Vacuum storage apparatus with sliding drawers

An apparatus for storing, preserving and dispensing perishable and degradable food and goods comprising:

• a) a rigid housing;
• b) at least one modular unit disposed in said housing for holding items;
• c) at least one container or bag within the modular unit;
• d) means operatively connected to, but physically removed from, said modular unit for creating a partial vacuum within the modular unit;
• and
• e) means for sealing and maintaining said partial vacuum within the modular unit, wherein said container or bag includes a one-way valve such that when a partial vacuum is created within the modular unit a partial vacuum is also created within the container or bag and retained within the container or bag when stored in said modular unit or when the modular unit is opened or when the container or bag is removed from the modular unit.

A vacuum system for storing, preserving and dispensing perishable and degradable food and goods having at least two operational operational conditions comprising:

• a sealable modular unit;
• a vacuum means;
• a control system;
• and
• at least one one-way valve container or bag, wherein a first operational condition of operation wherein a vacuum means is actuated to create a predetermined partial vacuum level inside a modular unit and upon creating said maximum partial vacuum level inside said modular unit said vacuum means is deactivated to concurrently allow the pressure within the modular unit to increase, and a second operational operational condition for storing items inside a modular unit wherein a vacuum means is actuated to create and maintain a predetermined partial vacuum level inside said modular unit.

A method for storing, preserving and dispensing perishable and degradable food and goods comprising:

• placing items into a modular storage unit capable of storing said items in any of at least two operational operational conditions comprising a first operational operational condition wherein a vacuum means is actuated to create a predetermined partial vacuum level inside a modular unit and upon creating a maximum partial vacuum level inside said modular unit said vacuum means is deactivated to concurrently allow the pressure within the modular unit to increase;
• a second operational operational condition for storing items inside a modular unit wherein a vacuum means is actuated to create and maintain a predetermined partial vacuum level inside the modular unit;
• selecting the operational operational condition to be applied to the items:
• and
• applying to the items the operational operational condition selected.