Dispenser Head for Connection with an Extractor Device Mounted in a Beverage Container

Abstract

The dispenser head ( 1 ) comprises a pressure medium inlet ( 7 ) communicating with a pressure medium passage for supply of a pressure medium to a beverage container. A pressure medium valve ( 39 ) is adapted to open and close the beverage passage, and a hollow beverage piston ( 9 ) is arranged to be axially displaceable between an open position, in which it may convey beverage from the beverage container to a beverage outlet ( 8 ), and a closed position, in which a beverage extractor valve of the beverage container is closed. The dispenser head ( 1 ) is adapted to maintain the closed position of the pressure medium valve ( 39 ) in the disconnected state of the dispenser head ( 1 ) and the beverage container.

1 . A dispenser head for connection with an extractor device mounted in a beverage container, such as a beer keg, in which the beverage may be pressurized, the dispenser head comprising a pressure medium inlet communicating with a pressure medium passage for supply of a pressure medium, such as CO 2 , to the beverage container, a pressure medium valve being adapted to open and close the beverage passage, a beverage outlet for delivery of beverage from the beverage container to a tapping device, and a hollow beverage piston arranged to, in the connected state of the dispenser head and the extractor device, be axially displaceable between an open position, in which it may convey beverage from a down tube of the extractor device to the beverage outlet, and a closed position, in which a beverage extractor valve of the extractor device closes an outlet of the down tube, the dispenser head is adapted to maintain the closed position of the pressure medium valve in the disconnected state of the dispenser head and the extractor device, wherein the pressure medium valve has a valve element displaceable between an open position and a closed position, in that the valve element is biased against its closed position, and in that the valve element is adapted to, at connection of the dispenser head with the extractor device, be displaced to its open position by abutment of the valve element against the extractor device. 
     
     
         2 . The dispenser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve element of the pressure medium valve surrounds the hollow beverage piston and has an annular abutment surface adapted to abut the extractor device and an annular sealing surface that, in the closed position of the valve element, abuts an annular seat in the dispenser head. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser head according to  claim 2 , wherein the valve element of the pressure medium valve is adapted to be biased towards its closed position at least partly by means of the pressure medium. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser head according to  claim 2  wherein the valve element of the pressure medium valve has the form of at least a first annular part of a sealing ring, and in that the valve element is biased towards its closed position by means of at least a second annular and elastic part of the sealing ring. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser head according to  claim 4 , wherein the sealing ring forms a first tubular part and a second tubular part having a greater inner diameter than an inner diameter of the first tubular part, in that the annular abutment surface of the valve element of the pressure medium valve forms a first end face of the second tubular part, in that the annular sealing surface of the valve element of the pressure medium valve forms a first end face of the first tubular part, in that the first tubular part has a second end face being opposed to its first end face and abutting an inner surface of the dispenser head, and in that the first end face of the second tubular part is displaced in axial direction away from the first tubular part. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser head according to  claim 5 , wherein the first tubular part has radially extending slots formed in its second end face and communicating with axially extending slots in an inner wall of the first tubular part, the radially and axially extending slots thereby forming part of the pressure medium passage. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser head according to  claim 5  wherein the first tubular part of the sealing ring is provided with an outer lip adapted to seal against an inner wall of the dispenser device when a pressure medium is supplied to the pressure medium inlet, and in that the annular abutment surface of the valve element of the pressure medium valve is adapted to, in the connected state of the dispenser head and the extractor device, form a sealing surface against the extractor device. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser head according to  claim 2  wherein the annular sealing surface of the valve element of the pressure medium valve is provided with a rib or notch fitting a corresponding rib or notch of a bushing of the dispenser head. 
     
     
         9 . A dispenser head according to  claim 2  wherein the annular abutment surface of the pressure medium valve is provided with a rib or notch fitting a corresponding rib or notch of the extractor device. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser head according to  claim 1  wherein the sealing ring is manufactured as an integral part from an elastic material. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser head according to  claim 1  wherein the dispenser head is adapted so that, in the connected state of the dispenser head and the extractor device and the closed position of the hollow beverage piston, the pressure medium inlet communicates with the beverage outlet. 
     
     
         12 . A dispenser head according to claim ?? wherein the bushing of the dispenser head is provided with at least one radially extending slot connecting the pressure medium passage and the hollow beverage piston in the closed position of the hollow beverage piston. 
     
     
         13 . A method of connecting a dispenser head with an extractor device mounted in a beverage container, such as a beer keg, in which the beverage may be pressurized, whereby the dispenser head is connected with the extractor device, a hollow beverage piston is displaced axially from a closed position, in which a beverage extractor valve of the extractor device closes an outlet of a down tube, to an open position, in which the hollow beverage piston may convey beverage from the down tube of the extractor device to a beverage outlet of the dispenser head, and a pressure medium is supplied to the extractor device via a chamber enclosed by the dispenser head and the extractor device, wherein the pressure medium is supplied to the chamber enclosed by the dispenser head and the extractor device right at the connection of the dispenser head with the extractor device and before the displacement of the hollow beverage piston to its open position. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the hollow beverage piston opens out into the chamber enclosed by the dispenser head and the extractor device in the closed position of the hollow beverage piston.