초록 ▼

A device comprising a plug positioned within a housing to regulate air within a container, for example, plastic storage containers or bags. The plug is positioned within the housing to occlude a port hole in the housing. The housing is positioned within a container so the port hole faces a wall of t

A device comprising a plug positioned within a housing to regulate air within a container, for example, plastic storage containers or bags. The plug is positioned within the housing to occlude a port hole in the housing. The housing is positioned within a container so the port hole faces a wall of the container. A hole is created in the container above the port hole. To evacuate or inject air into the container, a hose adaptor with a specialized hose tip is connected to a vacuum or air hose. When inserted into the port hole, the hose tip temporarily displaces the plug from the port hole. Vents within the housing allow air to move through the housing and into or out of the hose tip. Removal of the hose tip allows the plug to resume position over the porthole to maintain the vacuum or air pressure within the container.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A device for controlling the amount of air within a container, wherein said device comprises: a housing having at least two openings to facilitate the movement of air into or out of the housing, wherein at least one of the openings is for receiving a means for actively

The invention claimed is: 1. A device for controlling the amount of air within a container, wherein said device comprises: a housing having at least two openings to facilitate the movement of air into or out of the housing, wherein at least one of the openings is for receiving a means for actively injecting air into or evacuating air from a container; a plug positioned and confined within said housing such that one end of the plug occludes said at least one opening in the housing that receives the means for injecting or evacuating air, wherein at least a portion of the plug end that occludes said at least one opening comprises a material being sufficiently elastic so as to be displaced from said at least one opening, while the plug remains confined within the housing, when said means for injecting or evacuating air is introduced into said at least one opening; and a connecting means affixed to the exterior of said housing for connecting said housing to a container so that an essentially air tight seal is formed around the at least one opening that receives the means for injecting or evacuating air; such that in use said housing is connected to a wall of the container so that said means for injecting or evacuating air can be inserted past the wall of the container and into the at least one opening in the housing so as to displace the plug end that occludes the at least one opening to allow the movement of air into or out of the container, while the plug remains confined within the housing. 2. The device, according to claim 1, wherein the plug end that occludes the at least one opening is convex. 3. The device, according to claim 1, wherein said means for connecting the housing to the container comprises an essentially air tight thermal seal around said at least one opening that receives said means for injecting or evacuating air. 4. The device, according to claim 1, wherein said means for connecting the housing to the container comprises a lock and washer mechanism that forms an essentially air tight seal around the at least one opening that receives the means for injecting or evacuating air, or wherein the means for connecting the housing to the container comprises an adhesive strip disposed around the at least one opening that receives the means for injecting or evacuating air such that said adhesive strip forms an essentially air tight seal. 5. The device, according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises two or more connectable parts. 6. The device, according to claim 5, wherein said housing comprises a base part that can be slidably connected to a cap part. 7. The device, according to claim 6, further comprising a plug seat connectably attached to the base part, wherein the plug is disposed within the plug seat prior to the base part being slidably connected to the cap part. 8. The device, according to claim 7, wherein the walls of said plug seat are approximately 2 millimeters to about 5 millimeters in height. 9. The device, according to claim 7, wherein the periphery of said plug seat is compatible with the periphery of at least that portion of the plug that will be positioned within the plug seat so as to limit or prevent unnecessary movement of the plug within the housing. 10. The device, according to claim 6, wherein the cap part of said housing comprises at least one opening for receiving the means for injecting or evacuating air from a container to which the cap part of said housing is attached. 11. The device, according to claim 10, wherein said at least one opening on the cap part further comprise a flexible elastic material around said at least one opening capable of forming an essentially air tight seal between said at least one opening and said means for injecting or evacuating air from a container. 12. The device, according to claim 11, wherein said cap part of said housing further comprises a snap mechanism for securing said base part to said cap part after they are slidably connected. 13. The device, according to claim 12, wherein said cap and base parts, when connected, form a housing approximately 0.5 centimeter to about 1 centimeter in height and approximately 2 centimeters to about 5 centimeters in diameter. 14. The device, according to claim 10, wherein said base part comprises at least one opening to facilitate the movement of air from a container into said housing. 15. The device, according to claim 14, wherein the at least one opening is positioned on the base part so that the flow of air into and out of said at least one opening is not blocked when the base part is slidably connected to the cap part. 16. The device, according to claim 15, wherein that portion of said base part on which said at least one opening is positioned is essentially convex. 17. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a hose adaptor having at least two open ends, wherein at least one end is connected to the means by which air is actively injected into or evacuated from a container, and at least one other end can be inserted into the at least one opening in the housing to displace the end of the plug that occludes said at least one opening, while the plug remains confined within the housing. 18. The device, according to claim 17, wherein the hose adaptor further comprises a hose tip having sufficient rigidity to puncture the wall of the container in order to obtain said access to the at least one opening in the housing. 19. A method for controlling the amount of air within a container using a device comprising: a housing having two or more openings to facilitate the movement of air into or out of the housing, wherein at least one of the openings provides contact with the outside of the container; a plug stably positioned and confined within the housing such that one end of the plug occludes the at least one opening that provides contact with the outside of the container, wherein a portion of the plug end that occludes said at least one opening comprises a sufficiently flexible material capable of being displaced from the at least one opening; a connecting means on the exterior of the housing for connecting the housing to the container so that an essentially air tight seal is formed around the at least one opening that provides contact with the outside of the container; and a hose adaptor having at least two open ends, wherein at least one end is connected to a means by which air is actively injected into or evacuated from a container, and the other end, when inserted into the at least one opening in the housing in contact with the outside of the container, displaces the end of the plug that occludes said at least one opening, while the plug remains confined within the housing; wherein said method comprises connecting said housing to an inside surface of a wall of the container so that said hose adaptor can be inserted past the wall of the container and into the at least one opening in the housing so as to displace the plug end that occludes the at least one opening to allow the movement of air into or out of the container by use of the means by which air is actively injected into or evacuated from a container, while the plug remains confined within the housing. 20. A kit comprising: a) a device for controlling the amount of air within a container, said device comprising: a housing having at least two openings to facilitate the movement of air into or out of the housing, wherein at least one of the openings is for receiving a means for injecting or evacuating air from a container; a plug positioned and confined within said housing such that one end of the plug occludes said at least one opening in the housing that receives the means for injecting or evacuating air, wherein a portion of the plug end that occludes said at least one opening is sufficiently elastic so as to be displaced from said at least one opening, while the plug remains confined within the housing, when said means for injecting or evacuating air is introduced into said at least one opening; a connecting means on the exterior of said housing for connecting said housing to the container so that an essentially air tight seal is formed around the at least one opening that receives the means for injecting or evacuating air; such that in use said housing is connected to an inside surface of a wall of the container so that said means for injecting or evacuating air can be inserted past the wall of the container and into the at least one opening in the housing so as to displace the plug end that occludes the at least one opening to allow the movement of air into or out of the container, while the plug remains confined within the housing; b) a hose adaptor having at least two open ends, wherein at least one end is connected to the means for injecting or evacuating air, and the other end, when inserted into the at least one opening in the housing, displaces the end of the plug that occludes said at least one opening, while the plug remains confined within the housing; and c) said means for injecting or evacuating air comprises a pump for actively injecting air into or evacuating air from a container. 21. A container comprising a device for controlling the air within said container, wherein said device comprises: a housing having at least two openings to facilitate the movement of air into or out of the housing, wherein at least one of the openings is for receiving a means for actively injecting air into or evacuating air from a container; a plug stably positioned and confined within said housing such that one end of the plug occludes said at least one opening in the housing that receives the means for actively injecting air into or evacuating air from a container, wherein a portion of the plug end that occludes said at least one opening comprises a sufficiently flexible material capable of being displaced from said opening, while said plug remains confined within said housing, when said means for actively injecting air into or evacuating air from a container is introduced into said at least one opening; and a connecting means on the exterior of said housing for connecting said housing to said container so that an essentially air tight seal is formed around the at least one opening that receives the means for actively injecting air into or evacuating air from a container.