Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a container and a coupler adapted to receive and connect with the container. The coupler comprises a body that defines an internal passage adapted to deliver fluid to an interior space of the container, and a supply passage that is in fluid communication with the internal passage such that fluid can be delivered to the internal passage through the supply passage, and a locking member that is adapted to engage a locking groove of the container so as to securely hold the container in place within the coupler.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/201,638, filed May 3, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a bottle and a bottle coupler. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a bottle having a particular bottle finish and a bottle coupler that is adapted to receive and secure the bottle, the coupler further being adapted to pressurize the bottle such that liquid contained within the bottle can be forced out from the bottle.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Recently, portable beverage dispensing systems have been developed that operate under the power of a driving fluid such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) gas. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,913 (“the &#39;913 patent”) issued to Bilskie et al. As indicated in that patent, the beverage dispensing system can include a plurality of liquid containers (e.g., bottles) that are used to store liquids (e.g., soft drink syrups, juice concentrates, etc.) which are used to produce mixed beverages.  
           [0004]    As is also indicated in that patent, these containers can be housed in an inverted orientation within a cart suitable for use on a passenger vehicle such as an airplane. Although the system shown in the &#39;913 patent works adequately well, it would be desirable to have a bottle and bottle coupler which permit upright storage of the bottles.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present disclosure relates to a container that is adapted to connect to a coupler. The container comprises a top end and a bottom end, a body that defines an interior space, and a finish connected to the body, the finish including an opening that provides access to the interior space and including a tapered portion adjacent the top end and a locking groove adjacent the tapered portion, the locking groove being adapted to receive a locking member of the coupler.  
           [0006]    The present disclosure also relates to a coupler adapted to receive and connect with a container. The coupler comprises a body that defines an internal passage adapted to deliver fluid to an interior space of the container, and a supply passage that is in fluid communication with the internal passage such that fluid can be delivered to the internal passage through the supply passage, and a locking member that is adapted to engage a locking groove of the container so as to securely hold the container in place within the coupler.  
           [0007]    The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a bottle.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a bottle coupler adapted for use with the bottle shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a full cross-sectional side view of the bottle coupler shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the bottle coupler shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, depicting a “gas off” orientation.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the bottle coupler shown in FIGS.  2 - 4 , depicting a “gas on” orientation.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a partial, cross-sectional side view of the bottle shown in FIG. 1 connected to the bottle coupler shown in FIGS.  2 - 5 .  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is a partial, cross-sectional side view of a high capacity system that uses the bottle shown in FIG. 1 and the bottle coupler shown in FIGS.  2 - 5 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates a container, i.e., bottle,  100  that typically is composed of a polymeric material and which has a top end  102  and a bottom end  104 . As indicated in FIG. 1, the bottle  100  generally comprises a body  106  that is used to contain liquid, such as a syrup or concentrate, and a finish  108  that, as is described in greater detail below, is used to connect the bottle to a bottle coupler. Provided at the top end  102  of the bottle  100  adjacent the finish  108  is an opening  110  through which an interior space  112  of the bottle can be accessed. As will be understood by persons having ordinary skill in the art, the configuration of the finish  108  depends upon the configuration of the bottle coupler for which the bottle  100  is intended. In one arrangement, however, the finish  108  includes a substantially continuous locking groove  114  as well as a substantially continuous tapered portion  116 , the purpose for both being explained below.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 illustrates a bottle coupler  200  that is adapted for use with the bottle  100  shown in FIG. 1. As indicated in FIG. 2, the bottle coupler  200  generally comprises a body  202 , a liquid pick-up tube  204 , and a liquid outlet tube  206 . The liquid pick-up tube  204  is used to transport liquid from the interior space  112  of a bottle  100  connected to the bottle coupler  200  to the liquid outlet tube  206 . As is described in the discussions that follow, the liquid is forced through the pick-up tube  204  and outlet tube  206  under pressure of a driving fluid such as a driving gas (e.g., carbon dioxide (CO 2 )) that is supplied to the interior space  112  through the body  202  of the bottle coupler  200 . Further identified in FIG. 2 is a gas control lever  208  that can be pivoted about a pin  210  (upwardly and downwardly in FIG. 2). As its name suggests, the gas control lever  208  is adapted to control the flow of gas through the bottle coupler body  202  and, therefore, into the bottle  100  that is attached thereto (see FIG. 6). This gas control lever  208  is shown in the down (i.e., “gas on”) position in FIG. 2. The operation of the gas control lever  208  is described in greater detail below.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a full cross-sectional side view of the bottle coupler  200  and therefore illustrates the internal passages and components of the bottle coupler body  202 . Because the bottle coupler  200  is shown in full cross-section, the gas control lever  208  and its pin  210  are not visible in FIG. 3. As indicated in FIG. 3, the body  202  includes an internal passage  300  that extends from a top end  302  of the body to a bottom end  304  of the body. Disposed within the internal passage  300  is a central tube  306  that is supported by the interior surfaces of the internal passage  300  and which can be secured in place with a retaining pin  308  and a snap ring  310 . As indicated in FIG. 3, the retaining pin  308 , when used, can further secure a connector portion  312  of the liquid outlet tube  206 . The central tube  306  is typically elongated so as to extend along nearly the entirety of the internal passage  300  of the bottle coupler body  202 . The central tube  306  also includes an internal passage  314  that extends from a top end  316  to a bottom end  318  of the central tube. Typically, disposed within the internal passage  314  is a check member  320  that prevents the back flow of liquid through the liquid pick-up tube  204  and, therefore, into the interior space  112  of a bottle  100 . As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid pick-up tube  204  is connected to the bottom end  318  of the central tube  306 .  
         [0019]    Surrounding the central tube  306  within the interior passage  300  of the bottle coupler body  202  is a sealing member  322  that is used to form a seal about a bottle  100  prior to its pressurization. As indicated in FIG. 3, the sealing member  322  is biased against a locking member such as a slide plate  324  that forms part of a bottle release button  326 . Normally, this biasing is provided by a spring  328  that abuts against the interior surfaces of the internal passage  300  of the bottle coupler body  202  at one end, and against the sealing member  322  at the other. As is described in more detail below, the sealing member  322  can be urged upwardly away from the slide plate  324  within the internal passage  300 , against the force of the spring  328 , when the top end  102  of a bottle  100  is urged up into the bottle coupler body  202 . When this occurs, the slide plate  324  is urged to the side (to the right in FIG. 3), against the force of another spring  330  that acts on the bottle release button  326 , by the tapered portion  116  of the bottle  100  (FIG. 1) until the entire tapered portion passes through an oblong opening  325  of the slide plate. At this point, the slide plate  324  snaps back (to the left in FIG. 3) under the force of the spring  330  into the locking groove  114  of the bottle  100  to secure the bottle in place (see FIG. 5).  
         [0020]    With further reference to FIG. 3, the bottle coupler body  202  also includes a valve cavity  332  in which is disposed a gas control valve  334  that is used to control the flow of gas through the bottle coupler  200  and to a bottle  100 . The configuration and operation of the gas control valve  334  is described in greater detail below in relation to FIGS.  4 - 6 . As indicated in FIG. 3, the valve cavity  332 , and therefore the gas control valve  334 , is in fluid communication with a locking mechanism  336  that can be used to lock the bottle release button  326  such that it cannot be depressed to release a bottle. As described below, this locking feature is provided as a safety measure to avoid release of a bottle  100  when it is still pressurized by the driving fluid. Normally, the locking mechanism  336  includes a locking needle  338  that, as indicated in FIG. 3, is biased towards a retracted position in which the needle does not interfere with operation of the bottle release button  326 .  
         [0021]    The valve cavity  332  is further in fluid communication with a vent passage  340  that leads to a vent port  342 . As described below, the vent passage  340  and vent port  342  are used to vent gas from the bottle  100  and bottle coupler  200  when the gas is shut off and the bottle is to be removed. Also in fluid communication with the valve cavity  332  is a gas supply passage  344  that, as indicated in FIG. 3, leads to the internal passage  300  of the bottle coupler body  202 . As is described below, gas supplied to the bottle coupler  200  can be delivered from the gas control valve  334 , through the gas supply passage  344 , through the internal passage  300 , and into a bottle  100  connected to the bottle coupler  200  to cause liquid contained within the bottle to flow up through the liquid pick-up tube  204 . Also shown in FIG. 3 are various gaskets (e.g., O-rings) that have not been identified with reference numerals but which are normally used to form various seals within the bottle coupler  200 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the bottle coupler  200  and, more particularly, the means with which gas is delivered through the bottle coupler. As indicated in FIG. 4, the bottle coupler  200  includes a gas inlet  400  to which an external gas supply line (not shown) can be connected to supply the bottle coupler  200  with driving gas. The gas inlet  400  is in fluid communication with an inlet passage  402  that leads to the valve cavity  332  first identified in FIG. 3. Typically, a check valve  404  is disposed within the inlet passage  402  to prevent the back flow of gas out from the gas inlet  400 . As indicated in FIG. 4, the gas control valve  334  can be arranged as a normally open, three-way valve that is configured to deliver gas to the gas supply passage  344  and the locking mechanism  336 , or to shut off the supply of gas and permit any gas within the bottle  100  and the bottle coupler  200  to escape through the vent port  342 . In FIG. 4, the gas control valve  334  is shown in the closed position (i.e., “flow off”) in which gas flow is shut off. Because the gas is shut off, the locking needle  338  of the locking mechanism  336  is biased to the retracted position and the bottle release button  326  can be depressed (i.e., moved to the right in FIG. 3).  
         [0023]    The operation of the gas control valve  334  is controlled with a valve needle  406 . In contrast to the locking needle  338  of the locking mechanism  336 , the valve needle  406  is biased toward an extended (i.e., “flow on”) position (see FIG. 5). In the extended position, gas is permitted to flow to the gas supply passage  344  and the locking mechanism  336 . As indicated in FIG. 4, however, the valve needle  406  has been displaced to a retracted position (to the left in FIG. 4) by a cam surface  408  of the gas control lever  208 . Such displacement occurs when the gas control lever  208  is in the up (i.e., “flow off”) position indicated in FIG. 4.  
         [0024]    The primary components of the bottle  100  and bottle coupler  200  having been described above, the operation and use of the bottle and bottle coupler will now be discussed in reference to FIGS.  4 - 6 . Referring first to FIG. 4, the bottle coupler  200  is shown in the “flow off” orientation, i.e., with the gas control lever  208  in the up position and the value needle  406  depressed to the retracted position. As described above, this orientation results in the flow of gas to the gas supply passage  344  and the locking mechanism  336  being shut off and the passages within the bottle coupler  200  being vented to the atmosphere. While in this orientation, the bottle coupler  200  is prepared for receipt of a bottle  100  so that liquid contained within the bottle can be dispensed with the bottle coupler. A filled bottle  100  can therefore be inserted into the internal passage  300  of the bottle coupler body  202  at its bottom end  304 . In particular, the liquid pick-up tube  204  can be inserted into the interior space  112  of the bottle  100  through the bottle opening  110 , and the top end  102  of the bottle urged up into the bottle coupler body  202 . When urged into the coupler body  202 , the bottle finish  108 , and more specifically the tapered portion  116 , urges the slide plate  324  to the side (to the right in FIG. 3) against the biasing force of the spring  330 . Insertion of the bottle  100  into the coupler body  202  continues until the entire tapered portion  116  passes through the opening  325  of the slide plate  324 , at which time the slide plate snaps back under the force of the spring  330  into the locking groove  114  to securely lock the bottle in place.  
         [0025]    Once the bottle  100  is secured to the bottle coupler  200  in the manner described above, it is prepared for pressurization. As mentioned above, the gas inlet  400  of the bottle coupler  200  can be connected to an external gas supply line (not shown) which provides the driving gas to the coupler. When the gas control lever  208  is moved to the down (i.e., “flow on”) position shown in FIG. 5, the valve needle  406  is urged to an extended position and the gas control valve  334  is switched to the on position in which gas can flow to the gas supply passage  344  and the locking mechanism  336 . As indicated in FIG. 5, the gas that flows to the locking mechanism  336  causes the locking needle  338  to be urged outwardly to an extended position indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6, so as to prevent the bottle release button  326  from being depressed. Accordingly, the locking mechanism  336  serves as a safety measure that prevents persons from releasing the bottle  100  while it is still under pressure.  
         [0026]    With reference now to FIG. 6, which illustrates a bottle  100  connected to the bottle coupler  200  while the coupler is in the “flow on” orientation, gas can flow through the gas supply passage  344 , as indicated by the directional arrow, and into the internal passage  300  along the exterior surfaces of the central tube  306 . Due to the provision of the various gaskets of the central tube  306 , the gas flows downwardly along the internal passage  300 , as indicated by the directional arrows, and between the sealing member  322  and the central tube  306 . Because the sealing member  322  has been urged upwardly against the force of the spring  328 , the seal between the sealing member and the central tube  306  is broken, thereby permitting gas to flow into the bottle  100 , as indicated by the directional arrows. Therefore, the gas is free to pass into the bottle  100  to pressurize the interior space  112  of the bottle and any liquid contained therein.  
         [0027]    Due to this pressurization, liquid will be forced up through the liquid pick-up tube  204 , as indicated by the directional arrows, whenever the flow of liquid is permitted downstream of the bottle coupler  200  (e.g., with a bar gun). Therefore, liquid can be supplied with the bottle coupler  200  via the central tube  306  and the liquid outlet tube  206  until all of the liquid has been used. At this point, the gas flow can be shut off by moving the gas control lever  208  to the up (i.e., “flow off”) position so as to inhibit the flow of gas beyond the gas control valve  334  and to vent any gas remaining in the bottle  100  and the bottle coupler  200  to the atmosphere via the vent passage  340  and the vent port  342 . Then, the empty bottle  100  can be released by depressing the bottle release button  326  (which is now free to move due to retraction of the locking needle  338 ), and the bottle can be ejected from the bottle coupler  200  under the force of the spring  328 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 7 is a partial, cross-sectional side view of a high capacity system  700  that uses the bottle  100  shown in FIG. 1 and the bottle coupler  200  shown in FIGS.  2 - 5 . In this system  700 , the bottle coupler  200  is used with a first bottle  100  and a second, alternative bottle coupler  702  is used with a second bottle  100 . The first bottle coupler  200  includes a liquid outlet tube  206  that connects to the second bottle coupler  702  and acts as a supply tube for the second bottle coupler. The configuration of the second bottle coupler  702  is similar to that of the first. Accordingly, the second bottle coupler  702  can include a body  704 , a central tube  706 , a sealing member  708 , a liquid pick-up tube  710 , a bottle release button  712 , and a liquid outlet tube  714 , each of which is configured and used in similar manner to the like-named components described above in relation to the first bottle coupler  200 . In addition, however, the second bottle coupler  702  includes a venting mechanism  716 , the purpose for which is described below.  
         [0029]    Operation of the system  700  is similar to that described above for the bottle  100  and bottle coupler  200  provided above. Accordingly, gas is supplied to the first bottle coupler  200  to drive liquid out from the coupler through the liquid outlet tube  206 . In the system  700  shown in FIG. 7, however, the liquid output from the first bottle coupler  200  is used as the driving fluid for the second bottle coupler  702 . Therefore, this liquid flows into the second bottle coupler  702  through the liquid outlet tube  206 , as indicated with the directional arrows, and into an internal passage  718  of the second bottle coupler body  704  so that the liquid can flow between the central tube  706  and the sealing member  708  into the interior space  112  of the second bottle  100  connected thereto. In that the liquid is under pressure, it forces the liquid contained within the second  100  bottle up through the liquid pick-up tube  710  and ultimately out through the liquid outlet tube  714 .  
         [0030]    With the arrangement shown in FIG. 7, twice as much liquid can be stored and dispensed. As will be apparent to persons having ordinary skill in the art, multiple bottle couplers can be arranged in series in the manner shown in FIG. 7 to further increase capacity, if desired. Once the liquid from both bottles  100  shown in FIG. 7 is substantially depleted, one or more of the bottles can be replaced with full bottles, if desired. Where only the first bottle  100  is removed and replaced, the venting mechanism  716  can be used to evacuate gas that has been delivered from the first bottle coupler  200  into the second bottle  100  so that the second bottle can again be filled with liquid.  
         [0031]    While particular embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail in the foregoing description and drawings for purposes of example, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications thereof can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. For example, although “gas” is identified as the preferred driving fluid, it is to be appreciated that, as shown in FIG. 7, substantially any fluid could be used as the driving fluid, if desired. In addition, although particular default settings (e.g., normally open) have been described, persons having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that such settings can be changed and yet the functionality disclosed herein can still be obtained.