Tapping assembly and connecting device; container and method for beverage dispensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10071900-B2
Application number	US-201314416950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2013
Priority date	Jul 26, 2012
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

Tapping assembly for a beverage, including container including a first and second container, wherein the first container has a neck portion and the second container is suspended in the first container, from the neck portion thereof. A neck region of the container is provided with at least one opening in a side wall thereof, preferably in a neck region of the first container, opening into a space between the first and second containers. The assembly further includes a connecting device, connected or connectable to the neck portion, wherein the connecting device includes at least one connecting element for connecting to the at least one opening, wherein the connecting element is connected to a source of pressurized gas.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tapping assembly for a beverage, comprising a bag-in-container comprising
a first container and a second container,
wherein the first container has a neck portion and the second container is suspended in the first container, from the neck portion thereof,
wherein a neck region of the bag-in-container is provided with at least one opening through a wall of the neck portion of the first container into a space between the first and second containers,
wherein the assembly further comprises a connecting device, connected or connectable to the neck region of the bag-in-container,
wherein the connecting device comprises at least one gas connecting element for connecting to the at least one opening,
wherein the gas connecting element is connected to a source of pressurized gas.

2. The tapping assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second container have a body portion, wherein the first and second container are gas tightly connected to each other at the neck portions thereof, at a side of the at least one opening opposite the body portions.

3. The tapping assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first container is more rigid than the second container, at least with respect to body forming portions thereof, whereas the at least one opening opens into said space in a substantially radial direction, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the neck region, and
wherein the connecting element connects to said at least one opening in substantially the same radial direction.

4. The tapping assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the neck portion of the first container is provided with at least one first coupling element and the connecting device is provided with at least one complementary second coupling element, wherein the connecting device is or can be coupled to the neck region,
wherein said at least one connecting element is or becomes connected to the at least one opening.

5. The tapping assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting device comprises a first and second part, moveable relative to each other,
wherein in a first relative position of the parts the connecting element is in a retracted position and in a second relative position of the parts the connecting element is in an extended position,
wherein the connecting device comprises a mechanism configured wherein movement of the connecting element between the retracted and the extended positions and vice versa is enforced by the relative movement of the parts through said mechanism,
wherein the first and second part are rotatable relative to each other around a longitudinal axis of the neck region of the bag-in-container,
wherein the said relative rotation of the parts enforces said movement of the connecting element.

6. The tapping assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting device comprises an overpressure release connector, in a connecting line for the source of pressurized gas or for connecting to the first opening or to a second opening provided in said neck region of the bag-in-container.

7. The tapping assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second containers are closed off at the neck portions to each other and/or by a closure, comprising a valve,
wherein the connecting device comprises a connector in an opening positioned over the valve when the connecting device has been connected to the neck region,
wherein when the connector is placed in said opening with the connecting device connected to the bag-in-container, the connector opens the valve.

8. The tapping assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the connector is provided with an opening in and/or through which a dispense line extends,
which at one end is connected to a dispense adaptor for connecting to and opening the valve,
wherein the opposite end of the dispense line can be provided with a valve, especially an in-line valve,
wherein the dispense line and the dispense adapter are disposable.

9. An air connecting unit for use in the tapping assembly of claim 1 .

10. The tapping assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting element is movable relative to the opening at least partially in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the neck region of the bag-in-container.

11. The tapping assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second neck portions have an axial direction and the opening extends in a substantially radial direction of the relevant neck portion of the first or second neck region and
wherein the connecting element is movable in said substantially radial direction, between a release position spaced apart from the opening and a connecting position gastight connecting to said opening.

12. The tapping assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one opening is provided in the neck portion of the first container.

13. The tapping assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the mechanism is an at least partly rotating mechanism.

14. The tapping assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second opening are positioned radially opposite each other.

15. The tapping assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second containers have been integrally blow moulded into the bag-in-container.

16. A connecting device for connecting a dispense line and a gas line to a bag-in-container, comprising a first part and a second part, movably connected to said first part,
wherein at least one of the first and/or second part is provided with a coupling opening extending in a substantially axial direction, with coupling elements for connecting the device to a part of a bag-in-container extending inside said coupling opening,
wherein the connecting device is further provided with at least one gas connecting element, movable between an extended position in which the gas connecting element extends at least partly inside said coupling opening and a retracted position in which the gas connecting element extends less or not into said coupling opening, the connecting device further comprising a mechanism for moving the at least one gas connecting element between the extended position and the retracted position by relative movement of the first and second parts,
wherein the gas connecting element is movable from a side wall of the coupling opening, in a substantially radial direction of the coupling opening.

17. The connecting device according to claim 16 , wherein the coupling opening extends through the connecting device, wherein a connector is releasable provided in one end of the coupling opening, wherein:
the connector comprises a coupler for opening a valve of a container to which the connecting device is connected and a tapping line extending from said connector; or
the connector comprises an opening in and/or through which a dispense line extends, which at one end is connected to a dispense adaptor for connecting to and opening the valve of a container to which the connecting device is connected;
wherein the opposite end of the dispense line can be provided with a valve, especially an in-line valve, wherein the dispense line and the dispense adapter are disposable.

18. The connecting device according to claim 16 , wherein a gas inlet line is coupled to the at least one connecting element, for introducing gas under pressure into the space between inner and outer containers of a bag-in-container to which the connecting device is connected.

19. The connecting device according to claim 16 , wherein the connecting device further comprises an overpressure release device,

Assignees

• Heineken Supply Chain Bv

Inventors

• Witte Pieter Gerard
• Paauwe Arie Maarten
• Bax Bart Jan

Classifications

• B29C66/232

  said joint lines being multiple and parallel, i.e. the joint being formed by several parallel joint lines · CPC title

• B29L2031/7158

  Bottles · CPC title

• B29C66/12469

  being asymmetric · CPC title

• B29C66/12449

  being asymmetric (B29C66/12445 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67D1/0801

  of beverage containers, e.g. casks, kegs · CPC title