Receptacles – High-pressure-gas tank
Patent
1996-10-31
1999-04-27
Pollard, Steven M.
Receptacles
High-pressure-gas tank
220 405, 220 421, B65D 700
Patent
active
058970169
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a container for pressurised fluid, particularly alcoholic beverages such as beer.
Presently beer kegs are formed of stainless steel or are of thermoplastics material, being produced by blow-moulding. Although easier and less expensive to produce than a stainless steel keg, a blow-moulded keg of thermoplastics material may have only a low working pressure and may be susceptible to a volume increase under pressurisation.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved container for pressurised fluid.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a container for pressurised fluid has a substantially closed, hollow body of thermoplastics material and on an internal surface of the body at least one inwardly extending member which resists outwards pressure on the body when said container is pressurised, in use.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a container for pressurised fluid has a substantially closed, hollow body formed of at least two parts secured together, each part being an injection moulding of thermoplastics material.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pressurised fluid container of the invention,
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the container,
FIG. 3 shows one form of diaphragm of the container,
FIG. 4 shows the same form of diaphragm as in FIG. 3, but for a square container, and
FIG. 5 is an enlarge d section on line 5--5 of FIG. 4.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a container for pressurised fluid which in the particular application to which the invention is directed, is in the form of a keg 10 for receiving pressurised alcoholic beverages, such as beer.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the keg is generally circular i n cross-section, and is made up of a central, main part 11, which is open at its opposite ends, a closed lower end part 12, which, as shown in FIG. 2, forms a bottom of the keg which rests on a surface 13, and an upper end part 14 which has a central circular opening 15 which can be closed by a bung or the like as required. It can be seen that both end parts have an integral outer cylindrical enclosure 16 therearound, the end of each of which extends to terminate flush with or slightly beyond the outermost extent of the centre of the end part, so that by means of the cylindrical enclosures, the keg can be stood upright on the surface 13 either as shown in FIG. 2 or turned the other way up.
The main part 11, and each of t he end parts 12,14, are, in this embodiment, injection mouldings of thermoplastics material, the parts being joined together as described and shown in FIG. 2, by welding at weld lines 17, 18 respectively. Thus the keg is formed as a substantially closed, hollow body, with liquid passing into and out of the interior of the keg by way of the opening 15. As shown in FIG. 2, means for manipulating the keg are shown at the outside of the keg body at the weld lines 17 and 18, these means being denoted by the numeral 19. Moreover mid-way between its ends, the central, main part 11 of the keg body is formed with an indent 20 which extends continuously therearound to enable the keg to be used in palletless handling systems. Instead of being continuous, a number of separate, spaced indents could be provided.
Preferably the host thermoplastics material used to manufacture the keg would be a polypropylene, with this possibly being either a homopolymer or a co-polymer. The overall mechanical properties of the keg would preferably be achieved by the thermoplastics material being glass-reinforced, with additional glass-reinforcing in critical areas.
The central, main part 11, is symmetrical about its central longitudinal axis, and it is also symmetrical about a central plane at right angles thereto. At this central plane, there is integrally formed on the interior surface of the part 11 a planar diaphragm or flange 21 which is schematically shown in FIG. 2.
This central flange is one form of a member disposed on the interior su
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English translation of German Patent No. DE 3049232.
English translation of German Patent 1 123 250.
Keg Services Limited
Pollard Steven M.
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