DRINK TAPPING DEVICE FOR A KEG AND DISPENSING DEVICE COMPRISING THE TAPPING DEVICE AND A KEG

• US 20100252584A1
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Celli SpA
• Original Assignee: Celli SpA
• Inventors: Celli, Goffredo
• Application Number:
  US12/302,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20100252584A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/400.700
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0081 Dispensing valves
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0829 Keg connection means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0839 Automatically operating handles for locking or unlocking a connector to or from a keg
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1405 Control taps

Abstract

A device for tapping a drink from a container (100) comprises: —a tapping head (10) comprising a body (12) and a piston (11) that is mobile relative to the body (12) along guide means (5); —a tapping duct (60) comprising a tube (13) to one end of which a pusher (14) actuated by the piston (11) is connected. Characteristically, the tapping device (1) comprises means (6) for irremovably connecting the tapping duct (60) to the container (100).

Claims

1-46. -46. (canceled)

47. A device for tapping a drink from a container (100) of the type comprising:

a tapping head (10) comprising a body (12) and a piston (11) that is mobile relative to the body (12) along guide means (5);

a tapping duct (60) comprising a tube (13) to one end of which a pusher (14) actuated by the piston (11) is connected;

the tapping device (1) being characterised in that it comprises means (6) for irremovably connecting the tapping duct (60) to the container (100).

48. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that the pusher (14) is rigid.

49. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that the pusher (14) is designed to have the drink passing through it and extends in a direction of drink outflow, between a first and a second end of it (51, 52).

50. The tapping device according to claim 49, characterised in that the first end (51) of the pusher (14) is irremovably connected to the tube (13).

51. The tapping device according to claim 49, characterised in that the pusher (14) comprises an internal central hole (140) extending from the first end (51).

52. The tapping device according to claim 51, characterised in that the second end (52) of the pusher (14) comprises at least one lateral through opening (54) that places the outside of the pusher (14) in fluid communication with the central hole (140).

53. The tapping device according to claim 51, characterised in that the central hole (140) extends between the first and the second end (51, 52) of the pusher (14) passing right through the latter.

54. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that the pusher (14) is physically separate from the piston (11).

55. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that the pusher (14) is made as a single part with the tube (13).

56. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that the pusher (14) at least partly comprises the irremovable connecting means (6).

57. The tapping device according to claim 56, characterised in that the irremovable connecting means (6) comprise elastically deformable means (225) that can be slotted into suitable seats in the container (100).

58. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that the tube (13) passes through a housing (113) inside the piston (11).

59. The tapping device according to claim 58, characterised in that the internal housing (113) runs right through the piston (11) in the direction in which the piston (11) is moved relative to the body (12).

60. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that a side portion of the piston (11) comprises a first slot (111).

61. The tapping device according to claim 60, characterised in that a side portion of the body (12) comprises a second slot (112).

62. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that:

the tube (13) passes through a housing (113) inside the piston (11);

a side portion of the piston (11) comprises a first slot (111);

a side portion of the body (12) comprises a second slot (112);

the first and the second slots (111, 112) are aligned and in contact with each other to enable the tube (13) to be inserted and removed from the side, between the internal housing (113) of the piston (11) and the outside of the body (12).

63. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that inside the body (12) there is a conduit (15) for feeding an operating fluid under pressure, said feed conduit (15) comprising a first end (151) that can be operatively connected to a source of operating fluid under pressure, and a second end (152) that can be operatively connected to the drink container (100).

64. The tapping device according to claim 63, characterised in that it comprises a flow shutoff switch (16) for the conduit (15) that feeds the operating fluid under pressure.

65. The tapping device according to claim 64, characterised in that the piston (11) and the flow shutoff switch (16) are operated simultaneously by the user with a single lever (101) on the tapping head (10).

66. The tapping device according to claim 64, characterised in that the switch (16) can move inside the feed conduit (15) and comprises an inlet section (162), an outlet section (163) and an internal cavity (161) extending between the inlet section (162) and the outlet section (163) of the switch (16).

67. The tapping device according to claim 66, characterised in that the switch (16) can move between an open configuration where it enables the operating fluid to pass and where the first end (151) of the feed conduit (15) is in fluid communication with the inlet section (162) of the switch (16), and a shutoff configuration where it prevents the pressurized operating fluid from passing and where a side wall (164) of the switch (16) occludes the first end (151) of the feed conduit (15).

68. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that it comprises means (4) for hooking the body (12) to the container (100).

69. The tapping device according to claim 68, characterised in that the hooking means (4) comprise means (40) for placing the body (12) in a fixed position relative to the container (100).

70. The tapping device according to claim 47, characterised in that the tapping duct (60) comprises at least one portion (63) whose cross section is totally deformable.

71. The tapping device according to claim 70, characterised in that it comprises a dispensing tap (7) connected to the outlet end (62) of the tapping duct (60).

72. The tapping device according to claim 71, characterised in that the dispensing tap (7) comprises at least the following:

an uninterrupted internal passage that runs through it from the upstream end to the downstream end, allowing the tapping duct (60) to slide through it freely and easily, the tapping duct (60) occupying and passing right through the uninterrupted internal passage;

actuating means (70) for opening and closing the tapping duct (60) portion (63) with the totally deformable cross section by simply pressing it at a certain section of it along the uninterrupted internal passage.

73. A drink dispensing device characterised in that it comprises:

a tapping device (1) according to claim 47;

a container (100) comprising an outer containment structure (2) which in turn comprises an inner compartment (200) for containing the drink and means (22) for putting the inside and the outside of the container (100) in fluid communication with each other;

said fluid communication means (22) between the inside and the outside comprising a first opening (221) for the passage of the drink and a second outlet opening (222) for a pressurized operating fluid, a shutter (20) being provided for occluding the first opening (221).

74. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the irremovable connecting means (6) connect the pusher (14) and the shutter (20), said irremovable connecting means (6) being actuated when the pusher (14) and the shutter (20) enter into contact;

the shutter (20) being reversibly mobile between a first configuration in which it occludes the first opening (221) and a second configuration in which it enables the drink to flow through the first opening (221).

75. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the pusher (14) is removably coupled to the piston (11) in such a way as to move as one with the piston (11).

76. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the container (100) comprises shutter (20) anti-extraction means (407) which prevent the shutter (20) from coming free of the outer containment structure (2).

77. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the shutter (20) is mobile between a first configuration in which it occludes the first opening (221) and a second configuration in which it enables the drink to flow freely through the first opening (221), the shutter (20), in the second configuration, being totally free of the first opening (221) and being irreversibly inside the inner compartment (200).

78. The dispensing device according to claim 77, characterised in that the pusher (14) is mobile from the first configuration in which it is away from the first opening (221) to a second configuration in which, after having pushed the shutter (20) into the container (100), it irremovably engages the container (100) at the first opening (221).

79. The dispensing device according to claim 77, characterised in that the shutter (20) comprises a weight so that in the second configuration the shutter (20) does not float in the inner compartment (200) at the first opening (221).

80. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the first and the second opening (221, 222) are separate.

81. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the inner compartment (200) containing a drink comprises a flexible bag (21).

82. The dispensing device according to claim 81, characterised in that the flexible bag (21) is in fluid communication with the first opening (221), the second opening (222) being outside the bag (21).

83. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the outer containment structure (2) itself defines the inner compartment (200) for the drink.

84. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the container (100) comprises means (3) for extracting the drink.

85. The dispensing device according to claim 84, characterised in that the drink extracting means (3) comprise a channelling element (30) which extends from the first opening (221) into the inner compartment (200) to facilitate the outflow of the drink.

86. The dispensing device according to claim 85, characterised in that the cross section of the channelling element (30) transversal to its main direction of extension has a comb-like shape.

87. The dispensing device according to claim 85, characterised in that the channelling element (30) comprises a tubular element.

88. The dispensing device according to claim 85, characterised in that a lateral surface (31) of the channelling element (30) comprises at least one hole (32) located at the first opening (221).

89. The dispensing device according to claim 85, characterised in that:

the shutter (20) is mobile between a first configuration in which it occludes the first opening (221) and a second configuration in which it enables the drink to flow freely through the first opening (221), the shutter (20), in the second configuration, being totally free of the first opening (221) and being irreversibly inside the inner compartment (200);

the channelling element (30) comprises means for locking the shutter (20) in the second configuration.

90. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the outer containment structure (2) is rigid.

91. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that it comprises a protective cap which can be removed before use and which covers the first opening (221) in order to guarantee maximum hygiene an to prevent the shutter (20) from being contaminated by extraneous elements.

92. The dispensing device according to claim 73, characterised in that the outer containment structure (2) comprises:

a neck 408 extending outwards to an end (409) of the neck (408), the end (409) defining an inlet surface (410) of the outer containment structure (2);

a plug (411) for the inlet surface (410), said plug (411) being applied to the neck (408) and comprising the first and second openings (221, 222);

means (412) for irremovably joining the plug (411) to the neck (408), said irremovable joining means (412) being located outside the neck (408).