JP3231053U - Beer barrels and fittings - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a beer barrel which maintains a sealing function of a beer valve.
A beer barrel has a barrel body having a base 10 and a fitting 20 attached to the base 10. The fitting 20 has a down tube 22, a gas valve 28 provided at the upper end of the down tube 22, a beer valve 31 provided in the down tube 22, and a beer valve spring 32 for urging the beer valve 31 upward. The beer valve 31 has a ceiling portion 31a and four or more legs 31b that extend downward from the ceiling portion 31a and are inserted into the beer valve spring 32 and abut against the inside of the beer valve spring 32 to hold the beer valve 31. The length of each leg 31b is ½ or more of the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the down tube 22.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 2

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to beer barrels and fittings.

The beer barrel, which is mainly used as a beer filling container, has a barrel body having a base and a fitting for pouring beer contained in the barrel body by a pressurized gas, which is attached to the base by an attachment member. A dispense head as a dispensing head can be attached to the fitting, and the contained beer can be dispensed by supplying a pressurized gas into the barrel body via the dispense head.

The fitting has a down tube extending from below the mounting member towards the bottom of the barrel body and having an expanded inner diameter in the upper region thereof. A gas valve for supplying pressurized gas to the barrel body is attached to the upper end of the down tube. The gas valve is provided with a downward beer valve seat.

Inside the expanded portion of the down tube, a beer valve for filling the inside of the barrel body or pouring beer out of the barrel body, and a beer valve spring for urging the beer valve upward and contacting the beer valve seat are provided. .. The beer valve has a ceiling and four or more legs extending downward from the ceiling, and each leg is inserted into the beer valve spring and abuts inside the beer valve spring to hold the beer valve. The ceiling of the beer valve maintains the sealing function with the beer valve seat of the gas valve even if it is slightly tilted.

However, beer leaks may occur during transportation or when the dispense head is plugged in. One of the factors is that a metal contact mark is formed due to the compressive strain of the portion where the beer valve is constantly pressed against the beer valve seat made of a flexible member. This makes it difficult for the beer valve and the beer valve seat to fit together, and when the beer valve is tilted, the sealing function deteriorates and beer leaks easily. Therefore, it is desired to reduce the inclination of the beer valve, but the end face of the beer valve spring has a stepped portion between the end of the spring wire and the adjacent winding, and one of the legs of the inserted beer valve is the same. There is a problem that the beer valve tends to tilt when it sinks in the part.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-341931

An object of the present invention is to maintain the sealing function of the beer valve.

The beer barrel according to the present invention is a beer barrel including a barrel body having a base and a fitting attached to the base for pouring or filling beer.
The fitting extends from the mouthpiece toward the bottom of the barrel body and has a down tube having an expanded inner diameter in the upper region.
A gas valve provided at the upper end of the tube expansion portion for supplying pressurized gas when pouring out the beer or supplying the beer to the barrel body when filling the beer.
A beer valve provided in the pipe expansion portion for pouring out the beer when pouring out the beer, or the residual gas in the barrel when filling the beer, and out of the barrel body.
Including a beer valve spring provided in the pipe expansion portion and urging the beer valve upward.
The beer valve has a ceiling portion and four or more legs that extend downward from the ceiling portion and are inserted into the beer valve spring, abut against the inside of the beer valve spring, and hold the beer valve. The length of each of the legs is ½ or more of the length of the beer valve spring installed in the expansion portion.

Further, the fitting according to the present invention is a fitting that is attached to the barrel body of a beer barrel and for pouring or filling beer.
A down tube extending from the base toward the bottom of the barrel body and having an expanded inner diameter in the upper region.
A gas valve provided at the upper end of the tube expansion portion for supplying pressurized gas when pouring out the beer or supplying the beer to the barrel body when filling the beer.
A beer valve provided in the tube expansion section for pouring the beer out of the barrel body when pouring out the beer, and pouring residual gas out of the barrel body when filling the beer.
Including a beer valve spring provided in the pipe expansion portion and urging the beer valve upward.
The beer valve has a ceiling portion and four or more legs that extend from the ceiling portion and are inserted into the beer valve spring, abut on the inside of the beer valve spring, and hold the beer valve. The length of each leg is ½ or more of the length of the beer valve spring installed in the expansion portion.

According to the present invention, the length of the leg of the beer valve is set to 1/2 or more of the length of the beer valve spring installed in the pipe expansion portion, so that the leg of the beer valve is formed on the inner surface of the beer valve spring by the core rod. It is possible to suppress the tilt of the beer valve and maintain the sealing function of the beer valve.

It is an external view which shows an example of the beer barrel which concerns on embodiment. It is a partial cross-sectional view of the beer barrel equipped with the fitting according to the embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state of extracting beer using a beer pouring head. It is an enlarged view of the beer valve of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the state of the beer valve and the beer valve spring of an embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the fitting of comparison. It is an enlarged view of the beer valve of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the state of a comparative beer valve and a beer valve spring.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.
The beer barrel according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided with a fitting for pouring out the beer in the barrel by gas pressure or filling the barrel with beer. FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example of the beer barrel according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the beer barrel of FIG. 1 equipped with the fitting according to the embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the beer barrel 100 has a barrel body 1 and a fitting 20. The fitting 20 is inserted into the barrel body 1 from the neck portion 10 as a base provided at the center of the upper surface 2 of the barrel body 1, and is attached to the neck portion 10 by screw engagement.

The neck portion 10 is composed of a tubular member 11 arranged in a posture of standing vertically on the center of the upper surface 2 of the barrel body 1, and the lower end of the neck portion 10 is provided in the opening provided in the center of the upper surface 2 of the barrel body 1. The perimeter of the barrel is welded. A female screw 12 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the neck portion 10 from the upper end to a predetermined depth, and an inner circumference is formed at a position below the lower end of the female screw 12, for example, at the lower end portion of the neck portion 10. An annular sealing material receiver 13 projecting from the surface is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fitting 20 according to the embodiment includes a neck engaging member 21 as a mounting member to be attached to the neck portion 10 by screw engagement, and the inside of the barrel body 1 from the neck engaging member 21. It has a tube member 22 as a down tube lowered to near the bottom of the barrel.

The neck engaging member 21 is a tubular member having a height larger than the height of the neck portion 10, and a portion on the lower end side of the neck engaging member 21 is projected below the neck portion 10 in the neck portion 10. Is placed.
The neck engaging member 21 is provided with a male screw 23 that engages with the female screw 12 of the neck portion 10 on the outer peripheral surface of the upper end side portion, and is provided on the outer peripheral surface near the middle portion in the height direction. An annular sealing material contact surface 24 that sandwiches the sealing material 34 made of a rubber ring is formed between the sealing material receiving 13 of the neck portion 10.

Further, inside the upper end side portion of the neck engaging member 21, a head connecting portion 25 for selectively connecting each head for filling, cleaning, pouring, etc. (not shown) is formed, and the head connecting portion 25 is formed. A gas valve seat 26 is formed on the lower side of the head connecting portion 25. Further, a plurality of openings 27 are provided on the peripheral surface of the portion of the neck engaging member 21 that protrudes below the neck portion 10.

The tube member 22 is made of a pipe material having a pipe expansion portion 22a having an enlarged inner diameter in the upper region, and the lower region thereof has an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe expansion portion 22a. It has an inner diameter step portion 22b in which the inner diameter between the pipe expansion portion and the lower region changes in a step. Further, the tube member 22 is arranged by inserting the upper end side portion into the neck engaging member 21 from the lower end side thereof. An annular gas valve 28 that abuts on the gas valve seat 26 of the neck engaging member 21 is fitted to the upper end of the tube member 22. The gas valve 28 is a component obtained by integrally molding a core metal 28a such as stainless steel and a flexible member 28b such as rubber, and is a gas valve interposed between the lower end portion of the neck engaging member 21 and the upper end portion of the tube member 22. It is pressed against the gas valve seat 26 by the spring 29.

Further, a downward beer valve seat 30 is formed in the gas valve 28, and a beer valve 31 in contact with the beer valve seat 30 is inserted into the tube expansion portion 22a of the tube member 22 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. ing. The beer valve 31 is pressed against the beer valve seat 30 by the upper end 32b of the beer valve spring 32 arranged in the tube expansion portion 22a of the tube member 22. On the other hand, the lower end 32c of the beer valve spring 32 is in contact with the inner diameter step portion 22b of the pipe expanding portion 22a.

The fitting 20 is attached by inserting the tube member 22 from the neck portion 10 into the barrel body 1, engaging the neck engaging member 21 with the neck portion 10, and engaging the male screw 23 with the female screw 12 and screwing the fitting 20 into the barrel body 1.
When the fitting 20 is attached by screwing the neck engaging member 21 into the neck portion 10, the sealing material 34 is compressed between the sealing material receiving 13 of the neck portion 10 and the sealing material contact surface 24 of the neck engaging member 21. A force is applied to be sandwiched, and the sealing material 34 seals between the neck portion 10 and the neck engaging member 21, and the repulsive force of the sealing material 34 causes the neck engaging member 21 as shown in FIG. The upward screw surface of the male screw 23 is pressed against the downward screw surface of the female screw 12 of the neck portion 10, and the mounting state of the fitting 20 is maintained by the frictional force of both screw surfaces.

The head connecting portion 25 of the neck engaging member 21 is provided with locking projections 33 for each of the heads at a plurality of locations on the peripheral surface thereof, for example, two locations facing each other, and necks to the neck portion 10. The engaging member 21 is screwed in by a screwing tool (not shown) having a contact portion with the side surface of the head locking protrusion 33.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram showing a state in which beer is extracted using the beer pouring head 40.
The beer in the beer barrel is poured out by connecting the beer pouring head 40 to the head connecting portion 25 of the fitting 20. The beer pouring head 40 is fitted into the head connecting portion 25 by joining the head locking protrusion 33 to a head taper portion (not shown) and rotated in the circumferential direction, and the head taper portion is formed by the head locking protrusion. By inserting it into the lower surface of 33, it is locked in a state of being connected to the head connecting portion 25.

Further, the beer dispensing head 40 has a gas supply path 42 that sends carbon dioxide gas 41 introduced in the direction of the arrow 103 from a gas cylinder (not shown) into the fitting 20, and a beer 43 that is dispensed from the beer barrel via the fitting 20. The beer supply path 44 for pushing the beer server, the gas valve opening means 45 for pushing the gas valve 28 of the fitting 20, and the beer valve opening means 46 for pushing the beer valve 31 of the fitting 20 are provided.

Then, when the gas valve 28 is opened by pushing the gas valve 28, the carbon dioxide gas 41 from the gas cylinder passes through the beer pouring head 40, the neck engaging member 21 and the gas valve 28, and the vent 27, and the arrow 104. As shown in, it is supplied into the barrel body 1. When the beer valve 31 is opened by pushing the beer valve 31, the beer that has flowed into the fitting 20 due to the gas pressure as shown by the arrow 105 is sent to the beer server via the beer pouring head 40 as shown by the arrow 106. Be supplied.

The empty beer barrel that has consumed the beer inside is collected and sent to the beer filling factory, where the cleaning head is crimped to the top surface of the fitting 20 to perform cleaning, steam sterilization, etc., and then the top of the fitting 20. A beer filling head is crimped to the surface to refill the barrel body 1 with beer.

When filling beer, beer can be supplied by the same action as the carbon dioxide gas 41 of FIG. For example, in FIG. 3, when a beer filling head (not shown) is attached to the beer barrel according to the embodiment instead of the beer pouring head 40 and the gas valve 28 is opened by pushing the gas valve 28, the beer is necked. It can be supplied into the barrel body 1 as shown by arrow 104, between the mating member 21 and the gas valve 28 and through the vent 27. Further, the residual gas such as carbon dioxide gas and other residues remaining in the barrel body 1 after washing can be poured out by the same action as that of the beer 43 of FIG. For example, when the beer valve 31 is opened by pushing the beer valve 31, residual gas and other residues flow into the fitting 20 due to the pressure of beer as shown by the arrow 105, and pass through the beer filling head. As shown by the arrow 106, it can be poured out (discharged) from the barrel body 1.

For the fitting 20 according to the embodiment, a beer valve 31 having a leg having a sufficient length is used. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the beer valve of FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the beer valve 31 used for the fitting 20 has a ceiling portion 31a and four or more legs 31b extending from the ceiling portion 31a. The number of legs 31b can preferably be four. The legs 31b are inserted into the beer valve spring 32 and abutted against the inside of the beer valve spring 32 to hold the beer valve 28. Here, the portion inserted into the beer valve spring 32 is a leg 31b, and the portion above it is a ceiling portion 31a. The length of the leg 31b corresponds to the length represented by TL1 in FIG. 4, and the height of the ceiling portion 31a corresponds to the height represented by TH1 in FIG. The ceiling portion 31a can be formed into a dome shape having a flat surface on the crown, for example. With such a shape, even if the beer valve 31 is slightly tilted, it can sufficiently come into contact with the beer valve seat 30, and the sealing function of the beer valve 31 is unlikely to deteriorate. The shape of the ceiling portion 31a is not limited to the dome shape, and may be another shape. In the embodiment, the length TL1 of the leg 31b is ½ or more of the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the pipe expansion portion 22a, respectively. Further, the length TL1 of the leg 31b can be less than the close contact height of the beer valve spring 32. Further, the length TL1 of the legs 31b can be made larger than the height TH1 of the ceiling portion 31a.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a state of the beer valve and the beer valve spring used in the embodiment.
As shown in the figure, according to the embodiment, the length TL1 of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 is ½ or more of the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the pipe expansion portion 22a. The legs 31b of the beer valve 31 can function like a core rod on the inner surface of the beer valve spring. For example, as shown in the figure, even if one leg 31b'of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 is located at the stepped portion 32a of the upper end 32b of the inserted beer valve spring 32, the four legs are Since it functions like a core rod and is sufficiently supported by the inner surface of the beer valve spring 32, the inclination of the beer valve 31 can be suppressed. In particular, since one leg 31b'opposing one leg 31b'presses the inner surface of the beer valve spring 32 in the direction of the arrow 101, one leg 31b'sinks into the stepped portion 32a. Further, for example, when the beer valve 31 inserted in the beer valve spring 32 is pushed down and opened by mounting the dispense head, the four legs 31b of the beer valve 31 are like a core rod. Since it functions and serves as a guide, the beer valve spring 32 can be pushed down in the axial direction without buckling to one side, and the inclination of the beer valve 31 can be suppressed.

In one example of the embodiment, the height TH1 of the ceiling portion 31a of the beer valve 31 is 17.3 mm, the length TL1 of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 is 22.1 mm, the free length of the beer valve spring 32 is 47.0 mm, and the pipe expansion portion 22a. The length of the beer valve spring 32 installed inside can be 32.0 mm, and the close contact height of the beer valve spring 32 can be 23.4 mm. At this time, the length of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 is ½ or more of the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the pipe expansion portion 22a, and is about 69%. The ratio of the length of the leg of the beer valve to the close contact height of the beer valve spring 32 is 94%, which corresponds to the ratio from the upper end of the beer valve spring 32 to the position where the tip of the leg is located. When the beer valve spring is pushed down by 5 mm when the beer valve 31 is opened, it becomes 27 mm, and when it is pushed down by 7 mm, it becomes 25 mm. At this time, the ratio of the length of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 to the length of the beer valve spring 32 is 82% and 88%, respectively. In the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 used in the embodiment, the ratio of the length TL1 of the leg 31b to the length of the beer valve spring 32 that has been pushed down and compressed is about 88%, which is sufficiently long. The leg 31b functions like a core rod, suppresses the inclination of the beer valve 31, and can maintain a good sealing function. Further, since this ratio is less than 100%, the legs 31b of the beer valve 31 do not protrude below the beer valve spring 32.

Further, the beer valve 31 used in the example of the embodiment has a length of 22.1 mm of the leg 31b of the beer valve longer than 17.3 mm of the height TH1 of the ceiling portion 31a, so that when the beer valve 31 is pushed down. It is easy to stabilize in the beer valve spring 32, and the beer valve 31 is less likely to be tilted.
In the embodiment, the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the pipe expanding portion 22a may depend on the dimensions of the pipe expanding portion 22a, the gas valve 28, the beer valve 31, and the like.

As described above, according to the embodiment, when the length of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 is ½ or more of the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the pipe expansion portion 22a, the beer valve 31 is tilted. Can be suppressed, the sealing function of the beer valve 31 can be maintained, and beer leakage can be prevented.
However, if the length of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 is less than 1/2 of the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the pipe expansion portion 22a, it becomes difficult to suppress the inclination of the beer valve 31. ..

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting portion of the comparative fitting, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the comparative beer valve of FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the comparative fitting 20-1 is the same as the fitting 20 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, except that the beer valve 31-1 having a short leg length is used instead of the beer valve 31. It has a similar configuration. The length TL2 of the legs 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1 is less than 1/2 of the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the pipe expansion portion 22a, respectively.

FIG. 8 shows a diagram showing an example of the states of the comparative beer valve and the beer valve spring. According to the comparative fitting 20-1, the length of the leg 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1 is less than 1/2 of the length of the beer valve spring installed in the pipe expansion portion 22a, and the comparison is made. Due to the short length, as shown in the figure, when one 31-1b'of the leg 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1 is located at the step portion 32a of the upper end 32b of the inserted beer valve spring 32, the step portion 32a is formed. It sinks and the beer valve 31 tends to tilt in the direction of arrow 102. Further, when the beer valve 31 inserted in the beer valve spring 32 is pushed down, if the four legs 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1 are short, there is no core rod effect unlike the beer valve 31, so the 32a side of the spring The amount of deflection increases, and the beer valve 31-1 tends to tilt. As described above, when the beer valve 31-1 is tilted, the sealing function of the beer valve 31-1 tends to be deteriorated.

In one example of comparison, the height TH2 of the ceiling portion 31-1a of the beer valve 31-1 can be 17.3 mm, and the length TL2 of the legs 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1 can be 12.5 mm. As the beer valve spring 32, the same one as in the example of the embodiment can be used. At this time, the length of the leg 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1 is 9.6 mm shorter than the length TL1 of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31, and is set to the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the tube expansion portion 22a. It is about 39%, which is less than 1/2.

The ratio of the length of the leg 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1 to the close contact height of the beer valve spring is 53%. When the beer valve spring is pushed down 5 mm to a length of 27 mm when the beer valve is opened, and when it is pushed down 7 mm to a length of 25 mm, the ratio of the length of the leg 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1 to the length of the beer valve spring Are 46% and 50%, respectively. As described above, the length TL2 of the legs 31-1b of the comparative beer valve 31-1 is about 50% of the length of the compressed beer valve spring 32.
Further, the beer valve 31-1 has a length TL2 12.5 mm of the legs 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1 shorter than the height TH2 17.3 mm of the ceiling portion 31-1a, and is an example of the beer valve of the embodiment. Since it is more difficult to stabilize in the beer valve spring 32 than in 31, the legs 31-1b'sunk in the stepped portion 32a of the beer valve spring 32 are less likely to return to their original positions.

On the other hand, in one example of the embodiment, the length TL1 of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 is 9.6 mm longer than the length of the leg 31-1b of the beer valve 31-1, and the length TL1 of the leg 31b of the beer valve 31 is It is more than 1/2 of the length of the beer valve spring 32 installed in the pipe expansion portion 22a, and is about 88% of the length of the beer valve spring 32 compressed in the pipe expansion portion 22a. The length of the legs 31-1b of the comparative beer valve 31-1 is sufficiently longer than the length TL2. As a result, the occurrence of inclination of the beer valve 31-1 can be sufficiently suppressed and a sufficient sealing function of the beer valve 31-1 can be obtained, so that beer leakage can be prevented.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention. ..

The present invention can be applied to a beverage container for containing a beverage other than beer, and a fitting used therein.

1 ... barrel body, 10 ... base, 20 ... fitting, 22a ... tube expansion part, 22 ... down tube, 31 ... beer valve, 28 ... gas valve, 31a ... ceiling part, 31b ... leg, 100 ... peel barrel

Claims (2)

A beer barrel that includes a barrel body having a base and a fitting attached to the base for pouring or filling beer.
The fitting extends from the mouthpiece toward the bottom of the barrel body and has a down tube having an expanded inner diameter in the upper region.
A gas valve provided at the upper end of the tube expansion portion for supplying pressurized gas when pouring out the beer or supplying the beer to the barrel body when filling the beer.
A beer valve provided in the tube expansion section for pouring out the beer when pouring out the beer, or pouring residual gas out of the barrel body when filling the beer.
Including a beer valve spring provided in the pipe expansion portion and urging the beer valve upward.
The beer valve has a ceiling portion and four or more legs that extend from the ceiling portion and are inserted into the beer valve spring, abut on the inside of the beer valve spring, and hold the beer valve. A beer barrel characterized in that the length of each leg is ½ or more of the length of the beer valve spring installed in the expanded pipe portion. It is a fitting for pouring or filling beer, which is attached to a base provided on the barrel body of a beer barrel, and extends from the base toward the bottom of the barrel body, and the inner diameter is expanded in the upper region. A down tube with a tube expansion part and
A gas valve provided at the upper end of the tube expansion portion for supplying pressurized gas when pouring out the beer or supplying the beer to the barrel body when filling the beer.
A beer valve provided in the front expansion section for pouring the beer out of the barrel body when pouring out the beer, or pouring residual gas out of the barrel body when filling the beer.
Including a beer valve spring provided in the pipe expansion portion and urging the beer valve upward.
The beer valve has a ceiling portion and four or more legs that extend from the ceiling portion and are inserted into the beer valve spring, abut on the inside of the beer valve spring, and hold the beer valve. The fitting is characterized in that the length of each leg is ½ or more of the length of the beer valve spring installed in the expansion portion.

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