Ozone-vacuum food storage system and method thereof

Abstract

A method of vacuuming a container having a storage cavity for storing food, and an opening communicating with the receiving opening, wherein the method includes the steps of (a) injecting a predetermined amount of ozone into the container via the opening for combating micro-organisms attached on an outer surface of the food within the storage cavity of the container; and (b) extracting air and the ozone within the container via the opening to create a vacuum environment which is sanitized by the ozone, such that the food stored within the storage cavity is capable of being preserved for an extended period of time.

1 . An ozone vacuum food storage system for storing food in a container having a storage cavity and an opening communicating therewith, wherein said ozone vacuum food storage system comprises: 
 a supporting housing;    a vacuum nozzle supported by said supporting housing for communicating with said storage cavity of said container at said opening thereof;    a vacuum device disposed within said supporting housing and communicated with said vacuum nozzle for generating a vacuum effect within said storage cavity said container via said opening; and    an ozone device comprising an ozone generator supported in said supporting housing for generating a predetermined amount of ozone to communicate said vacuum nozzle, wherein said ozone is guided for flowing into storage cavity through said vacuum nozzle to sanitize said food in said container prior to vacuuming of said storage cavity by said vacuum device so as to prolong preservation of said food within said storage cavity of said container.    
   
   
       2 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said vacuum nozzle comprises a suction nozzle extending from said vacuum device for withdrawing air from said storage cavity and an ozone nozzle extending from said ozone device for injecting said ozone into said storage cavity.  
   
   
       3 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprises a control circuit electrically connecting between said vacuum device and ozone device to selectively activate one of said vacuum device and ozone device to operate.  
   
   
       4 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 2 , further comprises a control circuit electrically connecting between said vacuum device and ozone device to selectively activate one of said vacuum device and ozone device to operate.  
   
   
       5 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said vacuum device comprises a motor assembly and a vacuum pump which is electrically connected to said motor assembly and is communicated with said vacuum nozzle for extracting air in said container through said vacuum nozzle.  
   
   
       6 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said vacuum device comprises a motor assembly and a vacuum pump which is electrically connected to said motor assembly and is communicated with said vacuum nozzle for extracting air in said container through said vacuum nozzle.  
   
   
       7 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said ozone generator comprises a tubular ozone channel having an air sucking end and an air discharging end extended to said vacuum nozzle, and an ionizing element disposed within said ozone channel for ionizing air sucking from said air sucking end to form a flow of said ozone injecting into said storage cavity of said container.  
   
   
       8 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said ozone generator comprises a tubular ozone channel having an air sucking end and an air discharging end extended to said vacuum nozzle, and an ionizing element disposed within said ozone channel for ionizing air sucking from said air sucking end to form a flow of said ozone injecting into said storage cavity of said container.  
   
   
       9 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said vacuum device and said ozone device are disposed in said supporting housing side-by-side while said suction nozzle and said ozone nozzle are spacedly formed on a top panel of said supporting housing.  
   
   
       10 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said vacuum device and said ozone device are disposed in said supporting housing side-by-side while said suction nozzle and said ozone nozzle are spacedly formed on a top panel of said supporting housing.  
   
   
       11 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said vacuum device and said ozone device are disposed in said supporting housing side-by-side while said suction nozzle and said ozone nozzle are spacedly formed on a top panel of said supporting housing.  
   
   
       12 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said vacuum nozzle comprises a three-way nozzle body having a suction opening extending from said vacuum device for withdrawing air from said storage cavity, an ozone opening extending from said ozone device for injecting said ozone into said storage cavity, and a nozzle opening adapted for communicating with said storage cavity of said container at said opening thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 12 , further comprises a control circuit electrically connecting between said vacuum device and ozone device to selectively activate one of said vacuum device and ozone device to operate.  
   
   
       14 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said vacuum device comprises a motor assembly and a vacuum pump which is electrically connected to said motor assembly and is communicated with said vacuum nozzle for extracting air in said container through said vacuum nozzle.  
   
   
       15 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said ozone generator comprises a tubular ozone channel having an air sucking end and an air discharging end extended to said vacuum nozzle, and an ionizing element disposed within said ozone channel for ionizing air sucking from said air sucking end to form a flow of said ozone injecting into said storage cavity of said container.  
   
   
       16 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said ozone generator comprises a tubular ozone channel having an air sucking end and an air discharging end extended to said vacuum nozzle, and an ionizing element disposed within said ozone channel for ionizing air sucking from said air sucking end to form a flow of said ozone injecting into said storage cavity of said container.  
   
   
       17 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said supporting housing is shaped and sized to form an elongated handheld structure that said vacuum device, said ozone device and said nozzle body are aligned within said supporting housing for enabling portable use of said ozone vacuum food storage system.  
   
   
       18 . The ozone vacuum food storage system, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said supporting housing is shaped and sized to form an elongated handheld structure that said vacuum device, said ozone device and said nozzle body are aligned within said supporting housing for enabling portable use of said ozone vacuum food storage system.  
   
   
       19 . A method of storing food in a container having a storage cavity and an opening, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) injecting a predetermined amount of ozone into said storage cavity said container via said opening for combating micro-organisms on a surface of said food in said container; and    (b) extracting air with said ozone in said container via said opening to create a vacuum environment for said food so as to prolong preservation of said food within said storage cavity of said container.    
   
   
       20 . The method, as recited in  claim 19 , before step (a), further comprising a step of withdrawing air within said storage cavity of said container such that said ozone is effectively combating micro-organisms on said food without being diluted.  
   
   
       21 . The method, as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising a step of sealing said opening of said container after said food is sanitized and stored in said vacuum environment so as to retain said vacuum environment within said container.  
   
   
       22 . The method, as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising a step of sealing said opening of said container after said food is sanitized and stored in said vacuum environment so as to retain said vacuum environment within said container.  
   
   
       23 . The method, as recited in  claim 19 , after step (b), further comprising a step of sequentially repeating the steps (a) and (b) for achieving an effective removal of said micro-organisms on said food.  
   
   
       24 . The method, as recited in  claim 20 , after step (b), further comprising a step of sequentially repeating the steps (a) and (b) for achieving an effective removal of said micro-organisms on said food.  
   
   
       25 . The method, as recited in  claim 22 , after step (b), further comprising a step of sequentially repeating the steps (a) and (b) for achieving an effective removal of said micro-organisms on said food.