Fluid dispensing system

• US 4,305,421 A
• Filed: 01/12/1979
• Issued: 12/15/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micro Matic USA, Inc. (Micro Matic A/S)
• Original Assignee: Draft Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Fallon, Merton R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwadron, Martin P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALTON, GEORGE L
• Application Number:
  US06/003,030
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 137/212, 137/320, 137/321, 137/322, 251/149.6, 251/149.9, 251/231, 251/214, 251/90, 251/99, 251/104, 251/110, 222/400.7, 222/400.8, 285/360, 285/376, 285/401, 277/188 R, 277/217, 220/316, 220/319, 220/375
• US Class Current: 137/322
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0832 with two valves disposed concentrically
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0838 comprising means for preventing blow-out on disassembly of the spear valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/248 Bayonet-type couplings
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/252 the male part having lugs on its periphery penetrating in the corresponding slots provided in the female part
• 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 system for dispensing fluid from a container. The container is pressurized by supplying gas into the container thereby forcing the fluid out of the container through a siphon tube and an outlet valve in the container. The system utilizes a valve assembly having two valves, one for enabling the flow of the gas into the container and the second for allowing the flow of the fluid out of the container. The valve assembly is mounted in a neck member that is secured to an opening in one of the walls of the container. Arranged within the neck is a deformable seal that is compressed between a body portion of the valve assembly and an inner surface of the neck member. A non-threaded retaining ring holds the valve body portion of the valve assembly within the neck member and serves to apply the force to the valve body portion for compressing the seal. In order to avoid the existence of a sump within the valve structure, which could damage or contaminate the fluid dispensed from the container, the top of the valve assembly is substantially flush with the top of the neck member. A coupler is connected to the neck member and has a probe capable of being moved between an open position and a closed position. In its open position, the probe serves to open the two valves of the valve assembly for enabling gas to be fed into the container and fluid to be dispensed from the container.

Claims

1. A fluid dispensing assembly comprising:

a container for holding the fluid;

a valve assembly for providing access to fluid within said container and having valves therein, said valve assembly having a body portion with a seal engaging surface;

valve assembly receiving means for securing said valve assembly to said container, said receiving means including a deformable seal member and non-threaded means for deforming said seal member between said seal engaging surface of said valve assembly and said receiving member without a need for substantial rotational movement, said non-threaded deforming means being releasably secured within said receiving means at a predetermined position relative to said valve body portion for preventing overcompression of said seal member when said seal member is in engagement with said seal engaging surface, said valve assembly being arranged within said receiving means such that the upper ends of both said valve assembly and said receiving means are substantially flush when said valves of said valve assembly are in a closed position in order to avoid the existence of a sump in the upper end of such arrangement; and

a coupler including;

grasping members for grasping said valve assembly receiving means around its outer peripheral edge for securing said coupler to said valve assembly receiving means;

a coupler body having a side fitting extending therefrom coupled to a first passage within said coupler body;

a probe member movable within said coupler body, said probe member having an end fitting connected to one end and defining a passageway therethrough in communication with said end fitting; and

said probe member being movable within said coupler body between an open and a closed position whereby in said open position said coupler opens said valves of said valve assembly and connects said passages in said coupler to said open valves and in said closed position said coupler closes said valves of said valve assembly.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said receiving means includes a substantially cylindrical neck member that is secured to said container, said neck member has a plurality of separate flanges extending in a circumferential direction around the outer peripheral surface of said neck member and said coupler includes means for releasably securing said coupler to said neck member, said securing means including a plurality of engagement members extending from the bottom of said coupler for gripping corresponding said flanges so as to secure said coupler to said neck member.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein there are three of said flanges equidistantly positioned around said outer peripheral surface of said neck member with each of said flanges being sufficiently spaced from each other for enabling said engagement members to pass through the spaces between said flanges, whereby after said engagement members pass through said spaces between said flanges, said coupler is rotated so that said engagement members grip said flanges.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein each of said flanges is wedge shaped and has a stop member at one end for limiting the rotational movement of said coupler.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 further comprising means for preventing said coupler from being disengaged from said neck member when said probe is in its open position.

6. An assembly according to claim 5 further comprising actuating means for moving said probe from its open position to its closed position.

7. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein said actuating means includes a lever assembly pivotally secured to said coupler body about a pivot axis, said lever assembly having engaging means for engaging said probe member, whereby pivoting of said lever assembly about said pivot axis moves said probe between its open position and closed position.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 further comprising a handle member connected to said lever assembly and serving to move said lever assembly for moving said probe between its open position and its closed position.

9. An assembly according to claim 8 wherein said means for preventing disengagement of said coupler includes an elongated member attached to said lever assembly and being arranged so as to extend into said space between said flanges when said lever assembly is pivoted into a position for moving said probe into its open position.

10. An assembly according to claim 4 further comprising alignment means for assuring that said coupler is properly mounted or said neck member before enabling said probe to be moved into its open position.

11. An assembly according to claim 10 wherein said alignment means also prevents said coupler from being disengaged from said neck member when said probe is in its open position.

13. An assembly according to claim 1 or 12 further comprising means for maintaining said valve assembly within said receiving means and compressing said sealing member between said seal engaging surface and said receiving member to effect a seal between said valve assembly and said receiving means, said means for maintaining said valve assembly within said receiving means and said means for deforming said sealing member including a retaining member releasably secured to said receiving means and cooperating with said receiving means and said valve assembly to maintain said valve assembly in a predetermined position so that said seal engaging surface will deform said sealing member against said receiving means until said retaining member is released.

18. An assembly according to claim 1 or 12 wherein said valve assembly includes a siphon tube extending therefrom towards a lower portion of said container, said valve assembly includes first and second valves, the first valve having a first valve seat formed within said valve body and a first valve member for movement towards and away from said valve seat, said second valve having a second valve seat and a second valve member mounted for movement toward and away from said second valve seat;

said siphon tube having a top portion and a bottom portion said first valve member being carried by said top portion of said siphon tube; and

biasing means for biasing both said first valve member and said second valve member into their respectively closed positions against said first valve seat and said second valve seat.

19. An assembly according to claim 8 wherein:

said valve assembly further includes a cup member cylindrically surrounding said siphon tube, said cup member having its top portion coupled to said receiving member and extending downwardly into said container; and

said biasing means includes first biasing means arranged within said cup member for biasing said siphon tube along with said first valve member into its closed position and said biasing means further includes a second biasing means for biasing said second valve member against said second valve seat.

20. An assembly according to claim 18 wherein said biasing means includes first biasing means engaging both said bottom portion of said siphon tube and said container for biasing said siphon tube so that said top portion of said siphon tube with said first valve member is biased against said first valve seat for maintaining said first valve in a normally closed position.

21. An assembly according to claim 20 wherein said first biasing means includes a spring means having one end engaging the bottom portion of said siphon tube and another end for engaging the bottom of said container.

22. An assembly according to claim 21 wherein said spring means extends sufficiently beyond said bottom portion of said siphon tube so that it is under compression when said valve assembly is secured within said receiving member.

23. An assembly according to claim 22 wherein said spring means is a helical spring carried by said bottom portion of said siphon tube.

24. An assembly according to claim 23 wherein said bottom portion of said siphon tube includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, said interior surface having extensions extending therefrom for engagement with said helical spring so as to bias said siphon tube and said first valve member against said first valve seat.

25. An assembly according to claim 24 wherein said helical spring is force fitted against the inner surface of said bottom portion of said siphon tube adjacent said extensions for maintaining said spring in place within said siphon tube.

12. A fluid container comprising:

walls forming a substantially closed container capable of holding pressurized fluid;

valve assembly means having a plurality of valves, said valve assembly having a body portion with a seal engaging surface;

valve receiving means mounted within one of said walls of said container for holding said valve assembly for pressurizing fluid contained in said container and operating with said valve assembly to deliver fluid under pressure to a tapping mechanism attached to said valve assembly;

the upper portion of said body portion of said valve assembly being arranged within said valve receiving member such that its upper portion is substantially flush with the upper portion of said valve receiving member; and

means for securing said valve assembly to said container including a deformable sealing member, and non-threaded means for deforming said sealing member between said seal engaging surface of said valve assembly and said receiving member without a need for substantial rotational movement, said non-threaded deforming means being releasably secured within said receiving means at a predetermined position relative to said valve body portion for preventing overcompression of said seal member when said seal member is in engagement with said seal engaging surface.

14. An assembly according to claim 12 wherein said retaining member is releasably secured within said receiving means;

said receiving means includes a neck member having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion having said means for receiving said retaining member and said bottom portion defining said seal engaging surface and said neck member having an inner surface; and

said retaining member includes a resilient member cooperating with said inner surface above the top portion of said valve body portion, and when said retaining member is engaged within said inner surface, the top portion of said valve body portion also engages said resilient member to hold said valve body portion in place.

15. An assembly according to claim 14 wherein said inner surface defines a groove extending at least substantially around the entire periphery of said inner surface adjacent the top portion of said receiving member and said resilient member is an expandable ring which expands into said groove leaving a portion exposed for engaging the top portion of said valve body portion.

16. An assembly according to claim 15 further comprising safety means for retaining said valve assembly within said valve receiving member when said container is under pressure should said retaining member become disengaged, said safety means includes an offset keyway, a key carried by said valve body, said key engaging said keyway to prevent withdrawal of said valve assembly until rotated to a predetermined position after said retaining ring has been withdrawn.

17. An assembly according to claim 16 wherein said groove defines an upper lip and a lower lip, said keyway includes a first portion extending downwardly through said upper lip but bound by said lower lip and a second portion offset circumferentially from said first portion and extending upwardly through said lower lip but bound by said upper lip of said groove whereby said groove connects said first portion to said second portion and said key carried by said valve body can only move from said first portion to the second portion through the said groove.

26. A fluid container capable of receiving a valve assembly having a plurality of valves and a valve body with a complementary seal engaging surface and a retaining member engaging surface comprising:

walls forming a substantially closed container capable of holding pressurized fluid; and

a valve receiving assembly mounted in one of said walls of said container for holding a valve assembly for enabling fluid contained in said container to be pressurized and enabling such valve assembly to deliver fluid under pressure to a tapping mechanism attached to the valve assembly;

said valve receiving assembly including;

a neck member configured to receive the valve assembly, said neck member including an upper portion and a lower portion;

said lower portion of said neck member has a seal engaging surface;

said neck member has a plurality of flanges positioned around its outer peripheral surface and each of said flanges is wedge shaped and at least one of said flanges has a stop member at one end for limiting the movement of a coupler when attached to said neck member and one of said flanges has a blocking portion serving to engage with a locking member of a coupler for preventing release of such coupler when such coupler is in the open position; and

said upper portion of said neck member has receiving means for receiving a resilient retaining member;

said neck member being able to hold the valve assembly such that the upper portion of the valve assembly is substantially flush with the upper portion of said neck member when the valve assembly is closed and

said receiving means being located for receiving a retaining member in engageable relationship with the retaining member engaging surface of the valve body for maintaining the complementary seal engaging surface a predetermined distance from said seal engaging surface of said neck member and compressing a sealing member between said seal engaging surface and the complementary seal engaging surface to effect a seal between the valve assembly and said neck member.

27. An assembly according to claim 26 wherein said receiving means for receiving a resilient retaining member includes at least a portion of a groove.

28. An assembly according to claim 27 wherein said neck member defines an inner surface which is substantially cylindrical in configuration and said groove extends entirely around said cylindrical inner surface for receiving said resilient ring.

29. An assembly according to claim 28 wherein said seal engaging surface of said lower portion includes a lip extending radially inwardly from said inner surface and entirely around the periphery of said inner surface for engaging a deformable O-ring sealing member.

30. An assembly according to claim 29 further comprising a keyway for engaging a key carried by said valve assembly.

31. A valve sealing arrangement for use with a fluid container, said arrangement comprising:

a valve assembly for providing access to fluid within the container and having two valves therein, said valve assembly having a body portion with a seal engaging surface; and

valve assembly receiving means for securing said valve assembly to the container, said receiving means including a deformable sealing member and non-threaded means for deforming said sealing member between said seal engaging surface of said valve assembly and said receiving member without a need for substantial rotational movement, said non-threaded deforming means being releasably secured within said receiving means at a predetermined position relative to said valve body portion for preventing overcompression of said sealing member when said sealing member is in engagement with said seal engaging surface said valve assembly being arranged within said receiving means such that the upper ends of both said valve assembly and said receiving means are substantially flush when said valves of said valve assembly are in a closed position.

32. An arrangement according to claim 31 further comprising means for maintaining said valve assembly within said receiving means and compressing said sealing member between said seal engaging surface and said receiving member to effect a seal between said valve assembly and said receiving means, said means for maintaining said valve assembly within said receiving means and said means for deforming said sealing member including a retaining member releasably secured to said receiving means and cooperating with said receiving means and said valve assembly to maintain said valve assembly in a predetermined position so that said seal engaging surface will deform said sealing member against said receiving means until said retaining member is released.

33. An arrangement according to claim 32 wherein said receiving means includes a neck member having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion having said means for receiving said retaining member and said bottom portion defining said seal engaging surface and said neck member having an inner surface;

and said retaining member includes a resilient member cooperating with said inner surface above the top portion of said valve body portion, and when said retaining member is engaged within said inner surface, the top portion of said valve body portion also engages said resilient member to hold said valve body portion in place.

34. An arrangement according to claim 33 wherein said inner surface defines a groove extending at least substantially around the entire periphery of said inner surface adjacent the top portion of said receiving member and said resilient member is an expandable ring which expands into said groove leaving a portion exposed for engaging the top portion of said valve body portion.

35. An arrangement according to claim 34 further comprising safety means for retaining said valve assembly within said valve receiving member when said container is under pressure should said retaining member become disengaged, said safety means includes an offset keyway, a key carried by said valve body, said key engaging said keyway to prevent withdrawal of said valve assembly until rotated to a predetermined position after said retaining ring has been withdrawn.

36. An arrangement according to claim 35 wherein said groove defines an upper lip and a lower lip, said keyway includes a first portion extending downwardly through said upper lip but bound by said lower lip and a second portion offset circumferentially from said first portion and extending upwardly through said lower lip but bound by said upper lip of said groove whereby said groove connects said first portion to said second portion and said key carried by said valve body can only move from said first portion to the second portion through said groove.

37. An arrangement according to claim 31 wherein said valve assembly includes a siphon tube extending therefrom towards a lower portion of the container, said valve assembly includes first and second valves, said first valve having a first valve seat formed within said valve body and a first valve member for movement towards and away from said valve seat, said second valve having a second valve seat and a second valve member mounted for movement toward and away from said second valve seat;

said siphon tube having a top portion and a bottom portion, said first valve member being carried by said top portion of said siphon tube; and

biasing means for biasing both said first valve member and said second valve member into their respectively closed positions against said first valve seat and said second valve seat.

38. An arrangement according to claim 37 wherein:

said valve assembly further includes a cup member cylindrically surrounding said siphon tube, said cup member having its top portion coupled to said receiving member and extending downwardly into said container; and

said biasing means includes first biasing means arranged within said cup member for biasing said siphon tube along with said first valve member into its closed position and said biasing means further includes a second biasing means for biasing said second valve member against said second valve seat.

39. An arrangement according to claim 37 wherein said biasing means includes first biasing means engaging both said bottom portion of said siphon tube and the container for biasing said siphon tube so that said top portion of said siphon tube with said first valve member is biased against said first valve seat for maintaining said first valve in a normally closed position.

40. An arrangement according to claim 39 wherein said first biasing means includes a spring means having one end engaging the bottom portion of said siphon tube and another end for engaging the bottom of the container.

41. An arrangement according to claim 40 wherein said spring means extends sufficiently beyond said bottom portion of said siphon tube so that it is under compression when said valve assembly is secured within said receiving member.

42. An arrangement according to claim 41 wherein said spring means is a helical spring carried by said bottom portion of said siphon tube.

43. An arrangement according to claim 42 wherein said bottom portion of said siphon tube includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, said interior surface having extensions extending therefrom for engagement with said helical spring so as to bias said siphon tube and said first valve member against said first valve seat.

44. An assembly according to claim 43 wherein said helical spring is force fitted against the inner surface of said bottom portion of said siphon tube adjacent said extensions for maintaining said spring in place within said siphon tube.

45. A coupler assembly for coupling a fluid dispensing mechanism to a valve assembly mounted within a neck member of a fluid container, where the neck member is substantially cylindrical and has a plurality of separate flanges extending in a circumferential direction around the outer peripheral surface of the neck member, each of the flanges has a stop member at one end thereof and the valve assembly includes two valves, said coupler assembly comprising:

a coupler body having a side fitting coupled to a first passageway within said coupler body and a top fitting coupled to a second passageway within said coupler body;

a probe member movable within said coupler body, said probe member being coupled to said top fitting and having a passageway therethrough in communication with said second passageway;

actuating means for moving said probe member between an open position and a closed position whereby in said open position said coupler opens the valves of the valve assembly and connects all of said passageways within said coupler body to the open valves and in said closed position said coupler seals said passageways of the valves of the valve assembly;

means for releasably securing said coupler body to the neck member, said securing means including a plurality of engagement members extending from the bottom of said coupler for gripping corresponding flanges so as to secure said coupler body to the neck member, said securing means enabling said coupler body to be rotated on the neck member with such rotational movement being limited by the stop members on the flanges; and

, locking means for preventing said coupler from being disengaged from the neck member when said probe is in said open position, said locking means including a locking member movable into a position for engaging one of the flanges of the neck member for preventing any attempted rotational movement of said coupler.

46. An assembly according to claim 45 where the neck member has three flanges equidistantly spaced around its outer peripheral surface and each of the flanges is sufficiently spaced from each other for enabling said engagment members to pass through the spaces between the flanges, wherein when securing said coupler body to the neck member said engagement members pass through the spaces between the flanges and then said coupler body is rotated so that said engagement members grip the flanges.

47. An assembly according to claim 46 wherein said actuating means includes a lever assembly pivotally secured to said coupler body about a pivot axis, said lever assembly having engaging means for engaging said probe member, whereby pivoting of said lever assembly about said pivot axis moves said probe between said open position and said closed position.

48. An assembly according to claim 47 further comprising a handle member connected to said lever assembly and serving to move said lever assembly for moving said probe between said open position and said closed position.

49. An assembly according to claim 48 wherein said means for preventing disengagement of said coupler includes an elongated member attached to said lever assembly so as to extend into said space between the flanges when said lever assembly is pivoted into a position for moving said probe into said open position.