Method and apparatus for dispensing beverages, especially carbonated beverages

Abstract

Container unit for beverage, comprising a beverage container with a body and a neck portion, wherein at least the body portion forms a first compartment for beverage, wherein a pressure control device is provided, preferably at least partly in the beverage container, for pressurising a beverage in the beverage container, which pressure control device comprises a gas container forming a second compartment for containing a propellant under pressure, wherein a dispensing unit is provided in and/or on the neck portion and the gas container is supported by the neck portion and/or the dispensing unit, wherein pressure regulating means are provided in the dispensing unit.

1 . Container unit for beverage, comprising a beverage container with a body and a neck portion, wherein at least the body portion forms a first compartment for beverage, wherein a pressure control device is provided, preferably at least partly in the beverage container, for pressurising a beverage in the beverage container, which pressure control device comprises a gas container forming a second compartment for containing a propellant under pressure, wherein a dispensing unit is provided in and/or on the neck portion and the gas container is supported by the neck portion and/or the dispensing unit, wherein pressure regulating means are provided in the dispensing unit. 
     
     
         2 . Container unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing unit closes the beverage container and the gas container. 
     
     
         3 . Container unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas container is made of plastic, especially a thermoplastic plastic, more specifically PET or a PET blend. 
     
     
         4 . Container unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the gas container is injection moulded, wherein the gas container has a body portion with a peripheral wall portion which is radially expandable within the first compartment under internal gas pressure between 4 and 20 bar absolute. 
     
     
         5 . Container unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas container can be inserted into and at least partly through the neck portion of the beverage container, wherein the neck portion encloses an upper part of the gas container, providing for a passage for gas between an inner surface of the neck portion and an outer portion of the gas container, wherein preferably a dip tube extends through said passage from the first compartment into the dispensing unit. 
     
     
         6 . Container unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing unit comprises a first coupling means and the neck portion of the beverage container is provided with at least one coupling means for coupling to the first coupling means, preferably sealingly. 
     
     
         7 . Container unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas container has a gas container body portion and a gas container neck portion, wherein the gas container body portion extends at least partly into the first compartment, wherein the dispensing unit comprises at least one second coupling means and the gas container neck portion comprises coupling means for cooperating with the second coupling means, preferably sealingly. 
     
     
         8 . Container unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the beverage container is a blow moulded plastic container, preferably made from at least PET or a PET blend. 
     
     
         9 . Container unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the beverage container has a first, internal axial length, measured between an outer end of the neck portion and an opposite end of the beverage container, and the gas container has a second, outer axial length measured between the dispensing unit to which the gas container is attached and an opposite end of the gas container, wherein the first axial length is slightly larger than the second axial length, preferably between 1 and 1.2 times the second axial length, more preferably between 1 and 1.1 times the second axial length. 
     
     
         10 . Container unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing unit comprises at least one passage from the pressure regulating means to the first compartment, forming part of a gas passage between the first compartment and the second compartment, wherein the pressure regulating means comprises at least one valve assembly for opening and closing said gas passage, based on pressure prevailing in the first compartment. 
     
     
         11 . Dispensing unit for a beverage container, comprising a pressure regulating means and dispensing means, wherein at a first side of the dispensing unit a first coupling means and a second coupling means are provided, the first coupling means surrounding the second coupling means, wherein within the second coupling means at least one first gas passage opens, said first passage extending into a chamber of the pressure regulating means, wherein between the first and second coupling means at least one second passage opens, said second passage extending into said chamber. 
     
     
         12 . Dispensing unit according to  claim 11 , wherein a gas container is mounted to the second coupling means, which gas container has an axial length and extends within the first coupling means, seen in a direction of its axial length, wherein the gas container preferably is made of plastic, more preferably injection moulded and/or blow moulded and/or of PET or a PET blend. 
     
     
         13 . Dispensing unit according to  claim 10 , wherein a valve stem extends through the first channel and is connected to or part of a movable and/or flexible wall part of said chamber, which valve stem can close off and open the first passage, depending at least on a position of said wall part of the chamber. 
     
     
         14 . Method for providing a beverage container unit, wherein a beverage container is filled with a beverage trough a filling opening, and a gas container is provided extending into and through the filling opening, wherein a dispensing unit is provided, comprising a pressure regulating means, which dispensing unit is mounted in and/or over the filling opening and is connected to the gas container. 
     
     
         15 . Method according to  claim 14 , utilizing a dispensing unit for a beverage container, comprising a pressure regulating means and dispensing means, wherein at a first side of the dispensing unit a first coupling means and a second coupling means are provided, the first coupling means surrounding the second coupling means, wherein within the second coupling means at least one first gas passage opens, said first passage extending into a chamber of the pressure regulating means, wherein between the first and second coupling means at least one second passage opens, said second passage extending into said chamber, the dispensing unit being mounted after filling of the beverage container, wherein propellant gas under pressure is provided in the gas container.