MXPA06000738A - Assembly for drink dispenser and container provided with a pressure medium reservoir - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly of a drink dispenser (2) provided with a chamber (4) for accommodating a containing carbonated drink, a lid (5) for closing the chamber, a dispensing head (13) for opening and closing a dispensing line (10) and a container (3) containing carbonated drink provided with a drink dispensing opening (8) and with a dispensing line (10) that connects the drink dispensing opening head, wherein the container is provided with a pressure medium feed opening (21) and with a reservoir (17) with a pressure medium therein which reservoir is provided with a pressure line coupling (20) wherein the lid is provided with a pressure line (22) with, at one end, a reservoir connector (23) for connecting to the pressure line coupling (20) of the reservoir and with, at the end, a pressure medium feed opening (21) of the container, wherein the reservoir connector and the pressure medium feed connector are brought into fluid-tight engagement with the pressure line coupling and the pressure medium feed opening, respectively, by closing the lid.

Description

WO 2005/012157 Al I! II M 111 f II II 11 i II t i f! III II 1 f For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid-ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearing at the beginning-ning ofeach regular issue of the PCT Gazette.

ASSEMBLY OF DISTRIBUTOR OF DRINK AND CONTAINER PROVIDED WITH DEPOSIT OF THE MEDIUM OF PRESSURE Description of the Invention The invention relates to an assembly of a beverage dispenser provided with a chamber for accommodating a container containing a carbonated beverage, a lid for completely closing the chamber, a dispensing head for opening and closing a distribution line and a container containing the carbonated beverage, provided with a dispensing opening for the beverage and with a distribution line connecting the dispensing opening of the beverage to the dispensing head, wherein the container is provided with a feeding opening of the pressure medium. The invention also relates to a beverage dispenser a and a container for use in such a dispenser. A beverage dispenser is described in L-A 1019054 in the name of the Applicant. In this publication, a container containing a carbonated beverage, in particular beer, is described, wherein the beer is packaged in a flexible bag, such a bag is accommodated in a rigid plastic container. The container is placed in the dispenser, which is provided with a compressor which is connected to the container by means of a pressure line to accumulate the pressure in the space between the flexible bag and the rigid external container E.ef.69620. The use of a compressor in the distributor makes it relatively complex, while the compressor can cause increased vibration and noise level. In addition, it is already known to supply a pressure medium, such as C02, to containers, such as metal containers containing whipped cream or beer cans, by means of a C02 cartridge containing C02 under high pressure, such as 50 barias and higher. The volume of the C02 cartridge is relatively small and a large proportion of the C02 will escape during the connection if the connection is not made quickly and in a sealed manner. The seals for the high pressure C02 cartridges and the regulation of the pressure of the same ones are relatively complex. Furthermore, with the known devices there is no facility for the user to establish a pressure regulation. A barrel of beer in which a chamber of the pressure medium is formed by a cavity in the barrel containing gaseous CO 2 in it, is also known from Gebrauchsmusterschrift DE 201 15 158 Ul. A separating distributor head containing a pressure regulator can be connected by the user to a beer distributor valve and to a C02 feed valve of the beer barrel. When the dispenser head is connected, the chamber of the pressure medium is connected to the volume of beer in the barrel. The pressure regulating element is not indicated in more detail. However, if the manual connection is made by a non-experienced user, the loss of C02 from the pressure medium chamber may occur, so that the pressure in the tap is reduced or as a result of which, at worst case, only one. portion of the contents can be extracted with a tap of the beer keg. An object of the invention is, therefore, to provide an assembly of a beverage dispenser and a container containing carbonated beverage, for which no external pressure means such as a compressor is necessary. A further object of the invention is to provide a dispenser assembly of the beverage with which the chamber with the carbonated beverage in it can be connected in a simple, fast and reliable manner, to a reservoir of the pressure medium by inexperienced users. . A further object of the invention is to provide a beverage dispenser assembly wherein commercially available reservoirs containing liquid C02 under elevated pressure can be connected in a simple manner and with relatively small losses. For this end, the container of the assembly according to the invention is provided with a feeding opening of the pressure medium and with a reservoir with a pressing means therein, such a reservoir is provided with a coupling to the pressure line, wherein the The lid is provided with a pressure line with, at one end, a reservoir connector for connecting to the reservoir pressure line coupling and, at the other end, a connector for the supply of the pressure medium to be connected to the reservoir. feeding opening of the pressure medium of the container, wherein the reservoir connector and the supply connector of the pressure medium are brought into a fluid-tight coupling with the coupling of the pressure line and the supply opening of the pressure medium , respectively, by closing the lid. When the container is placed in the beverage dispenser, the contents of the container are connected to the reservoir of the pressure medium when the lid is closed, without additional intermediate operations on the part of the user. The position of the container relative to the lid is defined exactly, for example, by the use of positioning jaws on the container as described in NL-A 1019526 in the name of the Applicant, such a request is incorporated herein for reference. Closing the lid produces the connection between the reservoir of the pressure medium and the container without significant loss of the pressure medium. To provide a correct closing action, the lid may be provided with a double seal as described in NL-A 1019054 in the name of the applicant, such publication is incorporated herein for reference. In an embodiment according to the invention, the pressure line is connected to a pressure regulator for adjusting the pressure drop between the reservoir connector and the supply connector of the pressure line pressure medium. In this way, the dispenser can be positioned by the user in such a way that a desired distribution pressure is exerted, for example to extract the beer under high pressure, with a large head, or under low pressure, with less formation of beer. foam, can be established. In one embodiment, the container is provided with an accommodating cavity with a replaceable container that contains C02 under a pressure higher than 1 bar therein. The container may "contain in it (industrial standard SIC classification) C02 compressed or C02 adsorbed on carbon under a pressure of approximately 10 bars, as described in NL-A 1012922, or may contain low liquid C02. a pressure of more than 50 bar.As a result of the fast and reliable connection of the pressure line to, on the one hand, the C02 cartridge and, on the other hand, to the drinking chamber when the lid is closed (such a lid). can oscillate, rotate or slide with respect to the chamber), there is a small loss of the pressure medium, which is advantageous in particular when relatively small volumes of the pressure medium are used under a high pressure. Pressure line is in communication with an expansion chamber located between the reservoir connector and the supply connector of the pressure medium of the pressure line for r educing the pressure of C02 from the tank. As a result, the feed connection of the pressure medium from the pressure line to the chamber containing the carbonated beverage can be a relatively low pressure connection, the seal of which can be relatively easily filled. Because of the relatively low pressure, a pressure regulator incorporated between the expansion chamber and the supply connector of the pressure medium can be similarly of simple construction and consequently economical. Also, when the lid is closed, the C02 leaving the tank will move to the expansion chamber, so that the loss of the pressure medium as a result of the leakage to the surrounding medium is reduced. The container containing C02 can be connected to the container in such a way that it can be removed and can comprise an aerosol container or a metal C02 cartridge containing liquid C02 accommodated in a cavity in the upper wall, the lower wall or the side wall of the container. A small number of embodiments of an assembly according to the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the appended figures. In the figures: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of an assembly according to the present invention, Figure 2 shows an assembly where the lid of the beverage dispenser is provided with an expansion chamber, and Figure 3 shows a Detail, on an enlarged scale, of a connection between the reservoir connector and the pressure line coupling. Figure 1 shows an assembly 1 of a dispenser 2 of the beverage and a container 3 containing the carbonated beverage. Such assembly is described in NL-A 1019054 in the name of the Applicant, which is incorporated herein for reference. The beverage dispenser 2 has a chamber 4, for accommodating the container through an upper surface, and a lid 5 which is connected to the wall of the chamber in the articulation 6 in such a way that it can rotate in an articulated manner . The container 3 is provided with a dispensing opening 8 which is completely closed by a spring-loaded valve 9. A distribution line 10, which pushes the spring valve 9, is connected to a head 13 of the faucet by means of which a total shut-off valve, which is not shown in greater detail, at the end of the line of distribution 10 can be opened and closed by means of a handle 14 of the faucet. The chamber 4 can be cooled by a Peltier cooling element. An accommodation cavity 16 has been made in the container 3, in such a cavity a C02 cartridge 17 containing the liquid C02 is accommodated. This can be connected to the accommodation cavity in the filling line, after or before the filling of the container 3 with a carbonated beverage, such as beer, in such a way that it can not be released by the user. The C02 cartridge is provided with a coupling of the pressure line in the form of a thin connecting nozzle 20. Furthermore, the container 3 is provided with a pressure supply opening 21 that can be completely closed by a ball valve closing by spring or by a membrane that can be penetrated. In addition, a pressure line 22 with a reservoir connector 23 for coupling in a gas-tight manner over the nozzle 20 of the C02 cartridge 17 is accommodated in the lid 5. At the other end, the pressure line is provided with a connector of the supply 24 of the pressure medium, for example in the form of a simple collar and an opening in the wall of the container 3. A pressure regulator 5 (so it says) is incorporated in the pressure line 5 (so it says) so that the reduction in pressure between the cartridge C02 17 and the interior of the container 3 can be set by a user to obtain the desired characteristics of extraction with a tap in the case of beer. The position of the pressure line 22 in the cover 5 and the cartridge of C02 17 are such that when the cover 5 is closed in an articulated manner, the connector 23 of the tank and the connector 24 of the supply of the pressure medium, connect to the C02 cartridge 17 and to the opening 21 for feeding the pressure medium into the container, respectively. The C02 cartridge is activated by pressure from the cap, for example by piercing a seal or by the operation of a ball valve in the cartridge of C02, as shown in Figure 3. Figure 2 shows a modality wherein the pressure line 22 is provided with an expansion chamber 40 which has a volume which, for example, is 10 times greater than the volume of the C02 cartridge 17. Instead of a C02 cartridge it could also be possible to use a container containing active carbon as described in NL-A 1012922 in the name of the applicant or an aerosol container known per se. Figure 3 shows a coupling 20 of the pressure line for the reservoir 17. This comprises a ball valve 43 for closing by spring and an accommodation sleeve 44, which have been made in an annular plastic fastening element 45. The fastener 45 is connected to an upper wall 47 of the container 3 by means of a screw thread 46. Like the reservoir connector 23, the pressure line 22 has a thin projecting part 48 which is capable of extending towards the sleeve of accommodation 44 and when pushed downward as a consequence of closing the lid 5, pushes down the ball valve 43 and consequently connects the contents of the reservoir 17, by means of the pressure regulating valve 25, to the interior of the container 3. The upper surface 47 of the container 3 is provided with a feed opening 21 within which the end section of the pressure line 22 has been pushed by the med. io an annular seal 50 of rubber. It is noted that in relation to this date the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property. A mounting of a beverage dispenser, characterized in that it is provided with a chamber for accommodating a container containing carbonated beverage, a lid for completely closing the chamber, a dispensing head for opening and closing a distribution line and a container containing a carbonated beverage provided with a beverage dispensing opening and with a distribution line connecting the dispensing opening of the beverage to the dispenser head, wherein the container is provided with a feed opening of the pressure medium and with a reservoir with a pressure medium therein, said reservoir is provided with a coupling of the pressure line, wherein the cap is provided with a pressure line with, at one end, a reservoir connector for connection to the coupling of the reservoir. pressure line of the tank and with, at the other end, a supply connector of the pressure medium to be connected to the feeding opening of the pressure medium of the container, wherein the reservoir connector and the. Connector for the supply of the pressure medium are brought into fluid-tight coupling with the coupling of the pressure line and the supply opening of the pressure medium, respectively, by closing the lid. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure line is connected to a pressure regulator to adjust a pressure drop between the reservoir connector and the supply connector of the pressure medium of the pressure line. Pressure. The assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the container is provided with an accommodating cavity with a replaceable container containing C02 under a pressure higher than 1 bar therein. 4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the replaceable container contains liquid C02. The assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressure line (standard industrial classification) is in communication with an expansion chamber located between the tank connector and the power supply connector of the line pressure medium. of pressure to reduce the pressure of C02 from the tank. 6. A container for use in a mounting according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a reservoir with a pressure medium therein, such reservoir is provided with a coupling of the pressure line and with an opening of feeding the pressure medium, wherein the reservoir is connected to the container in such a way that it can be removed. The container • according to claim 6, characterized in that the reservoir contains liquid C02. 8. A distributor for use in a fitting assembly. with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a chamber for accommodating a container containing a carbonated beverage, a lid for completely closing the chamber, a distributor head for opening and closing a distribution line, wherein the lid is provided with a line of pressure with, at one end, a connector of the tank to be connected to a coupling of the pressure line of the tank and with, at the other end, a connector of the supply of the pressure medium to be connected to the supply of the medium of pressure of a container, wherein the reservoir connector and the supply connector of the pressure medium are brought into fluid-tight coupling with the coupling of the pressure line and the supply opening of the pressure medium of the container, respectively, by closing the lid when a container has been placed in the dispenser.