Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means – Interlocked discharge means – support and/or coupling
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-04
2003-02-11
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means
Interlocked discharge means, support and/or coupling
C141S002000, C141S004000, C141S346000, C141S349000, C141S383000, C137S614050
Reexamination Certificate
active
06516839
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a valve assembly for a container for beverage, in particular carbonated beverage such as beer, of the type described in the preamble of temperature main claim. Such a valve assembly is known from European patent application EP 0 224 380.
This known valve assembly for a container for a beverage, comprises a housing and a beverage channel with a valve body. Operating means are provided for moving said valve body, said operating means comprising first and second coupling means for removal and introduction of beverage from and into the container respectively. In this known assembly, the combined surface of the passage openings in the valve body is during filling identical to said surface during dispensing in a first (closed) and a second (opened) position respectively.
Furthermore, EP 0 385 191 discloses a valve assembly comprises a housing with a beverage channel, accommodating a valve body which, in a first position, provides a complete closure of the beverage channel By means of a quick-closing means, a feed line or a discharge line for beverage can be connected to the housing. In this known valve assembly, during the filing of a container as well as during the delivery of beverage therefrom, the same passage of the beverage channel is in each case released. This passage is relatively small so that filling of the beverage container can only be effected relatively slowly. In this known valve assembly, increasing the passage has as a consequence that during the delivery of the beverage, an unduly great flow rate is obtained, which adversely affects the beverage delivery and the control thereof. Moreover, this known valve assembly has a relatively great end-to-end dimension, which is disadvantageous in respect of, for instance, the storing of a container provided therewith, the required shelf space and the vulnerability of such valve assembly. Moreover, this known assembly has as a drawback
The object of the invention is to provide a valve assembly of the type described in the preamble, wherein at least the drawbacks mentioned are avoided, while the advantages thereof are maintained. To that end, a valve assembly according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 1.
In a valve assembly according to the present invention, two different coupling means for coupling the beverage channel of the valve assembly to beverage dispensing means for emptying a container, respectively for coupling the beverage channel to a filling device for filling the container, are employed in a surprising manner. Both the filling and emptying operations of the container can take place through or along the valve body. Unlike the known valve assembly, the dimensioning and design of the relevant coupling means can thus in each case be optimally provided, while substantially the same valve housing and valve body can be used, for instance fixedly connected to an inner container. The second coupling means can for instance enable a greater flow rate, at least filling the container at relatively high speed and/or pressure without involving excess foaming or adversely affecting the beverage and/or the container otherwise. The first coupling means, suitable for emptying the container, can be designed with, for instance, a relatively small passage for dispensing the beverage in a relatively slow and controlled manner. Moreover, for instance the first coupling means can be designed to enable operation of the valve body with a relatively great stroke, while the first coupling means can for instance permit a relatively small stroke, so that they can be constructed with a relatively small end-to-end dimension. This is important in particular for the first coupling means, because in principle only these first coupling means will be presented, with a container, to an end user. On the other hand, the second coupling means will in principle only be used in a brewery, bottling plant or the like. A further advantage of using first and second coupling means is that the first coupling means do not have to be fitted until the associated container has been filled, so that the sealing and/or tamper-sealing thereof is possible in a particularly simple manner, which is of importance for guaranteeing the quality of the contents of the container in question.
When the valve body is in its third position, a relatively great flow of beverage can pass the valve body per unit of time, for filling the beverage container relatively quickly, without involving excess foaming. This means that the filling of the beverage container requires relatively little time, without particularly complicated measures having to be taken therefor. Moreover, this prevents the quality of the beverage from being adversely affected during filling, while a relatively high filling pressure can be applied. Because when the valve assembly is in the second position, only a relatively small passage is released for dispensing the beverage, the advantage thus achieved is that accurate control of the desired flow rate is possible, again without involving excess foaming and without requiring any complicated measures.
In further elaboration, a device according to the invention is further characterized by the features of claim 3.
In such embodiment, a fully closed first position of the valve body, a partially open second position and a fully open third position thereof are defined as discrete steps, as a result of which such valve assembly can be used in an even simpler manner.
In a further advantageous embodiment, a valve assembly according to the invention is further characterized by the features of claim 4, in particular of claims 4 and 5.
The advantage achieved by providing an at least partially hollow valve body, wherein, in a sidewall, at least one opening is provided for forming, in at least a second and third position of the valve body, an open fluid connection between a container in which the valve assembly is used and a part of the beverage channel remote from the relevant container, is that the valve body can be of a particularly simple construction, while the passage in the first and second position is readily defined by the total surface area of the clear portion of the or each opening in the sidewall. In a first position, the beverage channel is closed off by at least the end face, such that beverage from the relevant container cannot reach the or each opening in question. The advantage that is moreover achieved hereby is that the outflow direction of the beverage, at least during the feed of the beverage into the container, encloses an angle with the longitudinal axis of the valve body, to obtain a favorable distribution of the beverage, while the beverage is prevented from being fed directly and at full pressure from the filling opening into the beverage that is already present in the container, thus further preventing the foaming thereof. This also provides the advantage that when the beverage is being removed from the container, the feed of beverage from the container to the beverage channel and formed through the or each relevant opening is prevented from possibly being covered by, for instance, a flexible wall of the container. Moreover, a further advantage is that during use, the flow-through opening of the beverage channel itself in each case remains almost completely free, or at least that when the valve assembly is open, the passage thereof is hardly limited by the presence of the valve body, which prevents the flow of beverage from being adversely affected during the filling and emptying of the container. Further, the filling pressure will support the opening of the valve body.
The use of the end face of the valve body for closing in a first position against a longitudinal edge of the beverage channel effects a proper seal in a simple manner, which seal is further improved by the occurrence of a slightly higher pressure in the container.
In a further embodiment, a valve assembly according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 7.
Coupling the operating means to the valve body enables a simp
Timp Piet Hein Willem
van Baal Patrick Michael
Heineken Technical Services B.V.
Maust Timothy L.
Pearne & Gordon LLP
LandOfFree
Valve assembly for a beverage container, container for... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Valve assembly for a beverage container, container for..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Valve assembly for a beverage container, container for... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3151709