AU2004205049A1 - Keg filling and dispensing system with valve assembly fitted from exterior - Google Patents

Description

WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 KEG FILLING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM WITH VALVE ASSEMBLY FITTED FROM EXTERIOR TECHNICAL FIELD 5 This invention relates to apparatus for storing and dispensing liquids and to the construction of valves used in such apparatus. The invention has particular, but not exclusive, application to the provision of beverage containers formed of plastics materials and valve fittings 10 for such containers. The present invention may be applied to the production of containers for storage and dispensing of beer but it will be appreciated from the ensuing description that apparatus in accordance with the 15 invention may also be applied to the storage and dispensing of other liquids such as cider or carbonated beverages. Traditionally, beer has been supplied to commercial establishments or for special events in 20 stainless steel kegs. These are of sturdy welded stainless steel construction and are fitted with a dispensing spear structure comprising a long stainless steel dispenser tube through which to dispense beer from the bottom of the keg and a valve structure through which 25 to supply pressurising gas into the keg so as to pressurise the contents and force the beer out through the dispensing tube into a dispenser line fitted with one or more downstream dispense taps or guns. In recent times, plastics technology has been 30 applied to the manufacture of disposable fully recyclable beverage containers made of plastics material in a range of sizes including sizes appropriate to replacement of traditional stainless steel beer kegs. An example of such container is disclosed in International Patent 35 Publication WO 00/78665. Plastics beverage containers have been generally blow moulded in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) although WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 -2 other plastics may also be utilised such as polypropylene, polycarbonate and high density polyethylene (HDPE). In order to further promote recycling, it would be desirable that the valve fittings for the spear 5 structure be formed of appropriate plastics material. This has been difficult to achieve in containers which must operate under high pressures such as those to which beer kegs are generally subjected. The attachment of the valve structure to a plastic beverage container presents a 10 particular problem since attachment, whether by heat welding or mechanical clinching or crimping, can damage internal valve components made of plastics material. The present invention enables use of a valve construction by which a valve housing can be secured to a 15 container before the remaining valve components are fitted. Accordingly, when the invention is applied to containers and valves made of plastics materials the valve housing can be attached to the container by heat fusion welding or clinching prior to installation of the 20 remaining valve components to provide a connection capable of withstanding high pressures without exposing the internal valve components to the risk of damage. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 25 According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for storing and dispensing a liquid comprising: a liquid container having a neck through which to fill the container with a liquid and to dispense the liquid therefrom; . 30 a valve structure disposed within the container neck; and a dispenser tube extending from the valve structure to an interior region of the container; wherein the valve assembly defines valves for 35 supply of pressurising gas into the interior of the container and for dispensing liquid outwardly through the dispenser tube and valve structure and wherein the valve WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 -3 structure comprises a tubular valve housing secured to the neck of the container and extending from an outer end disposed exteriorly of the container and an inner end disposed interiorly of the container and valve components 5 including a retainer element engaged with an internal recess in the valve housing adjacent its outer end, said valve components being brought into said assembly together with the dispenser tube by fitting them into their operational positions through the outer end of the valve 10 housing and being held against withdrawal by the engagement of the retainer element in the internal recess of the housing. The retainer element may be in the form of a retainer ring and the recess may be in the form of an 15 internal circumferential groove in the valve housing. The retainer ring may be a resilient ring of plastics material force fitted into the groove. The retainer ring may servethe dual function of retaining the other valve components against withdrawal 20 through the outer end of the valve housing and providing an annular valve seat for one of said valves. The container and the valve housing may both be formed of.plastics material. They may, for example, be formed of PET. 25 The valve housing may be secured within the neck of the container by heat fusion, for example, by ultrasonic or spin fusion technique. It may alternatively be secured within the neck of the container by a clinching technique, for example through use of a stainless steel 30 clinching ring. The invention enables the valve housing to be so connected to the-neck of the container without the remainder of the valve assembly being in place and the dispenser tube and valve assembly later installed without 35 the need for subjecting them to potentially harmful heating or clinching processes. The invention also extends to a valve structure WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 -4 for a liquid storage and dispensing container comprising: a tubular valve housing for attachment into a neck of liquid container and through which to fill and discharge liquid into and from the container and extending 5 from a first end to be located exteriorly of the container to an end to be located interiorly of the container when so attached; and valve components including a retainer element engagable with an internal recess in the valve housing 10 adjacent said first end of the housing, said valve components defining with the housing a pair of valves for supply of pressurising gas into the interior of the container and for dispensing liquid outwardly from the container and being capable of assembly into operative 15 positions by being fitted through the first end of the valve housing and then being held against withdrawal by engagement of the retainer element in the internal recess of the housing. The invention further provides a method of 20 assembling a liquid storage and dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid container having a neck through which to fill the container with a liquid and to dispense the liquid therefrom, a valve structure disposed in the container neck and a dispenser tube extending from the 25 valve structure to an internal region of the container, the valve structure defining valves for supply of pressurising gas into the interior of the container and for dispensing liquid outwardly through the dispensing tube and valve structure from the container said method of 30 assembly comprising securing a tubular valve housing constituting a component of the valve structure to the neck of the container and thereafter assembling the remaining components of the valve structure and the dispensing tube by fitting them through the outer end of 35 the tubular valve housing into operational positions and retaining them against withdrawal by engagement of a retainer element component of the valve structure with an WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 -5 internal recess in the housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more fully 5 explained, one particular embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a partially sectioned elevation of beer keg incorporating a liquid container fitted with a dispenser tube and valve structure in accordance with the 10 invention and coupled to a conventional beer dispense coupler; Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section through upper parts of the beer keg; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the 15 valve structure and dispenser tube; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the valve structure and dispenser tube when assembled; Figure 5 is a vertical cross-section through the valve structure when connected to a dispense coupler and 20 shown in the valve closed condition; Figure 6 is a vertical cross-section similar to Figure 5 but showing the coupler and valve structure in the valve closed condition; and Figure 7 illustrates a modification by which the 25 valve structure may be connected to the container by a mechanical clinching or crimping technique. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drawings illustrate a beer keg which 30 incorporates a container fitted with a valve structure in accordance with the present invention. The keg comprises an outer hollow shell 11 which encloses and supports a liquid container 12 fitted with a spear structure denoted generally as 13. Spear structure 13 comprises a dispenser 35 tube 14 connected to a valve structure 15 which is secured into an upper cylindrical neck 16 of the container 12. Neck 16 is formed with a pair of vertically spaced WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 -6 outwardly, projecting circumferential flanges 50, 51. Outer shell 11 is formed of two components 17, 18 both moulded of a strong plastics material, for example, high density polyethylene or polypropylene. Component 17 5 is in the form of an open topped tub to receive the liquid container 12 and component 18 is formed as an upper lid which is a pressed fit into the main body part and has a central aperture to receive the neck 16 of the liquid container 12, the inner ring of the lid being located 10 under the flange 51. The outer shell 11 may have the same external dimensions and features as conventional stainless steel kegs to enable the keg to be generally handled and filled with the same equipment as the standard stainless steel kegs. 15 Liquid container 12 is blow moulded from an appropriate plastics material. It may, for example, be blow moulded from PET. It may be moulded in a single layer or with a multi layer or laminated construction as is known in the production of PET bottles. It may be 20 coated externally with an inert or epoxy coating, for example, to serve as a barrier to permeation by oxygen and CO 2 . Container 12 is a sliding fit within the tub shaped main body part 17 of the outer shell. The lower 25 end of the outer shell is shaped to form an upwardly dished floor 19 with a curvature to match the domed lower end of the container to provide secure bottom support and the upper end of the container is also located by engagement with the lid portion 18 of the outer shell. 30 Valve structure 15 comprises a tubular valve body 21 secured into the neck 16 of container 12 so as to extend from an upper end 22 located exteriorly of the container and a bottom end 23 disposed interiorly of the container. The upper end of valve body 21 is shaped as a 35 female coupling to enable it to be coupled to a conventional beer dispensing system or alternatively to a filling nozzle as described below.

WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 -7 The lower end of the valve body has an inturned annular end flange 24 which provides a lower end abutment for an outer valve spring 25 and a lower slide support for a sliding valve member 26 located within the valve body 5 and formed at its lower end with a spigot 30 by which it is connected to the upper end of dispenser tube 14. The upper end of sliding valve member 26 is fitted with an annular valve head member 27 which is biased upwardly by the outer valve spring 25 against a 10 resilient ring 28 which is force fitted into an annular groove 29 formed in valve housing 21 adjacent the upper end 22 of that housing. Ring 28 serves as a retainer ring holding the various valve components of the valve structure 15 in an operative assembly and also serves as a 15 valve seat for the annular valve member 27 providing an outer valve effective in filling and dispensing operations in the manner to be described below. This outer valve is comprised of the ring 28, the annular valve member 27, the biasing spring 25 and a series of circumferentially spaced 20 radial outlet ports 34 in the valve body 21. The ring 28 may be formed of neoprene or some other resilient but strong material capable of providing the strength necessary for the ring to serve as a retaining ring and the resilience desired in a valve seat. 25 Valve structure 15 further comprises an inner valve formed by an upwardly domed inner valve head 31 located within the upper end of tubular valve member 26 and biased upwardly against an O-ring seat 32 in the underside of the annular valve head member 27 by an inner 30 valve spring 33. Figures 1, 5 and 6 show the manner in which a conventional dispense coupler-40 may be fitted to the upper end of valve body 21 and the coupler actuated to dispense beer from the container. Coupler 40 has a body 35 41 the lower end of which interfits with the female coupling of valve body 21 in conventional fashion. Coupler body 41 has a gas inlet connector 42 through which WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 -8 pressurised gas (for example carbon dioxide) is applied to the outer valve of valve structure 15 and it houses a central valve actuating beer outlet tube 43 movable vertically in the coupler body 41 by operation of a handle 5 44 that pivots on a pivot pin 45 at the upper end of the coupler body 41. Figure 5 shows the coupler 40 prior to operation to open the valves of valve structure 15. The handle 44 and tube 43 are in a raised condition and both valves of 10 the valve structure are closed. When the handle 44 of the coupler is swung down to the valve actuating position as shown in Figure 6, the tube 43 is forced downwardly to push the domed inner valve head 31 down against the action of inner valve spring 33 to open the inner valve and the 15 pressurising gas supplied to the upper end of valve body 21 through coupler 50 forces the annular valve head 27 downwardly against the action of biasing spring 25 to open the outer valve and allow the pressurising gas to flow out through valve ports 34 into the container 12 as indicated 20 by the broken arrows in Figure 6. Beer is dispensed by flowing upwardly through dispenser tube 14 and up through the open inner valve and tube 43 of the coupler into the dispensing system as indicated by the solid arrows in Figure 6. A keg may be filled in either an upright or an 25 inverted position. In the usual practice inverted position, beer is supplied through a filling nozzle to the outer end of valve body 21 forces the outer valve to open and the beer flows into the container through the outer valve outlet ports 34, gas within the container escaping 30 through the dispenser tube 14 and the inner valve. In accordance with the present invention, valve structure 15 is constructed in such a way that its various components other than the outer valve body 21 can be assembled together with the dispenser tube 14 by fitting 35 them through the outer end 22 of the valve body and retaining them in position by force fitting the resilient ring 28 into the groove 29 in the valve body as the last WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 -9 step in the assembly sequence. Specifically, the valve structure may be assembled in the following sequence: 1. The dispenser tube 14 is interference fitted onto the 5 bottom spigot 30 of inner valve member 26 and these interconnected components are inserted through the outer end of valve body 21. 2. The outer and inner valve springs 25 and 33 are 10 dropped into position and the inner valve head 31 is located within valve member 26 and on the upper end of spring 33. 3. The annular valve head member 27 is force fitted to 15 the upper end of valve member 26 and moved downwardly to compress outer spring 25 and to allow retainer ring 28 to be force fitted into groove 29 thereby to hold the valve components in an operative assembly. 20 Because the valve structure is formed to enable this sequential assembly from the outer end of the valve body 21, it is possible to attach the valve body 21 to the neck 16 of container 12 before the other valve components are fitted. This enables a secure attachment between the 25 valve body and the container 11 which can withstand high pressure operations such as encountered in filling and dispensing of beer kegs without risk of damaging the interior valve components. Accordingly, not only the valve body, but some or all of the other valve components 30 can be formed of recyclable plastics material without risk of damage in the assembly operation. The valve components may be formed of PET, high density polyethylene or any other suitable recyclable plastics material. The outer valve body 21 may be heat fused to the neck of container 35 12, for example by ultrasonic horn or spin fusion technique. Alternatively, it may be attached to the neck of the container by a mechanical crimping or clinching WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 - 10 technique. Figure 7 illustrates a modification in which the neck 16 of the container 12 is clinched to the valve body 21 by compression of a stainless steel clinching ring 46, 5 the valve body 21 being provided with an external circumferential groove 47 fitted with an 0-ring 48 to ensure an effective pressure seal. The illustrated beer keg construction has been advanced by way of example only and the invention is not 10 limited in application to the details of this construction or to the storage and dispensing of beer. Containers fitted with valve structures in accordance with the invention may be used for storing and dispensing other beverages such as cider and carbonated beverages or indeed 15 any liquid to be dispensed under gas pressure. The pressurising gas may be carbon dioxide, nitrogen or any other suitable gas according to the nature of the liquid to be stored and dispensed.

Claims (18)

1. Apparatus for storing and dispensing a liquid comprising: 5 a liquid container having a neck through which to fill the container with a liquid and to dispense the liquid therefrom; a valve structure disposed within the container neck; and 10 a dispenser tube extending from the valve structure to an interior region of the container; wherein the valve assembly defines valves for supply of pressurising gas into the interior of the container and for dispensing liquid outwardly through the 15 dispenser tube and valve structure and wherein the valve structure comprises a tubular valve housing secured to the neck of the container and extending from an outer end disposed exteriorly of the container and an inner end disposed interiorly of the container and valve components 20 including a retainer element engaged with an internal recess in the valve housing adjacent its outer end, said valve components being brought into said assembly together with the dispenser tube by fitting them into their operational positions through the outer end of the valve 25 housing and being held against withdrawal by the engagement of the retainer element in the internal recess of the housing.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 30 retainer element is in the form of a retainer ring.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the recess is in the form of an internal circumferential groove in the valve housing. 35

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the retainer ring is a resilient ring of plastics material WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 - 12 force fitted into the groove.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the retainer ring serves the dual function of 5 retaining the other valve components against withdrawal through the outer end of the valve housing and providing an annular valve seat for one of said valves.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding 10 claims, wherein the container and the valve housing are both formed of plastics material.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the container and the valve housing are formed of polyethylene 15 terephthalate.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the valve housing is secured within the neck of the container by heat fusion. 20

9. A valve structure for a liquid storage and dispensing container comprising: . a tubular valve housing for attachment into a neck of liquid container and through which to fill and 25 discharge liquid into and from the container and extending from a first end to be located exteriorly of the container to an end to be located interiorly of the container when so attached; and valve components including a retainer element 30 engagable with an internal recess in the valve housing adjacent said first end of the housing, said valve components defining with the housing a pair of valves for supply of pressurising gas into the interior of the container and for dispensing liquid outwardly from the 35 container and being capable of assembly into operative positions by being fitted through the first end of the valve housing and then being held against withdrawal by WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 - 13 engagement of the retainer element in the internal recess of the housing.

10. A valve structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein 5 the retainer element is in the form of a retainer ring.

11. A valve structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the recess is in the form of an internal circumferential groove in the valve housing. -10

12. A valve structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the retainer ring is a resilient ring of plastics material force fitted into the groove. 15

13. A valve structure as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the retainer ring serves the dual function of retaining the other valve components against withdrawal through the outer end of the valve housing and providing an annular valve seat for one of said valves. 20

14. A method of assembling a liquid storage and dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid container having a neck through which to fill the container with a liquid and to dispense the liquid therefrom, a valve structure 25 disposed in the container neck and a dispenser tube extending from the valve structure to an internal region of the container, the valve structure defining valves for supply of pressurising gas into the interior of the container and for dispensing liquid outwardly through the 30 dispensing tube and valve structure from the container said method of assembly comprising securing a tubular valve housing constituting a component of the valve structure to the neck of the container and thereafter assembling the remaining components of the valve structure 35 and the dispensing tube by fitting them through the outer end of the tubular valve housing into operational positions and retaining them against withdrawal by WO 2004/063087 PCT/AU2004/000017 - 14 engagement of a retainer element component of the valve structure with an internal recess in the housing.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the 5 liquid container and the tubular valve housing are both formed of plastics material and the valve housing is secured to the neck of the container by heat fusion.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the 10 valve housing is secured to the neck of the container by ultrasonic fusion technique.

17. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14, to 16, wherein the retainer element is a resilient ring which 15 is forced fitted into the internal recess in the form of a circumferential groove in the valve housing.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the resilient ring is fitted into the groove to serve the dual 20 function of retaining the other valve components against withdrawal through the outer end of the valve housing and providing an annular valve seat for one of the valves.