Patent Grant
9731954
This invention relates to dispensing fluids or other flowable materials, such as liquids, viscous creams, oils, pastes, granules, powders. It is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with pressurisation and pressurised delivery of liquids for consumption, such as beverages. Prime examples include water and beer, such as real ale. Preserving the longevity, integrity and taste for consumption are particular concerns. Thus air in contact with a beverage can trigger or promote deterioration, such as when in the case of real ale secondary fermentation is ongoing. Some aspects involve liquid and gas mixtures, or gas dissolved into solution, such as gasified or aerated admixtures. Other aspects might also be applied to other products and formulations, including creams, detergents, cleansers or soaps.
Confinement and containment must address both passive load such as static weight and active or dynamic loads from movement and acceleration in transit.
Strict regulatory health and safety hygiene considerations apply for products for human consumption. The Applicant envisages these be met by special isolation and containment provision according to the invention preserved until discharge or dispensing. Cross-contamination concerns, particularly with human contact and associated bacteriological transfer can also apply to a wider range of products.
One consideration, for a palatable product with satisfactory olfactory (taste and smell) sensation, is the amount of dissolved air and a facility to aerate or de-aerate prior to or upon dispensing. An example is beer, which is predominantly water and has been made from local spring water, such as from a ‘pure’ or unadulterated mountain spring water. Beer is available in bulk in barrels or casks for onward dispensing at a point of sale, and for personal consumption in bottles and in cans. In either case sealing of the container after filling is usual, not least when the content is pressurised, such as carbonated or aerated. A traditional manner of storage and dispensing is as a so-called ‘draught’; meaning drawn from storage in bulk in any kind of canister, cask, keg etc. Draught beer is usually unpasteurised and kept cool, otherwise it may turn sour and cloudy in a few days. It can be drawn by a hand pump from a barrel. Some canned and bottled bears are marketed as draft on the basis of taste similarities.
It is also common to dispense so-called traditional or ‘real ales’ through a pump from a barrel container or cask. That is without above atmospheric gas pressure and risk of aeration. It can be regarded as akin to traditional draught beer in the sense that is drawn or dragged or pumped up from a reservoir. However, the contents rapidly age with taste deterioration once a barrel has been opened or uncorked to allow ingress of air. A cask commonly features a tap hole near a top edge and a side hole for conditioning. Cask beer is drawn at cellar temperature of around 12 deg C., so is vulnerable to deterioration, once a cask plug seal has been removed and the cask ‘tapped’ to connect to a hand pump.
Beer is vulnerable to unsettling disturbance by shaking, dropping, churning or sudden high pressurisation, with risk of natural sedimentation being raised and recirculated, which can in turn impair visual appearance and taste. In cask or so-called ‘real’ ale the yeast and fermentation can still be active. Foaming upon dispensing allows carbon dioxide to escape. A hand pump is commonly used for real ales, but needs to be primed and if mishandled can induce unintended frothing or aeration upon delivery.
Latterly, so-called ‘keg’ beer has been specially developed as a brewing formulation to allow dispensing through a tap valve from pressurised, suitably robust and reinforced, generally metal, container vessels to inhibit hazardous split or rupture and wasteful contents discharge spillage. A keg of draft beer could last 20-30 days before perceptible taste and aroma deterioration occur to an unpalatable degree. Keg beer is drawn from a pressurised keg, commonly charged with an external gas supply, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide or a mixture of the two from a gas bottle or cylinder. Such artificial carbonation is after fermentation has concluded. Keg beer is pasteurised and filtered to prolong its storage life, although with an impact upon its taste.
A keg commonly has a single opening in the top centre for a flow pipe and is artificially pressurised after fermentation with a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas. The headspace above the beer to be dispensed is pressurised with gas, so the delivery pipe charge requiring only opening of a low effort valve at the point of dispensing. Some gasification and frothing of the product such as to form a head upon delivery, may be admitted as expected by the consumer. Above atmospheric pressure allows the product to be lifted from a low level, such as a basement cellar, to a bar counter serving level possibly a storey or more above. This requires careful regular cleaning of long feed lines from a remote vessel, such as one located in a cool underlying cellar, to a dispensing head at a point of service such as a bar counter.
Liquid containers, such as keg barrels for beer, have been devised with an internal partition, separation or isolation barrier or membrane, but these have been bespoke dedicated construction approaches not suited to adaptation of existing conventional container stock. Examples include integrated plastics containers of Ecofass and Global Polymer Solutions and WO/2004/050540 of Interbrew SA,
In contrast, the Applicant envisages adaptation of a conventional beer pressure vessel or so-called keg to isolate the content from the pressurisation medium, such as compressed air or carbon dioxide CO2. A low pressure vessel or cask might also be converted. Other displacement and delivery mechanisms such as hand pumps are also envisaged.
One aspect of the invention is to provide or allow over the counter serving of real ale ‘on tap’, under pressure without the usual hand pump or attendant air exposure which can precipitate deterioration. Another aspect of the invention is to evoke some of the ethos of real ale on draught in a spring water available on draft from a containerised reservoir through a server tap. This to provide an offering to a consumer that is preserved close to that of drawing spring water from a natural original source.
For collection and distribution, it is known to pipe water directly from a static well head, to pump it from a natural spring, or to distribute it in bulk or in smaller containers down to bottles for personal consumption. Industrial processing and bottling plants risk introducing contaminants. A challenge is to contrive immediacy or at least promptness of response to demand, without contaminating or unduly disturbing the liquid dispensed. The Applicant proposes an intermediary or intervention barrier or membrane to that end. A modest controlled delay from command to discharge action might be tolerated in the interests of an even continuous pulsed displacement event.
An installation ‘local’ to a natural spring supply might be coupled directly to that supply, with a modest back-up reservoir at a dispensing point. Natural springs may have underground and overground features. A facility for extraction, onward (pumped) transfer, treatment and packaging or containerisation is also envisaged. Pasteurisation, sterilisation, filtration, dosage, treatment or processing such as to ensure safety for consumption might be countenanced in the storage and dispensing of spring water; a term which in itself is rather tenuous, much like draught beer, and which might be designated ‘draught spring water’.
In packaging technology, consumables and beverages in bags is well-rehearsed, such as in so-called ‘wine coolers’ or ‘bag (liner)-in-box’ carton technology. In a wider industrial context, containers, canisters or barrels of plastic or metal with internal liners, partition or barrier membranes may also be known in a particular limited context, but not configured or adapted for the purposes of the present invention.
The Applicant envisages a controlled liquid or other flowable medium displacement without undue pressure shock loading or untoward exposure to and consequent introduction into solution or dissolution of pressurisation media, such as gases, into the product being dispensed. Also envisaged is a variable controlled introduction, induction or injection of gases, such as selectively adjustable aeration. Further envisaged is expulsion or purging of dissolved gases to achieve a ‘flatter’ dispensed product. In marketing terms, the spectrum might span from highly aerated, say designated ‘excited’ or (super-) charged, and de-aerated, say designated ‘still’ or ‘calm’.
Temperature conditioning may be admitted to promote a fresher sharp less flat, stale and insipid taste.
That said, warm or tepid spring water may arise in some spa sources with high levels of dissolved minerals. These could also be emulated by sampling and conditioning. Chilling increases the capacity of water to take up carbon dioxide. So temperature elevation or lowering of ambient pressure liberates carbon dioxide gas.
So-called ‘sparkling’ water may not be natural, not least if carbonated with dissolved carbon dioxide and or sodium salts, including sodium bicarbonate (to counter the acidity of carbon dioxide dissolved as carbonic acid), as flavouring and acidity regulators and sugars, known as so-called ‘soda water’, evoking natural mineral water but can be evoked by aeration at the point of dispensing. Salts include: table salt, sodium citrate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium citrate, potassium sulphate, di-sodium phosphate;
An output control which would allow a spectrum from ‘deeply stilled’ to ‘highly charged’ would be an advantage, as would a facility to adjust a mix different products at the point of discharge and to allow that mix to encompass pre-charge or pre-stilled constituents, although the degree of charge is more readily controlled at or upstream of a common output port.
A multi-layer or multi-wall liner could accommodate material to be discharged between layers without mutual cross-contamination. Different ingredient or mix materials could be confined between layers. For convenience, the terms ‘bag’, ‘liner’ and ‘liner bag’ are used interchangeably herein. One configuration for ease of installation in a container, would be a liner bag with a combined guidance, location and mounting collar or sleeve, such as punctuated by a hollow ‘spear’, spigot or stem for insertion into the top opening of a barrel. A pressure seal could be formed at and around the point of insertion. The liner bag could be filled and discharged through the spigot under a gravity head and/or a relative pressure differential between inner bag liner and outside in a containment vessel such as a barrel or cask.
Multiple juxtaposed or complementary inter-nesting conduits could address respective juxtaposed or inter-nested bag liners for a selected combination fill or discharge. A bag could be welded, vulcanised or otherwise bonded or sealed to a conduit outer circumference at one (upper) end. Refills to dispenser installations could be configured in a pre-filled conduit bag format.
A segmented or sectored quadrant conduit section could allow conduits, with respective bag liners, to be grouped or clustered together in a common ‘capture’ shroud or tie band and fitted within a shared port. This would allow individual or shared contents access. A conduit could incorporate a flow regulator, one-way or shut-off valve, damper de-aerator or restrictor. A mixer valve could allow controlled dosage of additives whether from an internal liner bag or an external supply. Thus, say, soda water could be emulated from spring water in an internal liner bag and external carbon dioxide and salts in solution in another internal liner bag or from an external supply.
As a liner bag content empties with content drawn from lower levels the liner wall progressively collapses on to the upper circumference of the conduit and tends to cling to it. The pressure outside the liner is balanced by the internal pressure until an exit path is opened to the ambient atmospheric pressure through a dispenser tap. If there remains sufficient content at the bottom end of the conduit entry can remain filled, but there is a risk of such content being displaced with gas left above the content from the original liner fill, say under a gravity head from a master supply reservoir. As the trapped air and content will be a the same pressure, an air lock may arise which is not necessarily displaced or relieved by opening the discharge line. So liner behaviour needs carefully monitoring and control in discharge mode. The interaction between the liner wall and conduit can have a material effect on this behaviour. Sudden discharge demands may induce a shock impulse in the delivery conduit. It is desirable to preserve a continuum of content in the discharge line. As long as the external liner pressurisation is maintained content can be kept in the discharge path. In a traditional keg beer pressure delivery system the content is contained immediately within a rigid walled container or barrel, so no collapse interaction arises between the container wall and discharge line.
Temperature-conditioning, such as cooling or chilling could be undertaken before, during or after contents fill or upon dispensing, for both taste and hygiene considerations, given a certain natural bacterial content absent sterilisation. Tepid or mildly warm spring water could taste insipid and promote growth of bacteria and algae, as a potential health hazard. Cooled or chilled spring water has a fresher taste, more akin to its natural condition. That said, certain spa waters may be naturally elevated in temperature, with high concentrations of dissolved salts, which may be an acquired taste.
Generally, as spring water likely contains dissolved material such as minerals or salts from its origins in ground bedrock, and whose precarious balance, might be disturbed or otherwise adversely affected by pressurisation and forced delivery through a delivery port restriction. Thus precipitation and/or raised sedimentation might make the water cloudy and visually unappealing. A liner bag membrane intermediary or containment barrier can help alleviate this by providing a resilient deformable cushion against the sudden shock of pressure impact, such as from a pressurisation gas. Migration through a plastics liner material, or imparting a taste to the content can be addressed through storage time and temperature.
A group or cluster of multiple otherwise discrete liner bags in juxtaposition can be fitted separately and individually inside a shared or common overall container or housing, such as to a common container port, with respective individual or shared content pathways for initial charge fill and content discharge. A selector and control valve connected to the port could serve to select which bag to address in the output device or indeed to allow blend or mix from different bags. The proportions of each contents in the mix can be varied to change the characteristics of the combined output. Similarly with a individual or collective content aeration option, discussed elsewhere. Liner bag sizes may differ to reflect anticipated demand. Liner bags could be juxtaposed alongside one another and/or located some within others, with different contents and/or volumes in between.
Liner bag profile and format admits of considerable variation. Thus, say, one example would be a relatively tall, modest footprint, closed ended tube. At an opposite extreme would be a large footprint, shallow-depth bag. Cylindrical, rectangular, trapezoidal, pyramid, conical, ovoid forms are potential bag forms. A collapsible bag could start as a flat multilayer over-folded or pleated sheet wall, for self-inflation or erection into a stand-up 3-D form upon contents fill under differential air pressurisation across the wall from inside to outside.
A collapse-fold liner bag could serve as a compact cartridge, for self-protection and ease of insertion and loading into a container ready for inflation by contents fill. An outer packing sleeve or sock could be fitted to help preserve liner integrity until insertion into a pressure vessel or container, whereupon it could be displaced automatically by interaction with the rime of a container wall port. A cartridge format lends itself to stacking and packing. Liner bags could be held in a support or carriage, or suspended from their upper ends, say at edges or corners. A convenient combined location and mounting would be a collar or sleeve to fit within a standard top aperture or port of a cask of barrel, such as common for beer carriage. A liner bag disposition within an outer robust housing or containment, such as a cask or barrel, is readily filled at a point of supply, for onward distribution, in the manner and through the trade channels established for draught and keg beer.
From a standpoint of emulation, an active, continuously flowing, spring might be regarded as ‘self-energised’ or pre-aerated, by embedded water turbulence and churn with stream bed contact and drag. So ongoing pressurisation for collection, packaging can be adjusted to compensate for minimal further adverse disruptive consequence. For a static well reservoir pumping out from well content could itself engender a certain aeration. So the nature of the ‘natural’ water supply has a bearing upon ongoing treatment and handling.
Aeration for dispensing could be undertaken with local ‘fresh’ or unpolluted air, say from the site of the spring water, using a compressor to pressurise, but not necessarily to cool or liquefy air, or separation into component gases. The pre-pressurisation of bottled air or other gas such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen or a mixture, has to be taken into account for subsequent aeration, particularly for a variable aeration dispenser option. A pressure sensor and regulator can be fitted at or in communication with a dispenser head for this.
High performance HEPA and UKPA particulate dust and oil filters, with interception, impaction and diffusion barrier, capture, low penetration and entrapment characteristics, could be used in compression to counter inadvertent pollution in the pressurisation step. Biomedical filters, such as featuring high energy ultra violet light exposure, could also address airborne bactericidal and viral organisms.
Fresh air capture and storage could be within pressure vessels, such as proprietary gas bottles. A complementary promotional and marketing tag could be coined to reflect this ‘dual naturality’. A choice of air sample locations could be offered; say from renowned hill, mountain, river, lake or valley sites. Multiple discrete gas bottles or a sub-divided gas bottle could be used for respective different air content.
In order to alleviate the mixing and aeration demands at the dispensing point, provision may be made for partial or wholesale pre-mixing an interim storage in one or more liner bags; this can contribute to a more predictable and controllable mix; the final mix could then be of certain proportions of selected pre-mixes;
this could also apply to an element of pre-aeration of intermediate mixes; if from experience a sufficient demand is anticipated for certain mixes, then a liner bag could be devoted to them, for immediate selection and dispensing with prompter response and greater confidence in the outcome; the pre-mix could be undertaken at the start of a serving shift, to avoid degradation such as separation of content or de-aeration; a periodic re-charge mixing pulse could be applied to agitate, stir and re-fresh the pre-mix;
temporary storage of a pre-mix in a liner bag could also be used to preface a large order, with the pre-mix initially created in bulk by feedback from other liner bag content and held in interim storage in a pre-delivery liner bag, ready to dispense the order in a succession of consistent discharges;
A facility to feedback from a mixer and diverter valve in an output path could usefully be combined with a facility to cross-feed between liner bags. this could be particularly useful for creating what might be termed ‘pre-mixes’ and content blends in liner bags; different and smaller sized liner bags could be dedicated to holding modest sample quantities of such trial pre-mixes; thus a diverse size and shape liner bag collection could be housed within a common outer containment, with the option of changing liner bags with the help of a multi-way top port fitting and/or a split wall container configuration or container wall with side access port.
Effectively, content can be recirculated for adjustable mix; such recirculation can be repeated so that a pre-mix is blended with another previous independent ‘pre-mix’ to achieve even more variation and subtlety of ingredient mix in successive ‘post-mixes’; such a what might be termed ‘super-blend’ offers the consumer even more personalised choice, which could be stored in a mix memory module, for recall to command a bespoke mix upon demand.
In order to achieve this a programable output selector and control valve could be directed by an overall supervisory module with access to a memory module storing a portfolio of successful blends, progressively accumulated from numerous protracted mini-trials; thus minimal sample content is sacrificed for each individual trial and the further usage for ongoing trials is kept manageable.
A consumer at the point of dispensing can still be offered an ‘arbitrary’ personalised ‘self-selection’ blend, at their own risk on taste odour and palatability; however the experience of past trials can be presented and brought to bear for guidance as a starting point. The term ‘blend’ is used herein for convenience to convey a subtle mix or shift in multi-constituent content; a dispenser of the invention withe optional feedback and interim storage facilities allows virtually endless permutation and combination of blended constituents and keeps track of them as a promotional aid.
Consumers can be offered the opportunity of naming their own mix as a further option for future other consumers, with the benefit of the originator being associated with its new blend identity; a sales chart could be displayed to track the performance of such consumer-originated blends. Prospective consumers can also be incentivised with trial sessions for individual enjoyment or in a competitive team context with other participant consumer-blenders; these might be termed ‘blender benders’ as a promotional incentive to an awareness-raising event.
A container could be sub-divided into multiple portions, or configured as a cluster of discrete nesting subsidiary containers, such as of segmented planform, combining into an overall cylindrical format. Individual segments could be self-contained, with one or more liner bags for content. Pressurisation pathways and content conduit for each segment could be juxtaposed or brought together in an assembly for ease of joint access, such as by a mutual capture yoke, circumferential bands and edge connectors. Such subsidiary containers would allow lower volume and more flexible stock holding, helpful to smaller outlets, particularly for content with a short shelf-life once first opened. An alternative split container format would be a series of stacking shallow depth drums or discs of common footprint with mutually aligned through apertures and conduit or spigot upstands for inter-connectors. A segmented container could also bolster stiffness and rigidity.
Although again not shown, a container could also be configured as an assembly of individually demountable subsidiary component elements, such as edge interfit profiled skin segments, with intervening seals. This to allow local removal or partial dismantle of elements for internal access, such as for liner inspection, installation and integrity of content fill assurance. Similarly, with any other content, such as gas pressure cylinders, feed lines and valves. A supplementary internal pressure seal liner might be used as a back up to container wall seals. An inspection window could be incorporated in a wall body to monitor internal liner behaviour from outside.
Liners could be pre-mounted, conveniently in pre-collapse folded cartridge format, to individual container segments, with a conduit to a valve connector port, ready for assembly into a container with pre-fitted liner bags. This would facilitate assembly of a set of container wall segments with different respective liner bag content. That is diverse combinations of liner bags can be assembled from associated container segments. Segments could be visually coded on their outer surface to indicate the internal mounted liner.
Thus a bespoke container could be assembled from selected individual segments according to desired internal liner combination. Depending on the relative sizes, shapes and proportions of individual wall segments and liners, more that one liner could be pre-mounted on an individual segment. A segment and liner cluster on an internal face could be interchangeable with others, to allow re-configuration of a segmented container. For a symmetrical container format, the relative positions of segments may be immaterial; or with a certain asymmetry of container format a restricted associations may be admitted. This to curtail the possible assembly combinations. In a distribution regime, certain container segment shapes or sizes could be uniquely associated with certain content, for ease and security of identification.
Moulded plastics material for the container and liner bag conduit pathways allow greater intricacy in detail without disproportionate cost along with lighter weight. A plastics wall segment and associated liner might be integrated, say as a stiffer or semi-rigid outer panel contiguous at is edges with resilient flex liner panels and continuous ‘live hinge’ edge interconnection. Thus each segment would be rather like a part-collapsible sub-container in its own right, ready for assembly into a larger segmented container. Such entrapment of liner and wall segment could engender more disciplined liner behaviour in both distention and inflation upon content fill and progressive contraction toward collapse upon emptying.
A multi-ply card laminated or corrugated card wall structure with surface sealant coating layer or bonded internal face liner might also be used as a liner or wall panel. Fibre reinforced composites such as carbon fibre with high strength-to-weight characteristics might also be harnessed. This to achieve a more manageable empty or filled container weight for handling, shipment and storage. Containers might be shipped to a fill station in a compact knocked-down, nested, stackable form, ready for assembly, pressure test, liner installation and content fill.
There now follows a description of some particular embodiments of the invention, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic and schematic drawings, simplified for ease of illustration and comprehension, and in which:
The basic configuration of outer container shell to serve as a pressure vessel or chamber and flexible internal liner membrane for content admits of considerable variation, for enhanced flexibility and functionality; such as in
Thus,
Content mix and aeration mix could be through separate control valves or a combination valve, allowing independent setting of mix selection and mix proportion and adjustable individual or collective aeration.
Referring to the drawings, a simple format liner bag 11 is disposed within outer housing or container 12 using a location and mounting collar or sleeve fitting 15 upon an elongate stem, spear or spigot 13; the collar 15 is a snug, sealable fit, through a split circumference clamp ring 22, in an upper wall port 23 of the container 12; a pressurisation feed line 24 connects to an outer ‘priming’ rim chamber 27 of the collar 15 for communication with the inside of the container outside of the liner bag 11; a content pathway or conduit 13 spans from inside the liner bag 11 to an outlet port 16 and thence to a fill/delivery line; severable line couplings (not shown) can be fitted for ease of line purging, flushing and replacement.
The structure is not content-specific, but prime examples include spring water and real ale, where the liner bag 11 containment offers advantages of isolation from a pressurisation for delivery medium.
A liner bag 11 conveniently has a compact collapse-fold cartridge format for ease of insertion through the container port 19; it can then be inflated by contents fill, either under gravity or which a modest pressure differential assist by drawing air from the container 12 around the liner bag 11.
The conduit 13 could be a simple tube format. Alternatively, a lance format, of a shallow, progressive longitudinal wedge taper profile conduit spear or spigot 13 allows an end impact insertion action, such as with a soft head mallet, to drive the upper shank home into secure sealing engagement with the collar 15. Removal can be effected with an extraction tool or puller (not shown) or repeated wiggle of the spigot end, optionally assisted by repeated taps to the sides around the circumference and even raising the internal container pressure; in any event, this is essentially a ‘return to base’ exercise, replacing an empty container with another full one at a dispenser point.
In a variant not shown, multiple liner bags, of the same or different size, in clusters or groups, could share a common location and mounting spigot, with with a common port or a port sub-divided with separate subsidiary ports with pathways for respective liner bags.
Another option would be multiple discrete individual housing top ports, say with respective regulator or control valves, for different individual liner bags, or liner bag groups or clusters, allow greater flexibility in overall liner bag mix; and thus options for content mix selection, combination and dispensing.
The term ‘aeration’ is used herein for convenience generally to embrace application or injection of any gas or gas mixture, including carbon dioxide (vis carbonation), nitrogen, or otherwise.
Mixing of constituents or introduction of additive dosages could itself be used to affect aeration, say through turbulent flow or ‘re-circulatory churn’, in the presence of or under exposure to an aeration gas; one or more constituents could be injected individually or collectively into one or more streams of the same or different aeration gases, or gas(es) could be injected into constituent streams; or a combination of both measures.
Gas, such as CO2, NO or air, injection could also be used for content agitation, mixing and stirring such as by diverting a gasification or aeration output stream back into a liner bag, particularly one used to store a pre-mix, such as one achieved by diversion of controlled amounts of selected content from other liner bags. Neither mixing nor aeration need be stable conditions, so periodic re-charge would be useful to restore an previously established mix and aeration level; aeration gas can go back into solution. For visible gas bubbles to enliven visual and olfactory appeal of a pre-mix, further aeration pulses can be applied to regenerate bubbles to replace those which might have collapsed. A particular constituent and aeration mix need not be stable or in equilibrium, but could change, re-balance or ‘settle’ over time, so allowance could be made for this in a compensatory ‘offset’ in the mixing balance for pre-mixing at the outset.
Upon dispensing at a point of consumption a mixer control could include a pre-setting reflecting an original source constituent and aeration mix. This, along with a ‘menu’ of pre-sets for different constituent and aeration mixes, judged to offer significant, worthwhile, differentiated ‘olfactory’ sensations, which would have to remain stable only for a short period until consumption. In particular, high temporary aeration or imposed or injected gas ‘charge’ levels could be offered, akin to, say, ‘frothy’ beverages; pre-sets aside, a consumer could be offered a modicum of further choice at their whim.
As a measure or validation of ‘authenticity’, the analytical constituents of the source could be presented, say as a simplified colour coded visual graphic chart, for reassurance at a point of consumption and as a basis for guidance and recommendation in variation selection. In a more elaborate scenario, the analysis of different other spring sources might be replicated in production, as an ‘emulation’ rather than an original. Such emulations might themselves be offered for consumer selected combination mixes, alongside original source material.
Should it transpire a source is not consistent over time, or at different sample locations, this can be conveyed to a consumer as a promotion of ‘faithful realism’; blends to reflect such natural variability might also be offered; the intention would be to reflect natural rather than artificial industrial factors. Such a ‘litmus’ test parallel could be extended to the natural pH or reactivity of the source spring water;
with a cross-check demonstration against the dispensed product. A bespoke liner for a consumer glass, such as of an otherwise inert impregnated plastics or fibre matrix insert, might be produce to replicate a colour change test. At least approximate informal checks might also be implemented at a consumption vessel for the level of aeration and constituent mix.
Where a pure spring water natural ethos or authenticity is not a commercial imperative, it is known to add taste, flavour and odour ‘highlights’, for a tang or nuanced ‘uplift’, such as a hint of lemon, lime, tonic or soda, to an otherwise unadulterated, albeit industrially processed and packaged, bottled water. This can be encompassed at the point of dispensing, without need to store a pre-mix in bulk; similarly with a modicum of nutritional enhancers or additives, if not sugars, particularly where product variants are pitched as a soft drink or mixer in a highly competitive market. Such additives can be stored in smaller liner bags with conduit pathways to a dosage meter and onward to a port of a mixer valve.
For a consumable drink or beverage dispenser a demountable liner bag might also be used for diverse other purposes; even cleansing, flushing out and rinsing containers, lines and valves; beyond that, in a wider spectrum of use, in principle any flowable product might be used.
Bottled water products are not uncommonly recommended for consumption within a few days of opening; such a short ‘off-the-shelf’ life does not apply to the dispenser of the invention where liner bag contents can be kept securely sealed away from the ambient air of the surroundings. A one-way valve could be fitted to an output port or line to help promote such product isolation; such a valve could be temporarily bypassed or over-ridden at a content fill station.
Aside from or to supplement a pressure differential across a liner bag wall, mechanical displacement such as a squeezer vane or opposed rollers, (not shown) might be used to promote content discharge.
As to liner bag profile, a convoluted re-entrant or marginally sub-divided form, such as in a series of companion pressure cells, might be adopted to help maintain pressure uniformity and consistency, even as content is discharged. A partitioned or sub-divided bag might also be used to house different constituent contents in mutual separation and isolation; in a variant of that, a controlled cross-feed, or internal bleed might be admitted into a mixer cell, communicating with a discharge path.
A variable-capacity, say expandable, liner bag, say configured like a collapse fold multi-panel ‘ball’ bladder, could fit within a complementary variable-capacity, say expandable, outer housing. An outer housing or containment need not be absolutely rigid, but is usefully stiffer and more robust than an inner liner bag; a hinged wall or interconnected stiff panels might serve for a variable profile housing. Outer housing base footprint desirably provides stable free-standing self-support; similarly with internested housings configured for mutual stability.
For content aeration, an integrated content and internal pressurisation source solution could allow a miniature gas bottle within a shared outer housing with a liner bag; similarly, multiple bags and/or gas bottles might be accommodated; an alternative would be an external gas bottle with a demountable, say screw thread or bayonet, fitting within a container wall in conjunction with a self-closing (ball) valve and seal against leakage until installation and enabling for intended use. Admixture by weight or volume could be employed for a flowable, say liquid, constituent, with the degree of aeration set by visual inspection.
Mild electrolytic action could be applied to spring water; to release molecular component hydrogen and oxygen, which in turn could be ‘bubbled’ through the remaining water for internal charge, churning and mixing, if not aeration; this could also be used to affect the pH balance of a mix.
A vibratory pulsating actuator, such as a blade or paddle, could be applied to a container wall, as a content energiser, promoting dissolved gas release for internal aeration. Alternatively, an electrically conducting strand, band or film in a liner bag wall could have current induced, by a varying applied electric field, along with a ‘reactive’ electromagnetic vibratory action. Flowable (liquid) content could be passed through a peristaltic mode pump, to generate a continuous regular cyclical pulsating pressure wave, to impart a smooth blending action for constituent mix; this in turn could be co-ordinated with a phased, portion-controlled, delivery discharge.
A location and mounting spear, spigot or stem conduit pathway could be pre-fitted, curled or wrapped with a collapse-folded liner bag, say in a circumferential helical wrap format. An insertion or penetration point of the spear and liner bag wall could feature a resilient annular collar or peripheral rim seal; a resilient circumferential ring could retain the liner bag wrap until content fill, whereupon it would be displaced. Alternatively, a disposable, say plastics, spear and conjoined liner bag combination could have an integrally moulded, bonded or welded perimeter liner bag; a liner bag might be part inserted in an elongate slot in a spear, rather like the eye of a needle, or through a split spear shank, rather like a peg, for liner bag location, but allowing disciplined liner bag unfurl upon content fill. To help keep a progressively more collapsed liner bag wall clear of blocking the spear content pathway as liner bag content is emptied, a spreader disc, such as a an open radial spoke spider arm format, in the manner of a ski or walking pole, might be fitted at or around a spear bottom end opening; this could be sufficiently flexible to allow insertion and removal through a container top wall port; an alternative format would be a shuttlecock.
An alternative spear termination end closure or capture could be a lattice mesh spreader bulb or arrowhead configured to laterally displace and spread a liner bag film over the spear entry port and inhibit ingress, restriction, obstruction or blocking by the bag; the content presence itself may help with this, but may be displaced at low residual content levels; another alternative would be a reinforced liner bag fabric, say with embedded mesh strands to resist crumpling and collapse into a minimalist form which might risk entry into the content pathway. An elastic stretch sock might be fitted over the liner bag and location spear for protection in transport and storage and to preserve a compact section for container port insertion, before liner content fill; with a sock end downward the sock could be removed automatically by the action of port insertion.
With an internal liner bag for content to be dispensed, a barrel or cask becomes an outer containment vessel for a pressurisation ‘driver’ gas, isolated from liquid content by a liner bag barrier membrane, so other vessel formats might be employed; these could include split, fragmented, or segmented wall vessel formats to allow inspection of an access to internal liner bags, which might be fitted from inside, rather than through a top wall port. Multiple discrete ports for mounting of individual liner bags could be contrived, for which a wider shallower vessel format or profile might be adopted. If content agitation is required, say to aerate or promote release of dissolved air or other gas, a pulsating, surge, impulse or shock pressure wave might be applied; a mixer and/or aeration valve might be mounted upon a vessel top wall or wall ports, in turn connected to content pathways of respective liner bags. One-way valves might be fitted to inhibit any transfer or cross-contamination between liner bag contents. A supplementary backup inner or outer liner might also be fitted, to reinforce and stiffen the overall liner wall and provide a backup ‘bund’ to breach, rupture or penetration of an inner layer, thus preserving content from spillage into the pressure vessel.
A prime consideration for wider adoption of a content liner is a facility for conversion of existing containers
and conformity or consistency with established trade channels, of content fill at the point of production or bulk storage, distribution to the point of sale, dispensing at the point of sale and return to a base for cleaning and refill ready for onward delivery.
The
A liner need not be of identical size or volumetric capacity as a container. Rather any intervening void between liner an container could be used as pressure chamber for content held within the liner. Liner wall gauge or thickness must be sufficient to bear the suspended content weight and to withstand differential delivery pressure across the liner wall along with passive inertial drop and accelerative movement stress in use. In that regard, content slop is a stress factor. External pressurisation can serve as a counter cushion buffer and damper on this. In that regard, a multilayer or multi-wall liner configuration discussed later can enshroud gas cushion or damper layers around and between content pockets. Pliable reinforcement and stiffener ribs, bands or seams could be incorporated into a liner wall to brace against or redirect applied stress and counter undue stretch of distension. These could also serve as convenient location, hand hold and fold-over points for compact bag collapse.
More than one bag could be fitted into a common container port, such as with a multiple channel or throat adaptor. Thus, say, a clover-leaf profile internal passage in a cylindrical adaptor collar could allow individual fitting, insertion and indeed removal of discrete individual liners. Each liner could have its own feed conduit or use a shared conduit with regulator or control valves to inhibit cross flow between liners.
Conventional containers of established stock may be of metal, commonly aluminium, or plastics. Issues of degradation and contamination can arise with aluminium containers which are therefore being progressively phased out. A liner with an adaptor of the present invention offers a way of prolonging the life of existing containers whilst obviating the contamination risk.
A fitting or insertion manual tool or mandrel can be used as a temporary holder and guide for liner installation, by insertion into the bag before fitting, followed by withdrawal leaving the liner in situ. A liner upper edge location and retention collar is conveniently a container port adaptor ring or sleeve. Paired collars might be used to capture and seal a liner between opposed flanges. To preserve bag integrity soft buffer cushion washers might be interposed between flanges and liner wall. For economy, it may be possible to adopt a standard open top food grade plastics bag as the liner. A more bespoke liner could have an integrated fused sealing collar or ring.
A multiple layer liner configuration could be adopted for extra security. Content could be stored between liners. Different content could be isolated between liners in a common container. For increased mechanical strength, and tear resistance, a re-entrant fold multi-layer contiguous liner format could be adopted. An intervening region between bags could admit content, whether segregated into flexible walled compartments, or as a continuous but partitioned or sub-divided enclosure. In a multi-wall liner environment intermediate mix constituent ingredient could be stored in pockets between liners for intermingle or intermixing upon discharge, or in a mix region between liners, using mix valving in conduit between pockets.
Supplementary gas pockets could also be contrived within mutually juxtaposed lined regions for more evenly distributed pressurisation rather than a localised pressure inlet port. This could also promote gasification such as aeration if lined intermediate gas pockets were allowed to contact intervening segregated lined liquid pockets. To promote gasification or aeration, perforated or otherwise controlled porosity intermediate internal partition liner walls could be admitted, allowing an uninterrupted bleed, trickle transfer or percolation of pressurised gas into liquid in adjacent liner pockets. Other bespoke liner materials could undergo a visible change, such as in surface effect or texture, reflectivity, opacity or colour upon a certain condition change. Permeability could be one such condition.
In a simplified variant construction, for adapting to or converting existing conventional containers, an adaptor neck or collar is fitted as an external extension to an access port in a top wall of an otherwise standard container, such as a beer barrel, keg or cask; a discrete liner, such as an open top bag, is inserted through the adaptor, into the container; content to be stored to dispense is then loaded into the liner through the container mouth; a top cap is then fitted to the adaptor; a dispenser conduit is then fitted into the cap to reach down into the container and any content therein.
The top cap can be configured as a disc flange plate with a peripheral top seal to the adaptor circumference. A demountable, adjustable throat, clamp, such as an opposed open jaw ‘C’-clamp,
can be deployed to secure the flange to the adaptor. The adaptor itself could have an end and/or edge seal, such as an embedded ‘O’-ring, to abut and interact with the container top port opening,
such as one incorporated in, or working in conjunction with, a jointing thread. A wedge taper profile for interacting surfaces of the adaptor and top fitting could provide a supplementary interference fit clamping and locking action. A multiple stepped or serrated surface profile could increase the clamping and sealing surface area. A rotary indexing and capture profile, such as a bayonet with diametrically opposed lugs,
could be used for an adaptor to a container port, mouth or neck upstand fitting. A locally roughened or complementary ribbed liner surface could also promote grip and sealing. There now follow various further outline examples:
A dispenser configured for pressurised content delivery without cross-contamination, by isolation of content to be dispensed from a pressurisation, pressure transfer or delivery medium, through the intervention or intermediary of a flexible barrier membrane.
A pressure vessel or container, with an input or charge port, for connection to or mounting a pressurised gas cylinder to charge the housing interior; a liner or liner bag to hold content to be dispensed, for location within the container; a content output or discharge port, connected to the liner bag; an output selector, an output regulator or control valve, a gas admission or bleed valve for contents delivery gas injection or aeration.
A housing, a content storage chamber within the housing, an internal partition membrane, across or to one side of the storage chamber, as a sub-division between a sub-chamber for contents to be dispensed
and a sub-chamber for air or other gas under pressure, to displace the partition and in turn contents to be dispensed.
A dispensing valve, with an inlet from a reservoir of material to be dispensed, an outlet for material to be dispensed, a pressure intake from a pressure source, such as a pump, or tank of compressed gas; for content and/or aeration selection.
A plurality of discrete pressure vessels configured for co-operative individual and/or collective interaction,
with one or more storage chambers for material to be dispensed, a regulator or control valve to determine the interaction between pressure and storage chambers, a gas admittance valve for selectively introducing gas into the delivery and controlled mixing with the material to be dispensed.
A mediator valve between a plurality of pressure vessels, a plurality of liner bag storage vessels, for content to be dispensed; to allow content selection for mix or pre-mix and recycling or feedback of pre-mixed content into a designated storage vessel for interim storage.
A discharge moderator and mixer with an output valve configurable to admit air, or other gas, for admixture with a delivered product for product gas injection, such as aeration after storage in low-aerated, non-aerated or still form.
A cascaded intercouple of containers as pressure vessels with respective internal liner bags for content, and a common or shared discharge output control.
A master pressurisation gas reservoir connected to subsidiary content reservoirs for content.
A liquid blender configured to merge or blend one or more ingredient or constituent liquids, with an aerator of adjustable effect.
A plurality of discrete individual liner bags, juxtaposed within a common housing or pressure vessel,
and connected to a joint mixer valve, for selective combination with one another in adjustable proportions,
and/or with a gas admittance port, connected to a pressurised gas supply, such as air, carbon dioxide or nitrogen, to aerate, or gasify, one or more ingredients, either individually or when combined.
A liner bag with a primer, a flushing or sterilising agent to allow flushing, purging, rinsing or sterilisation
of downstream valves and lines upon connection to a pressurised gas supply; without undue surface scouring upon flushing, to obviate inadvertent material pick-up, which might adversely affect taste, odour or appearance.
A liner bag of low reactivity material to reduce the risk of content contamination, upon prolonged exposure, such as through migration from liner (plastics) molecules, optionally also with supplementary neutral or inert barrier coatings.
A multi-layer liner bag configured by repeated in-turn or infold from an open mouth or neck of a single start bag or flattened tube; to provide multiple stacked wall overlay for mutual reinforcement as a more robust containment.
A dispenser with a plurality of content pathway ports for respective liner bags, a mixer chamber, a mixer valve for controlling the communication of the inlet ports with the mixer chamber, an output port for discharge from the mixture chamber, a control valve for controlling the connection of the mixer chamber with the outlet port, an admittance valve connected to a pressurised gas supply for pressure discharge from the mixer chamber.
A mixer dispenser for controlling the admixture of a plurality of liquids and pressurised gas to dispense a selected proportion of liquid and gas; in one construction, a mixer control valve might be a combination rotary action for mix selection and another, say downward push or upward pull, action of a linear spool valve to control mix discharge under pressure; an adjustable aeration valve might be used to regulate the admission of pressurised gas, or a selected combination of gases such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, to mix constituents individually or collectively; a mixer chamber, such as with a swirl action, might be used to promote constituent mix upon or before discharge; a pressurised gas might be introduced into the mixer chamber to promote the mix as well as to provide some ‘aeration’.
A dispenser (de-)aeration control to determine the amount of air, or other gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, or a combination of gases, introduced before or upon dispensing; with a range from say, de-gassed, de-aerated, flat or still, to highly charged with gas or aerated and sparking.
A multi-role mixer and aeration control valve allowing variable mix selection and independently adjustable admittance of pressurised gas; to determine either aeration or de-aeration.
A multi-way or multi-function control valve, with one action to select a component to be dispensed, another action to select a mixture of components, a further action to select the component proportions, yet another action to adjust the introduction or injection of pressurised gas, for either aeration (gasification) or de-aeration (de-gasification).
A mixer configured to (de-)aerate constituents individually, before admixture and to deliver them together in combination with the option of further (de-)aeration; delivery might be in parallel streams through respective delivery nozzles, albeit closely juxtaposed, or through a common nozzle, say prefaced by a mixture chamber, with opportunity for mixed product swirl; that mixture might itself be further charged,
by exposure of the mixing chamber to pressurised gas.
A multi-compartment bag liner, such as sub-divided with partition walls, allowing different mutually isolated constituents with respective individual degrees of (de-)aeration, (that is dissolved air or other gases), housed in a common outer container, such as a capture bag liner, into which constituents can be individually or jointly admitted, for onward discharge; the isolated (before discharge) constituents can be differently (de-)aerated, but share a common containment or outer confinement pressure; alternatively, bag liners at different internal pressures could be stored in a common housing, with a shared container internal pressure, the pressure differences between respective bags and container being accommodated by respective wall stiffness or rigidity or displacement, deformation or distention of flexible walls.
A rigid or stiff-walled container housing a plurality of discrete individual bag liners, or a bag liner internally sub-divided by partition walls, allowing different contents, conditioning, such as (de-)aeration or respective pressurisation; such bag liners could share a common container access port, say in a top wall;
they could also share a common delivery control valve; this might have a simple on/off function say, where the container is pressurised internally but externally of the bags; or a flow regulator and/or pressure control function, to determine rate of delivery discharge.
A container configured with a movable wall to promote or effect contents discharge and to contribute towards contents conditioning, such as (de-)aeration.
A container with a periodically movable or pulsating wall, to act as a vibratory drum membrane, for contents conditioning and/or to promote contents discharge.
A container re-configurable, through deflectable or deformable outer walls, as a whole or in part, for contents conditioning, such as (de-)aeration, and/or for contents fill and discharge.
A segmented, sectioned or sub-divided container and/or container liner, with a plurality of mutually complementary profile, discrete nesting sections, selectively configurable to group or cluster, around a common or shared communication or mounting port; to allow either individual or joint fill or discharge, and individual or joint conditioning, such as (de-)aeration, before or upon discharge; with provision for a variable mix of constituents from respective individual bag liners, in a combined flow to a shared or common output port.
A vibratory or oscillatory member in contact with a liner bag wall to transfer vibrations or oscillations to the content, such as for agitation, mixing, aeration or de-aeration.
Exposure or contact between a pressurisation gas and material dispensed represents a cross-contamination risk, such as in taste, appearance or microbiological content, so the gas might be pre-sterilised or neutralised or feature an embedded sterilising or neutralising agent to help counter this;
such an agent might be stored in a dedicated liner bag for selective discharge into other liner bags, feed lines or control valves.
A private ‘potable’ drinking water supply with a tap connected to spring water has some appeal as a natural product, with ‘presumed’ health benefits, if not a natural remedy, but is not in itself an immediately or readily scalable or portable proposition; an industrial scale bottling plant would not suit small scale rural spring locations, nor be economical justified or viable for small-scale batch production.
Treatment options include: filtration, reactivity or pH adjustment, nitrate, iron and manganese removal, arsenic reduction, organic scavenge; carbon filter backwash; reverse osmosis, ultra violet light exposure; desalination; limescale removal; ionisation; distillation.
Quality control, such as through periodic sampling and testing, may also be implemented, particularly for potable potions, using the pressure containment vessel ports and control valves for access to liner bag content; tests may also be undertaken upon line, port and valve cleansing, rinsing and purging.
The examples may also use a compressed gas isolated from bulk content to dispense selected individual or mixed content, with the option of using gas injection upon delivery offers operational flexibility.
Ease of content fill and downstream dispensing are both impacted by the container adaptor effectiveness.
Similarly, with quick-fit installation and demountability of a container discharge conduit or spear fitting in relation to plumbing feed to counter top hand-operated dispenser valves, pressurisation supply lines and pumps at the point of dispensing. To this end standard snap-action fittings are familiar and convenient. Thus a splayed opposed pivoted jaw ‘C-collar clamp with an over-centre actuator lever allows single-handed securing and release by moving the handle through an operative arc.
Some modes exposure of a liner protrusion from a container port can be tolerated as providing a visual witness of installation and sealing efficacy. Thus any content liquid or pressurisation gas weep may track along the surface of and so leave a tell-tale stain sign on the liner.
Liner tension reflects the extent of fill and pressurisation. The liner might be fitted slack upon initial installation and then progressively tension, leading to some tautness and stiffness. In doing so, more load is imposed by the liner upon a top mounting adaptor. This could be directed to bolster rather than strain liner to adaptor sealing effectiveness if the liner were drawn in a dog-leg or re-entrant path over a wedge taper entrance profile upon entrapment in an adaptor mouth or throat.
Excess protruding liner could be trimmed or gathered for neatness. More purposefully, it could be extended downward as an external protective wrap or drape over a container outer surface. Heat could be applied to shrink the liner as a sheath in those applications where the content would not be adversely affected or some internal process such as pasteurisation would be accelerated. The outer sheath could signify some wider sterilisation process.
A basic installation, such as a counter mounted container could feature a top or side mounted pump handle or flow control for content dispensing. An external pre-charge pressurisation and/or gasification or aeration bulb could also be fitted alongside. An output conduit or spear could be a plastics or metal tube or pipe to the outer wall of which a liner could also be sealed as a secondary back-up measure to a seal in an adaptor collar to a container access port. A gravity rather than pressurised fill, such as from an overhead production process reservoir, would be simple and convenient, as would an inverted container gravity discharge with a breather port opened to the content top surface.
A standard 40 liter volumetric capacity when fully distended food grade liner bag could be attached to a food grade nylon delivery pipe for insertion into the liner within a container and designed to withstand, say, circa some 6 times a passive content weight load in dynamic shock, such as abrupt lateral shunt or vertical drop load. A mitred or otherwise profiled pipe end could inhibit a liner cling to and blocking the end and the weight of residual product would help keep it clear against the contraction effect of pressure externally of the liner. More elaborate pipe profiles such as local bulbous enlargement could be adopted for more intimate liner contact and support. This provided consistent with insertion with clearance into a container port diameter. Multiple individual clustered pipes could be used for a common liner or multiple individual liners.
Aside from adapting existing standard format cylindrical containers, the liner effectively liberates the container form, material and construction. Mutually, internested container forms with intervening liners could allow mutual float along with segregated containment.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1218217.6 | Oct 2012 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB2013/052547 | 9/30/2013 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2014/057243 | 4/17/2014 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3270920 | Nessler | Sep 1966 | A |
| 3342377 | Peredy | Sep 1967 | A |
| 4265374 | Sebalos | May 1981 | A |
| 4531656 | Nitchman | Jul 1985 | A |
| 5251787 | Simson | Oct 1993 | A |
| 20120285998 | Peirsman | Nov 2012 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1947029 | Jul 2008 | EP |
| 2138685 | Jan 1973 | FR |
| 1032825 | Jun 1966 | GB |
| 2005113416 | Dec 2005 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report dated Feb. 13, 2014, for corresponding PCT Application No. PCT/GB2013/052547. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150284235 A1 | Oct 2015 | US |
