Beverage dispensing assembly and beverage container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11565928-B2
Application number	US-202217828090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	Jul 5, 2016
Publication date	Jan 31, 2023
Grant date	Jan 31, 2023

Abstract

Beverage dispensing assembly, comprising a dispenser and a beverage container, wherein the beverage container has a neck portion and a shoulder portion adjacent the neck portion, wherein the neck portion is provided with at least an outflow opening and at least one gas inlet opening and wherein the dispenser comprises a housing, wherein the housing is provided with a receptacle for receiving at least part of the container, wherein the container is positioned in the dispenser with the neck and shoulder portion facing downward, such that the neck portion and at least part of the shoulder portion are received in the receptacle, wherein part of the shoulder portion extends close to and/or is in contact with a wall of the receptacle, wherein preferably a lid is provided over the container, enclosing a part of the container extending outside the receptacle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Beverage container, wherein the beverage container is a BIC type container, comprising an inner container and an outer container, an interface space provided between the inner container and the outer container, a gas inlet into said interface space provided in a neck portion of the beverage container, wherein the beverage container is provided with a closure at the neck portion of the beverage container, wherein the beverage container is further provided with an adapter at the neck portion, which adapter is provided with at least one adapter opening extending radially outward, wherein the adapter opening is in fluid communication with the said at least one gas inlet.

2. Beverage container according to claim 1 , wherein the closure is mounted to an upper end of the neck portion of the beverage container, which closure comprises a beverage outflow opening and comprises a gas inlet opening, in fluid connection with or part of the adapter opening, wherein the adapter is provided over the closure.

3. Beverage container according to claim 2 , wherein the gas inlet opening has a main direction of flow substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the neck portion of the beverage container.

4. Beverage container according to claim 2 , wherein the beverage outlet opening is provided with a valve or pierceable closure element.

5. Beverage container according to claim 2 , wherein the closure is mounted to the neck portion by one of welding, gluing, screw threads, bayonet connecting elements, and press fitting.

6. Beverage container according to claim 2 , wherein the closure is mounted to the neck portion by clicking.

7. Beverage container according to claim 6 , wherein the closure has been clicked onto the neck portion by a groove in an outer portion of the closure gripping behind a retention ring of behind connecting elements extending from an outer surface of the neck portion.

8. Beverage container according to claim 2 , wherein the closure has an inner portion fitting against an inner surface of the neck portion of the inner container, forming a seal.

9. Beverage container according to claim 1 , wherein the adapter is provided with a sealing layer, sealing against an inner surface of the neck portion of the inner container and/or against an inner surface of the neck portion of the outer container.

10. Beverage container according to claim 1 , wherein the adapter opening has a main direction of flow which is radial to the longitudinal axis of the neck portion of the container, and extends at a level below an upper edge of the neck portion of the beverage container.

11. Beverage container according to claim 1 , wherein the adapter is provided with an end surface with a slot or channel for receiving part of a dispensing line in fluid communication with the beverage outlet opening, such that the container can rest on the end surface without restricting flow of beverage through said dispense line.

12. Beverage container according to claim 2 , wherein the adapter comprises a gas channel extending between the adapter opening and the gas inlet opening, which gas channel is at least partly formed by the closure and the adapter.

13. Beverage container according to claim 1 , wherein the adapter is mounted over the closure, wherein the adapter has an outer skirt or flange hooking behind a ring or flange of the beverage container, locking the closure to the neck portion of the beverage container, wherein the adapter further comprises an end surface with an opening allowing access to the beverage outlet opening.

14. Beverage container, wherein the beverage container is a BIC type container, comprising an inner container and an outer container, an interface space provided between the inner container and the outer container, a gas inlet into said interface space provided in a neck portion of the beverage container, wherein the beverage container is provided with a closure at the neck portion, wherein the closure is provided with at least one gas opening in a radially outward facing surface of the closure extending outside the container neck portion, wherein the closure comprises a channel extending between said at least one gas opening and the gas inlet of the beverage container.

15. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein said at least one gas opening has a main direction of flow radial to a longitudinal axis of the neck portion of the beverage container.

16. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein the gas inlet has a main direction of flow substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the neck portion of the beverage container.

17. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein the closure comprises an annular chamber extending over an upper edge of the neck portion of the beverage container.

18. Beverage container according to claim 17 , wherein the annular chamber comprises a seal sealing against an outer surface of the outer container.

19. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein the closure comprises an inner seal sealing against at least one of an inner surface of the neck portion of the inner container and an inner surface of the neck portion of the outer container.

20. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein the closure comprises a beverage outflow opening spaced apart from the at least one gas opening.

21. Beverage container according to claim 20 , wherein the beverage outflow opening has a main direction of flow parallel to a longitudinal axis of the neck portion of the beverage container or coaxial with said longitudinal axis.

22. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein the beverage outlet is provided with a valve or with a pierceable closure element.

23. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein the closure is mounted to the neck portion by clicking.

24. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein the closure is mounted to the neck portion by one of welding, gluing, screw threads, bayonet connecting elements, and press fitting.

25. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one gas opening has a main direction of flow which is radial to the longitudinal axis of the neck portion of the container, and extends at a level below an upper edge of the neck portion of the beverage container.

26. Beverage container according to claim 14 , wherein the adapter is provided with an end surface with a slot or channel for receiving part of a dispensing line in fluid communication with the beverage outlet opening, such that the container can rest on the end surface without restricting flow of beverage through said dispense line.

Assignees

• Heineken Supply Chain Bv

Inventors

• Paauwe Arie Maarten
• Witte Pieter Gerard

Classifications

• B67D1/16

  Devices for collecting spilled beverages · CPC title

• B67D1/0406 Primary

  with means for carbonating the beverage, or for maintaining its carbonation (B67D1/0418 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67D1/06

  Mountings or arrangements of dispensing apparatus in or on shop or bar counters (shop or bar counters per se A47F9/00) · CPC title

• B67D1/0872

  Aesthetics, advertising · CPC title

• B67D2001/0814

  for upside down use · CPC title