Patent Application
20220402744
The invention relates to a fluid conduit, a beverage container, and a beverage dispensing assembly.
In known beverage dispensing assemblies, a beverage is typically held in a beverage container, such as a pressurisable keg, that is fluidly coupled via a dispensing line to a dispenser, e.g. a faucet. The dispenser may be operated as desired to flow an amount of beverage from the container through the dispensing line to a dispensing opening of the dispenser for dispensing the beverage in a suitable receptacle such as a drinking glass or cup. Usually the beverage container is detachably coupled to the dispensing line and dispenser in order to allow an exchange of beverage containers. For example once a beverage container is emptied, i.e. has no or not sufficient beverage remaining for dispensing, such container may be uncoupled from the dispensing line and be replaced by a beverage container holding a fresh amount of beverage in order to allow further dispensing of beverage with the dispenser. During its lifetime in use, the dispensing assembly is exposed to microorganisms present in the environment of the dispensing assembly. These microorganisms pose a risk of infiltrating particularly the dispensing line, for example during an exchange of beverage containers when the uncoupled dispensing line is open at its coupling end, and thus exposed to the environment. Upon a following coupling of the dispensing line to a new beverage container holding a fresh amount of beverage such microorganisms may migrate from the dispensing line into the beverage kept in the beverage container which forms a suitable and sufficient source of nutrients for the microorganisms to expand rapidly by multiplication. This provides the problem of contaminating the beverage. As a result, the shelf life of such beverage contained in the beverage container, i.e. period in which the beverage in the container may normally be suitably consumed, may decrease and/or the beverage may prematurely become spoiled otherwise. Furthermore, if the beverage has a low alcohol by volume percentage, or is completely alcohol free, and/or has a relatively high sugar content, such as some alcohol free beers, the beverage is particularly susceptive for contamination by fermenting microorganisms such as wild yeast, which may lead to unwanted increase of alcohol contents in the beverage due to fermentation.
Known beverage dispensing assemblies employ cooling of the beverage container and the beverage held therein, such that, in case contamination of the container does occur, the applied low temperature minimises or prevents growth and reproduction rates of the microorganisms in the beverage, maintaining a contamination level within acceptable limits.
Known beverage dispensing assemblies thus require cooling means, such as a refrigerator, arranged for cooling at least the beverage container particularly to temperatures of 4° Celsius or lower. A drawback of these known assemblies is the needed extra space for provision of such cooling means near to the beverage container, which is often not available. Moreover, cooling an entire beverage container with beverage is also rather time and energy consuming, which is particularly disadvantageous when the container has a relatively large volume and/or needs to be replaced regularly. During this time to cool the beverage container, the beverage container can not be connected to a potentially contaminated beverage dispenser without risking contamination of the beverage in the beverage container.
It is an object of the invention to provide a beverage dispensing assembly which slows down spoiling of the beverage. In particular, it is an object of the invention to prevent microorganism contamination of the beverage container of such beverage dispensing assembly. More particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a beverage dispensing assembly that prevents alcohol formation in the beverage container, without need of cooling the beverage container.
A first aspect provides a fluid conduit for providing a fluid connection between a beverage container and a beverage dispenser, comprising a conduit body with a container side and a dispenser side, in use downstream of and/or opposite to the container side, wherein the conduit body defines a flow path through the fluid conduit between the container side and the dispenser side, and a flow restrictor provided in the flow path arranged to allow a flow of fluid from the container side to the dispenser side and at least substantially restrict passage of micro-organisms from the dispenser side to the container side through the conduit body.
The flow restrictor may thus allow a flow of beverage out of the beverage container downstream to the beverage dispenser, whilst restricting, substantially restricting and/or blocking micro-organisms such as wild yeast from entering the beverage container through the same flow path as the flow path for the beverage, when no beverage flows out of the container, i.e. when the beverage dispensing assembly is idle or in between separate dispensing operations of the beverage dispensing assembly.
Microorganisms may be yeasts, bacteria, and/or fungi. In particular, yeast may be Saccharomyces species such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae diastaticus, Saccharomyces eubayanus, and/or Saccharomyces pasteurianus.
The fluid conduit may be disposable. Being disposable may imply that the fluid conduit is relatively cheap and/or easy to manufacture and may be disposed of, e.g. discarded, after use thereof. As such, the fluid conduit may be made entirely out of polymers suitable for flow of beverage there through, for example silicone. Thus, the fluid conduit may comprise a plastic tube or be made out of a plastic tube. The fluid conduit may optionally be recyclable or made of recyclable material.
In an embodiment, the flow restrictor is arranged to at least substantially restrict passage of yeast as a micro-organism from the dispenser side to the container side through the conduit body.
In a further embodiment, the flow restrictor is arranged to fully restrict and/or block passage of wild yeast as a micro-organism from the dispenser side to the container side through the conduit body. To fully restrict and/or block may imply that, when the fluid conduit is in use, no wild yeast cells can reach the container side of the fluid conduit from the dispenser side.
The flow restrictor may comprise or consist of a filter, in particular a mesh screen and/or membrane, for at least substantially restricting and/or blocking passage of micro-organisms through the filter from the dispenser side to the container side. The filter may be provided in the flow path of the fluid conduit.
Embodiments of the filter may have pores with a pore size adapted to restrict passage of micro-organisms whilst allowing flow of beverage. In particular, embodiments of the filter may have pores with a pore size between 0.2 and 40 μm, particularly between 0.2 and 30 μm, between 5 and 20 μm, and/or between 7 and 10 μm, and/or pores with a pore size smaller than the size of yeast cells, for example yeast cells of yeast belonging to the Saccharomyces species. The pore sizes may determine the maximum size of a particle, e.g. a micro-organism, which can pass through the filter. The maximum size may for example be a maximum width, length and/or depth of a particle, or a maximum diameter.
In embodiments, the flow restrictor may comprise or consist of a one-way valve, operable by virtue of a fluid pressure on the container side of the fluid conduit. The one-way valve may be provided in the flow path of the fluid conduit. When the fluid pressure on the container side exceeds a fluid pressure on the dispenser side, the one-way valve may allow a downstream flow of beverage through the one-way valve from the container side to the dispenser side.
The fluid pressure on the container side may exceed the fluid pressure on the dispenser side by virtue of a pressurised gas, such as CO2 or NO2, supplied to the beverage container. The pressure exerted by the pressurised gas may exceed ambient pressure at the dispenser side, for example when a beer tap as a beverage dispenser is opened to dispense beer.
Once the fluid pressures on the container side and the dispenser side of the fluid conduit are equal, substantially equal, and/or the pressure on the dispenser side exceeds the pressure on the container side, the one-way valve restricts flow of fluid from the dispenser side to the container side. Hence, in use, it may be prevented or at least substantially prevented for fluid to flow back upstream into the beverage container. Micro-organisms present in the beverage dispenser, such as wild yeast, are thereby prevented from contaminating the beverage inside the beverage container.
In an embodiment the one-way valve may be a duckbill valve. The duckbill valve, in an opened state, may provide in particular embodiments a substantially oval flow-through area.
For coupling a disposable fluid conduit to a beverage container, e.g. a beer keg, embodiments of the fluid conduit may comprise attachment means for attachment to a container body of the beverage container. For example the fluid conduit may comprise a coupler body arranged to be fitted on the container body at a fluid outlet of the container body. The fluid conduit may particularly be arranged to be fitted to an head of an extractor tube, also known as the keg spear or down tube, of the beverage container, e.g. keg.
A plastic tube or other fluid conduit extends from the coupler body to a coupling end for coupling to a dispensing line. The fluid conduit may comprise at the coupling end coupling means for coupling to a dispenser. The fluid conduit may particularly be coupled to a dispensing line part of a dispenser. For example the coupling means may comprise a snap-fit connector for coupling to corresponding snap-fit means of the dispensing line part. The fluid conduit may be a first dispensing line part fitted with a coupling end comprising releasable or reversible snapping means arranged to snap into a cavity of coupling means at the coupling end of a second dispensing line part of a dispenser to allow for coupling and decoupling of the first and second dispensing line parts. Preferably a beverage dispensing assembly is provided by coupling of the beverage container, comprising the disposable fluid conduit attached to the container body, to the second dispensing line part. The fluid conduit and the container body may be preassembled to form the beverage container. The fluid conduit and the container body may be sterilized after preassembling thereof and/or are, preferably, preassembled in a sterile environment. Preferably the fluid conduit and the container body are maintained sterile, i.e. closed off from the environment, until coupling thereof to the second dispensing line part and/or dispenser to form the beverage dispensing assembly. For example a free coupling end of the fluid conduit for coupling to the second dispensing line part may be closed prior to coupling, e.g. by means of a seal. The seal may be openable or removable at least in part, as to allow a flow of beverage through the dispensing line after coupling of the fluid conduit and second dispensing line part. The seal may for example comprise a foil attached at and spanning over the free coupling end of the fluid conduit. The foil may for example be perforated upon coupling to the second dispensing line part or may be manually peeled off the coupling end of the fluid conduit prior to coupling to the second dispensing line part, to open the flow path through the dispensing line.
The second dispensing line part may for example be formed by a normal beer tube that is connected to a dispenser, such as a faucet, comprising the dispensing opening. The second dispensing line part may be removably connected to the dispenser. The second dispensing line part and the dispenser may be preassembled.
The disposable fluid conduit in accordance with the foregoing allows coupling and uncoupling, i.e. exchange, of beverage containers to an existing dispenser on site, such as in a bar, with a reduced risk of microorganisms which may be present in the second part of the dispensing line or the dispenser, or which may enter the second part of the dispensing line during coupling, from migrating into a beverage chamber of the coupled beverage container.
In a preferred embodiment, the fluid conduit is at the container side of the conduit body essentially or fully free of wild yeast.
A further aspect provides a beverage container assembly, comprising a beverage container, comprising a container body with a beverage chamber for containing a beverage, an extractor tube, arranged to provide a fluid outlet for beverage inside the storage body, the extractor tube comprising an extractor tube head, and a disposable fluid conduit according to the first aspect, wherein the fluid conduit is fitted to the head of the extractor tube, and the fluid conduit is provided in fluid connection with the fluid outlet conduit, such that the container side of the fluid conduit faces towards the fluid outlet conduit.
The container body may be preassembled with the disposable fluid conduit to form a beverage container assembly according to the second aspect in a facility which has been cleaned to ensure that there is no or substantially no wild yeast present which may contaminate the head of the extractor tube and/or the container side of the fluid conduit.
A third aspect provides a beverage container assembly, comprising a beverage container, comprising a storage body for containing a beverage, an extractor tube, arranged to provide a fluid outlet for a beverage inside the storage body and comprising an extractor tube head. The beverage container assembly according to the third aspect further comprises a disposable coupler arranged to couple the beverage container to a dispensing line, comprising a coupler body, fitted to the head of the extractor tube, a beverage tube extending from the coupler body, provided in fluid connection with the fluid outlet of the extractor tube to provide a flow path through the disposable coupler, and a fluid conduit according to the first aspect, provided in the flow path through the disposable coupler.
For fitting a coupler or coupler body to a head, for example a rotational movement of the coupler relative to the head may be required.
A fourth aspect provides a disposable coupler arranged to be fitted to a beverage container, comprising a coupler body, arranged to be fitted to a fluid outlet of the beverage container, a beverage tube extending from the coupler body to provide a flow path for a beverage, and a fluid conduit according to the first aspect, provided in the flow path of the beverage tube.
The fluid conduit may be provided at or near a proximal end of the beverage tube, at or near a distal end of the beverage tube, and/or as a part of the beverage tube itself. As such, the conduit body may be comprised by the beverage tube.
A fifth aspect provides a beverage dispensing assembly, comprising a dispenser with an outlet opening for dispensing the beverage, and a dispensing line arranged to be provided between a beverage container and the dispenser to form a flow path enabling a flow of beverage from the container to the dispensing opening, wherein the dispensing line is provided with a fluid conduit according to the first aspect, and wherein the flow path through the dispensing line passes through the fluid conduit.
In embodiments, a beverage dispensing assembly according to the fifth aspect further comprises a beverage container arranged for holding a beverage.
With the beverage dispensing assembly according to the fifth aspect, migration of micro-organisms upstream towards the beverage container may be at least substantially prevented by virtue of the flow restrictor of the fluid conduit. This upstream migration may have otherwise taken place via the flow path provided by the dispensing line between the beverage container and the dispenser, which dispensing line may have been contaminated with micro-organisms such as wild yeast.
When the dispensing line comprises a coupler, the fluid conduit may be provided between the beverage container and the coupler. The coupler may be used to connect a beverage container to the dispensing line. For example, a coupler may be arranged to be connected to a head of an extractor tube of a beer keg.
The coupler, dispensing line and/or dispenser may be contaminated with micro-organisms such as wild yeast. By providing the fluid conduit between the beverage container and the coupler, it may be prevented or at least substantially prevented that micro-organisms migrate from one of the contaminated components into the beverage container.
A beverage container may contain a beverage having an alcohol by volume percentage of 2% or less, 1.2% or less, 0.5% or less, or be essentially free of alcohol. The beverage may be an alcohol-free or low alcohol by volume malt beverage, for example, alcohol-free beer, or an alcohol-free fermented fruit beverage, for example, alcohol-free cider. The beverage may comprise carbohydrates, which may be converted into CO2 and alcohol by wild yeast.
A sixth aspect provides a method for refilling a reusable beverage container, comprising the steps of removing a disposable fluid conduit according to the first aspect from the beverage container, refilling the beverage container with beverage which is one of a beverage comprising carbohydrates, a beverage with an alcohol by volume content of less than 2%, and a beverage with an alcohol by volume content of less than 0.2%, and providing a new fluid conduit according to the first aspect to a fluid outlet conduit of the beverage container, such that the fluid conduit at least substantially restrict passage of micro-organisms through the conduit body from the dispenser side to the container side into the beverage container.
By providing the new fluid conduit to the fluid outlet of the beverage container, the container side of the fluid conduit may be substantially sealed off from the environment, and as such be protected from contamination by micro-organisms, in particular wild yeast.
A seventh aspect provides a method for refilling a reusable beverage container, comprising the steps of, removing a disposable coupler according to the second aspect from the beverage container, refilling the beverage container with beverage which is one of a beverage comprising carbohydrates, a beverage with an alcohol by volume content of less than 2%, and a beverage with an alcohol by volume content of less than 0.2%, and a step of fitting a new disposable coupler according to the second aspect to a fluid outlet of the beverage container.
By fitting the new disposable coupler to the fluid outlet of the beverage container, the container side of the fluid conduit may be substantially sealed off from the environment, and as such be protected from contamination by micro-organisms, in particular wild yeast.
The methods according to the sixth and seventh aspect may be performed in an environment essentially free of micro-organisms, or in particular essentially free of wild yeast to prevent contamination of the container side of the fluid conduit.
It will be appreciated that the general inventive concept of the fluid conduit according to the first aspect may be applied in different situations related to beverage containers and preventing or at least substantially preventing contamination of a beverage inside the beverage container with micro-organisms such as wild yeast. The fluid conduit may thus be provided as a part of the beverage container, in an assembly with the beverage container, in a beverage dispensing line, as a part of a disposable coupler and/or in a beverage dispensing system with the same general concept of allowing a flow of fluid from the container side to the dispenser side and at least substantially restricting passage of micro-organisms through the conduit body from the dispenser side to the container side.
The various aspects and embodiments will be elaborated on in conjunction with figures. In the figures,
Further embodiments of the fluid conduit are envisioned wherein the flow restrictor 104 is embodied different than an umbrella valve of a duckbill valve. For example, the flow restrictor may comprise a filter for at least substantially restricting passage of micro-organisms through the filter from the dispenser side to the container side. In other examples, the flow restrictor may comprise a one-way valve, check valve, non-return valve, reflux valve, retention valve, clack valve, any other component arranged to restrict flow, or any combination thereof.
Embodiments of fluid conduits are also envisioned comprising more than one flow restrictor, provided in series, parallel, or in a combination thereof. In such embodiments, one or more flow restrictors according to one or more of the embodiments of flow restrictors as disclosed herein may be used.
The flow restrictor, for example embodied as the duckbill valve 104 and umbrella valve 104 shown in
In
The duckbill valve 104 comprises a base 191 and a mouth 192. In the closed state, the mouth 192 may at least substantially restrict passage of micro-organisms. In the particular embodiment of
In
The duckbill valve 104 comprises a base 191 and a mouth 192. In the closed state, the mouth 192 may at least substantially restrict passage of micro-organisms. In the particular embodiment of
The oval shape may allow a faster closure of the one-way valve when the pressure at the container side does not exceed the pressure at the dispenser side anymore, and may thus further decrease risk of contamination.
In other embodiments of the one-way valve, the flow-through area at any point between the base 191 and the mouth 192 may have a different shape, such as a substantially round or circular shape, a rectangular shape, optionally with rounded edges, any other shape, or any combination thereof.
Connected to the head 208 is a coupler 210, arranged to connect the keg 201 to a dispensing line 220 and via the dispensing line 220 to a tap 230 as a dispenser. For clarity and conciseness of the figure, the dispensing line 220 and tap 230 are only schematically shown.
The coupler 210 comprises a fluid inlet 212, arranged to receive a beverage as a fluid from the fluid outlet 206 of the keg 201. The coupler 210 further comprises a pressurised gas inlet 214, and when the coupler 210 is coupled to the keg 201, via the pressurised gas inlet 214, pressurised gas may be provided into the keg body 202 for pressurising the beverage in the keg body 202.
In the particular embodiment as shown in
If the tap 230 is opened, by virtue of the gas pressure on the beverage in the keg body 202, beverage may flow via the extractor tube 204, through the keg fluid outlet 206 to the duckbill valve 104, which will open by virtue of the pressurised beverage. The beverage then flows out of the fluid conduit 100 into the coupler fluid inlet 212, and via the coupler 210 and the dispensing line 220 out of the tap 230.
When the tap 230 is closed again, the flow of beverage is halted, and the pressure on both sides of the duckbill valve 104 is substantially equalised. By virtue of the resilient material comprised by the duckbill valve 104, the duckbill valve returns in the closed state, and in this closed state substantially or entirely restricts or blocks passage of micro-organisms through the conduit body 102 from the dispenser side of the conduit body 102 to the container side of the container body 202.
Even if the keg 201 is not used for a longer time and the keg 201 is not cooled, no path is provided for micro-organisms to migrate into the keg 201 via the keg fluid outlet 206 because the flow of micro-organisms through the fluid conduit is at least substantially restricted and/or blocked.
A coupler 210 may comprise a check ball 216 for preventing beer to flow out of the coupler 210 through the coupler fluid inlet 212 when the coupler 210 is removed from the keg 201 and there is still fluid left in the dispensing line 220.
When the coupler 210 is not coupled to a keg 201, part of the check ball 216 and other parts of the coupler 210 may be exposed to ambient air, which may contain wild yeast cells and/or other micro-organisms, or touched by a person handling the coupler 210, who may have wild yeast cells and/or other micro-organisms on his hands. As such, the check ball 216 and/or other parts of the coupler 210 may be contaminated.
When a coupler 210 with a contaminated check ball 216 and/or other parts is again coupled to a keg 201, a fluid conduit 100 according to the first aspect may prevent or at least substantially restrict contaminants such as wild yeast from migrating into the keg 201.
Fitted to the head 208 of the keg body 202 is a disposable coupler 210 arranged to couple the keg 201 to a dispensing line 220. The disposable coupler 210 comprises a coupler body 231 fitted to the head 208 when the assembly 200 is assembled.
The disposable coupler 210 further comprises a beer tube 211 as a beverage tube extending from the coupler body 231, which beer tube 211 is provided in fluid connection with the keg fluid outlet 206 when the coupler 210 is coupled to the keg 201.
The disposable coupler 210 is provided with an embodiment of the fluid conduit 100, here provided at a distal end of the beer tube 211, and as such provided in a flow path for beverage through the disposable coupler 210. The fluid conduit 100 as shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024345 | Nov 2019 | NL | national |
| 2024346 | Nov 2019 | NL | national |
| 2026380 | Aug 2020 | NL | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/NL2020/050748 | 11/30/2020 | WO |
