JP2022076792A - Pour-out head, beverage server, and ceiling down tube - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a structure advantageous for lowering possibility of loss of a seal component.SOLUTION: A pour-out head comprises: a fastening part to be fastened to a mouth of a beverage container; a seal component 170 including a first through hole and a second through hole; a holding part that holds and presses the seal component 170 onto the mouth; and a down tube 175 connected to the first through hole.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

The present invention relates to a dispensing head, a beverage server and a ceiling down tube.

Patent Document 1 describes a beer server having a mounting body mounted on an opening of a beer container. The mounting body includes a stopper member that closes the opening of the beer container, and a cap member that has a screw portion that is screwed into the opening of the beer container. A packing mounting portion is provided around the lower portion of the plug member, and a donut-shaped closing packing is mounted on the packing mounting portion. Further, an opening of a beer outlet path is provided inside the packing mounting portion in the lower part of the stopper member, and a siphon tube extending to the lower side in the beer container is mounted in this opening.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-146299

In the operation of the dispensing head (attached body in Patent Document 1) attached to a beverage container such as a beer container or the beverage server including the injection head, it is important to maintain it in a clean state. Therefore, the beverage server is cleaned after its use. At this time, the sealing component such as the packing may be removed from the holding body that holds the packing, and the operator may accidentally lose it. The reason is that the sealing part has only the same size as the mouth of the beverage container and is considerably smaller.

The present invention provides an advantageous structure for reducing the possibility of loss of sealing parts.

The first aspect of the present invention relates to a pouring head having a fastening portion fastened to the mouth of the beverage container, wherein the pouring head is a sealing component having a first through hole and a second through hole, and the above-mentioned. It includes a holding portion that holds the sealing component and presses it against the mouth portion, and a down tube connected to the first through hole.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to a beverage server, wherein the beverage server includes a dispensing head according to the first aspect and a storage unit for accommodating a beverage container to which the dispensing head is mounted. ..

A third aspect of the present invention relates to a sealing down tube, wherein the sealing down tube comprises a sealing portion having a first through hole and a second through hole, and a down tube connected to the first through hole. ..

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, an advantageous structure is provided for reducing the possibility of loss of the sealing component.

The perspective view which shows the beverage server of one Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the state which the lid part was removed from the beverage server of one Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the main body of the beverage server of one Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the beverage server of one Embodiment of this invention. The side view which shows the pouring head (the state which is not attached to the beverage container) of the beverage server of one Embodiment of this invention. The cross-sectional view which shows the pouring head (the state which is not attached to the beverage container) of the beverage server of one Embodiment of this invention. The side view which shows the pouring head (state attached to the beverage container) of the beverage server of one Embodiment of this invention. The sectional view which shows the pouring head (state attached to the beverage container) of the beverage server of one Embodiment of this invention. The figure exemplifying the state maintenance part which keeps the state which obstructs the operation which obstructs the operation of connecting a gas joint to a connection part. Sectional drawing which shows the structural example of the seal component which attached the down tube. The perspective view which shows the structural example of a seal component.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more of the plurality of features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. In addition, the same or similar configuration will be given the same reference number, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the configuration of the beverage server 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The beverage server 200 is configured to dispense the beverage (for example, beer) in the beverage container 10 from the spout 138 into a container such as a jug or a glass by using the pressure of a gas such as carbon dioxide. The beverage server 200 may include a main body 260 and a pouring head 100. The main body 260 may include a storage unit 230 for accommodating the beverage container 10 and a storage unit 240 for accommodating the gas cylinder 20. The accommodating portion 230 can hold the beverage container 10 in a state where the axial direction of the beverage container 10 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The beverage server 200 or the main body 260 may include a lid 250. The beverage container 10, the gas cylinder 20, and the pouring head 100 can be attached to the main body 260 with the lid 250 opened, and then the lid 250 can be closed. Although not shown, the beverage server 200 may include a cooling unit (not shown) for cooling the beverage in the beverage container 10 and / or the beverage extruded from the beverage container 10 and supplied to the spout 138. The cooling unit may include, for example, a Pelche element.

5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show the pouring head 100. The dispensing head 100 is configured to use a gas such as carbon dioxide gas supplied from the gas cylinder 20 to pour the beverage in the beverage container 10 into a container such as a mug or a glass from the injection port 138. The dispensing head 100 may include a gas supply unit 180 for supplying gas to the beverage container 10 and a down tube 175 for pushing the beverage out of the beverage container 10. The dispensing head 100 can supply the gas supplied from the gas cylinder 20 to the empty portion (space above the liquid level of the beverage) in the beverage container 10 by the gas supply unit 180. By pushing down the liquid level of the beverage by the gas, the beverage can be discharged from the beverage container 10 through the down tube 175 and sent to the spout 138 through the transfer tube 125. The pouring head 100 includes an operating unit 136 such as an operating lever, and opens a valve (not shown) in response to the operation of the operating unit 136 so that the beverage in the beverage container 10 is dispensed from the pouring outlet 138. Can be configured. The dispensing head 100 may have a function of generating bubbles in response to the operation of the operation unit 136.

The dispensing head 100 may have a fastening portion 110 that is fastened to the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10. The dispensing head 100 may include a connecting section 120, a gas flow path 122, a dispensing section 130, and an operation prohibition mechanism 140. A gas joint 210 is connected to the connection portion 120. The gas joint 210 is connected to the gas cylinder 20 via the gas tube 212. The gas flow path 122 communicates the connection portion 120 with the beverage container 10. The dispensing unit 130 dispenses the beverage extruded from the beverage container 10 by the pressure of the gas supplied to the beverage container 10 through the gas flow path 122 through the dispensing valve assembly 132. The operation prohibition mechanism 140 prohibits the operation in which the gas joint 210 is connected to the connection portion 120 in a state where the fastening portion 110 is not fastened to the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10.

The operation prohibition mechanism 140 has a contact portion 142 that comes into contact with the beverage container 10 when the fastening portion 110 is fastened to the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10, and responds to the contact of the contact portion 142 with the beverage container 10. The prohibition of the operation in which the gas joint 210 is connected to the connection portion 120 can be lifted. The operation prohibition mechanism 140 may have an obstruction member 144 that interferes with the operation in which the gas joint 210 is connected to the connection portion 120. The obstruction member 144 operates in conjunction with the contact portion 142, and can release the prohibition of the operation in which the gas joint 210 is connected to the connection portion 120 in response to the contact of the contact portion 142 with the beverage container 10. The obstruction member 144 may include a cover that interferes with the operation of connecting the gas joint 210 to the connection portion 120 by covering all or part of the connection portion 120.

In one example, the contact portion 142 and the obstructing member 144 constitute an integrated rotating member so as to allow the rotating member to rotate within a predetermined rotation angle around the shaft 134. Can be supported. The operation prohibition mechanism 140 maintains a state in which the obstructing member 144 interferes with the operation of connecting the gas joint 210 to the connecting portion 120 in a state where the fastening portion 110 is not fastened to the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10. The unit 150 may be included. FIG. 9 illustrates the configuration of the state maintenance unit 150. The state maintaining unit 150 can include a force applying unit for applying a force to the obstructing member 144. The force applying portion may include, for example, a spring such as a torsion spring, a leaf spring, or a coil spring. The force applying portion can accumulate a restoring force, for example, in a state where the fastening portion 110 is fastened to the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10. Further, in the force applying portion, the member 144 interferes with the operation of connecting the gas joint 210 to the connecting portion 120 by the restoring force in response to the fastening portion 110 being removed from the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10. Can work to do. In the example shown in FIG. 9, a torsion spring is provided on the shaft 134 to form a part of the state (force application portion).

5 and 6 illustrate a state in which the obstructing member 144 interferes with the operation of connecting the gas joint 210 to the connecting portion 120 because the pouring head 100 is not connected to the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10. ing. In this state, the user cannot perform an operation of connecting the gas joint 210 to the connection portion 120 of the pouring head 100. Therefore, the gas joint 210 is connected to the connection portion 120 in a state where the pouring head 100 is not connected to the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10, and the gas in the gas cylinder 20 is wastefully released into the atmosphere. It is prevented from being done.

7 and 8 illustrate a state in which the pouring head 100 is connected to the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10 so that the gas joint 210 can be connected to the connecting portion 120. The gas joint 210 includes, for example, a valve (not shown), which is opened by connecting the gas joint 210 to the connection portion 120 and closed by disconnecting the gas joint 210 from the connection portion 120. Can be configured in.

As shown in FIG. 4, the gas cylinder 20 may be equipped with a gas head 214. The gas in the gas cylinder 20 can be supplied to the gas tube 212 via the gas head 214. The gas head 214 may include, for example, a regulator. As exemplified in FIGS. 2 and 3, the beverage server 200 or the main body 260 may include a regulating unit 220 that regulates the movable range of the gas joint 210. The regulating unit 220 may regulate the movable range of the gas joint 210 so that the beverage container 10 cannot be taken out from the accommodating unit 230 unless the gas joint 210 is removed from the connecting portion 120. By providing the regulating portion 220, the dispensing head 100 (fastening portion 110) from the beverage container 10 in a state where the gas joint 210 is connected to the connecting portion 120 (a state in which gas can be supplied from the gas cylinder 20 to the dispensing head 100). Can be prevented from being removed. This makes it possible to prevent wasteful gas from being released from the gas cylinder 20 into the atmosphere through the pouring head 100. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the regulating unit 220 can regulate the movable range of the gas joint 210 by fixing a part of the gas tube 212.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8, the dispensing head 100 may have a seal component (seal portion) 170 and a holding portion 160 that holds the seal component 170 and presses it against the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10. .. The holding portion 160 may be a part of the fastening portion 110 or may be a component coupled to the fastening portion 110. A male screw may be provided at the mouth portion 12 of the beverage container 10. In that case, the dispensing head 100 is provided with a female screw to be screwed into the male screw of the mouth portion 12, and is dispensed to the mouth portion 12 by screwing the male screw of the mouth portion 12 and the female screw of the dispensing head 100. The head 100 can be attached (fixed). A down tube 175 is attached to the seal component 170.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the seal component 170 to which the down tube 175 is attached. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the seal component 170. Hereinafter, the configurations of the seal component 170 and the down tube 175 will be schematically described with reference to FIGS. 6, 8, 10, and 11. The seal component 170 may have a first through hole 301 and a second through hole 302. The down tube 175 may be connected to the first through hole 301. The down tube 175 may have a length that reaches the bottom of the beverage container 10.

The sealing component 170 may include a base 300 and a tubular portion (first tubular portion) 305. The base 300 may include a first surface S1 including a sealing region SR in contact with the mouth 12 (end surface) of the beverage container 10 and a second surface S2 on the opposite side of the first surface S1. The tubular portion 305 may be configured to project from the first surface S1. The first through hole 301 may be arranged so as to penetrate the tubular portion 305. The tubular portion 305 may include a first portion 305a projecting vertically from the first surface S1 of the base 300 and an inclined second portion 305b extending from the first portion 305a. The second portion 305b may be configured to extend from the first portion 305a in a direction inclined with respect to the normal of the first surface S1. If the tubular portion 305 includes an inclined second portion 305b, the direction of the down tube 175 extending from the tubular portion 305 may be defined by the second portion 305b. The inclination of the second portion 305b can be adapted to the configuration in which the beverage container 10 is held by the accommodating portion 230 in an inclined state as illustrated in FIG. More specifically, the tilt of the second portion 305b may be defined such that the lower end of the down tube 175 is located at or near the lowest portion of the tilted beverage container 10. The inclined configuration of the second portion 305b allows the adoption of a linear down tube 175. This is advantageous in that, for example, the work of bending the down tube material becomes unnecessary.

The seal region SR may have an annular shape or a ring shape. The second through hole 302 may be provided in the base 300. The base 300 may have, for example, a disk shape. The base 300 and the tubular portion 305 can be integrally molded. Further, the base portion 300 and the tubular portion 305 may be made of the same material. As described above, the structure in which the down tube 175 is attached to the seal component 170 instead of the fastening portion 110 or the holding portion 160 has a larger dimension than the seal component 170 alone, so that the seal component 170 can be prevented from being lost. It is advantageous.

The down tube 175 can be connected to the first through hole 301 by being press-fitted into the tubular portion 305. When the operation of pouring the beverage in the beverage container 10 from the spout 138 is started by operating the operation unit 136 and then stopped, an impact may be generated by the water hammer phenomenon. If the force with which the tubular portion 305 holds the down tube 175 cannot withstand this impact, the down tube 175 may fall off from the tubular portion 305. Therefore, the down tube 175 can be held by the tubular portion 305 with sufficient strength or force so as not to fall off the tubular portion 305.

In the structure in which the down tube 175 is attached to the seal component 170 as in the present embodiment, the base 300 of the seal component 170 holds the mouth portion 12 (end surface) of the beverage container 10 and the pouring head 100. Since it is securely held by being sandwiched by the portion 160, the seal component 170 does not fall off even if an impact is generated due to the water hammer phenomenon.

Unlike the present embodiment, in a structure in which the down tube 175 is attached to the holding portion 160 directly or via a component having no base 300, the down tube or the like is removed from the holding portion 300 due to the impact of the water hammer phenomenon. It may be attached with sufficient strength or force so that it will not fall off, but in that case, it becomes difficult to remove the down tube and cleaning work becomes difficult.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the strength or force itself for holding the sealing component 170 by the holding portion 300 does not need to be strong enough not to fall off due to the impact of the water hammer phenomenon. Therefore, at the time of cleaning, if the holding of the sealing component 170 by the mouth portion 12 (end surface) of the beverage container 10 and the holding portion 160 of the pouring head 100 is released, the sealing component 170 holding the down tube 175 can be easily obtained. Can be removed from the holding portion 160.

The seal component 170 may have a ring portion 306 and a recess 307 provided inside the ring portion 306 on the second surface S2 on the opposite side of the first surface S1. The surface (bottom surface) of the recess 307 is recessed toward the first surface S1 side from the surface of the ring portion 306. The first through hole 301 and the second through hole 302 may be arranged in the recess 307. The holding portion 160 may include a convex portion 162 that fits into the concave portion 307 of the sealing component 170. The protrusion 162 may have a through hole for communicating the first through hole 301 and the down tube 175 to the transfer tube 125.

A transfer tube 125 may be connected or inserted into the first through hole 301 communicating with the down tube 175. The sealing component 170 may further include a tubular portion (second tubular portion) 309 protruding from the second surface S2. The first through hole 301 may be arranged so as to penetrate the cylindrical portion (first tubular portion) 305 and the tubular portion (second tubular portion) 309. The tubular portion 309 can be inserted into the insertion hole 163 provided in the convex portion 162 of the holding portion 160. Further, the transfer tube 125 may be inserted into the tubular portion 309, or the tubular portion 309 and the tubular portion 305. The gas supply unit 180 for supplying gas to the beverage container 10 may be provided in the holding unit 160. The gas supply unit 180 may be inserted into the second through hole 302 of the seal component 170 (or the base 300). Alternatively, the gas supply unit 180 may be connected to the second through hole 302 of the seal component 170 (or the base 300).

A component in which a sealing component (seal portion) 170 and a down tube 175 are integrated can be referred to as a sealing down tube.

The invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the invention.

10: Beverage container, 12: Mouth, 20: Gas cylinder, 100: Dispensing head, 110: Fastening part, 120: Connection part, 122: Gas flow path, 125: Transfer tube 125, 130: Discharging part, 132: Injection valve assembly, 136: operation part, 140: operation prohibition mechanism, 142: contact part, 144: obstruction member, 150: state maintenance part, 160: holding part, 162: convex part, 170: seal part, 175: down Cylinder, 180: gas supply unit, 200: beverage server, 210: gas joint, 212: gas tube, 214: gas head, 220: regulation unit, 230: accommodation unit, 240: accommodation unit, 250: lid unit, 260: Main body, 300: base, 301: first through hole, 302: second through hole, 305: tubular part (first tubular part), 305a: first part, 305b: second part, 306: ring part, 307: Recessed portion, 309: Cylindrical portion (second tubular portion), SR: Seal area, S1: 1st surface, S2: 2nd surface

Claims (14)

A pouring head having a fastening portion to be fastened to the mouth of a beverage container.
A seal component having a first through hole and a second through hole,
A holding portion that holds the sealing component and presses it against the mouth portion,
The down tube connected to the first through hole and
Dispensing head characterized by being equipped with. The sealing component includes a base having a first surface including a sealing area in contact with the mouth portion and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a cylindrical portion protruding from the first surface. The first through hole is arranged so as to penetrate the tubular portion.
The pouring head according to claim 1. The base has a disk shape.
2. The pouring head according to claim 2. The base and the tubular portion are integrally molded.
The pouring head according to claim 3, wherein the pouring head is characterized in that. The base and the tubular portion are made of the same material.
The pouring head according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the pouring head is characterized by the above. The sealing component further includes a second tubular portion protruding from the second surface, and the first through hole is arranged so as to penetrate the tubular portion and the second tubular portion.
The pouring head according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the pouring head is characterized in that. The down tube is connected to the first through hole by being press-fitted into the cylindrical portion.
The pouring head according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the pouring head is characterized in that. The tubular portion includes a first portion that projects vertically from the first surface and an inclined second portion that extends from the first portion.
The pouring head according to claim 7. The direction of the down tube extending from the tubular portion is defined by the second portion.
The pouring head according to claim 8. The seal component has a recess on the second surface, and the first through hole and the second through hole are arranged in the recess.
The holding portion has a convex portion that fits into the concave portion.
The pouring head according to any one of claims 2 to 9. The holding unit includes a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the beverage container, and the gas supply unit is inserted into the second through hole.
The pouring head according to any one of claims 2 to 10. The connection part to which the gas joint connected to the gas cylinder via the gas tube is connected,
A gas flow path that communicates the connection portion and the gas supply portion,
An operation prohibition mechanism that prohibits an operation in which the gas joint is connected to the connection portion in a state where the fastening portion is not fastened to the mouth portion, and an operation prohibition mechanism.
11. The pouring head according to claim 11, further comprising. The pouring head according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and the pouring head.
A storage unit for accommodating a beverage container to which the dispensing head is mounted, and a storage unit.
A beverage server characterized by being equipped with. A seal portion having a first through hole and a second through hole,
The down tube connected to the first through hole and
A ceiling down tube characterized by being equipped with.

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