Apparatus for vacuum sealing plastic bags

An apparatus for vacuum sealing a plastic bag having overlying first and second panels defining an evacuative chamber and overlying heat sealable panel portions terminating at an open end of said bag communicating with said evacuative chamber, said apparatus comprising

• a hood movable to a closed position on a support surface to position a frontal side thereof over the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag, said hood at least in part defining a vacuum chamber means having a width extending from a frontal side of said hood that is sized to only receive the open end of said bag in exposed relationship therein and to position remaining portions of said bag exteriorly of said apparatus,
• static seal means mounted beneath said hood and circumventing said vacuum chamber means for directly engaging outer surfaces of the sealable panel portions of said bag in response to movement of said hood to its closed position to form a static seal isolating the open end of said bag and said vacuum chamber means from ambient and to maintain the open end of said bag in communication with the evacuative chamber thereof,
• evacuation means communicating with said vacuum chamber means for selectively evacuating said vacuum chamber means and the evacuative chamber of said bag, and
• heat sealing means, including a heating element mounted forwardly on and beneath said hood, for selectively forming an air-tight heat seal across the sealable panel portions of said bag to maintain said vacuum within the evacuative chamber of said bag.

A lid attachment adapted for connection between a vacuum apparatus and a container adapted to have a vacuum drawn therein comprising

• a lid adapter, having a passage formed therethrough,
• first seal means secured under said lid adapter for mounting on said container to form a first static seal therebetween,
• a connector removably mounted on said lid adapter and having connection means thereon for connecting said lid attachment to said vacuum apparatus for selectively drawing a vacuum through said connection means,
• second seal means between said lid adapter and said connector to form a second static seal thereat, and
• control means mounted on said lid adapter for movement between:
• (1) a first position for openly communicating a vacuum from said connection means, through said connector and said passage and to said container;
• (2) a second position for closing said passage to fully seal said container;
• and (3) a third position for opening said passage to communicate said container with ambient to release the vacuum therein.

An apparatus for vacuum sealing a plastic bag having overlying first and second panels defining an evacuative chamber and overlying heat sealable panel portions terminating at an open end of said bag communicating with said evacuative chamber, said apparatus comprising

• a base defining an upper support surface adapted to receive the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag thereon,
• a hood mounted on said base and movable to a closed position to position a frontal side thereof over the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag, said hood and base defining a vacuum chamber therebetween adapted to receive the open end of said bag in exposed relationship therein, said vacuum chamber comprising trough means defined on said base for collecting liquids and particles therein during vacuum sealing of said bag,
• static seal means circumventing said vacuum chamber and disposed between said base and said hood for directly engaging outer surfaces of the sealable panel portions of said bag in response to movement of said hood to its closed position to form a static seal isolating the open end of said bag and said vacuum chamber from ambient and to maintain the open end of said bag in communication with the evacuative chamber thereof,
• evacuation means communicating with said vacuum chamber for selectively evacuating said vacuum chamber and the evacuative chamber of said bag, and
• heat sealing means, including a heating element mounted forwardly on one of said base and said hood, for selectively forming an air-tight heat seal across the sealable panel portions of said bag to maintain said vacuum within the evacuative chamber of said bag.

An apparatus for vacuum sealing a plastic bag having overlying first and second panels defining an evacuative chamber and overlying heat sealable panel portions terminating at an open end of said bag communicating with said evacuative chamber, said apparatus comprising

• a base defining an upper support surface adapted to receive the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag thereon,
• a hood mounted on said base and movable to a closed position to position a frontal side thereof over the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag, said hood and base defining a vacuum chamber therebetween adapted to receive the open end of said bag in exposed relationship therein,
• static seal means circumventing said vacuum chamber and disposed between said base and said hood for directly engaging outer surfaces of the sealable panel portions of said bag in response to movement of said hood to its closed position to form a static seal isolating the open end of said bag and said vacuum chamber from ambient and to maintain the open end of said bag in communication with the evacuative chamber thereof,
• evacuation means communicating with said vacuum chamber for selectively evacuating said vacuum chamber and the evacuative chamber of said bag, said evacuation means comprising vacuum pump means for selectively drawing a vacuum in said vacuum chamber, tube means for communicating said vacuum pump means with said vacuum chamber and control means for activating said vacuum pump means in response to movement of said hood to its closed position on said base, said control means comprises a normally open switch mounted on said base and a pin means secured on an underside of said cover for engaging and closing said switch when said hod is moved to its closed position on said base,
• heat sealing means, including a heating element mounted forwardly on one of said base and said hood, for selectively forming an air-tight heat seal across the sealable panel portions of said bag to maintain said vacuum within the evacuative chamber of said bag, and
• vent means for normally venting said vacuum chamber to ambient and closing means for selectively closing said vent means to isolate said vacuum chamber from ambient.

An apparatus for vacuum sealing a plastic bag having overlying first and second panels defining an evacuative chamber and overlying heat sealable panel portions terminating at an open end of said bag communicating with said evacuative chamber, said apparatus comprising

• a base defining an upper support surface adapted to receive the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag thereon,
• a hood mounted on said base and movable to a closed position to position a frontal side thereof over the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag, said hood and base defining a vacuum chamber therebetween adapted to receive the open end of said bag in exposed relationship therein,
• static seal means circumventing said vacuum chamber and disposed between said base and said hood for directly engaging outer surfaces of the sealable panel portions of said bag in response to movement of said hood to its closed position to form a static seal isolating the open end of said bag and said vacuum chamber from ambient and to maintain the open end of said bag in communication with the evacuative chamber thereof,
• evacuation means communicating with said vacuum chamber for selectively evacuating said vacuum chamber and the evacuative chamber of said bag,
• heat sealing means, including a heating element mounted forwardly on one of said base and said hood, for selectively forming an air-tight heat seal across the sealable panel portions of said bag to maintain said vacuum within the evacuative chamber of said bag, said heat sealing means further comprising an electrical power source and switch means for selectively connecting said power source to said heating element, said switch means comprising a normally open switch mounted on said base and means mounted on said hood for closing said switch means when said hood is in its closed position on said base, and
• vent means for normally venting said vacuum chamber to ambient and closing means for selectively closing said vent means to isolate said vacuum chamber from ambient.

An apparatus for vacuum sealing a plastic bag having overlying first and second panels defining an evacuative chamber and overlying heat sealable panel portions terminating at an open end of said bag communicating with said evacuative chamber, said apparatus comprising

• a base defining an upper support surface adapted to receive the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag thereon,
• a hood mounted on said base and movable to a closed position to position a frontal side thereof over the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag, said hood and base defining a vacuum chamber therebetween adapted to receive the open end of said bag in exposed relationship therein,
• static seal means circumventing said vacuum chamber and disposed between said base and said hood for directly engaging outer surfaces of the sealable panel portions of said bag in response to movement of said hood to its closed position to form a static seal isolating the open end of said bag and said vacuum chamber from ambient and to maintain the open end of said bag in communication with the evacuative chamber thereof,
• evacuation means communicating with said vacuum chamber for selectively evacuating said vacuum chamber and the evacuative chamber of said bag,
• heat sealing means, including a heating element mounted forwardly on one of said base and said hood, for selectively forming an air-tight heat seal across the sealable panel portions of said bag to maintain said vacuum within the evacuative chamber of said bag, and
• lid attachment means for attachment to a container, and connection means interconnected between the vacuum chamber of said apparatus and said lid attachment for selectively drawing a vacuum through said lid attachment and from within said container in response to activation of said evacuation means, said lid attachment means comprising a lid adapter having a passage formed therethrough and first sealing means secured thereunder for forming a static seal when it is mounted on said container, a connector, second sealing means for forming a static seal between said lid adapter and said connector when said connector is mounted on said lid adapter, and means mounted on said lid adapter for movement between a first position openly communicating said passage with said container, a second position for forming a third sealing means closing said passage to seal said container and a third position for opening said passage to communicate said container with ambient to release the vacuum therein.

An apparatus for vacuum sealing a plastic bag having overlying first and second panels defining an evacuative chamber and overlying heat sealable panel portions terminating at an open end of said bag communicating with said evacuative chamber, said apparatus comprising

• a hood movable to a closed position on a support surface to position a frontal side thereof over the open end and sealable panel portions of said bag, said hood defining a vacuum chamber therein adapted to receive the open end of said bag in exposed relationship therein,
• static seal means mounted beneath said hood and circumventing said vacuum chamber for directly engaging outer surfaces of the sealable panel portions of said bag in response to movement of said hood to its closed position to form a static seal isolating the open end of said bag and said vacuum chamber from ambient and to maintain the open end of said bag in communication with the evacuative chamber thereof,
• evacuation means communicating with said vacuum chamber for selectively evacuating said vacuum chamber and the evacuative chamber of said bag, said evacuation means comprising a tube having its distal end mounted in said hood in communication with said vacuum chamber, and
• heat sealing means, including a heating element mounted forwardly on and beneath said hood, for selectively forming an air-tight heat seal across the sealable panel portions of said bag to maintain said vacuum within the evacuative chamber of said bag.