Removable drip trays and bag clamps for vacuum packaging appliances

Abstract

The present invention teaches a bag clamp for use with a vacuum packaging appliance. The bag clamp has an open and a closed position. The open position is suitable for receiving an open end of a vacuum bag. The closed position is suitable for capturing and holding the open end of the vacuum bag during operation of the vacuum packaging appliance. A vacuum packaging appliance according to the present invention has at least one bag clamp, typically disposed within and fixedly attached to a drip tray. The present invention further teaches removable drip trays and vacuum packaging appliances with removable drip trays holding one or more bag clamps.

1 . A removable drip tray arrangement for a vacuum packaging appliance, said removable drip tray arrangement comprising: 
 a removable tray for inserting into a vacuum channel of said vacuum packaging appliance; and    a first gasket mounted on a perimeter of said vacuum channel for creating a static seal of said vacuum channel when a lid of said vacuum packaging appliance is in a closed position.    
   
   
       2 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said removable tray runs along a length of said vacuum channel.  
   
   
       3 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said removable tray is made of a material that is dishwasher-safe.  
   
   
       4 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said removable tray collects over-spills from a storage bag that is being sealed using said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       5 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising a second gasket on said lid of said vacuum packaging appliance, wherein said second gasket contacts said first gasket mounted on said perimeter of said vacuum channel when said lid is in said closed position.  
   
   
       6 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said first gasket mounted on said perimeter of said vacuum channel is made of an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       7 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein said second gasket on said lid is made of an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       8 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 1 , further includes a sensing mechanism that is adapted for sensing the presence of said removable tray in said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       9 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein said sensing mechanism is adapted to temporarily disable said vacuum packaging appliance when said sensing mechanism does not sense the presence of said removable tray.  
   
   
       10 . A removable drip tray arrangement for a vacuum packaging appliance, said removable drip tray arrangement comprising: 
 a removable tray for inserting into a vacuum channel of said vacuum packaging appliance; and    a first gasket on a top perimeter of said removable tray for creating a static seal of said vacuum channel when a lid of said vacuum packaging appliance is in a closed position.    
   
   
       11 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein said first gasket is molded into said top perimeter of said removable tray.  
   
   
       12 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein said first gasket is mounted onto said top perimeter of said removable tray.  
   
   
       13 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein said removable tray runs along a length of said vacuum channel.  
   
   
       14 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein said removable tray is made of a material that is dishwasher-safe.  
   
   
       15 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein said removable tray collects over-spills from a storage bag that is being sealed using said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       16 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 10 , further comprising a second gasket on said lid of said vacuum packaging appliance, wherein said second gasket contacts said first gasket on said top perimeter of said removable tray when said lid is in said closed position.  
   
   
       17 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein said first gasket is made of an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       18 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein said second gasket on said lid is made of an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       19 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein said first gasket includes a lip that contacts a top surface of a base of said vacuum packaging appliance, wherein said base contains said vacuum channel.  
   
   
       20 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 10 , further includes a sensing mechanism that is adapted for sensing the presence of said removable tray in said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       21 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein said sensing mechanism is adapted to temporarily disable said vacuum packaging appliance when said sensing mechanism does not sense the presence of said removable tray.  
   
   
       22 . A removable drip tray arrangement for a vacuum packaging appliance, said removable drip tray arrangement comprising: 
 a removable tray; and    a first gasket on a top perimeter of said removable tray for creating a static seal when a lid of said vacuum packaging appliance is in a closed position.    
   
   
       23 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 22 , wherein said first gasket is molded into said top perimeter of said removable tray.  
   
   
       24 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 22 , wherein said first gasket is mounted onto said top perimeter of said removable tray.  
   
   
       25 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 22 , wherein said removable tray is made of a material that is dishwasher-safe.  
   
   
       26 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 22 , wherein said removable tray collects over-spills from a storage bag that is being sealed using said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       27 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 22 , further comprising a second gasket on said lid of said vacuum packaging appliance, wherein said second gasket contacts said first gasket on said top perimeter of said removable tray when said lid is in said closed position.  
   
   
       28 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 22 , wherein said first gasket is made of an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       29 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 27 , wherein said second gasket on said lid is made of an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       30 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 22 , wherein said first gasket includes a lip that contacts a top surface of a base of said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       31 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 22 , further includes a sensing mechanism that is adapted for sensing the presence of said removable tray in said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       32 . The removable drip tray arrangement of  claim 31 , wherein said sensing mechanism is adapted to temporarily disable said vacuum packaging appliance when said sensing mechanism does not sense the presence of said removable tray.  
   
   
       33 . A method for managing over-spills in a vacuum packaging appliance, the method comprising: 
 using a removable tray for catching said over-spills; and    using a first gasket around a top perimeter of said removable tray for creating a static seal when said vacuum packaging appliance is in a closed position.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising molding said first gasket into said top perimeter of said removable tray.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising mounting said first gasket onto said top perimeter of said removable tray.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said removable tray is made of a material that is dishwasher-safe.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said removable tray collects said over-spills from a storage bag that is being sealed using said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising using a second gasket on a lid of said vacuum packaging appliance, wherein said second gasket contacts said first gasket on said top perimeter of said removable tray when said lid is in said closed position.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said first gasket is made of an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said second gasket on said lid is made of an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said first gasket includes a lip that contacts a top surface of a base of said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising using a sensing mechanism that is adapted for sensing a presence of said removable tray in said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       43 . The method  claim 42 , wherein said sensing mechanism is adapted to temporarily disable said vacuum packaging appliance when said sensing mechanism does not sense said presence of said removable tray.  
   
   
       44 . A bag clamp for use with a vacuum packaging appliance, said bag clamp having an open position and a closed position, wherein said open position is suitable for insertion of an open end of a vacuum bag, and said closed position is suitable for capturing and holding said open end of said vacuum bag during operation of said vacuum packaging appliance.  
   
   
       45 . A vacuum packaging appliance for vacuum packaging a bag comprising: 
 a base having a drip tray;    a lid coupled to the base and moveable between an open position and a closed position;    an evacuation chamber positioned in the lid and configured to form a vacuum chamber with said drip tray in said closed position, wherein said vacuum chamber is adapted to receive an open end of said bag therein;    a vacuum source coupled to said evacuation chamber and configured to remove air from said bag; and    a bag clamp arranged to clamp said open end of said bag and hold said bag in place during operation of said vacuum packaging appliance.    
   
   
       46 . A vacuum packaging appliance as recited in  claim 45 , wherein said bag clamp is disposed within said drip tray.  
   
   
       47 . A vacuum packaging appliance as recited in  claim 46 , wherein said bag clamp is glued to said drip tray.  
   
   
       48 . A vacuum packaging appliance as recited in  claim 46 , wherein said bag clamp is spot-welded to said drip tray.  
   
   
       49 . A vacuum packaging appliance as recited in  claim 46 , wherein said bag clamp is riveted to said drip tray.  
   
   
       50 . A vacuum packaging appliance as recited in  claim 46 , wherein said bag clamp is detachably coupled to said drip tray.  
   
   
       51 . A vacuum packaging appliance as recited in  claim 44 , wherein said bag clamp is made of washable material.  
   
   
       52 . A vacuum packaging appliance as recited in  claim 44 , wherein said bag clamp is one of a plurality of bag clamps.  
   
   
       53 . A vacuum packaging appliance for vacuum packaging a bag comprising: 
 a base having a removable drip tray;    a lid coupled to the base and moveable between an open position and a closed position;    an evacuation chamber positioned in said lid and configured to form a vacuum chamber with said drip tray in said closed position, wherein said vacuum chamber is adapted to receive an open end of said bag therein;    a vacuum source coupled to said evacuation chamber and configured to remove air from said bag;    two bag clamps fixedly attached within said drip tray, each bag clamp having a spring-loaded biasing mechanism having a normally closed position arranged to clamp said open end of said bag and hold said bag in place during operation of said vacuum packaging appliance, said spring-loaded biasing mechanism being operable by a user to move to an open position for receiving said open end of said bag; and    a heat sealing mechanism suitable for sealing said open end of said bag.