PRESSURIZED GAS CONTAINER

Abstract

Provided a multi-layered pressurized gas container, for example one containing carbon dioxide for use in a device or system for the preparation of a carbonated drink, and processes for its manufacture.

Claims

1.-31. (canceled)

32. A pressurized gas container comprising: a container body, defining a pressurized gas enclosure and a neck integral therewith extending from the shoulders of the container to an end portion that is configured for association with a gas port of a device and is fitted with a plug unit; the container body has a multi-layer wall comprising a metal layer overlaid by a molded layer; and the plug unit having an axial bore dimensioned to accommodate a gas-channeling shaft of said gas port, a generally planar barrier element at an inner end of the bore forming a gas-tight barrier between the bore and the enclosure, the barrier element having one or more first portions of reduced thickness to that of other portions of the barrier element such that upon exertion of force on the barrier the one or more first portions irreversibly rupture, and having one or more sealing elements disposed in the bore and being distinct from said barrier element and configured for forming a gas-tight association with said shaft.

33. The container of claim 32, wherein the pressurized gas within the container is pressurized carbon dioxide, and is intended for association with a device, appliance or system for preparing and dispensing of a carbonated beverage.

34. The container of claim 32, wherein said barrier element is a metal sheet.

35. The container of claim 32, wherein said first portions are intersecting grooves, and wherein the barrier element is a disc and the groove intersect on the axis.

36. The container of claim 32, wherein the plug is fitted within an adapter which is coupled to the container's neck, the adapter comprises a device-coupling portion and a container-coupling portion integral with one another; the device-coupling portion comprises upright, axially extending first walls formed around a first lumen portion that defines a plug seat and having a threaded external face; the container-coupling portion comprise downright, axially extending second walls tightly associated with and enveloping the upper portion of the neck's metal layer.

37. The container of claim 36, wherein (i) the second walls are embedded in or associated with the molded layer and has an external surface relief to permit tight association with the molder layer, and/or (ii) the second walls have an internal annular groove accommodating an O-ring for gas-tight association with the external surface of the internal metal layer of the neck.

38. The container of claim 32, wherein said internal layer is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy and/or the molded layer is made of a thermoplastic material.

39. The container of claim 32, comprising one or both of a bottom reinforcing element and a top reinforcing element that are coupled to or embedded in the molded layer.

40. The container of claim 32, wherein the ratio between the thickness of the molded layer to that of the metal layer being in the range of about 1:1 to 20:1.

41. A multipack comprising a holder rack; a carrying element; and a plurality of pressurized gas containers of claim 32.

42. A process for the manufacture of a gas container, comprising: molding a molded layer onto external surface of a metal blank of the container, the metal blank comprising a body defining an enclosure and a metal blank neck integral therewith extending from the shoulders of the metal blank, to thereby obtain a multi-layer container body with a neck portion configured for association with a gas port of a device; fitting a plug unit into the neck to seal the neck in a gas-tight manner; the plug having an axial bore dimensioned to accommodate a gas-channeling shaft of said gas port, a generally planar barrier element disposed at an inner end of the bore and forming a gas-tight barrier, the barrier element having one or more first portions of reduced thickness to that of other portions of the barrier element such that upon exertion of force on the barrier the one or more first portions irreversibly rupture, and having one or more sealing elements disposed in the bore and being distinct from said barrier element and configured for forming a gas-tight association with said shaft; and prior to said fitting filling the container with pressurized gas.

43. The process of claim 42, wherein prior to said molding, filling the enclosure with a fluid, such as water or pressurized gas; and wherein prior to said filling emptying the fluid from the enclosure and optionally cleaning and/or drying the enclosure.

44. The process of claim 42, wherein the pressurized gas is carbon dioxide.

45. The process of claim 42, wherein said fitting comprises: seating the plug within a seat formed in a first lumen portion of an adapter, the adapter comprises a device-coupling portion and a container-coupling portion integral with one another, the device coupling portion comprising upright, axially extending first walls defining the first lumen portion at and having a threaded extemal face, the container-coupling portion comprise downright, axially extending second walls formed around a second lumen portion of a diameter so as to fit snugly over the internal metal layer of the neck; and before or after said seating placing the adapter onto the blank neck such that said second walls tightly envelope the blank neck's upper portion.

46. The process of claim 45, comprising molding the molded layer such that a portion thereof overlays the second walls of the adapter.

47. The process of claim 45, comprising fitting an O-ring within an internal annular groove formed in the second wall to thereby form a gas-tight association with the external surface of the internal metal layer of the neck.

48. The process of claim 45, comprising pressure fitting a fastening ring onto the container's neck and over the adapter.

49. The process of claim 42, wherein the molding is performed by cast molding or injection molding of a thermoplastic material.

50. The process of claim 42, comprising before molding fitting one or both of a bottom reinforcing element and a top reinforcing element at the bottom and onto shoulder of the container blank, respectively.

51. The process of claim 42, comprising molding the molded layer such that the ratio between the thickness of the molded layer to that of the metal blank being in the range of about 1:1 to 20:1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0043] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container of this disclosure with the molded layer made transparent to be able to view internal reinforcing elements embedded therein.

[0044] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a container of FIG. 1 showing its elements.

[0045] FIGS. 3A and 3B are longitudinal cross-sections through the container of FIG. 1 and a container blank, respectively, along axis III-III in FIG. 2.

[0046] FIGS. 4A and 4B are, respectively, an enlarged view of the region marked IV in FIG. 3A, and shows an adapter of the container in FIG. 4B in isolation.

[0047] FIGS. 5A and 5B are, respectively, an isometric cross-sectional view and a top perspective view of a plug unit.

[0048] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of a manufacturing process of the pressurized gas container.

[0049] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate the molding equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the molding process.

[0050] FIGS. 8 and 9 show two exemplary embodiments of a multilayer container of this disclosure where the molded layer is formed without reinforcing elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0051] The invention will now be illustrated with a specific description of a container embodiment of this disclosure and the manner in which it is manufactured. This specific description is intended to provide further illustration and is not intended to be limiting in any way.

[0052] Container 100, shown in FIG. 1, has a container body 102 that is formed around and defines a pressurized gas enclosure 104. The container has a neck 106 extending from the container's shoulders 108 and integral with body 102. The end portion 110 of the neck is fitted with an adapter 112. The adapter, as can be seen in FIG. 1 (as well as FIG. 4B), has a device-coupling upper portion 114 with external threading for coupling to a gas port of a device in which the pressurized gas is to be received and utilized. Although such external threading are typically used, other types of coupling, e.g. bayonet coupling, are also possible.

[0053] The container body has a multi-layered wall, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises two layer. This two-layer wall includes an internal metal layer 116 constituted by a metal container blank 118 (better seen in FIG. 2), which is overlaid by a molded layer 120 (also shown in isolation in FIG. 2). It should be noted that in distinction from the metal blank 118 which is independently formed (by metal molding, extrusion, blow molding, etc.), the molded layer is not an independently formed unit, as illustrated for ease of viewing in FIG. 2, but rather a layer molded on top of the metal blank 118 by injection molding, cast molding, etc.

[0054] Embedded in the molded layer are a bottom reinforcing element 122 and top reinforcing element 124. Both of these have a mesh or basket-like structure and are fitted at the bottom 126 and on top of shoulders 128, respectively, of metal blank 118, prior to molding the molded layer on top of the metal blank. Consequently, these reinforcing elements become embedded in the molded layer. It is to be noted that plastic material does not adhere well to metal and these two reinforcing elements serve, among others, to hold the entire molded layer and ensure its integrity; this may be of importance in the event that the metal layer slightly changes in dimension, e.g. as a result of the change in temperature. It is of note that only one of bottom and top reinforcing elements 122,124 may be used, or at times no reinforcing elements are used.

[0055] The adapter, as will also be further described below, has a container-coupling portion 130 fitted over the neck 132 of the metal blank 118. As a result of such fitting, portion 130 envelopes the upper neck portion 132 and becomes tightly associated therewith. Plug unit 136, which will also be further explained in more detail below (and can be seen in isolation in FIGS. 5A-5B), is fitted into adapter 112 in the manner to be described.

[0056] Another element of the container, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is fastening ring 138 which is externally fitted over the neck of the container and secures the adapter in position, among others, through association with adapter shoulders 134.

[0057] FIGS. 3A and 3B further illustrate the structure of the container 100 and of the container blank 200, respectively.

[0058] The structure of the adapter 112 can be seen in more detail in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The device-coupling portion of the adapter comprises upright, axially extending first walls 140 that are formed around the first lumen 142, in which a plug seat 144 is defined. The first walls 140, as already noted above, are externally threaded to permit coupling to a gas port of the device. The container-coupling portion 130 comprises downright, axially extending second walls 148 that, as can be seen and as noted above, are tightly associated with and envelope the upper portion of the metal neck portion 132. The second walls 148 have external surface relief 150, constituted in this case by a plurality of annular abutments, that are embedded within the molded layer 120, with the surface relief ensuring tight association with the molded layer. An internal annular groove 152 is formed within the second walls, accommodating the O-ring 154 which ensures gas-tight association with the external surface of the metal neck to avoid leakage of pressurized gas between the adapter and the metal neck after the barrier element has been ruptured.

[0059] Defined between the two portions of the adapter are radially extending adapter shoulders 134. As can also be seen in FIG. 4A, fastening ring 138 is fitted around the neck, with its upper portion pressing against adapter shoulders 134, holding the adapter tightly in position.

[0060] Fitted within lumen 142 and seated on seat 144 is a plug unit 136, shown in isolation in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

[0061] The plug unit 136 has an axial bore 160 dimensioned to accommodate a gas-channeling shaft of the gas port (the shaft is typically configured with ducts or openings to channel the pressurized gas into a receiving system within the device). Formed at the inner end of the bore (i.e. the end portion of the plug unit that faces the container's enclosure) is a generally planar barrier element 162. In this embodiment the barrier element is integrally formed with the plug unit; however in other embodiments the barrier element may be an independent element glued or welded to the bottom end of the plug, or may be an element which is forcibly held between the plug unit and the seat. A unique feature of the barrier element is that it has one or more portions of reduced thickness as compared to the thickness of other portions of the barrier element; in this embodiment, the portions of reduces thickness are constituted by two intersecting grooves 164, 166 that intersect at the barrier's center 168, being on the axis of the bore.

[0062] In this specific embodiment, the barrier element has a disc-like geometry, although by other embodiments the inner end of the bore may be differently formed to accommodate a barrier element of other shapes. When force is exerted in a direction normal to the barrier element, which in use such force is applied by the end of the gas-channeling shaft, the barrier element ruptures in a controlled manner in these portions of reduced thickness to permit gas outflow from the enclosure.

[0063] Formed at the outer face of the plug unit are two annular grooves 170 that, as can be seen in FIG. 4A, accommodate O-rings 172 to ensure gas-tight association between the plug unit and the inner face of lumen 142. Formed within bore 160 is an internal annular groove 174, accommodating an O-ring 176 for gas-tight association with the external face of the gas-channeling shaft (not shown) of the gas port.

[0064] A process for the manufacture of a gas container is shown in FIG. 6. The process will be described as one continuous process, beginning with the manufacture of the container blank and ending with the filling of pressurized gas, e.g. carbon dioxide, and sealing the container with the plug to obtain a pressurized gas container. As noted above, the container blank as well as its manufacture are independent aspects of this disclosure and thus the first part of the disclosure ending with the container blank may be continued also as a process of this disclosure and the resulting blank has an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0065] In a first step 302 of the process, a metal blank 118 is provided and fitted with bottom and top reinforcing elements 122,124. In a subsequent step 304, the adapter 112 is fitted on the neck of the metal blank 118 and thereafter, at 306 the molded layer 120 is molded over the metal blank. Optionally, prior to step 306, another step 305 may be applied, in which a fluid (typically water, although pressurized gas may also be used) is introduced into the metal blank enclosure and kept inside during the molding step. This fluid provides mechanical support to the walls of the metal blank to prevent deformation or collapse during the molding process. In such a case, prior to filling the container with the desired gas (i.e. prior to either step 308 or 310, see below), the fluid is removed from the enclosure at 307 and the enclosure is optionally cleaned and/or dried. Then at 308, the fastening ring 138 is fitted over the top of the molded layer with the upper part resting on adapter shoulders 134 to thereby obtain a container blank 200 (shown in FIG. 3B). In subsequent step 310 pressurized gas is introduced into the container's enclosure represented by arrow 312. This may be achieved in a pressure chamber or by coupling the upper part of the container blank to a pressurized gas outlet. Alternatively, filling of the container with pressurized gas may be carried out through the introduction of liquefied or solidified gas, such as solid carbon dioxide (known also as dry ice), which once heating to ambient temperature turns into gas. Then, at the next step 314, plug 136 is introduced into the seat of adapter 112 and the upper lips of the adapter are crimped (at step 316) to fit the plug in position, thereby obtaining a pressurized gas container of the kind described herein.

[0066] Reference is now made to FIGS. 7A and 7B which show an exemplary embodiment for molding of the molded layer over the metal blank. A metal blank 116, the bottom part of which is seen in FIG. 7A, is fitted into a mold 202 associated with a molding assembly generally designated 204 that is linked to a polymer melt feeding unit 206. Coupling assembly 210, shown in isolation in FIG. 7A for convenience of illustration, serves to centralize the blank within the mold and mechanically support it during the molding process. It is of note that although such coupling assembly is shown in FIGS. 7A-7B in association with the bottom of the metal blank, alternatively, the coupling assembly may be associated with the top portion of the metal blank, or even from both the bottom and top portions.

[0067] The polymer melt is then introduced into the space between the mold and the metal blank, that once cooled forms the molded layer. After the molded layer is obtained, the molding assembly 204 is disengaged from mold 202 and the multilayered container is extracted from the mold. The bores left at the bottom of the molded layer after coupling assembly 210 is removed are then filled with polymer melt and left to solidify, thus obtaining a complete molded layer.

[0068] Two further exemplary multilayer containers formed without reinforcing elements, such as elements 122 and 124 shown in FIG. 1, are seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. In the multilayer container of FIG. 9 the molded layer is typically produced in a single molding step, while in that shown in FIG. 8 the molded layer is formed in a two-step process including first forming the bottom portion 214 of the molded layer and then the top portion 216, and typically as shown, is coupling portion 218 for tight association of the two portions.