 by allowing air to pass through the lid bore 96 and aperture 100. As air is evacuated the pressure inside the container *feebecomes lower than the outside pressure. With a comparatively lower pressure the valve 93 forms a seal against the peripheral region 98 and prevents the flow of air into the container 91. The seal formed by the valve 93 against the peripheral region i 98 can be broken by a person inserting their finger through the top member aperture .oooo 100 and lifting the valve 93 away from the peripheral region 98 (as shown in Fig.11).

The vacuum can also be released by a person unscrewing the lid 90 in container 91 0*

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thereby breaking the seal formed by the O-ring 102 and allowing air to flow into the too* container 91.

20 ADVANTAGES An advantage of the present invention is that the sealable closure can be reused allowing the container to be sealed and opened a number of times during the consumption of the contents of the container. A further advantage of the present 13 invention is that it is simple device and provides protection from accidental release of the valve member seal as the valve member is located within the closure body or between both members.

VARIATIONS

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of example all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

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Claims (26)

1. A closure means for vacuum sealing a container including: a base member sealably mountable to the container, said base member has a bore and an engagement means adjacent said bore; a top member engageable with said base member, said top member has a bore and an engagement means which is complementary to the base member engagement means, said top member engagement means is adjacent said top member bore; a valve member locatable between the top member and base member so that the valve member does not extend through the top member bore, wherein said valve member is adapted to form a seal with the top or base member when air is evacuated S: from the container and the pressure inside the container is less than the pressure S: outside the container.

2. A closure means as claimed in claimi wherein the seal formed by the valve ooooe 15 member and the top or base member can be broken by inserting lifting means through the top member bore and separating the valve member from the relevant member. 00.

3. A closure means as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the valve member is o.o0 adapted to form a seal with the base member.

4. A closure means as claimed in claim 3 wherein the valve member forms a seal with a peripheral region around the base member bore.

A closure means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the base member is a lid having an annular channel for a press-fit engagement with the top member being a cylindrical cap.

6. A closure means as claimed in claim 5 wherein there is a groove on an inside wall of the cylindrical cap that provides an enlarged passageway for the passage of air when the cylindrical cap is press-fitted into the lid.

7. A closure means as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the valve member is a flexible disc shaped diaphragm.

8. A closure means as substantially described herein with reference to figures 9, and 11.

9. A sealable closure for a container including a closure body having a vent passage there through; and a valve member locatable within the closure body adapted to close the vent passage against ingress of fluid to the container, wherein an opening in an outer portion of the closure body provides access to the valve member to enable seal release.

10. A sealable closure as claimed in claim 9 wherein the valve member includes a valve seat and a valve member sealingly engageable with the valve seat.

11. A sealable closure as claimed in claim 10 wherein the valve seat has a substantially sharp edge which is adapted to sealably engage the valve member.

12. A sealable closure as claimed in claim 11 wherein the edge is a perimeter edge around the vent passage.

13. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein the valve member is biased for engagement with the valve seat.

14. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13 wherein the valve 16 member is retained between the valve seat and an opposing closure body portion.

A sealable closure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14 wherein the valve member is captured.

16. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 15 wherein the valve member operationally serves as a non-return valve.

17. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 16 wherein the closure body including the valve seat is made of rigid material such as hardened plastics material and the valve member is made of flexible material.

18. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 17 wherein the valve member is recessed from an outer surface of the closure body.

19. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 18 wherein the valve member is substantially protected by the closure body from accidental release.

A sealable closure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 19 wherein the .:oo closure body is formed as an integral one piece unit or assembled from a number of 15 components. o o

21. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 20 wherein the closure body includes an integral gasket means for sealing engagement with an abutting container or lid surface.

22. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of the claims 9 to 21 wherein the closure is used to seal a wine bottle.

23. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of the claims 9 to 22 wherein the closure body includes an adaptation for attachment of a vacuum pump.

24. A sealable closure as claimed in any one of the claims 9 to 23 wherein the 17 closure body includes a vacuum pump integrally formed with the closure body.

A sealable closure as substantially described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the figures 1 8.

26. A wine bottle stopper being a sealable closure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims. DATED THIS SIXTEENTH DAY OF MAY 2001 L.R. AGNEW DEVELOPMENTS PTY LTD By its patent attorneys Pipers Patent Trade Mark Attorneys .oooo *oo