Vacuum packaging appliances including support assemblies for carrying bag material

Abstract

Vacuum packaging appliances and vacuum packaging bag material receptacles are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a vacuum packaging appliance includes a base, a lid movably coupled to the base, a vacuum chamber at least partially within the base and/or the lid, a vacuum pump operably coupled to the vacuum chamber to remove gas from the vacuum chamber, and a support assembly coupled to the base and/or the lid. The support assembly is configured to support bag material. The support assembly can be movable between a stowed position and a deployed position.

1 . A vacuum packaging appliance, comprising: 
 a base;    a lid movably coupled to the base;    a vacuum chamber at least partially within the base and/or the lid;    a vacuum pump operably coupled to the vacuum chamber to remove gas from the vacuum chamber; and    a support assembly coupled to the base and/or the lid, the support assembly being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, the support assembly being configured to support bag material when in the deployed position.    
   
   
       2 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the support assembly includes a support member;    the base includes a housing; and    the support member is received at least partially within the housing when the support assembly is in the stowed position.    
   
   
       3 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the support assembly includes a support member;    the base includes a housing having a lower surface; and    the support member is positioned proximate to the lower surface and external to the housing when the support assembly is in the stowed position.    
   
   
       4 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the support assembly includes a support member;    the base includes a housing having a rear surface; and    the support member is positioned proximate to the rear surface and external to the housing when the support assembly is in the stowed position.    
   
   
       5 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the support assembly includes an elongated support member to carry the bag material.  
   
   
       6 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the support assembly is configured to be detached from the base and/or the lid.  
   
   
       7 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the support assembly includes a first support member movably coupled to the base and/or the lid and a second support member movably coupled to the first support member.  
   
   
       8 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the support assembly is pivotably coupled to the base and/or the lid.  
   
   
       9 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the support assembly includes a support member configured to slide between the stowed position and the deployed position.  
   
   
       10 . The appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a cutting device coupled to the support assembly, the cutting device configured to selectively cut the bag material.  
   
   
       11 . A vacuum packaging appliance, comprising: 
 a base;    a lid movably coupled to the base;    a vacuum chamber at least partially within the base and/or the lid;    a vacuum pump operably coupled to the vacuum chamber to remove gas from the vacuum chamber; and    an external support assembly coupled to the base and/or the lid, the external support assembly including a support member configured to support bag material.    
   
   
       12 . The appliance of  claim 11  wherein the support member is fixed relative to the base or the lid.  
   
   
       13 . The appliance of  claim 11  wherein the support member is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position.  
   
   
       14 . The appliance of  claim 11  wherein the support member has a generally flat surface to carry the bag material.  
   
   
       15 . The appliance of  claim 11  wherein the support assembly is configured to be detached from the base and/or the lid.  
   
   
       16 . The appliance of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the support member is a first support member movably coupled to the base and/or the lid; and    the external support assembly further includes a second support member movably coupled to the first support member.    
   
   
       17 . The appliance of  claim 11  wherein the support member is pivotably coupled to the base and/or the lid.  
   
   
       18 . The appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a cutting device coupled to the support assembly, the cutting device configured to selectively cut the bag material.  
   
   
       19 . A vacuum packaging appliance for forming at least a portion of bag material into a substantially evacuated and sealed bag, the appliance comprising: 
 a base;    a lid movably coupled to the base;    a vacuum chamber defined at least partially by the base and/or the lid;    a vacuum pump operably coupled to the vacuum chamber to remove gas from the vacuum chamber; and    a support assembly including a first support member movably coupled to the base and/or the lid and a second support member movably coupled to the first support member, the first and/or second support member configured to support the bag material.    
   
   
       20 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the support assembly is movable between a deployed position and a stowed position.  
   
   
       21 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the support assembly is configured to be detached from the base and/or the lid.  
   
   
       22 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the first support member is pivotably coupled to the base and/or the lid.  
   
   
       23 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the first support member is slideable relative to the base and/or the lid.  
   
   
       24 . A vacuum packaging appliance, comprising: 
 a base having a first housing;    a lid movably coupled to the base, the lid having a second housing;    a vacuum chamber at least partially within the first and/or second housing;    a vacuum pump operably coupled to the vacuum chamber to remove gas from the vacuum chamber; and    a means for supporting bag material, the means for supporting bag material being external to the first and second housings and coupled to the base and/or the lid.    
   
   
       25 . The appliance of  claim 24  wherein the means for supporting bag material includes an elongated support member having a generally flat surface.  
   
   
       26 . The appliance of  claim 24  wherein the means for supporting bag material is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position.  
   
   
       27 . The appliance of  claim 24  wherein the means for supporting bag material is configured to be detached from the base and/or the lid.  
   
   
       28 . The appliance of  claim 24  wherein the means for supporting bag material includes a first support member movably coupled to the base and/or the lid and a second support member movably coupled to the first support member.  
   
   
       29 . A vacuum packaging appliance, comprising: 
 a base;    a lid movably coupled to the base;    a vacuum chamber at least partially within the base and/or the lid;    a vacuum pump operably coupled to the vacuum chamber to remove gas from the vacuum chamber; and    a means for supporting bag material coupled to the base and/or the lid, the means for supporting bag material being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position.    
   
   
       30 . The appliance of  claim 29  wherein the means for supporting bag material includes an elongated support member having a generally flat surface.  
   
   
       31 . The appliance of  claim 29  wherein the means for supporting bag material is configured to be detached from the base and/or the lid.  
   
   
       32 . The appliance of  claim 29  wherein the means for supporting bag material includes a first support member movably coupled to the base and/or the lid and a second support member movably coupled to the first support member.  
   
   
       33 . A vacuum packaging system, comprising: 
 a vacuum packaging appliance including a base, a lid movably coupled to the base, a vacuum chamber within the base and/or the lid, and a vacuum pump operably coupled to the vacuum chamber to remove gas from the vacuum chamber; and    a support assembly attachable to the vacuum packaging appliance, the support assembly including a support member configured to support bag material.    
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the support assembly further includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion movable relative to the first housing portion.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the support member has an elongated cylindrical configuration to carry the bag material.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the support assembly further includes a cutting device configured to selectively cut the bag material.  
   
   
       37 . A vacuum packaging bag material receptacle, the receptacle comprising: 
 a first housing portion;    a second housing portion coupled to the first housing portion, the second housing portion being movable relative to the first housing portion between an open position and a closed position;    a support member within the first and second housing portions, the support member configured to carry bag material; and    a cutting device carried by the first and/or second housing portion, the cutting device configured to selectively cut the bag material.    
   
   
       38 . The receptacle of  claim 37  wherein: 
 the second housing portion includes a plurality of supports; and    the support member is removably coupled to the supports.    
   
   
       39 . The receptacle of  claim 37  wherein the support member has an elongated cylindrical configuration.  
   
   
       40 . The receptacle of  claim 37  wherein: 
 the second housing portion includes a slot;    the cutting device is carried by the second housing portion with at least a portion of the cutting device received in the slot; and    the cutting device is slideable within the slot between a first position and a second position.    
   
   
       41 . The receptacle of  claim 37  wherein the first housing portion is pivotably coupled to the second housing portion.  
   
   
       42 . A method for positioning bag material on a vacuum packaging appliance, the method comprising: 
 providing a vacuum packaging appliance including a base, a lid pivotably coupled to the base, a vacuum chamber within the base and/or the lid, a vacuum pump operably coupled to the vacuum chamber, and a support assembly movably coupled to the base and/or the lid;    moving the support assembly from a stowed position to a deployed position; and    placing the bag material on a support member of the support assembly.    
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein: 
 the base includes a housing; and    moving the support assembly includes moving the support member from the stowed position within the housing to the deployed position outside the housing.    
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42  wherein moving the support assembly includes moving the support member from the stowed position proximate to a bottom surface of the base to the deployed position proximate to a rear surface of the base.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 42  wherein: 
 the bag material is arranged in a roll with a center hole; and    placing the bag material on the support member includes positioning the support member in the center hole of the bag material.    
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 42  wherein moving the support assembly includes pivoting the support assembly relative to the base.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 42  wherein moving the support assembly includes sliding the support member relative to the base.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 42  wherein: 
 the support member is a first support member coupled to the base;    the support assembly further includes a second support member coupled to the first support member; and    moving the support assembly includes moving the first support member relative to the base and moving the second support member relative to the first support member.    
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising cutting the bag material with a cutting device movably coupled to the support assembly.