CONNECTOR FOR ACTUATING DELIVERING TAPS

Abstract

A connector for delivering taps is described, comprising: a pouring element that connects a tube that takes liquid from the tap to a dispensing device; a valve made of silicone, that performs static and dynamic seals inside the connector; a body, that contains the tap and is coupled with the pouring element; at least one lever, that is connected to the body and makes the tap open through a rotation around a fulcrum obtained on the body; and a small blocking plug, connected to the lever and adapted to engage the tap in an opening and continuous delivery position thereof; the small plug is made in a single piece with a metallic spring having a flexible shape for inserting and fastening it to the lever; the spring is adapted, upon opening the connector, to make the small plug go back to its opening position.

Claims

1. A connector operatively coupled with delivering taps, the connector comprising: (a) a delivering tap; (b) a pouring element connect a tube that takes liquid from the delivering tap; (c) a valve to perform static and dynamic seals inside the connector, the valve being housed inside the pouring element; (d) a body to contain the delivering tap and to be operatively coupled with the pouring element; (e) a lever connected to the body and to make the delivering tap open through a rotation around a fulcrum on the body; and (f) a small blocking plug connected to the lever to engage the delivering tap for opening the delivering tap for a continuous delivery, the small blocking plug being coupled with a flexible metallic spring, the metallic spring being inserted and fastened to the lever, the spring being adapted to make the small blocking plug go back to an opening position when the connector does not work together with the delivering tap.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the delivering tap is adapted for a bag-in-box type tap.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the pouring element is connected through a thread to the body of the connector, the connector comprising a seat on which the valve is placed, so that, by adjusting a diameter of the valve, a force to open the valve is also adjusted.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the static seal, seals the pouring element, the valve and the body, and the connector with the delivering tap.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein the dynamic seal, seals a liquid from the valve until a pump generates a vacuum that opens a cut-out on the valve and lets the liquid pass until the pump requires liquid.

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein the valve is composed of a body having a circular cross section, equipped with an external lip, having the circular cross section, from which the cut-out departs, obtained in a plane part of the valve and adapted to perform a self-seal of the connector.

7. The connector of claim 5, wherein the cut-out is made with a rectilinear shape.

8. The connector of claim 5, wherein the cut-out is made with the shape of a cross.

9. Connector according to The connector of claim 5, wherein the cut-out is made with the shape of a star.

10. The connector of claim 1, wherein the lever is reinforced so as to not distort, and wherein the lever comprises an upper part with a cylinder and a cam, wherein the cam is used for connecting the small blocking plug to the lever.

11. The connector of claim 1, wherein the valve is made of silicone.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the connector for delivering taps of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a side view of the connector of FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a front view of the connector of FIG. 1;

[0022] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector in an opening position thereof;

[0023] FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector connected to a delivering tap;

[0024] FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector in a starting closing position thereof with respect to the situation in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9;

[0025] FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector in a complete closing position thereof with respect to the situation of FIGS. 10, 11 and 12;

[0026] FIGS. 16, 17 and 18 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector in a delivery activation position thereof with respect to the situation of FIGS. 13, 14 and 15;

[0027] FIGS. 19, 20, 21, 22 and 22A are respectively a top perspective view, a side perspective view, a side view, a side sectional view, and a detailed sectional view, of the internal valve of the inventive; and

[0028] FIG. 23 is a view with preferred variations of the internal valve of the inventive connector.

SUMMARY

[0029] Object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems, by providing a connector that, with reference to the above-mentioned problems, has the following advantages:

[0030] a) it uses a special valve with a special geometry that self-drives its opening and closing depending on the recall of any pump device;

[0031] b) it is above all composed of a very reduced number of parts, removing all four sealing rings and the spring that cooperates with the internal valve: this obviously results in an inexpensive connector that is easy to be assembled;

[0032] c) the internal check valve is easy to be removed for its cleaning;

[0033] d) the check valve is geometrically designed to perform all static seals of the connector, and of the connector with the delivery tap of the bag-in-box (or other liquid vessels) and those dynamic seals due to the system opening and closing;

[0034] e) the check valve is equipped with an opening, to allow an outflow of liquid that is wholly satisfactory for the end user needs; moreover, it has the chance (due to its silicone material and the accurate cutting performed thereon during the post-stamping step) to perform a self-seal when it is required to close the liquid passage;

[0035] f) the connector has been reinforced and therefore it not subjected any more, as occurs in other connectors, to twisting during its use;

[0036] g) the small plug that drives the tap opening has its contact surface suitable, in order to allow a contact on a greater surface of the recess with which the tap opening pusher is equipped: this allows highly increasing the pushing force of the tap itself;

[0037] h) the small plug of the connector that drives the final tap opening is a single piece: this simplifies the assembling steps (in the old connector the pieces were two) optimising assembling costs and assembling times;

[0038] i) the internal part called body is geometrically shaped in order to allow a unique chance of placing the tap, thereby avoiding the intuitivity problem, that old connectors had, when using it;

[0039] l) the internal part called body is geometrically shaped in order not to allow the user to wrongly put the plug of the bag-in-box (or of any other vessel) into the connector. In practice, the problem of placing the tap not on the same axis with respect to the connector (severe problem since its use is impaired) has been solved;

[0040] m) the main blockage occurs by means of a lever device;

[0041] n) the lever device that is fastened to the connector body has geometries that enable its opening and its maintenance;

[0042] o) the lever, on its upper part, has the seat for the small plug (on which a cam profile is obtained, that will guide the upper small plug when opening and closing) that will efficiently block the tap in its working position;

[0043] p) the lever has strenghtening geometries (ribs), that allow the piece to have the necessary sturdiness/stiffness in time;

[0044] q) the body has necessary geometries for fastening the lever;

[0045] r) the body has necessary geometries for correctly inserting the tap;

[0046] s) the internal valve, in addition to perform liquid seals in the connector and to have the chance of behave as valves with metal springs (namely have the function of a check valve), due to its geometry and the fact that it is made of silicone, has also the property of performing the liquid seal (always due to its geometry, the fact that it is made of silicone and the accurate cutting obtained on the valve (that can be rectilinear in the preferred configuration, but also shaped as a cross, a star, etc.) between connector and plug (tap)).

[0047] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained by a connector for delivering taps as claimed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are claimed in the dependent Claims.

[0048] It is intended that all enclosed claims are an integral part of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0049] With reference to the Figures, a preferred, but not limiting, embodiment of the connector for delivering taps of the present invention, will now be described.

[0050] It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) could be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the enclosed claims.

[0051] As mentioned above, object of the connectors is keeping the delivering tap in its opening position to allow a continuous liquid delivery.

[0052] Usually, such connectors are used when it is necessary to directly connect the delivering tap to a liquid dispensing device of the type on a counter (for example dispensing devices for wine or beer or juices that can be found in places like bars and hotels).

[0053] One of the peculiarities of the inventive connector is that it is composed of five plastic pieces and one metallic spring, which, however, since it is placed in the upper part (under the small blocking plug), will never get in contact with the foodstuff liquid, and therefore will never generate the problems of the marketed connectors.

[0054] As shown in the Figures, the connector 1 for delivering taps 3 of the invention substantially comprises:

[0055] at least one pouring element 5, that is a part that is used for connecting the tube 7 (usually made of silicone) that takes liquid from the tap 3 to the dispensing device (not shown). The pouring element 5 is connected through a thread 9 to the body 11 of the connector 1. Thereon, the seat 13 is obtained, on which the valve 15 is placed, that will be described below. By adjusting (tightening or leaving a clearance) the housing diameter of the valve 15, preferably made of silicone, also the necessary force for opening the valve 15 is adjusted. Such force is usually generated by a pump (not shown) that can be found at half the path between connector 1 and dispensing device and whose purpose is moving the liquid;

[0056] at least one valve 15 made of silicone, that is a valve with a special geometry that allows, once assembled on the connector 1, performing static seals ((piece with piece of the connector 1 (pouring element 5+valve 15 made of silicone+body 11 of the connector 1) and of the connector 1 with the delivering tap 3) of the connector 1, and further to perform the dynamic seals (once having placed the plug 16 and performed all opening/blocking steps of the connector 1 (and therefore once having opened, and kept in its opening position, the tap 3 in the connector 1), the valve 15 will be able to perform a sort of self-seal of liquid till the pump will generate a vacuum that will open a cut-out 18 obtained on the valve 15 itself, which will pass liquid till the pumpe requires liquid. The valve 15 is stamped in silicone and the cut-out 18 will be obtained thereon (in a post-stamping step) and, due to the properties of silicone and its geometry, will perform the self-seal till a pump recall;

[0057] a body 11, that is the part on which the threaded connection geometries of the pouring element 5 are obtained; also the guides for inserting and housing the tap 3 and the fastening areas of the lever 20 are obtained on the body 11;

[0058] at least one lever 20, that is the element which, due to a rotation (on a fulcrum 22 obtained on the body 11), makes the tap 3 open. The lever 20 is reinforced in order not to get distorted, and is ergonomic to facilitate grasping and closing it. On its upper part, there is a cylinder 24 on which a cam 26 is obtained, that will be used to connect the small blocking plug 16; and

[0059] at least one small blocking plug 16, made in a single piece with a metallic spring 28 with a special flexible geometry for inserting and fastening it to the lever 20. The internal geometry of the small plug 16 allows following the profile created on the upper cylinder 24 of the lever 20 and allows blocking the tap 3 to the connector 1. The spring 28 is used, upon opening the connector 1, to make the small plug 16 go back to its opening position.

[0060] With reference now to FIGS. 4 to 18, the operation of the inventive connector 1 will now be described.

[0061] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector 1 in an opening position thereof, with the lever 20 in a slanted position to allow connecting it to a tap 3.

[0062] FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector 1 connected to a delivering tap.

[0063] FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector 1 in a starting closing position thereof with respect to the situation in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9: in such position, the lever 22 starts being pushed towards the body 11 in order to be overlapped to the tap 3 connected to the connector 1.

[0064] FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector in a complete closing position thereof with respect to the situation of FIGS. 10, 11 and 12.

[0065] FIGS. 16, 17 and 18 are respectively a side sectional view, a side view and a top view of the inventive connector in a delivery activation position thereof with respect to the situation of FIGS. 13, 14 and 15: in this position, the rotation of the small plug 16 in the cam 26 makes the lower end 30 of the small plug 16 come in contact with the top part of the tap 3, blocking it in its operating position for a continuous delivery.

[0066] Finally, FIGS. 19, 20, 21, 22 and 22A are respectively a top perspective view, a side perspective view, a side view, a side sectional view, and a detailed sectional view, of the internal valve 15 of the inventive connector 1: in such Figures, it can be seen how such valve 15 is composed of a body with a circular cross section, equipped with an external lip 32, also with a circular cross section, from which the cut-out 18 departs, which performs the self-seal of the connector till the pump recall. Such cut-out 18 (as pointed out in FIGS. 19 to 23, in particular this latter Figure) is in the plane part of the valve 15, and is obtained through an accurate cutting that, in the preferred configuration, generates two edges. These edges, due to the properties of silicone, are able to get mutually sealed and, only upon the pump recall, open and allow the liquid passage. Silicone is currently the only material that allows performing this operation.