Air-Sealed Storage System

Abstract

An air-sealed storage system prevents metallic items, such as jewelry and flatware, from tarnishing. The system includes a housing having a bottom wall and a perimeter wall coupled to and extending upwardly from the bottom wall. A top edge of the perimeter wall defines an opening into an interior of the housing. The housing has a port in environmental communication with the interior of the housing. A vacuum assembly is operationally coupled to the port of the housing to create suction through the port to remove air from the interior of the housing. A flexible hose is couplable to the housing in environmental communication with the port such that the vacuum assembly provides suction through the flexible hose. A cover is coupled to the housing and is positionable to cover the opening into the interior of the housing.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An air-sealed storage system comprising:
 a housing having a bottom wall and a perimeter wall coupled to and extending upwardly from said bottom wall, a top edge of said perimeter wall defining an opening into an interior of said housing, said housing having a port in environmental communication with said interior of said housing;   a vacuum assembly operationally coupled to said port of said housing to create suction through said port into said interior of said housing;   a flexible hose couplable to said housing in environmental communication with said port such that said vacuum assembly provides suction through said flexible hose; and   a cover coupled to said housing and being positionable to cover said opening into said interior of said housing.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising wherein said cover includes a top wall and a peripheral wall coupled to and extending downwardly from said top wall. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising said cover being pivotally coupled to said housing. 
     
     
         4 . The system of claim of  claim 2 , further comprising said top wall of said cover comprising a transparent panel that permits viewing into said interior of said housing through said transparent panel. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal coupled to said top edge of said perimeter wall wherein said seal prevents fluid communication between said interior of said housing and an external environment relative to said interior of said housing when said cover is positioned to cover said opening. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a connector fluidly coupled to said port, a first end of said flexible hose being couplable to said connector. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism coupled to said housing and said cover, said locking mechanism selectively engaging said cover to secure said cover to said housing. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of foot pads coupled to said bottom wall of said housing, said foot pads each being comprised of a non-slip material. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of interior walls each coupled to said housing, said interior walls each extending upwardly from said bottom wall through said interior of said housing defining a plurality of compartments positioned within said interior of said housing. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source coupled to said vacuum assembly, said power source being electrically coupled to said vacuum assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising each of said compartments having an interior surface, an entirety of each said interior surface being inset relative to said top edge of said perimeter wall. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a one-way valve positioned in said connector for permitting air to flow only in a first direction outwardly from said interior of said housing through said port, a spring being coupled to said one-way valve. 
     
     
         13 . An air-sealed storage system comprising:
 a housing having a bottom wall and a perimeter wall coupled to and extending upwardly from said bottom wall, a top edge of said perimeter wall defining an opening into an interior of said housing, said housing having a port in environmental communication with said interior of said housing;   a plurality of interior walls each coupled to said housing, said interior walls each extending upwardly from said bottom wall through said interior of said housing defining a plurality of compartments positioned within said interior of said housing, each of said compartments having an interior surface, an entirety of each said interior surface being inset relative to said top edge of said perimeter wall;   a plurality of foot pads coupled to said bottom wall of said housing, said foot pads each being comprised of a non-slip material;   a vacuum assembly operationally coupled to said port of said housing to create suction through said port into said interior of said housing;   a power source coupled to said vacuum assembly, said power source being electrically coupled to said vacuum assembly;   a flexible hose couplable to said housing in environmental communication with said port such that said vacuum assembly provides suction through said flexible hose;   a connector fluidly coupled to said port, a first end of said flexible hose being couplable to said connector;   a one-way valve positioned in said connector for permitting air to flow only in a first direction outwardly from said interior of said housing through said port, a spring being coupled to said one-way valve;   a cover coupled to said housing and being positionable to cover said opening into said interior of said housing, said cover including a top wall and a peripheral wall coupled to and extending downwardly from said top wall, said cover being pivotally coupled to said housing, said top wall of said cover comprising a transparent panel that permits viewing into said interior of said housing through said transparent panel;   a locking mechanism coupled to said housing and said cover, said locking mechanism selectively engaging said cover to secure said cover to said housing; and   a seal coupled to said top edge of said perimeter wall wherein said seal prevents fluid communication between said interior of said housing and an external environment relative to said interior of said housing when said cover is positioned to cover said opening.