Valve assembly and coupler therefor
First Claim
1. A valve sealing arrangement for sealing a container of fluid comprising:
- (a) a valve assembly for providing access to said container;
(b) a valve assembly receiving member secured to said container;
(c) a deformable sealing member;
(d) said valve assembly having a body portion with a seal engaging surface; and
(e) said sealing arrangement including a non-threaded retaining member for insertion between said valve assembly and said receiving member for deforming and compressing said sealing member between said seal engaging surface of said valve assembly and said receiving member for effecting a seal between said valve assembly and said receiving member without a need for substantial rotational movement, said non-threaded retaining member being releasably secured within said receiving member at a predetermined position relative to said valve assembly for avoiding overcompression of said sealing member when said sealing member is in engagement with said seal engaging surface of the valve assembly.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved valve system for obtaining access to a container of fluid. In a container of fluid, and particularly a keg for beer, a valve assembly receiving member or keg neck extends from the top of the container. A sealing mechanism is provided to secure the valve assembly in sealed relationship with the keg neck and to allow access to the fluid contained by actuation of the valves. More specifically, the valve neck has a groove in its inner surface to receive a resilient retainer ring which maintains the valve assembly in place. In addition, a safety feature is provided to prevent inadvertent expulsion of the valve assembly should the retainer ring be dislodged while the keg is pressurized. A siphon tube extends from the valve assembly to a position adjacent the bottom of the keg when the valve is secured within the keg neck. The bottom portion of the tube is configured to enhance the flow of fluid into and out of the tube as well as carry a spring member for cooperating with one of the valve members in the valve assembly. An improved coupler mechanism is employed in operating the valves while avoiding inadvertent opening and closing of the valve assembly. A handle is provided on the coupler for moving the valve actuating elements between an open and a closed position. A locking mechanism on the coupler prevents engagement and disengagement of the coupler while it is in the open position.
37 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A valve sealing arrangement for sealing a container of fluid comprising:
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(a) a valve assembly for providing access to said container; (b) a valve assembly receiving member secured to said container; (c) a deformable sealing member; (d) said valve assembly having a body portion with a seal engaging surface; and (e) said sealing arrangement including a non-threaded retaining member for insertion between said valve assembly and said receiving member for deforming and compressing said sealing member between said seal engaging surface of said valve assembly and said receiving member for effecting a seal between said valve assembly and said receiving member without a need for substantial rotational movement, said non-threaded retaining member being releasably secured within said receiving member at a predetermined position relative to said valve assembly for avoiding overcompression of said sealing member when said sealing member is in engagement with said seal engaging surface of the valve assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15)
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- 8. The valve sealing arrangement according to claim 8 further comprising safety means for retaining said valve assembly within said receiving member when said container is under pressure should said retaining member become disengaged and continuing to retain said valve assembly until an intentional motion is imparted to said valve assembly for releasing said valve assembly from said receiving member.
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16. An assembly for use with a container and a 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, comprising:
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(a) a neck member configured to receive a valve assembly wherein said neck member includes an upper portion and a lower portion; (b) said lower portion of said neck member having a seal engaging surface; (c) said upper portion having a receiving means for receiving a resilient non-threaded retaining member; (d) said valve assembly having a valve body, with a complementary seal engaging surface and a retaining member engaging surface; and (e) said receiving means being located relative to said retaining member engaging surface and having a groove therein to receive said non-threaded retaining member in engageable relationship with said retaining member engaging surface of said valve body for maintaining said complementary seal engaging surface a predetermined distance from said seal engaging surface of said neck member and compressing a sealing member between said sealing surface and the complementary seal engaging surface to effect a seal between said valve assembly and said neck member and to secure said valve assembly in said neck member, said non-threaded retaining member being releasably secured within said receiving member at a predetermined position relative to said valve assembly for avoiding overcompression of said sealing member when said sealing member is in engagement with said seal engaging surface of the valve assembly. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A valve assembly including a siphon tube extending therefrom for use with a container having a valve assembly receiving member exposed from the top of the container comprising:
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(a) a first valve and a second valve, said first valve having a first valve seat and a first valve member for movement toward and away from said seat, said second valve including a second valve seat and a second valve member mounted for movement toward and away from said second valve seat; (b) 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; (c) a 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 with said first valve member is biased against said first valve seat for maintaining said first valve in a normally closed position; and (d) a non-thread retaining member for retaining said valve assembly within the valve assembly receiving member. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A valve assembly with a siphon tube extending therefrom for use with a container having a valve assembly receiving means comprising:
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(a) a valve body wherein said valve body is configured to be releasably secured to a valve neck carried by said container; (b) said valve assembly including a first valve and a second valve wherein said first valve includes a first valve member and a first valve seat, said first valve seat being defined by said valve body, said first valve member and said first valve seat defining a first passage therebetween; (c) said siphon tube havng a top portion and a bottom portion, a tube passage connecting said top portion with said bottom portion, said top portion carrying said first valve member and said first valve member having a second passage therethrough communicating with said tube passage, said first valve member defining a second valve seat; (d) a second valve member being biased by a spring means against said second valve seat to seal said second passageway; (e) said first valve member being biased by first valve bias means engaging both said container and said bottom portion of said siphon tube so that said first valve is normally closed; and (f) a non-threaded retaining member for retaining said valve assembly within the valve assembly receiving means, - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A fluid dispensing assembly comprising:
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a container for holding the fluid; a valve assembly receiving member secured to said container; a valve assembly arranged within said valve assembly receiving member and providing access to said container and having valves therein; means for securing said valve assembly within said valve assembly receiving member including a deformable seal member, said valve assembly having a body portion with a seal engaging surface and a non-threaded retaining member for insertion between said valve assembly and said receiving member for deforming and compressing said seal member between said seal engaging surface of said valve assembly and said receiving member for effecting a seal between said valve assembly and said receiving member and retaining said valve assembly in said valve assembly receiving member without a need for substantial rotational movement, said non-threaded retaining member being releasably secured within said receiving member at a predetermined position relative to said valve assembly for avoiding overcompression of said sealing member when said sealing member is in engagement with said seal engaging surface of the valve assembly; and a coupler including;
a coupler body having a side fitting extending therefrom connected to a first passage within said coupler body;
a probe member movable within said coupler body having a fitting connected to one end of said probe member, said probe member defining a passageway therethrough in communication with said 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 seals said passages from said valves of said valve assembly. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A fluid container comprising:
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walls forming a substantially closed container capable of holding pressurized fluid; and
a neck assembly mounted in one of said walls for use with a valve assembly for pressurizing fluid contained in said container and operating with the valve assembly to deliver fluid under pressure to a tapping mechanism attached to the valve assembly, said neck assembly including;(a) a neck member configured to receive a valve assembly wherein said neck includes an upper portion and a lower portion; (b) said lower portion having a seal engaging surface; (c) said upper portion having a receiving means for receiving a non-threaded resilient retaining member; (d) said valve assembly having a valve body, with a complementary seal engaging surface and a retaining member engaging surface; and (e) said receiving means being located for receiving said retaining member in engageable relationship with said retaining member engaging surface of said valve body for maintaining said 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 said valve assembly and said neck member and to secure said valve assembly in said neck member, said non-threaded retaining member being releasably secured with said receiving member at a predetermined position relative to said valve assembly for avoiding over-compression of said sealing member when said sealing member is in engagement with said seal engaging surface of the valve assembly. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A valve sealing arrangement for sealing a container of fluid comprising:
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(a) a valve assembly for providing access to said container; (b) a valve assembly receiving member secured to said container; (c) a deformable sealing member; (d) said valve assembly having a body portion with a seal engaging surface; (e) said sealing arrangement including a retaining member for deforming and compressing said seal member between said seal engaging surface of said valve assembly and said receiving member for effecting a seal between said valve assembly and said receiving member; and
,(f) safety delay means for retaining said valve assembly within said receiving member when the container is under pressure should said retaining member become disengaged thereby allowing for gas to be released from the container prior to removal of said valve assembly.
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46. A valve assembly including a siphon tube extending therefrom for use with a container having a valve assembly receiving member exposed from the top of the container comprising:
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(a) a first valve and a second valve, said first valve having a first valve seat and a first valve member for movement toward and away from said seat, said second valve including a second valve seat and a second valve member mounted for movement toward and away from said second valve seat; (b) said siphon tube having a top portion and a bottom portion of said siphon tube; (c) a 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 with said first valve member is biased against said first valve seat for maintaining said first valve in a normally closed position; (d) a retaining member for retaining said valve assembly within the valve assembly receiving member; and (e) safety delay means for retaining said valve assembly within the receiving member when the container is under pressure should said retaining member become disengaged thereby allowing for gas to be released from the container prior to removal of said valve assembly.
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47. A valve assembly with a siphon tube extending therefrom for use with a container having a valve assembly receiving means comprising:
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(a) a valve body wherein said valve body is configured to be releasably secured to a valve neck carried by said container; (b) said valve assembly including a first valve and a second valve wherein said first valve includes a first valve member and a first valve seat, said first valve seat being defined by said valve body, said first valve member and said first valve seat defining a first passage therebetween; (c) said siphon tube having a top portion and a bottom portion, a tube passage connecting said top portion with said bottom portion, said top portion carrying said first valve member and said first valve member having a second passage therethrough communicating with said tube passage, said first valve member defining a second valve seat; (d) a second valve member being biased by a spring means against said second valve seat to seal said second passageway; (e) said first valve member being biased by first valve bias means engaging both said container and said bottom portion of said siphon tube so that said first valve is normally closed; and
,(f) a retaining member for retaining said valve assembly within the valve assembly receiving member; and (g) safety delay means for retaining said valve assembly within the receiving member when the container is under pressure should said retaining member become disengaged thereby allowing for gas to be released from the container prior to removal of said valve assembly.
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48. A fluid dispensing assembly comprising:
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a container for holding the fluid; a valve assembly receiving member secured to said container; a valve assembly arranged within said valve assembly receiving member and providing access to said container and having valves therein; means for securing said valve assembly within said valve assembly receiving member including a deformable sealing member, said valve assembly having a body portion with a seal engaging surface and a retaining member for insertion between said valve assembly and said receiving member for deforming and compressing said seal member between said seal engaging surface of said valve assembly and said receiving member for effecting a seal between said valve assembly and said receiving member and retaining said valve assembly in said valve assembly receiving member; a coupler including;
a coupler body having a side fitting extending therefrom connected to a first passage within said coupler body;
a probe member movable within said coupler body having a fitting connected to one end of said probe member, said probe member defining a passageway therethrough in communication with said fitting; and
said probe member being movable within said couler body between an open and a closed position whereby in its open position said coupler opens said valves of said assembly and connects said passages in said coupler to said open valves and in its closed position said coupler seals said passages from said valves of said valve assembly; andsafety delay means for retaining said valve assemby within said receiving member when the container is under pressure should said retaining member become disengaged thereby allowing for gas to be released from the container prior to removal of said valve assembly.
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Specification