Combination vacuum/pressure pump and valve stopper for food or drink containers

A combination pressure and vacuum valve stopper comprising:

• a stopper for contacting an opening in a food or beverage container including:
• means for sealing the stopper to the opening in the food or beverage container,
• means for sealing the stopper to a pump head, and
• a valve opening through the stopper;
• and
• a valve element retained by the valve opening in the stopper, the valve element being reversible between a pressure position and a vacuum position to seal the valve opening.

A pump and stopper combination comprising:

• a vacuum/pressure pump comprising:
• a pump housing containing a pump cylinder;
• a pump head adapted for sealing engagement with a valve stopper on a food or drink container;
• a piston in sliding airtight engagement with the pump cylinder, the pump cylinder, pump head and piston defining a pump chamber;
• and
• a handle adapted for hand pumping to move the piston and the pump cylinder relative to one another;
• the pump chamber including:
• a first opening which connects to the valve stopper when the pump head is sealed to the valve stopper for pumping a gas into or out of the food or drink container, and
• a second opening which connects to the atmosphere through a combination pressure and vacuum valve mounted therein, the combination valve being moveable within said second opening to switch from a vacuum position to a pressure position;
• and
• a vacuum/pressure valve stopper comprising:
• a stopper for contacting an opening in a food or beverage container including:
• means for sealing the stopper to the opening in the food or beverage container,
• means for sealing the stopper to a pump head, and a valve opening through the stopper;
• and
• a valve element retained by the valve opening in the stopper, the valve element being reversible between a pressure position and a vacuum position to seal the valve opening.