Dispensing – With discharge assistant – With biasing means for discharge assistant and/or its casing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-04
2001-01-09
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With discharge assistant
With biasing means for discharge assistant and/or its casing
C222S386500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170715
ABSTRACT:
The present invention is directed to improvements in or relating to dispensers, and more particularly but not exclusively to improvements to beverage dispensers for dispensing carbonated beverages.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a social environment, or at a social gathering such as a party, it is generally desirable to have beverages, particularly alcoholic beverages, readily available. In the case of alcoholic beverages such as beer, the beer is usually provided in glass bottles or in aluminium cans, which are stored in a refrigerator, or in a sink, bathtub or other container filled with ice to keep the beer cold, to which guests have access during the party. In some cases, depending on the numbers attending, a keg may be ordered. To some beer connoisseurs a keg is preferable to bottled or canned beer, as some consider that keg beer has a better flavour and head when the beer is drawn into a glass, and is able to retain head longer (ie. it does not tend to de-gasify or go flat), than bottled or canned beer.
Kegs for holding beer for subsequent dispensing are produced in two main sizes, ie. 9-gallon and 18-gallon kegs, and in either size are large volumes and expensive to purchase. Furthermore, unless the numbers at the social gathering are large, or the attendees have an unusually large thirst, more often than not there is a not insubstantial amount of beer left over which remains in the keg and which has to be ultimately discarded.
In addition, the keg is effectively temporarily leased from the establishment from where the beer is purchased, requiring the keg to be returned following use.
Wine casks are also known for the dispensing of beverages such as wine, fruit juices and water. These arrangements have been found to be acceptable for the dispensing of the aforementioned beverages, which are generally non-carbonated.
However, wine casks have to date been found to be unsuitable for the dispensing of carbonated beverages such as beer or soft drinks, as the carbonated beverage has been observed to display a tendency to de-gasify if placed in a wine cask for a period and subsequently dispensed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention accordingly provides in one embodiment a dispenser unit for dispensing a beverage, the dispenser unit including
a housing for receiving a bladder containing a beverage,
a bearing plate, and
urging means to facilitate dispensing of the beverage from the bladder.
The present invention provides in another embodiment a dispenser for dispensing a beverage, the dispenser including
a housing,
a bladder for containing a beverage, the bladder being receivable in the housing,
a bearing plate, and
urging means for urging the bearing plate towards the bladder whereby to facilitate dispensing of the beverage from the bladder.
The present invention provides in another embodiment a dispenser unit for dispensing a beverage, the dispenser unit including
a housing for receiving a bladder containing a beverage,
a bearing plate,
braking means for the bearing plate, and
urging means to facilitate dispensing of the beverage from the bladder.
The present invention provides in another embodiment a dispenser for dispensing a beverage, the dispenser including
a housing,
a bladder for containing a beverage, the bladder receivable in the housing,
a bearing plate,
braking means for the bearing plate, and
urging means for urging the bearing plate towards the bladder whereby to facilitate dispensing of the beverage from the bladder.
A housing according to the invention may take any suitable form. The shape of the housing may to an extent be dictated by the shape of a bladder to be received in the housing. The housing preferably forms a receptacle for a bladder according to the invention receivable therein. The housing may enclose the bladder. The housing may be in the form of a container whereby the bladder is received in the container. In one embodiment the housing fully encloses the bladder whereby to form a closed container for the bladder. The housing may form a sealed container whereby to enclose a bladder according to the invention in a sealed manner.
The housing may be elongated whereby the length dimension of the housing is greater than the width dimension of the housing, or vice versa. In one embodiment, the housing comprises a tube. The tube may be elongated. In another embodiment the housing comprises a box. The box may be elongated. The box may have an open top. The box may be square. It may be circular. It may be rectangular. The box may enclose the bladder.
In another embodiment the housing may be in the shape of a keg if the contents to be dispensed from the bladder is beer. In another embodiment the housing may be in the shape of soft drink bottle if the contents to be dispensed from the bladder is a soft drink.
Other housing shapes, constructions and arrangements are envisaged within the scope of the present invention.
The housing may be formed from any suitable material. The material may be selected to facilitate ease of assembly of the housing. Suitable materials include cardboard, such as a waxed cardboard, and plastics materials such as PET. Other materials for forming the housing are envisaged within the scope of the invention.
A housing according to the invention may be formed in one piece. In one embodiment, the housing may be formed from a unitary blank. The blank may be constructed and arranged to define when assembled a container for enclosing a bladder according to the invention, whereby the blank is assembled by folding the blank into the desired shape for enclosing the bladder.
The housing may be formed from a plurality of assemblable components. The components may be integral with one another as in the case of a unitary blank. The arrangement is preferably such that the components are capable of interengaging or interlocking with one another whereby to form a housing when assembled. An assemblable component according to the invention may carry a tab capable of interengaging with a corresponding recess carried by an adjacent component for assembly. In another embodiment, the assemblable component may carry an upstanding member formable into or formed as a hook, tongue, ridge, projection, lug or similar configuration capable of interengaging, interlocking with or being received in a corresponding recess carried by an adjacent component whereby to form an assemblable housing. Other interengaging or interlocking arrangements are envisaged within the scope of the present invention.
In one particularly preferred embodiment, the housing comprises an elongated tube having a continuous outer wall and end members, distal and proximal edges of the outer wall being arranged to foldably interengage over and/or with corresponding upstanding edges of the end members whereby to form a sealed container housing a bladder according to the invention.
A dispenser according to the invention may include outlet means for the bladder. The outlet means may be capable of facilitating the removal of contents of the bladder for dispensing. The outlet means may be in the form of a valve mounted on the bladder. Where the contents of the bladder is a carbonated beverage, the valve is preferably arranged to resist ingress of air into the bladder through the valve on opening the valve. The valve may accordingly be a one-way valve.
In an alternative embodiment according to the invention, outlet means for the bladder may be mounted on the housing whereby the bladder includes an outlet member engageable with the outlet means to facilitate dispensing of the contents of the bladder through the outlet means. In this embodiment, the bladder may include an outlet member engageable with the outlet means by a snap-fit arrangement whereby to form a valve capable of resisting ingress of air into the bladder through the valve on opening the valve.
The mounting of outlet means according to the invention on or to the housing and its positioning relative to the housing may be by any suitable form.
The outlet means may be located on the dispenser in a position whereby to facilitate dispensin
Derakshani Philippe
Sheridan & Ross P.C.
Versa Pak Pty. Ltd.
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