Method and apparatus for evacuating air from a container

Abstract

A suction attachment for an air evacuation attachment includes a suction housing with a plurality of suction openings and an air permeable cover covering the plurality of suction openings.

1 . A method of evacuating air from a container, comprising: 
 inserting a suction attachment into an open end of the container, wherein the suction attachment comprises a suction housing with at least one suction opening and an air permeable cover, wherein the cover covers the at least one suction opening;    evacuating air from the container, whereby air in the container is drawn into the suction housing through the cover and the suction openings;    removing the suction attachment from the open end of the container;    sealing the open end of the container.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises one of a flexible or compressible container.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a plastic bag.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said plastic bag has a thickness within a range of about 0.5 mils to 1 mil thick.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said plastic bag has a nominal thickness of 0.83 mils.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein sealing the open end of the container comprises tying the open end of the container into a knot.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 sealing the open end of the container around the suction attachment, wherein the at least one suction opening is inside of the container when the open end of the container is sealed.    
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 attaching an air evacuation attachment to a vacuum port, wherein the air evacuation attachment comprises the suction attachment.    
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 operating a vacuum device, wherein the vacuum device comprises the vacuum port.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein operating the vacuum device creates a vacuum within the suction housing.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 maintaining an air seal while removing the suction attachment from the open end of the container.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a first container and further comprising: 
 placing an item in the first container;    evacuating air from the first container and sealing the first container with the item inside of the first container;    placing the first container in a second container after sealing the first container;    evacuating air from the second container and sealing the second container with the first container inside of the second container.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the open end of the first container is turned away from the open end of the second container before sealing the second container.  
   
   
       14 . An air evacuation attachment, for evacuating air from a container, comprising: 
 a vacuum port fitting;    a connection portion attached to a distal end of the vacuum port fitting;    a suction attachment attached to a distal end of the connection portion, wherein the suction attachment comprises a suction housing with a plurality of suction openings and an air permeable cover covering the plurality of suction openings.    
   
   
       15 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the connection portion comprises a flexible hose.  
   
   
       16 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the cover comprises a woven fabric.  
   
   
       17 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the cover comprises 200 weight nylon flag fabric.  
   
   
       18 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein a distal end of the cover extends beyond a distal end of the suction housing when in an assembled condition.  
   
   
       19 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the cover comprises an inner cover and an outer cover.  
   
   
       20 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the inner cover comprises mesh and the outer cover comprises a fabric that is more dense than the mesh.  
   
   
       21 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 20 , wherein the mesh has openings which open to about a quarter inch wide.  
   
   
       22 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a tapered suction opening.  
   
   
       23 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise an elongated suction opening.  
   
   
       24 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a plurality of rows of suction openings.  
   
   
       25 . The air evacuation attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a first plurality of elongated suction openings, each of the first plurality of elongated suction openings oriented at a first angle with respect to a length of the suction attachment and a second plurality of elongated suction openings, each of the second plurality of elongated suction openings arranged at a second angle with respect to the length of the suction attachment.  
   
   
       26 . The suction attachment of  claim 25 , wherein the first angle is oriented at about thirty to ninety degrees with respect to the second angle.  
   
   
       27 . The suction attachment of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise an elongated suction opening with a width of about one sixteenth of an inch and a length of about a quarter of an inch.  
   
   
       28 . A suction attachment for an air evacuation attachment, comprising: 
 a suction housing with a plurality of suction openings; and    an air permeable cover covering the plurality of suction openings.    
   
   
       29 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the cover comprises a woven fabric.  
   
   
       30 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein a distal end of the cover extends beyond a distal end of the suction housing when in an assembled condition.  
   
   
       31 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the cover comprises an inner cover and an outer cover.  
   
   
       32 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the inner cover comprises mesh and the outer cover comprises a fabric that is more dense than the mesh.  
   
   
       33 . The suction attachment of  claim 32 , wherein the mesh has openings which open to about a quarter of an inch wide.  
   
   
       34 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , comprising an end portion, wherein the end portion comprises a suction opening, and comprising a body portion, wherein the body portion comprises a plurality of elongated suction openings.  
   
   
       35 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the end portion comprises molded plastic and the body portion comprises extruded tubing.  
   
   
       36 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the suction attachment further comprises a sleeve over at least a portion of a proximal portion of the suction attachment.  
   
   
       37 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a tapered suction opening.  
   
   
       38 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise an elongated suction opening.  
   
   
       39 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a plurality of rows of suction openings.  
   
   
       40 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise a first plurality of elongated suction openings, each of the first plurality of elongated suction openings oriented at a first angle with respect to a length of the suction attachment and a second plurality of elongated suction openings, each of the second plurality of elongated suction openings arranged at a second angle with respect to the length of the suction attachment.  
   
   
       41 . The suction attachment of  claim 40 , wherein the first angle is oriented at about thirty to ninety degrees with respect to the second angle.  
   
   
       42 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise an elongated suction opening with a width of about one sixteenth of an inch and a length of about a quarter of an inch.  
   
   
       43 . The suction attachment of  claim 28 , wherein the cover has a lateral seam which defines a distal end of the cover.  
   
   
       44 . The suction attachment of  claim 43 , wherein the distal end of the cover has a plurality of longitudinal channels.  
   
   
       45 . A suction housing for an air evacuation attachment, comprising: 
 an end portion, wherein the end portion comprises molded plastic and wherein the end portion comprises at least one suction opening and comprises a mating portion;    a body portion, wherein the body portion comprises extruded plastic tubing and wherein an end of the body portion is adapted to mate with the mating portion of the end portion, and wherein the body portion comprises a plurality of suction openings.    
   
   
       46 . The suction housing of  claim 45  wherein the plurality of suction openings comprise elongated, tapered suction openings.