The present invention relates to a container for storing and dispensing liquids, particularly beverages such as wine, milk, fruit juices, and the like, contained in bags made of plastics.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a bag for liquids that can be used in the above mentioned container.

In the past, devices for storing and dispensing beverages were used almost exclusively for beer. In recent years, these devices have become popular for other beverages as well, especially in cafes, restaurants, and messes, because of their practicality, hygiene, and low operating costs.

The so-called "keg", a cask made of stainless steel suitable to contain beer, wine, and other beverages, has enjoyed and still enjoys widespread use. After being filled, the keg is pressurized with a gas to dispense the liquid by virtue of a tap.

Italian patent application no. 83318 A/87, filed on 20 February 1987 by this same applicant, relates to a device for pouring a pressurized liquid which includes a glass demijohn which is encapsulated in a hermetic container and wherein the liquid is pressurized by a gas. The glass demijohn does not explode because the system provides for compensation of the pressures inside and outside the

demi john .

These known pressurized dispensing systems entail rigid containers which are bulky and expensive and accordingly require large locking up of capital. The recovery, washing, and filling of the containers entail excessive burdens and do not provide the assured hygiene that a disposable container can provide.

When plastics suitable to remain in contact with food and beverages became available, alternative flexible containers were introduced. Accordingly, milk and even wine, instead of being stored in conventional glass bottles, are normally also marketed in containers made of composite material, for example a multilayer polylaminated material composed of cellulose paperboard and low-density polyethylene.

Casks made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate ) have recently been produced; they have the advantage of being lighter than kegs, cheaper, and equally pressure-resistant.

Containers known as "bag-in-box" have also become rather widespread. These containers are constituted by a bag made of multiple layers of polyethylene and polyester enclosed in a protective holder made of rigid or semirigid cardboard. At the bottom, the bag is provided with a pouring tap that protrudes from the cardboard and allows to draw the contents. As the liquid is dispensed, the bag collapses inside the cardboard holder, allowing the liquid to flow out, with the advantage that the residual liquid

does not make contact with atmospheric oxygen. In this case the liquid flows out by gravity, because the bag is unable to withstand pressure.

Making a beverage flow out of a container by means of gas pressure is a tested and effective method. In addition to the already mentioned advantages, it keeps beverages intact and protected from alteration since they do not make contact with atmospheric oxygen and it allows to dose and adjust the dispensing action at will. Another advantage is constituted by the fact that the pressurized container can be placed far from the tap, for example in a cellar or in another room.

Systems are also known for dispensing a beverage contained in a flexible bag through a dispensing tap by means of pressure applied to the outside of the pouch.

Patents GB 2100357, EP 0 276 994, and EP 0 389 195 describe pouring devices which include a first flexible bag that contains the beverage and a second expandable flexible bag.

Both bags are placed inside an external rigid container.

When the expandable bag is pressurized, it presses on the bag that contains the liquid, making the liquid flow out through a dispensing tap.

These known systems use two flexible bags placed inside a rigid container. This increases the cost of the device and entails greater difficulty in manufacture and use.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks described above by virtue of a container for storing and dispensing drinkable liquids that is particularly simple, compact, and cheap, allows absolute hygiene and very easy handling, and entails a minimal environmental impact.

This aim and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for storing and dispensing liquids, particularly beverages, which includes: a nonreturnable bag made of flexible sheet-like plastic that contains a liquid; an outer vessel made of substantially rigid material which is suitable to accommodate the bag inside it; a first fluid connection means to allow the liquid to flow out of the bag; a second fluid connection means to allow the controlled introduction of air or of a gas under pressure in the interspace between the vessel and the bag, so as to apply on the bag a pressure for dispensing the liquid; characterized in that the vessel is gas-tight and liquid- tight and has a lid which can be opened to introduce a full bag and has a hermetic closing means that is suitable to restore the tightness of the vessel after the bag has been inserted.

The closure means preferably includes a peripheral lid gasket and one or more devices for clamping the rim of the lid against the rim of the vessel.

The first fluid connection means can be constituted by a

flexible hose which lies in the interspace and has , at its i nte rna l end , a conne ctor that c an be removably and hermetically connected to the opening of the bag .

The length of the portion of flexible hose that lies in the interspace is equal to the maximum height of the vessel, in order to allow the end connector to reach the bottom of the vessel during the emptying and collapse of the bag.

The end connector includes a main body which slidingly accommodates a rigid tubular part that is connected to the flexible hose and has a pointed end to perforate a membrane that closes the opening of the bag.

Several advantages are achieved by virtue of this arrangement.

First of all, the system entails the use of a single nonreturnable bag, ensuring absolute hygiene, whereas the outer rigid vessel is meant for unlimited use and thus can be amortized in time.

Since the gas is not in contact with the liquid but presses on the outer wall of the bag, it can be constituted by compressed air, generated by a small compressor or drawn from an external supply line, instead of an inert gas, providing greater practicality and considerable savings.

Differently from conventional systems, the liquid outlet hose does not draw from the bottom of the bag but protrudes

slightly through the opening, approximately flush with the hermetic closure membrane. In this way, when the gas or compressed air presses on the walls of the bag, if air has remained inside, the air flows out first, followed by the liquid, when the dispensing tap is opened. The fact that the air above the liquid is eliminated is highly important for the preservation of the beverage in time.

Additional advantages are constituted by the low cost of the bag, which accordingly makes it unnecessary to recover it, by its low weight, and by its easy disposal, since it can be likened to conventional municipal solid waste.

Furthermore, the bag occupies very little space once it has been emptied, and even when full it is slightly elastic and accordingly adapts very easily to the shape of the rigid container and to the space in which it is stored.

Finally, the bag can be filled up to the level of the connector to avoid contact of atmospheric oxygen with the liquid during storage.

Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment which will be described hereinafter by way of non-limitative example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a device for dispensing liquids which includes a container according to the

- 1 -

invention ;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a container according to the invention, with a completely full liquid bag;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the container of Figure 2, with the bag partially empty;

Figure 4 is a partially sectional view of the container of Figure 2, open and without the bag;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a bag according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a detail of the bag of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the detail of Figure 6, with the addition of a further detail of the container.

Figure 1 illustrates a system f or dispensing drinking liquids and including a container 1 , according to the invention, connected at one end to a dispensing tap 2 and at the other end to a source 3 of pressurized gas , for exampl e an air compressor , by means of a pressure reduction unit 4.

With reference to Figures 2 to 5 , the container 1 includes an outer vessel 5 made of substantially rigid and non- deformable material , for example steel , aluminum or hard

plastics. Outer vessel 5 includes an upper openable lid 7 and a bottom 6 which has a substantially cylindrical side wall and a flat lower wall.

A connector 8 for a tube is provided in the side wall of the bottom 6. The tube connects the internal compartment of the vessel with the compressed air source 3. The lid 7 is rigidly coupled to the side wall of the bottom 6 by an arm 9 which is pivoted at 10.

A disposable cartridge or container 11 that contains the liquid or beverage to be dispensed can be accommodated in the internal compartment of the vessel 5.

In general, the disposable container 11 can be constituted by a bag 12 made of food-grade sheet-like flexible material, for example PET with a thickness of a few tenths of a millimeter, which has a union 13 made of rigid material, for example filled PET or PVC, that is welded or included during molding. Optionally, but not necessarily, the bag 12 can be placed inside a protective holder 14 made of cardboard or the like, for an easier handling, and for reducing the risk of breakage of its plastic wall. In this case, the union 13 protrudes from the holder 14 through a corresponding opening 15 and is kept in this position, when the bag is completely full, by means of a shaped piece of paperboard 16 which is inserted in appropriate lateral slots of the union 13, as shown schematically in Figure 5. The dimensions of the container 11, optionally of its outer semirigid holder 14, are such as to leave an interspace 17

between the bag and the internal compartment of the vessel 5 for reasons which will be explained hereinafter.

According to the invention, the rigid vessel 5 is gas-tight and liquid-tight and is provided with a means for hermetically closing the lid 7.

In particular, the hermetic closure means can be constituted by a two-lip gasket 18 which is accommodated in a peripheral groove of the lid 7 and is suitable to cooperate with the complementarily shaped rim of the bottom 6.

Along the rim of the lid there are also bayonet-mount brackets 19 adapted to stably engage corresponding pins 20 that protrude from the side wall of the bottom 6, in angularly equidistant positions, in order to secure the rim of the lid against the rim of the bottom 6. Conveniently, the lid 7 can be rigidly coupled to the arm 9 by means of a pivot 21 that allows it to rotate, causing the engagement of the brackets 19 with the pins 20. It is possible to provide suitable handles 22 on the lid 7, in order to facilitate rotation about the pivot 21, and optionally a safety valve 23.

A fluid connection means is provided to allow the liquid collected in the container 11 to flow out towards the dispensing device 2. The means is constituted by a flexible hose 24 which lies inside the vessel 5 and is connected to a union 25 that passes through the upper wall of the lid 7.

The opposite end of the flexible hose is provided with a connector 26 that can be detachably and hermetically coupled to the union 13 of the bag 12. When the internal container 11 is placed in the rigid vessel 5, the flexible hose portion 24 is partially folded back and gathered in the interspace 17. As the bag 12 empties and collapses, the hose 24 uncoils, passing through the opening 15 of the holder 14, whereas the connector 26 follows the union 13 towards the bottom. For this purpose the length of the flexible hose 24 must be equal to the maximum height of the vessel.

The connector 26 can be made of rigid food-grade plastic and can be constituted by an adapter 27 that can be interfaced with the union 13 and by a cap 28 that can be coupled to the flexible hose 24.

The adapter 27 is constituted by a cylindrical body with an axial bore 29, an annular groove 30 whose minimum diameter is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the cap 28, and a transverse bottom wall 31. Two or more radial pins 32 are inserted in the cylindrical body. Longitudinal fingers 33 extend from the transverse wall 31 and are provided with hook-like ends 34 that can clamp on an annular ridge 35 of the union. Advantageously, the rim of the union 13 can be closed, after the bag 12 has been filled completely, with a membrane or wall 36 made of semirigid plastic that can be perforated and is applied or melted in place with known methods and has a thinner central region 37.

The cap 28 has an axial hole that slidingly accommodates a tubular part 38 made of rigid material which is stably coupled to the flexible hose 24. The tubular part 38 has an annular stroke limiting protrusion 39 and an annular rim 40 which retains a compression spring 41 at one end against the bottom of the cap 28 and compresses a gasket 42 at the other end. Furthermore, the free end of the tubular part 38 is cut at an angle so as to provide a perforating point 43.

Bayonet-mount notches are provided on the cylindrical side wall of the cap 28 and have circumferential portions 44 that couple to corresponding radial pins 32 by means of an axial movement followed by a rotation. During this maneuver, the tubular part 38 perforates the membrane with the point 43 and then compresses the gasket 42 with the annular rim 40. In this position, the point 43 of the tubular part is located slightly inside the membrane and allows to drain the air trapped between the meniscus of the liquid and the membrane 36. This fully eliminates the residual air, further improving the preservation conditions of the beverage.

During use, after lifting the lid 7 of the rigid vessel 5, a disposable container 11, provided with a protective holder 14 or constituted by the flexible bag 12 alone, is inserted in the bottom 6. After coupling the flexible hose 24 to the union 13 and after installing the adapter 27 and coupling the cap 28, consequently perforating the membrane 36, the lid 7 is closed, making sure to gather the flexible hose 24 in the interspace 17 between the internal

compartment of the vessel 5 and the container 11.

By gripping the lid by the handles 22 and turning it so as to make it rotate about the pivot 21, the brackets 19 are made to engage the pins 20, hermetically closing the vessel 5. At this point it is possible to operate the compressor 3 and open the valve of the pressure regulator 4, injecting compressed air in the interspace 17, so as to apply uniform pressure on the bag 12, causing the liquid to flow out towards the dispensing tap 2. Once the bag 12 has been emptied, it is sufficient to interrupt the supply of compressed air, open the vessel, and replace the empty bag with full one, repeating the above described operations.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is evident that the container is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept expressed by the accompanying claims.