Keg protection assembly

Abstract

A keg protection assembly is disclosed. The keg protection assembly includes a top-chime for protecting a head portion of a plastics keg, a bottom-chime for protecting a base portion of the keg, a sleeve, and/or a keg. The sleeve is for fitment to and between the top-chime and the bottom-chime so as to encircle and protect a body portion of the keg between the head portion and the base portion.

1 . A keg protection assembly comprising:
 a top-chime for protecting a head portion of a plastics keg;   a bottom-chime for protecting a base portion of the keg; and   a sleeve for fitment to and between the top-chime and the bottom-chime so as to encircle and protect a body portion of the keg between the head portion and the base portion.   
     
     
         2 . The keg protection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the top-chime and bottom-chime comprise a sleeve holder arranged to receive and hold the sleeve to the respective chime, the sleeve holder defining a circumferential groove into which the sleeve can be inserted. 
     
     
         3 . The keg protection assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the sleeve holder comprises a first set of engagement structures, and the sleeve comprises a second set of engagement structures complementarily positioned and formed relative to the first set of engagement structures to allow mutual engagement between the first and second set of engagement structures when the sleeve is push-fitted into the circumferential groove of the sleeve holder. 
     
     
         4 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is formed from a unitary piece of sheet material looped onto itself. 
     
     
         5 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is formed from a sheet material having a printed surface printed with indicia, the printed surface corresponding to an outwardly-facing surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         6 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the top-chime is arranged to hold a neck at the head portion of the keg. 
     
     
         7 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the top-chime is arranged to provide access to an outlet defined by the neck of the keg, thereby allowing beverage to be dispensed from the keg whilst the top-chime holds the neck of the keg. 
     
     
         8 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the top-chime comprises jaws movable between open and closed relative positions, the jaws together defining a collar when in the closed position to embrace and engage the neck of the keg, and being parted to release the neck of the keg when in the open position. 
     
     
         9 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the top-chime is divided into substantially identical first and second parts each part having a respective jaw of the collar. 
     
     
         10 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the jaws comprise an interface through which they are engaged with one another in the closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the interface comprises mating formations which engage with one another when the jaws are brought together relative to one another along an engagement axis, the mating formations being arranged to constrain relative movement of the jaws, when in the closed position, substantially to the engagement axis. 
     
     
         12 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the top-chime comprises one or more locks arranged to engage with the jaws when in the closed position, to lock the closed jaws together. 
     
     
         13 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the top-chime comprises a crown portion. 
     
     
         14 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the crown portion extends above a collar for holding the neck of the keg, the crown portion extending a distance exceeding the distance that the neck of the keg is able to protrude through the collar when the collar holds the keg neck. 
     
     
         15 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the crown portion defines at least one handle to facilitate manual handling of the assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the top-chime and the bottom-chime are complementary in shape so as to facilitate stacking of a plurality of the assemblies according to  claim 1 , the complementary shape of the top-chime and the bottom-chime confining the relative movement between two stacked assemblies along a single axis. 
     
     
         17 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising the plastics keg. 
     
     
         18 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the keg is blow-moulded from a preform of plastics. 
     
     
         19 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the capacity of the keg is between 15 and 50 litres, and a sidewall thickness of the body portion of the keg is between 0.3-0.8 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the keg is freestanding. 
     
     
         21 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fitting, the fitting comprising:
 a. a closure for connection to an outlet of the keg; and   b. an elongate tube for insertion into the keg, the elongate tube having an inner conduit for beverage;   wherein, when fitted to the keg, an inner end of the elongate tube is located adjacent to an internal floor at the base portion of the keg for passing beverage from said inner end, through said conduit and to the closure for dispensing.   
     
     
         22 . The keg protection assembly according to  claim 21 , wherein the closure comprises a valve that defines multiple flow paths through the closure, a first flow path for communication with a headspace of the keg and a second flow path for communication with the inner conduit of the elongate tube. 
     
     
         23 . A top-chime, bottom-chime, sleeve and/or keg for use with the keg protection assembly according to  claim 1 .