US3667281A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vacuum tester for packages with flexible covers
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-11-04
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Granted: 1972-06-06
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Expires: 1990-11-04
Abstract
Abstract A vacuum tester for the non-destructive testing of vacuum packages, particularly those provided in the packaging of meat and heat-and-serve products wherein one of the packaging members is a flexible member such as film. This tester includes a viewing chamber having a selective control means disposed to bring the chamber to a reduced pressure such as 28 or 30 inches of mercury. The closed chamber is brought under vacuum which is gradually increased until the flexible member enclosing the product just starts to relax at which point the selective control means is manipulated to maintain this vacuum level and at this stabilized pressure a gauge is read to determine the degree of vacuum within the chamber which is also the vacuum within the package.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles F Pfeifer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 11:47
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M3/00; G01M3/02; G01M3/26; G01M3/32; G01M3/3218; G01M3/36; G01M3/363
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
A vacuum tester for the non-destructive testing of vacuum packages wherein at least a portion of the package covering is a flexible member, said tester including: (a) a base; (b) a lower chamber portion carried by said base and with this chamber portion having an open top; (c) a cover member having at least a portion thereof as a transparent window, said cover member adapted to seat upon the open top of the lower chamber and to close the chamber; (d) means for sealing the joint between the cover and chamber to make the closed chamber pressure tight; (e) means for providing a source of vacuum to the chamber during the use cycle of the tester; (f) a throttle valve disposed to be moved to an infinity of positions between two established stop limits, the valve as it is moved varying the amount of air permitted to be drawn into a conduit extending from the chamber to the source of vacuum, the valve sized to accommodate the capacity of the vacuum produced in the closed and sealed chamber and in the other limit of operation the flow of air to the conduit is reduced to substantially none permitting the chamber to be brought to a vacuum pressure lEvel such as 28 to 30 inches of mercury, and (g) a vacuum gauge connected to the conduit extending from the chamber to the source of vacuum, said gauge disposed to indicate the level of the pressure in the chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
A vacuum tester for the non-destructive testing of vacuum packages wherein at least a portion of the package covering is a flexible member, said tester including: (a) a base; (b) a lower chamber portion carried by said base and with this chamber portion having an open top; (c) a cover member having at least a portion thereof as a transparent window, said cover member adapted to seat upon the open top of the lower chamber and to close the chamber; (d) means for sealing the joint between the cover and chamber to make the closed chamber pressure tight; (e) means for providing a source of vacuum to the chamber during the use cycle of the tester; (f) a throttle valve disposed to be moved to an infinity of positions between two established stop limits, the valve as it is moved varying the amount of air permitted to be drawn into a conduit extending from the chamber to the source of vacuum, the valve sized to accommodate the capacity of the vacuum produced in the closed and sealed chamber and in the other limit of operation the flow of air to the conduit is reduced to substantially none permitting the chamber to be brought to a vacuum pressure lEvel such as 28 to 30 inches of mercury, and (g) a vacuum gauge connected to the conduit extending from the chamber to the source of vacuum, said gauge disposed to indicate the level of the pressure in the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A vacuum tester as in claim 1 in which the cover is a transparent plate member and is carried by hinge means so as to be lifted and lowered by grasping an opposite edge of the cover.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
111 words
A vacuum tester as in claim 1 in which the throttling valve including a rotatable member formed with a relief groove of arcuate shaped and having a tapered end of diminished depth and width, the relief groove formed in a sliding face of the rotatable member and providing a continuation communication means with an air inlet, said groove and tapered end disposed to be selectively moved in way of a vacuum conduit means so as to modulate a flow of air to the vacuum conduit, said air flow being adjustable from a lower limit of no air flow to a high limit substantially equal to the capacity of the vacuum means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A vacuum tester as in claim 1 in which the source of vacuum is a two-stage vacuum pump carried by and within the base, said pump being driven at a determined rate by motor means such as an electric motor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
A vacuum tester as in claim 1 in which the throttling valve has a disc-like fixed member and a disc-like rotary member, and in which a graduated scale is provided on the outer periphery of one of said members and a pointer means such as an arrow is provided on the outer periphery of the other member.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
257 words
A method of non-destructive testing of a vacuum packaged product wherein at least a portion of the package covering is a flexible member, said method including the steps of: (a) opening a vacuum testing chamber by lifting a transparent cover member from in way of an open top of a lower chamber member; (b) placing at least one vacuum packaged product within the lower chamber with the flexible cover portion of the package being observable through the open top of the chamber; (c) closing the chamber by lowering the transparent cover so as to bring the cover to and into a sealing condition with the open top of the lower member; (d) manipulating a throttling valve so as to connect the closed chamber to a source of vacuum and modulating the valve so as to provide an increasing source and amount of vacuum within the chamber; (e) observing the package being tested through the transparent cover as the vacuum or reduced pressure within the chamber is increased; (f) stabilizing the reduced pressure within the chamber by adjusting the throttle valve when the flexible cover portion on the package begins to relax its ''''as packaged'''' condition; (g) noting the amount of vacuum pressure in the chamber when the cover reaches this relaxed condition by observing the pressure reading of a gauge connected to the chamber, and after completing this reading and observation; (h) bringing the chamber again to atmospheric pressure; (i) opening the chamber by lifting the cover, and (j) removing the packaged product from the lower chamber.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
257 words
A method of non-destructive testing of a vacuum packaged product wherein at least a portion of the package covering is a flexible member, said method including the steps of: (a) opening a vacuum testing chamber by lifting a transparent cover member from in way of an open top of a lower chamber member; (b) placing at least one vacuum packaged product within the lower chamber with the flexible cover portion of the package being observable through the open top of the chamber; (c) closing the chamber by lowering the transparent cover so as to bring the cover to and into a sealing condition with the open top of the lower member; (d) manipulating a throttling valve so as to connect the closed chamber to a source of vacuum and modulating the valve so as to provide an increasing source and amount of vacuum within the chamber; (e) observing the package being tested through the transparent cover as the vacuum or reduced pressure within the chamber is increased; (f) stabilizing the reduced pressure within the chamber by adjusting the throttle valve when the flexible cover portion on the package begins to relax its ''''as packaged'''' condition; (g) noting the amount of vacuum pressure in the chamber when the cover reaches this relaxed condition by observing the pressure reading of a gauge connected to the chamber, and after completing this reading and observation; (h) bringing the chamber again to atmospheric pressure; (i) opening the chamber by lifting the cover, and (j) removing the packaged product from the lower chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of testing a vacuum packaged product as in claim 6 including the further step of holding the cover member to the open end of the lower member to compress to a determined degree a gasket therebetween as vacuum pressure is initially developed within the chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-06 | 1975-12-06 | 1976-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-06 | 1979-12-06 | 1980-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-06 | 1983-12-06 | 1984-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |