Abstract: A diaphragm for use in a valve assembly, comprising at least one sealing portion and a fixation portion, characterized in that the fixation portion and the at least one sealing portion are connected by a flexible portion.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising the steps of molding a melt of thermoplastic material thereby forming said article and cooling the article to a temperature below the glass temperature of said thermoplastic material, characterized in that the method further comprises a post treatment of applying a stress on the article.

Abstract: Container assembly comprising a container and a chime fixed to each other, the container having an end part and a peripheral side wall, characterized in that the fixation between the chime and the container is situated at the end part of the container and at a distance from said peripheral side wall.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conduit for conducting gasified liquid, which has a flow restrictor arranged in in-line relation therewith. The restrictor itself comprises an at least one aperture (although two or more can be used in series), with each such being adapted to pass the gasified liquid flowing through the conduit and across a pressure drop from a higher-pressure upstream side of the aperture to a lower-pressure downstream side of the aperture. The aperture is operable to moderate the rate of change in pressure over a transitional pressure drop to mitigate the formation of localized pressures below a critical pressure at which off-gassing from the carbonated liquid results in substantial foam formation. The conduit may take the form of a dispensing tube for use in dispensing an alcoholic beverage from a keg, the tube having a flexible wall deformable under the influence of a restricting actuator to control the partial collapse of the wall and thereby form the restrictor.

Abstract: A diaphragm for use in a valve assembly, comprising at least one sealing portion and a fixation portion, characterized in that the fixation portion and the at least one sealing portion are connected by a flexible portion.

Abstract: A method for fixing a valve assembly to a container, the container comprising a neck portion in a first thermoplastic material and the valve assembly comprising a ring of a second thermoplastic material, the method comprising positioning the valve assembly on or in the container's neck portion to form an interface between the thermoplastic ring and the container's neck portion, characterized in that the method further comprises laser welding the thermoplastic ring to the container's neck portion.

Abstract: The present relates to a beverage valve assembly (5) comprising:—a bottom wall section (12);—a tubular part (14) extending downward from the bottom wall section;—an outer apron (9) standing up from the bottom wall section (12); wherein the tubular part (14) has a top opening (21) to receive a dispensing element (3), whereby the top opening (21) is preferably arranged in the middle section of the upper outer surface of the bottom wall (12), and the tubular part (14) has an upper inner tubular wall section with at least one sealing surface (15,16), the outer standing up apron (9) is arranged at a distance from the top opening (21) of the tubular part (14), whereby the bottom wall (12) section comprises at least one valve positioned between the top opening (21) of the tubular part (14) and an inner side wall section of the outer standing up apron (9).

Abstract: A bag (10) adapted for insertion into a container and a method of folding the bag is disclosed. The bag has two panels (14, 16) and a neck portion (30) passing between the panels. The neck portion has a spear portion (34) extending into the bag between the panels through which an alcohol beverage may pass into and out of the bag. The bag has a first plurality of folds (50) on each of the panels extending orthogonal to the spear. A first side of the bag is folded inwards over itself in a first spiral-like manner (70) in a plurality of folds sections along fold lines extending parallel to the spear. A second side of the bag is folded inwards over itself in a second spiral-like manner (78) in plurality of fold sections along fold lines extending parallel to the spear.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cask and chime assembly wherein the cask has end surface side wall portions of reduced diameter relative to the central wall surface portion of the cask. The reduced diameter portions of the cask are separated from the central wall surface portion of the cask by an annular groove whereby a protruding shoulder is provided in the groove adjacent the central portion of the cask. Chimes the cask and have a flange adapted to be snapped fitted into the groove. The shoulders provide for support against vertical of forces that might otherwise displace the chimes from the grooves.

Abstract: A tap adapter (38) for use in dispensing an alcohol beverage from a container (22) has a shoulder (152), a support arm (150), a dispensing tube, a flow restricting actuator (200), and a switch (300). The dispensing tube is supported by the support arm and provides a beverage flow passageway for dispensing beverage from the container. The dispensing tube has at least a flexible wall portion (86). The flow restricting actuator is pivotally attached to the shoulder and moves between a first position remote of the dispensing tube and a second locked position to partially collapse the flexible wall portion and restrict flow of beverage through the passageway. The switch, when actuated by a user, releases the flow restricting actuator from the second locked position. The switch of the tap adapter facilitates disconnection of the dispensing tube from a spent container and the changing of the dispensing tube.

Abstract: A tap adapter suitable for use in dispensing an alcohol beverage from a keg which tap adapter has a hollow arm adapted for mounting to a valve assembly in fluid flow communication with a beverage dispensing valve in the valve assembly. The arm may contain a dispensing tube. A first end portion of the arm is adapted to releasably connect to the beverage dispensing valve to open the valve and has a tap permitting beverage to flow through the hollow arm and out the tap. An air line passageway is adapted to be connected to a second valve in sealed fluid flow communication therewith passing through the valve assembly or keg. A source of air is connected to the air line passageway for supplying pressurized air to the second valve and into the keg. A relief valve is provided which can be opened to allow air to pass into the discharge tube upstream of the discharge end portion whereby the beverage in the discharge tube downstream of the relief valve freely flows out of the discharge end portion.

Abstract: An alcohol beverage dispensing apparatus has a keg having top and bottom portions and a bag contained within the keg for containing an alcohol beverage. The apparatus has a dispensing device that has a hollow elongated tube extending into the bag towards the bottom portion of the keg for inserting the beverage into the bag during a bag fill operation and for dispensing the beverage from the bag during a dispense operation. The hollow tube has an end portion having an opening which may comprise a plurality of laterally spaced apart notches positioned between interval side wall portions to provide crenellated openings in the end portion throughwhich the beverage passes into and out from the hollow elongated member. The interval side wall portions have rounded tip portions or carry an interface plate to reduce the risk of the end portion puncturing the bag during beverage filling and dispensing cycles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conduit for conducting gasified liquid, which has a flow restrictor arranged in in-line relation therewith. The restrictor itself comprises an at least one aperture (although two or more can be used in series), with each such being adapted to pass the gasified liquid flowing through the conduit and across a pressure drop from a higher-pressure upstream side of the aperture to a lower-pressure downstream side of the aperture. The aperture is operable to moderate the rate of change in pressure over a transitional pressure drop to mitigate the formation of localized pressures below a critical pressure at which off-gassing from the carbonated liquid results in substantial foam formation. The conduit may take the form of a dispensing tube for use in dispensing an alcoholic beverage from a keg, the tube having a flexible wall deformable under the influence of a restricting actuator to control the partial collapse of the wall and thereby form the restrictor.

Abstract: A cooling system for a home beer dispensing apparatus has a mediated thermal bridge providing a bank of latent cooling capacity. The bridge may have a cavity filled with a cooling solution with at least one series of spaced apart heat exchange fins extending substantially along and interstitially into the cavity from at least one wall of the cavity so as to enhance heat transfer across the cavity. The bridge is arranged in thermal conducting relation through a cooling plate between a keg containing the beer and a Peltier thermoelectric cooling device adapted to cool the cooling solution by extracting heat therefrom to an active heat sink. A fan directs air flow horizontally along the fins of the sink and out the two lateral open sides of the heat sink. This prevents heat from rising in the apparatus and thereby affecting other system component parts. The cooling solution may comprise 5% by volume glycol and freezes at a temperature below that of water providing an improved thermal bank.

Abstract: A home beer dispensing apparatus has a keg having a self-contained bag filled with a beer and a pressure system. The pressure system creates a pressurized air space between the keg inner walls and the bag to assist in the dispensing of the beer. The pressure system has a keg one-way air valve mounted to a top wall of the keg to permit entry of pressurized air into the keg. The pressure system has a pressure reservoir mounted in the dispensing apparatus outside the keg and in fluid flow communication with the keg one-way valve. The reservoir stores a charge of pressurized air and supplies at least a portion of this charge to the keg through the keg air valve when the dispensing apparatus is operated to dispense the beer. The reservoir provides a reserved charge of pressurized gas that is on hand to reduce dampening pressure fluctuations during beer dispensing which can result in beer frothing, especially during the early stages of beer dispensing when the air head space in the keg is small.

Abstract: A beer or like alcohol beverage dispensing apparatus has a keg for containing the beverage. A keg dispensing device is connected through a top portion of the keg and extends to a bottom portion of the keg to draw the beverage from the keg adjacent the bottom portion. The apparatus has a cooling plate in heat transfer contacting relation with the bottom of the keg and also has a Peltier thermoelectric device connected to the cooling plate so as to extract heat from the cooling plate and thereby extract heat from the keg. The cooling apparatus has a first temperature sensor, mounted in heat sensing relation with a bottom portion of the keg and a second temperature sensor mounted in heat sensing relation with an upper portion of the keg.