WO2012062874A1 - Dispositif de fermeture de fût pourvu d'un mécanisme de sécurité - Google Patents

Dispositif de fermeture de fût pourvu d'un mécanisme de sécurité Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2012062874A1
WO2012062874A1 PCT/EP2011/069871 EP2011069871W WO2012062874A1 WO 2012062874 A1 WO2012062874 A1 WO 2012062874A1 EP 2011069871 W EP2011069871 W EP 2011069871W WO 2012062874 A1 WO2012062874 A1 WO 2012062874A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
closure
valve element
locking element
valve
keg
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2011/069871
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jessica Rundin
Mikael Quasters
Original Assignee
Petainer Lidköping AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Petainer Lidköping AB filed Critical Petainer Lidköping AB
Publication of WO2012062874A1 publication Critical patent/WO2012062874A1/fr

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/0829—Keg connection means
    • B67D1/0831—Keg connection means combined with valves
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/0829—Keg connection means
    • B67D1/0831—Keg connection means combined with valves
    • B67D1/0835—Keg connection means combined with valves with one valve
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/0829—Keg connection means
    • B67D1/0841—Details
    • B67D1/0845—Security means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/0829—Keg connection means
    • B67D1/0841—Details
    • B67D1/0848—Locking means

Definitions

  • This invention relates to pressurised vessels such as kegs for storing, transporting and dispensing beverages.
  • the invention relates particularly to a closure for a keg, the closure having a safety mechanism to prevent the closure being re-closed after use. This ensures that the keg cannot be left pressurised after use and also that it cannot be refilled with the closure being re-closed afterwards.
  • Kegs are widely used for the distribution and service of beverages such as beer.
  • a closure in a neck of the keg typically includes a filling and dispensing valve that defines multiple flow paths through the closure.
  • beverage can be injected into the keg through the closure via a first flow path while displaced gas can exit the keg through the closure via a second flow path.
  • a propellant gas typically nitrogen or carbon dioxide
  • the closure comprises concentric valve elements and concentric flow paths.
  • the keg When filling the keg at a filling station on a production line, the keg is usually inverted for use with beer and carbonated soft drinks although it could be upright for other beverages, especially those without effervescence, and a filling head is coupled to the closure to form a seal with the closure.
  • the filling head has one or more formations that press against one or more spring-loaded valve elements of the closure to open the flow paths through the closure.
  • Air inside the keg is flushed out with a relatively inert gas, for example carbon dioxide, and beverage is then injected into the keg via a liquid line connected to the filling head. Gas displaced from the keg by the incoming beverage is forced out through a vent in the filling head.
  • the filling head When the keg is removed from the filling station, the filling head is uncoupled from the closure and the valve elements of the closure therefore snap shut under spring loading, sealing the beverage and any remaining inert gas within the keg.
  • a dispense head is coupled to the closure to form a seal with the closure.
  • the dispense head has a lever that, when depressed, extends one or more plungers corresponding to the formations of the filling head.
  • the plunger(s) therefore press against one or more valve elements of the closure to re-open the flow paths through the closure.
  • Those flow paths communicate with gas and liquid lines connected to the dispense head.
  • a propellant gas is injected into the keg from an external source connected to the gas line. Beverage is then forced out of the keg when a tap in the liquid line is opened to dispense the beverage.
  • the propellant gas is injected into the keg at super-atmospheric pressure.
  • the keg will remain under super-atmospheric pressure unless and until that gas is vented. It is recommended for safety purposes to vent the propellant gas from the keg when the dispense head is uncoupled from the closure, most commonly when the keg has been emptied and is being interchanged with a fresh, full keg.
  • some dispense heads have a purge valve that is operable to vent propellant gas from the keg before the dispense head is uncoupled from the closure. However, not all dispense heads have a purge valve and even those that do have a purge valve may not be operated correctly.
  • a user will often be in a hurry to swap empty kegs for full kegs while dispensing beverages in a busy bar and may not therefore take the time necessary to vent the propellant gas from the empty keg. Instead, the user may simply remove the dispense head from the closure, allowing the spring-loaded valve elements of the closure to snap shut and hence to close the flow paths through the closure. The result is that the empty keg remains pressurised, which may not be apparent upon viewing the keg.
  • PET blow-moulded polyethylene terephthalate
  • a pressurised keg is not easily crushable. Also, in safety terms, it is undesirable for a pressurised keg to be punctured or ruptured, for example if an attempt is made to crush the keg during waste disposal while believing that the keg is not pressurised. Another problem is that if the valve element(s) of the closure can still be opened and closed after the original beverage has been dispensed, the keg could possibly be refilled in an unauthorised manner. For example, the keg could be re-filled with a beverage that is not of the appropriate quality; certainly, the keg is unlikely to be refilled under the controlled conditions necessary to deliver a beverage in optimum condition.
  • the keg may bear the brand of the original beverage supplier, whose reputation may be damaged by apparently supplying an inferior product.
  • the keg could even be re-filled with a liquid that is not intended for human consumption and that could be dangerous to drink. Unauthorised refilling may not be apparent from a cursory inspection of the keg.
  • a later proposal disclosed in DE 10 2007 036 469 to Schafer Werke involves depressing a valve element to a lesser extent upon coupling a filling head to the closure for filling (i.e. the filling stroke) and to a greater extent upon coupling a dispense head to the closure for dispensing (i.e. the dispense stroke).
  • the greater movement of the valve element through the dispense stroke causes the valve element to lock in a depressed position such that when the dispense head is removed after dispensing, the valve element cannot move back to the closed position.
  • DE 10 2007 036 469 requires the filling stroke to be shorter than the dispense stroke.
  • the use of a well-type fitting involves a filling stroke that is often equal to or sometimes longer than the dispense stroke.
  • the proposal in DE 10 2007 036 469 cannot handle situations where the filling stroke is longer than or equal to the dispense stroke because the valve element will either lock open prematurely during the filling procedure or will fail to lock open after the dispensing procedure.
  • the invention resides in a closure for a pressure vessel such as a keg, the closure comprising: a housing; at least one valve element that is movable along an axis with respect to the housing into closed and open states; and a lock mechanism that is capable of holding the valve element in the open state; wherein the lock mechanism comprises a locking element that is coupled to the valve element to move in a direction transverse to said axis in response to said movement of the valve element, the locking element being movable between an unlocked position in which the valve element can attain the closed state and a locked position in which the valve element is held in the open state.
  • the closure of the invention is conventionally operable by axially inward movement of the valve element with respect to the housing between the closed and open states.
  • the lock mechanism employed by the closure of the invention does not suffer from the long tolerance chains of US 4909289 or the inability of US 4909289 to handle the variety of filling heads and dispense heads that are on the market. Also, unlike DE 10 2007 036 469, the mechanism of the invention can be used even if the filling stroke is equal to or longer than the dispense stroke.
  • the closure includes a second valve element concentric with and movable axially relative to a first valve element.
  • a cam mechanism acts between the valve element and the locking element to convert axial movement of the valve member into transverse movement of the locking element.
  • the cam mechanism may comprise a cam path associated with one of the valve element and the locking element and a drive element associated with the other of the valve element and the locking element. Then, relative movement between the drive element and the cam path converts axial movement of the valve member into transverse movement of the locking element.
  • the drive element is associated with the valve element and the cam path is associated with the locking element.
  • the drive element moves generally parallel to the axis of movement of the valve element to drive transverse movement of the locking element by virtue of relative movement between the drive element and the path.
  • cam path is associated with the valve element and the drive element is a cam follower that drives transverse movement of the locking element in response to axial movement of the cam path.
  • the cam path suitably comprises a succession of detent positions for the drive element, with successive detent positions being spaced parallel to the axis of movement of the valve element. To impart transverse movement to the locking element, it is preferred that successive detent positions of the cam path are spaced in a direction transverse to the axis of movement of the valve element.
  • successive detent positions of the cam path suitably alternate between axially inward and axially outward positions with respect to the pressure vessel.
  • the locked position corresponds to an axially outward detent position that extends axially outwardly to a lesser extent than a previous axially outward detent position of the cam path.
  • the cam path comprises, in succession: a first detent position in which the valve element may adopt the closed state; a second detent position in which the valve element may adopt the open state; a third detent position in which the valve element may adopt the closed state; a fourth detent position in which the valve element may adopt the open state; and a fifth detent position in which the locking element is in the locked position and the valve element is held in the open state.
  • transverse movement of the locking element may be achieved by the locking element turning about the axis of movement of the valve element, between the unlocked position and the locked position.
  • the locking element may be a collar that encircles the valve element.
  • locking may be achieved by a pawl associated with the valve element being aligned with a lock formation of the locking element.
  • the lock formation may be disposed axially outwardly of the pawl when the locking element is in the locked position. This is another way in which axially outward movement of the valve element may be restricted by movement of the locking element into the locked position, to hold the valve element in the open state after dispensing.
  • the lock formation of the locking element may be displaced transversely with respect to the pawl, whereby the pawl may bypass the lock formation to allow the valve element to assume the closed state.
  • inventive concept extends to a pressure vessel such as a keg, fitted with the closure of the invention.
  • Figure 1 a is a cut-away side view of a closure in accordance with the invention, showing the closure before filling with both valve elements closed;
  • Figure 1 b is an enlarged sectional side view of the closure in the state shown in Figure 1a;
  • Figure 2 is a perspective view of a seal ring that is part of the closure shown in Figures 1a and 1b;
  • Figure 3 is a perspective view of a spear component that is part of the closure shown in Figures 1a and 1 b;
  • Figure 4 is a perspective view of a locking collar that is part of the closure shown in Figures 1a and 1 b;
  • Figure 5 is a cut-away side view of the closure that corresponds to Figure 1a but shows the closure during filling when a filling head has been coupled to the closure, with both valve elements open;
  • Figure 6 is a cut-away side view of the closure that corresponds to Figures 1 a and 5 but shows the closure after filling when the filling head has been uncoupled from the closure, with both valve elements again closed;
  • Figure 7 is a cut-away side view of the closure that corresponds to Figures 1 a, 5 and 6 but shows the closure during dispensing as when a dispense head has been coupled to the closure, with both valve elements again open;
  • Figure 8a is a cut-away side view of the closure that corresponds to Figures 1 a, 5, 6 and 7 but shows the closure after dispensing as when the dispense head has been uncoupled from the closure, with one valve element now permanently open;
  • Figure 8b is an enlarged sectional side view of the closure in the state shown in Figure 8a.
  • FIGS 1a and 1b of the drawings show a well-type closure 10.
  • the closure 10 is arranged to be fitted into the neck 12 of a keg, shown schematically in Figure 1 b.
  • the keg is of plastics material such as blow-moulded PET.
  • the components of the closure 10 are made predominantly of injection-moulded plastics materials such as polyester, polyolefin, polyamide or the like, except where stated otherwise below. It is emphasised that the materials used for the keg and the closure 10 and their methods of manufacture are merely preferred and are not essential to the broad inventive concept.
  • the closure 10 has a generally tubular housing 14 shaped to fit closely within the tubular neck 12 of the keg.
  • the housing 14 is retained on the keg by a snap ring 16 that resiliently engages circumferential ridges 18 projecting laterally from the exterior of the neck 12.
  • the housing 14 surrounds and supports concentric valve elements that are axially displaceable inwardly against spring bias toward the interior of the keg to open them. As the valve elements open, they open respective concentric flow paths extending through the closure 10 and into the keg.
  • an outer valve comprises a first valve element including an annular seal ring 20.
  • the seal ring 20 comprises a rigid core 22 sandwiched between resilient upper and lower seal components 24 and 26 respectively.
  • the seal ring 20 is supported by, and moves axially with, a tubular spear connector 28.
  • the seal ring 20 and the spear connector 28 are shown in more detail in Figures 2 and 3 respectively and will be described more fully later with reference to those drawings.
  • An outer coil spring 30 of stainless steel surrounds the lower portion of the spear connector 28 and acts in compression between the housing 14 and the spear connector 28. The outer coil spring 30 biases the spear connector 28 outwardly away from the interior of the keg.
  • the seal ring 20 urges the seal ring 20 into sealing contact with an outer valve seat 32 that extends radially inwardly from the housing 14 with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the neck 12.
  • the resilient upper seal component 24 of the seal ring 20 has an integrally-moulded outer sealing rim 34 that seals against the outer valve seat 32.
  • the outer valve seat 32 has a frusto-conical inner surface 36 that cooperates with the seal ring 20 when the outer valve is closed.
  • the spear connector 28 surrounds and supports a second valve element being a plug 38 that is movable axially with respect to the spear connector 28 relative to the seal ring 20.
  • the plug 38 comprises a head 40 and a stem 42 in a generally T- shape arrangement.
  • the head 40 of the plug 38 cooperates with the resilient lower seal component 26 of the seal ring 20 to define an inner valve.
  • the lower seal component 26 is generally flat but comprises concentric integrally-moulded sealing rims 44, 46.
  • An outer sealing rim 44 seals against the top of the spear connector 28, and an inner sealing rim 46 seals against a shoulder 48 projecting radially from the head 40 of the plug 38.
  • the seal ring 20 comprises a cylindrical inner wall 52.
  • the inner wall 52 terminates at its upper end in an inner ring 54 of the upper seal component 24.
  • the inner ring 54 lies in a plane orthogonal to the inner wall 52.
  • An outer wall 56 depending from the inner ring 54 has a frusto-conical lower section 58 that complements the frusto-conical surface 36 of the outer valve seat 32 of the housing 14.
  • the outer sealing rim 34 is disposed outwardly of the lower section 58 of the outer wall 56.
  • the rigid core 22 of the seal ring 20 extends radially outwardly below the upper seal component 24.
  • the core 22 has various formations depending from its edge in diametrically-opposed pairs, including snap-fit prongs 60 and lugs 62 that, respectively, engage the seal ring 20 with the spear connector 28 and prevent the seal ring 20 turning with respect to the spear connector 28.
  • L-shaped pawls 64 also depend downwardly and outwardly from the edge of the core 22; the pawls 64 are capable of locking axial movement of the spear connector 28 after dispensing, as will be explained later. Only one set of prongs 60 and one of the pawls 64 are visible in Figure 2; the opposed set of prongs 60 and the opposed pawls 64 are hidden on the far side of the seal ring 20 in that view.
  • Figure 3 shows the spear connector 28 in isolation.
  • the spear connector 28 has a radially-extending flange 66 with diametrically-opposed pairs of formations 68, 70, 72 spaced around its circumference.
  • Those formations 68, 70, 72 are in alignment with, and complementary to, the formations that depend from the outer edge of the seal ring 20, namely the prongs 60, lugs 62 and pawls 64 respectively.
  • the flange 66 has: snap-fit formations 68 that receive and engage the prongs 60; fingers 70 that embrace and engage with the lugs 62; and notches 72, each of which accommodates the downward leg of a respective pawl 64.
  • the seal ring 20 when the seal ring 20 is aligned with the spear connector 28 to bring the prongs 60, lugs 62 and pawls 64 into mutual alignment with their complementary snap-fit formations 68, fingers 70 and notches 72, the prongs 60 engage with the snap-fit formations 68 and the lugs 62 fit between the fingers 70. As noted above, this engages the seal ring 20 with the spear connector 28 and prevents the seal ring 20 turning with respect to the spear connector 28.
  • the spear connector 28 has a push-fit male fitting 74 for a flexible tube (not shown) that communicates with the hollow interior of the spear connector 28.
  • the tube is typically of extruded plastics material such as polyethylene and extends into the base of the keg from the fitting 74.
  • the spear connector 28 has four integrally- moulded tabs 76 that project radially outwardly from the tubular wall 78 of the spear connector 28.
  • the tabs 76 lie in planes that are equi-angularly spaced about, and intersect along, the central longitudinal axis of the spear connector 28.
  • Each tab 76 is supported by integrally-moulded webs 80, and has an outer edge 82 that is parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the spear connector 28.
  • the outer edges 82 of the tabs 76 define bearing surfaces that support and centre the spear connector 28 for axial sliding movement within the cylindrical inner wall 84 of the tubular housing 14, as can be seen in Figure 1 b.
  • the tabs 76 are joined by an integrally-moulded frusto-conical flange 86 that surrounds the tubular wall 78 of the spear connector 28.
  • the outer coil spring 30 acts against the underside of the flange 86.
  • a diametrically-opposed pair of pins 88 are disposed between the flange 66 at the outer end of the spear connector 28 and the tabs 76. Only one of the pins 88 is visible in Figure 3 as the other pin 88 is hidden on the far side of spear connector 28.
  • the pins 88 are approximately angularly aligned with the notches 72 that accommodate the pawls 64.
  • the pins 88 project radially outwardly from the tubular wall 78 of the spear connector 28 and are supported by webs 90.
  • the pins 88 interact with a rotary locking collar 92 to drive angular movement of the collar 92 around the central longitudinal axis of the spear connector 28. That collar 92 is shown in isolation in Figure 4 of the drawings and will now be described in detail.
  • the collar 92 shown in Figure 4 of the drawings comprises a tubular wall 94 that lies generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the spear connector 28 and is a sliding fit within the cylindrical inner wall 84 of the tubular housing 14.
  • the wall 94 is penetrated by pairs of parallel slots 96 in four equi-angularly spaced locations to define integrally-moulded legs 98 that are cantilevered to the wall 90 at their upper ends and that each have an outwardly-extending foot 100 at their lower free end.
  • the legs 98 can deflect resiliently inwardly to allow the feet 100 to clear the cylindrical inner wall 84 when the collar 92 is inserted into the tubular housing 14.
  • the housing 14 has four equi-angularly spaced slots 102, each of which extends circumferentially to an extent greater than the width of each foot 100.
  • the legs 98 urge the feet 100 resiliently outwardly to engage the slots 102 as a snap-fit.
  • the slots 102 are wider circumferentially than the feet 100, the feet 100 afford the collar 92 limited angular movement about the central longitudinal axis of the spear connector 28 but they restrain movement of the collar 92 axially, parallel to that axis.
  • Axial location of the collar 92 is completed by an inwardly-facing shoulder 104 of the housing 14.
  • the tubular wall 94 of the collar 92 further comprises diametrically-opposed cam gates 106 that receive the pins 88.
  • the cam gates 106 serve as cam followers that index the collar 92 in angular increments in response to reciprocal axial movement of the pins 88 due to corresponding movement of the spear connector 28.
  • Each cam gate 106 comprises a convoluted labyrinth slot that is shaped to define five detent positions 108, 110, 112, 114 and 116 through which the pins 88 move in four successive reciprocal movements, as will be explained.
  • the collar 92 further comprises an inwardly-facing flange 118 along the top edge of the tubular wall 94.
  • That flange 118 is discontinuous, being entirely cut away in alignment with a start position 106 of each cam gate 106 to allow the pins 88 to bypass the flange 118 upon assembly of the closure 10.
  • the width of the flange 1 18 varies between narrower portions 120 and wider portions 122.
  • the narrower portions 120 of the flange 1 18 allow clearance for the pawls 64 of the seal ring 20.
  • the wider portions 122 of the flange 1 18 are arranged to engage the pawls 64 of the seal ring 20 when sufficient stepwise angular movement of the collar 92 takes place in response to reciprocal axial movement of the pins 88. That engagement between the pawls 64 and the flange 118 prevents the seal ring 20 returning to its closed position against the outer valve seat 32 after dispensing. This will be explained in more detail later, with specific reference to Figures 8a and 8b of the drawings.
  • FIG. 1 a, 1 b, 5, 6, 7, 8a and 8b of the drawings describe the sequence of operation of the closure 10 in detail.
  • a filling head and a dispense head for use with the closure 10 of the invention are conventional and so are omitted from those drawings.
  • Figures 1a, 1 b and 6 of the drawings show the closure 10 with both valve elements closed before and after filling: thus the outer sealing rim 34 of the upper seal component 24 is in sealing contact with the outer valve seat 32 and the head 40 of the plug 38 is in sealing contact with the inner sealing rim 46 of the lower seal component 26.
  • Figures 5 and 7 of the drawings show the closure 10 with both valve elements open, as during filling and dispensing respectively.
  • beverage will flow into the keg along the outer flow path during filling in Figure 5 and from the keg along the inner flow path during dispensing in Figure 7.
  • gas will flow from the keg along the inner flow path during filling in Figure 5 and into the keg along the outer flow path during dispensing in Figure 7.
  • the beverage and gas flows specified during filling assume that the keg is inverted during filling, which is conventional for effervescent drinks such as beer.
  • beverage will flow into the keg along the inner flow path and gas will flow from the keg along the outer flow path.
  • the above features of the closure 10 are largely conventional.
  • the invention resides in the lock mechanism that, in this example, comprises the collar 92 and the seal ring 20 attached to the spear connector 28.
  • the second detent position 110 is axially inward of, and angularly displaced about the collar 92 with respect to, the start detent position 108.
  • the collar 92 indexes angularly about the central longitudinal axis of the closure 10.
  • the closure 10 is preferably covered with means for dust protection and tamper evidence, such as a foil cap (not shown).
  • the filled keg may then be stored and delivered to customers for dispensing as required.
  • a handle (not shown) may be attached to the neck 12 of the keg.
  • Figure 7 shows that when the seal ring 20 and the plug 38 are depressed again to open the outer and inner valves for dispensing, the seal ring 20 moves the spear connector 28 axially inwardly against spring bias toward the interior of the keg.
  • the pins 88 move again axially inwardly from the third detent position 112 to a fourth detent position 114 in their respective cam gates 106.
  • the fourth detent position 1 14 is axially inward of, and further angularly displaced about the collar 92 with respect to, the third detent position 112.
  • the collar 92 undergoes still further angular movement about the central longitudinal axis of the closure 10.
  • the spear connector 28 is no longer able to move axially outwardly away from the interior of the keg to an extent necessary for the seal ring 20 to contact the outer valve seat 32 of the housing 14, so the outer valve can no longer close.
  • the pawls 64 of the seal ring 20 have moved angularly to an extent necessary to engage under the wider portions 122 of the flange 118 of the collar 92, thus restraining outward axial movement of the spear connector 28.
  • the fifth detent position 116 is axially inward of the first and third detent positions 108 and 1 12, which also restricts outward axial movement of the spear connector 28.
  • pins 88 each have a faceted cross-section, with faces angled to promote the above-described navigation of the pins 88 along the convoluted slots of the cam gates 106 as the collar 92 turns, driven by reciprocal axial movement of the pins 88.
  • the mechanism of the invention ensures that the keg cannot be left pressurised after use and also that it cannot be refilled with the closure being re-closed afterwards.
  • the mechanism of the invention does not suffer from the long tolerance chains of US 4909289 or the inability of US 4909289 to handle the variety of filling heads and dispense heads that are on the market.
  • the mechanism of the invention can be used even if the filling stroke is equal to or longer than the dispense stroke.
  • the mechanism of the invention allows particularly accurate control of the gap that remains between the seal ring 20 and the outer valve seat 32 after dispensing. This allows the rate of outward pressure-equalising gas flow to be controlled effectively.

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  • Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)

Abstract

Un dispositif de fermeture (10) destiné à un récipient sous pression, tel qu'un fût, comprend : un logement (14) ; au moins un élément soupape mobile le long d'un axe par rapport au logement (14) jusqu'à un état fermé et à un état ouvert ; et un mécanisme de verrouillage pouvant maintenir l'élément soupape à l'état ouvert. Le mécanisme de verrouillage comprend un élément de verrouillage tel qu'un collier (92) accouplé à l'élément soupape pour se déplacer dans une direction transversale audit axe en réponse audit déplacement de l'élément soupape. L'élément de verrouillage (92) est mobile entre une position déverrouillée dans laquelle l'élément soupape peut atteindre l'état fermé et une position verrouillée dans laquelle l'élément soupape est maintenu à l'état ouvert.
PCT/EP2011/069871 2010-11-10 2011-11-10 Dispositif de fermeture de fût pourvu d'un mécanisme de sécurité WO2012062874A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1018997.5A GB2485529B (en) 2010-11-10 2010-11-10 Keg closure with safety mechanism
GB1018997.5 2010-11-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2012062874A1 true WO2012062874A1 (fr) 2012-05-18

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WO2018152600A1 (fr) * 2017-02-21 2018-08-30 Beerkeg Indústria E Comércio Ltda - Me Amélioration apportée à un ensemble valve d'extraction avec poignée
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US10947100B2 (en) 2017-02-03 2021-03-16 Petainer Large Container Ip Limited Keg closure with element for locking the valve in an open position
US11053111B2 (en) 2017-02-03 2021-07-06 Petainer Large Container Ip Limited Keg closure with integrated venting system
US11066289B2 (en) 2017-02-03 2021-07-20 Petainer Large Container Ip Limited Keg closure with attached venting system
US11465894B2 (en) 2017-02-03 2022-10-11 Petainer Large Container Ip Limited Keg closure housing with integrally formed features
WO2018152600A1 (fr) * 2017-02-21 2018-08-30 Beerkeg Indústria E Comércio Ltda - Me Amélioration apportée à un ensemble valve d'extraction avec poignée
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GB2485529B (en) 2013-03-06
GB2485529A (en) 2012-05-23

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