Single-use beverage barrel made of stainless steel

Abstract

A single-use beverage barrel for one-time use, produced from a primarily cylindrical casing part, deep-drawn bottom and lid parts, having an opening in the center of the lid part, which is sealed by a plastic fitting and wherein the casing part is produced from stainless steel and has a wall thickness of 0.8 mm or less and the bottom part and the lid part are also produced from stainless steel and have a wall thickness of 0.8 mm or less.

Claims

1. A single-walled beverage barrel produced from a predominantly cylindrical casing part, a deep-drawn bottom part and deep-drawn top part, provided with an opening in the center of the top part, which opening is closed by a plastic fitting, wherein the casing part is produced from stainless steel and has a thickness of 0.8 mm or less, and the bottom part and the top part are likewise made of stainless steel and have a thickness of 0.8 mm or less, wherein the longitudinal seam of the casing part is butt welded by means of laser, wherein the fitting is configured to be insertable into the opening of the top part only from the inside prior to the butt welding of the seam and is further configured to be incapable of removal from the opening without destruction of the barrel, wherein the fitting has a liquid flow channel and a gas flow channel that are each selectively sealable and openable, further comprising a socket welded to the top part, wherein the fitting is tightly injection-molded in the socket.

2. The single-walled beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein the casing part is welded with the bottom part and the top part such that the material in the immediate vicinity of the longitudinal weld seams or round weld seams is not tight above an internal pressure of 7 bar so as to prevent a higher pressure increase.

3. The single-walled beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein casing diameter is between 130 mm and 500 mm.

4. The single-walled beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein the barrel height is less than 800 mm.

5. The beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein the components coming into contact with the filling are sterilized either by means of a disinfectant solution and/or by a thermal treatment at at least 85° C. to a maximum of 300° C.

6. The beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein the barrel is pretensioned with an inert gas after sterilization and before filling with beverages.

7. The single-walled beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein at least one sealing means in the flow channels of the fitting can be opened via an attachable tap head.

8. The single-walled beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein the fitting is shaped in such a way that at least one sealing means can be opened when fitting to the filling head of a conventional filling installation.

9. The beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein the fitting is sterilized in a disinfecting bath before inserting into the top part.

10. The beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein a tap head which can be axially displaced by rotating is mounted on the fitting.

11. The beverage barrel according to claim 10, wherein a pin in the tap head can act on a sealing means of the liquid line.

12. The beverage barrel according to claim 10, wherein the tap head has connections with ⅝-inch or ½-inch external threads.

13. The beverage barrel according to claim 10, wherein the tap head has an arrangement which destroys a lock on the fitting after a violent removal of the fitting.

14. The beverage barrel according to claim 10, wherein the tap head has an arrangement which renders at least one sealing means no longer tight after a violent removal of the fitting.

15. The beverage barrel according to claim 10, wherein the tap head has a gas line and a liquid line.

16. A method for producing a single-walled beverage barrel according to claim 1, wherein the casing part is shaped to form a cylinder for welding by means of laser, and the two sheet sides to be welded are in abutment with one another and maintain a gap width of less than 0.2 mm, wherein a fitting is inserted into an opening of the top part from the inside prior to welding.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the top part and bottom part are oriented with respect to the casing part for welding by means of laser such that the gap between the individual parts is less than 0.2 mm.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the fitting is inserted into an opening of the top part from the inside before welding the top part and the casing part or bottom part.

19. The single-walled beverage barrel according to claim 3, wherein the casing diameter is between 230 mm and 290 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) Further advantages and particulars of the present invention emerge from the embodiment examples described in the following and referring to the drawings. The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1 a one-way beverage barrel according to the invention in a first embodiment form;

(3) FIG. 2 a side view of the one-way beverage barrel 1 from FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 a detailed solution for screwing in a fitting, not shown;

(5) FIG. 4 a second embodiment form of a one-way barrel according to the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 a socket at a cut-off top part;

(7) FIG. 6 a sectional view along section line AA in the arrangement according to FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 the tap head and the fitting from FIG. 6 in individual sectional views;

(9) FIG. 8 a handle ring made of plastic viewed obliquely from above;

(10) FIG. 9 a top part of a further embodiment form in cross section;

(11) FIG. 10 a fitting of a further arrangement;

(12) FIG. 11 a third embodiment form of a one-way beverage barrel according to the invention;

(13) FIG. 12 an exterior view of the one-way beverage barrel from FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) In the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a one-way beverage barrel 1 according to the invention made of stainless steel viewed obliquely from above. It comprises a longitudinally welded cylindrical casing part 5 which is expanded and pre-shaped at both front sides for a weld seam 4. The greatest diameter of the casing part 5 is limited to 290 mm. The casing height can vary depending on the required barrel contents. A height of approximately 600 mm results for a volume of 30 liters. The top part 2 comprises an opening 3 with an extrusion 6 which is drawn inward. A bottom part 7 is not visible from this perspective.

(15) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the one-way beverage barrel 1 from FIG. 1. A bottom part 7 which bulges inward is shown in dashes. It is connected to the casing part 5 in a gas-tight manner through the bottom weld seam 4. The bottom weld seam 4 and/or top weld seam 4 are/is formed in such a way that the one-way barrel 1 is stackable and also withstands improper handling at a high internal pressure. The seams are deliberately designed to give way after an internal pressure of greater than 7 bar and allow the beverage to escape without hazard.

(16) FIG. 3 shows a detailed solution for screwing a fitting, not shown, into the opening 3 of top part 2 according to FIG. 1. A plastic ring 8 with a snugly fitting sealing ring 9 is pressed into the opening 3 from the inside. The sealing ring 9 is pressed against the extrusion 6 by the internal pressure present in the barrel after filling to realize a gas-tight connection. Without internal pressure, the plastic ring 8 is fixed by means of a clamping ring 10 which is clipped on from the outside. The plastic ring 8 has a threaded opening 11 in the center into which a fitting (not shown) can be screwed. The basic construction of a fitting is explained in more detail referring to FIGS. 6 and 7. In the embodiment form according to FIG. 3, the plastic parts are pretreated aseptically by submerging in a suitable solution prior to the assembly of the barrel. The metal component parts of the barrel have already been thermally sterilized in a known manner prior to the insertion of the plastic parts. For this purpose, they pass through an oven which heats the metal parts to greater than 85° C. up to a maximum of 150° C.

(17) FIG. 4 shows another construction of a one-way barrel 1 according to the invention. The cylindrical casing part 5 is not expanded in this case but is stabilized by corrugations 12 facing inward. The corrugations have a spacing of at least 14 cm to provide sufficient space for applying a label. Owing to the larger diameter, the bottom part 7 and top part 2 must be constructed somewhat more ruggedly in this construction. The requirements for the weld seams 4 are also stricter with this geometry. In this version, the opening 3 in the top part 2 is extended far outward in the shape of a socket 13 so as to enable the fitting to be fixed without the plastic ring from FIG. 3. As an alternative to this extrusion, when the top cover material is very thin, a separately produced socket 13 can be welded on or inserted from the inside as will be described more fully in the following referring to FIG. 9. When the socket 13 is welded on, the construction can be carried out quickly, reliably and economically by means of projection welding or by means of laser welding. According to the invention, the fitting can also be injection-molded or cast integrally in the socket 13 already before welding using known production methods.

(18) FIG. 5 shows a socket 13 which is welded onto a top part 2, shown in a cut-off manner, in which a fitting 14 is installed and to which a tap head 15 is fitted. The tap head 15 is rotatable on the fitting 14 and is axially displaceable by means of a bayonet guide 16, as it is called. A flexible (riser) hose 17, which is only partially depicted in the drawing, extends from the weld area of the one-way barrel into the fitting 14. The tap head 15 has a liquid connection 18 for the beverage and a gas connection 19 for carbon dioxide or other tapping gases. The two connections 18, 19 have a ⅝-inch external thread, a ½-inch external thread or another customized thread for screwing corresponding lines onto a professional dispensing installation. For tapping without CO.sub.2 and without using professional dispensing equipment, an air pump, gas cartridge or a compressor with pressure reducing valve is connected to the gas connection 19, and a hose with dispenser is fitted to the liquid connection 18.

(19) FIG. 6 is a sectional view along section line AA in the arrangement according to FIG. 5. The fitting 14 is fixed in the lower area of the socket 13 and is protected by the tap head 15 in the upper portion. In order to show the details of the tap head 15 and fitting more clearly, the tap head 15 and fitting 14 from FIG. 6 are shown in FIG. 7 in separate sectional views without O-rings or sealing means. Therefore, the designations in FIGS. 5 to 7 refer to the same embodiment form.

(20) The lower portion of fitting 14 is sealed relative to socket 13 by means of two O-rings 20. The socket 13 has been drawn in at the upper end after insertion of the fitting 14 so as to hold the fitting 14 in a pressure-tight manner. A plurality of gas line bores 21 and a central liquid line 22 in which a sealing body 23 can move up and down run through the fitting 14. At the top end point, the sealing body 23 seals the liquid line 22 at the sealing surface 24 of the fitting 14. The upper end of the riser line 17 inserted into the fitting 14 from below forms the bottom contact point of the sealing body 23. Accordingly, the sealing body 23 has sufficient travel to close off the liquid line 22 in the upper position and to keep the liquid line 22 open as wide as possible in the lower position. The tap head 15 is rotated to open the liquid line 22. The tap head 15 moves up or down axially depending on the rotating direction via the bayonet-type guide groove 16. During a movement in direction of the fitting 14, a pin 25 pushes the sealing body 23 downward away from the sealing surface 24. This clears the path for the liquid through the liquid line 22. During a rotation of the tap head 15 in the opposite direction, the pin 25 is pulled upward again and the sealing body 23 is pressed against the sealing surface 24 by the internal pressure in the barrel. According to the invention, this variant solution functions without the metal compression springs required in known solutions.

(21) The sealing means 26 for sealing the gas line is an elastomer which is mounted on a spout 27 at the lower end of the liquid line 22 and seals the gas line bores 21 with its disk-shaped sealing surface. The sealing means 26 are configured to fit tightly on the spout 27 and close the gas line bores 21 even without a difference in pressure. Accordingly, the sealing means 26 work like a check valve which only releases the path into the interior of the barrel when the line pressure is higher than the system pressure in the barrel. In order to seal the individual lines relative to one another and relative to the environment, two further seals are provided. The fitting 14 comprises a circumferential groove 28 for receiving an O-ring which seals the gas line relative to the environment vis-a-vis the lifting and rotating movement of the tap head 15 at the fitting 14. The sealing of the gas line relative to the liquid line 22 is ensured via an annular groove 29 filled with an elastic foam sealant. A suitably shaped mating piece 30 is pressed into the foam sealant when the tap head is lowered.

(22) Finally, FIG. 8 shows a handle ring 31 made of plastic in an oblique top view. A circumferential annular strip 32 can be sustainably glued on in the area of the upper weld seam 4 of a one-way beverage barrel 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2. A handle strip 34 which likewise extends circumferentially and which is exactly adapted with respect to diameter and shape to the diameter of the lower weld seams 4 of a one-way barrel 1 is formed integrally via four bridges 33. The four cutouts 35 which remain allow a reliable handling of the barrel and afford a reliable support for the hose lines during the tapping period.

(23) To fill the one-way beverage barrel 1, the latter is pressed headfirst without tap head onto an automatically operating filling station and the two flow lines are engaged with the filling station. According to the invention, the barrel can be pretensioned with carbon dioxide or another inert gas. Contrary to the subsequent dispensing process, filling with beverages is carried out via the gas line bores 21 and not via the liquid line 22. The sealing means 26 release the path as soon as the liquid pressure exceeds the internal pressure in the barrel. The gas in the barrel escapes via the (riser) hose and the sealing body 23 in the fitting as soon as the sealing body 23 is forced back by a suitably constructed tool at the filling station. Consequently, the filling of the barrel can also be controlled via the outflow of the gas in the barrel. Accordingly, when the barrels are pretensioned a fully aseptic filling is ensured. A high filling capacity can be achieved with sufficiently dimensioned gas line bores 21. In practice, the one-way beverage barrel 1 is filled volumetrically, i.e., when the required amount of beverage has flowed in, the liquid feed is halted and the barrel is removed from the filling station.

(24) Another embodiment form of a top part 2 is shown in cross section in FIG. 9. It will be seen that the socket 13 is inserted in this case from inside before the top part 2, casing part 5 and bottom part 7 are welded together. To this end, it has a profile portion 36 as stop which defines a stop surface which is pressed under pressure against the interior of the top part 2 by means of a sealing element 37. The cylindrical portion 38 projecting out of the opening in the top part 2 shows an external thread 39 via which the socket 13 can be fastened at least provisionally by means of a fixing part, not shown in more detail, with a corresponding internal thread. Of course, an alternative fastening is also possible, for example, by gluing, at least for a phase during which there is not yet any internal pressure.

(25) Alternatively and in a particularly preferred manner, instead of a socket 13, the fitting 14 can also be inserted directly and by itself into the opening in the top part 2 (see FIG. 9) preferably before the casing part 5 and top part are laser-welded. FIG. 10 shows a correspondingly configured fitting 14. Fitting 14 also has a profile portion 36 defining a stop surface 40 which contacts the inner side of the top part 2 when inserted through the opening. A sealing element 37 (see FIG. 9) can be provided in turn on the stop surface 40 or as part of the stop surface 40.

(26) An external thread 39, in this case an M36 thread, is provided at the substantially cylindrical outwardly protruding portion 41 which projects out of the top part 2 in the inserted state. Via this external thread 39, the fitting 14 can be at least provisionally fastened by means of a fixing part, particularly a nut. This is also possible by means of other fastening means, for example, gluing or by a pin to be inserted through the outwardly protruding portion 41.

(27) After the fitting 14 has been inserted and at least provisionally fastened, the top part 2 and casing part 5 can be put together for welding in which preferably a laser, as welding source, moves around the put-together, upright shell construction. At a later point in time, the stop surface 40 is pressed against the top part 2 owing to the internal pressure so as to create an excellent seal.

(28) Finally, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show a third, particularly preferred embodiment form of the one-way barrel 1 according to the invention. The casing part 5 having a thickness of 0.3 mm is welded to the top part 2 and the bottom part 7, each of which has a thickness of 0.5 mm. The use of a standing ring 42 and a head ring formed as handle ring 31, which are adapted to one another, makes it possible not only to stack one-way barrels 1 but also to add on the top part 2 and bottom part 7 from the outside, as was described previously. The connection is again realized via the weld seams 4.

(29) The fitting 14′ of FIG. 10 is used. Also shown, in addition, is the fixing part 43 which is formed as a nut, for example, whose internal thread cooperates with the external thread 39. A retainer ring can also be used as fixing part 43.

(30) The individual components and connections of the barrel are configured to remain dimensionally stable and functionally reliable at temperatures between −40° C. and −80° C.

(31) A handle ring or standing ring made of plastic or metal can be fastened to the top part and/or to the bottom part and is shaped in such a way that the beverage barrel is stackable and the fitting is protected against mechanical shocks.

(32) The fitting can comprise a gas line and liquid line which are capable of being shut off.

(33) The fitting can be made at least partially of polypropylene, polyamide or another food-safe plastic and is tightly connected to the top part.

(34) In another embodiment, the cylindrical casing part is expanded.

(35) The casing part can be stabilized by having inward-facing corrugations.

(36) The one-way beverage barrel can also have at least one sealing means arranged such that it is no longer tight after the tap head is removed.

(37) The beverage barrel can further have a flexible hose mounted on the fitting in a self-sealing manner and extending from the fitting into the lowest region of the bottom part.