Patent Publication Number: US-2021178344-A1

Title: Enclosure for the fill plug of a beverage carbonation system or the like

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 USC § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/948,537 filed Dec. 16, 2019. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure relates to securing and sealing fill plugs of CO 2  beverage carbonation systems or like systems requiring the bulk delivery and transfer of a fluid substance, such as a cryogenically controlled liquid or any other type of fluid product. 
     For purposes of example, the beverage industry uses carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) for carbonation, and for purposes of re-supplying carbon dioxide to a relatively large user of carbon dioxide, such as a restaurant, service center, or like facility, carbon dioxide is typically transported in a cryogenically controlled liquid form in a relatively large CO 2  supply tank carried on a delivery truck. The restaurant or like business will typically have a free-standing CO 2  tank located exterior of the building or may have a fill line permanently plumbed to an exterior wall of the building or like facility. 
     For purposes of beginning a fill process, a truck operator accesses a fitting or nipple of a fill plug, which may be located on a wall in a wall-mount arrangement (see  FIG. 1 ) or on the top of a tank in a free-standing tank arrangement (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), and connects a supply hose having a coupler to the fitting or nipple to thereby connect the supply tank to the fitting and enable bulk fluid delivery of carbon dioxide in liquid form to the consumer. Cryogenically controlled liquids, such as carbon dioxide, need to be handled with care upon transferring from the supply tank to the receiving facility due to the low temperature, high pressure, and like characteristics of the cryogenically controlled liquid being delivered. Following the fill process, the coupler is disconnected from the fitting or nipple. 
     For purposes of covering a wall-mounted fill plug when not in use during a delivery and fill process, a conventional sheet metal box may be provided. For instance, see the fill plug  10  and prior art sheet metal box  12  shown in  FIG. 1 . The sheet metal box  12  includes a sheet metal lid  14  connected thereto via a hinge  16 . The lid  16  can be pivoted to a closed position that closes the box  12  and covers and prevents access to the fill plug  10 . The lid  16  can also be pivoted to an open position in a downward direction, as shown in  FIG. 1 , permitting access to the fill plug, such as during a fill process. 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  show a typical free-standing tank  18  having a fill plug  20  on a top  22  of the tank  18 . Such a fill plug is typically permitted to essentially remain exposed when not in use. 
     With the arrangements shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , contaminants, water, and the like are not necessarily prevented from contacting the fill plug during interim periods of time between fill processes. Also, unwanted access to the fill plug is typically capable with relatively little effort. Thus, adequate securing and sealing of the fill plug in wall-mount and free-standing applications are not necessarily provided. 
     SUMMARY 
     An enclosure for a fill plug is provided such that the enclosure can be used with a wall-mounted fill plug or a fill plug on a free-standing tank. The enclosure includes a base to which at least one retainment plate is secured. The retainment plate has an opening for engaging about a throat of the fill plug such that axial and rotational movement of the fill plug relative to the base is prevented. A lid is secured to the base via a hinge and is movable between a closed position in which the lid covers the base and an open position in which the base is uncovered by the lid. The lid defines a cavity for accommodating and covering the fill plug when the lid is in the closed position relative to the base. A lock is carried by the lid for locking the lid in the closed position, and a spring resiliently urges the lid into the open position when the lid is unlocked relative to the base. A gasket is carried by the lid for forming a seal between the lid and the base when the lid is in the closed position. The base can be used with or without a backplate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an image of a prior art wall-mounted fill plug and sheet metal box. 
         FIG. 2  is an image of a prior art free-standing tank. 
         FIG. 3  is an image of the top of the tank of  FIG. 2  having a fully exposed fill plug. 
         FIG. 4  is a partially cut-away perspective view of an enclosure for a wall-mount application in accordance to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a partially cut-away perspective view of the enclosure of  FIG. 4  in a condition for use in a free-standing application in accordance to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the enclosure of  FIG. 4  connected to a fill plug in accordance to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to securing and sealing a fill plug of a CO 2  beverage carbonation or like system between service/fill dates. Although the bulk delivery of CO 2  in the beverage industry may be referenced herein, it should be understood that embodiments disclosed herein can be utilized for securing and sealing a fill plug used for the bulk delivery, loading, unloading, or transfer of any cryogenically controlled liquid or any other fluid product delivered and transferred in any industry. 
     As referenced above, fill plugs may be located and attached directly to a tank, or remotely from a storage tank via a hose or like conduit. For a fill plug that is attached remotely, embodiments disclosed herein mount the fill plug to an enclosure  30  (described below in greater detail) which is then mounted on an exterior wall of a building. This is referred to as a “wall-mount” application. Alternatively, if the fill plug is attached directly to the tank, the enclosure  30  may be mounted directly onto the fill plug on the tank. This is referred to as a “free-standing” application. 
     The primary functions of the enclosure  30  are to prevent unauthorized access to the fill plug and to seal out contaminants, moisture, and other foreign material, particularly during periods of time between service dates in which use of the fill plug during a fill process is not required. The enclosure  30  may be compatible with various styles, types, and sizes of fill plugs typically used in the industry and may function to prevent contaminants and water from contacting the fill plug that may be used, for instance, in the transfer of beverage grade CO 2 . 
     As will be discussed in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 3-6 , the enclosure  30  has one or more retainment plates (such as anti-thrust and anti-rotation plates),  32  and  34 , defining a collar for fitting about and securing to a throat of a fill plug. In addition, the enclosure  30  includes a hinged lid  36  that is able to house and protect the fill plug when the lid  36  is in a closed position relative to a base  38  of the enclosure  30 . The lid  36  is able to be locked in the closed position with a key lock  40  or the like to prevent unauthorized access to the fill plug and includes an inner rim  42  with a seal or sealing gasket  44  that forms a seal with the base  38  to prevent contamination of the fill plug between service dates. The hinge  46  of the lid  36  includes a spring  48  that resiliently positions the lid  36  in an open position when the lid is unlocked from the base  38  so that it remains in an open position during a service operation. 
     In a free-standing application, the base  38  can be directly applied about the fill plug on the tank; alternatively, in a wall-mount application, the base  38  can be secured to a backplate  50  which can be secured to a wall of a building where the fill plug is mounted on the wall. The lid  36 , base  38 , and backplate  50  may be made, for instance, of a glass reinforced blend of polyphenylene and high impact polystyrene. 
     Referring specifically to  FIG. 4 , the enclosure  30  includes lid  36 , base  38 , backplate  50 , a hinge pin  52 , lock  40 , spring  48 , seal or gasket  44 , threaded inserts  54 , bolts or like fasteners  56 , a vent tube  58 , and one or more retainment plates,  32  and  34 . As stated above, the base  38 , lid  36 , and backplate  50  may be molded components, such as injection molded components or the like, that are made of plastic or a thermoplastic material such as a glass reinforced blend of polyphenylene and high impact polystyrene or any other similar material. 
     The retainment plate or plates,  32  and  34 , may be made of metal or like material and may be secured to the base  38  with the bolts  58  and threaded inserts  54  or any other type of fasteners and provide a central opening  60  defining a collar for fitting about a throat of a fill plug  62  thereby securing and locking the fill plug  62  to the base  38 . For instance, see  FIG. 6 . In addition, the retainment plate or plates,  32  and  34 , may prevent rotational and axial movement of the fill plug  62  relative to the base  38  and may include an exposed edge or catch  64  that cooperates with the lock  40  carried on the lid  36  for use in locking the lid  36  in a closed position to the base  38 . The lock  40  may be a key-operated lock or like locking mechanism which includes a latch  66  or like locking component that can be advanced underneath the catch  64  of the retainment plate  32  to lock the lid  36  in a closed position or retracted to a freed position relative to the catch  64  of the retainment plate  32  to permit the lid  36  to resiliently pivot to an open position via force of the spring  48 . 
     The retainment plates,  32  and  34 , may be replaceable or interchangeable and the selection thereof may depend on the series, type, or size of fill plug to which the enclosure  30  is to be secured. Thus, different retainment plates or sets of retainment plates may be provided and selected for use so that the proper retainment plate or plates may be utilized on any specific fill plug and will provide a proper fit. In addition, the retainment plates may include an anti-thrust plate  32  having an inner peripheral circular edge  68  defining the central opening  60  stacked on an anti-rotation plate  34  having an inner peripheral multi-sided edge  70  also defining the central opening  60  for providing a secure connection to the fill plug  62  in a manner preventing rotational and axial movement of the fill plug  62  relative to the base  38 . 
     The backplate  50  is attachable/removable to and from the base  38  so that the enclosure may be used for wall-mount applications (for instance, see  FIGS. 4 and 6 ) in which the backplate  50  is connected to the base  38  and so that it may be removed from the base  38  and not used in free-standing applications (for instance, see  FIG. 5 ). The same fasteners,  54  and  56 , that secure the retainment plates,  32  and  34 , to the base  38  may also be used to secure the backplate  50  to the base  38 . The vent tube  58  may be formed or molded as an integral part of the backplate  50  (for instance, see  FIG. 4 ). The vent tube  58  may be used to vent excess CO 2  from the system and/or to pressure test the system. The vent tube  58  is only used in wall-mount applications. 
     The base  38  provides a mount for the lid  36  via the hinge pin  52  and serves to mount the fill plug  62  via the retainment plates,  32  and  34 , as discussed above. The base  38  also provides support for the retainment plates,  32  and  34 , as discussed above. In wall-mount applications the base  38  is mounted to the backplate  50 . See  FIGS. 4 and 6 . In free-standing applications, the base  38  can be mounted directly to a fill plug on the top of a free-standing top without use of the backplate  52 . See  FIG. 5 . 
     The base  38  has an integrated peripheral relatively-flat lip  72  on an upper surface thereof that surrounds the retainment plates,  32  and  34 , and that extends laterally outward from the retainment plates,  32  and  34 , and laterally outward of the footprint of a sidewall  74  of the base  38 . The lip  72  may be continuous, except for where the catch  64  of the anti-thrust retainment plate  32  extends. 
     The lid  36  serves to provide a protective cover for the fill plug  62  when the fill plug  62  is not being used, such as during periods of time between service/fill dates. The lid  36  pivots and is mounted to the base  38  via the hinge pin  46  or other hinging mechanism. The lid  36  defines a central cavity  76  for accommodating the fill plug  62  when the lid  36  is in a closed and locked condition relative to the base  38 . 
     The gasket or seal  44  made of an elastomeric material or the like is carried by the lid  38  surrounding the bottom of the central cavity  76  so that, when the lid  36  is closed relative to the base  38 , the gasket  44  creates a fluid-tight seal (under normal pressures) with the peripheral lip  72  on the upper surface of the base  38  surrounding the retainment plates,  32  and  34 , and an upper surface of the catch  64 . In addition, the lid  36  includes an outer peripheral skirt  78  surrounding and extending beyond the gasket  44 . Accordingly, when the lid  36  is in a closed condition, the lid  36  fully overlaps and covers the base  38 , including covering the peripheral lip  72  and sidewall  74  of the base  38  with the outer peripheral skirt  78  of the lid  36  contacting the backplate  50 , when the backplate  50  is used in a wall-mount application. This arrangement of the lip  72  of the base  38  and the skirt  78  of the lid  36  prevents water or other moisture from even reaching the gasket or seal  44 . Thus, the combination of this structure and seal prevents the fill plug  62  from being exposed to any contaminants or the like when the lid  36  is in the closed and locked condition. 
     According to an embodiment, the lid  36  may be designed to open in a sideways direction and may be mounted to open in either sideways direction. In addition, the lid  36  is spring-loaded so that it is held open during a filling service. 
     The hinge pin  52  may be pressed into the lid  36  and base  38  allowing the lid  36  to pivot relative to the base  38 . The hinge pin  52  may also retain the spring  48 , which may be a torsion spring. Thus, the spring  48  may be located concentrically about the hinge pin  52  and may resiliently hold the lid  36  in an open position (i.e., the position shown in  FIGS. 4-6 ) while the fill plug  62  is being serviced and/or during a filling operation. 
     The lock  40  is permanently fixed to the lid  36 . When the lid  36  is closed, the lock  40  latches to one of the retainment plates  32 . The seal or gasket  44  is retained in the lid  36  and is compressed between the lid  36  and base  38  to seal any gap between the lid  36  and base  38  when the lid  36  is in the closed and locked position. According to an embodiment, the seal  44  is not necessarily designed to hold pressure; rather, it is designed solely for the purpose of preventing entry of contaminants between the lid  36  and base  38  between service dates. 
     The foregoing description and specific embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles thereof, and various modifications and additions may be made to the disclosed enclosure by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.