Abstract:
A combination of a beverage tap and a tap spout plug. The beverage tap includes a tap spout having an opening for dispensing a beverage and the tap spout plug includes an appendage and a handle attached to the appendage. The appendage is configured to frictionally fit in the tap spout opening to seal the beverage tap from contaminants and the handle is provided to facilitate insertion and removal of the tap spout plug with respect to the tap.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/372,259, filed Feb. 5, 2003. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a cap for a liquid dispenser. More particularly, the present invention relates to a protective plug for a beverage tap spout.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Numerous innovations for soda and beer tap covers have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.  
         [0004]     In U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,626 by inventor, Guerra, et al., titled Beverage Dispenser Stanchion cover, a cover for a beverage dispenser stanchion, such as a draft beer tower or the like, having a front containing a tap and a back substantially distal to the tap. The cover comprises a housing shaped to contain at least the stanchion back. The housing comprises a body having a top region, a bottom and a longitudinal opening extending substantially from the body top region to the body bottom, the opening for receiving the stanchion, and adapted to have at least the stanchion front extending outwardly therefrom, the opening further adapted to have the tap extending outwardly and operatively therefrom. A mechanism is provided for quickly and removably mounting the housing to the stanchion.  
         [0005]     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,905, by inventor, Weimer, et al., titled, Beverage Dispenser Tap Cover With Position Sensing Switch, existing beverage dispensing taps may be retrofitted with a mechanism that provides an electrical signal which indicates when the tap is open. That mechanism includes a housing with an open bottom for placement over the tap with a lever of the tap projecting upward through an aperture in the housing. The housing is held in place over the tap by a compression bonnet that holds the operating lever on a conventional beverage tap. A switch assembly within the housing is engaged and operated by a component of the beverage tap to provide the electrical signal. The switch assembly has a unique double action actuator that tolerates different amounts of movement of the tap component. The actuator has a ring that is engaged by the tap component to operate the switch assembly and an annular flange secured to the housing. A first flexible web connects the ring to the annular flange and a button with a surface with a conductive surface is coupled to the ring by a second flexible web. When the switch is closed the conductive surface abuts a pair of contacts.  
         [0006]     In U.S. Pat. No. 4,779750, by inventor, Armstrong, titled, Beer Keg Cap, a removable thermoplastic cap for a beer keg bushing comprising a flat disc with integral peripheral skirt which includes interned upwardly directed gripping lugs preventing removal of the cap when once fitted to a beer keg bushing, vertical slots spaced around the skirt and extending partway across the disc to provide venting for the interior of the bushing, and a pull tab provided on one side of the disc and connected by weakened lines to the opposite side thereof to facilitate peeling off of the cap by tearing apart the skirt.  
         [0007]     Numerous innovations for soda and beer tap covers have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. For example, the types of problems encountered in the prior art are that beer and wine dispensers, called “towers” or “taps” allow bacteria and other microorganisms to enter therein through the opening in their spout.  
         [0008]     In the prior art, unsuccessful attempts to solve this problem were attempted namely: non-replaceable dispenser covers. Other innovations within the prior art are rapidly being exploited in the fields of sanitary products.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention is a combination of a beverage tap and a tap spout plug. The beverage tap includes a tap spout having an opening for dispensing a beverage and the tap spout plug includes an appendage and a handle attached to the appendage. The appendage is configured to frictionally fit in the tap spout opening to seal the beverage tap from contaminants and the handle is provided to facilitate insertion of the tap spout plug into the spout and the removal of the tap spout plug from the spout.  
         [0010]     In a preferred embodiment, the tap spout plug further includes a strap attached at a first end to one of the appendage and the handle. The strap has an opposite second end adapted for attachment to the beverage tap. The strap may be integrally formed with one of the appendage and the handle and may also be formed with an opening at its second end for inserting the strap first end therethrough to form a loop for attachment to the beverage tap. Also, the strap may further include a plurality of teeth formed thereon that are engageable with the strap opening.  
         [0011]     The plug appendage preferably includes a first portion extending from the handle and a second portion extending from and axially aligned with the first portion. The first portion has a maximum width greater than a maximum width of the second portion, wherein the plug appendage is adapted to be removably insertable into at least two differently sized tap spout openings. Additionally, the first and second portions are preferably conical in shape, wherein the maximum width of the first portion is disposed adjacent the handle and the maximum width of the second portion is disposed adjacent the first portion.  
         [0012]     The present invention further involves a method for sealing a beverage tap spout from contaminants. The method generally includes the steps of providing a tap spout plug including an appendage and a handle, wherein the appendage is configured to frictionally fit in a tap spout opening of the beverage tap, grasping the tap spout plug by the handle and inserting the plug appendage into the tap spout opening thereby sealing the beverage tap from contaminants. The tap spout is opened by grasping the tap spout plug by the handle, twisting and/or pulling the handle and removing the tap spout plug from the tap spout opening, thereby permitting dispensing of the beverage.  
         [0013]     The aforementioned patents significantly differ from the present invention because the patented inventions fail to describe and/or claim one or more of the following: disposable or dish washable cap which is capable of snapping on or easily fastenable and conforms to any angle and of spout.  
         [0014]     The present invention went contrary to the teaching of the art which describes and claims covers for beer and soda spouts.  
         [0015]     The present invention solved a long felt need to a disposable sanitary insert.  
         [0016]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tap cap having a plug, cap, and strap.  
         [0017]     More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plug having a plug handle, plug handle indicia, plug appendage, and plug appendage tread.  
         [0018]     In keeping with these objects, and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in the cap having a cap thread.  
         [0019]     When the strap is designed in accordance with the present invention, it has a strap first end with a strap first end opening and strap first end teeth.  
         [0020]     In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the strap also has a strap second end with a strap second end opening.  
         [0021]     The novel features which are considered characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a tap cap ( 10 ).  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is an upper left perspective view of a tap cap ( 10 ) inserted into a tap spout opening ( 18 AA) of a tap spout ( 18 ).  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a cap ( 14 ) being inserted onto a plug appendage ( 12 B).  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of another alternative embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 1  which is a front perspective view of a tap cap  10  removably insertable into a tap spout opening  18 AA of a tap spout  18 A. The tap cap  10  comprises a plug  12  having a plug handle  12 A positioned at one end securely connected to a plug appendage  12 B positioned and extending outwardly from the opposite side.  
         [0028]     The tap cap  10  further comprises a cap  14  having a complimentary configuration to the plug appendage  12 B. The cap  14  is removably positioned over the plug appendage  12 B.  
         [0029]     The tap cap  10  further comprises a strap  16  having a strap first end  16 A and a strap second end  16 B. The strap first end  16 A having a strap first end opening  16 AA through which the strap second end  16 B is inserted therethrough forming a loop. The strap second end  16 B is attachable to the plug  12 . In an alternative embodiment as shown in  FIG. 4 , the strap first end  16 A preferably further comprises a plurality of strap first end teeth  16 AB functioning to engage an outer periphery of the strap first end opening  16 AA. The plug handle  12 A may optionally comprise plug handle indicia  12 AA thereon. The plug handle indicia  12 AA is preferably embossed or raised.  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIG. 2  which is an upper left perspective view of a tap cap  10  inserted into a tap spout opening  18 AA or a tap spout  18 A.  
         [0031]     Lastly, referring to  FIG. 3  which is a front view of a cap  14  being inserted onto a plug appendage  12 B. The plug appendage  12 B further comprises plug appendage thread  12 BA having a complimentary configuration to a cap thread  14 A positioned on the cap  14 . The plug appendage thread  12 BA and cap thread  14 A function to securely hold the cap  14  onto the plug appendage  12 B during insertion and removal into and from the tap spout opening  18 AA. The strap second end  16 B further comprises a strap second end opening  16 BA through which the plug appendage  12 B is securely positioned. The cap  14  screws onto the plug appendage  12 B and remains securely attached thereto. The cap  14  is preferably disposable.  
         [0032]     The tap spout plug assembly  10  as shown in  FIG. 2  can be first attached to the tap spout  18  by removably attaching the strap  16  to the tap spout  18 . The strap first end  16 B is inserted through strap first end opening  16 AA to form a loop that allows the tap spout plug assembly  10  to be held in close proximity to the spout. The user then can grasp the tap spout plug assembly  10  by the plug handle  12 A. The user then inserts the plug appendage  12 B into the tap spout opening  18 AA to form a friction fit between the plug appendage  12 B and the tap spout opening  18 AA. The user can simultaneously push and twist the tap spout plug assembly  10  into the tap spout  18 A to create a fluid tight seal. An advantage of using the tap spout plug assembly  10  is that the plug handle  12 A allows the user to have adequate leverage to insert the plug appendage  12 B into the tap spout opening  18 AA. In order to remove the tap spout plug assembly  10  the user only has to grasp the plug handle  12  and pull the plug appendage  12 B out of the tap spout opening  18 AA. The user can easily use the plug handle  12 A to slightly twist the entire tap spout plug assembly  10  in those instances that the plug appendage  12 B is tightly wedged in the tap spout opening  18 AA.  
         [0033]     In an alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a tap spout plug  20  again generally includes a plug appendage  22 , a handle  24  attached to the appendage and a strap  26  for attaching the plug to a beverage tap as described above. Again, the strap  26  can be made removable from the plug  20  or it can be made integral with either the appendage  22  or the handle  24 .  
         [0034]     In this embodiment, however, the plug appendage  22  includes a first portion  22   a  extending from the handle  24  and a second portion  22   b  extending from the first portion. The first and second portions  22   a  and  22   b  are axially aligned and the first portion  22   a  has a maximum width w a  which is greater than the maximum width w b  of the second portion  22   b . Preferably, the first and second portions are conical in shape wherein the maximum width w a  of the first portion  22   a  is disposed adjacent the handle  24  and the maximum width w b  of the second portion  22   b  is disposed adjacent the first portion. Each portion  22   a  and  22   b  preferably tapers at about a 2 degree angle from its maximum width to its minimum width.  
         [0035]     With this design, the tap spout plug  20  is adapted to fit in differently sized tap spout openings and the tapering conical shape accounts for any variances in the size of the openings due to manufacturing tolerances. For example, while most beer tap spout opening are of a standard size, tap spouts for wine taps have a different sized opening which the tap spout plug of the present invention can accommodate.  
         [0036]     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, any also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.  
         [0037]     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a soda and beer tap covers, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0038]     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.