GB2200170A

GB2200170A - Drink dispensing

Info

Publication number: GB2200170A
Application number: GB08728544A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joseph Henry Sparkes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-12-06
Filing date: 1987-12-07
Publication date: 1988-07-27
Anticipated expiration: 2007-12-07
Also published as: GB2200170B; GB8728544D0

Abstract

A drink dispenser (1), particularly for carbonated drinks, comprises a keg (2) with a top inlet aperture (3) sealed by a cap (4) and a lower outlet (5) fitted with a tap (6). The cap supports a flexible sack (11) within the keg (2) which communicates through a tube (8) with a hand pump (7) supported on the cap. When drink (15) is withdrawn from the keg through the outlet, air may be pumped into the sack to expand it so as to maintain the pressure in the keg above atmospheric pressure both to enable further drink to be withdrawn and to ensure that carbon dioxide remains dissolved in the drink during storage and is not released until the drink is withdrawn for consumption. In an alternative dispenser the flexible sack (ii) is replaced by a rigid annular diaphram (Fig. 2). <IMAGE>

Description

DRINK DISPENSE DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to drink dispensers for drinks which should preferably be kept sealed from the atmosphere, and to a method for dispensing such drinks.

It is well known that some beverages oxidise or otherwise become tainted if exposed to the atmosphere.

They are therefore often marketed or stored in sealed containers, such as cans or bottles with screw tops of a size which is sufficiently small for all the contents to be used quickly after opening. This practice is clearly uneconomic not only in terms of the cost of the packaging itself, but also in terms of transportation and storage. Also the product is supplied in very specific measures which do not necessarily meet the exact requirements of the user.

The object of the present invention is to provide a drink dispenser which enables relatively large quantities of beverage te be stored in such a manner that small quantities can be withdrawn at will without exposing the remainder to the atmosphere.

Accordingly, the invention provides, in one aspect, a drink dispenser comprising a substantially-rigid container defining a drink compartment having a dispensing outlet and an expansible chamber sealed from drink in the compartment and arranged for expansion to fill space previously occupied by the drink as the drink is dispensed through the outlet. With this arrangement, the drink compartment may be kept sealed from the atmosphere so that the quality of remaining drink is maintained when some of it has been drawn off, but the partial vacuum which would be created in a rigid, sealed container by this withdrawal is avoided by the expansion of the expansible chamber within the container.

A further aspect of the invention provides a method of storing and dispensing drink comprising providing a drink dispenser as defined above and supplying a quantity of drink to the drink compartment of the dispenser, assembling the dispenser so as to ensure that the expansible chamber is sealed from the drink, and dispensing drink through the outlet and expanding the expansible chamber to occupy space in the container previously occupied by drink.

The expansion of the expansible chamber preferably occurs with introduction of a fluid into the chamber through an inlet; this may occur naturally or may be forced. For example, the chamber may be open to the atmosphere and the walls or a wall of the chamber may deform or move as the drink is withdrawn to allow the inflow of air into the chamber. Alternatively, a wall may be moved or deformed forcibly, by a piston or lever system, to expel drink from the container and allow air to flow into the chamber or fluid may be pumped into the chamber to expand it, either to expel the drink or subsequently. Even in the case of a pumped fluid, which may be liquid or gas, the gas is, conveniently, air.

It will be appreciated that, although the expansible chamber may be open to the atmosphere, the drink itself is preferably kept in an air-tight part of the container. The outlet is preferably provided with an on/off valve which in large-scale, industrial equipment may be electronically-controlled and connected to a pump but in domestic apparatus would normally comprise a tap. The container may have a sealable inlet to the drink compartment separate from the fluid inlet to the expansible chamber or other arrangements may be made for filling the container with the beverage.

As mentioned above, to enable the expansible chamber to expand, a wall of the chamber may be movable or deformable. The container may, for example, be of uniform cross-section and divided into a drink compartment and an expansible chamber by a rigid partition slidable longitudinally of the container in sealing contact with the container wall. Preferably the partition is arranged to slide vertically on top of the drink which is housed and withdrawn from beneath it. Alternatively the container may be partitioned by a flexible diaphragm sealed around its periphery to the container wall or clamped between two parts of the container.Such a diaphragm may be arranged to deform into contact with one end of the container to allow almost the entire container te be filled with drink and will gradually collapse and eventually flex into contact with the opposite end of the container as the drink is withdrawn.

A further alternative is to provide a flexible partition in the form of an inflatable sack or balloon.

This may be housed permanently within the container or may be removable and may be connected to an inlet in the container wall, separate from the inlet for the drink, for its inflation. Alternatively, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sack or balloon is supported by a lid of the container so as to be removable therewith and the lid also contains the inlet to the inflatable sack; the inlet may be provided with a simple stopper or an on/off valve for connection to a pump.

Although the container of the invention is usable for still drinks, it is of particular utility for the storage of carbonated drinks which it is preferable to store at a pressure above atmospheric to prevent the carbon dioxide coming out of solution and the drink going "flat.

A particular application of this aspect of the invention is in the home-brewing market which is rapidly expanding as more and more people tend to stay at home to drink rather than going out. In this situation home-brewed products are more readily acceptable by drinkers of draught beers than canned and bottled products and are also cheaper.

The fermentation process in home brewing is straight-forward and is carried out in a fermenting vessel but at a critical stage, when fermentation has ceased, the brew must be transferred into airtight storage vessels (either bottles or a keg) which must be capable of withstanding pressure caused by secondary fermentation.

Individual bottles are often used to keep down initial costs and to ensure that, following the secondary fermentation, the brew is subjected to pressure which prevents the release of carbon dioxide until the bottle is opened for consumption. A small quantity of sparkling beer may thus be consumed at any one time without deterioration of the whole brew. The undesirable aspects of this method are: the storage of many bottles, each of which must be washed and sterilized for each brewing; the need to add a precise amount of sugar to each bottle prior to the introduction of the brew by syphon; the need to carry out the process at a specific point in the beer-making process which, for such a lengthy and often messy procedure, can be inconvenient.

The alternative is to dispense the entire brew into a single keg. This is simpler and, when secondary fermentation has ceased, the keg keeps the brew under pressure so that when the contents are drawn off from a tap the brew is initially of the same quality as that in a bottle. A point is reached, however, when the brew will not flow freely indicating that the pressure above the brew has dropped to atmospheric pressure or below. This situation will have caused some deterioration in the quality of the brew as carbon dioxide will have been released from it leaving it somewhat flat.

To enable the brew te flow freely again it is necessary to release the cap of the keg to allow air into the keg, but this results in oxidation of the brew and also infection by air-borne bacteria and, after a short period of time, the brew can become undrinkable. A method widely used to combat this effect is the injection of carbon dioxide into the keg from a highly pressurised container to re-create the pressure above the brew and hence allow the brew to discharge freely again from the tap, free from bacteria and oxidation.

Disadvantages of this method are the loss of carbon dioxide from the brew before the need to introduce carbon dioxide becomes apparent and the expense of the carbon dioxide itself and the equipment for supplying it. There are also dangers from the use of pressurised gas cylinders.

It will be appreciated that, if a container according to the invention is used for the secondary fermentation, the partition separating the beer from the expansible chamber may be arranged to exert the required pressure on the beer to keep the carbon dioxide in solution even after some of the beer has been withdrawn. The quality of the beer in the keg can thus be maintained over long periods.

In order for the required pressure to be exerted on the drink, the expansible chamber may itself be pressurised by the introduction of gas under pressure but, in the apparatus of the invention, the gas used may be air rather than carbon dioxide, thus reducing expense and obviating the need for potentially hazardous, pressurised carbon dioxide cylinders. Alternatively, if the container includes a rigid partition, this may exert a force on the drink by other means such as its own weight or the provision of resilient biasing means.

In simple apparatus for home use, a manually-operable pump may be used to supply air to the expansible chamber. The container may have an inlet valve in its wall or in its lid for connection to a separate pump or a pump may be mounted on the container or lid. A motorised pump may, alternatively, be provided, particularly for use in bars or in industrial applications. Pumps supplying pressures of the order of 6000 to 10000 N.m (4-15 p.s.i.) are suitable.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a drink dispenser according to a first embodiment of the invention part cut-away in axial section; and Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 of a drink dispenser according to a second embodiment of the invention; With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, a drink dispenser is shown generally indicated 1 and is suitable for storage of home-brewed beer both during its secondary fermentation stage and subsequently.

The dispenser 1 comprises a substantially rigid walled container in the form of a keg 2 with a top inlet opening 3 closable by a cap 4 and an outlet pipe 5 near the bottom which is fitted with an on/off tap 6. The cap 4 can form an air-tight seal with the neck 3A of the keg defining the inlet opening 3.

The cap 4 has a central aperture which communicates with a hand pump 7 fixed to the top, or outer, surface of the cap, and with a tube 8 which extends from the under side of the cap, vertically-downwardly into the keg 2, in its normal position of use shown in the drawing.

The tube 8 carries a shroud 9 substantially at the level of the bottom of the neck 3A, the shroud comprising an annular plate which almost closes the neck 3A and has a slight downward convexity to match the curvature of the adjacent wall of the keg 1 so as to provide a smooth, almost unbroken surface with the interior of the keg 2.

Just beneath the shroud 9, the tube carries an annular boss 10 to the top of which is sealed the neck of a flexible, plastics sack 11, the sack being freely dependent from the boss 10 around the lower part of the tube 8. The lower end of the tube 8 is sealed by a part-spherical member 12, of slightly larger diameter than the tube 8, which protects the membrane of the sack 11 from the tube and, together with the boss 10, helps to keep the sack 11 partially distended. The interior of the sack 11, however, communicates with the interior or the tube 8 through apertures 13, spaced apart longitudinally in the tube wall, and hence communicates with the pump 7 by which the sack 11 can be inflated.

The cap 4 also carries a pressure gauge and one-way flow vent valve generally indicated 14 for determining the pressure in the keg 2 and for venting gas from the neck 39. of the keg if the pressure exceeds a predetermined safety value.

In use of the keg 2, the cap 4 with the pump 7, the tube 8 and the sack 11 are removed and the keg is filled with the desired brew, indicated 15, nearly to the level of the neck 3A. The brew 15 is charged for the secondary fermentation and the cap 4 reapplied so as to ensure an air-tight seal with the neck 3A, the tube 8 with the sack 11 being inserted into the keg 2 with the sack in a deflated condition as shown in the left hand side of the drawing.

It will be appreciated that a small amount of air, indicated 16, may be trapped above the surface of the brew but this has little, if any, affect an the final quality of the beer. However, this air may optionally be removed or withdrawn if desired.

The keg 2 is then left for the requisite time for secondary fermentation to occur. In this fermentation carbon dioxide is produced; some is released into the space above the brew, increases the pressure within the keg and ensures that the remaining carbon dioxide produced remains dissolved in the brew 15.

When fermentation is complete, beer may be drawn from the keg 2 through the tap 6 and the outlet pipe 5 for consumption. This increases the air space 16 above the beer in the keg and reduces the pressure and, were this situation allowed to continue, carbon dioxide would be evolved from the beer and, after a number of withdrawals over a period of time, the remaining beer would be "flat".

This situation is avoided with the keg of Figure 1 by the pumping of air into the sack 11 through the tube 8 and the apertures 13 by means of the hand pump 7. This inflates the sack so that it takes up space previously occupied by beer, as shown in the right-hand side of Figure 1. The volume of air and carbon dioxide 16 in the top of the keg 2 may thus be kept small and its pressure kept substantially constant so that the sparkling quality of the beer may be maintained to the last drop.

The hand pump 7 may be operated after each withdrawal of beer. Alternatively it may be operated only when the pressure gauge 14 indicates that the pressure in the keg 2 has fallen to a predetermined value, in order to avoid overpressurising the keg 2.

With reference now to Figure 2 of the drawings, a second embodiment of the invention is shown in which features similar to those of the keg of Figure 1 are shown indicated by the same reference numerals increased by 100 and are not described in detail.

In this embodiment, the keg 102 of the dispenser 101 is generally cylindrical, is arranged to stand with its axis vertical, and is completely open at the top 103 rather than narrowing to neck 3A as in the previous embodiment. The cap, or lid 104, can seal the upper opening 103 and carries a gauge and vent valve 114 similar to that of Figure 1.

The tube 108 and pump 107 are not in this case fixed to the lid 104. Instead the tube 108 projects upwardly from the base of the keg 102 and is a close fit in a central aperture in the lid 104 but sealing is achieved by the screwing of the hand pump 107 onto external threading (not shown) on the upper end of the tube 108 so that the pump seats tightly against the lid 104 and also compresses this against the top of the keg 102.

Apertures 113 are provided in the tube 108 but only at its upper end, just beneath the lid 104 when the dispenser 101 is assembled.

In this embodiment, the shroud 9 is also omitted and the sack 11 is replaced by a rigid annular diaphragm 118 which is slidable on the tube 108 vertically within the keg 102, being in sealing contact with the tube 108 and the cylindrical wall of the keg 102. The diaphragm 118 includes a one-way flow vent valve 119 for venting gas from beneath the diaphragm to the space above it.

In use of the keg of Figure 2, the pump 107, the lid 104 and the diaphragm 118 are first removed to allow the keg 102 to be filled with the brew for secondary fermentation. The diaphragm 118 is then fitted onto the tube 108 so that it rests on the surface of the liquid 115 and any air trapped beneath it is vented through a valve 119 into a space 120 left in the uppermost part of the keg 102. The lid 104 is then applied and the pump 107 screwed onto the tube 108 and tightened to seal the space 120.

Once fermentation has ceased, beer may be withdrawn through the tap 106 and the pipe 105 and air may be pumped directly into the space 120 through the tube 108 and apertures 113 which communicate with this space.

The increase in pressure in the space 120 forces the diaphragm 118 downwards and expands this space such that the space 120 and the diaphragm 118 serve the same purpose as the sack 11 of the keg 2 of Figure 1.

Although the kegs 2 and 102 have been shown fitted with hand pumps 7, 107 respectively, motor-driven compressors, electric pumps or other pump means could be employed. These could be mounted on the keg 2 or 102 or could be separate and releasably connected through piping and valves, as appropriate, to the tube 8 or 108 respectively. In this case the lid 104 may itself screw onto the tube 108 or other sealing means may be provided between the lid 104 and the tube 108.

Claims

1. A drink dispenser comprising a substantially-rigid container defining a drink compartment having a dispensing outlet and an expansible chamber sealed from drink in the compartment and arranged for expansion to fill space previously occupied by the drink as the drink is dispensed through the outlet.

2. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, having inlet means for admitting fluid to the expansible chamber to expand it.

3. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, in which the container has a closable aperture for the supply of drink to the drink compartment and the fluid inlet means include or comprise an inlet opening in the closure for the aperture.

4. A drink dispenser as claimed In Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the inlet means include a pump connected to an inlet opening to the expansible chamber for supplying air to the chamber.

5. A drink dispenser as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the container has a substantially uniform cross-section and is divided internally into the drink compartment and the expansible chamber by a substantially rigid partition slidable longitudinally of the container in sealing contact with its peripheral wall.

6. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim.5, in which the partition is slidable vertically in the container and the container has an upper inlet through which the partition is removable to allow filling of the container with drink.

7. A drink dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the drawings.

7. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, in which the partition includes vent means for venting the drink compartment of gas.

8. A drink dispenser as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the expansible chamber 5 is separated from the drink compartment by a flexible or resiliently -flexible membrane.

9. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim 8, in which the membrane is in the form of an inflatable sack or balloon.

10. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim 9, as dependent on Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the membrane is supported by the closure for the container such that it can be inserted in the container when the closure is applied.

11. A drink dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the drawings.

12. A method of storing and dispensing drink comprising providing a drink dispenser as claimed in Claim I, supplying a quantity of drink to the drink compartment of the dispenser, assembling the dispenser so as to ensure that the expansible chamber is sealed from the drink, and dispensing drink through the outlet and expanding the expansible chamber to occupy space in the container previously occupied by drink.

13. A method as claimed in Claim 12, for storing and dispensing a drink containing dissolved gas at a pressure higher than the ambient pressure, in which, when drink is dispensed from the outlet, pressurised fluid is supplied to the expansible chamber to expand it and to pressurise the remaining drink in the container to maintain the gas in solution.

14. A method of storing and dispensing drink substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed since search CLAIMS 1. A drink dispenser comprising a substantially-rigid container defining a drink compartment having a dispensing outlet and an upper inlet for the drink sealed by a removable lid, the lid having an aperture connectible to a pump and an inlet tube sealed to the aperture and projecting into the container so as to terminate in a lower region thereof, the tube having at least one opening in its peripheral wall which communicates with an expansible chamber sealed from drink in the compartment such that, in use, as drink is dispensed from the outlet, fluid can be pumped into the expansible chamber through the inlet tube to expand the chamber to fill space previously occupied by the drink.

2. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, in which the expansible chamber is defined by a flexible or resiliently-flexible sack or balloon which is sealed to the lid or to an upper part of the inlet tube so as to surround at least a major portion of the inlet tube; and the inlet tube has a plurality of longitudinallyspaced openings for the supply of fluid to the sack or balloon to expand it, the sack or balloon being insertible in the container through the inlet in its deflated condition when the lid is applied, and the tube being arranged to force the sack or balloon into the drink in the drink compartment to prevent its floating on the surface.

3. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, in which the container has a substantially uniform cross-section and is divided internally into the drink compartment and the expansible chamber by a substantially-rigid annular partition which is. sealingly slidable on the inlet tube vertically of the container with its outer periphery in sealing contact with the peripheral wall of the container, the tube extending the full height of the container and being fixed at its lower end to the base thereof and having the at least one opening to the expansion chamber in its upper portion, above the partition.

4. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim 3, in which the lid and the partition are releasably engaged with the inlet tube.

5. A drink dispenser as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the partition includes vent means for venting the drink compartment of gas.

6. A drink dispenser as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, including a pump connected to the aperture in the lid for supplying air to the expansible chamber.