TECHNICAL FIELD

The aspects and embodiments thereof relate to the field of beverage dispensing fines.

BACKGROUND

Many people prefer a tapped beer to have a beer head with a certain thickness. The preferred thickness differs per country and per style of beer that is tapped.

WO 01/92142 discloses a dispensing line provided with a shut-off valve with coupling means for detachable connection to an operating element of a dispensing head. WO 01/92142 further discloses a drink dispenser assembly comprising a dispenser device provided with a dispensing head for accommodating the dispensing line, and a container containing drink, in particular carbonated drink, connected during use to the dispensing line which has a coupling element at an outlet end for connection to the dispensing head.

To control the amount of beer head with the known dispensing line, the shut-off valve may be placed in an intermediate position between fully opened and fully closed.

US2005/0072487A1 discloses a beverage dispensing device for dispensing pressurized beverages at a high flow rate without producing excessive foaming comprising a streamlined valve assembly and a downward extending nozzle assembly which permits a range of containers to be filled from the bottom. SUMMARY

It is preferred to provide a dispensing line and/or a beverage dispenser assembly which is more convenient in use, for example for inexperienced users and/or may result in less loss of beverage. Being more convenient in use, it may for example be easier to control the amount of beer head on a beer dispensed via the dispensing line and/or with the beverage dispenser.

A first aspect provides a disposable dispensing line comprising a shut-off valve with a shut-off valve coupling member for detachable connection to an operating element of a dispensing head, wherein the dispensing line further comprises a regulator valve comprising a regulation member placed inside the regulator valve and an actuator for controlling a flow through area between an inner wall of the regulator valve and the regulation member, which flow through area forms part of a flow path for beverage through the dispensing line.

An actuator may be manually operable by a user. As such, it may be preferred that in use at least part of the actuator is accessible to the user. This part may be exposed, and may for example protrude out of a beverage dispensing assembly. When the actuator is manually operable, the dispensing line may be compatible with the beverage dispensing assembly of WO 01/92142, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The shut-off valve of the known dispensing line may be convenient to control between a fully opened state and a fully closed state. However, intermediate positions between the fully opened state and the fully closed state may be difficult to find by a user. These intermediate positions may correspond to a desired flow of beverage.

When a regulator valve is provided next to a shut-off valve, the shut-off valve may be used for controlling when a beverage is dispensed. The regulator valve may be set to a particular state which corresponds to a desired flow of beverage. The regulator valve may be provided directly adjacent to the shutoff valve. Alternatively, further components of the dispensing line may be present between the regulator valve and the shut-off valve, such as a section of flexible conduit for providing a flow path for beverage between the shutoff valve and the regulator valve.

In general, components of the dispensing line may be shared between the regulator valve and the shut-off valve. As such, a more compact and easier to assemble design may be achieved. A single component may hence have multiple functions.

The dispensing line can be of rigid construction, but can also be telescopic or at least partially of flexible construction. The latter is preferred since this facilitates the positioning of the dispensing line in a dispensing head of a beverage dispensing assembly. It is preferable to make the dispensing line of plastic so that this constitutes a disposable or semidisposable line that is thrown away after it has been used once or a number of times. The term disposable may in general imply that a part is designed to be used once or only a limited number of times and then thrown away. A disposable dispensing line may have the advantage that no cleaning is required, as the dispensing line may be discarded after use. After a previously used dispensing line is discarded, a new and unused dispensing line may be used. In particular, one or more of the shut-off valve, regulator valve, or parts thereof may comprise or consist of one or more plastics or polymers.

The regulation member and the inner wall of the regulator valve may be moveable relative to one another between a first position and a second position in a regulating movement. In the first position, a radial distance between the inner wall of the regulator valve and the regulation member may be smaller than in the second position. The regulation member and the inner wall of the regulator valve may be moveable relative to one another in a direction substantially parallel to a centre line of the dispensing line.

The actuator may be connected to at least one of the inner wall and the regulation member. In particular, the actuator may be connected to only one of the inner wall and the regulation member. In particular embodiments, the actuator may comprise at least one of the inner wall and the regulation member. Hence, an actuator being connected to at least one of the inner wall and the regulation member also encompasses embodiments wherein the actuator comprises at least part of at least one of the inner wall and the regulation member.

The actuator may be arranged to be moved in an actuator movement relative to a remainder of the dispensing line to establish the regulating movement. As such, the remained of the dispensing line may for example be connected to a dispensing head of a beverage dispensing assembly, and the actuator may be moved relative to the dispensing head.

At least part of the regulation member may have a tapered shape. Additionally or alternatively, at least part of the inner wall may have a flared and/or tapered shape. At least part of the flared and/or tapered shapes of the regulation member and the inner wall may be substantially parallel.

When a regulation member has a tapered and/or flared shape, at least part of an outer shape of the regulation member substantially perpendicular to the flow direction may have a non-constant diameter and/or outer shape and/or outer circumference. A change in diameter and/or outer shape and/or outer circumference may be continuous or discrete.

When an inner wall has a flared and/or tapered shape, a flow through area surrounded by the inner wall substantially perpendicular to the flow direction may have a non-constant diameter and/or a non-constant surface area. Preferably, when flared, the diameter increases in a continuous fashion towards the direction in which the inner wall is specified to flare.

The actuator may comprise an outer sleeve for controlling the flow through area, the outer sleeve being connected to one of the regulation member and the inner wall of the regulator valve, wherein an upstream end of the outer sleeve surrounds a downstream end of a section of the dispensing line downstream of the shut-off valve. A sealing member may be present between the outer sleeve and the surrounded downstream end to provide a liquid-tight seal.

The section of the dispensing line downstream of the shut-off valve may be an outer housing member of the shut-off valve, or in general any other component of the shut-off valve or dispensing line.

To establish the regulating movement, the regulation member and the inner wall of the regulator valve may be arranged to be moved relative to one another between the first position and the second position by at least one of sliding or twisting the outer sleeve relative to the part of the dispensing line surrounded by the outer sleeve.

For example, the regulation member may be connected to the outer sleeve.

At least part of the regulation member may taper towards a proximal end of the regulating member. For example, a proximal section of the regulation member may taper towards the proximal end of the regulating member.

The inner wall may be an inner wall of the downstream end of the section of the dispensing line downstream of the shut-off valve.

At least part of or the entire inner wall may flare towards a distal end of the inner wall. In particular, a distal section of the inner wall may flare towards the distal end of the inner wall.

The regulation member may be connected to the downstream end of the section of the dispensing line downstream of the shut-off valve. At least part of the regulation member may taper towards a distal end of the regulating member. In particular, a distal section of the regulation member may taper towards the distal end of the regulating member. As such, a regulation member may comprise multiple tapered sections, which may be tapered in opposite directions.

When the dispensing line comprises an outer sleeve, the inner wall may be an inner wall of the outer sleeve.

At least part of the inner wall may flare towards a proximal end of the inner wall. For example, a proximal section of the inner wall may flare towards a proximal end of the inner wall. The inner wall may thus comprise multiple flared sections, which may be flared in opposite directions. The regulation member may be arranged to be inserted into a flared part of the dispensing line part comprising the inner wall.

In embodiments, the regulation member may be connected to the actuator, the dispensing line may further comprise a guiding sleeve provided at a downstream end of the section of the dispensing line downstream of the shut-off valve, and the actuator and the regulation member may be arranged to be moved relative to the guiding sleeve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The various aspects and examples thereof will now be discussed in conjunction with drawings. In the figures,

Figs. 1A and IB show an embodiment of a downstream end of a disposable dispensing line;

Figs. 2A and 2B show a further embodiment of a disposable dispensing line; and

Figs. 3A and 3B show an even further embodiment of the disposable dispensing line. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figs. 1A and IB show an embodiment of a downstream end of a disposable dispensing line 100 comprising a flexible line end 102. In the Figures, the flow direction for a beverage through the dispensing line 100 is from right to left. Hence, the right-hand side is an upstream side and the left-hand side is a downstream side. In general, a distal end will be oriented towards the downstream side, and a proximal end will be oriented towards the upstream side.

The dispensing line 100 comprises a shut-off valve 104 with a flange 106 as a shut-off valve coupling member. The shut-off valve 104 comprises an inner housing 114, a middle housing 116 and an outer housing 118. The flange 106 protrudes from an outer wall of the inner housing 114. The inner housing 114, middle housing 116 and outer housing 118 are arranged coaxially. By virtue of a movement of the inner housing 114 to the outer housing 118, the shut-off valve may be operated.

The flange 106, inner housing 114, and or any other component of the shut-off valve 104 may be exposed to the surroundings of the dispensing line 100. As such, one or more of the flange 106, inner housing 114, and or any other component of the shut-off valve 104 may be coupled to an operating element of a dispensing head. This operating element as such need not protrude into the dispensing line 100.

The dispensing line 100 further comprises a regulator valve 108 comprising regulation member 112 which is placed inside the regulator valve 108. In the embodiment of Figs. 1A and IB, the regulator valve 108 further comprises an outer sleeve 110 as an actuator for controlling a flow through area between an inner wall 126 of the outer housing 118 as an inner wall of the regulator valve, and the regulation member 112.

The dispensing line 100 provides a flow path for beverage through the dispensing line. In the embodiment of Figs. 1A and IB, the flow path for beverage is provide first through the flexible line end 102, via the shut-off valve 104 to the regulator valve 108 and out of an outlet end 122. The dispensing line 100 is as an option substantially symmetric around a centre line 124. The flow path for beverage may be provided substantially parallel to the centre line 124.

By virtue of the shut-off valve 104, a flow of beverage through the dispensing line 100 may be selectively blocked or unblocked. By virtue of the regulator valve 108, the flow of beverage through the dispensing line 100 may be controlled more precisely.

As an option depicted in Figs. 1A and IB, the regulation member 112 is connected to the actuator 110 by means of a number of struts 128. The struts 128 are connected to a downstream end of the regulation member 112, but may in other embodiments also be connected to different parts of the regulation member 112. Examples of these different parts are at or near a middle of the regulation member 112, at or near an upstream end, anywhere else on the regulation member 112, or any combination thereof. In general, any number of struts 128 may be used, and the struts 128 may be for example provide with a substantially equal circumferential distance between the struts 128.

Fig. 1A shown the regulation member 112 in a first axial position corresponding to a large flow-through area, and Fig. IB shows the regulation member 112 in a second axial position corresponding to a small flow-through area. In particular, a radial distance between the inner wall 126 of the outer housing 118 and the regulation member 112 is larger in the first axial position of Fig. 1A than in the second axial position of Fig. IB. A limit to the second axial position may be defined by a stopping flange 132 protruding from an outer wall of the outer housing 118.

A stopping member may also be present which defines a limit to the first axial position, and which may prevent disconnection of the outer sleeve 110 and the outer housing 118. As a further option, the upstream limit of the regulation member 112 may be defined by the position of the regulation member 122 at which the regulation member 112 contacts the inner wall 126.

Between the situations shown in Figs. 1A and IB, the regulation member 112 and the inner wall 126 have been moved relative to one another in a regulating movement. In particular, the regulating movement is substantially parallel to the centre line 124 of the dispensing line. For the regulating movement, the outer sleeve 110 may have been moved in an actuator movement.

An upstream end of the regulation member 112 as depicted in Figs. 1A and IB is tapered in an upstream direction. As a further option, a downstream end of the regulation member 112 is tapered in a downstream direction. Tapering of the regulation member 112 may be used to at least partially prevent a turbulent flow of beverage around the regulation member 112. A turbulent flow may be undesirable for example when the beverage is a carbonated beverage because it may cause undesired foaming of the beverage. A tapered end of a regulation member 112 may end in a sharp point, or the end may be rounded off.

To transition between the first axial position of Fig. 1A and the second axial position of Fig. IB, the outer sleeve 110 with the regulation member 112 connected thereto is axially moved in an upstream direction. With this movement, the regulation member 112 is inserted further into the outer housing 118 which provides the inner wall 126. In the first axial position, in different embodiments, the regulation member 112 may be positioned fully outside the outer housing 118, or the regulation member 112 may be at least partially inserted into the outer housing 118.

In general, an axial movement of a component such as the outer sleeve 110 may be constituted by a purely axial translation. Alternatively, the axial movement may be constituted by virtue of a rotation of the component around the centre line 124 of the dispensing line 100 in combination with a threaded connection. The threaded connection converts the rotation into an axial translation.

A downstream part of the outer housing 118 of the shut-off valve 104 provides the inner wall 126 in the embodiment of Figs. 1A and IB. The inner wall 126 may be tapered and/or flared in an upstream direction, and the taper angle of the inner wall 126 may at least partially correspond to the taper angle of the upstream end of the regulation member 112. When at least part of the inner wall 126 is tapered and/or flared with a constant angle, this part of the inner wall 126 may be oriented parallel to a part of the regulation member 112.

As depicted in Figs. 1A and IB, an upstream end of the outer sleeve 110 may surround a downstream end of the outer housing 118 of the shut-off valve 104. As such, to transition between the first state and the second state, the upstream end of the outer sleeve 110 may slide over the downstream end of the outer housing 118. An O-ring 130 as an example of a sealing member may be present between the outer sleeve 110 and the outer housing 118 to provide a substantially liquid-tight seal and/or to allow axial movement of the outer sleeve 110 relative to the outer housing 118 as a bearing.

In embodiments, the regulation member 112 may be substantially solid such that the flow path for beverage is directed entirely around the regulation member 112 along an outer wall thereof. In other embodiments, the regulation member 112 may be provided with one or more axial channels which provide a flow path for beverage through the regulation member 112. In such embodiments, a radial distance between the regulation member 112 and the inner wall 126 of the regulator valve 108 may become smaller or even zero, since an additional flow through area for the beverage is provided through the regulation member 112.

Figs. 2A and 2B show a further embodiment of a disposable dispensing line 100, respectively in a first state and a second state. In the first state, a larger flow through area is provided to a flow of beverage by the regulator valve 108 than in the second state. To transition between the first state and the second state, the outer sleeve 110 as the actuator is axially moved relative to the outer housing 118 of the shut-off valve.

In the embodiments of Figs. 2A and 2B, the regulation member 112 is connected to the outer housing 118 of the shut-off valve 104 via one or more struts 128. By axially moving the outer sleeve 110 relative to the regulation member 112, a radial distance between an inner wall 126 of the outer sleeve 110 and the regulation member 112 may be changed by virtue of the inner wall 126 and the regulation member 112 being at least partially tapered.

As shown for example in Figs. 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, the flow through area through the outer sleeve 110 may decrease towards the outlet end 122. This decrease may be gradual, discrete, or a combination thereof. The outer sleeve 110 may comprise one or more constrictions to achieve a desired flow through area for the beverage.

Figs. 3A and 3B show an even further embodiment of the disposable dispensing line 100 comprising the shut-off valve 104 and a particular embodiment of a regulator valve 108. Respectively in Figs. 3A and 3B, the regulator valve 108 is depicted in a first state and in a second state, wherein a flow through area for a flow of beverage through the regulator valve 108 between the regulation member 112 and the inner wall 126 is larger in the first state than in the second state.

In particular, between the states of Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, the regulation member 112 has been moved relative to the inner wall 126 in a regulating movement. By virtue of this regulating movement, a distance between the regulation member 112 and the inner wall 126 has changed.

The particular embodiment of Figs. 3A and 3B comprises an outlet sleeve 122 as an actuator. The regulation member 112 is connected to the outlet sleeve 122 by one or more struts 128. The outlet sleeve 122 is arranged to be translated axially relative to the outer sleeve 110 of the regulator valve 108. In this way, the outer sleeve 110 functions as a guiding sleeve.

The outer housing 118 of the shut-off valve 104 provides the inner wall 126, and an axial translation of the outlet sleeve 122 results in a change in radial distance between the inner wall 126 and the regulation member 112.

For axially translating the outlet sleeve 122, the outlet sleeve 122 may for example be pushed into the outer sleeve 110 and/or pulled out of the outer sleeve 110.

As another option, an outer wall of the outlet sleeve 122 may comprise a first thread, an inner wall of the outer sleeve 110 may comprise a second thread complementary to the first thread. A rotation of the outlet sleeve 122 relative to the outer sleeve 110 around the centre line 124 may then result in an axial translation of the outlet sleeve 122 relative to the outer sleeve 110.

To maintain a rotational position, the outlet sleeve 122, the regulation member 123, or both, may be provided with one or more keys 123. The outer sleeve 110 may comprise a keyway through which the one or more keys 123 may translate. When the one or more keys 123 are mated into the keyway, rotation of the outlet sleeve 122 relative to the outer sleeve 110 may be prevented, and hence a rotation of the outer sleeve 110 as the actuator may result in a translation of the outlet sleeve 122 and the regulation member 123.

In general, a regulator valve may be provided upstream or downstream of a shut-off valve. When the regulator valve is provided upstream of the shut-off valve, a further housing part may be comprised by the dispensing line. This further housing part may provide similar functionalities as the outer housing of the shut-off valve which are described above, and may be similarly shaped. For example, the further housing part may comprise a tapered inner wall section arranged to form a flow through area for the flow of beverage through the dispensing line together with the regulation member.

As an option depicted throughout the Figures and applicable to any embodiment of the dispensing line, the shut-off valve 104 may be positioned coaxially relative to the regulator valve 108. Both the shut-off valve 104 and the regulator valve 108 may be approximately or fully rotationally symmetric relative to the centre line 124 and/or a flow direction for beverage through the dispensing line.

As a further option, a direction of movement of the regulation member 112 may be approximately parallel, or even parallel to a direction of movement of the shut-off valve coupling member 106 or inner housing 114. The direction of movement of the regulation member 112 and the direction of movement of the shut-off valve coupling member 106 or inner housing 114 may both be parallel or approximately parallel to the centre line 124, or even over the centre line 124.

Another optional feature which may be applied to any embodiment of the dispensing line 100 is that at least part, more than half, more than 75% or all of a tapered section 113 of the regulation member 112 is positioned inside the dispensing line 100. In particular, this part of all of the tapered section 113 may be surrounded by the inner wall 126 of the regulator valve. As such, no part of the regulation member 112 may extend outside the dispensing line 100, which for example may prevent damage or contamination of the regulation member 112.

At least 25%, at least 50%, at least 75% or even 90% or more or all of the tapered section of the regulation member 112 may overlap with the tapered section of the inner wall 126.

The tapered section 113 of the regulation member 112 may be positioned at a distance from the outlet end 122 of the dispensing line 100, or at any other further downstream portion of the dispensing line 100. The tapered section 113 may as such not protrude out of the dispensing line 100.

When the regulation member 112 has multiple tapered sections, the optional features discussed above may relate to all of the tapered section of the regulation member 112, or to only one of the tapered sections, for example the largest tapered section 113 or the tapered section 113 which is at least partially aligned with a tapered section of the dispensing line 100, in particular an inner wall of the regulator valve 108, even more in particular a tapered section of the outer housing 118.

In the description above, it will be understood that when an element such as layer, region or substrate is referred to as being “on” or “onto” another element, the element is either directly on the other element, or intervening elements may also be present. Also, it will be understood that the values given in the description above, are given by way of example and that other values may be possible and/or may be strived for.

Furthermore, the invention may also be embodied with less components than provided in the embodiments described here, wherein one component carries out multiple functions. Just as well may the invention be embodied using more elements than depicted in the Figures, wherein functions carried out by one component in the embodiment provided are distributed over multiple components.

It is to be noted that the figures are only schematic representations of embodiments of the invention that are given by way of non-limiting examples. For the purpose of clarity and a concise description, features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, however, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention may include embodiments having combinations of all or some of the features described.

The word ‘comprising’ does not exclude the presence of other features or steps than those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the words 'a' and 'an' shall not be construed as limited to 'only one', but instead are used to mean 'at least one', and do not exclude a plurality.

A person skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various parameters and values thereof disclosed in the description may be modified and that various embodiments disclosed and/or claimed may be combined without departing from the scope of the invention.