Portable beverage dispensing systems

• US 20030173376A1
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SP Partnership
• Original Assignee: SP Partnership
• Inventors: Stover, Harold F., Bilskie, Richard P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,820,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/129.1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0406 with means for carbonating the beverage, or for maintaining its carbonation B67D1/0418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0462 Squeezing collapsible or flexible beverage containers, e.g. bag-in-box containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0829 Keg connection means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0098 using a gas
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0824 with dip tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0828 in pressurised housing

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a beverage dispensing system. In one arrangement, the beverage dispensing system comprises a self-contained, removable container unit, the container unit including at least one liquid container that is adapted to store a liquid therein, and a source of gas under pressure that provides a driving mechanism for delivering liquid from the at least one liquid container of the removable container unit. In addition, the present disclosure relates to liquid containers for beverage dispensing systems.

Claims

1. A beverage dispensing system, comprising:

a self-contained, removable container unit, the container unit including at least one liquid container that is adapted to store a liquid therein; and

a source of gas under pressure that provides a driving mechanism for delivering liquid from the at least one liquid container of the removable container unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the removable container unit further comprises a liquid filling line and a liquid supply line for each container of the container unit, each liquid filling line providing liquid to a container during filling and each liquid supply line delivering liquid from a container as required during beverage dispensing.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the removable container unit further comprises a filling coupler and a supply coupler, the filling coupler adapted to facilitate substantially simultaneous filling of each container of the container unit and the supply coupler being adapted to connect the container unit to the remainder of the beverage dispensing system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the filling coupler and the supply coupler each have ports that are in fluid communication with the filling lines and the supply lines, respectively, of the removable container unit.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a gas supply valve associated with the removable container unit, the gas supply valve being configured such that a supply of gas to the at least one container is automatically shut off during filling of the at least one container and automatically resumed after filling of the at least one container is completed.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the gas supply valve includes a lever that controls its actuation, the lever being configured such that it is depressed when a coupler of an external liquid source is connected to the removable container unit.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of water that is pressurized by the source of gas and a gas supply valve that is configured such that a supply of gas to the source of water is automatically shut off during filling of the source of water and automatically resumed after filling of the source of water is completed.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the gas supply valve includes a lever that controls its actuation, the lever being configured such that it is depressed when a coupler of an external water source is connected to the removable container unit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one liquid container is configured so as to separate liquid stored in the container from gas that is used to pressurize and drive the liquid.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises an external vessel and a pliable bag that is adapted to be placed within the external vessel.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the pliable bag is adapted to receive liquid and the external vessel is adapted to receive pressurized gas that pressurizes pliable bag from its exterior to thereby pressurize the liquid contained within the pliable bag.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one container further comprises an adapter that connects the pliable bag to the external vessel, the adapter including a liquid passage through which liquid can enter and exit the pliable bag and a gas passage through which pressurized gas can enter and exit the external vessel.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the pliable bag includes a threaded neck with which it connects to the container adapter.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the container adapter further comprises a vessel closure to which the pliable bag directly connects, the vessel closure being adapted to fit within and seal against the external vessel.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the container adapter further comprises a liquid transfer tube that is disposed within the vessel closure and that is in fluid communication with the liquid passage via an outlet, and a fastener that fastens to the liquid transfer tube.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises a bottle and a bottle coupler.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the bottle coupler comprises a liquid passage through which liquid can travel into and out from the bottle and a gas passage through which pressurized air can pass into and out from the bottle.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the bottle coupler further comprises a closure member that is disposed within the gas passage and that closes the gas passage when the bottle is substantially filled with liquid.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein in the closure member is adapted to float upwardly under the force of rising liquid within the bottle to seal the gas passage.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the bottle coupler comprises an exterior portion and an interior portion that is disposed within an internal passageway of the exterior portion.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the internal passageway of the exterior portion is partially threaded so as to be configured to threadingly engage the bottle.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the interior portion includes a supply/pick-up tube that is adapted to supply liquid to and draw liquid from the bottom of the bottle.

23. A liquid container for a beverage dispensing system, the container comprising:

an exterior vessel that forms an interior space that is adapted to receive pressurized gas;

a pliable bag that is adapted to be placed within interior space of the external vessel; and

an adapter that is adapted to connect the pliable bag to the external vessel.

24. The container of claim 23, wherein the external vessel is constructed of a metal material.

25. The container of claim 23, wherein the pliable bag is constructed of at least one polymeric material.

26. The container of claim 23, wherein the pliable bag includes a threaded neck that is used to threadingly engage the adapter.

27. The container of claim 23, wherein the adapter includes a liquid passage through which liquid can enter and exit the pliable bag and a gas passage through which pressurized gas can enter and exit the external vessel.

28. The container of claim 23, wherein the adapter further comprises a vessel closure to which the pliable bag directly connects, the vessel closure being adapted to fit within and seal against the external vessel.

29. The container of claim 28, wherein the container adapter further comprises a liquid transfer tube that is disposed within the vessel closure and that is in fluid communication with the liquid passage via an outlet, and a fastener that fastens to the liquid transfer tube.

30. A liquid container for a beverage dispensing system, the container comprising:

a bottle that includes a body and a neck; and

a bottle coupler that is adapted to connect to the bottle, the bottle coupler comprising a liquid passage through which liquid can travel into and out from the bottle and a gas passage through which pressurized air can pass into and out from the bottle.

31. The container of claim 30, wherein the bottle further comprises a polymeric bottle.

32. The container of claim 30, wherein the bottle coupler further comprises an exterior portion and an interior portion that is disposed within an internal passageway of the exterior portion.

33. The container of claim 30, wherein the internal passageway of the exterior portion is partially threaded so as to be configured to threadingly engage the neck of the bottle.

34. The container of claim 30, wherein the interior portion includes a supply/pick-up tube that is adapted to supply liquid to and draw liquid from the bottom of the bottle.

35. The container of claim 30, wherein the bottle coupler further comprises a closure member that is disposed within the gas passage and that closes the gas passage when the bottle is substantially filled with liquid.

36. The container of claim 35, wherein in the closure member is adapted to float upwardly under the force of rising liquid within the bottle to seal the gas passage.

37. A bottle coupler adapted to connect to a bottle, comprising:

an exterior portion including an internal passageway;

an interior portion that fits within the internal passageway of the exterior portion, the interior portion defining a liquid passage through which liquid can travel into and out from the bottle and a gas passage through which pressurized air can pass into and out from the bottle; and

a closure member that is disposed within the gas passage and that closes the gas passage when the bottle is substantially filled with liquid.

38. The coupler of claim 37, wherein the internal passageway of the exterior portion is partially threaded so as to be configured to threadingly engage the neck of the bottle.

39. The coupler of claim 37, wherein the interior portion further comprises a supply/pick-up tube in fluid communication with the liquid passage that is adapted to supply liquid to and draw liquid from the bottom of the bottle.

40. The coupler of claim 37, wherein in the closure member is adapted to float upwardly under the force of rising liquid within the bottle to seal the gas passage.