Pressure control device for a beverage container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022219884-A1
Application number	US-202017596125-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 4, 2020
Priority date	Jun 4, 2019
Publication date	Jul 14, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pressure control device for controlling a pressure in a beverage container comprises a gas filled pressure control chamber enclosed by a wall of the pressure control device. The wall has an inner surface facing the chamber and an outer surface facing away from the chamber, the inner surface and outer surface defining a thickness of he wall. A scavenger material is provided in the pressure control device for capturing gas that enters, during use, into the pressure control chamber. The scavenger material is distributed over the wall thickness with a predetermined concentration from the inner surface towards the outer surface of the wall such that a rate of gas capture by the scavenger material changes over time.

First claim

1 . A pressure control device for controlling a pressure in a beverage container, the pressure control device comprising a gas filled pressure control chamber enclosed by a wall of the pressure control device, and a scavenger material provided in the pressure control device for capturing gas that enters, during use, into the pressure control chamber, wherein the wall has an inner surface facing the chamber and an outer surface facing away from the chamber, the inner surface and outer surface defining a thickness of the wall, wherein the scavenger material is distributed over the wall thickness with a predetermined concentration from the inner surface towards the outer surface of the wall such that a rate of gas capture by the scavenger material changes over time.

2 . Pressure control device according to claim 1 , wherein the scavenger material is distributed over the wall thickness in a varying concentration.

3 . Pressure control device according to claim 1 , wherein the scavenger material is distributed over the wall thickness in a constant concentration.

4 . Pressure control device according to claim 1 , wherein the wall is made by injection moulding of an injection mouldable material mixed with the scavenger material.

5 . Pressure control device according to claim 4 , wherein the injection mouldable material is a material having a limited gas permeability for the gas that enters, during use, into the pressure control chamber.

6 . Pressure control device according to claim 4 , wherein the injection mouldable material is a thermoplastic material, preferably low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE).

7 . Pressure control device according to claim 1 , wherein the wall has at least one movable wall part for operating a mechanism for opening and/or closing a gas supply opening of a gas holder.

8 . Pressure control device according to claim 1 , wherein a first amount of the scavenger material is provided in the wall in a layer at the inner surface to capture a first amount of the gas that enters, during use, into the pressure control chamber over a first time period, and at least a further amount of the scavenger material provided in the wall behind said layer to capture a further amount of the gas that enters, during use, into the pressure control chamber over a further time period following the first time period.

9 . Pressure control device according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined concentration of the scavenger material provided in the wall is a concentration adapted to a surface area to volume ratio of the pressure control chamber.

10 . Beverage container provided with a pressure control device in accordance with claim 1 .

11 . Beverage container according to claim 10 , wherein the beverage container contains an effervescent beverage such as a malt-based beverage, for example beer, or an apple-based beverage, for example cider.

Assignees

• Heineken Supply Chain Bv

Inventors

• Wolthers Wolter
• Pronk Rudolf Maria
• Sillince Mark Erich

Classifications

• B67D1/0437 Primary

  comprising a gas pressure space within the container for the liquid · CPC title

• B67D1/1252

  Gas pressure control means, e.g. for maintaining proper carbonation (for beer engines B67D1/025) · CPC title

• B65D83/663 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B67D1/0406 Primary

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