Easy-pour canister with vacuum or process indicator and kinematic latches

Abstract

Storage canisters that are specially adapted for use in the packaging process are disclosed. Such canisters can include latching mechanisms for latching the lid onto the base of the canister in a locked position, an easy-pour mechanism, an evacuation chamber, and either a process indicator or a vacuum indicator. Some embodiments include an adjustable baffle.

1 . A storage canister for use with a vacuum packaging appliance, said storage canister comprising: 
 a base that encompasses a main cavity of said canister;    a lid for covering said base and removably detached therefrom, wherein said lid includes any one of: 
 a vacuum indicator; and  
 a process indicator.  
   
   
   
       2 . The storage canister of  claim 1 , further including a vacuum chamber that is associated with said process indicator.  
   
   
       3 . The storage canister of  claim 1 , wherein said vacuum indicator is adapted for indicating whether a vacuum exists in said main cavity.  
   
   
       4 . The storage canister of  claim 3 , wherein said vacuum indicator comprises a flexible membrane.  
   
   
       5 . The storage canister of  claim 4 , wherein said flexible membrane of said vacuum indicator: 
 deforms into a concave surface relative to a surface of said lid when an interior pressure in said main cavity is lower than an ambient pressure that is extant outside of said storage canister;    deforms into a convex surface relative to said surface of said lid when said interior pressure is higher than said ambient pressure; and    remains undeformed when said interior pressure is substantially equal to said ambient pressure.    
   
   
       6 . The storage canister of  claim 2 , wherein said process indicator is adapted for indicating whether a vacuum exists in said vacuum chamber.  
   
   
       7 . The storage canister of  claim 2 , wherein said vacuum chamber is separated from said main cavity and said vacuum chamber includes a valve for allowing gasses to pass from said vacuum chamber into said main cavity.  
   
   
       8 . The storage canister of  claim 1 , wherein said process indicator comprises a flexible membrane.  
   
   
       9 . The storage canister of  claim 8 , wherein said flexible membrane of said process indicator: 
 deforms into a concave surface relative to a surface of said lid when an interior pressure in said vacuum chamber is lower than an ambient pressure that is extant outside of said storage canister;    remains undeformed when said interior pressure is substantially equal to said ambient pressure.    
   
   
       10 . The storage canister of  claim 1 , wherein said lid further includes a vacuum port.  
   
   
       11 . The storage canister of  claim 1 , wherein said lid further includes kinematic latches for securing said lid to said base, wherein said kinematic latches are associated with a first venting mechanism.  
   
   
       12 . The storage canister of  claim 11 , wherein said lid further includes: 
 an easy-pour mechanism, wherein said easy-pour mechanism includes a second venting mechanism for venting said main cavity, a pour-hole, and a hinged flap that pivots between an open and closed position over said pour-hole.    
   
   
       13 . The storage canister of  claim 11 , wherein said first venting mechanism includes a right-hand side vent-hole and a left-hand side for venting said main cavity when said lid includes said process indicator.  
   
   
       14 . The storage canister of  claim 13 , wherein said kinematic latches include gaskets adapted for sealing said right-hand side vent-hole and said left-hand side for venting said main cavity.  
   
   
       15 . The storage canister of  claim 11 , wherein said first venting mechanism includes: 
 a right-hand side vent-hole and a left-hand side vent-hole for venting said main cavity; and    a right-hand side vacuum chamber vent-hole and left-hand side vacuum chamber vent-hole for venting said vacuum chamber, when said lid includes said vacuum indicator.    
   
   
       16 . The storage canister of  claim 15 , wherein said kinematic latches include gaskets adapted for sealing: 
 said right-hand side vent-hole and said left-hand side vent-hole for venting said main cavity; and    said right-hand side vacuum chamber vent-hole and left-hand side vacuum chamber vent-hole for venting said vacuum chamber.    
   
   
       17 . The storage canister of  claim 11 , wherein said venting mechanism includes: 
 a right-hand side vent-hole and a left-hand side vent-hole for venting said main cavity; and a right-hand side vacuum chamber vent-hole for venting said vacuum chamber.    
   
   
       18 . The storage canister of  claim 17 , wherein said kinematic latches include gaskets adapted for sealing: 
 said right-hand side vent-hole and said left-hand side vent-hole for venting said main cavity; and    said right-hand side vacuum chamber vent-hole for venting said vacuum chamber when said lid includes said vacuum indicator.    
   
   
       19 . The storage canister of  claim 1 , further includes a baffle adapted for varying an interior storage volume of said storage canister.  
   
   
       20 . The storage canister of  claim 19 , wherein said baffle can be pulled in a downwardly direction towards a bottom portion of said storage canister when reducing said interior storage volume of said storage canister.  
   
   
       21 . The storage canister of  claim 19 , wherein said baffle can be pulled in a upwardly direction towards a top portion of said storage canister when increasing said interior storage volume from a previously reduced interior storage volume of said storage canister.  
   
   
       22 . The storage canister of  claim 19 , wherein said baffle includes a valve for evacuating said interior storage volume of said storage canister.  
   
   
       23 . The storage canister of  claim 19 , wherein said baffle is adapted for being stretched into an extended position for reducing said interior storage volume of said storage canister.  
   
   
       24 . The storage canister of  claim 19 , wherein said baffle is adapted for being shrunk from a previously extended position for increasing said interior storage volume from a previously reduced interior storage volume of said storage canister.  
   
   
       25 . The storage canister of  claim 19 , further includes a ratchet mechanism adapted for use with said baffle for varying said interior storage volume, wherein said baffle can be held in a selected position using notches of said ratchet mechanism.  
   
   
       26 . The storage canister of  claim 25 , wherein said baffle is structurally flexible for moving between said notches of said ratchet mechanism.  
   
   
       27 . The storage canister of  claim 25 , wherein said baffle has two halves that are connected together by a hinged portion and such that said baffle can be folded along said hinged portion.  
   
   
       28 . The storage canister of  claim 25 , wherein said ratchet mechanism is along two opposite walls that partly define said interior storage volume.  
   
   
       29 . The storage canister of  claim 25 , wherein said ratchet mechanism occupies a circumferential surface area of walls that define said interior storage volume.  
   
   
       30 . An ice-cream canister for use with a vacuum packaging appliance, said ice-cream canister comprising: 
 an inner storage container that is removable from said ice-cream canister for cleaning; and    a baffle adapted for reducing an internal volume of said inner storage container, wherein said baffle includes a valve for use with said vacuum packaging appliance in evacuating gases from said internal volume.    
   
   
       31 . A canister for use with a vacuum packaging appliance, said canister comprising: 
 a baffle adapted for reducing an internal volume of said canister, wherein said baffle includes a valve for use with said vacuum packaging appliance in evacuating gases from said canister.    a lid, wherein said lid includes any one of: 
 a vacuum indicator; and  
 a process indicator.  
   
   
   
       32 . A canister for use with a vacuum packaging appliance, said canister comprising: 
 a lid that includes kinematic latches for securing said lid to a base of said canister, wherein said kinematic latches are associated with a first venting mechanism for venting said canister; and    an easy-pour mechanism, wherein said easy-pour mechanism includes a second venting mechanism for venting said canister.    
   
   
       33 . A canister for use with a vacuum packaging appliance, said canister comprising: 
 a kinematic latch means for securing a lid to a base of said canister;    a first venting means associated with said kinematic latch means for venting said canister;    an easy-pour means; and    a second venting means associated with said easy-pour means for venting said canister.    
   
   
       34 . A canister for use with a vacuum packaging appliance, said canister comprising: 
 a kinematic latch means for securing a lid to a base of said canister;    a venting means associated with said kinematic latch means; and    a vacuum indicator means for indicating whether a vacuum exists is said canister.    
   
   
       35 . A canister for use with a vacuum packaging appliance, said canister comprising: 
 a kinematic latch means for securing a lid to a base of said canister;    a venting means associated with said kinematic latch means;    a vacuum chamber means; and    a process indicator means for indicating whether a vacuum exists is said vacuum chamber means.