Plastic beer keg

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017129682-A1
Application number	US-201615256661-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 5, 2016
Priority date	Jan 26, 2010
Publication date	May 11, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A plastic beer keg includes an outer container and a liner having a neck portion and a body portion. A removable lid is secured over an opening of the container to enclose the liner. A locking ring secures the neck portion to the lid. The neck optionally includes a neck ring which interlocks with the opening through the lid to prevent relative rotation therebetween. The locking ring optionally includes ratcheting teeth engaging ratchet teeth on the lid to prevent inadvertent loosening of the locking ring. The liner may be suspended from the lid by the neck when empty.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plastic beer keg including:
a container having an outer wall at least partially defining a container interior; a lid secured to an upper portion of the outer wall of the container; a liner within the container interior, the liner including a neck portion and a body portion, wherein the liner interlocks with the lid to prevent relative rotation therebetween; and a valve mounted in the neck portion.

2 . The plastic beer keg of claim 1 wherein the lid includes an opening through which a portion of the neck projects and wherein the neck includes a neck ring having a shape that interlocks with the opening to prevent relative rotation therebetween.

3 . The plastic beer keg of claim 2 wherein the neck ring is a hexagon.

4 . The plastic beer keg of claim 2 wherein the valve includes a spring.

5 . The plastic beer keg of claim 4 wherein the liner is a PET bottle, the PET bottle including a shoulder portion between the body portion and the neck portion.

6 . The plastic beer keg of claim 2 wherein an upper portion of the outer wall includes interlocking features and the lid includes complementary interlocking features to prevent relative rotation therebetween.

7 . A plastic lid comprising:
an annular rim portion; a lip projecting downwardly from the rim portion; a lower annular wall portion having an opening therethrough, the lower annular wall portion spaced downwardly from the rim portion; and a plurality of ratchet teeth disposed about the opening.

8 . The plastic lid of claim 7 further including a frustoconical wall portion connecting the lower annular wall portion to the rim portion.

9 . The plastic lid of claim 8 further including an inner frustoconical wall portion between the frustoconical wall portion and the lower annular wall portion, wherein the ratchet teeth are formed on the inner frustoconical wall portion.

10 . A locking ring comprising:
a generally cylindrical portion for receiving therein a neck of a liner, the generally cylindrical portion having internal threads; a lower annular flange portion extending radially outward from a lower portion of the cylindrical portion; and at least one tab projecting outwardly from the lower annular flange, the at least one tab including at least one ratcheting tooth.

11 . The locking ring of claim 10 further including radially extending ribs projecting upward from the annular flange to facilitate rotation of the locking ring.

12 . A liner for containing liquid comprising:
a neck having external threads; a side wall; a shoulder portion connecting the neck to the side wall; and a neck ring formed on the neck.

13 . The liner of claim 12 wherein the side wall is tapered downwardly away from the neck.

14 . The liner of claim 13 further including a generally spherical bottom portion connected to the side wall.

15 . The liner of claim 14 wherein the shoulder portion is generally spherical.

16 . The liner of claim 13 further including a valve in the neck, the valve assembly including a retainer secured to the neck to retain the valve in the neck, the retainer including an externally threaded portion.

17 . The liner of claim 13 wherein the neck ring includes a non-circular shape.

18 . The liner of claim 17 wherein the neck ring is a polygon.

19 . The liner of claim 18 wherein the neck ring is hexagonal.

20 . A plastic beer keg including:
a container having an outer wall to at least partially define a container interior, wherein the container is formed of PET; a lid secured to an upper portion of the outer wall of the container, the lid having an opening; a liner within the container interior, the liner including a neck portion and a body portion, wherein the liner is formed of PET; and a valve connected to the neck portion of the liner adjacent the opening in the lid.

21 . The plastic beer keg of claim 20 wherein the container is formed of recycled PET.

22 . The plastic beer keg of claim 21 wherein the container is injection molded.

23 . The plastic beer keg of claim 20 wherein the liner is a PET bottle, the PET bottle including a shoulder portion between the body portion and the neck portion.

24 . The plastic beer keg of claim 23 wherein the valve is within the neck portion.

Assignees

• Rehrig Pacific Co

Inventors

• Apps William P

Classifications

• Y02W30/80

  Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging (bio-packaging Y02W90/10) · CPC title

• B65D77/0486 Primary

  the inner container being coaxially disposed within the outer container (B65D81/3876 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D11/08

  Arrangements of filling or discharging apertures · CPC title

• B67D1/0829

  Keg connection means · CPC title

• B67D2001/0824

  with dip tubes · CPC title