Device for dispensing a fluid

Abstract

A device for dispensing a fluid comprises a sealed container for the fluid, a carrier for a cartridge with pressurized propellant gas, pressure reducing means, a dip tube for transporting fluid upward out of the container under the influence of the propellant, which dip tube connects to a dispensing channel via a first valve, which can be opened from outside for the purpose of pressing fluid, with the overpressure from the propellant, to the outlet of a dispensing channel, and there dispensing it. A second valve is present between the pressure reducing means and the container for allowing passage of propellant gas to the container in the opened position. An operating handle serves to operate the valve unit, wherein there are three stable positions, i.e. a rest position in which both valves are closed, a standby position in which the first valve is closed and the second valve is opened, and an operative position in which both valves are opened.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . Device for dispensing a fluid, which device comprises:
 a sealed container in which the fluid is received;   a carrier for a cartridge with pressurized gas, which cartridge has a seal which can be broken by means of first operating means which can be operated manually from outside the carrier, and the carrier comprises breaking means for breaking the seal such that gas is generated by the cartridge;   a pressure reducer which is coupled to the carrier and connect to the breaking means for receiving pressurized gas, and which generate received gas under reduced pressure to a space inside the container for charging the fluid present therein with gas under a certain overpressure;   a dip tube which extends in the container from a bottom zone thereof to an inlet of a first valve, an outlet of which debouches on a top side of the container;   a dispensing channel or conduit which is present on the top side of the container and an inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the first valve and an outlet of the dispensing conduit which protrudes outside the container for the purpose of dispensing fluid;   second operating means, which can be operated manually from outside the carrier, for displacing a valve body of the first valve, whereby this first valve is opened, this such that, due to the overpressure of the gas in the container, fluid is pressed via the dip tube, the opened first valve and the dispensing conduit to the outlet of the dispensing conduit, and is there dispensed, wherein the breaking means comprise a hollow pin for perforating the seal during an axial displacement of the cartridge relative to the breaking means as a result of operating the first operating means; and   wherein a first transmission converts displacement of the first operating means from a rest position to an operative position into axial displacement of the cartridge relative to the hollow pin;   
       characterized in that
 third operating means which can be manually operated from outside are present for displacing a valve body of a second valve connected between an outlet of the pressure reducer and the container for allowing passage of gas under reduced pressure only in an opened position of the second valve; and 
 the second operating means comprise an operating handle which is coupled operatively to a second transmission which converts a pivoting movement of the operating handle into axial movement of a valve body relative to a valve sleeve, this second transmission defining three stable positions, i.e. a rest position in which both valves are closed; 
 a standby position in which the first valve is closed and the second valve is opened; and 
 an operative position in which both valves are open. 
 
     
     
         27 . Device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the first valve and the second valve are both slide valves with a sleeve provided with a number of passages and an elongate valve body axially displaceable therein in sealing manner. 
     
     
         28 . Device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the valves are integrated into one valve unit with one sleeve and one valve body displaceable therein. 
     
     
         29 . Device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the second transmission comprises a cam disc or curve disc which is connected with rotation locking to the operating handle and has three cams or curve parts corresponding to the positions, and a follower is coupled to the valve bodies. 
     
     
         30 . Device as claimed in  claim 29 , comprising spring means for pressing the follower against the disc. 
     
     
         31 . Device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the operating handle is also the carrier for a cartridge for pressurized gas, and wherein the breaking means comprise a screw thread which is present on the carrier and, in the manner of a screw and nut, co-acts with a complementary screw thread disposed fixedly relative to the breaking means. 
     
     
         32 . Device as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the pressure reducer is received in a transition zone between the operating handle and a connecting tube which is rotatable about its axis sealingly relative to the inlet of the second valve and on which the operating handle extends substantially at right angles and which is coupled with rotation locking to the operating handle, and leads the gas under reduced pressure to the second valve. 
     
     
         33 . Device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the pressure reducer is adjustable by means of pressure adjusting means which can be operated from outside. 
     
     
         34 . Device as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the container is a bottle with a bottom, a body and a mouth, and a mouth rim carries a head, forming part of which are: the carrier with the breaking means, the pressure reducer, the dip tube, the valve unit, the dispensing conduit, the first operating means, the second operating means and the second transmission, this head being located outside the container. 
     
     
         35 . Device as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the container is a bottle with a bottom, a body and a mouth, and a mouth rim sealingly bears a dish which has in its central zone a continuous hole to which the valve unit is sealingly connected, which valve unit carries the dip tube on its underside. 
     
     
         36 . Device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the container is a bottle with a bottom, a body and a mouth, and a mouth rim bears a head, forming part of which are: the carrier, the breaking means, the pressure reducer, the dispensing conduit, the first operating means, the second operating means and the second transmission, this head being located outside the bottle. 
     
     
         37 . Device as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the head is coupled in optionally releasable manner to the mouth rim of the bottle by means of a connection from the group including: a screw connection, a snap connection, and a bayonet connection, and wherein the bottle consists substantially of PET. 
     
     
         38 . Device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein a wall of the container is provided with a layer which forms a barrier to the pressurized gas in the container and forms a barrier to oxygen from the ambient air and wherein an optionally releasable support is added to the container which enlarges the bottom in the direction of the operative position. 
     
     
         39 . Device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the fluid is a beverage such as fruit juice, mineral water, for instance a carbonated drink such as beer, soft drink, carbonated mineral water or the like and wherein the first valve is of the aerosol type and wherein the second valve is of the aerosol type. 
     
     
         40 . Device as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising valve means controlled by the operating handle which are closed in a position of the operating handle corresponding to the rest position and are opened in a position of the operating handle corresponding to the standby position and the operative position, which valve means connect to the pressure reducer immediately downstream of the pressure reducer and in the rest position block passage of gas under reduced pressure to the interior of the container, and in the standby position and the operative position allow passage of gas under reduced pressure to the interior of the container. 
     
     
         41 . Container adapted and intended as component of a device as claimed in  claim 26 , which container, after being filled, is closed sealingly by means of closing means to which guarantee seal means are added which can be broken only in outwardly recognisable manner, and only in broken state enable opening of the closing means. 
     
     
         42 . Container adapted and intended as component of a device as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein a mouth rim of the container bears a dish in sealing manner which has in its central zone a continuous hole to which the valve unit of the device of  claim 28  is sealingly connected. 
     
     
         43 . Head adapted and intended as component of a device as claimed in  claim 34 , which head bears the following components and/or to which head the following components are connected: the carrier with breaking means, the pressure reducer, the dip tube, the valve unit, the dispensing conduit, the first operating means, the second operating means and the second transmission. 
     
     
         44 . Device as claimed in  claim 35 , and which comprises:
 a head which bears the following components and/or to which head the following components are connected: the carrier with breaking means, the pressure reducing means, the dip tube, the valve unit, the dispensing conduit, the first operating means, the second operating means and the second transmission; and   a non-return valve which at least in the standby position and the operative position is opened for passage of pressurized gas from the pressure reducer to the interior of the container, which non-return valve comprises a valve body spring-loaded toward a closed position of the non-return valve and having a downward protruding operating pin which, when the head is placed on the container, presses against the dish and thereby opens the non-return valve such that, when a separate head is not placed on a container, the non-return valve blocks the escape of pressurized gas.   
     
     
         45 . Head adapted and intended as component of a device as claimed in  claim 34 , of which head the following components form part: the carrier with the breaking means, the pressure reducing means, the dispensing conduit, the first operating means, the second operating means and the second transmission.