EP3216751B1 - Tap attachment, beverage barrel and tapping method - Google Patents

Description

The following invention relates to liquid containers such as beverage kegs, in particular beer kegs, with a dispensing attachment and a corresponding dispensing method.

Dispensing attachments for arrangement on beer vessels such as cans or barrels containing several liters of beer are known from the prior art, which make it possible to dispense beer by applying gas such as CO _{2 to} the contents of the barrel and providing such a carbon dioxide pressure that the beer is conveyed out of the container and is filled appealingly and tastefully with glasses with the appropriate foam crown. The beer is then tapped via a tap, which is often arranged close to the floor on a vertical wall or on the pressure cap on the lid of the can or the barrel.

A pressure attachment of this type, which can be placed on beverage cans in order to pressurize the beverage with gas by means of a carbon dioxide cartridge arranged in the pressure lid, is shown in FIG DE 10 2007 032 414 B4 described.

A pressure attachment, which, in addition to the pressurization, also allows the beverage to be skipped, is included in DE 10 2009 041 115 A1 disclosed. This hood-like pressure nozzle, which can be placed on beer containers, comprises a gas supply pipe, called a sword, which extends from the pressure nozzle into the beer container, and further a CO ₂ cartridge, which is in a fluidic manner via a valve arrangement with the gas supply pipe Connection is established. For this purpose, the CO ₂ cartridge is arranged in the hood and can be moved against an arbor by an actuating device, so that the arbor can penetrate a closure of the cartridge neck and can open a channel for the gas to escape from the cartridge, which can extend as far as a gas inlet opening of the gas supply pipe extends. Furthermore, the pressure tap attachment has a telescopic outlet pipe which, at its end pointing into the hood, opens into a valve which can be opened by a lever arrangement and which can be fluidly connected to a riser duct which extends into the gas supply pipe.

In the prior art dispensing attachments which are intended for use with a carbon dioxide cartridge, the amount of carbon dioxide in the beverage can disadvantageously vary. At the beginning of the tap process, the content may be too high, so that the tapped beer foams excessively, while with increasing emptying of the beverage keg, the carbon dioxide content may decrease, so that the tapped beer then tastes stale.

In order to pressurize the beverage present in a container for dispensing without the beverage coming into contact with a pressure medium, in US 534 541 A discloses a tap with an elongated tap pipe, which projects into the interior of the barrel with one end section. A gas feed pipe which is movable in the longitudinal direction is integrated in the dispensing pipe. An expansion device is attached to the end of the gas supply pipe, which, when the tap is arranged in the bung opening of the keg, points inside the keg, which can be inflated via the gas supply pipe so as to provide a pressure in the beverage keg that is desired for the tap. To arrange or remove the tap, the expansion device can be pulled into the elongated tap through the movable gas supply pipe.

Another dispensing device, which also avoids the contact of the beverage with a pressure medium, is in US 1 977 862 A described. There, too, there is an expansion device integrated into the tap, which, after the tap has been fastened, is transferred into the barrel in a barrel bung hole. In this case, the beverage outlet pipe is used as a guide or support device for the expansion device, which extends in the use arrangement of the dispensing attachment to just above the bottom of the barrel. At this bottom end of the beverage outlet pipe, lateral openings are provided for receiving the beverage from the barrel. Above these side openings, the expansion device is fastened in a sealing manner and can be inflated via a gas valve in the dispensing attachment, in order to pressurize the beverage in the barrel to dispense it.

With the tap of the EP 0 312 342 A2 the contact of the beverage present in a beverage bottle with the ambient air is avoided. For this purpose, a dispensing cap is arranged on a beverage bottle, and an expansion device, which surrounds a gas-carrying rod in a fluid-tight manner and gradually takes up the volume of the bottle when the beverage is removed from the bottle in a controlled manner.

AU 64787 80 A discloses a pump attachment for beverage containers, in particular bottles, which also has an expansion device protruding into the bottle, so that during a pump stroke, on the one hand air is conveyed into the expansion device and expanded, and on the other hand the amount of liquid corresponding to the pump stroke is conveyed out of the area.

WO 2013/074782 A1 shows a dispenser with which both air and wine can be removed from a wine bottle, the fluid flows into and out of the bottle can be regulated via several valve arrangements.

The system also implemented for wine storage and distribution US 2009/0095776 A1 comprises an inflatable bag as an expansion device and a device for providing a fluid channel along the bag in order to keep the transport path out of the bottle open when the bag expands.

Starting from this prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved beverage container from a beverage keg with a dispensing cap, which has a simplified handling and usability and provides the most complete possible emptying of the beverage present in the keg.

This object is achieved by a beverage keg with a tapping attachment with the features of claim 1.

The further task of dispensing beverages from a beverage barrel with the dispensing attachment is achieved by the method having the features of independent claim 10.

Preferred embodiments are set out in the subclaims.

An arrangement according to the invention comprising a beverage keg and a dispenser attachment is characterized in that the dispenser attachment is provided for arrangement on a beverage keg. In terms of their geometry, the dispenser and beverage keg are matched to one another in such a way that the dispenser can be placed on such a pre-determined keg when it is to be put into operation. The dispensing attachment has a base body which has one or more fastening elements (s) with which it can be fastened on the beverage keg. The fasteners can be detachable or non-detachable attachment of the nozzle. Furthermore, the tap attachment has a connection device for a gas source and a first valve arrangement and a gas channel with an opening which, when the tap attachment sits on the beverage keg, points into the interior thereof.

With the first valve arrangement, which has a pressure regulator, and which is arranged between the connecting device and the mouth of the gas duct, the gas duct can be opened and closed, so that gas when connected to a gas source, precisely when the dispensing attachment is arranged in an operational arrangement on the beverage keg (i.e. readiness for dispensing consists), can be supplied from the gas source at a certain, preset pressure. For this purpose, an actuating device is provided with which the valve arrangement can be actuated to open the gas channel. If necessary, the connection device can also be actuated in order to allow gas to flow, that is to say to release the fluidic connection to the gas source - this can be achieved with a separate actuation device or by coupling with the actuation device of the valve arrangement.

Furthermore, the dispensing attachment has a second valve arrangement and a riser duct with an opening, which, when the dispensing attachment is arranged in operation, points inside the beverage keg and an outlet provided by a dispensing tap. The second valve arrangement, which can be actuated with a further actuating device, opens and closes the connection between the riser and the outlet, so that when this actuating device is actuated, the beverage can be tapped from the barrel.

Furthermore, the dispensing attachment has a gas-tight expansion device which surrounds the gas channel at its mouth, so that gas supplied does not get into the beverage present in the beverage barrel, but into the expansion device. The gas-tight expansion device can be converted from an unexpanded state into an expanded state by supplying gas from the gas source. In this case, the expansion device is designed such that, in the expanded state and consequently in the operating arrangement, it has a volume which corresponds to at least an inner volume of the beverage keg on which the dispensing cap is placed. It is also conceivable that the expansion device in its fully expanded state can have a volume that is somewhat smaller than the internal volume of the beverage barrel, so that the expanded expansion device does not completely fill the inner volume of the barrel. However, since this is disadvantageous with regard to the most complete emptying possible, the expansion device should be designed such that in the expanded state it can have 100% of the interior volume of a predetermined beverage barrel or even more - the latter can of course only be fully developed outside the barrel. If such an expansion device is arranged in the barrel, it will of course not be able to take up a larger volume than the inner volume of the barrel. The oversizing only ensures that the expansion device can completely fill the inner volume of the barrel.

In the case of a beverage keg according to the invention, on which the dispensing attachment is arranged and during commissioning, no gas enters the beverage present in the keg in order to generate the pressure required for tapping. This pressure is provided by the expanding expansion device. The carbon dioxide content of the beverage can be optimally adjusted during filling and is not changed by the entry of CO ₂ as compressed gas when dispensing. The carbon dioxide content of the tap remains constant over the tap duration. The fact that the expansion device can completely fill the inner volume of the barrel means that the liquid present there can also be almost completely drawn off.

In order to stabilize the expansion device in a beverage-filled barrel, the dispensing attachment has a stabilization device which is formed by a rod which is present in or on the expansion device and stabilizes the latter when it is transferred from the unexpanded state to the expanded state.

The stabilization device is formed by the rod with an internal channel, so that a gas supply pipe is provided for supplying gas into the expansion device.

The gas supply pipe is attached so that the internal channel continues the gas channel. A gas outlet opening can be located anywhere along the rod or tube, both at the very top, i.e. adjacent to the mouth of the gas channel, or at the distal end, so that the inner channel extends completely through the rod, or somewhere in between. More than one gas outlet opening can also be provided. The rod thus extends from the base body of the nozzle way that he protrudes in the interior of the dispensing attachment according to the invention on the beverage barrel, preferably in or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beverage barrel.

In order to ensure the beverage flow in the beverage barrel - especially in the longitudinal direction - even when the expansion device is expanded, the beverage barrel has at least one spacer element which is attached to at least one inner wall of the beverage barrel, e.g. B. the inner surface of the jacket. Several such spacer elements can also be provided. A spacer element provides a fluid channel on the wall of the barrel, so that even with the expansion device expanded to a very large extent, liquid can still reach the mouth of the barrel from the bottom of the barrel.

Such spacer elements, which can be rod-shaped, tube-shaped or channel-shaped, for example, can also provide fluid channels on the barrel bottom and barrel top, so that fluid communication between the barrel bottom, inner surface of the beverage barrel and the barrel top can take place up to the mouth of the riser. The spacer elements can be fastened to the barrel wall or inserted in the manner of a cage; the inside walls of the barrel can also be made with a profile; however, there may also be loose spacer elements in the barrel which lie against the wall with the expanding expansion device.

In contrast to the prior art, in which the tubes which extend from the dispensing attachment into the beverage keg are all used to remove the beverage, so that the beverage to be tapped rises through the beverage outlet tube, which partially extends to the bottom of the keg, according to the invention the beverage is discharged through the Press the riser with the mouth, which is located close to the tap, through the tap. The tube, which extends through the container and is used to stabilize the expansion device, is provided for inflating the expansion device.

The length of the rod is adapted to that of the expansion device and corresponds at least to its length in its unexpanded state in order to be able to stabilize the expansion of the expansion device. The expansion device arranged at the mouth of the gas channel thus also surrounds the rod or the gas feed pipe through which the gas is fed into the expansion device. A suitable design of the stabilization device can prevent the displacement of the beverage from the barrel cover.

For example, with the gas outlet opening provided by the gas supply pipe at the lower end of the expansion device with an expansion device which has different areas with regard to its expandability, it can be achieved that the expansion device now initially expands near the ground, so that the beverage present in the barrel goes from bottom to top Is pushed towards the riser.

As an alternative or in addition to a central gas supply pipe (which is arranged within the expansion device), a stabilization device can consist of a plurality of rods which are connected to one another in an articulated manner and optionally with pretension to form a frame, similar to an umbrella rod. Such a linkage can also be at least partially attached to the wall of the expansion device.

The gas-tight expansion device can be formed by a balloon made of an elastic material which has a smaller surface area in the unexpanded state than in the expanded state. Alternatively, the gas-tight expansion device can be a bag or bellows made of an inelastic or at least less elastic material than the balloon, such an expansion device being present in the unexpanded state and thus having only a small volume. For expansion, such an expansion device, the surface of which does not differ significantly between the unexpanded and the expanded state, is unfolded by the supplied gas, in order to assume a correspondingly larger volume.

A preferred spacer element can be a channel device with a cross-sectional profile, which can be open U, V, C or W-shaped or a closed hollow profile. The cross-sectional profile tapers from a lower opening in relation to the arrangement in the beverage keg to an upper opening, the wall thickness or the wall stability of the channel device increasing from the lower opening to the upper opening. This channel device is arranged on the inner surface of the beverage keg and extends from the floor to the ceiling, so that the lower opening lies against the floor and the upper opening lies against the ceiling, the channel device having recesses or passage openings at both ends which have a fluid channel from the bottom of the beverage barrel through the channel device to the ceiling of the beverage barrel, even if the expansion device has already expanded far. The channel device can be made of an elastically or plastically deformable material and so during expansion upon contact with the expansion device, first be pressed against the inner surface of the jacket in the area with thinner wall thickness / stability and then upwards. This change in shape only takes place when the expansion device fills the entire interior of the beverage barrel. This ensures that the fluid is finally pushed out of the channel device into the riser.

In order to attach the expansion device to the mouth of the gas channel, the tap attachment can have a suitable adapter. Suitable adapters are, for example, flanges or fittings that can be detached - e.g. by means of a screw connection - or non-detachable, e.g. B. by welding or soldering, can be attached to the mouth of the gas channel and have one or more contact sections for gas-tight attachment of the expansion device. This can be done detachably or non-detachably, for example by means of gluing, welding, clipping or clamping. The adapter can preferably be designed in such a way that the expansion device is detachably attached to the gas duct, so that virtually either the adapter or the expansion device are detachably attached, so that the expansion device can be easily detached for cleaning or replacement if the dispensing attachment is intended to be reused can.

In addition, the adapter can be used to attach the stabilization device. The adapter can be used in particular to establish the glass flow, that is to say the fluid connection between the gas channel and the internal channel of the gas supply pipe.

In order to keep the riser at its mouth towards the end of the expansion process when almost the entire barrel volume has been filled, or when the expansion device first expands upwards due to the buoyancy, a device for keeping the riser clear is arranged at the mouth of the riser.

This can be formed by a curved sieve device or a stepped basket device with side openings. The curvature or the shoulder extends away from the riser, that is to say in the direction of the interior of the barrel, when the tap is arranged on a beverage barrel. This prevents the opening of the riser channel from being blocked by the expansion device in a partially expanded state before full expansion is reached. Even if the expansion device against the side of the screen or basket device facing the inside of the barrel bumps, the side openings remain free. An alternative device for keeping the ascending channel free can be a crown device arranged around its mouth, which is formed by a plurality of wedge-like boundary walls that run radially towards the mouth, the height of which increases towards the mouth.

As an alternative to the devices which are arranged around the mouth of the riser, a device for keeping the riser clear can be part of the expansion device. For this purpose, this can have at least one bead-like depression on its outer wall, which runs towards the mouth of the riser, for example in a spiral shape. There may also be two or more webs running parallel to the mouth of the riser, each of which a pair forms a fluid channel on the inner wall of the beverage keg in the expanded state of the expansion device when the expansion device or. the dispenser is arranged in the operating order on the beverage barrel.

In yet another embodiment, the tap attachment can have a connection device which can be connected to an external gas source via a connecting line. Alternatively, an internal gas source, preferably a gas cartridge, can also be present. For this, a holder is provided in the base body of the nozzle. The tap attachment then has a connection device which is connected to the internal gas source via a connecting line. The holder can be designed so that the gas cartridge can be exchanged if the tap is intended to be used several times.

It can further be provided that the actuating device for actuating the first valve arrangement and the second actuating device for actuating the second valve arrangement of the dispensing attachment are combined in a common device in which the two functionalities are coupled.

Although the base body of the nozzle can be constructed in the manner of a clamp or scaffold, the base body can preferably be designed in the form of a hood as a pressure hood, the fastening element being able to be provided by a peripheral hood edge which is offset from the hood side wall. The hood edge, which z. B. can be equipped with a circumferential wrap-around element or distributed wrap-around elements, comes into engagement with an upper edge of the beverage keg when the dispensing attachment is arranged on the beverage keg.

In addition to the spacer element present on the inner surface of the beverage keg, as described above in connection with the device for keeping the mouth of the riser channel free, the dispensing attachment, in particular the expansion device, can have a spacer element such as the bead-like depression or the adjacent webs, which in the expanded state provide the expansion device for a fluid channel that extends along the inner walls of the beverage barrel, floor, inner surface and / or ceiling.

• Anordnen des Zapfaufsatzes auf dem Getränkefass, so dass die Expansionsvorrichtung sich ins Innere des Getränkefasses erstreckt,
• Betätigen der ersten Betätigungsvorrichtung und dabei Öffnen der ersten Ventilvorrichtung, wobei Gas aus der Gasquelle durch den Gaskanal in die gasdichte Expansionsvorrichtung gelangt, die dadurch von dem nicht-expandierten Zustand zunächst in einen zumindest teilweise expandierten Zustand übergeht, in dem die Expansionsvorrichtung zumindest ein Teilvolumen des Innenvolumens des Getränkefasses einnimmt und dadurch den Druck im Inneren des Getränkefasses erhöht,
• Betätigen der zweiten Betätigungsvorrichtung und dabei Öffnen der zweiten Ventilanordnung,
• Erhöhen des Drucks im Inneren des Getränkefasses auf das Getränk durch weitere Zufuhr von Gas in die Expansionsvorrichtung, so dass das in dem Getränkefass durch die Expansionsvorrichtung eingenommene Teilvolumen zunimmt, und
• Überführen des Getränkes infolge des erhöhten Drucks aus dem Inneren des Getränkefasses zur zapfaufsatznahen Mündung des Steigkanals und durch den Steigkanal zum Auslass, dann
• Zapfen des Getränkes und
• wiederholt oder weiter Zuführen von Gas, um das Teilvolumen der Expansionsvorrichtung zum Zapfen des Getränks zu vergrößern, bis die Expansionsvorrichtung das Innenvolumen des Getränkefasses vollständig ausfüllt, so dass das Getränkefass vollständig entleert wird.

The method according to the invention for tapping a beverage from a beverage barrel, which forms the combination according to the invention with the dispensing attachment, allows the beverage barrel and to be almost completely emptied
includes the steps

• Arranging the dispensing attachment on the beverage barrel so that the expansion device extends into the interior of the beverage barrel,
• Actuating the first actuating device and thereby opening the first valve device, wherein gas from the gas source passes through the gas channel into the gas-tight expansion device, which thereby initially changes from the unexpanded state to an at least partially expanded state in which the expansion device has at least a partial volume of the Takes up the inner volume of the beverage barrel and thereby increases the pressure inside the beverage barrel,
• Actuating the second actuating device and thereby opening the second valve arrangement,
• Increasing the pressure inside the beverage keg on the beverage by further supplying gas to the expansion device, so that the partial volume occupied by the expansion device in the beverage keg increases, and
• Transfer of the beverage as a result of the increased pressure from the inside of the beverage barrel to the mouth of the riser near the dispenser and through the riser to the outlet, then
• Cones of drink and
• repeated or further supply of gas in order to increase the partial volume of the expansion device for tapping the beverage until the expansion device completely fills the internal volume of the beverage barrel so that the beverage barrel is completely emptied.

A further method step can stabilize the expansion device in the beverage-filled beverage barrel during the transfer from the unexpanded state provide in the expanded state by means of a stabilization device, the gas for transferring the expansion device from the unexpanded state to the expanded state being carried out by the stabilization device. For this purpose, this is designed as a gas feed pipe, which is surrounded by the expansion device and continues the gas channel.

During the dispensing, the beverage present in the beverage barrel has an unchanged carbon dioxide content until it is completely emptied, which is optimally adjusted when the beverage is filled into the beverage barrel.

The content of the DE 10 2009 041 115 A1 is fully incorporated in the present application by reference.

Other embodiments of the invention, as well as some of the advantages associated with these and other embodiments, will become clear and better understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures. Objects or parts thereof which are essentially the same or similar can be provided with the same reference symbols. The figures are merely a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Seitenschnitt Ansicht des auf einem Getränkefass angeordneten Zapfaufsatzes mit der Expansionsvorrichtung in nicht-expandiertem Zustand,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Seitenschnitt Ansicht entsprechend Fig. 1 mit der Expansionsvorrichtung in einem teil-expandiertem Zustand,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Seitenschnitt Ansicht entsprechend Fig. 1 mit der Expansionsvorrichtung in einem nahezu vollständig expandiertem Zustand,

Fig. 4

eine als Distanzelement einsetzbare Rinnenvorrichtung in perspektivischer Darstellung von vorne,

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf zwei in einem Getränkefass angeordnete Rinnenvorrichtungen aus Fig. 4,

Fig. 6

eine Expansionsvorrichtung mit sickenartiger Vertiefung,

Fig. 7

eine schematische Oberansicht eines Zapfaufsatzes, und

Fig. 8

a) eine gewölbte Siebvorrichtung in Seitenschnittansicht, b) eine abgesetzte Korbvorrichtung in Seitenschnittansicht und eine Kronenvorrichtung zum Freihalten der Steigkanalmündung in c) Unteransicht und d) Seitenschnittansicht.

Show:

Fig. 1

2 shows a schematic side sectional view of the dispensing attachment arranged on a beverage keg with the expansion device in the non-expanded state,

Fig. 2

a schematic side sectional view accordingly Fig. 1 with the expansion device in a partially expanded state,

Fig. 3

a schematic side sectional view accordingly Fig. 1 with the expansion device in an almost fully expanded state,

Fig. 4

a channel device which can be used as a spacer element in a perspective view from the front,

Fig. 5

a plan view of two channel devices arranged in a beverage barrel Fig. 4 ,

Fig. 6

an expansion device with a bead-like depression,

Fig. 7

a schematic top view of a nozzle, and

Fig. 8

a) a curved sieve device in side sectional view, b) a stepped basket device in side sectional view and a crown device for keeping the mouth of the riser clear in c) bottom view and d) side sectional view.

The device according to the invention relates to a tap in the arrangement on a beverage keg. In 1 to 3 a dispensing attachment 1 is shown in the arrangement according to the invention on a beverage barrel 10, the illustrations differing only in relation to the expansion device 4. Fig. 1 shows the expansion device 4 in the unexpanded state, Fig. 2 in a partially expanded condition and Fig. 3 in an almost fully expanded state.

In the example shown, the dispensing attachment 1 arranged on the beverage barrel 10 has a hood-like base body 2, in which the hood rim 2 ′ represents or comprises a fastening element with which the dispensing attachment 1 is fastened on the beverage barrel 10. To reuse the tap 1, the attachment to the beverage barrel 10 can be released. A gas channel 5 "here runs in several sections through the base body 2 and projects into the barrel 10 with a vertical section delimited by the mouth 50. A rod-like gas supply pipe 5 with an internal gas channel 5 'extends this section of the gas channel 5" into the lower one Half of the barrel 10. The gas supply pipe 5 is surrounded by a balloon 4, which represents the expansion device, which is fastened with an adapter 6 around the mouth end 50 of the gas channel 5 ′ and connects this gas-tight to the gas supply pipe 5, which stabilizes the balloon 4 contributes in the barrel filled with drink 10. The balloon 4 is made of an elastic, gas-tight material.

The gradual or continuous expansion of the balloon 4 increases the pressure inside the barrel, so that the beverage present there when the second valve arrangement 3 is actuated by means of the trigger lever 12, which in the present example represents the actuating device provided for this purpose, through the ascending channel 8 into which can pass through the tap 9 extending outlet 8 ', and can be collected there by the pin ends with a vessel. In the example shown, the tap is a telescopic device, which is shown in its telescopic arrangement. The tap 9 can be pushed back into a non-telescopic position for the storage and transport of the tap attachment 1 or in combination with the barrel 10, so that it does not protrude beyond the hood base body 2. Such a telescopic Tap is in the DE 10 2009 041 115 A1 to which reference is thus made in its entirety.

In order to ensure the flow of beverages from the barrel 10 into the dispensing attachment 1 even with increasing expansion of the expansion device 4 up to the fully expanded state in which the expansion device 4 fills the entire inner volume of the barrel 10, a spacer element 11 and an outwardly curved sieve device are required 7 provided at the mouth 80 of the riser 8.

In Fig. 4 a channel device 11 is shown as an example as a spacer element, and in Fig. 5 the arrangement of two such channel devices 11 can be seen in a beverage barrel 10. In contrast to the illustration, it is also possible for only one such channel device 11 or else three or more to be arranged in a barrel 10.

The channel device 11 has an open cross-sectional profile that tapers from the lower opening 111 to the upper opening 110, while the wall thickness increases in reverse from the lower region 113 ′ to the upper 113, so that overall the wall stability increases from bottom to top . So that the channel device 11 in the arrangement in the barrel 10, in which it rests with the open side against the inner surface of the beverage barrel 10 and extends from the floor to the ceiling, can provide fluid communication between the floor and ceiling of the barrel 10 Channel device 11 has openings at both ends as passage openings 112. The channel device 11 shown has a C-shaped cross-sectional profile, but there are also conceivable profile shapes and closed profiles.

The channel device 11 can be made of an elastically or plastically deformable material, so that the channel wall during the expansion upon contact with the expansion device 4 first in the region 113 ′, which has the lower stability due to the larger cross section and the smaller wall thickness, and then after running up to the upper region 113 is pressed against the barrel wall. This change in shape takes place only when the expansion device fills the entire interior of the beverage barrel, so that the fluid in the channel device 11 is finally pushed out.

In addition to such a spacer element 11, the expansion device 4 can be designed with a bead-like groove 4 ', as shown in FIG Fig. 6 is shown as an example. As an alternative to a bead-like groove, two parallel webs are also conceivable similarly delimit a fluid channel on the outer wall of the expansion device 4. In the example shown, the bead-like groove 4 ′ runs in a thread-like or spiral manner around the outer wall of the expansion device 4.

However, a large number of other modifications are conceivable in which the number and course of the bead-like depressions or parallel webs differ from the example shown. Bead-like depressions or parallel webs for the formation of fluid channels could also be arranged as meridians or degrees of length from bottom to top, in a straight line, at an angle, or in a curved manner; crossings are also conceivable.

The expansion of the expansion device 4 is effected by supplying gas through the gas channel 5 ". The supplied gas can, as in FIG Fig. 7 is sketched, come from a gas cartridge 16, which is accommodated in a holder 18 provided in the base body 2 of the tap attachment. As an alternative to such an internal gas source, by means of a connecting line 17, which is in Fig. 4 Shown in dashed lines, gas can be supplied from an external gas source. The connection device 15 is designed accordingly, depending on the.

To open the gas cartridge 16, a mechanism can be provided which pushes the gas cartridge against a mandrel of the connection device. This is also detailed in the DE 10 2009 041 115 A1 described. Next shows Fig. 7 the valve arrangement 13 for opening the gas channel 5 "by means of the actuating device 14, so that gas from the cartridge 16 (or via the connecting line 17 from the external gas source) into the channel 5 'lying in the gas supply pipe and from there into the expansion device (not in Fig. 7 shown) can reach. The actuating device 14, unlike the tap lever 12, can be designed, for example, as a rotary mechanism, as shown in the diagram Fig. 7 is indicated.

Fig. 8 shows various devices for keeping the mouth 80 of the ascending channel 8. In Fig. 8a ) a screening device 7 is shown, which is curved away from the mouth 80 in the direction of the barrel interior. The meshes of the sieve device 7 provide the lateral openings 7 ′, which also keep a fluid connection between the inside of the barrel and the riser 8 free, even when the expansion device is expanded, as in FIG Fig. 3 you can see. In Fig. 8b ) , as an alternative to this, a stepped basket device 7 with openings 7 'in its cylindrical (or prismatic) side wall is shown. Fig. 8c ) and d) show one device for keeping the ascending channel 8 designated as a crown device 70. For this purpose, several - in the present example eight - radial wedge-like boundary walls 71, which increase in height upwards, that is to say towards the mouth 80, are formed around the mouth 80 thereof Fig. 8d ) can be seen. The boundary walls 71 delimit radial grooves 7 'which form the lateral openings.

The gas used can, but need not, be CO ₂ , which in the event of potential leaks in the expansion device has no harmful effect on the beverage.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments shown in the figures, which are only to be understood as examples. Rather, many variants and changes are conceivable, but still fall under the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims (12)

1. A beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) arranged thereon,
   wherein
   the tap attachment has:

   - a basic body (2) with at least one fastening element (2') for fastening the tap attachment (1) on the beverage barrel (10),

   - a connecting device (15) for a gas source (16),

   - a first valve assembly (13) with a pressure controller and a gas channel (5") with an orifice (50) pointing into the interior of the beverage barrel (10), wherein the first valve assembly (13) opens or closes the gas channel (5") between the connecting device (15) and the orifice (50),

   - a first actuating device (14) for actuating the first valve assembly (13),

   - a second valve assembly (3) and an ascension pipe (8) with an orifice (80) pointing into the interior of the beverage barrel (10),
   and a tap (9) with an outlet (8'), the tap (9) being connected to the ascension pipe (8) via the second valve assembly (3), and

   - a second actuating device (12) for actuating the second valve assembly (3),

   - a gas-proof expansion device (4) surrounding the gas channel (5") at the latter's orifice (50), the gas-proof expansion device (4) being transferable from a non-expanded state into an expanded state by gas being supplied from the gas source (16) and the gas-proof expansion device (4) being configured such that, in the expanded state, it has a volume which corresponds at least to an interior volume of the beverage barrel (10),
   and

   - a rod (5) as a stabilisation device for the expansion device (4), the rod (5) being present at the expansion device (4) and being surrounded by the same and stabilising it when it is transferred from the non-expanded state into the expanded state, and the rod (5) being configured as a gas feeding pipe (5) with an interior channel (5') which continues the gas channel (5"), wherein the gas feeding pipe (5) extends away from the basic body (2) such that it protrudes into the interior of the beverage barrel (10),
   and wherein the beverage barrel (10) has at least one spacer element (11) which extends from the bottom of the beverage barrel (10) towards the cover at least on the inner lateral area of the beverage barrel (10) and which is configured to form a fluid channel when the expansion device (4) of the tap attachment (1) is in the expanded state.
2. The beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that

   - the spacer element (11) extends from the bottom of the beverage barrel (10) to the orifice (80) of the ascension pipe (8), and/or

   - the spacer element (11) is a groove device (11) with a cross-sectional profile that tapers from a lower opening (111) towards an upper opening (110), wherein a wall thickness (113, 113') or a wall stability of the groove device (11) increases from the lower opening (111) to the upper opening (110), wherein the groove device (11) is arranged on the inner lateral area of the beverage barrel (10) and extends from the bottom to the inner side of the cover, with the result that the lower opening (11) abuts against the bottom and the upper opening (110) abuts against the inner side of the cover, wherein preferably the groove device (11) has flow-through openings (112) on either end, said flow-through openings (112) providing a fluid channel from the bottom of the beverage barrel (10) through the groove device (11) and to the ceiling of the beverage barrel (10).
3. The beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) according to claim 2,
   characterised in that
   the groove device (11) consists of an elastically or plastically deformable material.
4. The beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) according to at least any one of claims 1 to 3,
   characterised in that
   the gas-proof expansion device (4) of the tap attachment (1) is

   - a balloon (4) made of an elastic material and having a smaller surface in the non-expanded state than in the expanded state,

   - a bag, or

   - a bellows,

   wherein the bag and the bellows are collapsed in the non-expanded state and have a surface which, in the non-expanded state, essentially corresponds to the expanded state.
5. The beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) according to at least any one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterised In that
   the tap attachment (1) has an adapter (6) for fastening the expansion device (4) to the orifice (50) of the gas channel (5"),

   - wherein the adapter (6) which preferably is a flange or a fitting is detachably or non-detachably fastened to the free end of the gas channel (5") and/or

   - has at least one contact section, with the expansion device (4) being fastened to said contact section in a gas-proof manner by gluing, welding, clipping and/or clamping.
6. The beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that
   the adapter (6) fluidly connects the orifice (50) of the gas channel (5") and the interior channel (5') of the at least one rod (5).
7. The beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) according to at least any one of claims 1 to 6,
   characterised in that
   the ascension pipe (8) of the tap attachment (1) has at its orifice (80) a device (7, 70) for keeping the ascension pipe (8) free towards the expanding expansion device (4), said expansion device (4) preferably being

   - a sieve or basket device (7) with lateral openings (7') or

   - a crown device (70) which is formed by a plurality of wedge-type boundary walls (71) radially running towards the orifice (80), the height of said boundary walls (71) increasing towards the orifice (80),

   and/or that
   the expansion device (4) has an exterior wall with at least one bead-type recess (4') or at least two parallel webs which are each arranged in a pair and are configured to provide a fluid channel on an inner wall of the beverage barrel (10) when the expansion device (4) is in the expanded state and the tap attachment (1) on the beverage barrel (10) is in an operating arrangement.
8. The beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) according to at least any one of claims 1 to 7,
   characterised in that

   - the connecting device (15) of the tap attachment (1) is connectable to an external gas source via a connecting line (17), or

   - the tap attachment (1) has an internal gas source, preferably a gas cartridge (16), and a holder (18) for the internal gas source, said holder (18) being present in the basic body (2) of the tap attachment (1), and wherein the connecting device (15) of the tap attachment is connected to the internal gas source via a connecting line (17).
9. The beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) according to at least any one of claims 1 to 8,
   characterised in that
   the first actuating device (14) of the tap attachment (1) for actuating the first valve assembly (13) and the second actuating device (12) of the tap attachment (1) for actuating the second valve assembly (3) are combined in a common device in which both functionalities are coupled.
10. A method for tapping a beverage from a beverage barrel (10) with a tap attachment (1) according to at least any one of claims 1 to 9, with the beverage barrel (10) being emptied completely,
    comprising the steps of:

    - arranging the tap attachment (1) on the beverage barrel (10), with the result that the expansion device (4) extends into the interior of the beverage barrel (10),

    - actuating the first actuating device (14), wherein the first valve assembly (13) opens the gas channel (5"), wherein gas flows from the gas source (16) through the gas channel (5") and into the gas-proof expansion device (4) which, thereby, passes from the non-expanded state into an at least partially expanded state in which the expansion device (4) occupies at least a partial volume of the interior volume of the beverage barrel (10) and thereby increases the pressure in the interior of the beverage barrel (10),

    - actuating the second actuating device (12), wherein the second valve assembly (3) opens the connection between the ascension pipe (8) and the outlet (8'),

    - increasing the pressure in the interior of the beverage barrel (10) on the beverage by further supplying gas into the expansion device (4), wherein the partial volume occupied by the expansion device (4) in the beverage barrel (10) increases, and

    - as a result of the increased pressure, transferring the beverage from the interior of the beverage barrel (10) towards the orifice (80) of the ascension pipe (8) and through the ascension pipe (8) to the outlet (8'), then

    - tapping the beverage and

    - repeatedly or further supplying gas to increase the partial volume of the expansion device (4) for tapping the beverage, until the expansion device (4) completely fills the interior volume of the beverage barrel (10), wherein the beverage barrel (10) is being emptied completely.
11. The method according to claim 10,
    comprising the step of:

    - stabilising the expansion device (4) in the beverage-filled beverage barrel (10) while being transferred from the non-expanded state into the expanded state by a stabilisation device, wherein the gas for transferring the expansion device (4) from the non-expanded state into the expanded state is achieved by means of the stabilisation device which is formed as a gas feeding pipe (5) that is surrounded by the expansion device (4) and continues the gas channel (5").
12. The method according to claim 10 or 11,
    comprising the step of:

    - adjusting a carbonic acid content when the beverage is filled into the beverage barrel (10) and keeping the carbonic acid content unchanged during tapping until complete emptying.

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