BARREL FOR CARBON DIOXIDE CONTAINING DRINKS AND USE THEREOF

Abstract

Disclosed is a barrel for CO.sub.2-containing drinks. The barrel includes a rigid holder that includes at least two layers, i.e. a first layer that is made of a polymer and a second, fibre-reinforced, layer, whereby the second layer is outside the first layer and whereby the second layer is attached to the first layer.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. Barrel for CO2-containing drinks, whereby the barrel (1) comprises a rigid holder (2) that comprises at least two layers, i.e. a first layer (6) that is made of a polymer and a second (7), fiber-reinforced, layer, whereby the second layer (7) is outside the first layer (6) and whereby the second layer (7) is attached to the first layer (6), wherein the first layer is produced by means of injection molding.

19. Barrel according to claim 18, wherein the barrel (2) also comprises a flexible holder (4,5) that is located in the rigid holder (2).

20. Barrel according to claim 19, wherein the rigid holder (2) comprises a first outlet (15) and that the flexible holder comprises a second outlet, whereby the second outlet is provided with a connecting piece (3) that is connected to the first outlet and whereby the connecting piece (3) is also provided with a tap or a connection for a tap.

21. Barrel according to claim 18, wherein the first layer (6) is made of an injection-moldable polymer.

22. Barrel according to claim 18, wherein the second layer (7) is a glass-fiber reinforced layer.

23. Barrel according to claim 18, wherein the second layer (7) is provided with one or more reinforcing fibers are wound around the first layer (6).

24. Barrel according to claim 23, wherein the reinforcing fibers are embedded in a binder, whereby the binder is polypropylene or polyethylene.

25. Barrel according to claim 18, further comprising a barrier layer to prevent the diffusion of oxygen from the outside to the inside and the diffusion of CO2 from the inside to the outside.

26. Barrel according to claim 18, wherein the barrel has a content that is between 1 and 50 litres, and between 3 and 40 litres.

27. The barrel according to claim 18, wherein the barrel contains CO2-containing drinks, such as beer.

28. Barrel according to claim 19, wherein the first layer (6) is made of an injection-mouldable polymer.

29. Barrel according to claim 20, wherein the first layer (6) is made of an injection-mouldable polymer.

30. The barrel of claim 21, wherein the injection-mouldable polymer is polyethylene or polypropylene.

31. Barrel according to claim 19, wherein the second layer (7) is a glass-fibre reinforced layer.

32. Barrel according to claim 20, wherein the second layer (7) is a glass-fibre reinforced layer.

33. Barrel according to claim 21, wherein the second layer (7) is a glass-fibre reinforced layer.

34. Barrel according to claim 19, wherein the second layer (7) is provided with one or more reinforcing fibres are wound around the first layer (6).

35. Barrel according to claim 20, wherein the second layer (7) is provided with one or more reinforcing fibres are wound around the first layer (6).

36. Barrel according to claim 21, wherein the second layer (7) is provided with one or more reinforcing fibres are wound around the first layer (6).

37. Barrel according to claim 22, wherein the second layer (7) is provided with one or more reinforcing fibres are wound around the first layer (6).

Description

[0037] With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, a preferred embodiment of a barrel according to the invention is described hereinafter by way of an example, without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a barrel according to the invention;

[0039] FIG. 2 shows the part of the barrel of FIG. 1 indicated by F2 on a larger scale; and

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a step in the production of the barrel of FIG. 1.

[0041] The barrel 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 essentially consists of a rigid holder 2 and a connecting piece 3 affixed therein with two flexible holders 4,5.

[0042] The rigid holder 2 is made up of three layers, i.e. a first inner layer 6, a second middle layer 7 and a third outer layer 8.

[0043] The first layer 6 is made of high density polyethylene, HDPE, and has a thickness of approximately 3 mm. The second layer 7 is a composite layer, also with a thickness of approximately 3 mm, formed by a long glass fibre 9 that is wound around the first layer 6 and which is embedded in low density polyethylene, LDPE, 10. The second layer 7 is fused onto the first layer 6, such that these two layers 6,7 are attached together very firmly.

[0044] The third layer 8 is also made of HDPE and is relatively loosely affixed around the first layer 6 and second layer 7, so that there is some space 11 between the second layer 7 and the third layer 8. The third layer 8 consists of two parts, i.e. a base piece 12 and a top piece 13.

[0045] The base piece 12 and the top piece 13 are fastened together around the periphery by means of screws 14.

[0046] The rigid holder 2 has a first outlet 15 that is formed by the first layer 6, and which is provided with an external screw thread.

[0047] In this example, but not necessarily, the rigid holder 2 has an internal volume of 31 litres.

[0048] The connecting piece 3 is provided with two flexible holders, i.e. an inner flexible holder 4 and an outer flexible holder 5. The flexible holders 4,5 are each large enough to fill the space within the rigid holder 2.

[0049] The flexible holders 4, 5 are constructed as bags with a second outlet 16 to which the connecting piece 3 is fastened. The flexible holders 4, 5 are made of a multilayer foil with a metallised layer, in order to be impermeable to CO.sub.2 and oxygen.

[0050] The connecting piece 3 is provided with an internal screw thread that fits on the external screw thread of the rigid holder 2, and with a connection 17 for a pressure medium source, in this example a CO.sub.2 cylinder, whereby a channel 18 is provided from the connection 17 to the space 19 between the inner flexible holder 4 and the outer flexible holder 5.

[0051] A tube 20 is fastened to the connecting piece 3 that is located in the flexible holders 4,5. A tap can be mounted on top of the connecting piece 3.

[0052] The use of the barrel 1 of FIG. 1 is simple and as follows.

[0053] The barrel 1 is assembled by sliding the tube 20 and the two flexible holders 4,5 through the first outlet 15 and screwing the connecting piece 3 onto the first outlet 15 of the rigid holder 2.

[0054] Using a special filling head the inner flexible holder 4 can now be filled, via the connecting piece 3, with such a quantity of beer that the barrel 1 is practically completely filled, in this example with 30 litres of beer.

[0055] A long shelf life of the beer is now obtained because due to the low permeability to CO.sub.2 and oxygen of the two flexible holders, no CO.sub.2 can escape from the beer and no oxygen can diffuse from the outside air to the inside.

[0056] When the barrel 1 filled with beer has to be used, a CO.sub.2 capsule is connected to the connection 17 provided to this end, so that CO.sub.2 can flow into the space 19 between the inner flexible holder 4 and the outer flexible holder 5 and this space 19 can be placed under pressure. The outer flexible holder 5 is hereby pushed against the first layer 6 of the rigid holder 2. A tap is also affixed on the connecting piece 3.

[0057] When the tap is opened the beer flows to the outside due to the pressure applied by the tube 20.

[0058] When the barrel 1 is empty, the connecting piece 3 with the flexible holders 4,5 can be removed and destroyed. The combination of the connecting piece 3 and the flexible holders 4,5 is practically impossible to clean, so that reuse is not possible.

[0059] The remaining rigid 2 holder is inspected for damage. If the base piece 12 is damaged, it can easily be replaced by unscrewing the screws 14, affixing a new base piece 12 and tightening the screws 14 again.

[0060] If the top piece 13 is damaged it can be replaced in a similar way, whereby the first layer 6 and the second layer 7 can be slid out of the top piece 13 thanks to the space 11 that is between the second layer 7 and the top piece 13, and can be slid into a new top piece 13.

[0061] The rigid holder 2 can now be provided with a new connecting piece 3 with new flexible holders 4,5, and filled with beer again.

[0062] The rigid holder 2 can be produced as follows.

[0063] A separate holder 6, that will later form the first layer, is produced by injection moulding. The top piece 13 and the base piece 12 of the third layer 8 are also separately produced by means of injection moulding.

[0064] The said separate holder 6 is wrapped with glass fibre 9, by means of a winding machine 21, and this glass fibre 9 is first guided through a bath 22 of molten LDPE 10. This is shown in FIG. 3.

[0065] Hereby various layers of windings are placed crosswise in order to form together the second layer 7 of the rigid holder 2.

[0066] Due to the fact that the LDPE 10 on the glass fibre 9 is still molten when it is wound, a very good attachment is brought about between the separate holder 6 and the wound layer 7. Attention must be paid here to the positioning of the various components so that the distance between the bath 22 of molten LDPE 10 and the winding machine 22 is not so large that the LDPE 10 has already solidified when it is wound around the separate [holder].

[0067] As an alternative to molten LDPE 10, adhesive, resin and similar can be used to bring about a good attachment to the separate holder 6.

[0068] Then the wound separate holder, that is equivalent to the first layer 6 and the second layer 7, is slid in a top piece 13, after which the third layer is completed by affixing a base piece 12.

[0069] The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described as an example and shown in the drawings, but a barrel according to the invention can be realised in all kinds of forms and dimensions without departing from the scope of the invention.