Valve assembly for a beverage container, container for beverage and method for filling and emptying a beverage container

• US 6,516,839 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
• Original Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
• Inventors: Timp, Piet Hein Willem, van Baal, Patrick Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUST, TIMOTHY LEWIS
• Application Number:
  US09/743,648
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 141/2, 141/4, 141/5, 141/18, 141/311.R, 141/346, 141/347, 141/348, 141/349, 141/383, 141/386, 137/613, 137/614.02, 137/614.03, 137/614.05, 251/318, 251/321, 251/339
• US Class Current: 141/347
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/32 using counterpressure, i.e. filling while the container is under pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0462 Squeezing collapsible or flexible beverage containers, e.g. bag-in-box containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0832 with two valves disposed concentrically
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87965 Valve- or closure-operated by coupling motion

Abstract

Valve assembly for a container for beverage, in particular carbonated beverage such as beer, comprising a housing and a beverage channel with a valve body, wherein operating means are provided for moving the valve body, said operating means comprising: first coupling means for coupling the beverage channel to beverage dispensing means for emptying a container through or along the valve body; and second coupling means for coupling the beverage channel to a filling device for filling a container through or along the valve body.

Claims

1. A valve assembly (8, 308) for a container (1, 2, 4) for beverage, comprising a housing and a beverage channel with a valve body (20, 320), wherein operating means are provided for moving the valve body, said operating means comprising:

first coupling means (100, 300) for coupling the beverage channel (50, 350) to beverage dispensing means for emptying a container through or along the valve body; and

second coupling means (80, 380) for coupling the beverage channel (50, 350) to a filling device for filling a container through or along the valve body, characterized in that the first coupling means are arranged for movement of the valve body between a first and a second position and the second coupling means are arranged for movement of the valve body between a first and a third position, wherein

in the first position the beverage channel is completely closed off

in the second position a passage is released for a first flow rate, and

in the third position a passage is released for a second flow rate, the second flow rate being considerably greater than the first flow rate, the arrangement being such that during use, a container connected to the valve assembly can be filled relatively quickly through the beverage channel when the valve body is in its third position, while beverage can be dispensed from the relevant container in a relatively calm manner when the valve assembly is in its second position.

2. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least the first (100, 300) and the second coupling means (80, 380) are at least partially exchangeable.

3. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the first coupling means(100, 300) and/or the valve body (20, 320) comprise first stop means (104, 122) for bounding the stroke of the valve body (20, 320) between a first position and a second position, and

the second coupling means and/or the valve body comprise second stop means (90, 122) for bounding the stroke of the valve body (20, 320) between a first position and a third position.

4. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve body (20, 320) is at least partially hollow and comprises a circumferential wall (54, 371) and a closed end face (52, 352), wherein at least one opening (56, 356) is provided in the sidewall, which opening (56, 356) is partially released when the valve body (20, 320) is in a second position and which is released at least almost completely when said valve body is in a third position for forming, during use, a fluid connection between a container and the part of the beverage channel remote from the container.

5. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling means (100, 300) comprise at least a part of a beverage dispensing channel (108, 120, 116, 308, 385), which can on one side be coupled to the beverage channel in particular to a passage (50, 350) in the valve body, and which can on the other side be coupled to a tapping device for the beverage.

6. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second coupling means (80, 386) comprise at least a part of a beverage feed channel (84, 384), which can on one side be coupled to the beverage channel, in particular to a passage in the valve body (50, 350), and which can on the other side be coupled to a beverage feed device.

7. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the operating means (80, 380;

100, 300) can be coupled to the valve body (20, 320), wherein the valve body and/or the housing comprise stop means (23, 25;

61, 53;

55, 57) cooperating with the first and second pressure means (100, 300;

80, 380) for bounding the stroke of the valve body between a first, closed position and a second, partially open position, respectively a first, closed position and a third, almost completely open position, wherein the first or second coupling means respectively are detachable from the valve body only when said valve body is in its first position.

8. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve body (20, 320) is fitted adjacent, preferably in the end of the beverage channel wherein the end face (52, 362), when the valve body is in the first position, closes against a longitudinal edge (62) of the beverage channel.

9. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein, at least when the valve body is in an open position, spacer means (46, 319) are arranged adjacent the at least one valve opening (56, 356), for keeping, during use, the wall (4) of a container connected to the valve assembly (8, 308) at a distance from the or each relevant opening (56, 356).

10. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve body (20, 320) is biased in a closed position.

11. A valve assembly according to claim 10, wherein between at least a portion of the valve body and the housing, a chamber (44, 144, 244, 344) is formed accommodating spring means (72, 147, 247, 347) for biasing the valve body in the first position.

12. A valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein the spring means comprise fluid spring means, in particular means for closing off the chamber gas-tightly, such that during movement of the valve body from the closed position into an open position, a fluid, in particular air, is compressed in the chamber for generating a force on the valve body in the direction of the first position.

13. A valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein the spring means comprise a spring (32, 147, 247, 347), in particular a plastic helical spring or leaf spring.

14. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve body (20, 320) can be secured in the closed position, preferably by the operating means.

15. A valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve body (320) is provided, on the side which during use faces outside the container, with a closed end (352) wall and at least one radial opening (356), wherein a pressure body (321) is provided which is movable along the valve body, in substantially an axial direction thereof said pressure body (321) being operable by the first (100, 300) and/or second coupling means (80, 380) or at least partially releasing the at least one radial opening.

16. A valve assembly according to claim 1, comprising a pressure body (80, 100;

380, 300, 321), wherein the valve body is movable relative to the pressure body between a closing position and an open position, wherein spring means (71, 147, 247, 347) are provided between the valve body and the pressure body for biasing in the closed position, wherein the pressure body and the valve body are at least partly accommodated in a housing (42, 243, 18, 318), wherein both movement of the pressure body and movement of the valve body relative to the housing can lead to the open position.

17. A valve assembly according to claim 1, comprising a housing and the valve body substantially accommodated therein, said valve body (20, 320) being biased in a closed position by spring means (71, 147, 247, 347), said valve body (20, 320) comprising a tubular part having at least one radial, at least outwardly directed opening and a closed wall, wherein a pressure body (321) is provided which, in the closed position, closes the at least one opening (56, 356) wherein the valve body is at least partly radially surrounded by said pressure body, wherein through relative axial movement of the valve body relative to the housing and/or the pressure body, the at least one opening (56, 356) is at least partially released or forming a fluid connection between the inside of the tubular part and the environment.

18. A container for beverage, in particular a carbonated beverage such as beer, provided with a valve assembly according to claim 1.

19. A container according to claim 18, wherein the container (1) comprises an inner container (4) and an outer container (2), wherein at least the inner container (4) is at least partially flexible, wherein means are provided for feeding a pressure medium, in particular air, into and out of a space between the inner container (4) and the outer container (2), said means comprising an air channel (86, 95, 395, 376) which is closed when the valve body is in a first position and which is open when the valve body is in a second or third position.

20. A container according to claim 19, wherein the valve assembly comprises first fastening means for attachment thereof to the outer container and second fastening means for attachment thereof to the inner container, wherein the means for feeding in and feeding out the pressure medium open between the first and second fastening means, wherein the second fastening means are preferably arranged for being connected, through sealing or gluing or a like connecting technique, to the inner container, at a relatively large distance from the or each passage of the beverage channel.

21. A container according to claim 19, wherein the first (100, 300) and second coupling means (80, 380) comprise first sealing means and the housing comprises second sealing means, wherein, in each open position of the valve body, the first and second sealing means cooperate for forming a fluid-tight connection between respectively the first and second coupling means and the air channel, separated from the beverage channel and the beverage feed channel, respectively the beverage dispensing channel.

22. A valve assembly according to claim 19, for use in a container according to any one of claims 19-21, wherein at least the valve body and the housing are manufactured from reusable material, in particular from jointly reusable material more in particular from material which is reusable together with the material of at least a part of the container, in particular of an inner container.

23. A method for use of a container according to claim 18, wherein:

an inner container (4) is connected to the valve housing,

the inner container (4) is inserted into the outer container (2) and secured adjacent the valve assembly (8, 308),

a second coupling means (80, 380) is connected to the housing and the valve body (20, 320),

the second coupling means (80, 380) is connected to a filling device,

the second coupling means (80, 380) is operated such that the valve body (20, 320) is moved into and kept in a third, relatively far open position,

beverage is introduced into the inner container (4) from the filling device and via the beverage channel, with the discharge of air from the space between the inner container (4) and the outer container (2),

when the inner container (4) is filled sufficiently, the second coupling means (80, 380) is withdrawn, such that the valve body (20, 320) is moved into a first, closed position,

the second coupling means (80, 380) is removed from the housing and replaced by a first coupling means (100, 300).

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein before the insertion of an inner container (4) into an outer container (2), a used inner container (4), together with a part of a valve assembly connected thereto, is removed.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein after positioning of the first coupling means (100, 300), air supply means are connected to the space between the inner container (4) and the outer container (2), after which air is introduced into the space under pressure and the first coupling means (100, 300) is operated, such that the valve body (20, 320) is brought into a second, limitedly open position, with discharge of a desired amount of beverage from the inner container (4), after which the first coupling means is moved back, preferably under the influence of spring means between the housing and the valve body, for closing off the beverage channel.