GB2586472A

GB2586472A - A bung device

Info

Publication number: GB2586472A
Application number: GB1911876.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Reynold John Burden David
Original assignee: Claire Margaret Burden
Current assignee: Claire Margaret Burden
Priority date: 2019-08-19
Filing date: 2019-08-19
Publication date: 2021-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 2039-08-19
Also published as: GB201911876D0; GB2586472B

Abstract

The invention is a bung 99 for a cask (fig 6 30). The bung comprises a body 59, a fluidic pathway through the body which may be longitudinal from top to bottom (fig 7), at least one displaceable top seal 36 and an expandable fluid container 64 attached to the base of the pathway. The bung may more specifically be suitable for a beer cask. The top seal 36 may be a tut seal and may also comprise a second bottom seal 66. The longitudinal channel may in addition have a side entrance 60 that communicates with the inside of the keg (fig 7). Inside this channel a further one-way valve may be present 26, which may comprise a sprung ball mechanism 62.

Description

A BUNG DEVICE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bung device, in particular a bung device for a cask; more particularly a bung device for a carbonated or carbonating fluid cask.

Background

Increasing interest in real ales and craft beers is a feature common to many societies.

The means of storing and using such fluids has been unchanged for centuries. After the cask is brought to the serving location a cellar man user determines that the beer has dropped bright -which means the finings have clotted yeast cells and other organic matter and dragged them to the bottom of the cask, where they have settled and formed a jelly-like mass of sediment -and is about ready for serving. The user then knocks a soft spile into a shive, or bung, which is located on the side of the cask. The soft spile -sometimes called a peg -is made of porous material that allows air to pass through it, thus allowing the cask to breathe.

When the beer has reached the desired clarity and carbonation level, the user replaces the soft spile with a hard spile, which prevents gases escaping from or entering the cask.

The hard peg is then replaced by a soft peg during periods when the beer is being dispensed, to allow air to enter the cask and replace the volume left by the beer which has left the cask.

Frequently poor beer is served as a result of poorly managed in the cellar, or just beyond its 2-3 day shelf life.

Prior Art

WO 201 328 144 (MAIOCCO) discloses a bladder system for reducing a head space in a container of a beverage, the bladder system comprising: an inflation stem connected to a barrel bladder, the barrel bladder inflatable by filling with an inflation gas; the inflation stem inserted into a bung opening of the wooden container, the bung opening located proximate to an upper container surface of the wooden container; an inflation stem housing; the inflation stem received into the inflation stem housing, the inflation stem housing including a bung anchor, the bung anchor inserted into the bung opening of the wooden container, to seal the bung opening; with a liquid level sensor mounted within the inflation stem housing.

The level sensor senses a head height within the container, and sends a fill signal to a gas valve, when the head height is greater than a predetermined fill value; a gas valve opened when the fill signal is received from the liquid level sensor; and the barrel bladder inflated by a pressurized feed of the inflation gas routed through the gas valve, to reduce the head height within the wooden container.

GB 2 328 205 (BALDWIN et al) discloses apparatus for keeping liquids fresh, the apparatus comprising a closure element for use with an existing container, the closure element having a vent aperture and a flow aperture, said vent and flow apertures having closure members associated with them, the vent aperture being arranged to selectively allow air to be admitted directly to the interior of the existing container during a first procedure and the flow aperture being arranged during a second procedure in which liquid is dispensed from the existing container to allow gas from the exterior of the container to be admitted into a bag which, in use, is provided inside the container and which, during the second procedure is arranged to expand to fill a gap in the container left by the dispensed liquid.

GB 857 786 (POWER) discloses a cask or other container for wine or other beverages provided with a flexible collapsible bag of substantially similar shape and size to the interior of the cask, the bag being inserted in the cask and having a mouth protruding through a bung hole in which it is secured by a bung with a vent hole in it, so that during filling and emptying of the cask with liquid the bag freely exhales and inhales air, respectively, and so that during dispensing of the liquid contents of the cask deleterious contact of air with the contents is avoided.

The present invention arose in order to overcome problems suffered by existing 35 devices.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a bung device for a cask, comprising a body, a fluidic pathway through the body, at least one displaceable 5 seal, and an expandable fluid container.

In this way the device may be utilised with a cask such as a beer or ale cask. In particular in some embodiments it may be envisaged that a user need not even know the cask comprises the bung device of the present invention. They should be able to 10 treat the cask just as they normally do, and still get the benefits.

In particular the device may be envisaged to be used with a pressurised fluid cask, for example carbonated or carbonation-producing real ale.

Advantageously it may be envisaged that the device of the present invention comprises the following benefits: -Extended life of the ale due to elimination of contact with air and other pathogens. The device of the present invention may ensure that in no part of the spiling, tapping, and dispensing process, can air ever come into contact with the beer/ale.

Prevention of accidental "over venting", where a soft peg is left in the cask for too long, causing the natural carbonation levels in the ale to reduce making the beer/ale "flat", before dispensing has even started.

The possible application of pressurised gas to the cask via the device of the present invention, in order to maintain optimal natural carbonation levels, without artificially carbonating the ale.

In some embodiments there is provided a fluidic pathway for passage of air or gas from the cask. This fluidic pathway may also provide a means for air to enter the 30 container.

In this way continued carbonation may be enabled, and/or the carbonation levels may be maintained over time, and/or during draining of the cask.

In some embodiments the container may comprise a flexible plastic fluid-containing bag. For example and more particularly it may be envisaged that the container may comprise an air-or gas-filled bag in use.

In some embodiments the container may be arranged to expand into the cask as the fluid, such as beer, is removed or drained from the cask.

In some embodiments it may be envisaged that the device may be inserted into a pre-formed perforation in the cask wall The device may thereby form a sealing means for an internal volume of the cask. The device may comprise a discrete internal or external seal.

Such seal may thereafter be broken. For example the seal may comprise a 15 displaceable tut, which tut may comprise a small bung for a fluidic channel for receipt of a member, wherein the member may be inserted into the channel by displacing the tut.

The member may be porous, perforated or otherwise enabling passage of air through 20 the channel once inserted.

The channel may be comprised as a part of the fluidic pathway in use, for example wherein the fluidic pathway also comprises a passage into the internal volume. For example the passage may be at an angle such as orthogonal to the channel, so as 25 to form a T-shaped fluidic pathway.

The fluidic pathway may comprise a valve. For example in some embodiments the channel comprises a valve. In other embodiments the passage may comprise a valve.

Such valve may be a one-way valve. In this way gas may be enabled to exit through the internal volume and pathway, and prevented from entering the internal pathway or volume. In this way for example excess gases may be expelled through the valve from the cask, given preferred pressure differentials to either side of the valve.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which:

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an isometric exploded view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a reverse exploded isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a sectional side view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1, with a spile, in use in a cask; Figure 6 shows an isometric sectional view of the embodiment as shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 shows a sectional view of the embodiment as shown in Figure 5; Figure 8 shows various stages of inflation of the bag from the embodiment as shown in Figure 5; And Figures 9 shows a second embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in stages of use.

Detailed Description of Fiqures

With reference to the figures there is shown an embodiment of the bung device 99 generally comprising a body 59, a fluidic pathway A through the body, two 35 displaceable seals 36,66, and an expandable fluid container 64.

10 15 20 25 30 In particular reference to the pictured embodiment the embodiment comprises a standard dimension bung, or shive, formed predominantly in thermoplastics.

The embodiment comprises a thermoplastics body 59, and an elastomeric or polymer band 31 to aid in friction fitting.

The device is inserted into a predrilled hole in a cask, for example a real ale cask. The band enables the device to stay seated in the hole.

The pathway A comprises a central fluidic channel 35 from top to bottom faces of the embodiment forming a central axis vertical in use.

The pathway is a cylindrical channel 35, with a top seal or tut 36. The top seal 36 is removed for use, by insertion of the spile member 61 in use. The spile member 61 15 may be a standard part common to the art, or may be provided with the device.

In use therefore the spile member 61 is hammered into the channel 35, displacing the top seal or displaceable tut 36, which tut may be defined as a small sealing bung for the fluidic channel 35 for receipt of the spile member 61, wherein the member 20 may be inserted into the channel by displacing the tut.

The spile member may be porous, perforated or otherwise enabling passage of air and/or carbon dioxide or other gas through the channel once inserted. In the pictured embodiment the channel is narrowed at the top, such that gas or air may 25 pass around the sides of the spile through the channel and thereby fluidic pathway A. The fluidic pathway A further comprises a side entrance to the channel 35, the side entrance comprising a passage 60 substantially orthogonal the channel and comprising an entrance at the side of the body. The passage 60 comprises a one-30 way valve.

The fluidic pathway A leads to a lower seal 66 at the bottom of the pathway. The lower seal is arranged previous to the expandable container 64. The expandable container is contained in a thread fit part 63 held in place at the bottom of the embodiment, whereby displacing the central lower seal 66 displaces or frees the container 64 to expand.

The fluidic pathway A leads to the container 64 in use, such that influx of air from the valve 60 leads down the channel to the expanding bag container 64.

In this way gas passes through the valve 60 when the cask is first vented, prior to any dispensing.

The gas passing through the valve will be excess carbon dioxide from the beer and will go up the fluidic pathway A through the soft spile to escape the cask. The expanding container 64 has not deployed at this point in time. The valve 60 will then close at a pre-determined optimal pressure to maintain the condition or carbonation of the beer, rather than letting the cask drop to atmospheric pressure, which would allow the beer to go flat before dispensing has even begun.

Once dispensing of the beer commences, then as the pressure in the cask falls below atmospheric, due to fluid displacement out of the cask via tap 31, the expanding container 64 will start to deploy, and air or gas from outside the cask will pass down the fluidic pathway A into the expanding container 64. Once the expanding container 64 has started to deploy, the valve 60 will not open again.

The valve comprises a ball 62 and spring 26, wherein the ball 62 is spring-biased to close the end of the passage, and the valve, and may be displaced by increases in pressure variation between the fluidic pathway A, and the internal volume of the cask 30, so that excess carbon dioxide is forced through the valve and vented from the cask via the fluidic pathway A. Expansion of the bag 64 may also take place as the cask 30 is emptied through the tap 31 as the fluid levels 70 decrease in the internal volume 20. Once the bag is deployed there will not be a large enough pressure variation between the fluidic pathway A and the internal volume of the cask 30, to displace the valve 60.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention as defined by the claims, in particular but not solely combination of features of described embodiments.

Claims

Claims 1. A bung device for a cask, comprising a body, a fluidic pathway through the body, at least one displaceable seal, and an expandable fluid container. 5 2. A device according to claim 1 for a beer cask.3. A device according to any preceding claim with a displaceable top tut seal.4. A device according to any preceding claim with a displaceable bottom seal above the container.5. A device according to any preceding claim comprising a longitudinal top to bottom channel.6. A device according to any preceding claim comprising a side entrance to the fluidic pathway.7. A device according to claim 6 comprising a one-way valve displaceable seal.8. A device according to claim 7 comprising a sprung ball.