EP1302408A1 - Container for storing and transporting liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

The container for transporting drinks under pressure, e.g. beer or lemonade, comprises a cylindrical keg with a lid (1). This contains a disposable bag (10) which can be filled through an inlet in the lid.

Description

The invention relates to a container for transport and / or storage of liquids, especially pressurized beverages such as beer or lemonade, with an outer container made of a cylindrical outer casing, a bottom and a lid and with one made of a flexible Plastic material existing inner container, which with the lid can be connected in a liquid-tight manner and via a closure which can be attached to the lid can be filled and emptied.

As a transport and storage container for beverages, such as beer or lemonades, wooden barrels or metal / plastic barrels are usually used. The The effort involved in cleaning such drums is considerable. Before each new filling the drums must be cleaned with special cleaning agents and disinfectants and treated to comply with strict hygienic regulations. The cleaning of the known transport containers is not only complex but also also costly and polluting. They also need conventional ones Barrels have significant storage space, whether filled or empty are. This is associated with high transport costs of barrels that are empty State from their destination back to their starting point have to be transported in order to be refilled after the necessary cleaning become. When transported overseas, the barrels are stacked in containers transported. Because the empty barrels have the same volume when they are returned claim as filled, the cost of transportation is empty almost the same as in the filled state, since the costs after the straighten the used volume.

A transport container of the type mentioned is for example from DE-A 20 48 952 known. This transport container consists of a dimensionally stable Outer container with a closable bunghole and one in the External container insertable form-unstable inner container, its filling and Drainage opening liquid-tight with the inside of the bung opening of the External container is connectable. The outer container can be made of plastic or metal Made since, the inner container consists of a plastic film. After this The used container can be transported back to the bottling plant Remove the inner container from the outer container and a new one that has already been cleaned Insert inner container. When filling the dimensionally unstable inner container lies down this closely to the inner wall of the outer container, the between the inner and Outer container displaced air through ventilation holes in the outer container can escape. In this known transport container, the Refill time by inserting one before cleaned inner container can be reduced, but the remains Effort to clean the inner container together with the associated Disadvantages. The dimensionally stable outer container is used even when empty Inner container as much space as with a full inner container.

The invention has set itself the task of a transport and / or Storage containers for liquids to be carried out in such a way that he named the Disadvantages and shortcomings of the known container no longer has.

The object is achieved according to the invention in that the inner container is a disposable sack and that the outer jacket can be removed at least from the lid is either foldable, foldable or rollable, or likewise is a disposable part.

Since the inner container is designed as a disposable sack, no complex, costly and environmentally harmful cleaning effort. The disposable bag that can easily be made of a biodegradable plastic therefore dispose of them in an environmentally friendly manner after use. According to the invention the outer jacket is designed so that it is either a disposable part or itself in the empty state with the lid removed in the folded or folded or rolled state can be reduced to a volume that is only a fraction of the original volume when filled.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom is also detachable. The individual parts of the container can thus be transported can be accommodated in a very space-saving manner when not in use.

The individual components of the transport container should be as possible easy to assemble and disassemble. One in this regard The proposed measure is that the cover and, if necessary, also the bottom has or have an outer ring on which the relevant one Edge area of the outer jacket is attachable. It can at the edge of the Outer jacket between the outer ring and a removable in this Be able to pinch the inner or bottom inner part that can be inserted.

To easily connect the closure to the transport container To be able to manufacture, an adapter is provided, which with the closure is connectable and can be inserted into a central opening on the inner cover part. there the inner container in the area of its is expediently on the adapter Opening is liquid-tight and detachably attached.

This releasable attachment can be carried out in a simple and functional manner in such a way that that the edge area of the opening of the inner container between the adapter and the inside of the lid inner part can be clamped.

To fix the adapter, it is sufficient if it is above the opening of the inner cover part by means of a screw cap or the like with the Inner cover part is connectable.

The outer jacket should be filled with the pressure of the liquid when the container is filled withstand well and on the other hand also if it is not designed as a disposable part is to be easily collapsible, foldable or rollable. The In this case, the outer jacket is made in particular of a fabric or a Braid made of plastic, carbon fibers, metal or the like.

When filled, the inner container should adhere well to the inside Can put on the outer jacket. It therefore consists in particular of a deformable and elastic plastic film that is liquid-tight and should be food safe.

It makes it easier to handle when assembling the container when the pinchable edge areas of the outer jacket and / or inner container bead-like are trained. A bulge-shaped support is used for the inner container Edge area also the required liquid-tight seal against the adapter.

A space-saving accommodation of the components of the disassembled Container is also supported in that the outer jacket in the area of its clampable and bead-like edges can be folded together or is executed collapsible.

To facilitate handling with filled transport containers, can be provided the outer jacket through between the bottom and the lid to support clampable rods or the like.

In the filled state, containers designed according to the invention should largely Can be transported to save space. It is therefore advantageous if the Containers are designed so that they are the same as others executed containers are stackable.

To prevent the stacked containers from slipping or twisting prevent, it is also advantageous if the outer contours of the outer rings are rectangular and the bottom and lid are designed to be stackable.

Fig. 1 einen mittigen Schnitt durch den Deckelbereich eines erfindungsgemäß ausgeführten Transportbehälters,

Fig. 2 eine Explosionsdarstellung einiger Bestandteile des Behälters und

Fig.3 eine Explosionsdarstellung der Bestandteile des Außenbehälters.

Further features, advantages and details of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, which schematically represents an embodiment of the invention. Show

1 shows a central section through the lid area of a transport container designed according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of some components of the container and

3 shows an exploded view of the components of the outer container.

The transport container shown in the drawing figures consists of a Outer container 30 and an inner container 10. The outer container 30 settles an outer jacket 3, a cover 31 consisting of several components and a bottom 32 also consisting of several components. The dimensionally stable and cylindrical only when the container is filled Outer jacket 3 is made of a material that is folded, Folding or rolling of the outer jacket 3 allowed. As a material Fabrics or braids are suitable for the outer jacket 3, for example Plastic, carbon fibers, metallic threads or cords or the like. there the outer jacket 3 can also be designed as a disposable part, which according to the disposed of once.

The inner container 10 is a disposable bag made of a deformable and elastic Plastic film and has an opening which, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, of a bead 8 made of thicker plastic is wrapped. Regarding its size and The inner container 10 is designed in such a way that it adheres when filled the inner wall of the outer jacket 3 can create well around the transport container to give the required dimensional stability when filled.

The design of the transport container in the area of the lid 31 is can be seen in particular from FIGS. 1 to 3. The ones described in more detail below Components are either made of plastic or metal. The outer Edging of the cover 31 forms a dimensionally stable outer ring 2, which, like in particular Fig. 3 shows upward at several places on its inner circumference has open recesses 17, in the lower regions of one side each have a locking groove 17a running in the circumferential direction of the outer ring 2 opens. Below the recesses 17 and the locking grooves 17a is inwards offset, a circumferential pad 12 for positioning one at the top Edge area of the outer shell 3 circumferential and thickened collar 4 provided. The collar 4 becomes even closer between the outer ring 2 and one to be described inner cover part 1, which can be used in the outer ring 2 and is releasably connectable, clamped.

The design of the inner cover part 1 can be seen in FIG. 1 in conjunction with FIG. 2 be removed. The approximately circular inner lid part 1 is provided in the middle with an opening 20 for receiving an adapter 5. The middle open adapter 5 is used to position a not shown Closure device, which is a conventionally designed valve for filling and Emptying the inner container 10 can be. That is at the outer edge area Inner cover part 1 is provided with a number of locking projections 11. The The arrangement, the design and the number of locking projections 11 are so met that the lid inner part 1 in the area of the locking projections 11 from above in the recesses 17 of the outer ring 2 can be used and through a then turning the inner cover part 1 clockwise the locking projections 11 takes place in the locking grooves 17a. At the top of the Inner lid part 1 formed and manually detectable ribs 16 or the like allow a twisting of the inner cover part 1 for locking in Outer ring 2 and also for releasing the locking.

The adapter 5 has an external thread in its upper edge area and is below the external thread and at a distance from it with a circumferential support collar 9 provided. On the support collar 9 is when not mounted Adapter 5 of the bead 8 placed on the inner container 10. On the bead 8 will then a sealing ring 7 is positioned and the adapter 5 is from below passed through the opening 20 of the inner cover part 1. The sealing ring 7 has in particular the triangular one shown in the detail section of FIG. 2 Cross section on. By means of a on the external thread of the adapter 5 screwable nut 6, the adapter 5 is attached to the inner cover part 1, whereby at the same time the sealing ring 7 the bead 8 of the inner container 10 on the adapter 5 presses and jammed tight. The inner lid part 1 is with the Adapter 5 mounted inner container 10 attached to the outer ring 2. Before the Attachment of the inner part 1 is on the support 12 on the top rotating Edge 4 of the outer casing 3 formed. The inner cover part 1 thus also holds the outer jacket 3 on the outer ring 2.

The bottom 32 of the outer container can be made similar to the lid 31. In particular, one can be provided without a central opening and thus closed inner bottom part on another outer ring 27 below Pinching a bundle 4 outgoing at the second edge region To attach the outer jacket 3 releasably. The associated locking mechanism can be like shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

To stack several transport containers designed according to the invention on top of each other to be able, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, at the upper edge region of the Outer ring 2 stages 25 may be formed, which, in corresponding Exemptions 26 on the lower outer ring 27 of a second identical one Container can be positioned.

The outer contours of the outer rings 2, 27 are rectangular, in particular square, designed to the steps 25 and to arrange the exemptions 26 between the corners. In this drawing figure linkage 24 are also indicated, which if necessary in openings or in Recesses of the outer rings 2, 27 can be used to such a to provide additional support for stacking the full shipping containers.

After the transport containers have been emptied, they are disassembled again Inner cover part 1 and the inner bottom part of the upper and lower outer ring 27 be removed. The inner lid part 1 is designed as a disposable bag Inner container 10 removed after unscrewing the nut 6.

3 shows, both the upper and the lower can be provided To provide collar 4 on the outer jacket 3 with a number of notches 4 ′ in such a way that as a result, the outer casing 3 is more easily inserted into the outer rings 2, 27 can be and on the other hand can be easily folded if the Outer jacket 3 is not required and is therefore folded. The one in his Components of disassembled transport containers therefore only take up a fraction its volume when filled.

It is also possible to make the outer container easier by using a fixed floor attached to the outer jacket. The inner container can Be further connected to the adapter in a different way. Even the detachable Connection of the inner ceiling part or the inner floor part with the outer ring can be done in other ways.

Claims (10)

Container for transporting and / or storing liquids, in particular beverages under pressure, such as beer or lemonade, with an outer container made of a cylindrical outer jacket, a base and a lid and with an inner container made of a flexible plastic material, which with the lid can be connected in a liquid-tight manner and can be filled and emptied via a closure which can be attached to the lid, characterized in that the inner container (10) is a disposable bag and that the outer jacket (3) which can at least be removed from the lid (30) can either be folded together or rolled up or likewise is a disposable part. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom (32) is also designed to be removable. Container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lid (31) and possibly also the bottom (32) have an outer ring (2, 27) to which the relevant edge region of the outer casing (3) can be fastened, preferably the The edge area of the outer casing (3) can be clamped between the outer ring (2, 27) and a cover inner or bottom inner part (1) which can be releasably inserted therein. Container according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the inner lid part (1) has a central opening (20) into which an adapter (5) for the closure can be inserted, on which adapter (5) the inner container (10) can be fastened in a liquid-tight manner and releasably in the region of its opening, in particular the edge region of the opening of the inner container (10) being clampable between the adapter (5) and the inside of the inner cover part (1). Container according to claim 4, characterized in that the adapter (5) above the opening (20) of the inner lid part (1) can be connected to the inner lid part (1) by means of a screw cap or the like. Container according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the outer jacket (3) consists of a fabric or braid made of plastic, carbon fiber, metal or the like. Container according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the inner container (10) consists of a deformable and elastic film made of a liquid-tight and food-safe plastic. Container according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the clampable edge regions of the outer casing (3) and / or inner container (10) are bead-like, wherein preferably the clampable edge region (s) of the outer casing (3) can be collapsed or are designed to be legible. Container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the outer casing (3) can be supported by means of rods or the like which can be clamped between the base (32) and the lid (31). Container according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it can be stacked with other containers, in particular with the same design.

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