Polymeric keg connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549976-B2
Application number	US-201615777670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2016
Priority date	Nov 26, 2015
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A polymeric keg connector for fluidly connecting the interior of a container has an opening with a fluid tube. The keg connector has a connector, a coupler, a support movable in a longitudinal direction Z with respect to the base body, a tube, and a penetration actuator. The distance the support is moved is sufficient for the tube penetration end to penetrate into the opening provided on a closure of the container. The sliding surfaces of the connector and the support are manufactured with a particulate-reinforced polymeric material and the polymeric material of the connector is reinforced by a particulate material that can be different from the particulate material reinforcing the support element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A polymeric keg connector for fluidly connecting the interior of a container comprising an opening with a fluid tube, the keg connector comprising:
(a) a connector base body;
(b) coupling means for firmly and releasably coupling the connector base body to the opening of the container;
(c) a support element movable in a longitudinal direction Z with respect to the base body, by sliding one sliding surface of the support element against one sliding surface of the main base body, said support element rigidly supporting:
(d) a tube comprising a penetration end portion parallel to the longitudinal axis, Z, and suitable for penetrating into said opening;
(e) penetration actuation means for reversibly moving by a given distance along the longitudinal axis, Z, the support element and tube, upon movement of the support element when the base body is coupled to said opening, from a first retracted position, Z 0 , to a second connected position, Z 2 , wherein said distance is sufficient for the said tube penetration end to penetrate into said opening provided on a closure of said container, characterized in that, the sliding surfaces of both said connector base body and said support element are manufactured in a particulate reinforced polymeric material and in that the polymeric material of the connector base body is reinforced by a particulate material that is different in geometry and/or composition from the particulate material reinforcing the support element.

2. The polymeric keg connector according to claim 1 , the particulate material being selected from the group comprising: glass fibres, carbon fibres, basalt fibres, lignin fibres, cellulose fibres, polyester fibres or admixtures thereof.

3. The polymeric keg connector according to claim 1 , the polymeric matrix material of the connector base and support element being selected from the group comprising: polyethylene, polypropylene, polyoxymethylene, polyester, polyvinylchloride or admixtures thereof.

4. The polymeric keg connector according to claim 1 , the connector base and support element being manufactured in a same polymeric matrix material.

5. The polymeric keg connector according to claim 1 , the connector base being manufactured in a glass fibre reinforced polyolefin and the support element being manufactured in a carbon fibre reinforced polyolefin or vice versa.

6. The polymeric keg connector according to claim 3 , the connector base and support element being manufactured in a same polymeric matrix material.

7. The polymeric keg connector according to claim 2 , the polymeric matrix material of the connector base and support element being selected from the group comprising: polyethylene, polypropylene, polyoxymethylene, polyester, polyvinylchloride or admixtures thereof.

8. The polymeric keg connector according to claim 7 , the connector base being manufactured in a glass fibre reinforced polyolefin and the support element being manufactured in a carbon fibre reinforced polyolefin or vice versa.

Assignees

• Anheuser Busch Inbev Sa

Inventors

• Valles Vanessa
• Vandekerckhove Stijn

Classifications

• B67D1/08

  Details · CPC title

• B67D1/04

  Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers · CPC title

• B67D1/0462

  Squeezing collapsible or flexible beverage containers, e.g. bag-in-box containers · CPC title

• B67D1/0829 Primary

  Keg connection means · CPC title