The present invention relates to an alcohol beverage dispensing apparatus and in particular, relates to a beer line for dispensing beer, usually in association with tap adapter for mounting with a container or keg.
It is known to contain alcohol, such as wine in bags contained in a cardboard type container where the wine feeds by gravity through a shut off tap mounted outside the container. Further, it is known to fill a bag with beer in a keg. In the case of a beer keg, pressure is applied to the bag to dispense the beer from the bag and out of the keg. Further, the bag is inserted into the keg container prior to the beer being filled into the bag through a valve assembly.
However, there is a need for the user to be able to control the dispensing of the beer from the keg out through a tap connected to the valve assembly particularly in special circumstances where the beer is to be dispensed directly from the keg. These special circumstances occur when the keg is utilized at an outdoor activity or where a consumer does not desire to purchase a home beer dispensing system and still desires to make use of beer stored in a keg.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a conduit for fluidized liquids that helps to reduce foam generation during flow through the conduit. The present invention finds application in relation to conduits for conducting carbonated liquids; or, a nitrogenated liquids; or a combination carbonated and nitrogenated liquids. Although a variety of uses for such conduit can be envisaged, the application as a liquid dispense conduit is particularly relevant with regard to avoiding excessive foam formation—and examples of this arise in beverage dispensing, especially in the case of beer.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a tap adapter for dispensing a beverage from a container whilst controlling the generation of excessive foaming.
Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a conduit for conducting gasified liquid, which conduit has a flow restrictor arranged in in-line relation therewith. Moreover, it is important, that the flow diameter must be only gradually increased downstream of the restrictor.
The restrictor itself comprises an at least one aperture (although two or more can be used in series), each such being adapted to pass the gasified liquid flowing through the conduit and across a pressure drop from a higher-pressure upstream side of the aperture to a lower-pressure downstream side of the aperture.
The aperture is operable to moderate the rate of change in pressure over a transitional pressure drop to mitigate the formation of localized pressures below a critical pressure at which off-gassing from the carbonated liquid results in substantial foam formation.
In some applications it is actually preferable to employ a plurality of apertures arranged in series along the path of the gasified liquid flow. In this case, sequential downstream pressure drops are produced between successive pairs of apertures to respective intermediate pressures that are lower than the pressure upstream of the first aperture in the series and higher than the pressure downstream of the last aperture in the series. This arrangement improves the overall effect of mitigating against foam formation. At least two such apertures, and preferably static apertures are preferred.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the conduit contains at least one aperture which is venturi-shaped. It is desirable, particularly in the case of beer dispensing operations, that such a venturi has a back angle of less than 24 degrees, preferably about 20 degrees or less, and even more preferably, about 15 degrees or less.
The conduit is preferably formed as a formed tube having an integral stricture arranged along the length thereof, to provide for the requisite aperture and, in preferred embodiments, to form the venturi shaped aperture in particular. Although the tubing can be preformed (cast or extruded for example) to provide for the requisite aperture, it is also possible to form the tube in situ. For example, where the conduit is a pliable tube, which is compressible in situ to form an aperture by the application of external force—the application of external force such as a clamping action along a tube-contacting face of a cam or wedge shaped body, can be used to produce a correspondingly shaped aperture within said tube and hold the tube in position relative the rest of a dispensing apparatus. Again, the internal diameter of the tube post the stricture increases only gradually, for example, resulting in the interior walls of the tube having an effective back angle of less than 24 degrees.
Preferably the inlet end and the outlet end of the conduit are substantially the same internal diameter—although variations on this are possible if desired. In any case, in a beer dispense application, it is desirable that the inlet end be adapted to engage a beer keg valve; and, that the outlet end be a nozzle through which the beer is dispensed into a beverage container. Such a conduit—“dispensing tube”—is inexpensive and easily installed. Moreover, it is particularly well suited to use if comprised of a flexible tubing that can be compressed by an external clamping valve to constrict flow between substantially free flowing dispense and shut-off conditions.
For a better understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention reference may be had to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
In a preferred application of the present invention, a venturi equipped conduit is employed as an insertable cartridge in a beer tap aperture—which is useful in turn, in dispensing beer from a keg in either free-standing applications, or from within a housing as for example in the case of a beer cooling appliance or the like, such as is described in
Referring to
The home beer dispensing apparatus 10 has a front wall 12 and a dispensing tap 14 protruding forward of the front wall 12. A drip tray 16 also protrudes forward of the front wall 12 and is adapted to support an open glass container 18 below the dispensing tap 14. The home beer dispensing apparatus 10 further has a base 21 adapted to rest on a counter top. The front wall 12 is an extension of two pivoting side walls 20 which may be moved between closed and open positions to allow the keg 22 (see
The housing 17 of the home beer dispensing apparatus 10 further includes a top wall 24 and a rear wall 26. The rear wall 26 has a grill 30 that permits for air circulation within the home beer dispensing apparatus 10. An electrical cord 32 extends through the rear wall 26 of the apparatus 10 to provide a connection into a main electrical supply to supply electrical power to the electrical components housed within the unit 10. Alternatively, a 12 Volt DC supply input may be used.
The dispensing apparatus 10 has a cooling system 34 located behind and below keg 22 that is adapted to cool beer in keg 22 when keg 22 is placed into dispensing apparatus 10.
Referring to
The valve body 46 has a first passageway 48, a second passageway 50, and a third passageway 52 spaced apart from each other and extending through the valve body 46. As best seen in
The valve assembly includes a first valve 54, a second valve 56 and a third valve 58. The first valve 54 is seated in the first passageway 48 for controlling the flow of the beverage or beer through the first passageway 48 into and out of the bag 44.
The second valve 56 is seated in the second passageway 50 for controlling the flow of gas such as carbon dioxide through the second passageway 50 into and out of the bag.
The third valve 58 is seated in the third passageway 52 and controls the flow of gas through the third passageway 52 into and out of the keg 22 exterior to the bag 44.
Each valve, 54, 56, and 58 has a valve actuator or stem 60 that effectively opens and closes the valve. The valve stem 60 extends away from the valve body 46 by a different predetermined distance for each of valves 54, 56 and 58. Each of the valves 54, 56 and 58 further include a valve head 70 connected to the valve stem 68. The valve head 70 carries an O-ring 72 which is adapted to seal the valve head within the respective passageway. A spring 74 urges the valve head 70 into sealing engagement with its corresponding passageway. The valve stems 68 are accessible from outside the keg 22 for moving each valve head 70 into an open and closed position to respectively enable and inhibit fluid flow through passageways 48, 50 and 52.
The valve body 46 has an annular recessed groove 62 recessed in an inner wall 64 of the valve body 46. The inner wall 64 is positioned within the keg 22. The recessed groove 62 is adapted for receiving the neck 66 of bag 44 in press fit relation therewith. The annular recessed groove 62 has a diameter that surrounds the first and second passageways 48 and 50. The third passageway 52 is located outside of the diameter of the recessed groove 62 and as a result, the third passageway 52 is located outside of the bag 44.
The keg 22 has a collar flange 82 which defines the raised collar aperture 42, the valve body 46 has an outer peripheral wall 63 with a recessed groove 61 extending around the outer wall 63. An intermediate ring or bung 80 is adapted to seat the valve body 46 within the raised collar aperture 42. The intermediate ring 80 has inner and outer walls 84, 86. The inner wall 84 has flange 88 extending inwardly thereof that is adapted to fit into the recessed groove 61 of the outer wall 63 of the valve body 46. The outer wall 86 of the intermediate ring 80 has a resilient barb 90 and a locking flange 92 spaced from the barb 90 so as to define an outer locating groove 94 into which the collar flange 82 of the keg 22 is held. The barb 90 is adapted to pass through the aperture 42 and spring back into locking engagement with the collar flange 82 so as to lock the valve assembly 40 in place. Special tools are required to remove the valve assembly 40 and the intermediate ring 80 from the collar flange 82 of the keg 22 once the keg 22 is returned to the brewery for refilling.
In order to ensure that the contents of the keg 22 have not been tampered with, the keg 22 has an anti-tamper ring 96 that overlays the intermediate ring 80, a portion of the keg 22 and a portion of the valve body 46. The intermediate ring 80 has an aperture 98 that passes completely through the intermediate ring 80 to provide a vent passageway. The anti-tamper ring 96 has a flange part 100 that is inserted into the vent aperture 98 of the intermediate ring 80. In the event the anti-tamper ring 96 is removed from the keg 22, vent aperture 98 is open and the contents or any pressure within the keg 22 is released. Further, as a pressure relief feature, the anti-tamper ring 96 is designed to release from aperture 98 when pressure in keg 22 exceeds a predetermined valve to vent pressurized air through aperture 98.
Referring to
The dispenser adapter 38 has a hollow arm 120 that has a first end portion 122 adjacent the valve assembly 40 and a second end portion 124 which is remote therefrom. The first end portion 122 is connected to the first valve 54 so as to open the valve 54. This connection is made when the adapter is snap fitted downwardly onto the valve neck flange 49. The hollow arm 120 extends from the valve assembly 40 out through the housing 17 to a position where the remote end portion 124 of the hollow arm 120 is outside of the housing 17.
As better shown in
The immediate following describes in detail a first embodiment wherein the foam controlling element takes the form of a cartridge located in the hollow arm 120 of the adaptor 38. Inserted into this lower arm portion 134 is a tubular cartridge 126 that has a tube 128 that interconnects the tap 14 with the first valve 54 so that the beverage may flow through the tube 128 and out the tap end 136. The cartridge 126 is in effect a frame like member which is adapted to be snap fitted into place with the lower arm portion 134. The cartridge 126 also carries the tube 128 therethrough for connection into the first end portion 122 of the hollow arm 120 so that when the cartridge is inserted into the hollow arm 120, and the hollow arm is subsequently mounted onto the valve assembly 40, one end 129 of the tube 128 sealingly engages passageway 48 and opens valve 54 so that beverage may be dispensed through valve 54 and into the tube 128. The upper arm portion 132 as shown in
The adapter 38 is provided with a base portion 140 for supporting the hollow arm 120. The base portion 140 has a neck or supporting ring 142 that is adapted to surround and releasably engage the valve neck flange 49. The base portion 140 further includes an annular flange portion 144 which provides an inverse shape of a saucer that is adapted to abut the top surface of the keg 22 and to be supported thereon.
The base portion 140 has locking spring members 146 (see
Tap 14 is connected to the remote end 124 of the hollow arm 120 and in particular the lower arm portion 134. The tap is operable between a closed position to shut off the flow of beverage through the hollow arm as shown in
As shown in
The adapter 38 of the present invention has many advantages. In particular, the adapter 38 can be sold as a separate part to a consumer and the cartridge 126 may be sold as a replacement cartridge with each keg 22 refill for insertion into adapter 38 so as to provide a sanitary dispensing medium for the beverage. The cartridge 126 is inserted into the adapter 38 and the adapter 38 is moved into its closed position and snapped onto the keg neck 47. Because the adapter carries the tap 14 which is in a closed position, the snapping of adapter 38 onto the valve assembly 40 of the keg 22 in sealing relation therewith opens valve 54 and provides for a simple and reliable connection that does not result in any loss of beverage. At this time, the air supply line 160 is connected to the air valve 58 of the valve assembly 40. The keg 22 is ready for use as a portable free standing unit.
The adapter 38 is now ready to dispense beverage by drawing handle 148 forward releasing the cam 150 from pinching the tube 128 allowing the beverage to flow therethrough out through valve 54. It should be understood that pressure is applied against the bag 44
Referring now to
Referring to the drawings in general, and referring to an especially preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beer line possesses a venturi or a portion of tube that: tapers down gradually from around 8 mm to 1.5 mm; continues at 1.5 mm diameter for 50 mm or 60 mm; and then expands outwards gradually back (through a back angle) to around 8 mm. The length and diameter of the restricted portion combine to determine both the delivered flow rate of beer and the pressure drop across the restrictor. In the preferred case, this should be around 1 bar—the internal pressure of the keg—to avoid beer foaming. The diameter of the restrictor is also an influential factor—too large a diameter and the dispense flow rate is too high and there is little pressure drop, too narrow a diameter and the dispense flow rate is very slow. In forming the venturi, the tapered convergent and divergent sections are adapted to ensure that vortices are not created in the beer flow, which would lead to out localized low pressure regions and related out-gassing and foaming.
In a preferred form of venturi system to reduce pressure and control flow, an 8 mm standard diameter tube is used, having a 1.5 mm diameter through the integrally formed venturi, which extends for a length of over 50 mm, and expands at a 20° inclusive angle (or by 10 degrees on both side) back to a final conduit diameter of 8 mm. This gradual return to the original tubing diameter reduces risk of foaming for the beer transiting this conduit (at about 2 liters/min.). Note that the same angles can be used on the upstream side of the venturi in reducing from the nominal tube diameter to the narrow venturi tube diameter. Under the conditions described herein and in the drawings, all sections of the conduit up stream of venturi including up to the keg valve, are above foaming pressure. Minimising distance after venturi to the dispense spout is also helpful.
Beer dispensing in this case involves a continuous dispense rate of between 1.5 liters/minute and 2.0 liters/minute without “excessive” foaming for the conditions described below. Air pressure maintained between 1.2 bar gauge and 1.5 bar gauge; beer temperature (bottom 25%)<9° C.
The cartridge is preferably a disposable item, and can be supplied new with each keg that a consumer purchases. Ease of use and sanitation are advantages of this arrangement.
Turning now to a second embodiment of the present invention wherein a collapsible dispensing tube is used to provide a flow restriction—refer to
The upper guide channel 220 is provided with a flow restricting actuator 240. The actuator 240 comprises a wall protrusion protruding inwardly from the recessed guide channel 220 and positioned between the side walls 222. This wall protrusion or flow restricting actuator 240 is of fixed size and shape. Alternatively, protrusion 240 could pivot about the fingers 214 and have its movement controlled by adjusting screw (not shown) passing threadingly through the top face 250 of the upper arm portion 132 to push against wall protrusion 240 so as to control the extent that the protrusion 240 protrudes from the upper elongated guide channel 220.
The adapter 38 is provided with a base portion 140 for supporting the hollow arm 120. The base portion 140 has a neck or supporting ring 142 that is adapted to surround and releasably engage the valve neck flange 49. The base portion 140 further includes an annular flange portion 144—see FIG. 9—which provides an inverse shape of a saucer that is adapted to abut the top surface of the keg 22 and to be supported thereon. The base portion 140 has locking spring members 146 (see
Referring to
In
In
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0227941.2 | Nov 2002 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/IB03/05411 | 11/26/2003 | WO | 00 | 2/1/2006 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2004/050535 | 6/17/2004 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4031913 | Apellaniz | Jun 1977 | A |
4610888 | Teng et al. | Sep 1986 | A |
4651898 | Bell | Mar 1987 | A |
5251787 | Simson | Oct 1993 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
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2801668 | Jul 1978 | DE |
19847465 | Apr 2000 | DE |
1243548 | Sep 2002 | EP |
790 140 | Feb 1958 | GB |
1207155 | Sep 1970 | GB |
1019526 | Jan 2002 | NL |
9100240 | Jan 1991 | WO |
9803812 | Jan 1998 | WO |
0003944 | Jan 2000 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20060151528 A1 | Jul 2006 | US |