ES2397952T3 - Pressure cap for containers containing beverages and its operating procedure - Google Patents

Abstract

Pressure cap (1) which is suitable to be seated on containers containing beverages in order to remove them with pressure, the pressure cap (1) comprising: - a spigot (2) which is in operative connection with a gas cartridge through of a valve arrangement, characterized in that - the gas cartridge is a carbon dioxide cartridge (3) or an oxygen cartridge and is disposed displaceably against a mandrel (5) by means of a lever arrangement (4), - the mandrel (5) is arranged on a slide (6) that is positioned in a recess in a displaceable manner against a pusher rod (8), - a sealing element is arranged at one end of the pusher rod (8) turned towards the mandrel (5), - the pusher rod (8) is movably mounted on a bearing shell (10) and is in operative connection with a first end of a tilting lever (11), - the skate (6) has a bore ( 12) along an axis (AA) extending through the skate, - a bridge part (13) with a first channel (14) provides fluid communication between a piston (16) and the bore (12), - the piston (16) is applied against a second end of the rocker lever (11) supported in a balanced way on the pressure cap (1), where a space (17) surrounded by the piston (16) is in fluidic communication with the spigot (2) through a second channel ( 18).

Description

Pressure cap for containers containing beverages and its operating procedure.

The following invention relates to a pressure cap for containers containing beverages, especially for containers containing carbonated beverages, and to a method of operating the pressure cap.

State of the art

Different devices for providing pressure in beverage containers are known from the state of the art, which serve to provide in containers such as, for example, beer barrels a carbonic acid pressure such that the beer is dispensed in the desired manner and formed An attractive foam crown.

In utility model 79 06 737 U1 of Kötter, H. a dispensing device of this class is mentioned for barrels of beverage. The dispensing device disclosed therein is especially useful for use with small barrels of drink which are provided with a carbon dioxide cartridge and a pressure gauge. These should be easily handled and handled by lay people. The device should have only a very small space demand here. Therefore, a device is revealed that has a dispensing device that penetrates unprotected in the barrel space and that is coupled with a valve through a carbon dioxide cartridge that also penetrates unprotected in said space.

Document DE 1944 673 of Baltzer, W. also refers to a new multi-way beer barrel closure with dispensing device, where a compressed gas cushion is already provided when filling the device; This is provided automatically after application of the container closure or when filling through the container closure. In particular, reference is made to a metal or plastic extraction device that can be connected with the barrel connection tightly to the liquid and gas by means of a screw or tightening closure. Thus, by means of the previously provided compressed gas cushion, the carbonated beverage can be discharged through the extraction device. For small barrels a carbon dioxide cartridge can be installed separately in order to perform a complete emptying and this cartridge can also be removed again, so that the barrel without the carbon dioxide cartridge mounted on it and with a drain Incomplete can be stored in the refrigerator until full consumption. It is disadvantageous here that, when the contents of the barrel are consumed additionally, a new gas cartridge has to be acquired and it has to be installed at a certain cost in the matter of apparatus.

Also, document DE 697 18 763 T2 of Suntory Ltd. discloses an ice-cold dispensing installation, from which beer can be directly transferred from a beer barrel to a jug, for which gaseous carbon dioxide is added from a cartridge. The objective of this invention is to provide ice cooling, which is carried out by means of the complex disclosed invention that disadvantageously occupies a lot of space.

Another device for providing a beverage mixed with carbonic acid is described in DE 2 323 345 of Morgan et al, which provides a storage container for the beverage that is equipped with a tube leading to the dispensing tap, being coupled to the tube an ultrasonic generator, whereby a solid foam structure is obtained during dispensing.

Also, EP 1 688 813 A1 discloses a pressure reducing and regulating valve with a puncture mechanism of a gas cartridge that can be mounted on the barrel closure.

Exposition

Starting from this state of the art, the present invention is based on the problem of providing an improved device for enabling pressure in containers containing beverages and an operating method thereof. This problem is solved by means of a pressure cap with the characteristics of independent claim 1 and by means of a procedure with the characteristics of independent claim 13. Preferred embodiments are described with the dependent claims.

A first embodiment relates to a pressure cap that can be seated on containers containing beverages to request the beverage with a gas that is provided by an integrated gas cartridge with an advantageous space saving in the pressure cap. The gas cartridge is in contact with the contents of the container through a valve arrangement and a tap. To circulate the gas from the cartridge to the container, this cartridge is pushed by means of a lever arrangement against a mandrel that produces an opening in the gas cartridge or in a closure device present in the neck of the cartridge. The mandrel itself is arranged on a skate that has a drill for the conduction of the gas. The gas can flow through the borehole, through a maneuvering valve arrangement as necessary, to a system of channels that extends to the spigot, and, therefore, said gas can enter the beverage. The gas flow through the channel system is

made possible by a rocker lever that is in operative connection with a piston, whereby, in a corresponding position of the rocker lever, the gas can first circulate through the borehole to a first channel, from there to a space surrounded by a piston and beyond to a second channel. The maneuver of the piston by the rocker lever causes the gas to be expelled from the piston space towards the channel that flows into the spigot.

The depth of the pressure cap space according to the invention is substantially determined by the size of the gas cartridge that can be arranged in the pressure cap. The tilting lever is arranged with a particularly advantageous space saving in such a way that the transfer of the gas from a first level is possible, in which the neck of the cartridge from which the gas passes to the drill is located, to a second level from which transfers the gas to the container in a pressure controlled manner. The skillful arrangement of the rocker lever between the two levels allows a gas cartridge to be advantageously seated on a container with little construction cost and saving space such that said container can be requested with gas at the desired time, and then the Drink, when not consumed completely, can be stored for a longer time with the container and the pressure cap.

Another embodiment advantageously refers to the realization of the container as a canister or as a barrel, especially as a beer barrel, as this is known as a small barrel. The boats or barrels can be skillfully stacked and can also be stored in domestic refrigerators along with the pressure cap, and even the barrels or punctured boats can remain stored without losing quality.

Also, some embodiments refer to the advantageous arrangement of the lever with which the valve arrangement according to the invention can be maneuvered in the pressure cap.

Finally, some examples of implementation refer to the enablement of safety measures with the help of overpressure and check valves.

In addition, some embodiments refer to the operating procedure of the pressure cap according to the invention, which procedure demonstrates how a beverage can be simply and skillfully requested with gas in a corresponding container to qualitatively improve the beverage and possibly facilitate the extracting it from the container.

These and other advantages are presented with the following description referring to the accompanying figures.

Brief description of the figures

The reference to the figures in the description serves to underpin the description. Objects or parts of objects that are substantially the same or similar may be provided with the same reference symbols. The figures are only schematic representations of embodiments of the invention. They show:

Figure 1, a top plan view of the pressure cap according to the invention,

Figure 2, a side elevation of the pressure cap according to the invention with carbon dioxide cartridge installed,

Figure 3, a perspective view from below of the pressure cap and

Figure 4, a perspective view from above of the pressure cap.

Description

The device of the present invention primarily serves to be seated on containers that are suitable for storage and transport until the carbonated beverage is enabled. As such containers, barrels or boats such as those known in the state of the art are especially suitable. Such barrels or boats can be placed in an upright position and, in the vertical state, they can have an opening in their upper cover surface that is only temporarily closed. This opening can be closed with a membrane, a cap, a rotating closure or another closure and can be opened at the moment when the spigot must be introduced which, depending on its length, is also called short spigot.

In general, the gas used for pressure solicitation can be any gas suitable for food, especially carbon dioxide, with which carbonated beverages such as beer can be put under pressure,

or oxygen, with which drinks can be requested that must have an especially high oxygen content. Such drinks are known especially for the fitness sector.

The focus of the present invention is directed to small barrels with a capacity of approximately 5 to 10 l, especially to barrels containing beer, since these small barrels have to be supplied with

carbon dioxide for emptying so that the beverage can be dispensed and presented inside a beverage container in a correspondingly fresh state and with a pleasant crown of foam.

Barrels that are suitable for being provided with the pressure cap according to the invention are described, among others, in Grittmann WO 00/07927.

If the pressure cap according to the invention is arranged on a corresponding small beer barrel with integrated dispensing system, it is then possible, by maneuvering the mechanism, to transfer carbon dioxide from a cartridge integrated in the pressure cap to a barrel, in the that carbonic acid is formed with the drink or in the drink. The pressure provided in this way helps to transfer the beverage from the dispensing device arranged in the barrel or possibly correspondingly installable in the barrel, whereby the beverage supplied with new carbon dioxide can be provided for consumption with a fresh bubble. The pressure cap according to the invention with integrated carbon dioxide cartridge is especially advantageous for use in the dispensing of beer because the beer obtains a foam crown and a fresh flavor thanks to the carbon acid produced in situ.

Figure 1 shows the pressure cap according to the invention, which has a spigot 2, better visible in the figure

2. The spigot 2 is connected with a carbon dioxide cartridge 3 through a valve arrangement.

In principle, in this case, a tube is understood to be a tube that is disposed substantially perpendicular to the plane of the device in which the gas bottle is located. The spigot can be fixedly arranged in the pressure cap, and in another embodiment, not shown, the spigot can also be plugged in as a loose component. Also, the spigot is suitable to be introduced into a barrel through an opening provided correspondingly in the barrel. The spigot can correspondingly penetrate to a greater or lesser depth in the barrel, in which it can be embraced, according to the embodiment of the barrel, by a rising pipe connected with a dispensing tap. Of course, in other embodiments the spigot can also, conversely, hermetically surround the riser tube.

In Figure 1 it is clearly seen that the gas cartridge 3, which can be a carbon dioxide cartridge to provide carbon dioxide that reacts with H20 to form carbonic acid, is movable against a mandrel 5 disposed on the inner side of the cap of pressure, by a lever arrangement 4 that is accessible and maneuverable from the outer side of the pressure cap, such that the mandrel opens the cartridge 3. The mandrel 5 is arranged in a skate 6 which is located in a recess and which can be moved thereon against a pusher rod 8. As a consequence of the maneuver of the lever 4, the movable skate 6 is moved against a pusher rod 8 which is applied against a joint element which, in the present case, it is a rubber disk 9. The sealing element is disposed at one end of the pusher rod 8 which is turned towards the mandrel 5. In addition to being made of rubber, it can also consist of another suitable material such as Teflon or plastic. Also, its shape, apart from the disk shape, can also adopt other suitable geometric shapes such as, for example, an annular shape or a cylindrical shape.

The pusher rod 8 is movably mounted on a bearing shell 10 and is in operative connection with a first end of a tilting lever 11. The tilting lever is arranged so that the gas exiting the neck of the punctured cartridge is transferred from a level placed at a higher height, under pressure control, to the level placed at a lower height, in which the spigot is located: To this end, the gas, once the pushing rod 8 has been advanced by the movement of lever of the lever arrangement 4, circulates through the bore 12, which is disposed on the skate along an axis AA extending through the skate, until reaching the first channel 14 which is located in the bridge part 13 The bridge part is arranged so that the first channel 14 and the hole 12 are arranged approximately at right angles to each other. The gas pressure has been reduced considerably at this time due to the corresponding variation in the volumes traveled.

This spatial arrangement of the first channel 14 with respect to the bore 12, which establishes a fluidic communication between a piston 16 and the bore 12, is not forced: The fluidic communication can also be carried out according to another geometric arrangement, preserving the desired pressure reduction.

The piston 16 is applied against a second end of the rocker lever 11 pivotally supported on the pressure cap 1 and whose first end is in contact with the push rod 8, so that, after the rocker lever is tilted 11 as a result of the movement of the pusher rod, the second end of the rocker lever 11 is brought into contact with the piston 16, whereby the space 17 surrounded by the piston 16 enters fluid communication with the spigot 2 through the second channel 18 The gas contained in the space 17 flows through the tap 2 to the container not shown figuratively.

The aforementioned lever 11 is applied to the inner side of the edge 1 '' of the cap 1 'in such a way that the different components of the pressure cap are joined together so that the lever can be tilted; this has a rounding 19, which, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, provides a support on a seating surface 19 'of the edge 1' 'of the cap. Therefore, the 1 '' edge of the cap is stiffened on its outer side by ribs

longitudinal 28. Of course, other models or shapes can also enable a stiffening of the 1 '' edge of the cap. When the rounding 19 of the lever 11 is eccentrically arranged, there is less movement of the pushing rod.

As can be clearly seen in Figures 1 and 2, the push rod 8 according to the invention can have a bulge corresponding to a conjugate recess present in the lever 11.

The second bore 14 is in fluidic contact with the bottom surface of a piston 16, whose bottom surface is conveniently larger than the bottom surface of the pusher rod 8 formed by the rubber disk 9 to cause a corresponding pressure reduction. Therefore, maneuvering the lever 4 causes the mandrel 5 to open an access in the gas cartridge disposed in the pressure cap and that the gas circulating through the bore 12 continues to circulate through the first channel 14, from where it reaches a second channel 18 before it enters the barrel through spigot 2.

In figure 3 it can be seen that the pressure cap 1, which can be a cap 1 'with an edge 1' ', is arranged so that the valve arrangement is fixed in the cap, while the gas cartridge can be held loosely in a recess 26 of the cap 1 'and can be advantageously easily changed. It can be supported on a movable foot support 22 - see Figure 2- which is connected with the lever arrangement 4 through a joint 23. Said cartridge is thus stably and securely mounted for transport.

The described lever arrangement is advantageously arranged on the outer side of the cap 1 ', as shown in Figure 4; The lever can be easily realized by means of a lug 24 embedded in the cap 1 'and suitable for being pressed down. To achieve additional insurance against an involuntary downward pressure, a core 25 located transversely above the lug 24 may be provided. This core may be cut directly into the material of the cap. Advantageously, it is constituted just so that it is broken in case the lug 24 is involuntarily pressed down.

To ensure that, for example, at high ambient temperatures or in other conditions, an overpressure is not established in the barrel or in the boat that turns out to be undesirably high, the bridge part 13, as shown in Figure 1, can have a valve overpressure 27 which may be arranged at one end of the bridge part 13 away from the sealing element. The overpressure valve 27 advantageously opens at an overpressure from 2 bar.

In addition, the pressure cap may have a check valve 20 in the spout 2, as shown in Figure 2.

To easily install the pressure cap on the container or the canister, the edge 1 '' of the cap is constituted so that it can be coupled with the upper edge of the barrel or canister, for example by means of a simple locking device. To this end, the edge 1 '' of the bonnet may have recesses 21 opposite each other that act as springs.

Therefore, the maneuvering of the pressure cap to request with pressure containers containing beverages can be carried out by maneuvering the lever arrangement 4, whereby the gas cartridge is moved against the mandrel 5 which is arranged on a skate 6. The gas enters then in a hole 12 present in the skate. The skate 6, which is located in a recess, is moved against a pusher rod 8, whereby gas enters a first channel 14 present in the bridge part and then in a space 17 surrounded by the piston. A thrust of the pusher rod 8 is thus produced which is mounted on the bearing nipple 10, and the pusher rod 8 is connected with a first end of the rocker lever 11, with which this rocker lever 11 is tilted.

The second end of the rocker lever 11 is brought into contact with the piston 16, whereby the space 17 surrounded by the piston 16 is placed in fluidic communication with the spigot 2 through the second channel 18 and the gas contained in the space 17 enters the vessel through tap 2 with reduced pressure.

List of reference symbols

one

Pressure cap

one'

Coping

one''

Edge of the cap

2

Spigot

3

Carbon dioxide cartridge

4

Lever arrangement

5

Chuck

6

Roller skate

8

Pusher rod

9

Rubber disk

10

Bearing shell

5

eleven

Rocker lever

12

First drill

13

Bridge part

14

First channel

5

16 Piston

17

Space

18

Second channel

19

Rounding

19 ’

Seating surface

10

twenty Retention valve

twenty-one

Sale

22

Foot support

2. 3

Joint

24

Ear

fifteen

25 soul

26

Gas cartridge recess

27

Overpressure valve

28

Nerves

Claims (13)

1. Pressure cap (1) which is suitable to be seated on containers containing beverages to request them with pressure, comprising the pressure cap (1):

-

a tap (2) that is in operative connection with a gas cartridge through a valve arrangement,

characterized because

-

The gas cartridge is a carbon dioxide cartridge (3) or an oxygen cartridge and is movably disposed against a mandrel (5) by means of a lever arrangement (4), - the mandrel (5) is arranged on a skate (6) that is located in a recess in a displaceable manner against a

pusher rod (8), -a sealing element is disposed at one end of the pusher rod (8) turned towards the mandrel (5), -the pusher rod (8) is movably mounted on a bearing sleeve (10) and is in union operating with a first end of a rocker lever (11), -the skate (6) has a bore (12) along an axis (AA) extending through the skate, -a part of the bridge (13) with a first channel (14) it provides fluid communication between a piston (16) and the bore (12), - the piston (16) is applied against a second end of the rocker lever (11) tilted in a pivotal manner on the pressure cap (1), wherein a space (17) surrounded by the piston (16) is in fluidic communication with the spigot (2) through a second channel (18). 2. Pressure cap (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure cap (1) has a cap (1 ') with an edge (1' '), especially with an edge (1' ') of the cap which is designed to engage with the upper edge of the barrel or canister, and the valve arrangement is fixed on the bonnet (1 ') and the lever arrangement (4) is disposed on an outer side of the bonnet (1'), and at least the gas cartridge is detachably secured in a recess (26) of the cap (1 ').

3.

 Pressure cap (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bottom surface of the piston (16) is larger than a bottom surface of the pusher rod (8) provided by the sealing element, the sealing element being configured disk-shaped, ring-shaped or cylinder-shaped and made of rubber, Teflon, an elastic plastic or other suitable material.

Four.

 Pressure cap (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bridge part (13) has an overpressure valve (27), especially an overpressure valve (27) that opens to an overpressure from 2 bars

5.

Pressure cap (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the overpressure valve (27) is arranged at one end of the bridge part (13) that is away from the sealing element.

6.

 Pressure cap (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container is a barrel or a canister, preferably with a capacity of up to 10 l and more preferably with a capacity of up to 5 l.

7.

Pressure cap (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims 2 to 6, characterized in that a rounding (19) of the rocker lever (11) provides a support on a seating surface (19 ') of the edge (1' ' ) of the cap, especially an eccentric configuration support.

8.

 Pressure cap (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a check valve (20) is arranged in the tap (2).

9.

 Pressure cap (1) according to at least one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the edge (1 '') of the cap has recesses (21) opposite each other that act as springs.

10.

Pressure cap (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas cartridge is supported on a movable foot support (22) that is connected with the lever arrangement

(4) through a joint (23).

eleven.

 Pressure cap (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the lever arrangement (4) has a lug (24) embedded in the cap (1 '), especially a lug (24) which is covered at least in part by a core (25) that is suitable for breaking when maneuvering the lever

tilting (11).

12.

 Pressure cap (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spigot

(2) It is suitable for being hugged by a riser that is connected with a dispensing tap. 13. Procedure to request pressure vessels containing drinks using a pressure cap 5 (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 12, wherein a spigot (2) is in operative connection with a gas cartridge through a valve arrangement, the method of which comprises the following:

-

maneuvering of the valve arrangement (4) and with it - moving the gas cartridge against a mandrel (5) that is arranged in a skate (6), gas entering a hole (12) present in the skate (6),

10-displacement of the skate (6), which is located in a recess, against a pusher rod (8), whereby gas enters a channel (14) present in the bridge part (13) and then in a space ( 17) surrounded by the piston (16), and with it - displacement of the pusher rod (8), which is mounted on a bearing shell (10), and with it - establishment of an operative union of the pusher rod (8) with a first end of the lever 15 tilting (11) and tilting of the tilting lever (11), which is tilted against the pressure cap (1), whereby a second end of the tilting lever (11) is brought into contact with the piston (16), wherein the space (17) surrounded by the piston (16) is placed in fluidic communication with the spigot (2) through the second channel (18) and the gas contained in the space (17) enters the container through the spigot (2).