Patent EA-004098-B1 (EA)
Title: Drink dispenser assembly and container for drink and drink dispensing line
Inventor: VAN DER KLAAUW GUIDO PETRUS JO
IPC: B67D1/06
Filed: 2001-05-31
Abstract: 1. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) comprising: a dispenser device (2,37) provided with a dispensing head (18, 29) for accommodating a dispensing line (17,28), and a container (7,27) containing drink, in particular carbonated drink, connected during use to the dispensing line (17,28) which has a coupling element at an outlet end for connection to the dispensing head (18,29), characterised in that the coupling element comprises a shutoff valve (19,32) that can be closed when placing the outlet end of the dispensing line (17, 28) into the dispensing head (18,29) and, respectively, removing the outlet end of the dispensing line (17,28) from the dispensing head (18,29). 2. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to Claim1, characterised in that the dispensing line (17,28) is at least partially flexible. 3. Drink dispenser assembly (1, 25) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the dispensing head (18,29) is provided with a knob or handle (20,33), characterised in that the dispensing head (18,29) has an operating element (45,98) which is connected to the knob or handle and by means of which the shut-off valve (19, 32,102) can be detachably connected, for opening and closing the shut-off valve by moving the knob or handle (20, 33). 4. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to Claim 3, characterised in that the shutoff valve (19,32) is provided with coupling means (51,79,105) for detachable connection to the operating element (45,98). 5. Drink dispenser assembly (1, 25) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shut-off valve (32) comprises a first sleeve (75) and a second sleeve (70), which is concentric with respect to the first sleeve (75), which first sleeve is provided with an inlet (73) to an upstream part of the dispensing line (28) and an outlet(73'), the second sleeve (70) being provided with an inlet (72) which interacts with the outlet (73') of the first sleeve (75) and with an outlet (74), coupling means (79) being arranged on one of the sleeves (75) which can be moved by the coupling means between a flow position, in which the outlet(73') of the first sleeve (75) is in fluid communication with the inlet (72) of the second sleeve (70), and a shut-off position in which the outlet (73') of the first sleeve (75) is closed off by the second sleeve (70). 6. Drink dispenser assembly (1, 25) according to Claim 5, characterised in that one of the sleeves (70) has an interior projection (71), the sleeves (70,75) being movable by the operating element (46,98) with respect to one another in order to bring the projection (71) into sealing engagement on the inlet or outlet (73') of the other sleeve (75). 7. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to Claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the coupling means comprise a flange (50,79,105) or a peripheral groove, the operating element (45,98) comprising an accommodating component (63) that is connected to the knob or handle (20,33) and can be moved in the axial direction of the sleeves (70,75), for engagement on the flange (50,79,105) or on the peripheral groove. 8. Drink dispenser assembly (1, 25) according to Claim 7, characterised in that the accommodating component (63) has an open cavity on one side in which the inner or the outer sleeve (70,75) can be enclosed. 9. Drink dispenser assembly (1, 25) according to one of Claims 4 to 8, with reference to Claim 3, characterised in that the dispensing head (29,90) has a base section (43,91), that is connected to the knob or handle (33,93) and to the operating element (45,98), and a second section (44,95) provided with an accommodating cavity, which second section (44, 95) is movably connected to the base section (43,91), between an open position, in which the operating element (45,98) is released to connect the shut-off valve (19,32) to the operating element (45,98), and a closed position, in which the shut-off valve (45,98) is at least partially located within the accommodating cavity of the second section (44,95). 10. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to Claim 9, characterised in that the dispensing head (29) is provided with locking means (39,47) which are able to release the second section (44) only when the shut-off valve (32) has been placed in a closed position. 11. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to Claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the second section (44) can be moved about a hinge pin (60,94) that is located transversely to the longitudinal direction of the dispensing line (28), or parallel thereto. 12. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the dispensing line (28) is provided with an outlet section (41,103) located downstream of the shut-off valve (19,32). 13. Drink dispenser assembly (1, 25), characterised in that the outlet section (103) is at right angles to the dispensing line (28). 14. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to Claim 12 or 13, characterised in that the outlet end (41,103) is provided with an external peripheral groove (52) or ridge that can be connected to a complementary ridge (53) or cavity on/in the interior of an outlet (42) of the dispensing head (18,29). 15. Drink dispenser assembly (1, 25) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the outlet end (103) of the dispensing line (101) is provided with a plate (104), the dispensing head (90) being provided with a chamber (99) for accommodating the plate and with a window (100), located parallel to the plate (101), for displaying at least part of the plate. 16. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the operating element (45) comprises a guide with an essentially horizontal arm (46), a first end (47) of which can be moved about a pivot pin (48), a curved arm(46') having a fork (63) at one end for coupling to the shut-off valve (19,32) being located at a second end of the arm (46), which end is located some distance away from the pivot pin, and transversely thereto. 17. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to Claim 16, characterised in that the operating element (45) comprises a positioning element (49) beneath which the dispensing line (28) can be fitted for guiding the dispensing line along the curved arm (46'). 18. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the dispenser device is provided with pressure means (13,36), which can be connected to the container (7,27), for feeding a pressure medium to the container (7,27), and with cooling means (34) for cooling a container (7,27) placed in the compartment (3,26). 19. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shut-off valve (14,32) is provided with a vent (77) which is in fluid communication with an outlet (74) of the shut-off valve (19,32) when the shut-off valve is in the closed position. 20. Drink dispenser assembly (1,25) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the shut-off valve is electromagnetic, the dispensing head being provided with an electromagnetic operating element. 21. Drink dispenser device (2,37) comprising a dispensing head (18,29) with a handle or knob (20,33) and an operating element (45,98) connected to the handle or knob, characterised in that the operating element (45,98) comprises an accommodating component (63) for detachably connecting to a shut-off valve (19,32) that is connected to a dispensing line of a container for drink, preferably carbonated drink, which accommodating component can be moved by operation of the handle or knob in order to open and close the shut-off valve. 22. Drink dispenser device (2,37) according to Claim 21, characterised in that the accommodating component (63) can be moved in an accommodating channel for the dispensing line, in the longitudinal direction of the accommodating channel. 23. Drink dispenser device (2,37) according to Claim 22, characterised in that the accommodating component (63) comprises an accommodating cavity open on one side. 24. Drink dispenser device (2,37) according to Claim 21 or 22, characterised in that the operating element (45) comprises a guide with an essentially horizontal arm (46) that can be moved by a first end (47) about a pivot pin (48), a curved arm (46') with a fork (63) at one end being located at a second end of the arm, which second end is located some distance away from the pivot pin, and transversely thereto. 25. Drink dispenser device (2,37) according to one of Claims 21 to 24, characterised in that the dispensing head (29,90) has a base section (43,91), that is connected to the handle or knob (33,93) and to the operating element (45,98), and a second section (44,95) provided with an accommodating cavity, which second section is movably connected to the base section, between an open position, in which the operating element (45,98) is released to connect the shut-off valve to the operating element, and a closed position, in which the shut-off valve (19,32) is at least partially located within the accommodating cavity. 26. Drink dispenser device (2,37) according to Claim 25, characterised in that the dispensing head (29) is provided with locking means (39,47) which are able to release the second section (44) only when the shut-off valve (19,32) has been placed in a closed position. 27. Drink dispenser device (2,37) according to Claim 25 or 26, characterised in that the second section (44,95) can be moved about a hinge pin (60,96') that is located transversely to the longitudinal direction of the dispensing line, or parallel thereto. 28. Drink dispenser device (2,37) according to one of Claims 21 to 27, characterised in that the dispensing head is provided with a chamber (99) for accommodating a plate (101) and with a window (100), located parallel to the plate, for displaying at least part of the plate. 29. Drink dispenser device (2,37) according to Claim 24, characterised in that the operating