Tapping rod

• US 20040045988A1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
• Original Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
• Inventors: van der Klaauw, Guido Petrus Johannes, Bax, Bart Jan, Paauwe, Arie-Maarten, van Duuren, Marius Corstiaan
• Granted Patent: US 7,832,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/400.7
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0832 with two valves disposed concentrically
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0848 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/314 Unitary mounting for gas pressure inlet and liquid outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6137 Longitudinal movement of valve

Abstract

A tapping rod (2) with a beverage valve (16), a gas valve (14) cooperating therewith, and a collar (24), while in or on the collar a connecting device (26) is fitted, which connecting device comprises a pressure body (30) for opening the beverage valve (16) and the gas valve (14), wherein: the pressure body (30) comprise or defines at least one first beverage channel (50) for bringing, with the beverage valve in open position, the inner space of a keg, in particular a riser of the taping rod, into fluid communication with a beverage dispensing line; the pressure body comprises or defines at least one gas channel (48) for bringing, with the gas valve in open position, the inner space of the keg into fluid communication with a gas supply line.

Claims

1. A tapping rod with a beverage valve, a gas valve cooperating therewith, and a collar, while in or on the collar a connecting device is fitted, which connecting device comprises a pressure body for opening the beverage valve and the gas valve, wherein:

the pressure body comprises or defines at least one first beverage channel for bringing, with the beverage valve in open position, the inner space of a keg, in particular a riser of the tapping rod, into fluid communication with a beverage dispensing line;

the pressure body comprises or defines at least one gas channel for bringing, with the gas valve in open position, the inner space of the keg into fluid communication with a gas supply line.

2. A tapping rod according to claim 1, wherein the or each first beverage channel and the or each gas channel, at least in the connecting device, are separated from each other, both in open and in closed position of the beverage valve and the gas valve.

3. A tapping rod according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pressure body is surrounded by a fixing element which is lockable within or on the collar, such that it can be placed so as to be substantially fixed in position at least in axial sense.

4. A tapping rod according to claim 3, wherein the fixing element comprises a second beverage channel which, when the beverage valve is open, links up with said first beverage channel in the pressure body.

5. A tapping rod according to claim 4, wherein a beverage dispensing line is fixedly connected with the second beverage channel.

6. A tapping rod according to claim 1, wherein a beverage dispensing line is connected directly with said first beverage channel, preferably fixedly so.

7. A tapping rod according to claim 1 or 6, wherein the pressure body is provided with a fixing element with which the pressure body has been fixed within, at least on, the collar.

8. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverage valve seals against, at least within, the gas valve, while the gas valve seals against, at least within, the collar;

wherein upon moving the gas valve away from the collar, the gas valve is opened, and upon moving the beverage valve relative to the gas valve, the beverage valve is opened, the gas valve comprising a gas valve body which comprises an opening through which the pressure body is movable against a beverage valve body of the beverage valve for opening the beverage valve, and the pressure body comprising a pressure edge movable against the gas valve body for opening the gas valve.

9. A tapping rod according to claim 8, wherein the pressure edge is movable against a longitudinal edge of said opening, for opening the gas valve, the pressure edge sealing substantially fluid-tightly against said longitudinal edge.

10. A tapping rod according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the distance between the end of the pressure body located, during opening of the beverage valve, against the beverage valve body and the pressure edge is chosen such as to be greater than the relevant distance between the beverage valve body against which the pressure body abuts and the part of the gas valve against which the pressure body abuts during opening of the gas valve, the arrangement being such that upon movement of the pressure body for opening the valves, first the beverage valve and then the gas valve is opened.

11. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each gas channel has a first end terminating in, at least near, an upper surface of the pressure body, while the beverage dispensing line is connectible, at least connected, to the pressure body at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the pressure body greater than the radial distance from said longitudinal axis to the termination of the or each gas channel in or near said upper surface.

12. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second beverage channel, respectively, to which the beverage dispensing line is connected includes an angle, at least near said connection, with the longitudinal axis of the pressure body, preferably an angle between about 30 and about 90°

, the arrangement being such that the beverage dispensing line is connectible or connected to the respective beverage channel with a feed-through direction adjacent said connection which has at least a radial component.

13. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure body comprises a flange which extends in a direction approximately at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tapping rod and seals at least gas-tightly against the collar, at least a fixing body mounted therein, while the or each gas channel has a second end terminating between said flange, at least seal, and the gas valve, at least a gas valve body.

14. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverage channel comprises a portion located centrally in the pressure body, with a first end in, at least near, a lower surface of the pressure body, surrounded by square tooth-shaped elements which during use keep said first end spaced from a beverage valve body, at least the beverage valve.

15. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the passage of the gas channel or the joint gas channels is smaller than that of the beverage channel or the joint beverage channels.

16. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure body and/or the collar is/are provided with cooperating sealing means, such that through rupture or loosening of the sealing means, it becomes visible that the pressure body has been moved at least once in a direction of a position n eded for opening the beverage valve and/or the gas valve.

17. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein means are provided for preventing ingress of beverage into the or each gas channel in the connecting device, in particular during use of the beverage valve and/or gas valve.

18. A tapping rod according to claim 17, wherein the or each gas channel is provided with a non-return valve.

19. A tapping rod according to claim 17 or 18, wherein a flexible element extends around at least a portion of the connecting device, such that the outflow opening of the or each gas channel is closed off thereby when no gas is being supplied, while the flexible element can be pushed away slightly when gas under pressure is being supplied through the or each gas channel, for allowing said pressure gas to pass.

20. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas valve is annular and is provided at the underside with a beverage valve seat against which the beverage valve in closed position abuts sealingly, while the collar is provided at the underside with a gas valve seat against which the gas valve in closed position abuts sealingly, the pressure body comprising a relatively stiff first part, surrounded by movement means which, on the side remote from the first part, link up with fastening means for fastening the pressure body in or onto the collar, at least onto a keg in which the tapping rod is used, the first part being provided with a first edge on the side proximal to the beverage valve, which edge can sealingly abut against the gas valve, while further within or on said first edge pressure elements are provided for pressing the beverage valve away from the gas valve, while, viewed radially, outside the first edge the or each gas channel terminates, wile within said first edge the or each first beverage channel terminates, the arrangement being such that when the pressure body is pushed from a rest position in the direction of the beverage valve, the first edge seals against the gas valve, whereby the gas valve is pushed from the gas valve seat and the beverage valve is pushed from the beverage valve seat, whereby within said first edge a beverage chamber is formed through which during use beverage can flow from a keg to the first beverage channel, while, viewed radially, outside the first edge a gas supply chamber is formed, closed to the surroundings through which gas can be passed from the or each gas channel into a keg,

21. A tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas valve and beverage valve are integrated into a substantially annular valve body which surrounds an upper end of a riser, which riser is closed off adjacent the upper end by a locking plate which defines a first valve seat, while the collar surrounds said upper end of the riser at a distance and is provided at the upper end with a locking ring, such that between the locking ring and the locking plate an annular opening is left clear, whilst the locking ring on the side facing inwards defines a second valve seat, the valve body being capable of closing off said annular opening from the underside, while adjacent the locking plate in the riser at least one passage opening is provided, partly closed off by the valve body in the position closing off said annular opening, the pressure body comprising a relatively stiff first part surrounded by movement means which on the side remote from the first part link up with fastening means for fastening the pressure body in or onto the collar, at least onto a keg in which the tapping rod is used, the first part being provided with a first edge on the side proximal to the valve body, which first edge can sealingly abut against said valve body, while, viewed radially, outside the first edge the or each gas channel terminates, while within said first edge the or each first beverage channel terminates, the arrangement being such that when the pressure body is pushed from a rest position in the direction of the locking plate, the first edge seal against the valve body, and the valve body is pushed from the first and second seat into a position in which the or each opening in the riser is at least partly rendered clear above the valve body, whereby within said first edge a beverage chamber is formed through which during use beverage can flow from a keg to the first beverage channel, while, viewed radially, outside the first edge a gas supply chamber is formed, closed to the surroundings, through which gas can be passed from the or each gas channel into a keg.

22. A tapping rod according to claim 21, wherein the first edge is surrounded at some distance by a second edge which can seal against the locking ring, while the gas supply chamber is formed between the first and the second edge.

23. A tapping rod according to any one of claims 20-22, wherein in or near the collar an inwardly open groove is provided, while the movement means are provided adjacent the outer edge with sealing means for sealing in said groove for sealing the gas supply chamber.

24. A tapping rod according to any one of claims 20-23, wherein the movement means comprise a flexible part between the first edge and an outer edge, such that the first part can move relative to said outer edge, viewed in axial direction of the tapping rod.

25. A tapping rod according to claim 23 or 24, wherein the outer edge has a smaller height than the height of the groove, such that the outer edge can move within the groove in axial direction of the tapping rod.

26. A tapping rod according to any one of claims 20-25, wherein the fastening means are arranged for securing the connecting device on or over the collar and/or the neck of a keg.

27. A tapping rod according to any one of claims 20-26, wherein a beverage dispensing line for use in or adjacent a tapping device is fixedly connected with the connecting device.

28. A keg provided with a tapping rod according to any one of the preceding claims.

29. An assembly of a keg according to claim 28 and a tapping head, wherein the tapping head comprises a coupling part for coupling same with whereafter the tapping head is detached from the keg and the beverage dispensing line is detached from the tapping device, whereafter the keg with the beverage dispensing line and the connecting device is removed and carried off.

37. A connecting device for use with a tapping rod according to any one of claims 1-27, a keg according to claim 28, an assembly according to claim 29 or 30 or a method according to any one of claims 31-36.

34. A method according to claim 32 or 33, wherein the beverage dispensing line is supplied, connected with the connecting device, which beverage dispensing line is connected to or in a tapping device, in particular such that no contact exists between beverage and the tapping device.

35. A method according to claim 32 or 33, wherein the keg is supplied, whereafter a beverage dispensing line of a tapping device is connected with the connecting device.

36. A method for making kegs of beverage ready, wherein kegs are filled with beverage and are provided with a tapping rod, in a conventional manner, wherein a connecting device is fitted in or on the tapping rod, which connecting device is arranged for operation of a beverage valve and gas valve of the tapping rod, whereafter a covering element is fitted over said connecting device for storage and transport of the keg.

38. An apparatus for making kegs of beverage ready, provided with means for filling kegs and for fitting at least parts of tapping rods in said kegs, in a known manner, while means are provided for fitting a connecting device in or on the tapping rod, which connecting device is arranged for operation of a beverage valve and gas valve of the tapping rod, while, further, means are provided for placing a covering element over said connecting device, for storage and transport of the keg.