GB2228049A - Cleaning liquid dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A cleaning connector (22) for a cleaning bottle (11) (Fig 2) for a liquid dispense system (10), has a dip tube (25) and a liquid-level dependent valve (27) at its lower end which prevents fluid flow to the dip tube when liquid level falls to a predetermined value. The system uses gas under pressure in a cylinder (17) to force a liquid, particularly beer, from a keg (15) to a tap (13). For cleaning, the coupling (20) is disconnected from the keg and mounted on the cleaning bottle (11) so that the pressurised gas can be used to force a washing liquid (24) into the pipe system. The valve (27) ensures that there is no loss or wastage of the pressurised gas if the washing liquid level falls to the level of the dip tube inlet. <IMAGE>

Description

VALVE This invention relates to a valve for use, for example in cleaning aliquid dispense system. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with cleaning bottles for use in connection with systems for dispensing drinkable liquid such as beer.

Fig. 1 shows a known beer dispensing system 10 and a known cleaning bottle 11. The system 10 comprises a counter 12, a dispense tap 13, a flowline 14 and a container such as a keg 15 for the liquid 16. Liquid 16 is driven towards the tap 13 by means of pressure of gas (such as CO2 or a nitrogen/CO2 mixture) coming from cylinder 17 via pressure reducing and regulating valve 18. Connection between the liquid line 14 and a gas line 19 and the keg 15 is by means of a dispense coupling 20. The keg 15 has an upwardly extending coupling spear 21 complementary to coupling 20. Coupling 20 and spear 21 can be secured by means of a flange, or by a bayonet-type connection. There are several different types of spear coupling combinations in existence.

When it is desired to clean the coupling 20, line 14 and tap 13, it is normal for the user (for example the owner or operator of a bar) to disconnect the flow of pressurising gas, by removing the coupling 20 from the keg 15, and connecting it to a complementary connector 22 connectable to the wash bottle 11. The wash bottle 11 is a container (usually of plastics material). Connector 22 has a downwardly extending screw connection 23 for sealing connection with the neck lla of bottle 11, and an upwardly extending spear formation 23a complementary to coupling 20. A dip tube 25 depends to near the bottom of bottle 11. Bottle 11 can be partly filled with water or a water/detergent mixture 24. After connection of the spear 23a with coupling 20 the pressurisation gas drives the detergent solution 24 up the dip tube 25 and the pipe 14.Upon opening the tap 13 detergent flows from the tap and cleans the line 14 and the interior of the tap 13. Many detergents are appropriate for soaking lines, and many users prefer to fill the line 14 with detergent and then close the tap 13 to maintain the detergent in the line for a period of say half an hour in order to effect a thorough cleaning. Thereafter, the line 14 is flushed with the remaining detergent. After this the bottle 11 is emptied,and re-filled with clean water which is used to remove all traces of detergent.

Certain disadvantages have been found with conventional connections used with cleaning bottles.

In some cases, it has been found that if the tap 13 is opened and the system left simply to drive all the detergent 24 up the line 14, once the detergent has fallen below the level of the lower end of the dip tube 25 the propellant gas simply travels up the pipe 14. This can have several disadvantages. Firstly, a mixture of liquid and gas can create foam which can often lodge in parts of the pipe and possibly form air locks. This could even happen when clean water is used later and again the water level is allowed to fall below the bottom of dip tube 25. Secondly a user will often be cleaning lines amidst doing other jobs. If the tap 13 is turned on and the system left, when the detergent or water has fallen below the bottom of the dip tube 25 gas will continue to be expelled through the line 14.If the user fails to realise that the bottle is empty and forgets the system, considerable quantities of gas can be lost with corresponding economic loss.

There are also further problems if propellant gas is allowed to enter the line 14 in any great quantity. It has been found that certain propellant gases, particularly nitrogen/CO2 mixtures, if allowed to enter the line 14 in any great quantity can cause tainting of the liquid later dispensed from the line, even after having been thoroughly washed with water.

It is not fully understood how this phenomenon occurs, but it is believed that the gas is perhaps absorbed into the material of the line and later released during use to cause the aforesaid tainting.

Naturally, this can have serious disadvantages to the user.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning connector wherein the aforementioned disadvantages are reduced or minimised.

The invention provides a cleaning connector for a cleaning bottle for a liquid dispense system having a dip tube for extending into the cleaning bottle and having at its lower end valve means adapted to prevent flow into the dip tube once liquid level within the bottle has fallen below a predetermined level.

The invention also provides a valve which has a valve seat and a bouyant valve member limitedly movable towards and away from the seat, wherein the valve is made from a moulding of material which has two parts connected together by an integral hinge, one of the parts defining said valve seat and the other of said parts, after pivoting about said hinge from a moulded position at least partially defines a cage providing aforesaid limited movability of the bouyant valve member.

Preferably said second part includes a retainer means which can engage adjacent structure to maintain the second part of the moulding in its operative position. The retainer means can be in the form of a lobe which has an aperture which, in use, surrounds a member, such as a pipe, engaging with the valve.

The valve can include a valve seat and a valve member cooperable with the valve seat.

The valve member can be of lower density than water to cause it to tend to float.

The valve member should be captive to move limitedly towards and away from the valve seat.

The valve member can be pivoted adjacent the valve seat.

The valve member can be a loose bouyant ball able to move within a cage adjacent the valve seat.

The valve can conveniently be made from a moulding which has two parts connected by an integral hinge, one part providing a dip tube connection in the valve seat and the other part being foldable, about the hinge, to define a cage with the other part. The cage can be completed by a lower end of the dip tube.

The valve seat can carry an annular liner to provide the seating surface.

A lower end of the one part can be moulded with an aperture therein and can be closed by an added disc.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of a liquid dispensing system together with a known cleaning bottle; Fig. 2 shows a know cleaning bottle; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating part of a preferred connector of the invention; Fig. 4 is a side elevation illustrating a valve of the connector of the invention; Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the valve in position; and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a moulding which can form part of the valve.

Referring now to Fig.3 of the drawings, it will be seen that a preferred connector of the invention (not shown in detail in Fig. 3) is suitable for use with a cleaning bottle 26. The connector of the invention is comprarable in most respects to the connector 22, having a sealing releasable connection (e.g. screwed) with the neck of bottle 26 and having a spear 23a for connection to a coupling 20. A user may have three or four different wash bottles 26 and/or connectors 22 to cope with various types of keg in a cellar or other store. The connector has a dip tube 25 and differs from the known connector in that dip tube 25 terminates in a valve arrangement 27 which is effective to ensure that when the level of liquid 24 in the bottle 26 falls below a predetermined low level 28 further flow out of the bottle into the dip tube 25 is prevented.

The form of the valve 27 can be varied widely.

For example, the valve could be a hinged flap which is normally urged upwards, as by constituting or being connected to a bouyant member and falling into position to close a valve orifice when the liquid level falls.

Preferably, however, the valve arrangement 27 includes an upwardly opened annular valve seat 29 above which is disposed a bouyant ball 30. Ball 30 is enclosed to be limitedly vertically movable within a cage 31.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 it will be seen that the valve 27 is manufactured from a first moulding 32 of plastics material. Moulding 32 has a left-hand half 33 and a right-hand half 34. Left-hand half 33 has a annular downwardly open flat cylindrical body 35, an upwardly extending spigot 36 for connection to the lower end of dip tube 25 and an upwardly extending circular aperture 37 which receives a soft insert 38 which forms a valve seat for the ball 30. The downwardly open body 35 is, after assembly, closed by a sealing disc 39.

The left half 33 is connected to the right-hand half 34 by an integral hinge 40 of plastics material.

The right-hand half 34 includes a channel section portion which includes a slotted web 41 and two flanges 42. Extending at right angles to the channel area is a lobe 43 which has a circular aperture 44.

In manufacture, the moulding 32 is first provided with the insert 38 and the ball 30 is placed in position. Thereafter, the right-hand half 34 of the moulding 32 is pivoted through 90C in the direction of arrow 45. This places the aperture 44 coaxial with the spigot 36 and the channel section portion provides a cage locating and surrounding ball 30 for limited movement up and down above the valve seat 38.

Thereafter, the pace disc 39 is inserted to form a sealed path between the spigot 36 and the valve seat 38. The lower end of the dip tube 25 is now engaged with the spigot 36. The tube 25 passes through aperture 44 and thus retains the lobe 43 which maintains the valve in its use configuration. The use of the two part moulding with integral hinge greatly simplifies the moulding of what would otherwise be quite a complicated valved structure.

As has been previously discussed many other alternative valve structures could be used. However, it will be appreciated that the cleaning bottle connector of the invention is effective in preventing flow into the dip tube once the liquid level has reached the level 28. This prevents the propellant gas entering the line 14 with the adverse consequences previously mentioned.

Of course, the wash bottle connector can be used in dispensing systems for liquids other than drinkable liquids indeed, in any liquid dispense system wherein it is undesirable for propellant gas to enter the system.

Of course, the valve of the invention can be used for any purpose.

Claims (16)

1. A cleaning connector, for a cleaning bottle for a liquid dispense system having a dip tube for extending into the cleaning bottle and having at its lower end valve means adapted to prevent flow into the dip tube once liquid level within the bottle has fallen below a predetermined level.

2. A valve which has a valve seat and a buoyant valve member limitedly movable towards and away from the seat, wherein the valve is made from a moulding of material which has two parts connected together by an integral hinge, one of the parts defining said valve seat and the other of said parts, after pivoting about said hinge from a moulded position at least partially defines a cage providing aforesaid limited movability of the buoyant valve member.

3. A valve as claimed in claim 2 wherein said second part includes a retainer means which can engage adjacent structure to maintain the second part of the moulding in its operative position.

4. A valve as claimed in claim 3 wherein the retainer means is in the form of a lobe which has an aperture which, in use, surrounds a member, such as a pipe, engaging with the valve.

5. A connector as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the valve includes a valve seat and a valve member cooperable with the valve seat.

6. A connector as claimed in claim 1 or claim 5, wherein the valve member is of lower density than water.

7. A connector as claimed in any of claims 1, 5 or 6, wherein the valve member is captive to move limitedly towards and away from the valve seat.

8. A connector as claimed in any of claims 1, 5 or 6 wherein the valve member is pivoted adjacent the valve seat.

9. A connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the valve member is a loose buoyant ball able to move within a cage adjacent the valve seat.

10. A connector as claimed in claim 1 or any of claims 5 to 9, wherein the valve is made from a moulding which has two parts connected by an integral hinge, one part providing a dip tube connection in the valve seat and the other part being foldable, about the hinge, to define a cage with the other part.

11. A connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cage can be completed by a lower end of the dip tube.

12. A connector as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11,wherein the valve seat carries an annular liner to provide the seating surface.

13. A connector as claimed in any of claims 10, 11 or 12 wherein a lower end of the one part is moulded with an aperture therein and can be closed by an added disc.

14. A cleaning connector as claimed in any of claims 1, 5, 6, 7 or 8 wherein the valve is as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4.

15. A cleaning connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A valve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.