Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are described herein that allow a tap handle to be quickly and easily reoriented or replaced after being attached to a spigot. In an embodiment, an adjustment mechanism for a beverage tap handle includes a connecting element and a housing. The connecting element includes a stem and a first mating feature, and the housing includes an aperture to receive the stem and a second mating feature configured to mate with the first mating feature. The housing and the connecting element are (i) rotatable with respect to each other about a central axis of the stem when the first mating feature and second mating feature are not mated, and (ii) prevented from rotating with respect to each other about the central axis of the stem when the first mating feature and the second mating feature are mated.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 6, 2015
Date of Patent:
January 23, 2018
Assignee:
Taphandles LLC
Inventors:
Sang Hoon Shin, Julian Power, Fatch Chapeyama, Marcus Alan Latham
Abstract: An integral electrical connection for use with a tap handle in a beverage dispenser. With the integral electrical connection, the tap handle can be internally suppled with low voltage power, with safety and reliability, by a quick connection circuit, housed within the tap handle. The tap handle is attachable to a standard tap valve or faucet, typically used in dispensing beverages, such as beer, to provide an efficient and standardized solution to the problem of managing power cords and wires to the tap handle, to power any element within the tap handle, typically for the purpose of internally lighting or illuminating the tap handle, typically a bulb or diode, such as a LED. The electrified tap includes a bushing receivable onto a locknut. A set of conductors ring the threaded tap. A lower pair of contacts are wired to a low voltage power source external to the tap. An upper pair of contacts within the handle touch the lower pair within the tap, when the handle is screwed onto the threaded tap stem.