US20090272071A1

US20090272071A1 - Vacuuming and inflating bag sealer

Info

Publication number: US20090272071A1
Application number: US12/271,893
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter Yiu-ming Tam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-30
Filing date: 2008-11-15
Publication date: 2009-11-05
Also published as: CN201231862Y; DE202008016248U1

Abstract

A bag sealer that can vacuum or inflate the plastic bags to be sealed. It is especially for domestic use. This bag sealer comprises the body, top cover the nozzle located a little behind on the body, pipe circuit for airflow, the mechanism to vacuum and inflate, the switch to alternate the said dual functions. The mechanism can be of propeller type or piston pump type. When a propeller is used, there is one pipe for airflow. The directions of the airflow is caused by whether the propeller is turned clockwise or anticlockwise by the motor driven by the switch set to either the negative or positive polarity of the power supply. When a piston pump is used, the pipe circuit has one pipe for air intake therefore to vacuum the bags, and one for air outflow hence to inflate the bags. The main benefit is that the bag sealer has dual functions; consumers need only to turn a switch to alternate the functions.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present new invention involves functions of extracting air from plastic bags or inflating them, and sealing them. It is in particular a vacuuming and inflating bag sealer for domestic use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present technique of extracting air from a plastic bag to create a vacuum inside before the machine seals it to preserve the freshness of foodstuff has long been in existence. The bag sealers available in the present market are all of single function of vacuuming. There is not even a bag sealer that can inflate, let alone inflate as well as vacuum. Therefore, a bag sealer with dual functions of vacuuming and inflating has never existed before. The better kind of existing vacuuming sealers would usually extract air, as completely as possible, from the plastic bag so that freshness can be best preserved. As a result of vacuuming, the difference of air pressure inside and outside will collapse the bag, tightly squeeze or even damage the object inside. Certain foodstuff, such as potato chips, cereal, pudding etc, while cannot be in constant contact with the moisture in the air to stay fresh, cannot be squeezed as well. This is the situation the function of inflating can be put to effective use. It inflates the bag and seals it to insulate the item from continuous exposure to moisture, while cushion it to keep it intact.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims at filling the inadequacy of the present products. That is firstly a newly engineered inflating bag sealer, and secondly a newly engineered bag sealer not only inflates, but vacuums as well. The present invention therefore is one bag sealer that has the function of inflating bags, and the other one that has the dual functions of vacuuming and inflating.
To achieve that, the present invention adopts the following technique.
The structure of the vacuuming and inflating bag sealer includes the main body and the top cover.
The bottom periphery of the top cover and the top periphery of the body fit one and other. In the back part of top cover and that of the body are linked with a pair of hinges using axles to enable it to rotate. The top cover therefore can be lifted open and closed onto the main body.
It also comprises a nozzle located behind, a pipe circuit for airflow, the mechanism of vacuuming and inflating, the switch for changing vacuuming to inflating and back (also known as the valve to reverse the airflow), and the device that joined with the nozzle that is to be put inside the opening of the plastic bag.
The bag sealer can use either propeller or piston pump to generate airflow to vacuum or inflate.
When propeller is used, a pipe is linked up with the nozzle at one end and the other end to the related parts of the propeller mechanism. The switch to change vacuuming to inflating is actually the same switch that makes the motor driving the propeller to go clockwise or anti-clockwise. It is therefore also the same switch that turns the polarities from positive to negative and back.
When it uses a piston pump however, the pipe circuit includes a pipe for air intake, therefore vacuums, and one for outflow, therefore inflates. The nozzle has one end connected with the valve that can alternately be switched to open the pipes for vacuuming and inflating. The other ends of these pipes for inflating and vacuuming are individually linked to the related parts of the piston pump mechanism.
When the mechanism uses propeller, the switch that connects the motor driving the propeller and the polarities of the power supply can be turned one way to make the propeller move clockwise to inflate, while the other way to make it move anti-clockwise to vacuum instead. The two functions of vacuuming and inflating can be realized by turning the switch from one direction to another to change the negative and the positive polarities from one to the other.
When the mechanism uses piston pump, a valve is switched to one position to open up the pipe for vacuuming connected to the nozzle in common used for both vacuuming and inflating, the piston pump can extract air from this pipe. The same valve can be switched to the another direction to open up the other pipe for inflating connected to the same nozzle in common used for vacuuming and inflating, the piston pump can supply air through this other pipe. The two functions of vacuuming and inflating can be realized by switching the valve to one position to open up one pipe or the other for vacuuming and inflating alternately.
The above technique is hereby further explained.
The device to put inside the opening of the plastic bag for the air to flow through can be a simple nozzle or one with a built-in dirty water tank.
There is pressure control device built onto the pipe circuit for inflating to keep the amount of air inside the bag to a desired level.
The switch in the present invention to change the functions of vacuuming and inflating from one to another brings about the dual function feature.
To turn the switch of changing function to the selected position, the motor will drive the corresponding parts to trigger the vacuuming function to suck air out from the bag to create a vacuum relative to outside, or the inflating function to blow air into the bag before the opening of the bag is melted to seal by the heat produced by a hot wire. The switch can be made into different forms and shapes, with an air release aperture.
A mechanism of propeller type has a structure with a propeller, a hood and a motor. The motor is connected to the propeller for the purpose of rotating it. The hood is assembled with the propeller to guide all the airflow into the pipe circuit.
A mechanism of piston pump type has a structure with a pump and a motor. The pump is assembled with the motor.
The main advantages of this new bag sealer invention as compared to the present existing technology are:

- 1) The bag sealer of the present invention can vacuum and inflate. It is two in one. The consumer can execute either function in a same manner. It is only a matter of turning a switch.
- 2) The present invention can also be considered as an independent inflating bag sealer.
- 3) The present invention is compact in structure, strongly integrated and small in size.
- 4) It is easy to operate. Simply turning a switch does vacuuming or inflating.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuuming and inflating bag sealer in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the state of the vacuuming and inflating bag sealer in accordance with the present invention, in which the cover is opened;

FIG. 3 shows a propeller structure of the vacuuming and inflating bag sealer in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 shows a piston pump structure of the vacuuming and inflating bag sealer in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the followings, the embodiment is explained with the attached illustrations and drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the dual functions, vacuuming and inflating, bag sealer in the present invention comprises the body 1 and a top cover 2. The bottom periphery of the top cover fits and matches the top periphery of the body 1 when in closed position. The top cover 2 can be lifted open from and closed back onto the body 1 as there is a device with an axle to serve as a hinge, one each located on the two sides, between the edges or on the sides of the back part of the bottom periphery of the top cover 2 and that of the top periphery of the body 1.
It also comprises the nozzle 3 located a little behind on the body 1, the air pipe circuit for vacuuming and inflating 4, the mechanism to produce airflow 5, and the switch to alternate the dual functions 6. The nozzle 3 having an end connected to the airflow device 7 built in the body 1 of the bag sealer for placing into plastic bag opening. The mechanism to vacuum or inflate can be of a propeller type or piston pump type.
When the mechanism 5 is of the propeller type, an air pipe circuit for vacuuming and inflating 4 is to be installed. The two ends of this air pipe circuit 4 have one end connected to the nozzle and the other put through the related parts of the propeller 52 in the mechanism 5. The switch to change vacuuming to inflating 6 is actually the same switch that makes the motor 51 driving the propeller 52 to go clockwise or anti-clockwise. It is therefore also the same switch that turns the polarities from positive to negative and back.
When the mechanism 5 is of the piston pump type, the pipe circuit 4 includes a pipe for air intake 41, therefore vacuums, and one for outflow 42, therefore inflates. The nozzle 3 has one end connected with the valve 6 that can alternately be switched to open the pipes for vacuuming and inflating 42 & 41. The other ends of these pipes for inflating and vacuuming 42 & 41 are individually connected through to the related parts of the piston pump 55.
The device to put inside the opening of the plastic bag for the air to flow through 7 can be a simple nozzle or one with a built-in dirty water tank.
There is pressure control device built onto the pipe circuit 4 for inflating to keep the amount of air inside the bag to a desired level.
The switch 6 or the valve can be made into different forms and shapes, with an air release aperture 61 built with the said switch 6.
A mechanism 5 of propeller type has a structure with a propeller 52, a hood 53 and a motor 51. The motor 51 is connected to the propeller 52 for the purpose of rotating it. The hood 53 is assembled with the propeller 52. The main function of the hood 53 is to guide all the airflow into the pipe circuit 4.
A mechanism 5 of piston pump type has a structure with a piston pump 55 and a motor 54. The pump 55 is assembled with the motor 54 to execute its activity.
The above description of exercising functions is only a better illustration of instances of how to use this bag sealer of the invention that is able to vacuum and inflate. However, that by no means sets the limit to all our technological aspects. Any further detailed adjustments, alterations and changes of appearance based on the actual technology of present invention illustrated above, all are within its technical boundary.

Claims

1. A vacuuming and inflating bag sealer comprising: a main body 1 and a top cover 2, a bottom periphery of the top cover 2 and a top periphery of the body 1 fitting one and other, in a back part of top cover 2 and that of the body 1 being linked with a pair of hinges using axles to enable it 2 to rotate, the top cover 2 therefore can be lifted open and closed onto the main body 1, a nozzle 3 located a little behind on the body 1; air pipe circuits 4; mechanism 5 for vacuuming and inflating; a switch 6 to alternate the functions of vacuuming and inflating; the air passage device 7 which is part of the nozzle 3 linked onto the body 1 for entering an opening of a plastic bag; the mechanism for vacuuming or inflating 5 using either propeller or a piston pump.

when the mechanism 5 is of propeller type, an air pipe circuit 4 for vacuuming and inflating is to be installed, two ends of this air pipe circuit 4 have one end connected to the nozzle 3 and the other put through the related parts of the propeller 52 in the mechanism 5, the switch 6 to change vacuuming to inflating is actually the same switch 6 that makes the motor 51 driving the propeller 52 to go clockwise or anti-clockwise, it is therefore also the same switch 6 that switches the polarities of the power supply from positive to negative alternately.

when the mechanism 5 is of piston pump type, the pipe circuit 4 includes a pipe for air intake 41, therefore vacuums, and one 42 for outflow, therefore inflates, the nozzle 3 has one end connected with the valve 6 that can alternately be switched to open the pipes for vacuuming and inflating 42 and 41, the other ends of these pipes 42 and 41 for inflating and vacuuming are individually connected through to the related parts of the piston pump 55.

2. The vacuuming and inflating bag sealer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanism 5 is of propeller type and comprises the propeller 52, a hood 53, the motor 51, the propeller 52 is assembled onto the motor 51 for it to rotate and the hood is assembled onto the propeller.

3. The vacuuming and inflating bag sealer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanism 5 is of piston pump type and comprises a piston pump 55, and a motor 54, the motor 54 is assembled onto the piston pump 55.

4. The vacuuming and inflating bag sealer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pipe circuit for air intake and outflow 4 is provided with an air pressure controller.

5. The vacuuming and inflating bag sealer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve switch or the polarity switch 6 to alternate direction of airflow is provided with air apertures.