U.S. patent application number 13/129008 was filed with the patent office on 2011-11-17 for device for connecting a beverage container to a fitting.
Invention is credited to Klaus Meike.
Application Number | 20110280502 13/129008 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40691193 |
Filed Date | 2011-11-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110280502 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Meike; Klaus |
November 17, 2011 |
DEVICE FOR CONNECTING A BEVERAGE CONTAINER TO A FITTING
Abstract
The invention relates to a device connecting a container for
receiving liquid beverages, such as beer, soft drinks and wine, to
a fitting (3), wherein the container is designed as a bladder (1)
which, at the top, at the head end thereof, is designed with a
collar-like connecting means (14) which can be connected to the
fitting (3) for the purpose of bottling the liquid, the fitting
having closable openings (5, 6) for both a pressurized gas and for
the liquid. The aim is to create a connection option between the
container/the bladder (1) and the fitting (3) that is secure and
easily replaceable. For this purpose, the invention provides an
adapter ring (15; 115) which connects the connecting means (14) of
the bladder (1) to a detent groove (8) in the fitting (3) from the
outside and which engages in the detent groove (8) with a detent
projection (16; 116).
Inventors: |
Meike; Klaus;
(Wilnsdorf-Rinsdorf, DE) |
Family ID: |
40691193 |
Appl. No.: |
13/129008 |
Filed: |
January 22, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
January 22, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2010/000374 |
371 Date: |
July 26, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67D 1/0829 20130101;
B67D 1/0412 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/42 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/16 20060101
B65D033/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 14, 2009 |
DE |
20 2009 002 838.0 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for connecting a container for holding a liquid
beverage with a fitting, where the container is a bladder formed at
its top or head end with a sleeve-like connector that can be
connected to the fitting serving for filling the container with the
beverage and having closeable openings for a compressed gas on the
one hand and the liquid on the other hand, characterized by an
adapter ring connecting the connector of the bladder with a detent
groove of the fitting from outside, which engages with a detent
projection into the detent groove.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adapter ring is
shaped on the connector in an upwardly projecting manner.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adapter ring is
one piece and can be locked with the detent groove of the fitting
and the sleeve-like connector of the bladder.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the upper and lower
connection end of the adapter ring are formed with detent
projections, the upper detent projection of which engages in the
detent groove of the fitting and the lower detent projection
engages under the sleeve-like connector of the bladder.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the connection ends
are formed in a radially resilient manner.
6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the upper detent
projection is formed with an insert bevel tapering downward.
7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lower detent
projection is formed with a contact bevel tapering upward.
8. In combination: a bladder container having a tubular filler neck
centered on an axis; a fitting connectable to the filler neck and
having openings for feeding compressed gas and a beverage into the
container and formed with a radially outwardly open and annular
detent groove; and an adapter ring secured to the neck and formed
with a radially inwardly projecting and annular detent ridge
fittable into the groove to lock the fitting to the filler
neck.
9. The combination defined in claim 8 wherein the ring is
elastically deformable.
10. The combination defined in claim 8 wherein the ring is
unitarily formed with the neck.
11. The combination defined in claim 8 wherein the neck is formed
with an outwardly projecting ridge and the ring has an inwardly
projecting ridge formation fittable with the ridge of the neck to
hold the ring on the neck.
12. The combination defined in claim 11 wherein the ridge of the
neck is of sawtooth section such that the ridge formation of the
ring can be slid over it in one direction but is locked against
movement off the ridge of the neck in the opposite direction.
13. The combination defined in claim 11 wherein a lower end of the
ring is formed below the ridge formation with a downwardly flaring
bevel.
14. The combination defined in claim 11 wherein an upper end of the
ring is formed with an upwardly flaring bevel.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for connecting a
container for holding a liquid beverage, such as beer, soft drinks
and wine, with a fitting, where the container has a bladder that is
formed at its top or head end with a sleeve-like connector that can
be connected to the fitting serving for filling the liquids and
having closeable openings for a compressed gas on the one hand and
the liquid on the other hand.
[0002] Containers or bladders formed in this manner, in particular
made from PET, are often provided internally with a bag or pouch
for holding the beverage. This unfolds during filling and prevents
air from entering the beverage or prevents carbon dioxide from
escaping.
[0003] The containers or bladders are preferably used in beverage
dispensing apparatuses for CO.sub.2 compressed gas-operated
dispensing of beverages, such as beer, soft drinks and wine, cooled
to drinking temperature. Upon actuation of a tap lever, the
beverage is forced out through the beverage outlet via a riser tube
projecting from above into the interior of the bladder or the inner
bag.
[0004] A beverage-dispensing apparatus of this type is known, for
example, from EP 1 293 476 [U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,375]. The beverage
can be removed or the bladder can be filled via a tap head that can
be placed on a safety fitting that has a beverage valve and a gas
valve, arranged on the container or the bladder at the top, or a
connection piece that can be mounted thereon.
[0005] DE 10 2005 025 561 [U.S. Pat. No. 7,651,003] describes a
closure for a beverage container that is made for the removal of
liquid and that has a closure body with a cylindrical inner part in
which a valve actuating member is supported. The closure body has a
cylindrical outer sleeve with an internal thread with which the
outer sleeve can be screwed onto an external thread of the
container connection.
[0006] Furthermore, it is known in the prior art that the safety
fitting accommodating the tap head is compressed with the container
wall during installation into the container top part, so that a
connection is produced that cannot be detached again. This
so-called non-reusable thread is discarded together with the
pressed-on safety fitting after removal of the beverage.
[0007] The object of the invention is now to create a safe and
easily replaceable connection option with the fitting or safety
fitting for a generic beverage container.
[0008] This object is attained according to the invention with an
adapter ring connecting the connector of the bladder with a detent
groove of the fitting from outside, according to an advantageous
embodiment of the invention directly formed on the connector and
thus representing an integrated, permanently attached component of
the bladder. The fitting needs only to be pushed into place until a
detent projection of the adapter ring engages in the detent groove
of the fitting. An adapter ring of this type makes it possible to
also use a conventional single-use keg fitting for a PET
bladder.
[0009] Another embodiment of the invention is a one-piece adapter
ring that can be locked with the detent groove of the fitting and
the sleeve-like connector of the bladder. The separate adapter ring
made of plastic is pushed from below onto the fitting before the
connection of the fitting with the bladder. After the fitting, with
the interposition of a radial seal, has been placed onto a
smooth-surfaced projection surrounding inside the sleeve-like
connector of the bladder, the adapter ring on the fitting is pushed
downward in the vertical direction until, on the one hand, its
upper connection end locks with the circumferential groove of the
fitting and, on the other hand, its lower connection end locks with
the sleeve-like or annularly projecting connector of the
bladder.
[0010] To lock the adapter ring with the fitting and the bladder
according to the invention in place, the upper and lower connection
end of the adapter ring are formed with detent projections, the
upper detent projection engaging in the detent groove of the
fitting and the lower detent projection engaging under the
sleeve-like connector. The upper as well as the lower detent
projection are formed in one piece and respectively surround the
outer surface of the upper and the lower connection end of the
adapter ring. The upper connection end adapted to the outer
diameter of the fitting has a smaller diameter than the lower
connection end adapted to the outer diameter of the sleeve-like
connector, so that an inclined surface tapering upward forms the
transition of the adapter between the upper and the lower
connection end. After the locking of the fitting with the bladder,
this inclined surface or step of the adapter ring bears flatly with
prestress against an outer surface of the sleeve-like connector
formed in a complementary manner thereto in a lug-shaped manner,
for stabilization of the adapter ring.
[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
connection ends are connected to the center part of the adapter
ring in a radially resilient manner. The connection ends are
thereby expanded outward via the upper and lower detent projections
lying inside during the connection operation on the one hand on the
fitting and on the other hand on the inclined outer contour of the
sleeve-like connector. As soon as the upper detent projection is
located in congruent position with the circumferential groove in
the fitting and the lower detent projection has passed the
sleeve-like connector, the connection ends spring or snap back into
their starting position, with the upper detent projection locking
safely and firmly into the groove of the fitting and the lower
detent projection engaging under the sleeve-like connector in a
positive manner.
[0012] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention
the upper detent projection is formed with an insert bevel tapering
downward. This centers the fitting and makes it easier to push onto
the adapter ring. In addition, the detent projection formed in this
manner slides with an only small mounting surface over the fitting,
and insertion of the upper detent projection into the groove of the
fitting is aided.
[0013] In contrast, the lower detent projection according to the
invention is formed with a contact bevel tapering upward. This
renders possible a centered, easy sliding down on the
sawtooth-section outer surface of the collar when the lower
connection end of the adapter ring fitted placed onto the
sleeve-like connector of the bladder. Furthermore, the contact
bevel aids radial spreading of the lower connection end when it
passes the sleeve-like connector.
[0014] Further features and details of the invention are seen in
the claims and the following description of illustrated embodiments
of the invention shown in the figures. Therein:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal section of a fitting
connected or locked with a sleeve-like connector of a container
bladder by an adapter ring pushed on from outside; and
[0016] FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal section as above, where the
adapter ring is shaped directly on the sleeve-like connector as an
integrated component of the container bladder.
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a bladder 1 made of a thermoplastic material,
in particular PET, as a container for holding or compressed gas
dispensing of a beverage, such as beer, soft drinks and wine.
[0018] The bladder 1 is formed at its top with a neck 2 that
accommodates a safety fitting 3 that has projecting into the
bladder 1 a fitting or riser tube 4 through which the liquid can
rise. Furthermore, the safety fitting 3 is provided with closeable
openings 5 and 6 for a compressed gas on the one hand and the
liquid on the other hand. A connecting piece for filling with a
beverage in a brewery, for instance, or a tap head for tapping by
the user can be connected to the openings 5 and 6.
[0019] The safety fitting 3 has an annular outer housing 7 that is
provided with a circumferential detent groove 8. The outer housing
7 merges downward into a double-walled stationary support part 9
having an annular inner wall 10a and an annular outer wall 10b
forming flow passages, the annular inner wall 10a also acting as a
guide on movement of the fitting tube 4 in the axial direction in
the illustrated embodiment.
[0020] The annular outer wall 10b has a radially outwardly
projecting ridge 11 that on the one hand carries the annular outer
housing 7 and on the other hand bears via a seal 12 on an annular
shoulder 13 formed inside the neck 2.
[0021] On its outer surface, the neck 2 is provided with a
sleeve-like connector formation 14 that serves as a counter-latch
for a connector. The connector is a one-piece adapter ring 15 that
is provided inside its upper end 15a and inside its lower end 15b
with respective detent projections 16 and 17, the upper detent
projection 16 engaging in the detent groove 8 of the fitting and
the lower detent projection 17 engaging under the sleeve-like
formation 14.
[0022] For the non-positive and positive connection of the fitting
3 with the bladder 1, the adapter ring 15, which is made of a
resilient material, is pushed from below over the annual outer
housing 7 of the fitting 3, aided by an installation bevel 20 of
the upper connection end 15a, so that the upper circumferential
detent projection 16 is spread radially outward and thus is
prestressed. Subsequently, the fitting 3 with the support part 9 is
placed onto the neck 2, and the adapter ring 15 is pressed
downward. This causes the lower detent projection 17 to slide over
the sawtooth-shaped outer surface 18 of the formation 14 so that it
also is expanded radially and prestressed. A contact bevel 19
formed on the detent projection 17 and tapering upward facilitates
this joining and radial spreading.
[0023] As soon as the upper detent projection 16 is engaged in the
detent groove 8 and the detent projection 17 has completely passed
the sleeve-like connector formation 14, the upper detent projection
16, supported by the insert bevel 20, locks with the detent groove
8, and the lower detent projection 17 engages under the sleeve-like
connector formation 14 in a positive manner.
[0024] FIG. 2 shows a variant in which the adapter ring 115 is
directly formed on the neck 2 or on its upper connector formation
14. Since locking with the bladder 2 or connector formation 14 is
omitted, the resiliently yielding adapter ring 115 here has only
one circumferential detent projection 116 provided with an insert
bevel 20 that, during pushing on of the fitting 3, engages in the
detent groove 8 thereof and connects the bladder 1 securely with
the fitting 3. Otherwise, the components and the mode of operation
of this embodiment are identical to those of FIG. 1.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0025] 1 Bladder (container) [0026] 2 Bladder/container neck [0027]
3 Fitting (safety fitting) [0028] 4 Fitting tube/riser tube [0029]
5 (Flow) opening [0030] 6 (Flow) opening [0031] 7 Outer housing
[0032] 8 Detent groove (circumferential groove) [0033] 9 Support
part [0034] 10a Annular inner wall [0035] 10b Annular outer wall
[0036] 11 Ridge [0037] 12 Seal [0038] 13 Annular surface [0039] 14
Connector (of the bladder) [0040] 15 Adapter ring [0041] 15a Upper
connection end [0042] 15b Lower connection end [0043] 16 Detent
projection (upper) [0044] 17 Detent projection (lower) [0045] 18
Outer surface [0046] 19 Contact bevel [0047] 20 Insert bevel [0048]
115 Adapter ring [0049] 116 Detent projection
* * * * *