EP3853170A1 - Tap and container or beer keg having a tap - Google Patents

Abstract

A tap (3) for the removal of liquid from a container (1), in particular for the removal of beer from a beer keg, preferably a 5L party beer keg, comprises a sleeve (4), a piston (9), which can be drawn at least partially out of the sleeve (4), and an outlet head (8) which adjoins the piston (9), can be pivoted preferably in relation to the longitudinal axis of the piston and has an outlet (16) and an actuating means (11), which is preferably assigned to the outlet or arranged downstream of the same, wherein the actuating means (11) serves to draw the piston (9) out of the sleeve (4) and thereby activate the tap (3) and to pivot the outlet head (8) and thereby open a flow path, extending at least partially through the sleeve (4) and the piston (9), to the outlet (16) and thereby for tapping purposes. The essential factor here is for the actuating means (11) to comprise a handle (12) for drawing the piston (9) out of the sleeve (for activation purposes) and also an actuating lever (13), which is connected to the handle and is intended for pivoting the outlet head (for tapping purposes).

Description

TAP AND CONTAINER OR BEER KEG WITH ONE

TAP

The invention relates to a tap for removing liquid from a loading container, in particular for removing beer from a beer keg. The beer keg is preferably a so-called 5L party beer keg.

The tap comprises a sleeve, a piston that can at least partially be withdrawn from the sleeve, an outlet head adjoining the piston, preferably pivotable to the longitudinal axis of the piston, with an outlet and an actuating element preferably connected to or downstream of the outlet, the actuating element for pulling out the piston from the sleeve and thereby to activate the tap and to pivot the outlet head and thereby to open a flow path extending at least partially through the sleeve and the piston up to the outlet and thereby to the spigot.

The invention also relates to a container, in particular a 5L party beer keg, which is equipped with a tap according to the invention.

For the generic prior art, both with regard to the tap and with regard to the container or the beer keg, reference is made, for example, to WO 2018/234077 A1. A tap of the generic type is known from this publication. A pivotable outlet head with an outlet and an actuating element is already provided there, the actuating element being a more or less flat handle. This serves both to pull the piston out into the working position and to pivot or tilt the outlet head towards the spigot.

In practice, the known actuator is problematic because it combines several functions, making operation difficult for the inexperienced user. For the layman it is not clear how the tap is brought into its working position and how it is tapped. There is also the risk that, at the same time as the basic activation, unintentionally, by pivoting the outlet head is tapped. In addition, the outlet head with the piston, possibly together with the sleeve, can be rotated by applying excessive force, which can result in leaks. The handling of the known tap is therefore problematic and is far from the handling of a classic tap with a large beer barrel.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of designing and developing a tap of the generic type in such a way that the design of the actuating member almost inevitably dictates the functionality. The tap should be able to be brought into its working position easily and easily recognizable from the start. Subsequent operation, in particular tapping, should be possible without extensive explanations and with an unmistakable function. In addition, in terms of basic functionality, the tap should be similar to conventional taps on large beer kegs. Finally, the tap should differ from competitive products, in particular also according to WO 2010/069340 A1, in terms of structure and functionality.

The above object is achieved with regard to the tap by the features of claim 1. According to this, the generic tap is characterized in that the actuating member comprises two functional units, namely a handle for pulling the piston out of the sleeve into the working position and an actuating lever connected to the handle for pivoting or tilting the outlet head forwards or downwards.

A functional separation has been implemented here from the outset. For this purpose, the actuating element has a handle by means of which the tap can be brought into its working position. The handle is used to pull the piston out of the sleeve until the working position of the piston is reached. An operating lever is connected to the handle. This operating lever is used to pivot the outlet head as soon as it is completely pulled out of the sleeve. Pivoting or tilting the outlet head is used to dispense, as is already known per se from WO 2010/069340 A1. For the user, the functionality of the actuator is extremely simple, namely to the effect that the piston is pulled out of the sleeve into the working position of the tap with the handle and that the actuating lever is tapped. The simplest construction results in simple operability.

Advantageously, the handle comprises a preferably ring-like or partially ring-like tab for bending out of the plane of the handle, so that the actuating member for pulling out the piston can be easily grasped. The tab can have fine webs in the sense of predetermined breaking points opposite the main body of the handle, so that the webs are broken when the tab is bent out. This creates a kind of freshness seal, it can be recognized in any case whether the tap or its piston has already been operated or activated.

As an alternative to the provision of the tab, the handle can preferably have shoulders with depressions that protrude from the main body on both sides and are used to grip behind the actuating mechanism. This creates a particularly stable configuration of the actuating member or the handle, so that the piston can be easily pulled out of the sleeve into the working position with two fingers that grip behind the handle. For better positioning of the fingers, the shoulders can be equipped with depressions, which again encourages the operator to reach behind.

The actuating lever, a further component of the actuating member, advantageously has a very special positioning or orientation, namely directed upwards in the zero position. In other words, the operating lever shows in the rotational position of the discharge head closing the flow path, that is, in the closed position of the discharge head, upwards, which is indicated by the aforementioned zero position. In a further advantageous manner, starting from its zero position, the actuating lever can be pivoted forwards or downwards, namely towards the pin. The dispensing process can thus be carried out by pivoting the actuating lever, similar to that in conventional taps. The pin is ended again in that the actuating lever is brought into the upward position.

The actuating lever can have an approximately round or flattened cross section. With a flattened cross-section, the operating lever can be easily operated with two fingers, similar to a joystick.

With regard to production, it is advantageous if the outlet head is made in one piece, preferably as a one-piece injection-molded part. It is also conceivable that individual parts of the outlet head are locked into one another or with one another.

The outlet head is pivotably connected to the piston via an articulated connection, the flow connection to the outlet being established by pivoting. The amount of pivoting can regulate the flow rate. The pivotability of the outlet head can be limited by lugs on the piston or side cheeks on the outlet head, which comes in both directions on the walls of the flow path in the outlet head to the pivoting be limiting system.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the piston is equipped with a marking that is just visible in the pulled-out working position of the piston opposite the free end of the sleeve, i.e. when the outlet head is pulled out, and thereby or thereby indicates the complete activation of the tap. The marking can be a groove or notch in the surface of the piston. The marking can also be carried out in color. In any case, it is essential that the user recognizes a marking indicating the working position of the piston, so that he does not try to pull the piston out further and thereby pull the entire tap out of the container, which does not appear to be excluded due to the internal pressure in the container .

With regard to the maximum pull-out working position of the piston in the sleeve, it is of further advantage if the piston locks in its working position, which the operator can feel when pulling it out. In addition to the simple latching, an inner stop can be provided in the sleeve against which the piston comes to rest at the moment of latching with a shoulder or the like.

The sleeve is equipped at its free end in an advantageous manner with a flange, a shoulder or the like, which is used as a stop in the sealing A plug the sleeve through an opening formed in the container. During assembly, the sleeve is pushed through the opening completely into the container, for example into the party beer keg, or inserted until the flange comes to rest on the outer wall, preferably within a recessed insertion area. It goes without saying that sealing means act between the sleeve or the shoulder of the sleeve and the opening or wall of the container.

In a further advantageous manner, the sleeve or the flange of the sleeve is designed asymmetrically. When it is inserted into the opening of the container, the asymmetrical flange fits into a complementarily designed receptacle in the insertion area of the container, whereby a rotation lock is created when the sleeve is inserted into the container. Unintentional twisting of the sleeve, which could possibly result in leaks, is thus effectively avoided.

Alternatively or in addition, a freshness seal can be assigned to the free end of the sleeve, preferably the flange, which comprises a mechanical connection between the sleeve and the actuating member in the inserted state. The operative connection is equipped with at least one predetermined breaking point, so that when the piston is pulled out into its working position, the operative connection is noticeably destroyed. Since this operative connection cannot be restored if the piston is pushed into the sleeve, an effective freshness seal is created here with simple means.

It should also be noted that different sealing means act between the sleeve and the piston and between the piston and the outlet head, along the flow path. By taking precautions of the sealant, it must be ensures that with the sleeve installed and in any position of the piston, the tap is tight to the outside as long as the actuating member is not actuated to the pin.

A container according to the invention, in particular a 5L party beer keg, is equipped with a tap of the type discussed above.

There are now various possibilities for designing and developing the teaching of the present invention in an advantageous manner. For this purpose, reference is made on the one hand to the claims subordinate to claim 1 and on the other hand to the following explanation of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention based on the drawing. In connection with the explanation of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawing, generally preferred embodiments and developments of the teaching are also explained. Show in the drawing

1a and 1b in schematic views of a 5L party beer keg with a recessed insertion area for the tap,

2a to 2c show schematic views of the beer keg from FIGS. 1a and 1b, the sleeve of the tap being inserted into the beer keg in the area where the keg is inserted, forming an anti-twist device,

Fig. 3 in a schematic view of a 5L party beer keg with a fully plugged-in tap including piston and Be actuating organ,

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a tap according to the invention he with sleeve, piston and outlet head, Fig. 5a to 5c in various schematic views of the swivel ble outlet head including actuator and outlet according to the embodiment of Fig. 4,

6 shows a schematic view of a further exemplary embodiment of a tap according to the invention with a sleeve, piston and outlet head,

7a to 7c in various schematic views of the pivotable outlet head including the actuating member and outlet according to the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 6,

8a to 8c in various schematic views an embodiment example of a sleeve of the tap according to the invention with freshness seal, which can be mechanically connected to the actuating member and

9a and 9b are schematic views of an embodiment of a piston with a groove-like marking for detecting the working position of the piston relative to the sleeve.

Figures 1 and 2 show a special container 1, namely a 5L party beer keg. The beer keg 1 is equipped with a special receptacle or a plug-in area 2 for inserting and fixing a tap 3. Due to the asymmetrical design of the receiving area 2, the receiving area 2 and a correspondingly equipped flange of the tap 3 act as a security against rotation.

Figures 2a to 2c show the beer keg 1 with the receiving area 2, wherein a sleeve 4 of the tap 3 is inserted. Figure 3 shows the beer keg 1 with a total of inserted tap 3, the loading components are shown in the following figures and discussed in the relevant description of the figures.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a tap 3 with the essential Be constituents. This includes the sleeve 4, which is equipped with stabilizing structures 5 out. The sleeve 4 has at its free end a flange 6 with which it comes to rest in the receiving area 2 of the beer keg 1 on the outside thereof. Due to the asymmetrical design of both the flange 6 and the receiving area 2, a rotation lock is created in the inserted state of the sleeve 4.

FIG. 4 also shows a joint 7, via which an outlet head 8 is pivotably articulated on the piston 9.

The piston 9 is provided with a marking 10 which indicates to the user that or whether the piston 9 and above all the outlet head 8 has been properly pulled out of the sleeve 4 so that the tap 3 is ready for operation.

The outlet head 8 is equipped with an actuating member 11 which comprises a handle 12 for pulling the piston 9 with the outlet head 8 out of the sleeve 4. The actuating member 11 further comprises an actuating lever 13 which is used to pivot the outlet head 8 forwards or downwards.

FIG. 4 also shows the components of the freshness seal 14, the mechanical elements thereof being disengaged after the piston 9 has been pulled out, by being broken open. The connection of the mechanical elements 14 of the freshness seal is destroyed via a predetermined breaking point and can be recognized by the user.

FIGS. 5a to 5c show and enlarge the outlet head 8 with the actuating member 11, which comprises the handle 12 which can be bent out to the front and the actuating lever 13. In addition, it can be seen in Figures 5a to 5c that the outlet head 8 has a joint 15 with which the The outlet head 8 is mechanically and also fluidically connected to the piston, not shown in FIGS. 5a to 5c.

Figures 5a to 5c also show the outlet 16, which can be pivoted by means of actuating lever 13 relative to the longitudinal axis of the piston, not shown, whereby the pin is initiated, depending on the degree of pivoting.

Furthermore, the mechanical element 14 of the freshness seal assigned to the outlet head 8 can be seen in FIGS. 5a to 5c.

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of a tap 3 according to the invention, in which the actuator 11 has a special handle 12, namely in the form of shoulders 17 on both sides of the main body of the actuator 11, which can be reached behind with two fingers to pull out the piston 9. An actuating lever 13 is arranged above the shoulders 17, similar to the exemplary embodiment from FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIGS. 7a to 7c show the outlet head 8 together with the actuating element 11 corresponding to the design of the tap 3 from FIG. 6. Special remarks on this are unnecessary with reference to the exemplary embodiment from FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIGS. 8a to 8c show an exemplary embodiment of a sleeve 4 as is used in the exemplary embodiments of the taps from FIGS. 4 and 5 as well as 6 and 7.

The sleeve 4 has a sleeve body 18 which has reinforcing structures 19. These are formed on the surface of the sleeve body 18.

At the free end of the sleeve body 18 is provided with a flange 20 which is designed as an asymmetrical circular ring. It comes to rest on the outer surface of the beer keg 1, in its likewise asymmetrically formed receiving area 2, and acts together with the receiving area 2 as a rotation lock. In the lower region of the flange 20, mechanical elements 14 designed as part of a freshness seal are provided, which interact with a corresponding receptacle 21 on the outlet head 8. When the piston 9 and the outlet head 8 are pulled out into the working position, the mechanical elements 14, 21 are clearly separated from one another, so that the user sees that the freshness seal created by the mechanical elements 14, 21 has been broken. This is irreversible, which speaks for the quality of the freshness seal.

FIGS. 9a and 9b show swivel axes 22 formed on the head end of the piston 9 in the sense of swivel bodies which serve to receive or to plug on corresponding recesses or passages in the outlet head 8. As a result, a pivotable mechanical and flow connection between the piston 9 and the outlet head 8 can be created.

In addition, the piston 9 is equipped with mechanical swivel limiters 23 which effectively limit the swivel movement of the outlet head 8.

In addition, the piston 9 has a latching mechanism which interacts with complementary elements on the inside of the sleeve 4 and limits the movement of the piston 9 relative to the sleeve 4 when it is pulled out. An internal rotation lock prevents the rotation of the piston 9 within the sleeve 4. A sealing surface of the piston 9 is identified by reference numeral 24, whereby the piston 9 is sealed against the sleeve 4. FIG. 9a also shows a longitudinal groove at reference number 9. In the assembled state, a pin, which is formed on the sleeve 4, protrudes into this groove. When the piston 9 is pulled, it travels along the pin. If one were to try to rotate the piston 9, the pin blocks the rotation of the piston 9 within the sleeve 4.

The piston 9 is also equipped with reinforcing structures 25 on the surface.

At this point it should be noted that all the elements of the tap are made of plastic and are preferably manufactured by injection molding. With regard to further advantageous embodiments of the device according to the invention, reference is made to the general part of the description and to the appended claims in order to avoid repetition. Finally, it should be expressly pointed out that the above-described embodiments of the tap according to the invention are only used to discuss the teaching claimed, but do not limit them to the exemplary embodiments.

List of reference symbols

1 container, beer barrel

2 pick-up area (on the container)

3 tap

4 Sleeve of the tap

5 stabilizing structures on the outer surface of the sleeve

6 flange of the sleeve

7 joint (between piston and outlet head)

8 discharge head

9 Piston 0 Marking in the outer surface of the piston 1 Actuator (on the outlet head) 2 Handle (of the actuator) 3 Actuator lever (of the actuator) 4 Freshness seal, mechanical element 5 Joint 6 Outlet of the outlet head 7 Shoulders of the actuator 8 Sleeve body 9 Reinforcing structures on the sleeve body 0 flange 1 receptacle 2 swivel axis 3 swivel limitation 4 sealing surface 5 reinforcing structures in the surface of the piston

Claims

Expectations 1. Tap for removing liquid from a container, in particular beer from a beer keg, preferably a 5L party beer keg, with a sleeve, a piston that can be at least partially pulled out of the sleeve, a piston adjoining the piston, preferably to the longitudinal axis of the Piston pivotable spout head with an outlet and an actuating member preferably attached to or downstream of the spout, the actuating member for pulling the piston together with the outlet head from the sleeve and thereby activating the tap and pivoting the outlet head and thereby opening one at least partially through the Sleeve and the piston extending flow path up to the outlet and serves to the pin, characterized in that the actuating member comprises a handle for pulling the piston out of the sleeve (activation) and an actuating lever, preferably connected to the handle, for pivoting the outlet head (pin). 2. Tap according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle comprises a preferably ring-like or partially ring-like tab for bending out of the plane of the handle and gripping the actuating member. 3. Tap according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle comprises, preferably in front of with troughs or shoulders designed as troughs for engaging behind the actuating member. 4. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the actuating lever points upwards in the rotational position of the outlet head that closes the flow path and thus in the closed position of the outlet head (in its zero position). 5. Tap according to claim 4, characterized in that the Operating lever is preferably pivotable forwards or downwards from its zero position to the pin. 6. Tap according to claim 5, characterized in that the The actuating lever for the pin can be pivoted forwards or downwards in such a way that the outlet of the outlet head is preferably directed vertically downwards 7. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the actuating lever has an approximately round or flattened cross section. 8. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the outlet head is made in one piece. 9. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the outlet head is pivotably connected to the piston via an articulated connection. 10. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the piston has a marking which is just visible in the pulled-out working position of the piston opposite the free end of the sleeve and thereby indicates the activation of the tap. 11. Tap according to claim 10, characterized in that the marking is designed as a groove or notch in the surface of the piston. 12. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the piston preferably latches against a stop in its maximum pull-out working position in the sleeve. 13. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the piston is arranged non-rotatably within the sleeve. 14. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the sleeve at the free end has a flange, a shoulder or the like. Which serves as a stop when sealingly inserted into an opening formed in the container. 15. Tap according to claim 14, characterized in that the sleeve, preferably in front of the flange of the sleeve, is asymmetrical and fits into a correspondingly designed receptacle of the container, whereby a rotation lock is created when the sleeve is inserted into the container. 16. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the free end of the sleeve, preferably the flange, is assigned a freshness seal, which comprises a mechanical operative connection between the sleeve and the outlet element in the inserted state of the piston, which is effected by pulling out of the piston is noticeably destroyed in its working position. 17. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that sealing means act between the sleeve and the piston and between the piston and the outlet head, along the flow path. 18. Container, in particular 5L party beer keg, with a tap according to one of claims 1 to 17.