Vacuum or pressure storage system for food or beverage containers

A method for storing containers and maintaining contents of the containers under elevated pressure comprising:

• providing at least one container, each container having a one way valve, the one way valve permitting flow of air into the container when the interior of the container is at a lower pressure than ambient pressure outside the container and restricting flow of air out of the container when the interior of the container is at a higher pressure than the ambient pressure;
• providing a compartment having a door and an interior of sufficient size to receive the at least one container, the door having a hermetic seal to permit the compartment interior to be maintained at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure when the door is closed;
• opening the door of the compartment;
• placing the at least one container in the compartment interior;
• closing the door;
• pumping air into the compartment interior around the at least one container, whereby air in the container flows in through the one way valve until an elevated pressure above atmospheric pressure is achieved in the compartment interior and the interior of the container;
• removing air from the compartment interior until the interior is at atmospheric pressure while the one way valve maintains the interior of the at least one container under an elevated pressure;
• opening the door of the compartment;
• and
• removing at least one container from the compartment interior while the one way valve continues to maintain the interior of the at least one container under an elevated pressure.

A vacuum or pressure refrigerator for storing containers and maintaining contents of the containers under vacuum or pressure, and within a specific temperature range comprising:

• a compartment having an interior;
• a door for hermetically sealing the interior;
• an air vent for allowing atmospheric air to enter or leave the compartment interior;
• a pump for evacuating air from or adding air into the compartment interior;
• a cooling device for cooling the compartment interior;
• a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in the compartment interior;
• and
• a controller having a first input from the temperature sensor, an output for controlling the operation of the cooling device, an output for controlling the operation of the pump, and an output for opening and closing the air vent,
• wherein when the door is closed, the controller is adapted to:
• i) cease operation of the cooling device and initiate a vacuum or pressure cycle, the vacuum or pressure cycle including commencing pump operation, evacuating at least a portion of or pressurizing the air inside the compartment, operating the pump until a desired degree of vacuum or pressure is attained inside the compartment and terminating pump operation, and ii) subsequently initiate a cooling cycle, the cooling cycle commencing when it is determined that the temperature is above a desired temperature upper set point and operate the cooling device until the temperature reaches a desired lower set point, at which time the cooling cycle is terminated.

A system for storing containers and maintaining contents of the containers under vacuum or pressure comprising:

• a compartment having an interior;
• a door for hermetically sealing the interior;
• an air vent for allowing atmospheric air to enter or leave the compartment interior;
• a pump for evacuating air from or adding air into the compartment interior;
• a controller having an output for controlling the operation of the pump, and an output for opening and closing the air vent;
• and
• a container in the compartment interior having a stopper contacting and sealing with an opening in the container, the stopper having an opening therethrough between the container interior and exterior and a one-way valve disposed in the stopper opening,
• wherein when the door is closed, the controller is adapted to initiate a vacuum or pressure cycle, the vacuum or pressure cycle including commencing pump operation, evacuating at least a portion of or pressurizing the air inside the compartment, operating the pump until a desired degree of vacuum or pressure is attained inside the compartment and terminating pump operation, whereby the one way valve opens and either:
• i) if the pump evacuates air from inside the compartment, air is released from the container through the one way valve during the vacuum cycle when the pressure inside the container is greater than the pressure outside the container and wherein the one way valve closes when the pressure outside the container is greater than the pressure inside the container, or ii) if the pump pressurizes the air inside the compartment, air is added into the container through the one way valve during the pressure cycle when the pressure outside the container is greater than the pressure inside the container and wherein the one way valve closes when the pressure outside the container is less than the pressure inside the container