WO2012042503A1

WO2012042503A1 - Gas distributing bar for beverage dispensing devices from containers such as bottles and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2012042503A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/054307
Authority: WO
Inventors: Massimiliano Rubino; Italo Baldini; Lorenzo Bencista' Falorni
Original assignee: Enomatic S.R.L.
Priority date: 2010-10-01
Filing date: 2011-09-30
Publication date: 2012-04-05
Also published as: ITFI20100052U1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for distributing the inert gas from a dispensing conduit, towards a plurality of user devices, in particular towards a plurality of taps of the type of those employed in apparatuses for dispensing beverages from containers such as bottles and the like, the device comprising a parallelepiped- shaped main body (10) having one hole (11,12) on each end of the body, four holes (13) on the side surface of the body, each hole (11,12,13) associated with a fitting (15) or a cap (16), and a channel (17) which puts the holes in communication.

Description

GAS DISTRIBUTING BAR FOR BEVERAGE DISPENSING DEVICES FROM CONTAINERS SUCH AS BOTTLES AND THE LIKE

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of devices and apparatuses for automatically dispensing beverages. In particular, to the field of devices for dispensing beverages from bottles and similar containers.

State of the art

Devices and apparatuses are known in the art, which are adapted to automatically dispense beverages from containers such as bottles and the like. Some of these devices and apparatuses are such that the bottles or similar containers are kept in upside down position and dispense the beverage contained therein by means of suitable opening of a valve which allows the falling by gravity of the beverage into a container conveniently positioned at the mouth of the container itself.

Others provide the bottles, or similar containers, kept in vertical position, resting on the bottom thereof, and dispense the beverage by means of two tubes introduced inside the bottle through the stopper of the bottle itself. An inert gas is insufflated into the bottle through one of the aforesaid tubes thus keeping the beverage pressurized. When the dispensing tap associated with a tube is opened, the pressurized gas allows dispensing the beverage through the other tube. Devices and apparatuses of this second type are particularly suitable in all those cases, such as e.g. in the case of wine, in which the beverage contained in the bottle would suffer a decline of its organoleptic quality due to the upside down position of the bottle itself.

Indeed, the operation of said apparatuses is based on the control of dispensing of the inert gas employed, which is input into the container of the beverage to be dispensed thus causing the discharge in the quantity requested by the user.

The distribution of the inert gas inside said apparatuses is usually through some conduits which distribute the gas itself from the pressurized containers in which the gas is enclosed, to all taps of the apparatus itself.

Quite often, said apparatuses comprise a plurality of bottles, and hence a plurality of dispensing taps each associated with a conduit from the pressurized container of the nitrogen or equivalent inert gas. Generally, to connect the main conduit associated with the pressurized container, with the individual conduits relating to the individual taps, common "T" connectors or the equivalent are employed, which allow the main dispensing conduit of inert gas to be interrupted and one or more secondary conduits associated with each dispensing tap of the apparatus to be branched off.

Malfunctions are very frequent in systems of this type, related to gas leaks which may in turn be caused by faulty insertions of the "T" connectors, the event being more probable the higher the number of dispensing taps of the apparatus. Moreover, all "T" connectors employed will have a certain sealing level characterized by a certain loss of insertion, also in conditions of correct insertion and operation. Obviously, employing a plurality of "T" connectors involves the multiplication of said loss of insertion by the number of "T" connectors employed. Thus, the need is apparent to obviate the technical problem disclosed above by providing a device adapted to dispense the inert gas from a pressurized container towards a plurality of user taps so as to limit the losses of insertion connected with employing a plurality of "T"-type connectors.

Brief description of the figures

Fig. 1 shows the top, perspective and axonometric views of a first preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows the top, perspective and axonometric views of a second preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

Summary of the invention

The present invention relates to a device for distributing the inert gas from a dispensing conduit, towards a plurality of user devices, in particular towards a plurality of taps of the type of those employed in apparatuses for dispensing beverages from containers such as bottles and the like.

Detailed description of the invention

In reference to accompanying figure 1 , the device according to the present invention comprises: a main body 10, having an elongated shape and comprising two ends and one side surface and a central channel 17, which puts two openings 11 , 12, arranged on said two ends, in communication with each other and with at least one further opening 13 arranged on said side surface. Preferably, said main body 10 is parallelepiped-shaped, comprising four faces having a larger surface and two faces having a smaller surface, in turn comprising a central channel 17 which puts two openings 1 , 12 - arranged on the faces of the two faces having a smaller surface, of said main body - in communication with each other and with at least a further opening 13, and arranged on one of the faces having a larger surface, of said main body 10.

Said openings 11 , 12, 13 may be associated with specific connectors 15 adapted to interface with gas dispensing conduits, in particular with tubes made with plastic material adapted to dispense nitrogen and equivalent inert gases, or may be associated with hermetic caps 16.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the main body 10 comprises, on one of the four faces thereof having larger surface, four holes 13 communicating with said central channel 17, each of said holes 13 being associated with a connector 15 adapted to interface with gas dispensing conduits. The two holes 11 , 12, one on each of the smaller faces of said main body 10, may in turn be associated with a connector 15 adapted to interface with gas dispensing conduits or with a hermetic cap 16.

Preferably, said main body 10 comprises anchoring holes 14 of suitable diameter adapted to promote the fastening of the device according to the present invention. The device the object of the present invention may be made in various sizes and dimensions, so as to adapt to the needs of the apparatus for dispensing beverages from containers such as bottles and the like, on which it is installed. Moreover, the device the object of the present invention may advantageously be made with metal or plastic material. To such an end, plastic materials are particularly suited, which are characterized by increased sturdiness and resistance to wear, such as e.g. Zellamid ^® 900.

Claims

. A device for distributing gas from a supply pipe comprising: a main body (10) having an elongated shape and comprising two ends and one side surface and a central channel (17) which puts two openings (11 ), (12), arranged at said two ends, in communication with each other and with at least one further opening (13) arranged on said side surface, said openings (1 , 12, 13) being associated with specific fittings ( 5) adapted to interface with gas supply pipes or having hermetic caps (16).

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said main body (10) having an elongated shape is parallelepiped-shaped, comprising four faces having a larger surface and two faces having a smaller surface.

3. A device according to claims 1-2, wherein said main body (10) comprises, on one of its four larger faces, four holes (13) communicating with said central channel (17), each of said four holes (13) being associated with a fitting (15) adapted to interface with gas supply pipes, and two further holes (11 , 2) each arranged on the smaller faces of said main body (10), each of said two further holes (1 , 12) being associated with a fitting (15) adapted to interface with gas supply pipes.

4. A device according to claims 1-2, wherein said main body (10) comprises, on one of its four larger faces, four holes (13) communicating with said central channel (17), each of said four holes being associated with a fitting (15) adapted to interface with gas supply pipes, and two further holes (11 , 12) each arranged on the smaller faces of said main body (10), one of said two further holes (11 , 12) being associated with a fitting (15) adapted to interface with gas supply pipes, the other being associated with a hermetic cap (16).

5. A device according to claims 1-4, wherein said main body (10) comprises anchoring holes (14) of suitable diameter, adapted to promote the fastening thereof.

6. A device according to claims 1-5, wherein said main body (10) is made of metal or plastic material.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said main body (10) is made of Zellamid^® 900 material.