GB2446396A

GB2446396A - Valve assembly for a beer keg

Info

Publication number: GB2446396A
Application number: GB0702679A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Albert Wauters; Iain Mcderment
Original assignee: Anheuser Busch InBev SA
Current assignee: Anheuser Busch InBev SA
Priority date: 2007-02-12
Filing date: 2007-02-12
Publication date: 2008-08-13
Also published as: GB0702679D0; CN101610970A; CN101610970B; UA96619C2

Abstract

A valve assembly comprises a housing 10 and a supporting base 6, which supports spring means 7, the spring means acts against a first fluid valve (beer valve) channel closing member 8 into an abutting relationship with a beer valve channel seating surface 9a. This relationship collaterally acts on an annular elastomeric diaphragm assembly 9 which is engaged to cooperatively extend in beverage and gas flow channel segregating relation, the diaphragm having a closing surface 9b, which engages a second valve (gas valve) channel seating surface 10a of the housing.

Description

"Beer Valve with Elastomeric Diaphragm"

Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to beer keg valves, adapted to concurrently pass valve segregated streams, (i.e. during dispense operation), of pressurizing gas and beer.

Background of the Invention:

There are at least two basic types of keg system in use for so-called draught beer dispense: and these are generally referred to as open" and "closed" systems based on the number of openings that extend through the keg walls into its interior.

The Hoff-Stevens keg is an open keg system -and is alternatively known as a "two-probe" keg -having a valve protruding from the top of the keg, in addition to the bunghole located on the keg's side wall.

Another, virtually extinct open keg system is the Golden Gate keg.

Unlike the open-keg system, closed keg systems can be accessed only through the valve housing -and lack a sidewall bung opening. This system in the more modern of the two, and the single-valve keg (SVK or Sankey keg) is a widely known example.

The SVK keg, evolved in the United Kingdom in the late 1950's, driven by the need for a more microbiologically secure draught packaging system, particularly when faced with prospects of long haul distribution -as for example, in the case of export to Asia.

To date, the SVK has not reached it's full potential in the USA, due to the connotation relating to non-pasteurized draught (draft) beer and the convenience of disposable packaging. However, when the first SVK's, automated machines and flash pasteurization systems were used together in the early 1960's in the U.K., the concept spread rapidly throughout Europe and the rest of the world as the draught package of choice. In many parts of Europe SVK's still hold more than 70% volume per volume (v/v) of the market share.

The SVK keg is associated with the following benefits: 1. High standards of product stability and control.

2. High in-plant efficiencies.

3. Reduced packaging and operating costs.

4. Improved market image and acceptance.

5. Significant reduction in trade complaints related to product and cooperage.

6. An environmentally acceptable returnable and re-useable package.

Closed keg systems typically employ a concentric valve housing located in the center of the keg end wall, and these are designed for easy cleaning and filling by automated systems. The S-type variant of such a valve arrangement consists of a single stainless steel rod housing that is usually permanently installed into the tope center of the keg's end wall and sealed with a spring-loaded check valve. Other concentric valve types for use in closed system kegs are known as: U-type, A-type and G-type valve assemblies.

US patent 3,939,860 -February 24, 1976, relates to closure units for containers, and more particularly to those which may be suitable for use with beer containers especially in for, example, closed-system draught beer kegs.

The 860 patent discloses a closure unit for engaging in an opening in a beer keg and which comprises: * a base assembly having first and second opposite ends and being adapted to be received in the opening, a down-tube having an end portion within the assembly and projecting from said first end of the assembly; * whereby the down-tube interior provides an inner passage isolated from an outer passage that is formed between the end portion and the assembly; and * inner and outer concentric valve members assncited with the inner and outer passages respectively, with the valve members: o being normally spring biased to close said passages, o being engageable from the second end of the assembly by a suitable racking or dispensing head, whereby the valve members can be moved to open the passages thus permitting the connection of the passages to separate external conduits.

In particular, however, the 860 patent discloses a closure unit construction which is at least partially made of plastics material.

The base assembly in particular, comprises a component of plastics material having a collar adjacent to said second end of the assembly and a plurality of legs projecting from the collar to said first end of the assembly. With the base assembly made of resilient plastics material, the reaction ring can be sprung into position during assembly of the closure unit and the legs are secured against springing apart in the assembled closure by means of the outer ring. In this way, the reaction ring engaged within the legs adjacent to said first end and surrounding the down-tube, the with the ring forming a reaction member for the spring means acting on the outer valve member and having abutment means which are forced by the spring means into engagement with oppositely facing abutment means on the legs.

* Preferably the reaction ring is also made of plastics material.

* Preferably the down-tube is made of plastics material.

* Lastly, both the spider and the inner and outer valve members are preferably formed from plastics material.

Note too, however, that in a preferred construction of the subject matter taught by the 860 patent, the collar is surrounded by a metal sleeve which is externally screw-threaded so as to enable the closure unit to be threadably engaged in an internally threaded neck on the container. In an alternative construction the collar itself may be externally threaded so as to engage directly in the neck.

US patent 4,665,940 -dated May 19, 1987, discloses another concentric valve assembly. This invention relates generally to a container fitting and, more particularly, to a fitting for a container adapted to hold a beverage such as draft beer, of the same general type as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,336. The 336 patented fitting is used with a beer keg and includes two valve members which are adapted to be opened when the probe of a tapping device is inserted into the fitting.

Gas for pressurizing the beer flows into the keg past one of the open valve members while beer is dispensed out of the keg past the other open valve member. The valve members are urged to closed positions by two coil springs which are compressed within the fitting.

The 940 patent differs from that set out in the 336 patent, in that the 940 fitting includes comparatively inexpensive elastomeric members that serve to both hold certain components of the fitting together; and, at the same time, serve as springs to urge the valve members to their closed positions.

There is a continuing need for inexpensive, light-weight and preferable ultimately disposable (although recyclable) valves that can, inter alia, be useful in beverage containers -and especially beer kegs.

Summary of the Invention:

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a valve assembly comprising a valve assembly housing which is adapted to be engage a valve supporting base to cooperatively enclose valve means.

In a particular embodiment the assembly comprises an enclosed annular elastomeric diaphragm assembly which is engacied to cooperatively extend in channel segregating relation between first and second fluid flows -and allows for a simplified flow management between respective co-operational first and second fluid channel valves arranged in that valve assembly.

In an especially useful application of the present invention, the valve assembly can be employed in beverage packaging applications.

For example, in a particularly useful application in beer kegs, the assembly further comprises a beer valve and a gas valve, both located therein. The supporting base is adapted, (in a dispensing operational mode), for channeling beer flow there through and gas flow externally thereof. The supporting base supports spring means therein in a manner adapted to act against a beer valve channel closing member. The supported spring thereby biases the beer valve channel closing member into normally closed abutting relation against a beer valve channel seating surface. The abutted relationship of these members then collaterally acts on an annular elastomeric diaphragm assembly such that a gas valve channel closing surface thereof is consequently adapted to engage in normally closed relation (at least partially as a response to the spring means biased forces acting against said closing member), against a gas valve channel seating surface of valve assembly housing. In this way, the annular elastomeric diaphragm assembly is engaged to cooperatively extend in beer and gas flow channel segregating relation, from a surface of said valve assembly housing along an edge of said diaphragm.

The present invention lends itself to light weight manufacture, particularly when the component elements of the assembly (excepting the elastomeric diaphragm) are formed from structural plastics materials.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, this may even include the spring, if desired). In addition, the elastomeric diaphragm exerts resilient spring action in various ways in the various embodiments of the present invention, and for example, in this way replaces the second spring that is currently used in typical commercial S-type valves.

The structure of the present invention has a reduced number of component parts and is readily adapted to permit larger fluid flows which can variously facilitate filling and clearing operational modes.

While in a preferred form of the present invention, the valve assembly is an S-type valve, the present invention also extends to other types of similar valve types, as will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts.

Introduction to the Drawings:

Figure 1 of the appended drawings illustrates an S-type valve according the present invention, depicting the valve located in mounted relation in a partially cut-away keg body, and preferably a polymeric keg body; and Figure 2 of the appended drawings, illustrates the valve according to the present invention, with the valve assembly of Figure 1 aligned above the opening into the keg body; and Figure 3 of the appended drawing is an exploded perspective view of the S-type valve shown in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4, is a cross-sectional view of the S-type valve assembly illustrated in the preceding figures and showing the structural relationship of the various components of the valve; and, Figure 5, is a perspective sectional view of an A-type valve assembly with a diaphragm according to the present invention; and, Figure 6 is a perspective sectional view of a G-type valve assembly according to the present invention; and, Figure 7 is a perspective sectional view of a U-type valve assembly according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Present Invention:

Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings depict the general relationship between Valve assembly VA (having a spear S depending therefrom), and a neck N in a beverage keg K. Referring now more particularly to Figure 4 of the drawings, but also generally to the balance of the drawings, (variously depicting, as the case may be, the S-type valves of Figures 1 though 4, and examples of alternative valve-types according to the present invention as variously illustrated in Figures 5 through 7), there is provided a valve assembly VA comprising a valve assembly housing 10 adapted to be engage a valve supporting base 6 to cooperatively enclose valve means comprising a beer valve and a gas valve therein.

The said supporting base 6 is adapted, (in a dispensing operational mode), for channeling beer flow there through and gas flow externally thereof.

Supporting base 6 supports spring means 7 therein in a manner adapted to act against a beer valve channel closing member 8, thus biasing said member 8 into normally closed abutting relation against a beer valve channel seating surface 9a. This relationship then collaterally acts on an annular elastomeric diaphragm assembly 9 such that a gas valve channel closing surface 9b thereof is consequently adapted to engage in normally closed relation against a gas valve channel seating surface 1 Oa of valve assembly housing 10. This result is at least partially as a response to the spring means biased forces acting against said closing member 8.

Hytrel is a trade mark of a preferred elastomeric material useful in the present invention. The spring means is stainless steel and the balance of the valve spear is PET and or PEN plastics.

The annular elastomeric diaphragm assembly 9 is engaged to cooperatively extend in beer and gas flow channel segregating relation, from a surface 10 b of said valve assembly housing 10 along an edge 9c of said diaphragm 9. In the embodiment illustrated in.Figure 4, this engagement is the result of a peripheral edge of assembly 9 being trapped between adjacent overlapping portions of the housing 10 and the supporting base 6.

In the preferred fort invention the valve is an S-type valve adapted to engage a complementary S-type filing head 68 mm outside diameter.

The valve is adapted to be received and secured in a standard keg neck having 66 mm internal diameter.

In known manner, the valve of the present invention is operable for filling, racking and cleaning operations related to the keg packaging.

Claims

Claims: 1. A valve assembly comprising a valve assembly housing adapted

to be engage a valve supporting base to cooperatively enclose valve means comprising a first fluid valve (beer valve) and a second fluid valve (gas valve) therein; and wherein said supporting base is adapted, (in a dispensing operational mode), for channeling first fluid (beer) flow there through and second fluid (gas) flow externally thereof, and supports spring means therein in a manner adapted to act against a first fluid (beer) valve channel closing member, biasing said member into normally closed abutting relation against a first fluid (beer) valve channel seating surface, and collaterally acting on an annular elastomeric diaphragm assembly such that a gas valve channel closing surface thereof is consequently adapted to engage in normally closed relation (at least partially as a response to the spring means biased forces acting against said closing member), against a second fluid (gas) valve channel seating surface of valve assembly housing, and wherein said annular elastomeric diaphragm assembly is engaged to cooperatively extend in first fluid and second fluid flow channel segregating relation, from a surface of said valve assembly housing along an edge of said diaphragm.
2. The valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first fluid is a beverage.
3. The valve assembly according to claim 2 wherein said beverage is a carbonated beverage.
4. The valve assembly according to claim 3 wherein said carbonated beverage is beer.
5. The valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein aid second fluid is a dispensing gas.
6. The valve assembly according to claim 5 wherein said dispensing gas is selected from one of the group consisting of air or carbon dioxide or nitrogen or mixtures thereof. -10-
7. The valve assembly according to claim 1, in combination with a fluid enclosing container.
8. The valve assembly combination according to claim 7, wherein said fluid enclosing container is a beverage keg.
9. The valve assembly combination according to claim 8, wherein said beverage keg is a beer keg.
10. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein elements thereof are comprised of plastics material.