CA2012647A1 - Container for liquids - Google Patents
Container for liquidsInfo
- Publication number
- CA2012647A1 CA2012647A1 CA 2012647 CA2012647A CA2012647A1 CA 2012647 A1 CA2012647 A1 CA 2012647A1 CA 2012647 CA2012647 CA 2012647 CA 2012647 A CA2012647 A CA 2012647A CA 2012647 A1 CA2012647 A1 CA 2012647A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- container
- bag
- outlet
- gas
- inlet
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
- B67D1/04—Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers
- B67D1/0462—Squeezing collapsible or flexible beverage containers, e.g. bag-in-box containers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D77/00—Packages formed by enclosing articles or materials in preformed containers, e.g. boxes, cartons, sacks or bags
- B65D77/04—Articles or materials enclosed in two or more containers disposed one within another
- B65D77/06—Liquids or semi-liquids or other materials or articles enclosed in flexible containers disposed within rigid containers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
- B67D1/08—Details
- B67D1/0829—Keg connection means
- B67D1/0831—Keg connection means combined with valves
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
- Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
- Packages (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A container for transport, storage and dispensing of beverages, such as beer, comprises an outer container (12) of plastics such as PET, and an inner bag (22) of flexible material, such as layered polyethylene.
The inner bag (22) is connected to an outlet (33) which can receive a coupler (60) connecting the outlet to a dispensing tap (80). An inlet (34), which can receive a coupler (70), enables pressurised gas or air to be supplied to the space between the outer container (12) and inner bag (22) to apply pressure to the bag to expel beverage from the bag through the outlet (33). The bag (22) is filled with beverage through the outlet (33), which has a non-return valve (36, 37) to close the outlet, after filling, during transport of the container to the dispensing location. The inlet (34) provides a permanently open passage which, after the container has been emptied and the gas or air line disconnected, allows any remaining pressure to escape, or removing any danger which might arise with a pressurised container, particularly if the container is discarded. The container is relatively light-weight and inexpensive, and can be filled and used to dispense beverage without the beverage coming into contact with air or pressurising gas at any stage until it leaves the dispensing tap.
A container for transport, storage and dispensing of beverages, such as beer, comprises an outer container (12) of plastics such as PET, and an inner bag (22) of flexible material, such as layered polyethylene.
The inner bag (22) is connected to an outlet (33) which can receive a coupler (60) connecting the outlet to a dispensing tap (80). An inlet (34), which can receive a coupler (70), enables pressurised gas or air to be supplied to the space between the outer container (12) and inner bag (22) to apply pressure to the bag to expel beverage from the bag through the outlet (33). The bag (22) is filled with beverage through the outlet (33), which has a non-return valve (36, 37) to close the outlet, after filling, during transport of the container to the dispensing location. The inlet (34) provides a permanently open passage which, after the container has been emptied and the gas or air line disconnected, allows any remaining pressure to escape, or removing any danger which might arise with a pressurised container, particularly if the container is discarded. The container is relatively light-weight and inexpensive, and can be filled and used to dispense beverage without the beverage coming into contact with air or pressurising gas at any stage until it leaves the dispensing tap.
Description
20'1 ,~647 - CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS
This invention relates to containers for liquids.
The invention rela~es in particular to containers for transport, storage and dispensing oE beverages, p æ ticularly pressurised beverages such as beer, wine or soft drinks, which are to be dispensed under pressure from the container.
Beer and similar beverages are o~ten supplied in met~l kegs, from which the beer is dispensed by supplying carbon dioxide gas to the top of the keg. Kegs have the disadvantage that they are relatively heavy, entailing high transport costs, and are expensive, so that empty kegs must be retrieved from customers. These disadvantages are particularly acute when kegs are used for export of beer or the like.
In recent years, plastics containers have been developed for use with beverages such as beer or carbonated soft drinks. In particular containers made from PET (polyethyleneterephthalate) have been manufactured. However, such containers have the disadvantages that PET
ls not completely impervious to oxygen, so that beverages such as beer which deteriorate rapidily on exposure to oxygen, can only be stored for short periods, and that the method of filling such containers allows the beverage to come into contact with the air. ;~-British patent 1 190 593 describes a container having a rigid outer -shell and an inner flexible container, with a valved inlet through which pressurising gas or air can be supplied to the space between the inner , container and the shell, thereby to expel fluent material from the inner container through a valved outlet connected to the inner container. The container has a relatively complex arrangement of inlet and outlet valves - 2 ~ Z o ~ ~ 6 4 7 and pressure relief valves which would make the container expensive to manufacture.
It is an object of the invention to provide a container for liquids, particularly pressurised beverages, which is relatively light and inexpensive and which can be~ filled and used to dispense beverage without the beverage in the container coming into contact with the air at any stage until it is dispensed.
This invention consists in a container for transport, storage and dispensing of beverages, comprising an outer container, an inner bag of flexible air-tight or gas-tight material, an outlet connected to the bag, and an inlet connected to the outer container through which gas or air under pressure can be supplied to the space between the outer containe~ and the bag thereby to apply pressure to the bag to expel liquid from the bag through the outlet, characterised in that the outlet includes a normally closed valve adapted to be opened automatically by -~
connection to the outlet of a coupler connected to a beverage dispensing line, and the inlet for gas or air comprises a permanently open passage.
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Thus the outlet and the inlet may each be adapted to form one part of a coupling mechanism for connection of a beverage line or a gas or air line-. For example, each could be formed as the male vPlve part of a conventional quick-~it coupler such as is used in systems for dispensing soft drinks. -Preferably, the outer container has a neck into which is fixed a closure member in which the inlet and outlet are mounted.
The outer container may be made from plastics such as PET. The inner bag may be made from any suitable material which is approved for use with beverages.
; The invention will now be described, by way o~ example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which~
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section through a container in accordance with the invention, showing the container connected to a dispensing tap and source of pressurised gas, and Figure 2 is a cross-section, on a larger scale, through the neck o~
the container, Figure 3 is a plan view of the neck of the container, Figure 4 is a cross-section of line 4-4 of Figure 2, Figure 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5 of Figure 2, and . ~-~
Figure 6 i5 a view similar to Figure 2, but showing coupling membeFs connected to the container.
Referring to the drawings, a container in accordance with the invention comprises an outer container 10, an inner bag 20 and a closure , ' ' ~
Z012647~ `:
.
The outer container 10 i~ formed o~ PET and h~c a b~dy 12, preferably having rounded contours to enable it to;withstand internal pressure, and a neck 14 surrounding the opening in the container. The . .:
neck terminates in an outwhrdly extending rim 16. The container is -j mounted in outer casing 50 which serves to support the container and to protect it during transport and storage. The casing 50 can be of any suitabie material, such as wood or cardboard.
The inner bag 20 is formed of a material which is impervious to air or carbon dioxide and which is suitable for contact with the beverage to be contained. A suitable material is a layered polyethylene material ~-~
which is sold for food or beverage packaging. At the mouth ~f the bag 20 is a tube 22 having a flange 21 to which the bag is welded. The tube 22 enables the bag to be connected to the closure 30, as described below. A flexible member 24 is secured at one end to the tube 22 and at the other end to a plate 25 fixed to the bottom of the bag 20. The ~-~
member 24 serves to maintain an open passage to the mouth of the bag and prevent the material of the upper part of the bag from collapsing over ~-the mouth of the tube 22 under the applied gas pressure when the bag is ~ -partially emptied. The member 25 is in the form of a helically-wound ;
strip of flexible plastics material of a kind approved for contact with .
beverages, though the strip could take other forms.
The closure 30 is a plastics moulding having a body 31 shaped to ~ ;
fit into the neck 14 of the outer container 10. An outwardly extending flange 32 on the body 31 fits against the rim 16 of the outer container 10. The closure 30 is fixed to the outer container 10 by means of a , '. ;'.''.`''-'`-.' . . '', :. ,:. ~, .
metal ring 40 crimped over the rim 16 and flange 32. The body 31 hastwo bosses 33 and 34, which in use receive respective couplers 60 and 70 (Figure 6). The bosses have bores 35 and 38, which communicate with respective counterbores 37 and 39 extending through the body 31 of the closure. The tube 22 at the mouth of the bag 20 is a push fit into the counterbore 37 in boss 33, and may be bonded to it using a suitable ~-adhesive. An 0-ring 41 is fitted between the closure 30 and the neck 14 of the outer container 10, to prevent leakage of the pressuring gas or air.
The bore 35 in the boss 33 contains a spring-loaded valve member 36 which is normally held against a valve seat 42 to close the valve, as chown in Figure 2, but is moved away from the valve seat when the coupler 60 is connected to the boss 33, as described below.
The bore 38 in the boss 34 is empty except for a member 44, which serves to open the valve in coupler 70 when it is connected to the boss 34, as described below. The member 44 is perforated, so that the bore 38 provides a permanently open passage through boss 34. The member 44 may, for example, be a spider, as shown in Figure 5, which is push-fitted into the bore 38.
The boss 33 and the coupler 60 may be similar to the male and female parts of a conventional quick-~it coupler, such as is used to connect a dispensing line to the outlet valve of a keg. Thus the coupler 60 includes a spring-loaded locking sleeve 61 by means of which ;
it is releasably connected to the boss 33. The coupler 60 has a bore 62 which communicates with bore 35 in the boss 33 and with a nozzle 63.
' - 6 - ~O~L~fi4 7 The nozzle 63 can be connected to an inlet line for filling the container and, subsequently, to an outlet line 66. The bore 62 contains a normally closed valve 64. The valve has an actuating pin 65, which when the coupler 60 is connected to the boss 33, engages the valve member 36 to lift the valve members 36 and 64 from their seats.
The boss 34 is similarly shaped to receive the coupler 70, which is releasably held in position by a locking sleeve 71. The coupler 70 has a bore 72 communicating with the bore 30 and with a nozzle 73, which can be connected to a source of pressurising gas or air. The bore 72 ::
contains a normally closed valve 74 having an actuating pin 75 which, when the coupler 70 is connected to the boss 34, engages the member 44 `
to lift the valve member 74 from its seat. ~ -~
~ne body 31 of closure 30 has ribs 46 which extend downwards to the level of the lower end of neck 14 of the outer container 12. The ribs prevent the upper part of the flexible bag 20 from being forced upwards into the neck 14 when the bag is filled.
~,..........
In use, to fill the container, depending on the filling pressure of the beverage, a gas or air line is first connected to the boss 34 to ` :', ~ ': ' produce a counterpressure in the space between the bag 20 and the outer ~-container 10. A beverage supply line is then connected to the boss 33.
. ~. .
The gas or air counterpressure is adjusted so as to be slightly lower - , -than the pressure of the beverage supply line, so that the beveragq ` -~
flows into the bag 20 at a controlled rate, thus reducing to a minimum theturbulence and foaming of the beverage as the container is filled. ~
After filling, the beverage supply line and the gas or air line are ~ ~ ;
disconnected, and the valve 36 automatically closes. The container is ~ -~
7 zo~z647 then ready for transport to the customer.
To dispense beverage from the container, a dispensing line 66 is connected to the boss 33 through a coupler 60, and a gas line 78 is connected to boss 34 through a coupler 70. The gas line 78 may be connected, as shown in Figure 1, to a source 82 of pressurised carbon dioxide, for example as used in conventional keg dispensing systems.
The dispensing line 66 may be connected to a conventional dispensing tap 80. The gas entering the space between the outer container 10 and the bag 20 applies pressure to the bag as shown by the arrows in the drawings, and forces the contents of the bag to flow out through the dispensing line 66 when the dispensing tap 80 is open. The pressurised driving gas or air between the bag 20 and the outer container 12 will maintain the pressure on the bag, ensuring that at all stages of dispensing a pressure is maintained on the beverage itself, which is often necessary to preserve the character and flavour of the beverage.
It will be appreciated that, in filling the container the beverage does not come into contact with the air. In dispensing beverage from the container, the beverage in the container does not come into contact with the pressurising gas or air, or with ambient air. The container is therefore suitable ~or beverages such as beer which deteriorate on -contact with the air;
After the container has been emptied, the couplers 60 and 70, are disconnected, so that the container can be disc~rded, or returned to the beverage manufacturer for refilling. The open bore 38 in the boss 34 allows any pressure remaining in the gap between the outer cantainer 12 and the inner bag 22 to escape, so removing ar~y danger which might ~', Z~z647 , arise with a pressurised container, particularly if the contaLner is discarded. ;
The container of this invention can be made relatively cheaply.
The PT used for the outer cont~i~er can be of relatively low quality, since it does not come into contact with the beverage, but is required only to withstand the pressure of the dispensing gas or air and to provide protection.for the inner bag. The container could, for example, be made from recycled PET. The container is also relatively easy to assemble.
In assembling the container, the inner bag is bonded to the closure ~ -which is then inserted into the nec~ of the outer container, the bag being folded to fit easily through the neck. The closure is then fixed in position by crimping the metal ring in place.
Because of the relative cheapness of materials and manufacture of .-~
:~,:
the container, it could be used as a non-return package, particularly in -the export market. This, in conjunction with the light weight of the ;
container, will reduce transport costs considerably.
The container could be provided in a range of sizes, for example from 1 gallon (4.55 litres) to 50 litres, to cater for sales for home .. . . .
use as well as to sales to public houses and bars. .
It will be appreciated that modifications could be made in the described embodiment. For example, the container could be mounted in other positions, for example inverted, in which case the flexible member 24 in the bag 22 could be omitted. Other arrangements for coupling the ;
beverage line and gas or air line to the container could be employed.
Various sources of press~rised gas or air could be used. For , -, . .. ~ ,.
.'. .- :.
X0'1~647 containers sold for home use, for example, an air compresser, or a hand-operated or foot-operated air pump could ~e used, connected by a flexible hose to the inlet of the container. A simple hand-held dispensing tap could be used, connected by a flexible line to the outlet oE the container.
;,~
This invention relates to containers for liquids.
The invention rela~es in particular to containers for transport, storage and dispensing oE beverages, p æ ticularly pressurised beverages such as beer, wine or soft drinks, which are to be dispensed under pressure from the container.
Beer and similar beverages are o~ten supplied in met~l kegs, from which the beer is dispensed by supplying carbon dioxide gas to the top of the keg. Kegs have the disadvantage that they are relatively heavy, entailing high transport costs, and are expensive, so that empty kegs must be retrieved from customers. These disadvantages are particularly acute when kegs are used for export of beer or the like.
In recent years, plastics containers have been developed for use with beverages such as beer or carbonated soft drinks. In particular containers made from PET (polyethyleneterephthalate) have been manufactured. However, such containers have the disadvantages that PET
ls not completely impervious to oxygen, so that beverages such as beer which deteriorate rapidily on exposure to oxygen, can only be stored for short periods, and that the method of filling such containers allows the beverage to come into contact with the air. ;~-British patent 1 190 593 describes a container having a rigid outer -shell and an inner flexible container, with a valved inlet through which pressurising gas or air can be supplied to the space between the inner , container and the shell, thereby to expel fluent material from the inner container through a valved outlet connected to the inner container. The container has a relatively complex arrangement of inlet and outlet valves - 2 ~ Z o ~ ~ 6 4 7 and pressure relief valves which would make the container expensive to manufacture.
It is an object of the invention to provide a container for liquids, particularly pressurised beverages, which is relatively light and inexpensive and which can be~ filled and used to dispense beverage without the beverage in the container coming into contact with the air at any stage until it is dispensed.
This invention consists in a container for transport, storage and dispensing of beverages, comprising an outer container, an inner bag of flexible air-tight or gas-tight material, an outlet connected to the bag, and an inlet connected to the outer container through which gas or air under pressure can be supplied to the space between the outer containe~ and the bag thereby to apply pressure to the bag to expel liquid from the bag through the outlet, characterised in that the outlet includes a normally closed valve adapted to be opened automatically by -~
connection to the outlet of a coupler connected to a beverage dispensing line, and the inlet for gas or air comprises a permanently open passage.
,: ... .
., :::
'~'''"'''' ~' ;
. ~.~ :, ' '''."~. ' ~', 0 ~ 7 ~ 3 ~
Thus the outlet and the inlet may each be adapted to form one part of a coupling mechanism for connection of a beverage line or a gas or air line-. For example, each could be formed as the male vPlve part of a conventional quick-~it coupler such as is used in systems for dispensing soft drinks. -Preferably, the outer container has a neck into which is fixed a closure member in which the inlet and outlet are mounted.
The outer container may be made from plastics such as PET. The inner bag may be made from any suitable material which is approved for use with beverages.
; The invention will now be described, by way o~ example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which~
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section through a container in accordance with the invention, showing the container connected to a dispensing tap and source of pressurised gas, and Figure 2 is a cross-section, on a larger scale, through the neck o~
the container, Figure 3 is a plan view of the neck of the container, Figure 4 is a cross-section of line 4-4 of Figure 2, Figure 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5 of Figure 2, and . ~-~
Figure 6 i5 a view similar to Figure 2, but showing coupling membeFs connected to the container.
Referring to the drawings, a container in accordance with the invention comprises an outer container 10, an inner bag 20 and a closure , ' ' ~
Z012647~ `:
.
The outer container 10 i~ formed o~ PET and h~c a b~dy 12, preferably having rounded contours to enable it to;withstand internal pressure, and a neck 14 surrounding the opening in the container. The . .:
neck terminates in an outwhrdly extending rim 16. The container is -j mounted in outer casing 50 which serves to support the container and to protect it during transport and storage. The casing 50 can be of any suitabie material, such as wood or cardboard.
The inner bag 20 is formed of a material which is impervious to air or carbon dioxide and which is suitable for contact with the beverage to be contained. A suitable material is a layered polyethylene material ~-~
which is sold for food or beverage packaging. At the mouth ~f the bag 20 is a tube 22 having a flange 21 to which the bag is welded. The tube 22 enables the bag to be connected to the closure 30, as described below. A flexible member 24 is secured at one end to the tube 22 and at the other end to a plate 25 fixed to the bottom of the bag 20. The ~-~
member 24 serves to maintain an open passage to the mouth of the bag and prevent the material of the upper part of the bag from collapsing over ~-the mouth of the tube 22 under the applied gas pressure when the bag is ~ -partially emptied. The member 25 is in the form of a helically-wound ;
strip of flexible plastics material of a kind approved for contact with .
beverages, though the strip could take other forms.
The closure 30 is a plastics moulding having a body 31 shaped to ~ ;
fit into the neck 14 of the outer container 10. An outwardly extending flange 32 on the body 31 fits against the rim 16 of the outer container 10. The closure 30 is fixed to the outer container 10 by means of a , '. ;'.''.`''-'`-.' . . '', :. ,:. ~, .
metal ring 40 crimped over the rim 16 and flange 32. The body 31 hastwo bosses 33 and 34, which in use receive respective couplers 60 and 70 (Figure 6). The bosses have bores 35 and 38, which communicate with respective counterbores 37 and 39 extending through the body 31 of the closure. The tube 22 at the mouth of the bag 20 is a push fit into the counterbore 37 in boss 33, and may be bonded to it using a suitable ~-adhesive. An 0-ring 41 is fitted between the closure 30 and the neck 14 of the outer container 10, to prevent leakage of the pressuring gas or air.
The bore 35 in the boss 33 contains a spring-loaded valve member 36 which is normally held against a valve seat 42 to close the valve, as chown in Figure 2, but is moved away from the valve seat when the coupler 60 is connected to the boss 33, as described below.
The bore 38 in the boss 34 is empty except for a member 44, which serves to open the valve in coupler 70 when it is connected to the boss 34, as described below. The member 44 is perforated, so that the bore 38 provides a permanently open passage through boss 34. The member 44 may, for example, be a spider, as shown in Figure 5, which is push-fitted into the bore 38.
The boss 33 and the coupler 60 may be similar to the male and female parts of a conventional quick-~it coupler, such as is used to connect a dispensing line to the outlet valve of a keg. Thus the coupler 60 includes a spring-loaded locking sleeve 61 by means of which ;
it is releasably connected to the boss 33. The coupler 60 has a bore 62 which communicates with bore 35 in the boss 33 and with a nozzle 63.
' - 6 - ~O~L~fi4 7 The nozzle 63 can be connected to an inlet line for filling the container and, subsequently, to an outlet line 66. The bore 62 contains a normally closed valve 64. The valve has an actuating pin 65, which when the coupler 60 is connected to the boss 33, engages the valve member 36 to lift the valve members 36 and 64 from their seats.
The boss 34 is similarly shaped to receive the coupler 70, which is releasably held in position by a locking sleeve 71. The coupler 70 has a bore 72 communicating with the bore 30 and with a nozzle 73, which can be connected to a source of pressurising gas or air. The bore 72 ::
contains a normally closed valve 74 having an actuating pin 75 which, when the coupler 70 is connected to the boss 34, engages the member 44 `
to lift the valve member 74 from its seat. ~ -~
~ne body 31 of closure 30 has ribs 46 which extend downwards to the level of the lower end of neck 14 of the outer container 12. The ribs prevent the upper part of the flexible bag 20 from being forced upwards into the neck 14 when the bag is filled.
~,..........
In use, to fill the container, depending on the filling pressure of the beverage, a gas or air line is first connected to the boss 34 to ` :', ~ ': ' produce a counterpressure in the space between the bag 20 and the outer ~-container 10. A beverage supply line is then connected to the boss 33.
. ~. .
The gas or air counterpressure is adjusted so as to be slightly lower - , -than the pressure of the beverage supply line, so that the beveragq ` -~
flows into the bag 20 at a controlled rate, thus reducing to a minimum theturbulence and foaming of the beverage as the container is filled. ~
After filling, the beverage supply line and the gas or air line are ~ ~ ;
disconnected, and the valve 36 automatically closes. The container is ~ -~
7 zo~z647 then ready for transport to the customer.
To dispense beverage from the container, a dispensing line 66 is connected to the boss 33 through a coupler 60, and a gas line 78 is connected to boss 34 through a coupler 70. The gas line 78 may be connected, as shown in Figure 1, to a source 82 of pressurised carbon dioxide, for example as used in conventional keg dispensing systems.
The dispensing line 66 may be connected to a conventional dispensing tap 80. The gas entering the space between the outer container 10 and the bag 20 applies pressure to the bag as shown by the arrows in the drawings, and forces the contents of the bag to flow out through the dispensing line 66 when the dispensing tap 80 is open. The pressurised driving gas or air between the bag 20 and the outer container 12 will maintain the pressure on the bag, ensuring that at all stages of dispensing a pressure is maintained on the beverage itself, which is often necessary to preserve the character and flavour of the beverage.
It will be appreciated that, in filling the container the beverage does not come into contact with the air. In dispensing beverage from the container, the beverage in the container does not come into contact with the pressurising gas or air, or with ambient air. The container is therefore suitable ~or beverages such as beer which deteriorate on -contact with the air;
After the container has been emptied, the couplers 60 and 70, are disconnected, so that the container can be disc~rded, or returned to the beverage manufacturer for refilling. The open bore 38 in the boss 34 allows any pressure remaining in the gap between the outer cantainer 12 and the inner bag 22 to escape, so removing ar~y danger which might ~', Z~z647 , arise with a pressurised container, particularly if the contaLner is discarded. ;
The container of this invention can be made relatively cheaply.
The PT used for the outer cont~i~er can be of relatively low quality, since it does not come into contact with the beverage, but is required only to withstand the pressure of the dispensing gas or air and to provide protection.for the inner bag. The container could, for example, be made from recycled PET. The container is also relatively easy to assemble.
In assembling the container, the inner bag is bonded to the closure ~ -which is then inserted into the nec~ of the outer container, the bag being folded to fit easily through the neck. The closure is then fixed in position by crimping the metal ring in place.
Because of the relative cheapness of materials and manufacture of .-~
:~,:
the container, it could be used as a non-return package, particularly in -the export market. This, in conjunction with the light weight of the ;
container, will reduce transport costs considerably.
The container could be provided in a range of sizes, for example from 1 gallon (4.55 litres) to 50 litres, to cater for sales for home .. . . .
use as well as to sales to public houses and bars. .
It will be appreciated that modifications could be made in the described embodiment. For example, the container could be mounted in other positions, for example inverted, in which case the flexible member 24 in the bag 22 could be omitted. Other arrangements for coupling the ;
beverage line and gas or air line to the container could be employed.
Various sources of press~rised gas or air could be used. For , -, . .. ~ ,.
.'. .- :.
X0'1~647 containers sold for home use, for example, an air compresser, or a hand-operated or foot-operated air pump could ~e used, connected by a flexible hose to the inlet of the container. A simple hand-held dispensing tap could be used, connected by a flexible line to the outlet oE the container.
;,~
Claims (6)
1. A container for transport, storage and dispensing of beverages, comprising an outer container, an inner bag of flexible air-tight or gas-tight material contained within the outer container, an outlet connected to the bag, an inlet connected to the outer container through which gas or air under pressure can be supplied to the space between the outer container and the bag thereby to apply pressure to the bag to expel liquid from the bag through the outlet, characterised in that the outlet includes a normally closed valve adapted to be opened automatically by connection to the outlet of a coupler connected to a beverage dispensing line, and the inlet for gas or air comprises a permanently open passage.
2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, in which the inlet is adapted to receive a coupler connected to a gas or air line, the coupler having a normally closed valve which is opened on connection of the coupler to the inlet by engagement with an operating member fixed in the inlet.
3. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the outer container has a neck in which is fitted a closure member having two upstanding bosses forming the inlet and outlet respectively, each boss being adapted to receive a coupler connected to a beverage line or a gas or air line.
4. A container as claimed in Claim 3, in which the mouth of the inner bag comprises a collar which fits into a counterbore in the closure member communicating with a bore in the boss forming the outlet.
5. A container as claimed in any preceding claim. in which the outer container is mounted in an outer casing adapted to support the container in use and to protect it during transport and storage.
6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the outer container is of plastics, such as PET.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB898906409A GB8906409D0 (en) | 1989-03-21 | 1989-03-21 | Container for liquids |
| GB8906409.1 | 1989-03-21 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2012647A1 true CA2012647A1 (en) | 1990-09-21 |
Family
ID=10653696
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2012647 Abandoned CA2012647A1 (en) | 1989-03-21 | 1990-03-20 | Container for liquids |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0389191A1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU5202490A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2012647A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB8906409D0 (en) |
| PT (1) | PT93507A (en) |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2719656A1 (en) | 2012-10-11 | 2014-04-16 | Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A. | Keg connector |
| EP3173373A1 (en) | 2015-11-26 | 2017-05-31 | Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A. | Polymeric keg connector |
| CN109094955A (en) * | 2017-06-20 | 2018-12-28 | 株式会社迪思科 | Liquid container and fluid Supplying apparatus |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB9002556D0 (en) * | 1990-02-06 | 1990-04-04 | Ag Patents Ltd | Beverage containers and methods of dispensing beverages |
| GB2270124B (en) * | 1990-02-06 | 1994-08-10 | Ag Patents Ltd | Beverage containers and methods of dispensing beverages |
| US5465875A (en) * | 1990-11-20 | 1995-11-14 | Wisdom Agricultural Investment Limited | Closed transfer devices for agricultural chemicals and the like |
| GB9025265D0 (en) * | 1990-11-20 | 1991-01-02 | Wisdom Agricultural Ltd | Container supply caps |
| NL1006949C2 (en) * | 1997-09-04 | 1999-03-05 | Heineken Tech Services | Tap assembly and container for fluid, especially beer or soft drink, to be dispensed via tap |
| CA2303816C (en) * | 1997-09-04 | 2007-07-31 | Heineken Technical Services B.V. | Assembly for storing and dispensing beer and other carbonated beverages |
| JP3929000B2 (en) | 1998-05-08 | 2007-06-13 | アイセロ化学株式会社 | Container for high-purity chemical liquid |
| NL1009654C2 (en) | 1998-07-15 | 2000-01-19 | Heineken Tech Services | Valve assembly for a beverage container, container for beverage and method for filling and emptying a beverage container. |
| US7188644B2 (en) * | 2002-05-03 | 2007-03-13 | Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. | Apparatus and method for minimizing the generation of particles in ultrapure liquids |
| CA2507683C (en) | 2002-11-29 | 2013-02-12 | Interbrew S.A. | Beer dispensing system with gas pressure reservoir |
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| WO2004050482A2 (en) * | 2002-11-29 | 2004-06-17 | Interbrew S.A. | Method for filling a bag and for dispensing a beverage from said bag |
| DE10306567A1 (en) * | 2003-02-17 | 2004-08-26 | Holland Kühlmöbel K. & M. Holland GmbH | Disposable beer keg has extension-resistant rigid shell within which is flexible bag to hold beer, whereby flexible bag has membrane seal, and shell consists of cylindrical tube closed off by inwards curved covers |
| DE50303569D1 (en) | 2003-04-28 | 2006-07-06 | Coster Tecnologie Speciali Spa | Assembly consisting of dispensing valve and a fluid-tight connected with this bag |
| EP1798193B1 (en) | 2003-05-06 | 2011-08-31 | Carlsberg Breweries A/S | A beverage dispensing valve |
| MXPA06013089A (en) * | 2004-05-11 | 2007-05-16 | Elan Vital Uk Ltd | Collapsible fluid containers. |
| WO2008000574A1 (en) | 2006-06-28 | 2008-01-03 | Eurokeg B.V. | Container for fluids, insert and method of filling a container. |
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| US20080257883A1 (en) | 2007-04-19 | 2008-10-23 | Inbev S.A. | Integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container having an inner layer and the outer layer made of the same material and preform for making it |
| US9919841B2 (en) | 2007-04-19 | 2018-03-20 | Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A. | Integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container having interface vents opening to the atmosphere at location adjacent to bag's mouth, preform for making it; and processes for producing the preform and bag-in-container |
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| NL1035761C2 (en) * | 2008-07-28 | 2010-02-05 | Dispensing Technologies Bv | Method and device for metered dispensing of a liquid from a container. |
| TW201018629A (en) * | 2008-11-14 | 2010-05-16 | Puricom Water Ind Corp | A pressurized barrel |
| EP2258629B1 (en) * | 2009-06-05 | 2013-09-18 | Eurokeg B.V. | Container for a pressurized beverage, in particular beer, and method of filling a container with a pressurized beverage |
| EP2441084B1 (en) | 2009-06-10 | 2016-09-21 | Entegris, Inc. | Fluid processing systems and methods |
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| CZ303593B6 (en) * | 2010-04-12 | 2013-01-02 | Ceská zemedelská univerzita v Praze | Device to measure composition and volume of gas and method of making the same |
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| ITFI20120231A1 (en) * | 2012-10-26 | 2014-04-27 | Enomatic S R L | EQUIPMENT FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF LIQUIDS AND DRINKS CONTAINED IN ENVELOPES, BAGS AND THE LIKE. |
| ITVI20130194A1 (en) * | 2013-07-30 | 2015-01-31 | Corso Arturo Dal | DRUM TO LOSE FOR ECO-FRIENDLY FOOD LIQUIDS |
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| FR3018514B1 (en) * | 2014-03-14 | 2017-02-24 | Ndmac Systems | DEVICE FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS, STEERING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING A LIQUID |
| IT201700030293A1 (en) * | 2017-03-20 | 2018-09-20 | Keg Solutions S R L | TRANSPARENT BARREL FOR FOOD LIQUIDS |
| US10822162B2 (en) | 2017-08-02 | 2020-11-03 | A.R. Arena Products, Inc. | Shipper bag providing fluid-assisted container evacuation |
| CN108313966A (en) * | 2018-03-12 | 2018-07-24 | 陆立新 | A kind of air extrusion formula interlayer fresh-keeping beer container |
| AU2019239674A1 (en) * | 2018-03-22 | 2020-11-05 | Fluidra Group Australia Pty Ltd | Holding and extracting liquid |
| GB2577893A (en) * | 2018-10-09 | 2020-04-15 | Polykeg S R L | Bag-in-keg containers for filling with a liquid product |
| JP7490194B2 (en) * | 2020-05-29 | 2024-05-27 | アサヒビール株式会社 | Replacement parts for beverage containers |
| IT202200016800A1 (en) | 2022-08-05 | 2024-02-05 | Winepuntoit Srl | DISPOSABLE DRUMS FOR FOOD LIQUIDS, AS WELL AS SYSTEM FOR MANAGEMENT OF SUCH DISPOSABLE DRUMS |
| NL2033004B1 (en) * | 2022-09-12 | 2024-03-22 | Tapkoel Holding B V | Method for tapping beverages with a foam head using a non-gaseous foaming agent, propellant-less pressurization, and a jet-shooter attachment. |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR1324104A (en) * | 1962-06-01 | 1963-04-12 | Chadburns Liverpool Ltd | Method and apparatus for dispensing liquids |
| GB1225625A (en) * | 1967-06-26 | 1971-03-17 | ||
| US3527391A (en) * | 1968-02-15 | 1970-09-08 | Anthony George Dimuria | Means for expelling liquid from a container by applied external pressure |
| EP0276097A3 (en) * | 1987-01-22 | 1989-11-15 | Splicerite Limited | Liquid container |
-
1989
- 1989-03-21 GB GB898906409A patent/GB8906409D0/en active Pending
-
1990
- 1990-03-16 EP EP90302840A patent/EP0389191A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1990-03-20 AU AU52024/90A patent/AU5202490A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1990-03-20 CA CA 2012647 patent/CA2012647A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1990-03-20 PT PT9350790A patent/PT93507A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2719656A1 (en) | 2012-10-11 | 2014-04-16 | Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A. | Keg connector |
| WO2014057099A2 (en) | 2012-10-11 | 2014-04-17 | Anheuser-Busch Inbev Sa | Keg connector |
| US9434595B2 (en) | 2012-10-11 | 2016-09-06 | Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A. | Keg connector |
| EP3173373A1 (en) | 2015-11-26 | 2017-05-31 | Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A. | Polymeric keg connector |
| WO2017089324A1 (en) | 2015-11-26 | 2017-06-01 | Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A. | Polymeric keg connector |
| US10549976B2 (en) | 2015-11-26 | 2020-02-04 | Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A. | Polymeric keg connector |
| CN109094955A (en) * | 2017-06-20 | 2018-12-28 | 株式会社迪思科 | Liquid container and fluid Supplying apparatus |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8906409D0 (en) | 1989-05-04 |
| PT93507A (en) | 1990-11-07 |
| AU5202490A (en) | 1990-09-27 |
| EP0389191A1 (en) | 1990-09-26 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| FZDE | Dead |