EP1341700A1

EP1341700A1 - Cask for drawing off liquids under the effect of pressure

Info

Publication number: EP1341700A1
Application number: EP01993566A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Denis Delbarre
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-10
Filing date: 2001-11-09
Publication date: 2003-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-09
Also published as: FR2816599B1; DE60137448D1; WO2002038457A1; JP2004520232A; US20040020947A1; EP1341700B1; CA2430891C; PL204089B1; AU1834802A; ZA200303434B; PL361224A1; AU2002218348B2; CA2430891A1; FR2816599A1; US7661564B2; US7168596B2; CN1253355C; ATE420821T1; CN1474768A; US20050230435A1

Abstract

A keg is formed from (A) a shaped jacket or liner forming a container, obtained from at least two nonsymmetrical parts (1a, 1b) welded together, one of the parts containing an opening provided with a neck, and (B) a filling/tapping device (3) positioned in the neck of the opening. The part of the container with the filling/tapping opening contains a riser or peripheral skirt (13) having a height at least equal to that of the outer part of the filling/tapping device and, optionally, sufficient to contain at least one cut-out forming a handle, and while the neck of the opening contains a part (9) extending inside the lumen of the jacket and having a limited diameter at its end (10), so as to permit passage and maintenance of the tapping device (3), and containing at least one other opening (11), advantageously on the periphery of the opening for passage and maintenance of the tapping device.

Description

FUT FOR DRAINING LIQUIDS UNDER PRESSURE

The invention relates to the transport, storage and supply of drinks, in particular carbonated drinks such as beers and others, to soft drinks and / or to the consumer. It relates in particular to a container, also called "keg" in the following, for the transport, storage and racking of drinks under the effect of pressure.

The invention thus more particularly relates to a single-use keg or disposable keg, and more particularly a disposable keg for pressurized liquids, in particular for beer. To simplify, the invention will be described below with reference to a keg for beer, but it is clear that this use in no way limits the scope and scope of the invention. The invention indeed applies more generally to any liquid intended to be drawn off from a barrel, the racking being able then to be carried out under the proper pressure of the liquid contained in the barrel and / or under the pressure of a gas. introduced therein during the racking operation, for example for racking wine with nitrogen under pressure. Document FR-A 2,719,825 describes a container for fluid with internal pressure, constituted by the combination of a container for the fluid, an outer envelope defining a space with said container, and a layer of a material filling said space. According to alternative embodiments of this product, the outer envelope and the material filling said space can be made of the same material and have a one-piece structure. The liquid contained in this container can be drawn off in the traditional way, using a known type of plunger, which has the orifices necessary for the entry of racking, while the withdrawn liquid is extracted through the dip tube of said rod.

From the document EP-A 0 162 117, there are known containers used. as washable and reusable beer kegs, comprising two container halves formed by injection molding and welded together according to a line forming a median peripheral line of the keg thus formed. The barrel disclosed has a plunging collar which constitutes a support for the cane head and which either forms a single piece with the upper part of the barrel and in this case all the cane head parts must be mounted firmly by the top, with risk of deformation and loss of tightness, either is an insert and glued or welded and in this case the assembly of the rod head assembly must be done from the inside, before the welding of the second half of the barrel to the first.

As for document FR-A 2,776,637, it describes a single-use enclosure with draw-off rod, in which the container for the fluid and the filling and / or drawing-off device have a monolithic structure. The cane is not held inside the container. It is intimately linked to the neck of the container by attachment to the latter as soon as it is demolded hot and under the effect of the shrinkage which said neck undergoes during its cooling.

There was therefore a need for a container, useful in particular as a beer keg, having a simple structure to allow its manufacturing cost to be lowered and comprising means for filling and / or withdrawing its contents. There was also a need for such a beer keg which could be a disposable keg, that is to say non-reusable, and the materials of which could however be recycled. We have now found that we can achieve these goals, as well as others that will emerge better from the description which follows, thanks to a container for fluid, preferably for liquid under pressure, constituting a barrel formed of thermoplastic material and preferably shaped by injection molding, comprising in its own volume an arrangement of means capable of allowing filling with a fluid, the conservation and transport of said container, as well as the withdrawal of the fluid by pressurizing the interior volume of said container. The barrel according to the invention comprises:

(A) a profiled envelope (or liner) forming a container, obtained from at least two non-symmetrical parts welded together, preferably formed by injection molding of a thermoplastic material, one of said parts having an orifice fitted with a collar, and

(B) a filling / withdrawal member positioned in the neck of said orifice, while the part of the container comprising the filling / withdrawal opening comprises a peripheral extension or skirt having a height at least equal to that of the external part of the said filling / withdrawing member and, optionally, sufficient to be able to comprise at least one cutout forming a handle, and while said neck of said orifice has a part projecting inside the volume of said envelope and having a diameter restricted to its end so as to allow the passage and retention of the filling member, and having at ^m anointest another orifice, preferably at the periphery of said orifice passage and retention of the filling member.

In a first aspect, the invention thus relates to a container for the transport, storage and supply of liquids, in particular carbonated and / or fermented drinks such as beer, said container comprising an envelope in at least two parts as defined above and of which at least one of the said parts has an orifice, and optionally a filling / racking member secured, fixedly or removably, with the neck of the above-mentioned orifice.

The invention is described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a view in longitudinal schematic section of a container according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a variant of the container according to the invention;

Fig. 3 represents a view in longitudinal schematic section of an alternative embodiment of the container according to FIG. 1;

Fig. 4 shows a view in longitudinal schematic section of an alternative embodiment of the container according to FIG. 2;

Fig. 5 shows a partial view in longitudinal schematic section of another variant of the container according to the invention; and Fig. 6 shows a view in longitudinal schematic section of another alternative embodiment of the container according to FIG. 2.

In the figures, the same reference numbers are used for identical or practically similar parts, at least from the functional point of view.

A container 1 according to the present invention is first described below in general with reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, where the container 1 is composed of an envelope or liner preferably made of thermoplastic material. It is recommended that this material be food grade. Failing or in addition, said envelope may be coated internally with substances capable of giving it the required nutritional characteristics. The material of the envelope is advantageously compact enough so that the gases cannot or practically not migrate through it. Furthermore, it is preferable for this material to be opaque to visible light and / or to UV radiation, so that it can act as a barrier to NUs, when necessary or sought after. By way of nonlimiting examples, mention may be made, as suitable materials for said envelope, of the thermoplastic polymer materials chosen from the group consisting of thermoplastic materials of high density polyethylene (HDPE), high density polypropylene (PP), poly (chloride of vinyl) (PVC) and poly (acrylonitrile / butadiene / styrene) (ABS).

In one embodiment, the barrel or the container 1 according to the invention may further comprise an external coating for improving the seal, in particular the gas seal. It has in fact been found that, under certain extreme conditions, the material of these products could have a certain porosity. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, we can think that air at atmospheric pressure (usually comprising nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, argon, rare gases, microscopic dust in suspension) can pass through outside to inside the thickness of the container and meet under this pressure other gaseous components, which were created during the implementation of the container or its constituent materials and were able to be maintained there. The external thrust thus exerted tends to entrain these secondary components of the container material with the air and the components thereof indicated above. One or more chemical reactions may result, the products of which may impart an odor inside the container 1.

In one embodiment of the invention, provision is made to treat this phenomenon by creating an external barrier around the container 1, advantageously by projecting or spraying hot metal dust onto all or part of the external faces of the container 1, so as to coat them with a coating of sufficient thickness and density to achieve an effective seal against the effects of atmospheric pressure indicated above. By this coating, the formation and development of parasitic odors in the container 1 is avoided, thereby annihilating what is called in plastic processing the "Dalton effect".

Those skilled in the art are able to define the most advantageous parameters for this metallization, in particular the choice of metal, of its physical form, the thickness and density of the coating, as well as the mode and temperature of application, in performing routine tests if necessary.

Two preferred shapes for said envelope are shown in longitudinal section in Figures 1-5 and 6 respectively.

It is advantageous to produce by injection molding, or by any equivalent means, the envelope intended to form the container 1. The essential thing is that the envelope thus produced has fairly constant and followed dimensional characteristics, so that the welding of the two parts of the envelope and the adjustment thereon of the inserts, in particular the withdrawal and / or closure member, are easily carried out. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1-5, the envelope comprises two parts 1a and 1b, complementary to each other and intended to be welded, or assembled in another suitable manner, to form a container 1. The two envelope parts 1a and 1b are preferably joined by a weld 2, or by any other equivalent means. Thus the parts 1a and 1b, which are injected separately, are joined together along an appropriate contact surface or weld surface 2. The wall thickness of the envelope can be constant or variable. A person skilled in the art is able to using preliminary tests, to test and determine on a case-by-case basis the thicknesses and any thickness variations that are most appropriate for an optimal result. According to a preferred embodiment, this thickness is constant over all of the parts 1a and 1b of the container 1, except on two peripheral zones where it is reinforced, so as to define external beads, which can play the role of strips of rolling, when the barrel is turned 90 ° to be rolled on the ground. These reinforcing strips are then spaced and positioned symmetrically with respect to the center of gravity of the barrel. It is also advantageous for one of these reinforcement and / or tread bands to coincide with the zone comprising the weld surface of one of the parts 1a or 1b, so as to also accentuate the width of said weld band. parts la and lb between them.

Alternatively, the container 1 could be made up of more than two parts joined together by welding or any equivalent means. However, it is economically preferable to limit the number of envelope parts joined by welding to two.

According to one embodiment, the neck of the orifice of the container 1 according to the invention may consist of a separate piece, then fixed by suitable means, such as a weld or the like, on the part la of said container. . Said part 1a must then have an adequate geometry and dimensions.

The container 1 constitutes an essential part of the barrel, which still needs to be made operational to include a dip tube 3, also known as a filling / withdrawal rod.

In the container according to the invention, as shown by way of example in FIGS. 1-5, the dip tube 3 is further provided with a head 4.18 and in the immediate vicinity thereof. peripheral seal 5, as well as at least one spring 6 and a support piece 7 having the function of compressing the return spring and / or alternatively of closing and releasing the orifices for discharging the liquid contained in the container 1, on user command.

The dip tube 3, intended to allow the withdrawal of the liquid from the container 1, has an orifice at its plunging end at the bottom of the container 1 and at least one orifice, advantageously lateral, in its upper part, at the abovementioned joint 5.

In the embodiments according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the container 1 comprises a non-removable dip tube 3 with head 4, fixed for example by a weld 8.

In the embodiments according to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the container 1 comprises a dip tube 3 provided with a screwable head 4.18, in which case the upper part of the neck of the orifice of the container 1 must have a thread (not shown) corresponding to that of said head. In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, the container comprises a dip tube 3 such as that used in the container for fluids according to document WO 95/31671.

A dip tube 3 with a flat head 4 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, while the dip tube with which the containers according to FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6 are provided is of the hollow head type 18. These types of heads of the dip tube or withdrawal rod are known to those skilled in the art.

In this embodiment of the dip tube, the latter comprises a flange 12 intended to bear on the bottom of the housing defined by the interior portion of the neck of the container 1 and the re-entrant portion of said interior portion.

In the container 1 according to the invention, the internal part 9 of the neck of the orifice advantageously comprises, at its internal end or near it, a part reentrant defining a bottom 10, provided with a central orifice having a dimension such that it can allow the dip tube 3 to pass, with a play just sufficient to allow their reciprocal displacement by translation. The bottom 10 of the re-entrant part of the neck of the container 1 comprises at least one orifice 11, the essential function of which is to allow the passage of the liquid during filling and of gases during the withdrawal of said liquid. Said orifices 11 may be of any shape, for example of round or oval shape.

In an embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 3, the dip tube 3 is supported on the bottom of the neck of the orifice of the container 1, by means of a flange 12. The above-mentioned seal 5 is shaped suitable for ensuring the tightness of the barrel, and also for allowing the withdrawal by means of a withdrawal tap of known and appropriate type, in practice a withdrawal tap specially designed for this service. The spring 6 holds the seal 5 in place.

The ^' upper peripheral part of the barrel, when the latter is placed on its bottom, comprises a portion 13 called the upper skirt, in which it is advantageous to be provided with cutouts of sufficient size. So that the skirt portion located above of them forms a handle 14, so as to facilitate the handling of the barrel.

In an advantageous embodiment, the part forming the bottom of the container 1 also defines a peripheral skirt, 15, which may or may not be provided with cutouts facilitating handling. Preferably, the lower peripheral wall 15 terminates in ^offsets' 16, homothetic offsets 17 provided in the end portion of the upper skirt 13, thereby asking the keg according to the invention in vertical position and perform the 'stacking or stacking of at least two drums one above the other. In embodiments such as those shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, according to which the dip tube is mounted by screwing on the neck of the container 1, preferably with at least one gasket 19, it is particularly advantageous to provide at least one vent hole 20 in the thread area of the neck of the container orifice 1 and / or in the thread area of the head 4, to allow the depressurization of the contents of the barrel from the start of disassembly of the plunger and thus avoid the ejection of said head under the effect of an overpressure.

The variants of the barrel according to the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6 include, for their part, a welded, non-removable dip tube. Thus, according to the invention, the dip tube 3 can advantageously be specific to the container 1 and be made of the same material as the container 1.

The embodiments of the barrel according to the invention shown in Figures 1 and 3 include a dip tube with said flat head, while those of Figures 2, 4, 5 and 6 include a dip tube with said hollow head.

To produce a barrel according to the invention, the following steps are carried out: - the parts 1a and 1b of the container are injection molded, and optionally a head 4.18 suitable for the type of dip tube envisaged, the above-mentioned parts 1a and 1b are welded together, - the parts consisting of a dip tube 3, a peripheral seal 5 _> a spring 6 and a support piece 7 are mounted on the neck of the part 1, and a head 4.18 is screwed onto the external portion of the neck of the orifice of the container 1. Such manufacturing of the container by injection molding and welding and / or screwing of the parts ensures perfect geometry and a good distribution of ^'the pressure resistance of the barrel complete. The external shapes which can thus be obtained easily have the advantage of making it possible to treat the drums on the same filling lines as those currently in operation for stainless steel drums. The barrel according to the invention has the advantage

10 considerable to be compatible with existing filling and withdrawal systems. In particular, it currently appears to exist in cafes-bars-breweries where kegs for the delivery of drinks are used two types of withdrawal taps, which are

15 both widely used. These are the so-called "flat head" and "hollow head" valves, which are the types of dip tube heads referred to above (see Figures 1-3 and 2-4-5, respectively). Thus the various embodiments of the

^• 20 present invention ensure full compatibility with existing taps and the invention provides at least one embodiment for each of the systems which are currently equipped drinking places.

Furthermore, as described above, in

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the withdrawal rod is advantageously of one of the two types illustrated respectively in Figures 1-3 on the one hand and 2-4-5-6 on the other.

The pressurization system and others

30 elements completing the device at the place of racking are of the conventional type, that is to say of the type of those which are known to those skilled in the art.

The invention has the additional advantage of providing single-use drums, the organs of which

35 withdrawal of the liquid can be, as desired, either welded or removable. However, even if the concept of single-use container is preferred, the same product could, if desired, be taken up, washed, dried and refilled, but provided that it corresponds to the embodiment with removable dip tube. However, as has been shown above, the neck of the container according to the invention has a particular profile, making the complete washing and drying of a recycled container impossible or very tedious, therefore ultimately incompatible with the productivity requirements. applicable to this type of product.

These elements in reality confer an undeniable advantage on the product according to the invention, because it can, unlike existing comparable products, be for single use. Such a single-use barrel, also called "disposable", makes it possible to avoid the costs of storage, repair and return of recycled barrels, which is the case of current stainless steel barrels.

Instead of being discarded after use and thus being a factor of cost and environmental pollution, a barrel according to the invention can be recycled, that is to say that, after possible separation of the dip tube if the materials of this one must be treated separately, this barrel can be crushed after collection and, near the place of disposal, transformed into reusable material.

In their embodiment which includes the high and low skirts and the offset described above, the kegs according to the invention also have the advantage of being able to be stacked, which is not the case with current stainless steel beer kegs , which must be palletized in single rows, hence a greater need for floor space for their storage.

The materials recommended for drums according to the invention are capable of absorbing shocks, which are frequent during the handling and transport of such drums. They allow the barrels to regain their shape and their initial dimensions, by resilience, which cannot be done by current stainless steel drums, which therefore suffer a high rate of loss and risk having their capacity reduced.

Claims

1. Barrel for drawing off liquids under the effect of pressure, characterized in that it comprises:

(A) a profiled envelope or liner forming a container (1), obtained from at least two non-symmetrical parts (la, lb) welded together, one of the said parts comprising an orifice provided with a neck, and

(B) a filling / withdrawal member (3) positioned in the neck of said orifice, while the part of the container comprising the filling / withdrawal opening comprises a peripheral extension or skirt (13) having a height at least equal to that of the external part of said filling / withdrawal member and while said neck of said orifice comprises a part (9) projecting inside the volume of said envelope and having a diameter restricted at its end (10), so to allow passage and maintenance of the withdrawal member (3) and comprising at least one other orifice (11).

2. Barrel according to claim 1, characterized in that it is formed by injection molding of a thermoplastic material.

3. Barrel according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the envelope or liner is made of material chosen from the group comprising high density polyethylene, high density polypropylene, PNC and ABS.

4. Barrel according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises an external coating produced by hot metallization.

5. Barrel according to claim 1, characterized in that the height of said riser or peripheral skirt (13) is sufficient to be able to comprise at least one cutout forming a handle (14).

6. Barrel according to claim 1, characterized in that the (s) said (s) other (s) orifice (s) (11) is (are) located (s) on the periphery of said orifice for passage and holding the withdrawal member (3).

7. Barrel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is designed for the transport, storage and supply of liquids, in particular beer.

8. Barrel according to claim 1, characterized in that the container (1) comprises a dip tube (3) with head (4,18) not removable.

9. Barrel according to claim 1, characterized in that the container (1) comprises a dip tube (3) provided with a screwable head (4,18).

10. Barrel according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises at least one seal (19) and / or at least one vent hole (20).

11. Container for making a barrel according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises: a profiled envelope or liner forming a container (1), obtained from at least two non- symmetrical (la, lb) welded together, one of said parts comprising an orifice provided with a neck, while the part of the container comprising the filling / withdrawal orifice comprises a peripheral riser or skirt (13) having a height at least equal to that of the external part of said filling / withdrawal member and while said neck of said orifice has a part (9) projecting inside the volume of said envelope and having a diameter restricted at its end ( 10), and comprising at least one other orifice (11).

12. Container according to claim 11, characterized in that the part (lb) forming the bottom of said container defines a peripheral skirt (15).

13. Container according to claim 12, characterized in that the peripheral skirt (15) ends in offset (16) homothetic offset (17) of the terminal portion of the upper skirt (13).

14. racking cane for container according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a dip tube (3), a head (4,18), a peripheral seal (5), as well as at least one spring (6 ) and a support piece (7) having the function of compressing the return spring and / or of closing and releasing orifices for discharging the liquid contained in the container (1).

15. withdrawal cane according to claim 14, characterized in that the dip tube (3) is provided with a flat head (4) and comprises a flange (12).

16. A method for producing a barrel according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: the parts (la) and (lb) of the container are injection molded, and optionally a head ( 4.18) suitable for the type of plunger (3) envisaged, the parts (la) and (lb) are welded together, the parts constituted by a plunger tube (3) are mounted on the neck of the part (la), a peripheral seal (5), a spring (6) and a support piece (7), - as an option, a hot metallization is carried out of all or part of the outer face of the container (1), and either a screw on the outer portion of the neck of the container orifice (1) a head (4,18).