EP0508214B1

EP0508214B1 - Handle for dispensers

Info

Publication number: EP0508214B1
Application number: EP92105095A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Riccardo Guadalupi
Original assignee: Vin Service SRL
Current assignee: Vin Service SRL
Priority date: 1991-04-05
Filing date: 1992-03-25
Publication date: 1996-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2012-03-25
Also published as: EP0508214A1; IT221796Z2; DE69211207D1; ATE139049T1; ITMI910295V0; ITMI910295U1

Abstract

A handle for dispensers, in particular for beverages, comprises a portion of transparent material that can be fastened to the actuating lever of the cock of said dispenser, said portion being constituted by a plate bent and forming a seat to reversibly accomodate therein one or more tags or similar elements identifying the substance to be delivered <IMAGE>

Description

This invention concerns a handle for dispensers and, more particularly, a handle for drink dispensers for public bars, hotels and the like.
Beverages such as bier, wine and soft drinks with gas in general are often supplied to the shops inside metal barrels of relatively high volume. Said containers are then connected with devices that put their contents under pressure to allow a controlled distribution by means of lever dispensers, manually controlled by the operator.
An example of a known device is disclosed in the document DE 3445556 in the name of Nemeth Werner where a tag for dispensers, in particular for alcoholic beverages, is described. The tag comprises a plate for the display of the information concerning the dispensed beverage (for example the type of the beverage and its relative price) and an element for fixing the tag to the dispenser.
Generally each device is provided with more dispensing units, positioned side by side, whose handles are marked by means of different symbols according to the type of dispensed beverage. Usually said symbols are constituted by the reproduction of the beverage trademark, printed in a permanent manner on the dispenser handle.
The disadvantage of this solution consists in the fact that it is necessary to have for that purpose a plurality of different handles, and that when the type of beverage to be dispensed is changed, it would be necessary to replace the dispenser handle with a handle marked in a way corresponding to the new dispensed beverage.
An object of the present invention is to solve the aforesaid problem by proposing a handle for dispensers, in particular drink dispensers, that can be marked in an interchangeable way and can be easily and economically produced.
Said object is achieved by the present invention, that provides a handle for dispensers, in particular for beverages, characterized in that it comprises a portion made of transparent material to be fastened to the actuating lever of the cock of said dispenser, said portion consisting of a plate folded to form a seat to reversibly house one or more tags or similar elements identifying the substance to be dispensed.
Advantageously, said plate is hot bent in a "U" shape and fastened to a base of the same material, which can be fixed in turn, in a known way, to the actuating level of the dispenser cock.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plate and the base are made of metacrylate and sticked to one another.
The invention will be now further described with reference to the accompanying drawings given by illustrative and not limiting purposes, wherein:

figure 1 is a front view of the invention;
figure 2 is a side view of the invention; and
figure 3 is a top view, partly in section, of the embodiment of figures 1 and 2.

First of all referring to figure 1, the invention concerns a handle for dispensers, in particular for beverages, that comprises a portion 1 made of transparent plastic material fastenable to the actuating lever of a dispensing cock (not shown). The portion 1, as better visible in figures 2 and 3, consists of an elongated plate 2, hot bent to form a seat 3 wherein one or more tags or similar elements identifying the beverage or substance to be delivered by the dispenser (not shown) can be reversibly inserted.
Said tags, schematically shown by reference 4 in figure 1, are generally sized in a way that they must be slightly forced into the seat 3, though being easily removable therefrom.
Preferably, the plate 2 is "U" bent (figure 2) and is fixed in a known way, for instance by sticking, in correspondence with its own bent and adjacent ends 5 to a base 6 to be fastened on the actuating lever of the dispensing cock.
With this aim the base 6 is provided with a threaded seat 7 engageable to a complementary portion of the aforesaid (not shown) actuating lever.
In order to make the bending of plate 2 easier, the latter presents a shape as shown in figures 1-2, and a substantially trapezoid section (figure 3).
As mentioned before, the plate material must be transparent, rigid at room temperature and sufficiently resistant to wear and scratches in a way as not to rapidly lose transparency.
Preferred materials for this purpose can be found among polycarbonates and polymetacrylates.
In particular, the plate 2 is preferably made of polyethylmetacrylate (sold under the Plexiglas trademark) in the form of an elongated plate which is then hot bent to acquire the above described configuration.
The handle according to the invention thus allows the replacement of only the tags identifying the beverage or any dispensed substance in general (for example "instant" ice-cream). The invention, in fact, is not limited to handles for drink dispensers alone, but finds its application in all the dispensers which present the same problems as described hereinabove.
Furthermore, the invention allows to simplify the production of said handles, in that it allows to produce a base type of handles, not identified, that can be distinguished from each other thanks to tags or similar means, directly by the user.
Of course, the invention also concerns a kit of parts composed by a "U" bent plate and a base as well as by two or more tags, each identifying a different product.

Claims

A handle for dispensers, in particular for beverages, characterized in that it comprises a portion (1) of transparent material to be fastened to the actuating lever of the cock of said dispenser, said portion (1) being constituted by a bent plate (2) forming a seat (3) to reversibly accomodate therein one or more tags (4) or similar elements identifying the substance to be delivered.
A handle according to claim 1, characterized in that said plate (2) is hot bent with a "U" shape and is fixed in correspondence with its own bent and adjacent ends (5) to a base (6) to be fastened to said actuating lever.
A handle according to claim 2, characterized in that said base (6) presents a theaded seat (7) engageable with the corresponding portio of said actuating lever.
A handle according to claim 2, characterized in that said plate (2) and base (6) are made of the same type of material, said base (6) being opaque.
A handle according to claim 1, characterized in that said transparent material is selected among polycarbonates and polymetacrylates.
A handle according to claim 5, characterized in that said material is polymethylacrylate (Plexiglas - Registered Trademark).
A kit of parts, characterized in that it comprises a "U" bent transparent plate (2) and a base (6) according to claim 2, as well as at least two tags (4), each identifying a different product.